Week #13

Bazinga!
Great week!
RAIN! So it turns out that I brought the rain from Washington! It rained a ton this week and I'm so grateful because it makes the weather about 10 degrees cooler! It was so nice and I slept a lot better! I love rain!

On Thursday I did exchanges with Elder Nacimento, the zone leader, again and we had a ton of fun! He is an amazing example and I love doing exchanges with him! He came the our house just before lunch and we studied for a bit then left. This time we were in his area so we had to walk from the north part of the city to the center (I have a lot of blisters)! We met up with two more elders and then went to lunch. This lunch was the first time since I've been here that there was ONLY rice and beans. So I just ate rice (I'm allergic to beans).

After lunch we went to teach a couple who were going to be baptized the next day! Not really a formal lesson but to see if they had any questions or doubts. They didn't so we left them a little message about how we all need to develop a relationship with Christ by following all of his examples! I think it really impacted them and I'm so happy that they were baptized!

We then went to the house of another couple to teach them about the book of mormon, but they weren't home. There daughter and her three son were there so we taught her the first lesson and for some reason we felt impressed to invite her to watch a baptism with us that night! She thought for a second and then said she would! SO great! So we left to go get money from an ATM so we could use a taxi but there wasn't any ATMs anywhere near us! So Elder Nascimento said," lets go ask _______!" I didn't hear who he said, so I just followed. As we were almost to their gate he said,"I've never done this!" Then I realized we were about to ask the couple we just taught for money for a taxi!! Investigators! HA! It all turned out well and he was so willing to help! That night we watched the baptism and gave a tour of the church and she said that she really wanted to go to church on Sunday! It was great!!

We also did service this week for the first time! I loved it! We mixed and laid cement for a patio! I loved it because it reminded me of Saturday yard work with my dad! Believe it or not I miss that! A lot!!!

One of our investigators, Joabe, is so fun to teach! This week as we were talking about prophets he asked why we talk so much on prophets? Pointing to the bible and book of mormom he asked, "why not more on the scriptures?" So I felt impressed that I should show him the scripture Amos 3:7,
"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
and then asked," Joabe, who wrote the scriptures?" We saw the light bulb turn on and he said,"The Prophets!" It was such a cool experience and we really made some progress with him that night!

Another of our investigators, Flaviani, will be baptized this week! I love teaching her and you can really tell that she already has the beginnings of a strong testimony! She came to church yesterday for the first time and when we asked her what she thought she said," It was great! I learned so much and I want to attend always!" What faith! One thing I've learned so far is that we don't just teach our investigators, we learn from them!

Our zone baptismal goal this month was 12 people with at least two being men. so far we have 13!!! We already met our gaol and it looks like we will have 20 by the end of the month!! I know its not about numbers but we are excited! Its the first time this zone has met its goal!

Bugs! We saw some weird bugs this week! Pictures to come, but one is called a whip scorpion and sprays acid when disturbed! LOUCO!

Anyway, it was a great week and I love my mission! This really is the best!

Alma 34:32-33

Com muito amor,
Elder Roman Laws