Hey Family,
Thanks for all the emails, prayers, and support. They´re greatly appreciated!
This seemed just like another normal week here in Tavira but a few good things happened this week that gave us so good hopes for the future. We had a few lessons with Abela this week and they went pretty well. The first time we talked to her the lesson didnt quite go as planned. We we marked the lesson with her i had the intention of talking to her about why she couldn´t get baptized last weekend, but the lesson went a little differently. It started poorly because i asked the wrong question to begin with. She had said that she couldn´t get baptized because of family problems so i mistakenly asked, "whats going on with your family?" instead of "why are these problems getting in the way of you getting baptized?" So instead of getting an explanation of why she felt she couldn´t get baptized i got to here all the of the problems this woman has been having in her life. So by the time she finished her story i couldn´t think of what i could say to this woman to help her. I shared a scripture that talked about how we need to follow the commandments to be blessed, then explained that she really needed blessings form God right now in her life. She agreed and explained how she has already been blessed financially throughout these times of trials when she normally has problems with money. Then I reminded her that baptism is a commandment and that she can receive even more blessings by being baptized. She recognized that but didnt want to mark another baptismal date because she wants that day to be a special day for her, in which she wont have to worry about these problems anymore. So when we left that lesson i was feeling a little a down and a little weired out by what i heard about her life. But a few days later, we had another lesson with her that went a lot smoother. The second time we decided to focus on the blessings of having the gift of the Holy Ghost and explained to her that if she gets baptized and confirmed, she will have the comfort and guidance of the spirit to help her through these trials. We then explained that she shouldn´t wait for the perfect day to come to be baptized because Satan will always work hard to make sure that day will never come. She then told us that she had already decided to get baptized this month, but now she doesn´t want to choose a date because she wants to "surprise" Satan. She said that she will call us during the week in one of these next two weeks to tell us when she will be baptized so that Satan has less time to get in the way. I´m not sure if that will work but its the only thing she would agree too. I´m still wondering in this will all work out but she seems more determined to get baptized before the end of the month. She says it has to be this month because shes is having a surgery next month, which shes really worried about, so she wants to be baptized and get more blessings before that day. Still excited for her because she is the most golden investigator that i have taught in a long time. Throughout that last lesson we had with her, she kept talking about how she has been so blessed lately that even her husband who hates religion and threatened to keep us from coming over, has completely changed his feelings toward us. He even let her talk to us instead of making dinner on time so i count that as an improvement. We kept telling her that the Lord has been blessing her to show her this is the right way to which she replied, "I know, theres no way that i could deny that this is the true church!". Could she be more golden?
This week we also got about 20 pound of fish from an inactive member that we visit, which would be good news if i loved fish. And its not that i dont like fish, its just that i dont like 20 pounds of it. He gave us about 2 and a half dozen sardines and 6 medium sized fishes that filled up our kitchen sink. We didnt know how to cook them so Elder Christiansen just made so weird fish past thing from the sardines with bones and all that we tried to eat. I couldn´t eat more that a fork full but he was able to make a few lunches out of it but i think we´re just going to end up giving it to the stray cats outside our house.
Also, yesterday at church, i had to preside and conduct Sacrament meeting because our branch president had to leave early to go to a meeting in Lisbon. It was really weird but it went alright and we got out early so i´ll count it a success. But i better be careful next time and make sure we get out on time or people may ask to have me put in as branch President instead.
So, by the end of this week i felt like a bishop after having listened to someone tell about all their problems and then have to direct church meetings. So now i can safely say that i never want to be a Bishop our branch President. Being a Primary our Sunday School teacher is fine with me.
And you can tell dad that at 10:00 to 10:30 i was studying but the extra prayers and thoughts were appreciated. Thanks!
And be sure to thank the ward members for their prayers for Abela. I really think the Lord has been answering those prayers because i think she´s getting closer to baptism now. So thanks again!
And tell Mom i dont have a preference when it comes to candy. Anything American is amazing!
Well, i had better get going. Thanks for all the love and support! Eu amo vocês!
Com amor,
Élder Haws
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