Today
starts my last full week in the mission (our weeks go from Monday to
Sunday in our daily planners) which means next Sunday will be my LAST
Sunday in the misison. It still doesn´t feel real. It will be the last
time I hear the sacrament blessed in Portuguese, the last time I hear
the teachers speak in Portuguese, the last time I hear the hymns in
sacrament meeting in Portuguese, and the last time I read the scriptures
in Portuguese in church as a full-time missionary. I would be lying if I
said I didn´t let a few tears fall during sacrament meeting yesterday
when it hit me that June has started. I can officially say this month
I will be home. Only those who have served missions will be able to
fully comprehend the mixed emotions I am feeling. My poor companion has
had to deal with me being excited, anxious, sad, stressed out, and
slightly freaking out every time I think about the mission ending haha.
This past week
we had SO many miracles happen. Remember a couple of weeks ago I said I
would tell Gabriel´s story after it unfolded? Well, here it goes.
Gabriel
met the elders in Cabeceiras over 5 years ago when there was still an
official operating branch there. He didn´t really have too much
interest, the church left, and that was that. Last year in Planaltina DF
he met the elders again. He was 16 years old, had some interest, and
took the lessons. Shortly after, he moved back to Cabeceiras where the
church still hadn´t started up again. He "fell away" for a short period
of time but then Silvio, one of the members in Cabeceiras, found out
about Gabriel and started visiting him. The group in Cabeceiras started
up a couple of months ago and Gabriel has been going ever since. Our
first Friday in Cabeceiras we visited Gabriel and I thought to myself,
"What´s keeping him from being baptized?" That Sunday, President
Gaertner came to Formosa to do interviews because he is in charge of the
district, and Gabriel came, too. He came up to us and told us he wanted
to be baptized. We technically aren´t allowed to proselyte in
Cabeceiras but we asked for persmission from President Gaertner and he
said we could teach Gabriel.
This
past Saturday Gabriel was baptized and yesterday he was confirmed :) He
is super excited to go on a mission next year and is already preparing
himself. Even in those months he wasn´t going to church, he continued
studying and has a ton of knowledge about the church. It was so great to
see the support he is receiving from the members in Cabeceiras. He is
the first baptism there in over 5 years; his baptism is a milestone for
the members of Cabeceiras. In a couple of months I think Cabeceiras will
open as an area with missionaries full-time and in no time will be a
branch.
 |
| Picture of Gabriel with the members from Cabeceiras and his family. |
Life
is good. I am freaking out about the fact that the mission is almost
over. Lately the scripture Isaiah 55:8-9 has come up a lot in my studies
and in my life. People have said it to me, other missionaries have
quoted it to me, and it comes up in one way or another during my
studies. I don´t quite understand what the Lord is trying to tell me,
but in due time, I am sure it will all click.
I
hope you are all happy & healthy! Thank you for your support these
past 17 months. I can´t believe how quickly the time has passed.
Have a great week!
Love,
Sister Kerr
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