Mission Impossible

Hello everyone!

This week was not an ordinary one. On Thursday, we had exchanges with the assistants. It was a lot of fun, we worked hard all day, and that night I made pizza for everyone. Then on Friday, we had zone conference. Because I am a Zone Leader, I had a big part in that. It was my first time giving an instruction in a zone conference. I was nervous, but it went great!

Then on Sunday, we had Onaldos baptism! It was different than most. I am going to try and summarize Onaldo's story, because it's pretty special. Onaldo is an older man who suffers from a rare mitochondrial disease that is slowly destroying his body. He has been suffering from the effects of it for the past 12 years. He has to lay down most of the time, and can only sit and stand for no more than 30 minutes. But, he is super smart. He has a library in his house, and can read in 7 languages! He also has written 5 books, and was a pastor in the United states, as well as a professor of philosophy.

2 years ago, he saw an add for the Book of Mormon and requested one. But, the missionaries at the time never brought it to him. A couple of weeks ago, I was randomly messaging people on Facebook, and was prompted to send him a message. We started talking, I brought him a Book of Mormon, and he asked to be baptized! He then read the Book of Mormon in 6 days! We had no idea how we were going to do the baptism, but we gave him a blessing that he would have the strength to go through with it.

Today for his baptism, Elder Arias and I both had to get in the water to support him, but I was able to perform the baptism. I could tell the whole time he was walking into the front that he was in pain. I am so amazed by his extreme faith and determination to fulfill God's commandment to be baptized. Luckily, we were blessed to have everything happen quickly and smoothly, so that we could get everything done in 30 minutes. What seemed like an impossible task all worked out in the end. There was even enough time to give him a quick tour of the chapel.

I am so grateful that God was able to use me as an instrument to bring another soul to Christ!

Spiritual thought: Moroni 7:33 "And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me." Through faith all things are possible!

Photos!!

1. Onaldos baptism!

2. Drinking Tereré with some members

3. Pizza while on exchanges 

4. Lunch at zone conference (for some reason this photo is super green haha)

5. Waiting for an Uber for freaking 1 hour last pday at atacadão (basically Brazilian Costco)