Olá!

Olá!

This week I wasn´t sick at all! 

A few weeks ago we were walking with a couple of members after church when suddenly one of them said, "Elders, there is someone in this building that we are good friends with. You should visit them!" They then told us the names and which apartment they lived in. We went the next day, but the person that answered  wasn´t too friendly and told us that he didn´t want anything to do with us. 

ok. 

Well a few days ago, I felt that we should go back and try again. This time when we rang the doorbell, the student that answered was a lot more friendly and said "oh, the elders! Come right up!". It´s been awhile since I´ve heard those words, so he took me off gaurd for a few seconds, haha. It turns out that the mom of this guy ( Wilson), is really good friends with some of the members of the ward. 

Wilson even told us that he has visited these members´ homes in the past. His grandma was a member of the church (she passed away a few years ago), and he has read the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants already! We basically just answered some of his questions that he had, and he told us that we can come back on Tuesday night (but only for five minutes because he is a student at a nearby college, and usually has no time). 

He was very kind and welcoming! I think the person that answered the first time was another person in the house, haha. But this just goes to show that we shouldn´t give up after just one attempt, we should always keep trying!

Yesterday after church one of the elderly members of the ward (Manuel Ferreira) asked us to come with him to give a blessing to one of his friends. He told us that this was a friend of 80 years! Manuel lives quite a bit away, but he gave us a ride right to his house. 

His friend and his wife were very appreciative of the Priesthood Blessing, and then Manuel started right off bearing his testimony and talking about the importance of being baptized! They agreed to let us come and teach them this wednesday, so wish us luck! 

Afterwards, Manuel asked us if we would like to eat lunch with him. When we said yes, he said that it would be a great pleasure to eat with us because he has always been alone since the death of his wife two years ago. I´m glad that we stayed! It was such a great experience to get to know this wonderful, old man. He was baptized 20 years ago, and he told us that his favorite calling that he has held was when he was the ward mission leader, because he loves missionary work. He loved helping the missionaries and getting to know them. He even told us that he got his drivers license for the first time when he was already a grown man, for the sole purpose of being able to more fully help the missionaries get to  appointments! 

During lunch he bore his testimony of the Savior, which almost made me cry.  He also showed us a book that he made that was full of poems that he wrote about the gospel. I could have read through that book all day! I´m grateful for the opportunity we had to go to Manuel´s house today, because I was able to see him as more than just one of the many other stooping, elderly members. I realized that everyone has a story, and I want to learn as many as these stories as possible!

Also, while sitting in sacrament meeting, I realized ,once again, that the spirit and feeling that we have at church is the same no matter where in the world we are. Whether it be in a nice, big chapel with 120 members, or in a small, rented chapel with 20, the spirit is the same. I´m so grateful for that!

I´m grateful to be a missionary, and I love you all! I want to give my all these next five months!

I love and miss you!

Love,

Elder Barker