It's gooood...I'm appy!

Bom Dia Alegria Minha Família!!!

Wowza! We had a week full of miracles here in Vasco!

To continue last weeks big news:

Monday night when we were back to working we received a phone call from Presidente Luis and after talking with Alfredo he gave us the amazing news that......

WE COULD PLAN FOR A BAPTISM SUNDAY!!!!!!

All Monday I was so axious to hear from Alfredo, I basically just paced by the phne all say, so when I heard the news I just about died of Happiness. We were out in the street and I am sure everyone around thought I had won the lottery.

And let me tell you....I did win the lottery.

I couldn´t stop smiling. I knew he would be baptized. without a doubt in my mind.

I can´t even describe the amount of prayer, fasting, and love that the sisters before and we have put into this man. It was honestly the hardest spiritual battle that I have encountered on the mission, but this man is honestly gold so we couldn´t stop fighting for him.

I wish I had words sufficient to describe Alfredo, but you just need to meet him. He is something special and you can tell that within the first few moments of meeting him. I know that this was not an easy decision for him to be baptized, and he did not take this decision lightly. He thought of every possible thing when it came to making this decision. We went over to his house one night this week and he showed us pictures of Guiné. One of the pictureshe showed us was of him and the head catholic bishop there. He explained that he had a large copy of that picture hanging on the wall of his home, and then said that that was one of the things he wanted to discuss with Presidente Luis before making his final decision. He only had 2 questions, one of which was if he had to take down that picture from his home. I mean, this guys literally thought of EVERYTHING!!!!

My goodness he is incredible.

So that was definitely the highlight of our week- We were able to do a very well planned baptism for him on Sunday and we had los of our branch members there to support him.

This decision to be baptized has been eating at him for so long, and when I asked him how he felt after he had finally made a decision he just looked with us with his big ol´smile and pearly whites and said, "It´s gooood. I´m Appy."

Ahhhh! QUE ALEGRIA!

He was baptized by Presidente Luis and besides the massive wave that almost drowned out our presidente, everything went smooth!

He gave an incredible testimony after, and I can say with absolute certainty that he will change the church there in Guiné when he returns. I think I want to go with him and build up the church there.

Who´s with me?!?!

He understands everything so perfectly-especially his new responsibility as a member of the true church of Jesus Christ. He knows that he has to return to Guiné and be an example and an instrument in the hands of the Lord by sharing this message with everyone.

Let´s just say that I am excited to see him in the Liahona in a few months from now.

I was talking with sister Anaya at the baptism who was the first sister to find Alfredo and she leaned over and said to me: "the man who is going to change the church in Guiné was just baptized today." I truly believe that with all my heart, and I am so excited for that man.

Watch out Guiné. Alfredo is coming for you!

The rest of the week was super great as well! We found 2 incredible people in particular that we started teaching.

Goggy is the first. We actually found her when we did our new years activity outside of the capela. She was completely unlike he typical Portuguese person-Super Smiley, super energetic, and absolutely loved talking to us...hahah

So it made sence that she told us that she actually grew up in Canada for most of her life. #ohcanada! 

Of course we hit it off great when she found out I was from Canada, and even said I was her Christmas present for the year. Winning! She said that we could stop by her house anytime aswell. We have tried stopping by her house for the past several weeks, but unfortunately we never had any luck. Nobody would ever answer. I told Sister Andrew that we might have to stop passing by as frequently if she didn´t answer that particular day, and do you know what happened......she answered!!

If Canada wasn´t enough to make her a cool person. We found out so much about her life, and she is probably the coolest person! She actually graduated from Harvard law, but is now a stock broker in Lisbon. She told us all about he life from loving extreme sports(she is 62 by the way-you are never too old to go skydiving!), to travelling the world, to talking to people on wall street on a daily basis, and all the hard times in between that. At one point we were about on the floor we were laughing so hard, and at another point we were in tears. That about sums up our experience with her. We were able to testify of the healing power of the atonement which was honestly my favorite part despite all of her incredible stories.  I am incredibly excited to see where things go with her because even though it seemed like she has had everything she wants in life and more, I felt that there was one thing she didn´t have. And I can testify that this one thing is far more precious than anything that she has experienced or has in her life. Because I know that despite all the things that she does have she does not have the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am going to work to make sure she has that in her life as well.

I don´t have a lot of time to explain the rest of the amazing things that happened this week, but some of the other highlights were zone conference with Presidente Tavares, worldwide missionary broadcast, watching Paulo bless the sacrament for the first time, and unlimited flavors of icecream all in one big bowl..... :)

Life is good.

Love you guys so much! Thanks for everything. Have and amazing week and remember who you are! Fiquem Bem!

Paz e Bênçãos!!!!!

Sis Selk

Alfredo! 

The Church is true - the Book is Blue!