Faithful Steps Forward

Bom Diiiiaaaaa

WEEK OF CELEBRATION!

This week we´re celebrating 1 year as a missionary for Sister Meira, 9 months for me, and Sister Garcia´s 20th birthday!

There will be cake.

Actually there already was cake... and pizza... and a birthday donut...

Let´s be real, you can´t over-celebrate :)

This week was especially happy because Levi was confirmed yesterday!

We got to church with our investigators and we started searching for Levi so we could get everything situated for his confirmation during the opening announcements and stuff before the Sacrament. He wasn't there.

We waited and worried and worried and waited for him to get there before the sacrament hymn, but the meeting continued and still no sign of Levi. Literally 10 seconds into the sacrament hymn Levi showed up. We were super bummed thinking he would have to wait a whole other week to get confirmed. Then, Bishop Araújo was the last speaker. He got up, paused his talk, confirmed Levi, and then continued his talk (which was incredible btw). Haha! It was AWESOME. Levi was so happy.

Our investigator John John is progressing a ton this week! John John is great. He´s from Guinea-Bissau, Africa. (I have absolutely no idea how to spell that country). Anyways, he´s awesome. He´s been pretty nervous to accept our invitations, but he´s been coming to church anyway. yesterday night he told us he´s feeling something about the church and that everyday he feels more and more that it´s a good thing and it´s the right place.

 I did a jig in his sketchy alley :)

We´re hoping to help him feel sure enough for his baptism marked for this Saturday.

Sometimes I get feeling like a little piece of trash in the street, like I didn´t teach well enough or explain clear enough, or love someone enough, or do all I could to help. It´s not uncommon for inadequacy to hit. But this week I read a great talk that said: "we fail only if we fail to take another faithful step forward. We will not, we cannot, fail if we are faithfully yoked to the Savior - He who has never failed and will never fail us."

It reminded me of Elder Holland´s talk at the end of conference when he said:

"Please remember tomorrow, and all the days after that, that the Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments and try to keep them, who cherish Christlike virtues and strive to the best of their ability to acquire them. If you stumble in that pursuit, so does everyone; the Savior is there to help you keep going. If you fall, summon His strength. Call out like Alma, “O Jesus, … have mercy on me.”7 He will help you get back up. He will help you repent, repair, fix whatever you have to fix, and keep going. Soon enough you will have the success you seek."

I´m glad I can try again everyday to be better than I was yesterday and trust in the Savior´s example.

Love from Brasil,

Sister Chamberlain