WOW!!!! This week has been crazy!! I wish I could tell you all about the miracles that we’ve had this week. Literally every week is full of miracles and people that are so elect!!
Last P-day after I wrote, Sister Ward from the littler town of Rexburg Idaho came to Olhao! It made me soooo happy to see her. I was having a really hard day the day before and the Lord answered my prayers with Sister Ward. I love her so much! I cried so much when I saw her. I love her and you all so much!!
Tuesday we had district meeting and it was so awesome!!! Elder Casey had been dying the milk green for the past 5 weeks for his trainee Elder Rich! Elder Rich believed that the milk here was green!!! HAHA! Sister Brundage and I made a green cake and we broke the news to him that the milk was dyed for the past 5 weeks...SO HILARIOUS!!! It was way hard to keep the joke inside this whole time. We found this gypsy family a week ago and we went to visit them. We weren’t sure if we can teach them but we left a pamphlet with Cremilde (the mother) and testified with her. I can tell you it was the weirdest feeling to be constrained to teach someone. I just wanted to start teaching about the Plan of Salvation but we weren’t sure we we’re allowed to teach gypsies.
Wednesday/Thursday I had my first division with Sister Jumua in Faro!!!! I was so scared but it was so fun!!! I had a blast!! The afternoon I got there we went to eat at this member house to which I ate soup with rabbit foot in it, turkey spine, bolo, and a very nice banana (wade...) haha the ZLs kept telling me that I was eating frog. I was pretty grossed out till they told me it was turkey after the lunch. I was so embarrassed!! The day was like a blur; I was trying to take it all in all day! The next day we had lunch with Sister Ward. Oh my gosh I just love that family so much!!! It was so fun to do divisions! Someday when I can speak Portuguese I will be such a better companion! Then I came back to Olhao and I’m not going to lie, I missed Olhao so much. I love this city!! We got to work and found so many people and had so many miracles. It’s probably because we fasted when I got back. Man, this mission is just full of people ready to be baptized!!!
Friday We went to visit Adelia and we marked her for baptism! She’s been reading the Book of Mormon faithfully and she’s so happy. I knew this gospel would help her. She kept saying how she could apply the stories in the book to her own life, and I just kept thinking, `Yeah, You’re receiving revelation and you don’t even know it...`she´s so elect! That night the district leaders came and interviewed Alexandre for baptism!!! He passed!!!
Saturday was baptism day!!! We had a relief society activity with bags of clothes that we needed to get out of our apartment from past missionaries. It was fun to see all the ladies go through the clothes and pick new stuff. I love these women so much!! Right after that everyone gathered for 3 baptisms in our Branch. 3 baptisms in Olaho this week!!! HOW AWESOME!!! We drove to Faro, had the baptism, and went back to the church. I had my first taste of Baccalhao!!! SO GOOD! The food here is just amazing!! I’m so humbled every time I see someone enter into the gate of baptism. I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to be able to change someone’s life. People sacrifice so much for this gospel.
Sunday was nuts!! We got to church and Guida and Joaquim (newly baptized as of Friday) brought food to celebrate with after church...well the fire alarm went off while it was cooking during sacrament meeting. It was all crazy! So funny though!! They were embarrassed...I felt bad for them but on the bright side, the food was great!! It was all seafood, so what could be better?? We came back to church that night and Ana Alzira, one of our recent converts, was with her friend’s son. She wanted us to teach this guy named Eduardo. Oh my goodness it was the most powerful lesson. Ana testified and then we taught and then we marked him and he said yes and we were all crying and the Spirit was so strong and I was so happy!!! In one sentence, that’s what happened in an hour! And then we have a new investigator that wants to get baptized so badly! His name is José Carlos and he’s one of the people that is willing to do anything to get baptized. We told him straight up that he needed to marry his girlfriend of like 10 years before he gets baptized. He said he would. We already marked him but it might take a little longer than we think but he’s ready!!
I love Portugal. Next week are transfers and Sister Brundage leaves. I’m going to seriously miss her so much. She’s taught me sooo much and it’s hard to imagine Olhao without her here. The work is moving forward so rapidly. The weeks and days are starting to blend together and are going by so fast! I have so much work to do here and in Portugal. I can’t wait to speak better than right now and actually understand the people. I love these people and I don’t know how they got into my heart so fast!!! I love the work, I love the Lord, I love this language (even though I get frustrated), I love the people. I’m working so hard everyday so I can earn my pillow at night.
LOVE YOU ALL SOOO MUCH!!!!
Sister Hillam
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