hey yall

So, this week was good.  Excellent actually.  We had another baptism :D  Woohoooo!!!!! Irmã Selma was baptized yesterday.  I had the wonderful privilege to baptize her.   Here's her story:

21 years ago, her father died, and in search for consolation, her mother got baptized in the Jehovah Witness...  and Selma studied with them and went to church, but something "just wasn't right."   Well, after a long discussion with the last JW missionaries that passed there, she told them to not come back.  That night, her and her son kneeled in prayer to ask God to find the truth.  About 3 minutes later, she found a tinny pamphlet that an Elder had left at her house about 2 years beforehand.  There was our telephone number behind it.  She didn't have credits to call anybody, but she gave it a chance anyways, so she called, and Elder Holmes answered!  She gave us her address (which doesn't exist on any map) and asked if we could pass by.  Well, 4 days passed, we went looking for her house.  At about 7:30 that night, we found it.  As we walked down the road looking for her house, she called out to us.  She was sitting on her porch drinking Chemarrão with her daughter and son and 3 grandkids.  The moment that we showed up, she started crying and told us that we could litterally tell her anything and that she would believe... We were the answer to her prayer.   Cool huh!!!!! Well, we gave her a book of mormon, and told her to read the introduction as her homework and then pray to ask if it were true.   Well, that night, at about 2 am, she couldn't go to sleep, so she went to the kitchen, fixed herself a cup of Cidreira tea (lemon grass?) and began to read.  She didn't read the introduction, she just opened the book and began to read.  2 Nephi 33- It is the declaration of Jacob about the purpose of the book and how it must be esteemed.  She knelt and prayed.  Answers.  We passed by 2 days later and she asked us what she needs to do to follow this path.  Well..........................We baptized her :D  and she's super happy.  She also only has 1/3 of 1 lung that works.... She smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day for about 40 years.  She also suffers from depression because her husband died 7 years ago.  She quit smoking 5 years ago, and now told us that she doesn't feel any of the depression any more- every time that she feels sad, she picks up the Book of Mormon and begins to read.   I love her.   

I also had an invigorating conversation with her son, Avener, who is 22.  He is incredibly inteligent, and is famishing for the truth.  He is completely disgusted with organized religion (mainly because of the corruption and lack of answers).  I sat and talked to him, and answered all of his questions.  He sat there in silence for about 4 minutes afterwards, while I waited for him to speak, he tried several times, but then stopped.  He teared up and told us that we were the first people that actually answered his questions, and that he wanted to be baptized and learn everything we have to offer.  WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO he also told us that he wants to be a missionary like us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  When you talk to him, he's one of those guys that you can feel the power and influence coming from his person.  He is extremely powerful and influential in his presence.  Unfortunately he is on vacation right now out in Torres (the beach), but he's coming back this week.  Unfortunately, I just found out that I've been transfered, so ............ Looks like the other missionaries will have to take care of him :)

I hope everybody has a fantastic week, 

Elder Eliason