So I'm finally out of the office, after seven months of being the financial secretary. It is a huge relief. Although I'm not entirely free. It's 4:00pm and Elder Montgomery has already called me three times with questions. Soon he'll get through that phase though.
My new area, like I said last week, is in Sete Lagoas - the same zone where I was born. Making the grand total of zones that I have passed in my whole mission: 2. But I'm happy to be here, it's the "Promised Land" of the BH Mission. I'm now working in Ala 1 (1st Ward).
I think I forgot to mention the fact that not only is my district big and possibly problematic, but we are opening a city! There is a city 40 minutes outside of SL called Pareopeba (possibly misspelled) where the SL Stake is trying to form a branch. Right now they have one Melchizedek priesthood holder there. They need three to form a branch. It is however an official "group" and they are free to have independent meetings on Sundays. They usually have between 20 and 25 people there every Sunday.
I talked to President Frei about how we should work the area and he told me to get two priesthood holders and for one of us to go with one guy to our area in Sete Lagoas to bring the investigators to church and the other one to go to Pareopeba to get the investigators and bring them to church there. How sweet is that! I'm excited. The church is new there, and so the people there don't know much about it, and are apparently very open. We're going to have much success there. I'm excited!
My new companion is Elder Martinez from São Paulo (my third companion from SP). He is apparently a very good missionary. The assistants spoke very highly of him. I'm excited to get to work with him.
Elder McArthur went home today. It's always sad to lose close friends in the mission.
Easter was great. Everyone in the office got an Easter Egg from President and Sister Frei (I can't remember if that has the same meaning in the States. It's one of those big, hollow, chocolate eggs with a prize inside. Delicious).
On Sunday, miraculously, José and Gabriel were baptized. I baptized Gabriel, and Elder Montgomery baptized José, making in total seven baptisms that we had during our time together. Gabriel was the first person I've baptized on my mission that I had to repeat. Apparently his knee popped out. Only one person saw it, so I'm suspicious, and would like to think that my perfect record still continues. But oh well, no one's perfect.
When we got to their house on Sunday afternoon to pick them and their mom up to go to the baptism, I was doing a contact with a guy in the street while Elder Montgomery knocked and waited at the door. While I was still talking to the guy, the mom answered and said, "Oh, it's you guys. Well, I have some bad news, my sons aren't getting baptized today. In fact, they're not even here." and E. Montgomery started freaking out and asking why, and she was like "look, Sisco is leaving us this week, and there's going to be just you to take care of them, and I don't want that." And after Elder Montgomery talked her ear off for a few minutes, she smiled and said, "I'm just kidding, they're getting ready right now. Why don't you come on in and have a seat while you wait for them." He wasn't pleased.
I thought it was funny, though.
All three of them went, and she said she liked it. I have a strong belief that she will get baptized too. It wont be easy, she smokes, but I think that she'll see the changes in her son's lives and will have the same desire that they have. If Elder Montgomery and Rospirski keep at her, I believe she will.
-Elder Sisco