A Del Guerso Goodbye and a Thomas Translator

Well folks this is gonna be quick! Lemme just say that switching Presidents is quite different especially when you work in the President’s ward. This week was all over the place but I’m still in one piece and I think the Thomas' are too :)

geckos are still my buddies

So this week we were able to find pants to use at a bazar for 10 reais a piece. That was a score! Then we had a great quick lesson with A. and M. about the Book of Mormon and were able to bear testimony of its truth and how glad I am to have one more testimony that Christ is our Savior. We found a new investigator, A., who knows a little about the church but has a lot of questions about baptism. So we are going to help her with that :)

Wore them that night and it was soooo weird haha it was only 3 hours but still!

In English class, one of our students who I just adore, practiced writing a prayer in English and just made me tear up. She said "thank you for my Sisters, Oldroyd and Harris, because they truly are sisters." She’s going to write us each a copy of it cause it was the sweetest most sincere prayer I have ever heard :)

So Wednesday came around where we sang for President and Sister Thomas (and Emily their daughter) at the mission home. We ended up staying with them and President and Sister Del Guerso the rest of the day because Sister Thomas asked if we could translate. SO we went with them to lunch and to the apartment where I said my last good bye to President Del Guerso. He had finished showing them around and hugged them good bye then turned to me, held up his hand to give me a high five like usual but as I went to high five his hand, he pulled me into a hug and whispered with tears in his eyes, "I love you." I mustered out "I love you too" but couldn’t believe what was happening. We waited there while he made his way to the front gate, wiping his eyes and realizing that his mission had come to an end. I am so grateful for the leadership and love of this man. He has done such good in this three year span and I know he will be very blessed for it. After this I was able to turn to the Thomas family and say through my tears "We are so excited for you guys and all you will do here!" We helped them with a few more things but later we just let them settle in themselves. It was fun during the week answer questions or help them out, like making it to the chapel for Conselho (Council) the following Thursday. They are going to do great! Every time Sister Thomas bears her simple yet spiritual testimony in Portuguese I get so emotional! And President Thomas is going to be fabulous. They are so humble and so excited :) They also gave us a ride to church and I showed them where the chapel was.

President and Sister Thomas

This week we also got to do a "helping hands" project with food storage of rice and beans (obviously).  All in all this week was full of emotions, English, the spirit, and love. I am so lucky to be a missionary. I am so happy. Use the strength of Heaven. Am I giving my heart to God? He helps us especially in struggles. For me, He gave His life. Often times we write only what we hear, and not what we feel. You can’t believe in Christ and not His words, it’s a package deal :) This was just a piece of what I learned this week!

Love you all -Boa Semana

Sister Oldroyd, the English translator :)