11-7-11 Juliana's , Dahlilla's baptism [PHOTOS]

11-7-11

HELLO FAMILY THIS WEEK WAS AWESOME!!

YES I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GRANDMA AND GRANDPA T FOR MY BIRTHDAY (THANKS G & G!!!) AND A LETTER FROM YOU (YOU SENT A FAMILY PIC AND AN EMAIL FROM A WEEK THAT I DIDN'T RECEIVE IT, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE WROTE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE HOLY GHOST), AND I GOT THE LITTLE BOX! THANKS!! 

[I told him I hadn't sent his birthday package yet for various reasons...and I have to say I'm still hesitant because the last package I sent to him, he would have had to pay $75 to get out of the post office...but he was too late, so they sent it back to us!!!]

ALRIGHT IT CAN BE A BIRTHDAY AND CHRISTMAS COMBINED PACKAGE, IT'S ALL GOOD. I AM HAPPY TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT ME (BUT YES YOU'RE RIGHT, I'D BE EVEN HAPPIER RECEIVING THE PACKAGE! HAHA)

THIS WEEK WAS GREAT! WE HAD THE 2 DE NOVEMBRO WARD PARTY WHICH WENT REALLY WELL AND I EVEN GOT TO PLAY BASKETBALL WITH A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THE RULES (IN MY SHIRT AND TIE). IT WAS A FUN ACTIVITY AND LOTS OF INVESTIGATORS AND RECENT CONVERTS WERE THERE.

EDIMILSON AND ZINHA ARE DOING MUCH BETTER. WE ARE STILL GOING TO THEIR HOUSE VERY FREQUENTLY TO KEEP HELPING THEM AND THINGS ARE IMPROVING. THEY WERE AT THE ACTIVITY AND LOVED IT! EDIMILSON DOMINATED IN DODGEBALL HAHA!

WE ARE TEACHING A FEW OF THEIR NEIGHBORS TOO, INCLUDING A 13 YEAR OLD GIRL LETICIA WHO HAS BEEN AT CHURCH WITH THEM THE LAST 2 WEEKS AS WELL.

FRIDAY WAS JULIANA'S BAPTISM, WHICH WENT REALLY, REALLY WELL.

                                           Baptism of Juliana

EVERYONE AT THE MEETING WAS VERY HAPPY AND SUPPORTIVE FOR HER. THE MUTUAL NIGHT FOR YOUNG WOMEN IS CHANGED TO WEDNESDAY NOW SO THAT SHE CAN GO! (IT USED TO BE TUESDAY BUT SHE HAS KARATE EVERY TUESDAY). WE WERE TALKING WITH HER YESTERDAY AND FOUND OUT THAT SHE WILL NOT, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVERAL YEARS, DO A DANCING PROGRAM SHE LOVES THAT WOULD START THIS SUNDAY, BECAUSE THE PRACTICES ARE ON SUNDAYS. SO YEAH I GUESS SHES PRETTY [COMMITTED]! WELL HAVE TO START TEACHING HER FRIENDS NOW!

WOW AND DURING THE WEEK THE BIG QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE BAPTISM OF DAHLILLA AND JUNIOR. WE KNEW THEY WOULD BE MARRIED, (THEY DID A TON OF WORK FOR WEDDING PREPARATIONS). DAHLILLA DECIDED YES FOR SURE SHE WOULD BE BAPTIZED. JUNIOR TOLD US, I'LL TELL YOU AT THE WEDDING IF I WILL BE BAPTIZED. JUNIOR DECIDED THAT ON THAT DAY, HE WOULD NOT BE BAPTIZED WHICH WAS A BIG LET DOWN FOR ALL OF US, INCLUDING DAHLILLA. SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH WAS DAHLILLAS BAPTISM, WHICH WAS DEFINITELY THE MOST SPIRITUAL BAPTISM THAT I'VE BEEN AT IN MY LIFE.

                                                Baptism of Dahlilla
SHE DESCRIBED HOW SHE FELT BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE BAPTISM TO US LAST NIGHT AND IT WAS AMAZING. SHE SAID IT WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING SHE HAD FELT BEFORE AND THAT SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS IN ANOTHER WORLD, AND LITERALLY BECAME A NEW CREATURE (LIKE THE SCRIPTURES SAY). ANYWAYS JUNIOR FELT THE SPIRIT AS WELL AND IS STILL HAVING TROUBLE RECOGNIZING THAT THESE FEELINGS ARE HIS ANSWER.... BUT HE TOLD US THAT HE PLANS ON GETTING BAPTIZED BEFORE THE TRANSFER AT THE END OF NOVEMBER!

SILVIO AND CARMEM ARE DOING WELL, THEY WERE AT CHURCH YESTERDAY AND WILL BE GIVING US LUNCH TODAY! EVERYTHING IS SO SMOOTH AND SIMPLE WITH THEM, THERE HAS BEEN ALMOST NOTHING DIFFICULT IN HELPING THEM TO PREPARE FOR BAPTISM, BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS DO EVERYTHING WE INVITE THEM TO DO AND ARE REALLY DETERMINED TO TAKE THIS STEP IN THEIR LIVES (BAPTISM). THEY WILL BE MARRIED ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND ON SUNDAY MORNING SILVIO'S DAD WILL BAPTIZE THEM!

ATÉ MAIS!  ELDER HOOKE