4-27-15
Hey family!
I'm happy you guys found time to
do a cruise :)
The members here really like me,
It's good to be liked
This last week, I entered in contact
with the daughter of Sueli that we baptized a couple weeks ago who is on the
mission, Fabiana Rodrigues. She asked me how was it for her mom to stop smoking
and be baptized so I sent her this email. I thought it'd be interesting for you
guys to read too so I copied the email in Portuguese for you Portuguese
speakers out there (é nois!) and translated it using google and corrected the
major errors (instead of rewriting everything)
É, eu sabia
que você estava orando e querendo muito que ela e o José se batizassem, isso, e
sua alegria resultante, foram 2 dos motivos que a gente usou para ajudar a
incentivar sua mãe a ser batizada. Mas vou te falar viu, foi um a luta haha. A
gente chegou aqui em São Mateus, abrindo a área eu e meu filho novinho! Então
com certeza pode imaginar né que tava um pouco difícil para a gente no começo,
ou pelo menos era para ser. Maravilhosamente, não foi tão difícil
assim. Acho que ajudou que eu era LZ aqui da Penha antes e já tinha vindo para
cá antes para fazer entrevista e divisão e já conhecia a área um pouco. Então
até eu já tinha ouvido falar de sua mãe bem antes de eu vir para essa área, o
elder que estava aqui também estava tentando trabalhar com ela para batizá-la
mas não conseguiu. Quando chegamos aqui, a gente logo ligou para ela e por
acaso, tínhamos almoço com ela naquela semana. Então fomos lá e conhecemos ela
e tal. Fomos lá de novo quase todo dia, umas 4 or 5 vezes para semana, quase
sempre a tarde, umas 2 horas por 5 semanas. Falamos com ela sobre várias
coisas, o Livro de Mórmon, o profeta Joseph Smith e tal. A gente fez metas com
ela para ela parar de fumar, a gente deu uma bênção nela, a gente escreveu uma
lista de coisas que está perdendo por causa do cigarro e coisas que vai perder.
A gente deu algumas fotos do templo, a gente conseguiu até incentivar ela a
jogar fora os cigarros em vários momentos. A gente também tirou a foto do
panfleto do evangelho do batismo de Jesus e colocamos a meta para o batismo
dela que era no começo tipo dia 22 de Março e também algumas coisas para ela
fazer quando sentia vontade de fumar (ler as escrituras, orar, ir para igreja
cada domingo, beber água, não ficar sem nada a fazer mas ficar ocupado). E
também fizemos a meta com ela para ler todo dia o Livro de Mórmon. Ela falou
que depois que lia, ficava sem vontade de fumar por tipo 3, 4 horas e depois
voltava a vontade então fizemos a meta para ela ler cada 3 horas haha que a
gente acompanhou bem e nem sempre conseguia mas se esforçava. A gente também
tentou preencher a ficha para dar mais firmeza para seu batismo. Preenchemos
tudo menos a assinatura dela por que achava que escrever a assinatura estava
dizendo que já ia ser batizada. Também falava que não adianta se batizar só
para voltar a fazer coisas erradas, que tinha que continuar. Isso era uma das
preocupações dela e a gente só falava para ela que não devemos deixar as
possibilidades do que poderá acontecer nos impedir de fazer a coisa certa. Que
nós devemos fazer o certo só por que é o certo e depois fazer nosso melhor para
continuar firme.
Nossa
falando tudo isso, reconheço o quanto que fizemos, realmente foi um monte de
coisa né? A gente estava aplicando tudo isso e de repente a gente foi lá, a
semana antes de conferência geral, e não tinha fumado desde segunda e já era
quarta ou algo assim. A gente ficou animado e continuamos indo lá e
acompanhando e marcamos ela para ser batizada na conferência entre as sessões
mas eles acabaram não indo, eu acho que por causa da distância. A gente não
desistiu e até assim era legal também por que a gente queria batizar numa sexta
ou sábado e logo confirmar no domingo. Acompanhamos ela e marcamos a entrevista
e estava tudo certo para ela se batizar e ela estava querendo e tudo. Mas
quando a gente chegou lá com o Elder que ia fazer a entrevista, a primeira
coisa que ela falou "Mudei de ideia, não quero mais me batizar" e aí
bateu aquele desespero que acho que você deve conhecer...desespero e tristeza
né...mas fazer o que. Eu falei com ela por uns 15 minutos tentando entender por
que e convencer ela que precisava se batizar. Se você perguntar ela, ela vai te
falar que falei coisas duras, que "dei uma bronca nela." E é verdade,
falei coisas que eram difíceis de suportar, como nem Alma 5 ou os profetas da
Bíblia ou o Livro de Mórmon. Eu não gosto do fazer isso, mas as vezes é
necessário para a salvação da pessoa. Mesmo depois de eu falar com ela, ela não
estava de acordo ainda, falei para ela pelo menos fazer a entrevista que ele ia
poder dizer como representante autorizado do Senhor se podia se batizar ou não.
