Wednesday June 11th, 2008

It is P-Day once again! Thanks for all the emails, I got tons this week. You guys did well. This last Sunday Janice got baptized. She's the woman who died and came back. She's one of the weirdest people I've ever met, but cool. At her baptism after the Bishop and Relief Society President gave the boas vindas (welcoming?) she was like "can I give my message?" and everyone was kind of like "uh... sure... go for it," (complete with weird looks and sideglances). So she got up and crossed her arms, bowed her head and started her message/prayer. It wasn't as bad as we anticipated- she just sort of rambled about the importance of love and the love the Savior has for us, which is great, just that she did it in a really weird, offbeat way. But whatever, she's cool.
Because of Stake Conference this Sunday we got permission to confirm her at the baptism instead of waiting two weeks, and she asked me if I would do it (ah!!). But I did, for the first time, with Elder Franklin and our Bishop and it was suh-weet! I was way nervous that I'd mess something up and like, accidentally condemn her or something, but it turned out really well. Everyone said it was really good. As for her two sons, well, they're goons. One's 19 and the other's 20. Neither of them know how to read, so she reads the Book of Mormon to them which we really appreciate. The problem is that she's only been a member for like, 3 days so she tries to explain things to them and then starts to create her own little personal apostasy. I wish we could be there all the time to help out. The other problem is that they're complete idiots. It took three weeks before the 20 year old would say "bom dia" to us. The OTHER problem is that the 19 year old son is in love with one of the members. We're really trying to get it across that he shouldn't get baptized because he thinks that what she wants him to, but that he should do it because he knows that it's the right thing to do.
Last Friday I did a division with Elder Wilson, my Trainer/Current Zone Leader in his area, and that was really fun to teach with him again. That night we had to go back to the church for an interview and while he and I were waiting around for it to get done this guy walked into the church and called us over to the door where he was standing. He wanted R$2.50 for a bus. As missionaries, we're not allowed to give out money, and we explained that to him, but I told him I would go upstairs and see if there was anyone that could help him out. There was a lady parked in the parking lot and he kept telling us to go ask her to give him a ride, but like we're going to put some crazy homeless guy in a car with an old woman and have her drive him home. Anyway, I went upstairs and looked around a bit and then came back down and informed him that there was, unfortunately no one up there. Not 30 seconds later, the Stake President and Bishop walked down the stairs and out the door past us. Luckily I think he was too drunk to notice that I completely lied to his face, and so he just kept talking to us. But because we insisted that we couldnt give him money, he started to get a little angry: "If Jesus Christ was here right now, would you deny him?" Well, first of all I don't think Jesus would come to the church just to ask for a couple bucks, but we just told him "no, of course not." To which he responded, "well guess what- you just did. I am Jesus!" It was very dramatic.
But he wouldn't leave. He just kept standing in the doorway talking to us. Then his story started to change. He informed us that he was the last prophet of the Jehova's Witnesses ("they just don't know me yet") and then he started to prophesy: "One day, a bottle of wine will fall from the sky and will land right here!" as he points to the floor, "and wine will be everywhere! And then everyone will know..." He didn't mention what it was that everyone will know, but he made it quite clear that we will definitely know it."And then the walls of this church will fall!" Excellent, thank you. I'll keep an eye out for that bottle. He also prophesied that one day two JWs will knock on Elder Wilson's door, and that Wilson will remember him and let them in and that he will be converted. Elder Wilson will then return to this ward in Brazil and convert every single one of them to the Jehova's Witnesses. I hope there aren't crazy, drunk people that go around talking about the Mormons like that. That's pretty much it. Peace out 'til next week.
-Elder Sisco