Week 34 - Trials come to all but God will lift us up!

My birthday was good. It started out really stressful but ended really well.  Elder Farias gave the talk I was going to give because I was so stressed out.  Later, the branch president threw a party for me.  He made cake and pastels and it was nice.

Elder Farias

Elder Farias is having a rough time.  He hasn't heard from family for awhile.   His mom and dad aren’t going to be able to Skype him on Christmas either because they will be out of town and he had two friends pass away this month --  one in a car crash and the other from cancer.  He feels really bad but focuses on others.  There is a transfer the week of Christmas.  I hope we stay together.

Tests and trials come to all -- God will lift us up!

The Refiner's Fire

I never use plates so I don’t have to do dishes.   Here you have to wash dishes by hand.  Dishwashers don’t exist.

Hey, the coolest thing happened this week!  Elder Farias and I were walking to our area and this super fancy Mercedes pulls up next to us.  We just start checking out this car and then the driver roles his window down and says “Hey elders, today is your lucky day”.   We thought on a hot day like it was, he would give us a ride to our area but what he did was hand us 100 reis and drive away!  For sure it isn’t everyday that people just hand you money.

We are moving into a new house that will be in our area.   It is behind a member’s house.   We will be in by Wednesday.