Intersection

Oi everyone!!!

 

Ola de Brazil! Tudo bem? Estou... otimo! haha

 

Sooo this week has been, in a word, LEGEND *wait for it* DARY! haha But seriously, let me extrapolate.

 

Então, this semana our teacher brought us about 14 B.o.M´s to hand out in a place called Rua Avenida Paulista-the busiest shopping street in Sao Paulo. Needless to say, we were both excited AND terrified all at the same time. So we get on the public bus, which was an adventure in & of itself. Apparently even bus drivers drive 50 mph in neighborhoods NOT just carsz. I´m used to metros in Europe NOT crazy Brazilian bus drivers! Can't tell you how many times I nearly face planted into the little gray entry gate and slammed my head into the window while I was holding the handlebars with both hands! Freakin loco!

 

And then, to top it all off, the bus breaks down. Haha typical.

 

Anyway, we finally get to Rua Avenida & Irmão M gave us about an hr to place 4-5 B.o.Ms per companionship. Me & Sis G said about 3 prayers on the bus & another when we got off. Let me just say, we were terrified. so many crazies walking around & we really didn't know where to start. So we walked in a ways to the mall area & placed our 1st B.o.M with a man named Eric from Ghana. Oh & BTW, it was all in Ingles ;)

 

So that was nice! Then we wandered around for a bit, still not sure what to do & seeing Greenpeace groups & other sales groups around which was frustrating. What would differentiate us from people selling services or products? We're not selling anything, we're giving something, ya know?

 

Anyway, we met up with a few other elders & Irmão M told us to stay put while he finds the other companionships. So me & sis G & Elder C & Elder B are standing on the corner & I notice a younger homem smoking & drinking a coke with a bike full of water jugs. And I just got this feeling to talk to him--as I looked at him, I didn't see cigarettes or a hard face--I saw him as a Young Men's president with a family sealed in the temple.

 

So with all the courage I could muster, I walked up to him just as he was about to ride away. & in my broken Portuguese I told him that "este Livro ajuda-me quando eu tenho muitas problemas e afliçoes." & he took it with a smile & an "obrigado"

 

I felt lighter as I watched him ride off into the thronging crowd of Brasileros. I have no idea if he will even read it or if it & my written testamunho on the inside page will end up in a trash can somewhere, but hope spirngs eternal I guess. Maybe someday I'll see that young man's face in General Conference or he'll end up being a bishop somewhere in Brazil.

 

But here's the thing--that wasn't the miracle that day. The marvillhoso coisa happened on the bus on the way back. At first I sat towards the front, but after a few stops, some ladies got on & I gave up my seat & stood towards the back, kind of by Irmão M. Suddenly, I hear him call my name & he convinced me to take his seat by the middle aged blonde Brasilera. Irmão M ended up sitting right in front of her.

 

It took a while, but I finally complimented her on her jewlery & we ended up having an increivel conversation. She told me so many things about how she has a "grande fe" and loves God & needs him in every day of her life. She's catholic & very devout. Every now and then she'd tap Irmão M on the shoulder on occasion to help translate for her & then we get on the topic of families & I share with her that my dad passed away 12 yrs ago & she tells me that her's passed away a yr ago. THEN she said the incredible part--that she felt her father & my fahter were at an "interseção" or crossroads & how she felt we met for a reason :) She then asks Irmão M to take a picture of the both of us on her phone & gives me her address & telephone number to visit her.

 

Well, you could imagine how proud Irmão M was haha. And how SHOCKED I was. But I of course took it gratefully & gave her a hug before we went out seperate ways. 2 days ago I gave it to the right people to send the missionaries over to her & I'm currently trying to write a letter to her to send her in the mail. I wish with all my CORAÇÃO I can see her--teach her. Be there for every lesson but maybe all Heavenly Father wanted me to do was open the door. Maybe someone else needed to take the first few entryway steps.

 

Anyway, milagres DO happen. God can work miracles both great and small! I knew at that moment I needed to be in Brazil for a reason.

 

Então, on an other note, I think my teachers, Irmão M & Irmão A like to tease me, or at least think I'm an easy target. Monday they both talked to us about focusing more on the lingua & to the elders especially, being more reverent & mature. And then in Portuguese, Irmão M says "Now I know it's very hard--very difficult for you elders since you're not 24 years old..."

 

and then he goes quiet & looks at me as I scowl back at him. "Desculpa Sister! Es uma brincadeira!" yeah yeah. Joke my right eye! haha I was like "Not funny Irmão... I thought we were friends!" It was pretty funny. Maybe I shouldn't tell anyone my age anymore... let them come up with their own conclusions. Might be safer!

 

This week on SES! or Stuff Elders Say:

Me: UGH! I need to ask Irmão M about the future! it's so confusing! (referring to future tense in portuguese)

Elder C: You mean your future together?

Me: *narrowed eyes* ....

 

Such dorks. It aint like that son. Anywho all is well here. We're all getting a bit loopy here at the CTM--laughing for 20 mins at RANDOM stuff, but we're surviving haha. Hope all is well! Tell the kids mail is A LOT slower here but they do have letters on the way :)

 

Miss yall so much! Eu falta voces!

 

xoxo

Sister VerHoef