Most american missionaries dislike it, but for some reason I just love it.
Beloveds,
Well, dears, this week was WACKY. I don't really know how or have time to describe it, so I will just give you some of the facts.
1. Joao and Sara and Sira didn't get baptized this week. Sara and Sira kind of disappeared for much of the week, but Joao was em casa and we taught him everything we had left to teach him and we reviewed the interview questions with him and he is sooooo ready it's incredible. But he doesn't feel like he's ready, and wants to prepare more, and I respect that and I'm not going to force anything. It's hard to know how to walk that line of helping them see they are ready and also just letting them to come at their own pace. He said he's never going to miss another Sunday in church. He's super cool.
2. Isabel is doing great. We found out she smokes, like 2 cigarettes per day only, but she wants so bad to be able to quit before the 30th for her baptism. Ah, guys, Isabel is such a huge blessing in my life right now. I am so grateful for her. will you pray she can keep progressing and get baptized on the 30th?
3. Transfers! Sister Stewart is going up NORTH to Braga!! One of the most beautiful areas. I will miss her a TON but I know she is in excellent hands ....... with Sister DUKE!!!! (My mtc comp! remember her!?) I am staying here for the next 2 weeks, being comps with Sister Galloway, which is great. The other area got whitewashed -- Sister Swasey got a surprise phonecall on Saturday morning telling her she would be going home to figure out what is going on with her health. So now Sister Galloway and I are roommates with Sister Torres (a portuguese sister waiting for her visa to go to brazil. she seems really neat) and.... wait for it ..... Sister Wach! A year later, we get to live together again. It is so fun to see her again and see how much we have both changed and grown in the last year. When I go home, the areas will merge and the sisters will be a tripla until Sister torres gets her visa. Lots of changes for Oeiras! I hope it all goes smoothly!
4. Hey, cool tender mercy this week -- last Monday S. Stewart and I went to Sintra. It was beautiful there. While waiting in a line at the Palacio da Pena, I noticed the couple in front of me was speaking a language that sounded like weird Portuguese morphed with Spanish. I thought, they must be from Galicia, so I started a conversation with them, and sure enough they are Gallegos! My heart swelled even though I have never been there -- I thought of you, Dad. I took a picture with them and will show it to you in 15 days.
THEN a few days ago I started a conversation with a lady at a bus stop who I noticed looked Indian and was speaking English. Turns out she is from "near Bangalore", oh, where?,. "Hyderabad.", "HYDERABAD?!" Cool!! Her name was Roshni. I told her my brother Nate was a missionary in Hyderabad a few years ago. So cool. She said she might come to church.
It was just a fun little bit of celestial symmetry, you know? I was hoping I would bump into some Argenines, Wayne, which I didnt, but I had a vivid dream that I met some, so that's got to count for something, too. :)
Well, I have to go. Email time was robbed today by transfers. But I got to see Sister Radvansky. :)
I am so grateful for you. Keep those chins up! I love you!
Yours,
Sister Sandholtz
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