Yasmin's Batism 🌊🫂

 

Hi!!

Glimpses of heaven I saw this week 

- Sister Hagedorn and I sat on one of the benches by the temple during our dinner hour, as we waited for our interviews with President. It is finally starting to cool down and it was even chilly as I sat there and watched the sun set on the temple as I read “I Would That Ye Should Remember" (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2023/09/18-i-would-that-ye-should-remember?lang=eng). 

- I had a division with Sister Webster on Saturday here in Faro  and oh I have missed her. We had a such a good day. We were able to have lunch at our faaavorite members house and we were able to go with all 6 Sisters! Us, the SAP's and the Sisters of Olhão who we ward share with. We all sat there together with this cute little Brazilian family in their cute little Brazilian apartment eating some really good Brazilian lasanha, joking around and laughing (and dying a little bit on the inside) about how many servings we can eat 

- Yasmin's batism  I have never had a more perfect awesome well run baptism in the course of my whole mission. and it is fully because of the members. They took it over and it was SO GOOD. We had the baptism right after church and had permission to have her be confirmed a member and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in the same meeting. I will never forget the Spirit that we felt and the tears that I saw in Viviane and Yasmin's eyes as we sat in that chapel full of members singing "Paz em Cristo." I will for sure never forget the smile on Yasmin's face after she received the gift of the Holy Ghost. and all of the hugs and support the members gave to her after the meeting. Yasmin had a literal light about her and was absolutely glowing 

- I want a stronger testimony of fasting and so that means I have to fast more!! lol. But this weekend for the first time ever in my life I did a fast purely to show gratitude to our Heavenly Father for my time here in Faro and for having found Yasmin and for having being to able to help her make her first covenant with God. And hand's down, this was the easiest fast I have ever done in my entire life. I am just so impressed by Yasmin she makes my heart so happy. We've always met with her and her mom Viviane, but ever since the beginning she has always been the one more ready and willing to fulfill our invites and we know that "When you invite people to make commitments as part of your teaching, you are inviting them to repent"(PMG 11). I really have seen her change sooo much, and just how amazing is that!! That, real, lasting change is possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We had invited Yasmin and Viviane to fast with us this Sunday leading up to her baptism, but I wasn't sure if they had done it or not. But then after the baptism was over, and the members were preparing the food and refreshments and things, Yasmin came up to us asking if we still needed to break our fast and if she could do it with us  Her mom, Viviane, decided not to do it and this girl is 14 and did a fast all on her own até reminding US to finish our fast with a prayer.  I had tears in my eyes as we went to one of the classrooms, and all 3 of us knelt down, and we offered a prayer to our loving Heavenly Father 

This week we had zone conference! and I learned sooo much. Something that Sister Barcellos taught has really stuck with me. She taught about conversion and how to be completely converted to ther Lord, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies had to bury their weapons of war. Not only bury them, but "they did bury them up deep in the earth" (Alma 24:17). She then asked us, what our personal weapons of war or rebellion, that are withholding us from being completely converted to the Lord. For me my answer was clear, and I wrote down "my pride." 

A very inspired Sister Webster invited me to read "Peacemakers Needed" by President Nelson. And at first I was like pois ok. But re-reading it this time, gave me the answers and guidance that I was looking for. 

For some reason recently, I have had very little patience with the rude people on the street, or the people that walk soooo slow in front of us. But "One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people."

We have been traveling a lot, seeing a lot of missionaries and there are lots of opportunities to talk about others. But I know that "'If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy' that we can say about another person—whether to his face or behind her back—THAT should be our standard of communication."

"NOW is the time to bury your weapons of war... You will arise as a spiritually strong man or woman of Christ."

I love you guys! I'm praying for you guys!

Sister Menden

Pics!

- Last pday!

- Us teaching Yasmin on the train ride to Lisbon

- My view of the temple as we waited for interviews 

- zone conf!! And my "weapon of war." Sister Barcellos gave us little swords to remember ugh I love her so much 

- President took us out to dinner after his interviews with the missionaries of Setúbal and he is just so generous I love him so much 

- Exchange with Sister Tuinei in Setúbal!!  Those sisters are SO PRECIOUS. They heard that I love soda and they stocked up their fridge for me. Please look at their fridge. 

- Fred!!! Our bestie Fred who is supposed to be baptized THIS Saturday all of a sudden got up and moved to Lisbon  it's okay though I'm just so happy he can be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost there because he is sooo ready. 

- Exchange with Sister Webster!! We had to get Bolo de Berlem to celebrate her 16 months!! 

- Yasmin's batism!! Look at that beautiful table the young women's president set up  my heart.