Hey everyone,
Guess what. My shoes fell apart and so I had to go
teaching for a few days in my tennis shoes because my boots haven't arrived
yet, my second set of shoes is on Praia, and my shoes were at the sapoteiro, or
shoer, being fixed. But, while my shoes were being resoled I was looking
for something in our apartment and I found my purple ties that I have been
looking for and so my tie inventory has gone from three to five.
Whoo-hoo.
We had a number of really incredible experiences this
week. First, we had a baptism. Her name is Arminda and she is
incredible. Her son was baptized last month and she took a little longer,
but she followed in his footsteps and is very happy she did.
Next, we had an unexpected visit from the assistants on
Friday and one of them came and spent the day with us. His name is Elder Christensen
and he is incredible. Elder Camargo and I learned a lot from him and we
are teaching more in unison, switching more often, testifying more often, and
allowing ourselves to be guided by the Spirit like never before. I am
learning better every day how to trust the Spirit. All I have to do now
is open my mouth and the words just come out, sometimes faster than even I
understand them, but other people seem to, and that is enough. I pray
every day for the gift of tongues and the gift of the interpretation of
tongues, and the Lord is truly granting that for me. I understand Creole
better than Elder Camargo, and like I said before, the Portuguese is coming
faster than I want it to sometimes.
I've been studying about grace, and the more I understand,
the better able to use it I seem to be. Grace is not the power that comes
after we finish all we can do; it comes before, during, and after our
effort. As long as I trust the Spirit and work hard then I will be able
to do all the Lord asks of me. I gave the training in our district
meeting on Friday about how humility (the understanding of our dependence on
the Lord) can give us confidence to trust the Lord enough to take that first
step into the darkness trusting that the Lord will place a pathway beneath our
feet. If we don't have confidence in the Lord and in ourselves in
everything we do those around us will see it and they won't trust us. We
cannot, on the mission, at home, or in any location, effectively do the work of
the Lord without confidence. As long as I am constantly striving to learn
and grow, I am enough. You are enough. And the Lord will always
make up the difference.
We're preparing for a zone conference in a few weeks and
there's going to be a big competition where all of the missionaries from São
Vicente, Santo Antão, and Fogo are going to come together. In preparation
for that we are all memorizing one scripture from each section from each of the
lessons in Preach My Gospel. It is going to be an amazingly powerful day
filled with the Spirit. I cannot wait.
Até mais, (“see you” or “later”)
Elder T. Drew Bushman
Arminda's baptism day.
View from the top of the mountain in Drew's area.
A group of Cape Veridian children.
Elder Camargo and Jerry - a member that often serves with them.
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