January 24, 2011
Oi família, tudo bem!
So, good news: I can walk again! I went to the doctor on Thursday night and he took a look at it. He asked me if it was hurting, and when I said it wasn't, he decided I could walk again. He wrote me up a prescription that I still haven't picked up, so my toe will probably get infected and swollen and stuff, but I'm all like wutevs about it. We chatted for a little bit about America and stuff. And then I invited him to church. Good visit.
Anyway, I'm still wearing flip flops everywhere (like, even when I'm dressed like a missionary and teaching people and stuff), but at least I can get out of the house now. I was going so crazy in there, guys. Like, it was honestly kind of nice for the first few days to be able to relax and take naps and stuff, but that passed very quickly. I have learned that as a missionary, if you're not working, you have no purpose. There was nothing to do in the house during all this, so I have really been itching to go back to work. And now I just can't wait 'til I can wear shoes again. That will be a glorious day.
I actually spent most of this week in Ribeirão Preto. That's the biggest city in my mission, and it also houses the mission headquarters. This week we had a special conference for all of the zone and district leaders in the mission. I went from Birigüi to Ribeirão with another elder in my zone. We went there on Tuesday and didn't get back until Thursday evening because we didn't have money to buy our bus passes. I got to hang out in the new office for a while and chat with my last companion, who became a financial secretary at transfers. I had a good time at the conference and everything, but I felt a little discouraged because I wasn't working at the time. I've been feeling pretty useless lately. Things are better now, though, and I'm excited to go back to work now.
We had a really special teaching experience yesterday. Remember Franciele, that girl that we have been teaching for a good two months or more now? She was supposed to be baptized on Saturday, but it didn't really work out. It seems like she has gotten a little too much of the Church too quickly, so we decided yesterday to teach her the very basics. The mission is putting into practice a teaching method where we draw a timeline and explain the Restoration in context and use visuals to help people understand better. We took a member from the LZs ward to help us teach Franciele. He served his mission around the same time as Andrew and is really good at just talking to people. We all walked over to the chapel and taught Franciele there. Using a whiteboard, we were able to illustrate the Restoration in such a way that it was very simple and easy to understand. As we explained things, Franciele asked questions and we were able to settle her doubts and make her understand things better. We bore our testimonies, and the Spirit was strong.
After the lesson, Franciele said she wanted to see the baptismal font (that's a good sign). As we showed her around the chapel and chatted, she kept saying that she felt really happy and at peace with things (also a good sign). We were going to leave the church, but it started raining. The four of us were just standing in front of the chapel and waiting for things to calm down. The member who was with us, kind of out of nowhere, asked Franciele what hymn she wanted him to play at her baptism. And then he asked what time it was going to be on Saturday. And just kind of like that, she accepted baptism and now it's going to be on this Saturday at seven o'clock. I still don't really know what changed her mind about it, but I don't care. Franciele's getting baptized! Hooray! Finally!
I don't know if I adequately described that experience. I kind of feel like a caveman chizzling gibberish into a cave wall when I write in English. I not speak English more.
Anyway, that's what's going on! I love you guys! I love being a missionary! The Church is true!
Your son/brother/brother-in-law/uncle(?),
Elder Wiggins
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