Kinda weird swapping areas yet again, this one was a big change for me, but I'm loving it already.
Well, Jardim Canadá is awesome. It's a super small area of just 2 bairros (pronounced buy-ho, it basically means neighborhood, but in american terms it'd be more like an elementary school district: Adam, Lincoln, etc. little bigger than just a neighborhood) in comparison with being 4 cities in my last area. This area is called Canadá cuz it's like the coldest place I've ever seen in Minas Gerais. It's been raining almost every day since I got here, my fingers are actually like slow-moving cuz of the cold, and I'm actually sleeping with a blanket!! It's actually almost a sentimental experience seeing my breath again, it's been FOREVER since that's happened.
So it's kinda weird cuz this sunday, the 15th, will mark 1 YEAR in Brazil!!! I can't believe that it's true, but man... a whole year. Missions are like dreams cuz thinking back on other areas and companions, it feels like it didn't even happen. I"ve had SO many experiences and miracles... it's amazing how much happens on a mission.
Well, enough about the weather haha. This area isn't even a ward or branch, it's just a group still! It's got like 35 or 40 active members, and we take a bus to use the chapel of a different ward about 30 minutes away. Even though it'd seem like a difficulty on the surface, the small group of members here are super super firm and excited about the church. Like the other branches I've passed through, the church ends up being a lot more like a family instead of just a big group of families. The people we've taken to church this last week have loved it. One guy is named Euler, (Eh-oh-lur) and he has a baptismal date marked for this sunday. His daughter was confirmed on sunday, and the week before I got here she was baptized. Euler is a simple guy that has a huge faith in Christ and Heavenly Father. For these last 7 years, his kidneys haven't been working so 3 times a week he has to go to the hospital and they do that treatment where they pull his blood out, clean it in basically an artificial kidney, and put the blood back into him. 2 weeks ago the doctors put in like an IV thing in his thigh so that they wouldn't have to put a new needle in him every single time, but the problem that we have now is that this IV deal can't get wet. So, he won't be able to get baptized until the doctors take the IV out and do the treatment normally in his arm. We're praying like crazy and we know that everything'll work out. He'll go to the doctor tomorrow afternoon, so everyone and anyone's prayers for him would be greatly appreciated :) I know it'll all work out, this guy has amazing faith.
My new comp E. Cerutti is awesome. He's an extremely mature elder, especially in the spiritual sense. The two of us have been making goals and having studies where the spirit is super super strong, and it's opening my mind to how important studies are. I'm reading the conference talks from october, and especially the ones from Priesthood session that I wasn't able to hear live, man... Talk about inspiration. I love this work, I'm so happy to be on a mission, and I am constantly trying to be the best and better missionary that I can. I love this church, we are SO blessed to have prophets and apostles, the truth about our Loving Savior, and the countless other blessings like Temples and the Book of Mormon. Thanks to all of you for your prayers!! Hurrah for Israel!!!!
-Elder Ballard
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| Elder Cerutti and I |
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