10-3-11 Alice's baptism, Marcelo & Joelma's wedding [PHOTOS]

THIS WEEK WAS REALLY GOOD FOR US (AT LEAST THE 2ND HALF OF THE WEEK). WE HAVE SOME GREAT PEOPLE WITH WHOM WE ARE WORKING, MANY OF WHICH WENT TO GENERAL CONFERENCE FOR AT LEAST ONE SESSION. WE ARE WORKING A LOT WITH EDMILSON AND ZINHA, WHOSE WEDDING AND BAPTISM (OF EDMILSON) IS NOW MARKED FOR THE 15TH OF OCTOBER. I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO BE PART OF ANOTHER WEDDING! THEY ARE DOING VERY WELL, AND YESTERDAY AFTER CONFERENCE THEY WERE ABLE TO GO TO THE BISHOP'S OFFICE AND TALK TO HIM FOR A WHILE, I AM CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL BE A STRONG FAMILY IN THE WARD, AND IN THE FUTURE BE ABLE TO BE SEALED IN THE TEMPLE! 

                            Edmilson and Zinha

WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO HAVE THE BAPTISM OF ALICE BETWEEN THE SESSIONS ON SATURDAY. IT WAS A GREAT MEETING AND SHE HAD LOTS OF FAMILY--MEMBER AND NON MEMBER--THERE TO SUPPORT HER. HER DAD CAME FROM ANOTHER STATE TO BE AT HER BAPTISM! SHE WAS VERY HAPPY AND THE BROWNIES WERE GOOD AFTERWARD TOO... HAHA

                                                       Alice with her Mom and Dad

                                                 Elder Albuquerque, Alice, Jon

I WAS ABLE TO WATCH ALL THE SESSIONS EXCEPT FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON, BECAUSE WE WERE TRAVELING TO CAMARAGIBE. I DID THE BAPTISM INTERVIEW FOR A LADY IN THE CARMELO WARD (OTHER SIDE OF CAMARAGIBE), WHO WAS VERY WELL PREPARED AND IS MAKING BIG CHANGES IN HER LIFE TO BE ABLE TO BE A MEMBER. HER FAMILY IS VERY AGAINST HER JOINING THE CHURCH BUT SHE IS A REALLY STRONG PERSON AND DECIDED TO DO IT BECAUSE SHE FELT LIKE IT WAS WHAT GOD WANTED. SHE WAS BAPTIZED SUNDAY BETWEEN THE SESSIONS.THEN AFTER HER INTERVIEW ME AND ELDER ALBUQUERQUE WENT TO THE LOTEAMENTO (THE PART OF CAMARAGIBE WHERE MOST OF THE PEOPLE I TAUGHT LIVE) AND ATTENDED THE WEDDING OF MARCELO AND JOELMA. I THINK I ALREADY TOLD YOU ABOUT THEM, IT IS A COUPLE THAT WAS A REFERENCE OF ELIETE THAT I STARTED TEACHING, AND ON THE LAST DAY I WAS IN CAMARAGIBE THEY WENT TO CHURCH AND MARCELO (BUT NOT JOELMA IN THAT EPOC) ACCEPTED BAPTISM. OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS THE MISSIONARIES THERE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM, I WAS ABLE TO VISIT THEM A COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN I WAS IN CAMARAGIBE, AND NOW THEY WERE ABLE TO GET MARRIED AND BAPTIZED! IT WAS A REALLY COOL EXPERIENCE FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR BAPTISMAL INTERVIEWS AND SEE HOW MUCH THEY HAVE PROGRESSED. MARCELO SAID THAT EVERYTHING IN THEIR LIVES HAS IMPROVED SINCE THEY MET ME AND JOHNSON AND BRADLEY. HE IS THE MAN THAT USED TO BE A PASTOR IN THE ASSEMBLY OF GOD, REMEMBER? 

   Wedding of Marcelo and Joelma, daughter Larissa, their missionaries (Elders Hooke, Freire, Wellburn, Carvalho...not pictured are Elders Bradley & Johnson)

GENERAL CONFERENCE WAS GOOD, AND I HOPE YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO BENEFIT A LOT FROM IT TOO. I FOUND SOME THINGS INTERESTING AND HELPFUL.  

ALRIGHT THANKS FOR ALWAYS SENDING ME GOOD EMAILS! I LOVE YOU TOO

eLdEr HoOkE