August 17, 2011

Tudo bem,

This week has been good. So first off we almost got robbed again!!!! But don't worry it didn't happen ha but if we hadn't have followed the spirit it def would have happened again.  We were walking at night and about 30 feet in front of us there were 3 dudes walking and they kept looking back at us.  they turned the corner out of our view because there wa a wall ther and so we stopped.  We waited for awhile and then we saw one of their heads pop around the corner waiting to see why we hadn't passed yet.  s'o we turned around an just went a different route, but I know for sure they were waiting for us.  I have piciked up a ton of street smarts here in Brazil.  You have to be smart an just now how to avoid these situations. So this week we tried to pass by rosi's house but everytime we tried to talk to her, she just sent her daughter to the door to say that she didn't want to have visits anymore, so we were super sad and confused because she had loved us so much.  But we finally got into the house and she wa laying in bed in tonws of pain Her druggie brother that had moved into her house without permission had beaten her because she told him to leave the house.  She was crying and fell into depression.  For a couple of days she had just wanted to kill herself because she felt alone, abandoned by her friends and family, and in so much pain. Elder Deived and I have been visiting her so much, and have helped her through everything possible.  We got the members involved, and now she is getting visits and dinners from the members, and gaining a lot of friends.  We planned a family home evening and invited her, and have picked her back up on her feet.  She went to the doctor and is improving a ton.  She said she doesn't know what would have happened if it wasnt for us and our help.  She is a lot more healthier now and emotionally she is happy!  I have never seen such a person so sad in there life, and I was so glad to see her smile again. I believe that she would have killed herself if it wasn't for us and the members of this gospel.  She will be baptized with her daughter this saturday.  From her stopping us on the street, to her gaining a testimony of the book or mormon and joseph smith, this has been an amazing experience for me to see as a missionary.  But something funny happened this week is that we were teaching a less active member that is a professional painter, and he had little bottles of paint on the table that we were sitting at.  I picked up one of the bottles and took off the cap and saw that there was dry paint that had sealed the top off, so I thought it would be safe to give the bottle a little squeeze and POP!!!!  the cap flew off entirely and a fountain of white paint flew across the room like old faithful.  the result was paint on the sealing, walls, floor, cabinet, table, my companions face, suit, and nametag.  oops hahahahahahaha. That's your boy!!!!  It was so funny  ha we were laughing as we cleaned it up.  He is actually doing a painting for me of the Curitiba Temple that I will be sending home. But yup, that was my week! Everything is going good and im coming up on my 10 month mark! Keep me updated on the good stuff thats goung on and know that I love you and im grateful for everything you have done!
Love, Matt