Correria!

Here are the highlights of last week:

Tuesday, we visited Irmão Domingos and there was a woman there that was waiting to have her hair cut. She told us about how she got to know Sisters when she was working in Rio Grande do Norte. I asked her how long it had been since this happened, thinking it had taken place a year or so ago. I was floored when she said ´about 3 weeks ago´. We talked a little bit more about her experience there, and she said she HAD a Book of Mormon but she lent to a friend in Aracoiaba, and he hadn´t given it back yet. WE gave her a new one so she could let her friend keep one too. We marked an appointment, but she wasn´t there.

Wednesday, we went and visited people with Eder, but the person we really wanted to see was at his Dad´s house on the other side of town. At night, we talked a little bit with Felipe and Rosângela (a less-active/non member couple). They said they were heading home, so we went there... but they weren´t… but Rosangela´s sister and little brother were there, so we talked with them instead.

Friday, the highlight was the English class. There was a good number of people there, and we marked appointments with them. Afterwards we went to Mateus´ house and gave him another pep talk.

Saturday, we walked a LOT and nobody was home. WE did manage to talk with Valdir and he was having some problems with his old work and some complications there (as in they owe him a bunch of wages, but they don´t want to pay him). WE told him that things would be better if he went to church, and he told us he would go for sure. He even gave his word as a Corintiano´hahah. Miraculously, Felipe was home, so we talked to him more, and afterwards we went and talked with Raquel. We were hoping Marcos would have been there too, but he didn´t get back from work when we got there and left.

Sunday, we got to church a little early to set everything up. About 8:40, Valdir showed up and there was almost nobody there, but he was still received warmly. Also there were 3 people less actives that came (Erlanie said she would have gone, but she was really sick). The Young Men´s President spoke and told a story about two gardeners. One day, both went and planted a row of trees and watered them that day. For a good amount of time afterwards, one of them watered the trees every day, and the other never again. One day, there came a hurricane, and uprooted all of the trees of the gardener who watered his trees every day. Obviously he was perplexed because he took such good care of his trees, and they were all gone, while the other gardener forgot about his, but they were still there. When the other came, he asked ´Why are all of my trees uprooted, and yours not? I took such good care of mine, and you neglected yours!´ The other gardener responded easily, ´since you watered your trees every day, its roots didn´t have to search for water. My trees had to dig down deep in the earth to find the water that they needed, and resulted in a deep root system, that made them strong.´ This tied in well with what I studied a lot this week. Last month´s Liahona had a talk from Bruce R McConkie about Agency. The Lord gave us agency to find things out for ourselves. If he gave us everything we wanted, when temptations and problems come, we are easily uprooted. When we are accustomed to make our own choices and seek to follow the Lord, we are like a tree with roots deep into the earth. We can survive any problem that comes our way. All of this was very good for Valdir, because he came to church with doubts and needs, and from what I could tell, he was given what he needed.

So that was my week in short! Tomorrow I am going to do a division with Elder Clemens, and my DL Elder Huntley is going to come and work with Elder Leal. I´m happy because we asked for a box of copies of the Book of Mormon and I won´t have to carry it! Hahahaha

Love you all!

Elder Cornwell