Esperamos esperamo esperamos e saiu o Elder, com a assinatura dela na ficha e a
esperança ressurgiu de dentro de mim e perguntei a ela "E aí então está
tudo certo para amanhã?" "Sim" Nossa como eu estava aliviado
haha. Ainda continuei com a preocupação de que ela desistisse o dia do batismo.
Fomos lá e falamos com ela para firmar ela e perguntei "E aí irmã, tá tudo
certo para você entrar na água hoje?" "Ué assinei a ficha, agora
tenho que me batizar" haha eu nunca ia explicar para ela nesse momento que
podia desistir ainda, mesmo tendo assinado a ficha "sim, é isso mesmo
irmã, vai ser da hora seu batismo irmã! A gente falou para a ala inteira pelo
face e pelo what's de seu batismo!" Então assim vemos uma coisa
interessante, a mesmo coisa que impedia ela de querer ser batizada no começo,
estava puxando ela para o batismo no final (falando sobre a assinatura da fica)
interessante né?
Para
responder sua pergunta se foi muito difícil, sim foi haha mas deu certo e valeu
todo o esforço. Ela está muito firme na igreja junto com José. A semana passada
a gente não conseguiu passar na casa dela por que meu companheiro estava doi
doi (nunca tive que escrever isso...sempre só falei, então não faço ideia de
como escrever haha) e ela e o José foram na igreja mesmo assim! O José é muito
firme, recebeu o sacerdócio já e realmente mudou para o melhor. Acredito que a
Sueli vai ficar firme por que também sempre falou que não adianta se batizar só
para afastar. Então agora, é para ficar. Mais um exemplo de algo que impedia
ela de ser batizada mas que vai ajudar ela a ficar firme.
Nós estamos
ensinando várias pessoas que moram no seu quintal, a Patrícia, a Larissa, a
Lourdes, e queremos ensinar mais deles mas não deu oportunidade até agora.
Precisamos também pegar mais firme com essas pessoas que já começamos a
ensinar. Acho que percebo que fogem um pouco da gente quando a gente vai lá mas
a Larissa e Patrícia já expressaram muito desejo e interesse, mas eu acho que
tem medo ou algo assim. Mas estou animado por que quando você chegar, já era, é
batismo. Vai ser mais fácil pegar uma caixa de água e encher em frente de sua
casa que a gente vai batizar tudo mundo aí, começando com o seu quintal e
depois espalhando para a rua inteira. Beleza? É isso que está esperando você
quando você chegar aqui viu haha se prepare :) Espero que eu continue aqui,
quando você voltar, qualquer coisa, eu falo para meu filho fazer isso, estou
tentando ensinar ela tudo que eu sei.
A coisa mais
da hora que a Sueli falou: "...Quando eu era fumante..." Era! No
passado!
Espero que
gostou da minha historinha
English
Yeah, I knew you were praying and
wanting so much that she and Joseph were baptized, that, and the resulting joy,
were two of the reasons we used to help encourage your mother to be baptized.
But I will tell you, it was a struggle haha. We arrived here in São Mateus,
opening the area myself and my brand new son! surely can imagine that it was a
little difficult for us in the beginning, or at least it should've been.
Wonderfully, it was not that hard. I think it helped that I was here LZ of
Penha before and had come here before to interview and do splits and knew the
area a bit. So I had even heard of your mother long before I came to this area,
the elder who was here was also trying to work with her to baptize her but
didn't manage to. When we got here, we just called her and by chance, we had
lunch with her that week. So we went there and met her and such. We were there
again almost every day, about 4 or 5 times to week, usually the afternoon,
about 2 hours for 5 weeks. We talked with her about various things, the Book of
Mormon, the prophet Joseph Smith and such. We made goals for her to quit
smoking, we gave a blessing, we wrote a list of things that she is losing
because of cigarette and things she will lose. We gave her some pictures of the
temple, we managed to encourage her to throw away the cigarettes at various
times. We also took the photo of the pamphlet of the gospel of Jesus' baptism
and put the goal for baptism that it was in the beginning type 22 March and
also some things for her to do when she felt like smoking (read the scriptures,
pray, go to church every Sunday, drinking water, do not be left with nothing to
do but get busy). And we also made the goal with her to read the Book of Mormon
every day. She said that after she read, she didn't have the desire to smoke
for like 3, 4 hours and then the desire returned so we made the goal for her to
read every 3 hours haha we followed up well and she didn't always manage to
read but she tried. We also tried to fill in the baptismal form to give more
strength to her baptism. We filled out everything but her signature because she
thought that writing the signature was saying that was about to be baptized.
She also said that it's no use to be baptized just to return to do wrong, that
you have to continue. This was one of her concerns and we just spoke to her
that we should not let the possibilities of what might happen prevent us from
doing the right thing. We should do the right just because it is the right and
then do our best to remain firm.
