Stake Conference Surprises

Hello Everyone!

This week we had Stake Conference and our stake was visited by a Brasilian Seventy, Elder Soares. It was pretty cool because he called Elder Schirmer and me to the pulpit to talk about how members and missionaries need to work together. Does everyone remember Vigilatto? He is strong in the church and has been going to the stake choir rehearsals every Sunday. They performed very well as they were accompanied by a sweet spirit when they sang "Eu creio em Cristo (I Believe in Christ)." If there were visitors there that think we don´t believe in Jesus, the spirit testified otherwise. I saw Vigilatto when I was called by surprise to the pulpit and I shared his conversion story with the congregation. Then Elder Soares called him up by surprise to testify of what I said. It was his first time bearing his testimony during a church meeting, but he spoke really well. He said, "I took my glasses off so I can´t see anyone staring at me." We had dinner at his house that night and he shared with us how honored he felt to be called up by a Seventy of the Lord. It was a great experience he will never forget. 

We are teaching two very special families that have high potential. They both went to church and loved it. The more evangelical family told us afterwards that they wanted to shout "gloria!" and "hallelujah!" when they felt the spirit. It reminded me of my Presbyterian robe choir days. When I share with other Elders that I sang in a gospel choir, played guitar in the Presbyterian church, attended a high rate of meetings there, and during the Christmas Eve service there were more Mormons than Presbyterians in the pews, they think I was less active. It's funny to see the Brasilians look at me like I'm crazy. They have a reason because most of the evangelical churches here claim to expluse demons and speak in unknown toungues. 

Honest health update: My stomach has hurt everyday since my virus but I kinda just try to forget about it. On the mission I've been blessed with few days of irritable bowel, but there are still times where it hurts a bunch and I have to tough it out.  I've learned a lot about mind over matter. Like dad used to say. "it's die time" or "it's just mind over body; you can do it." My new motto is, "fulfill your dreams -- no pain no gain."

We had to get Elder Nixon to our town´s health clinic because he was throwing up all night long. We registered him with the clinic´s receptionist and when it was his turn to receive the butt shot they called in the intercom, "José João". His name is Joseph John, so it took awhile for us to realize that it was him. I died laughing. Why would they translate his name? They hooked him up to an iv and now he is smiling. The nurses are taking good care of him. It was hilarious because we left him there with his new American companion, Elder Peal, who doesn´t speak Português at all. He just nods or shakes his head. He's a little timid because of the culture shock but he´ll get over it soon. I felt like him when I got here, too.  

with love,
Elder Forsyth