Helloooooooooooooooo
Hi. We are at the last week of transfers again. That is weird. Sometimes life on the mish flies, other times it feels like it goes forever.. Weird. But thank you to all of you for the constant support. I often wonder how often i feel a prayer of one of you, for example when im having a bad day, and then just instantly feel lifted up. I know that prayer works. I had a great experience with prayer this week. We met maybe the most interesting man ive ever met on my mission. His name is Leo, speaks incredible english, and is rich (for here) because he is a freelance accent expert. He helps all the bigshots that come here and cant speak. He is an ex missionary AP that is completely inactive. And unfortunately for me, kind of a missionaries worst nightmare. One of those guys that is completely ignorant, but speaks fancy words... almost enough to convince you. I´m not going to say he SHOOK me, but he said some things i was really having a tough time getting out of my head. So when we returned that night, i asked Elder Lynn to give me a quick blessing, i also prayed. Needless to say i have NO doubt WHERE i will be in 10 years... And someday this week im going to go back and Tell old Leo exactly that.
On to better things. I think i had the greatest visit ever on Wednesday. But it started the visit before. We visited Alex, and his brother is a HARD CORE gaúcho. Dances, wears the get-up, the whole shindig. So i start telling him how i want to bring back bombachas and such, and he goes and gets me a lenço! (see below, red tie thingy) and gives it to me! I´m like serio, for me?? So i leave pretty excited and go to my boy Luis. (new Luis) And im showing off my new lenço to him, telling him now i just need to buy bombachas! Turns out Luis used to dance as well, dude goes back to his room grabs me SICK bombachas, (see below again) ANOTHER lenço, and a gyuacka!! (the belt) I almost cried with excitement. It was extra funny as well, because Lynn is always joking he has a man crush on me, but Luis goes man Lynn im feeling bad now, you need a present too! Ive got something for you, and you´ll use it WAY more... He comes back with a tie!! I tried really hard not to laugh. BUUUT even after my expensive gifts, my boy Luis had a great lesson. We left a pamphlet (word of wisdom) with his son the last time, and he nearly broke into tears. He told us how this neighborhood is FULL of drugs and crime, and he has been praying for an answer on what to do. He received the pamphlet, and he read that parents need to help their children avoid these things. He had been thinking about moving, and that is exactly what he is going to do. He is still reading the book of mormon, and promised to come to church. Love that guy.
Other than that not a whole lot happened. I walked into a lot of really broken homes this week. I am always telling Lynn there are just a few houses that i know i am going to walk out of a little bit sadder than when i walked in. People here will literally SCREAM at each other in front of us. Hit their children, talk about leaving the other. Its extremely hard. We also had to listen to a lot of the blame game this week.. For some reason people here LOVE to hate bishops, other ward members, or themselves. It makes a great excuse for going inactive. I sometimes have a really hard time keeping my cool when people tell me they wont get married or wont come to church because the bishop/1st counselor isnt worthy. Its a joke. But we have to keep the spirit with us. I am glad for parents and the knowledge that I AM RESPONSIBLE for my salvation, not the bishop, not the neighbor, ME. It doesn't matter what he does.. it only matters what i do.
We also had good things happen though. We had what looked like a disaster of an activity (started 2 hours late, normal in Brasil) but then turned into a success, because one person was touched, and told us she wants to be baptized. Her name is Barbara. I also had one of my favorite little girls (her name is Giulia) ask me if i would baptize her next week when she turns 8. Her parents aren´t members. I am very excited for that. We also had our first english class!! Teaching english is MUCH more difficult than it sounds... People want reasons WHY, not HOW to say it. Yikes.
Anyways, it was a pretty good week. I did take an absolute knife to the heart last night though. Jack, dad of one of our favorite fams.. Told us that he loves our visits, agrees with everything we say, and feels the spririt, yet HATED the church. Said it wasnt what he expected, and that he felt cold. I yanked out the knife quick and tried to recover, i asked him if he had read and prayed yet. he admitted that he had not. i told him not to worry about church YET, read. pray. Recieve an answer, and then try the church one more time. he agreed to do so. So please pray for him and his family. Douglas moved out with his girlfriend this week, that makes things much harder. They need help. But i love you all, and i love this gospel. Have an ÓTIMA SEMANA.
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Elder Alex Allred
Caixa Postal 13008
91010-971 Porto Alegre-RS
Brasil
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