Wow, saying all this, I realize
how much we did, it really was a lot of stuff wasn't it? We were applying all
that and suddenly we were there the week before general conference, and she had
not smoked on Monday and it was Wednesday or something. We got excited and kept
going there and watching and marked her to be baptized at the conference
between sessions but they ended up not going, I think because of the distance.
We did not give up and even so it was cool too because we wanted to baptize a
Friday or Saturday and then confirm on Sunday. We follow her and we arranged
the interview and it was all good for her to be baptized and she was wanting
and everything. But when we got there with Elder was going to do the interview,
the first thing she said "I changed my mind, I don't want to be
baptized" and then came that despair that I think you should know ...
despair and sadness ... but what are you gonna do? I talked to her for about 15
minutes trying to understand why and convince her that needed to be baptized.
If you ask her, she will tell you that I have spoken hard things, that "I
gave her an earful (the translation of google, I thought it was really funny
haha)" And it's true, I said things that were hard to bear, just like Alma
5 or prophets of the Bible or the Book of Mormon. I do not like doing this, but
sometimes it is necessary for one's salvation. Even after I talk to her, she
hadn't agreed yet, I told her at least to do the interview that he was going to
say as an authorized representative of the Lord if she could be baptized or
not. We wait we wait we wait and the elder left, with her signature on the baptismal
form and hope rose within me and I asked her "It's all good for
tomorrow?" "Yes" I was relieved haha. I still continued with a
concern that she gave up the day of baptism. We went there and spoke to her to
strengthen her and asked "Hey sister, it's all good for you to get in the
water today?" "I signed the form, now I have to be baptized"
haha I never would explain to her then that could give up still, even having
signed the statement "yes, that's right sister, your baptism will be
awesome! We told the entire ward by facebook and by cellphone about your
baptism! “So thus we see an interesting thing, the same thing that kept her
from wanting to be baptized at first, was helping for baptism in the end
(talking about the signature) interesting right?
To answer your question "Was
it very difficult?", yes it was haha but it worked out and it was worth
all the effort. She is very firm in the church along with Joseph. Last week we
didn't manage to pass at her house because my companion was sick and she and
Joseph still were in the church! Joseph is very firm, he received the
priesthood and has really changed for the better. I believe that Sueli will
stay firm as well because she always said that no use to baptize only to become
less active. So now, she is going to stay. Another example of something that
prevented her from being baptized but that will help her to stay firm.
We're teaching several people who
live in your yard, Patricia, Larissa, Lourdes, and we want to teach more of
them but gave no opportunity so far. We also need to be firmer with those
people who have already begun to teach. I think I see them fleeing some of us
when we go there but Larissa and Patricia have expressed a great desire and
interest, but I think they're afraid or something. But I'm excited because when
you come, we're just gonna baptise. It will be easier to get a water box and
fill in front of your house because we will baptize all everyone, starting with
your yard and then spreading to the whole street. Alright? That's what's
waiting for you when you get here haha get ready :) I hope I continue here
when you get back, if anything happens, I tell my son to do this, I'm trying to
teach him everything I know.
The awesomest thing that Sueli
said: "... When I was a smoker ..." was! In the past!
I hope you liked my story
We do not – as far as dad and I know have a relative that served
there – would it be a Horton or a Smith type of relative??
A Horton. Someone asked me
because they said that they met a Horton in this time frame
Did you do your missionary thing with the young women this
week?? How did it go??
Yes, yes we did! It was cool, the
majority had forgotten :( but 2 remembered and as they showed up, they started
to participate, the next week, it'll work out better. It was cool! they had
some good questions!
What are your plans this week?
We have a conference with 2
general authorities and the mission sao paulo north
How did the visit to your old area go – I think it was a couple of
weeks ago??
It was cool! I managed to visit
Jussara and her family! but I didn't manage to see Bruna :( The young woman
that I baptized with Cosme a year ago! But we're going again this week to see
other people around that area
Who are your top 3 favorite prophets – from any era?? And
why??
I'm not gonna say Joseph Smith
because that's just cliche but he'd definitely be the on the list. Right after
Jesus Christ, who also was a prophet. Outside of these 2 (Does
"outside" make sense?...) I'd pick Enoch, Alma the younger and Nephi
from 3rd Nephi.
Enoch because he managed to be
such a great leader that the whole city was united in purpose and love and
everything to such a point that they were translated. That's called success.
The biggest success.
Alma the younger because he's a
great example of how we can repent and become great instruments in the lord's
hands and he was also a great missionary (I might've chosen Amon but I don't
think he was a prophet, just a missionary)
Nephi from 3 Nephi because he was
so full of the spirit and so righteous that the Lord gave him His power.
Everything that he said was fulfilled. It's a great example of power and
dignity.
Well my time's up
Love you all!
Elder Horton
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