Missionary Opportunites

I'm currently sitting next to this guy in the internet cafe that has his head phones in and he is singing out loud.  It's really....nice.  I love Brasilians, they are completely shameless.  haha

So today, we got up dang early to drop off our wedding papers in the mission office.  That's right!  Aida and Paulo are getting married!  The only sad thing is, today I realized that I won't even be here for their wedding or for Aida's baptism and that makes me super sad.  I don't even want to tell them.  This week was a tough one with their family.  On a split, Sister Chatwin went over to teach them and during the lesson Paulo walked in drunk. Paulo had been going strong for an entire month without drinking and he relapsed this week.  He was SO embarrassed and felt so bad.  Aida was sad too.  I was impressed that they still went to church on Sunday because many times Satan will try to use our sins to make us feel guilty and not do what is right.  After church on Sunday we went by their house and taught them about repentance.  Paulo obviously felt terrible and promissed to never do it again.  Then the sweetest thing happened, Aida turned to him and said, "In the past I think I would have given up on you by now, but I really do believe that you won't ever drink again.  I won't give up on you."  

What gave Aida the confidence to say that was nothing less than her new testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  In the 3 weeks I've known them , they have grown sooo much.  We talked about the steps of repentance with Paulo and focused on the Savior's role.  Some may think that Paulo had made a step backwards in his progression, but I see it as a step forward.  I'm grateful Heavenly Father allows us to fall sometimes so that we can learn to rely on His Son.  Something Paulo said that he learned in church on Sunday was that Heavenly Father allows Satan to tempt us to test our faith.  That is so true!  I know we are tempted on a daily basis, but when we have the faith to be obedient, we feel powerful!  

Another cool thing that happened this week was when a Seventy came to visit our mission.  I think his name is Elder Maynes.  It was awesome!  I learned so much and it has given me a new perspective on missionary work.  Lately we have been going on a lot of splits with the Sisters and I always pray really hard that I will be able to help them find new prepared people to teach.  We had a lot of success doing that, then we would come back to our area and it would get more difficult.  One thing Elder Maynes said that caught my attention was, "Are you guys praying for missionary experiences?"  I thought, "huh, I don't think I am!"  I usually think, well I'm a missionary, obviously I'm going to have missionary experiences.  But this week I realized that the key is in praying for them.  Cool thing to learn at the END of your mission.  As I've done that, we have had a lot of successful in finding.  This is also something I want to pray for everyday when I get home.

To be honest, we have spent a lot of time in other areas of the mission helping the other Sisters with their difficulties this week.  It has been good though.  I can feel that Heavenly Father has taught me a lot of valuable lessons on the mission as I've shared my testimony and scriptures with the sisters.  I know that this is the Lord's work.  I'm grateful for the gospel.  I'm grateful that He listens and answers my prayers to have missionary opportunities.  If we don't ask for it, He probably won't give them to us.  We need to show our faith in asking so that we can receive.

Love you all!!!

Sister Jensen