June 18, 2008

Hi mom,

How was your b-day. Did you get the b-day card that I sent you?

Things are going really well here. This week was Samira’s baptism. It was actually pretty stressful because 7 o’clock Saturday night (night of the baptism) rolled around and she was nowhere to be seen. Everyone waited for about 30 minutes but nothing. Sister Bezerra and I went to her house looking for her. She was there with her member friend but she said her mom hadn’t come home yet and hadn’t signed the papers. Her mom called and we talked with her. She said that Samira’s dad didn’t want her to be baptized (they are divorced). We told this to Samira and she started to cry and said it was all a lie. I have never been so disappointed and I felt terrible for her. We waited at a neighbor’s house until her mom came home. She cried to her mom and told her how important this was to her. Her mom admitted that it wasn’t her dad that didn’t want her to be baptized, it was Renata (her mom). She and Samira went to the church where everyone had been waiting for an hour and talked with President Manganaro (branch pres). After the interview, Renata consented and we had a beautiful meeting. Renata and Samira cried during the baptism and although it was really hectic, it turned our fine.

This next week, Neusa will get married and she will be baptized the following Saturday with her 8-year-old daughter. We are helping her plan the wedding and it has been really exciting. Transfers are this Wednesday and I am hoping to stay so I can see her wedding and baptism. I don’t know if I will be able to email next week but I will keep you updated.

We also found a really great family with 10 kids under the age of 16. . . wow. They have a two bedroom house and the kids sleep on mattresses in the kitchen and the living room. We took 3 of the kids with us to church. I sat with them and 3 other kids (families who we are teaching). I was helping them listen and be quiet and I felt like that story Elder Ballard told in General Conference about the time he had to take care of his kids during sacrament meeting. It was a pretty chaotic sacrament meeting but I love those kids and it was pretty funny. This is good training for me for when I have a bunch of kids, he he.

Oh, the recipes that I wanted. . . gingerbread cookies and sugar cookies. My comp is dying to learn how to make gingerbread cookies. She has only seen them in the movies.

Things are going well and I love my mission. I hope you have a wonderful week. I love you and miss you.

Love Barbie