Dear Family,
As you know, I have been transferred. I’m now in Embu das Arces Parque Luisa. If you want to Google it - - it should come up. My new companion is now Elder Moriera da Silva. He's a Brazilian and he does not speak English. Actually it’s been really nice having a native companion. We only talk Portuguese, so my language skills have gotten a lot better in a very short time. The only bad thing is he says I have an Argentinean accent. Brazil HATES Argentina. So I’m going to have to work on that, but I think its still better then an American accent. Also a kid the other day asked me if I was Mexican (because he said I have a weird accent). I’m not sure what to make of that!
As for the work here, I’m not opening an area but it sure feels like it. When I got here I was told we have one investigator progressing towards baptism. and three others. That’s compared to the 7 people progressing towards baptism with Elder Robe. So I’m basically doing the same thing I did in my last area, trying to jump start the area. But it’s fine. To be honest, I enjoy it. It feels strange just working with the one investigator who was already here. I think I prefer when I find the investigator and work with them the whole time rather then just come in at the middle.
Anyways last night I had an experience that I think I was supposed to learn something from. We taught a family home evening to a group of 4 families. Just to teach them how and such. During the lesson, one girl of about 14 or 15, was crying the whole time. I felt that afterward, we would need to give her a blessing. Turns out I was right. After the closing prayer the mom just asked in front of everyone (like an announcement) if we could give her daughter a blessing. We told them a blessing is sacred and we would wait and perform the blessing in an other room after the guests had left. As people were leaving, I went and talked to the girl. She was 14 and had just discovered earlier that day she is pregnant. The father is over 18 and in jail. The man had been her boyfriend. Afterwards we went to a small room with the mom the daughter and a priest and other priesthood holder in our ward to give the blessing. We explained the sacred nature of blessings and that they should be handled in reverence and that they were predicated on the faith of those who receive them. We then gave the blessing as well as blessed the mom and her infant child.
As I left, I was just perplexed at how someone starts down the path that leads to being 14 & pregnant, and with the father an adult and in jail. I’m sure she did not make the choices she made knowing where they would lead. I’m sure when she took the first step on the path that lead to her situation, she didn’t know when she missed her last opportunity to turn back without lasting consequences. It made me think a lot about how Satan really works. How slippery the path really is. I cant help but wonder at what point she made the decision that, ever so slightly, that set her down the wrong path until it lead to her situation.
After watching that girl sit a cry that whole lesson, I can’t imagine what is going on in her head. What she must feel looking back and realizing where she is. as compared to where she could be had she followed the lds standards she had been taught by her parents. I think one day she will know the power of the atoning sacrifice more then I ever will. I think she is learning more about true God-like sorrow then I have.
I’m not sure why but I can’t stop thinking about this experience. I don’t think I will every forget it. But I do think I know a little bit more how heavenly father must felt (and feels) when he sees people doing wrong. Just thinking about what that girls life is going to be. The life of that child. The way her mom felt. It’s saddening. I can’t imagine how Christ must have felt atoning for just those acts (much less the whole world). I don’t know how to explain it, but listening to the mom tell me what had happened and looking at the girl I felt sad. Sad beyond tears. I can’t explain it. I don’t know why I felt that way. I’ve seen ALOT of problems in the lives of people down here but nothing has effected me more than this one moment. I think writing about it has been good for me though. I feel a lot better typing out all my thoughts. I’m going to try and do everything I can to help that girl while maintaining my focus. It's a good thing to day is my Pday. I needed a day to rest.
Talk to you later.
Elder Smith
As you know, I have been transferred. I’m now in Embu das Arces Parque Luisa. If you want to Google it - - it should come up. My new companion is now Elder Moriera da Silva. He's a Brazilian and he does not speak English. Actually it’s been really nice having a native companion. We only talk Portuguese, so my language skills have gotten a lot better in a very short time. The only bad thing is he says I have an Argentinean accent. Brazil HATES Argentina. So I’m going to have to work on that, but I think its still better then an American accent. Also a kid the other day asked me if I was Mexican (because he said I have a weird accent). I’m not sure what to make of that!
As for the work here, I’m not opening an area but it sure feels like it. When I got here I was told we have one investigator progressing towards baptism. and three others. That’s compared to the 7 people progressing towards baptism with Elder Robe. So I’m basically doing the same thing I did in my last area, trying to jump start the area. But it’s fine. To be honest, I enjoy it. It feels strange just working with the one investigator who was already here. I think I prefer when I find the investigator and work with them the whole time rather then just come in at the middle.
Anyways last night I had an experience that I think I was supposed to learn something from. We taught a family home evening to a group of 4 families. Just to teach them how and such. During the lesson, one girl of about 14 or 15, was crying the whole time. I felt that afterward, we would need to give her a blessing. Turns out I was right. After the closing prayer the mom just asked in front of everyone (like an announcement) if we could give her daughter a blessing. We told them a blessing is sacred and we would wait and perform the blessing in an other room after the guests had left. As people were leaving, I went and talked to the girl. She was 14 and had just discovered earlier that day she is pregnant. The father is over 18 and in jail. The man had been her boyfriend. Afterwards we went to a small room with the mom the daughter and a priest and other priesthood holder in our ward to give the blessing. We explained the sacred nature of blessings and that they should be handled in reverence and that they were predicated on the faith of those who receive them. We then gave the blessing as well as blessed the mom and her infant child.
As I left, I was just perplexed at how someone starts down the path that leads to being 14 & pregnant, and with the father an adult and in jail. I’m sure she did not make the choices she made knowing where they would lead. I’m sure when she took the first step on the path that lead to her situation, she didn’t know when she missed her last opportunity to turn back without lasting consequences. It made me think a lot about how Satan really works. How slippery the path really is. I cant help but wonder at what point she made the decision that, ever so slightly, that set her down the wrong path until it lead to her situation.
After watching that girl sit a cry that whole lesson, I can’t imagine what is going on in her head. What she must feel looking back and realizing where she is. as compared to where she could be had she followed the lds standards she had been taught by her parents. I think one day she will know the power of the atoning sacrifice more then I ever will. I think she is learning more about true God-like sorrow then I have.
I’m not sure why but I can’t stop thinking about this experience. I don’t think I will every forget it. But I do think I know a little bit more how heavenly father must felt (and feels) when he sees people doing wrong. Just thinking about what that girls life is going to be. The life of that child. The way her mom felt. It’s saddening. I can’t imagine how Christ must have felt atoning for just those acts (much less the whole world). I don’t know how to explain it, but listening to the mom tell me what had happened and looking at the girl I felt sad. Sad beyond tears. I can’t explain it. I don’t know why I felt that way. I’ve seen ALOT of problems in the lives of people down here but nothing has effected me more than this one moment. I think writing about it has been good for me though. I feel a lot better typing out all my thoughts. I’m going to try and do everything I can to help that girl while maintaining my focus. It's a good thing to day is my Pday. I needed a day to rest.
Talk to you later.
Elder Smith
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