Hello!

 

   This week was good. Crazy and good and full of learning experiences! I had some experiences this week with the power of the Spirit in missionary work. First example: We´re teaching this Angolan lady named Conceição. She´s super cool and SUPER CATHOLIC. And she speaks at lightning speed so that is a fun little challenge. This past week we were teaching her more about the Restoration, because she has a lot of questions about Joseph Smith. Because she speaks so fast and has questions that aren´t exactly easy to answer even in English, we were all getting a little overwhelmed. But my companions and I were all saying little prayers in our hearts for the Spirit to be with us and help us. And He came. We began to answer her questions in a way that she understood. My companions bore testimony with power and conviction, and they spoke really well! We all felt the Holy Ghost, and by the end Conceição was saying "this is true." It was an incredible experience and a huge testimony builder of the power of the Spirit.

   Second example: We tried to teach an English class on Wednesday night at the church, and only two recent converts showed up haha. Dinho and Ricardo. So we began teaching, and all was going well, but then tempers got high because every one learns at a different rate and it turned into MADNESS. Cabo Verdean MADNESS! They were screaming at each other in crieole and my companions were scared, one was crying, and in that moment I thought "okay Sister Wood, time to take control of this situation!" By some force that was not my own I was able to say the right words to make them stop fighting. We were in the Lord´s house, and we as missionaries were not going to let a fight continue there! When they stopped fighting we had a powerful conversation about the sanctity of the Lord´s House and how our behavior must be while we are there. We offered a prayer in the end and were able to invite the Spirit again. This explanation doesn´t truly explain the magnitude of the experience, but I´ll just say that it was a moment in my mission when I wasn´t speaking my own words. The power of the Spirit is real and when we use it to do the Lord´s will we have authority.

   On Sunday our cute investigator Patricia was baptized! :) She has such strong faith in the Lord and it truly is a blessing to know her. She is like my Portuguese littlesister haha. I love being a missionary and being able to have experiences every day that help me learn and grow. I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and that He lives!

 

Have a wonderful week! I love you!!

 

Sister Wood

 

pics: Divisions with Sister Camacho, Patricia´s baptism <3