O Sisteres de Israel

Transfers always bring a bit of excitement into our daily routine of activities, and this transfer just happened to be a little bit more exciting than normal because not only did we receive 13 new Sisters, but it was the transfer that decided which mission we would stay in; João Pessoa or Natal.  Normally, if you will be training in the upcoming transfer, you receive a phone call on Monday because the new missionaries arrive on Tuesday.  So, when I didn't receive a phone call on Monday, I figured that I was off the hook.  However, I didn't know that there had been some complications in the flight plans of the new missionaries, and 9 of the 12 new Sisters wouldn't arrive until Wednesday morning, bem cedo.  Tuesday, I was going about the normal daily activities when my cell phone rang.  I answered it, and my zone leader said, "Parabens Sister Fernelius, você vai trainar!"  Eu respondi, "como assim Elder?!"  He just laughed and repeated, "você vai trainar, chegue na capela de Manaíra 7h30 amanha!"  Pois é, and so I will be training for the third time on my mission without a break in between any of my 'daughters'!  This is what happens when the Prophet lowers the age for young women to serve missions; they come in waves!!  

Tuesday night, we had a slumber party in our apartment with Sister Johnson and Sister Alves, who are also training.  As it happened, we had two appointments at the same time, so I went to one with Sister Johnson, and Sister Alves went to the other with Sister De Paula.  Our appointment, was a referrel from a member.  The referrel was a friend of his that had recently lost her father due to an automobile accident.  We thought about teaching the Plan of Salvation, but prompting to teach the first lesson was much stronger.  When we got to the part when Joseph Smith went to pray in the woods and saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, the woman become very atentive.  As we finished reciting Joseph's experience, the woman told us that as we were telling the story and when she saw the picture of first vision, she immediately thought of her sister, who had shared with her an interesting experience.  She then described to us how after her father's death, her sister had a vision where she saw her father with two people at his side.  She said that the light that surrounded the three of them was like no other light that she had ever seen.  When she asked her father to give her a hug, he only extended his hand, making the gesture that he could not give her a hug, and then the vision ended.  The spirit was so strong, it was almost tangible.  When we invited the woman to baptized, she accepted without hesitation!  It was an incredible lesson!  I know that the spirit is real, and that He is the true teacher.  Without the spirit, our work is absolutely inútil, yet if we seek the power of the spirit in all that we do, we will become powerful instruments in the Lord's hands!