Election Rallies...Brazilian Style

This week has been pretty exciting with the elections in Guarabira!  The actual day of voting is October 7th, but the people are already getting pumped up.  Every week, the two main candidates have one day where they can basically have a big party/riot in the streets to increase their number of supporters.  Friday night, the four of us missionaries had a family home evening activity at the church.  Sister Blanco and I brought four of our investigators (four kids 12, 11, 11, and 9), so naturally we needed to walk them back home after the activity.  It was just a normal walk on the streets of Guarabira until we turned a corner and saw a mass of people running through the streets!!  The four kids got really excited and started running too.  Luckily the Elders had come with us, so each of us grabbed a kid by the hand and merged in with the crazy, swarm of singing, shouting, jumping, running people in the street.  Mixed in with the crowd of people were the cars and trucks that blare their candidates music.  People were on the top of these cars singing and jumping as well.  It was quite the experience, and I was glad when we got the kids to their house safely.  Apparently the actual day of elections is even more wild!!  I can't wait!... 

The other week, I was thinking about the mission and how we really are in a war!   As missionaries, we are on the front lines of the battle.  We are literally fighting against Satan and 1/3 of the hosts of heaven!  (And for this reason I think the mission can be so bipolar as vezes.  One moment you couldn't be more happy, and the next moment you courldn't be more sad and discouraged.)  If the missionaries are the active troops in battle that means that the members are the reserve troops.  The members get called into active duty when we ask them to help us or they do member missionary work with friends and family members.  Then, the Lord's angels are our back up troops.  When we've done all we can on the front lines, but seem to be fighting a loosing battle, that's when we call in the reserve troops!  (in reality, the reserve troops are always fighting at our side)!  Yet, it gives me great courage and comfort to know that ultimately, this battle has already been won, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  As Shirley Temple would say, 'oh goody, we're on the winning team already!!'