This week started off with a dog attack....okay not really, but a big dog did come at me and it scared the poop out of me! He must have thought I was dog food, good thing his owner recognized me as a missionary.
Anyway, I had my first official interview with president Marston. I love him. As much as I miss President Weston, I sure love President Marston. We went over Ether 12 and talked about faith. I always think faith is such a talked about topic that there's nothing more I could possibly learn about faith, but there is ALWAYS something to learn. I love the verses that say something like "By faith Alma and Amulek escaped prison." "By faith this other guy did this other awesome thing" I try to apply it to myself when I'm in a difficult situation. I think of it before and say by faith, Sister Byrne talked to that stranger. Or by faith, sister Byrne obeyed the rule no one else wanted to obey. It gives me courage a lot of times.
MIRACLE I met someone in my apartment complex from Brazil!! She's a member of the Church, but is struggling. Her daughter lives here and has a son. So this grandma, K, came to come help out, but she's lonely because she doesn't speak any English. Kinda like when the Nonna Gianna comes to visit us. So I've been going over there for language study and learning that I know much less Portuguese than I thought... She talks so stankin' fast!! But I love it. And I learn so much from her. I love her to pieces and am so grateful that she's here.
We found out that S, E's 8 year old sister, is going to get baptized on Aug 1 with E!! She has a different dad and he was not thrilled about the idea, but prayer works and he softened his heart and she's going to get baptized! I'm so excited!! Shoot, I even dreamed about the baptism that night. Haha.
M, our recent convert, came with us to two lessons this week. She is on fire! She introduced us to her neighbor then when we went to her house later that week to teach her she asked if we could just go over to J's instead, so we did and he wasn't too excited about letting us in, but M was M and didn't take no for a answer so we got in! Then all he wanted to talk about was tithing, not the typical first lesson we teach, but it went great! I'm excited to see where that goes.
Also another MIRACLE. This lady we talked to on the side of the street when we first got here contacted us out of the blue. We had tried to make contact several times, but she was always busy so we thought, oh she's not interested anymore, but then she texted us and wants us to come over and teach her whole family on Tuesday!! I am so excited! I have always wanted to baptize a whole family, and they just might be that family! :)
One of my favorite places to say prayers is now the bathroom. Haha. It's a nice quiet place where you can just pour out your heart. The Lord doesn't care where you are, He just cares that you call on Him. I absolutely know He hears every single prayer. Even the silent ones in our hearts. How blessed we are to be able to pray anywhere, anytime.
Love you. Have a great week! Say your prayers. Read your scriptures. Remember who you are.
Love,
Sister Byrne