Ola!
This has been an exciting yet very busy last week. I am excited and proud to say that my couple, Rute and Erickson, who we have been working on trying to get married FINALLY went through with it!! They are officially married!! On Thursday we went with them to the courthouse and witnessed the two of them take a big step forward in their lives together. The only ones that were there to support them were each of their two witnessess that they chose, our branch president, our recent convert, Nilton, the son of one of the witnesses, and my Sister Vicente and I. I had never before scene a civil wedding before done in a courthouse so it was very interesting to see. Afterwards some members held a small party for them at their home to celebrate where just a few people came by to congradulate them. All though it was a very small ceremony and not the typical big celebration that we are use to in the states, it was perfect. Just from knowing that they two of them are officially married makes them so much happier and everyone can see the joy that has entered into their lives.
Two days later on Saturday we had 3 baptisms! One of them including Erickson! The other two were a 17 year old girl named Denise who has been talking with the missionaries for months before I even arrived in this area, and a 25 year old girl named Tatiana. Tatiana had first been introduced to the church a few weeks before I arrived in this area about 3 months ago by a good friend of hers who is a member. The Elders began teaching her 2 weeks before I came here. She had only talked to the Elders twice when we had first met her so we taught her basically almost from the beginning. I have grown very close to Tatiana and I was so proud to see her make this step in her life of being baptized and entering into a covenent with our Heavenly Father. She gave the most profound testimony at the end of the service too. Everyone was left speachless.
This week we are preparing our little 8 year old, Katy, to be baptized on Saturday. Katy is the youngest child of a family where all of the family are already members. My first week in this area Katys brother asked us if we could start teaching his sister so that she could be baptized too like the rest of the family. It has taken her a while to get to the point of baptism because she is VERY VERY quite and has a little bit of a learning disability. So we have had to teach what would normally be taught in one lesson, in two or three lessons. But, she is finally ready and very excited to be getting baptized on Saturday.
I can not wait for general conference in two weeks. We have a bunch of investigators who we have already committed to attending and who are all excited and looking forward to hearing words from our living prophet. There are two imparticular, Farreira and Antonio, who are excited. Farreira and Antonio are two men that we recently started teaching. They were references and friends of our recent convert Nilton. Antonio is 33 and Farreira is in his 50s. They are currently two of our FAVORITE investigators. Both of them only speak Creole and they both have a lisp. It is hilareous. Farreira also has SIX toes on one foot!!! It is pretty creepy and weird. But we love him more for it. They are both soooo interested in the church after witnessing the baptism of their friend Nilton two weeks ago. Antonio this week told his work that he cant and will no longer be working on Sundays because he has to go to church. Sister Vicente and I almost jumped out of our chairs when he told us that this last week. They are both commited and looking forward to one day soon being members of the church.
Well, that is all the time I have for this week. Love you all!
Com amor,
Sister Taryn Beus
Here are photos from this last weeks 3 baptisms we had of Erickson, Denise and Tatiana, as well as a few photos from the wedding of Rute and Erickson.
Enjoy!
Sister Beus
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