So today was our last day with the teachers. It was so sad! It started getting emotional just from being taught by the elders in Portuguese. Elder Thomas has just come so far, he has quite a bit of vocabulary and even his grammar shows a lot of effort and knowledge. Yet, the most powerful thing is his eyes, I swear the spirit just comes seeping out of them. We were in tears through their lesson because it was so special. At one point I expressed the fact that my 'investigator' had felt their power and authority and wanted to join the church. Funnily, you could tell they hadn't understood because they just ploughed on the lesson about finding out the truth for ourselves!
Then Irmao Barlow shared some amazing stories from his mission in Mozambique. When he got there there were no stakes in the country and now there are 2- Apparently the church predicts 17 in the next 2 years. Lots of the investigators aren't married because the culture is to pay unreasonably large dowries and the government is really slow with the paper work. However, Irmao Barlow was involved in the first group wedding at the church where 7 couples got married on the same day for less than $500. Elder Anderson even talked about it in a talk in 2013 and showed pictures of the man we were 'teaching' wearing Irmao Barlow's suit. It was pretty cool.
We tried to sing 'God be with you till we meet again' in Portuguese, but it was more like a relay of solos. I don't think Sister Oliver even tried to sing! The lyrics are just so powerful- it's cool that we can feel that in the Portuguese now. It talks about going with the power and love of God.
Then we asked Elder Thomas for a blessing before we go. It was the most powerful thing in the world. I know without a shadow of a doubt that it was of God because they did not sound like his words. It is amazing that God bestows his power upon 18 year old young men, and yet that is what makes it so true. How else would they be able to accomplish such things and bring such comfort. Truly God strengthens us. We were in floods and had to write in journal straight away!
I am going to miss the MTC and everyone here so much, but I feel prepared to go out into the field now that I have received that blessing and heard those motivating stories. I know that God has called me to Porto and I can't wait to start some stories of my own!
Then Irmao Barlow shared some amazing stories from his mission in Mozambique. When he got there there were no stakes in the country and now there are 2- Apparently the church predicts 17 in the next 2 years. Lots of the investigators aren't married because the culture is to pay unreasonably large dowries and the government is really slow with the paper work. However, Irmao Barlow was involved in the first group wedding at the church where 7 couples got married on the same day for less than $500. Elder Anderson even talked about it in a talk in 2013 and showed pictures of the man we were 'teaching' wearing Irmao Barlow's suit. It was pretty cool.
We tried to sing 'God be with you till we meet again' in Portuguese, but it was more like a relay of solos. I don't think Sister Oliver even tried to sing! The lyrics are just so powerful- it's cool that we can feel that in the Portuguese now. It talks about going with the power and love of God.
Then we asked Elder Thomas for a blessing before we go. It was the most powerful thing in the world. I know without a shadow of a doubt that it was of God because they did not sound like his words. It is amazing that God bestows his power upon 18 year old young men, and yet that is what makes it so true. How else would they be able to accomplish such things and bring such comfort. Truly God strengthens us. We were in floods and had to write in journal straight away!
I am going to miss the MTC and everyone here so much, but I feel prepared to go out into the field now that I have received that blessing and heard those motivating stories. I know that God has called me to Porto and I can't wait to start some stories of my own!