lucky seven :)

HI FAM!!!

welp, thank you for the prayers because this week was incredible.
Emerson and Rosali were MARRIED and it was beautiful and the whole
family was BAPTIZED and it was beautiful. AND the biggest miracle of
my mission happened this week because Douglas was baptized too.
Bringing the total to a very happy seven baptisms on Saturday and
seven incredible confirmations on Sundy. There were so many special
moments and i want to tell them all but I'll just go with the
sum-up...

(Wait, here's the background on Douglas - I've been in this city for
almost 6 months and I've been teaching Douglas off and on for 6
months. he's such a good guy, and i dont know why i love him so much
but there has always been some weird sort of connection with him. His
sister started being taught by the missionaries over 2 years ago, and
every missionary who passed through this area always tried teaching
him and helping him stop smoking/using drugs/drinking. Ever since I
got here, Douglas told me, "Sister Wardle, I'll get baptized before
you leave Gama, but now isnt the time." He said this for months and
months and then finally 2 weeks ago he decided he was ready. So he
finally started to keep the word of wisdom and got serious about
church and his baptism. - k there's the background)

Monday night - Emerson came to the church and he was ready to give up
and he didnt want to get married because some legitimately crazy stuff
was happening at home. and when i say legitimately i cant even express
how many ridiculous things happened. But we had a way good lesson with
him and with another member at the church and we talked forever and
then he went home. Sister França and I were way worried...

Tuesday night - we were on splits and sister franca was teaching
Douglas who was also ready to give up thinking that he wouldnt be able
to keep the word of wisdom and he was feeling really weak spiritually
speaking - and that he wouldnt make it to get baptized. Meanwhile
back on the farm... I was on splits with Lucigeni and her husband
Luis, and we went to teach Emerson and Rosalí. holy cow the devil was
at work this week. Emerson was in tears, Rosali was being crazy,
everything was pointing to the end of the world, and then Luis -
wonderful Luis - helped so much in the lesson. We were there talking
forever and it came to the end of the night and I had to meet up with
my companion and we had to be home before 9:30. So we had to end the
lesson and Luis and Lucigeni took me home, but then Luis went back to
their house with another member and kept on teaching, helping, and
left a way stellar priesthood blessing on the home. he honestly
performed a miracle in their home.

Wednesday night - we had marked to go on splits that night, but we
decided it was better to have both Sister França and I together to
resolve any problems. But thanks to the miracle of Luis and the
priesthood power, everything was totally fine at their house when we
got there. It was almost hard to believe haha. You would never think
that this couple had any problems whatsoever and they were as happy as
clams at high tide. We had a wonderful family home evening with them.
Emerson was presiding the meeting and he was so cute and nervous but
it was great. Eduardo (who is like the little firecracker problem
child) gave a really great mini-message that he did all by himself
teaching about faith that Nephi had. (I didnt even know that he had
already read 20 chapters in the book of mormon. i was very pleasantly
blown away) And then Sister França and I taught a special lesson about
baptism and the holy ghost. then we had hot dogs :) haha hot dogs with
corn, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, mayo, mashed potatoes, little
mini-french fries. Hot dogs in brazil are quite the production.
delicious...

anyways - oh ya, meanwhile Douglas was doing well. His other sister
has a really terrible influence on him and always tries to get him to
smoke or do ridiculous stuff. But we were walking clear out to their
house every morning before lunch to teach and strengthen him. He lives
on a little farm outside of the city. Its like an hour to walk there,
45 min to teach, and an hour to walk back. good times good times. but
to tell the truth i loved our little daily nature hike because its
different from walking the same dirty city streets every day.

Thursday night - everything good to go. Douglas happy. Emerson and
Rosali happy. the 4 kids happy and anxious to get baptized.
Me and Sister França and the RS President going semi-crazy with wedding plans.

FRIDAY - THE EVENT. At 3:30 pm we went to set up for the wedding and
we got there and the chapel was SO dirty. We had to clean the whole
church as fast as humanly possible with 5 people. i LOVE the
presidency of the relief society. If it weren't there's no way we
could've done it alone. We set everything up, it was beautiful. In the
mean time it was nice and hectic trying to coordinate with the whole
fam. There were 6 kids under the age of 12 to get ready, get the
wedding bands, get the dress, and take care of the bride with the
shoes, the hair, the make up, the nails, etc. But everything was
great.

Finally everyone arrived, everyone was happy. Then the Bishop told me
at the last minute that the pianist couldnt make it. (We had planned
with a guy who plays piano almost as well as elain mcmahan to play the
piano while the bride was entering.) except he had like a car break
down or something, so at the last minute i was designated to "wing it"
haha so i played a made up version of Canon in D and it was another
little miracle that i remembered it from forever ago. I was way
nervous because this was THE MOMENT, but it was all good. So with
canon in D, our wonderful bishop at the pulpit, Emerson waiting just
below him, the sliding doors opened at the back of the chapel, and
beautiful all dolled up rosali came in. The youngest little chubby 2
year old daughter came in first carrying the wedding rings, and then
Rosali came in being escorted by her oldest son. Then i looked over
and emerson was all teared up, and so was the bishop, so i started
crying too hahah. Anyways, the wedding was great, the ceremony was
great, the reception in the cultural hall was great. Everyone loved
it. yayyy

SATURDAY 10:00 am - Douglas got baptized. yayy he was so cute and so
typical douglas. he's a total jokester but its so fun to see him
normal and sober and with the happiness of the gospel. The light that
shines out of his eyes these days is the most rewarding thing i think
i've ever seen on my mission. He wanted a really simple baptism with
almost nobody there. So we invited just his family and the bishopric.
Except-- that being the case there wasnt a designated speaker, so I
gave a short talk, and i cried through the whole thing haha. but it
was great. he was just a little mad at us afterwards because the water
was really cold because I didnt know how to work the heater for the
water, and I had promised him that the water would be warm. oh well.
haha we told him that in a year when he goes to the temple, the font
there is always warm.

SATURDAY 7:00 pm - Baptism of Emerson, Rosali, Junior, Eduardo, Elias,
and Helena. have you ever seen such a happy family in white in your
life? i submit that you have not. it was great.

holy cow this is getting really long, sorry if you're getting bored,
but Sunday was way good too...bear with me.

SUNDAY MORNING - Sacrament meeting. whabamm. it was fast and testimony
meeting but we had 7 people to be confirmed and receive the Holy Ghost
so it kinda took a while. All of the confirmations were way sweet and
each person recieved such specific blessings. I loved it because we
know them so well, but the men who were giving the blessings dont know
them that well. It was such and example that they were blessings from
the priesthood and true blessings that God wanted to give each of them
individually. AND the Bishop had an inspired idea to give a name and
blessing to the two youngest kids who werent baptized. yayyy. And just
to top off the cake, Arthur (young man we baptized a couple weeks ago)
blessed the sacrament.

This week was great, the church is true. It is so evident to me that
this is the Lords work, and I'm so happy and blessed to play a small
part. I love the gospel :)

Love,
Sister Wardle