Soccer in Brazil

Yesterday, was the final soccer game after a series of games with various soccer teams from around the world.  In the two teams that played, one was Brazil.  Let me tell you what, Brazilians love their soccer, and they love it when their country is playing!  At 7:00 pm, the game started, and our work moved from contacts to member visits!  Even though we couldn't watch the game, it didn't matter.  We knew exactly what was going one because everytime Brazil made a goal, the entire street erupted in cheers, and the city shot of a bunch of fire works.  This was us in our lesson with a member, "Let's read a scripture in Moroni 10.  As we learn" ----  Screams and fireworks ------  "Brazil made another goal" -----  and continuing ---- "we need to continue inviting others to learn more about the" ------ Screams and fireworks -----  "Brazil is 'show de bola'! another goal!!"  hahaha :)  I like to see team spirit that Brazil has when it comes to soccer.

After the missionary fireside, two Sundays ago, I spoke with our Bishop and asked him how he would like us to apply what the Prophet and Apostles had taught us.  He told us that he had thought of a number of families that not all the members were baptized.  He mentioned on family, in which only the daughter was baptized.  We had already met the mother and other siblings because we had eaten lunch with them, but we had never met the father.  Our Bishop told us that the father was a great man, who could do a lot for the Church.  In our interaction with the daughter that is already a member, we had the knowledge that her family had an apartment where they lived, and that they also had a home where her father spent most of his time painting because he is a famous painter in Joao Pessoa.  However, we did not know the address of this home or any reference point.  In the evening of the same day that my companion and I had spoken to our Bishop of the father of this member, we were returning home at night, walking in a street that we had never walked down before.  As we were walking, we passed a home with some interesting, ceramic paintings on the outer wall.  I paused and examined the paintings more closely.  They were the exact type of paintings that I had scene in the apartment of this family.  I looked at my companion and said, "This is not a coincidence, let's knock here and see if the father is home!"  We clapped our hands at the gate, and the father answered!  It provided a perfect opportunity to get to know him better and have him get to know us.  Just like we were taught by the 'parable of the father' in the missionary fireside, this work doesn't have a step by step guide book.  We have to move forward with faith and confide in the spirit to guide us as we strive to help others come unto Christ!  I LOVE missionary work!  It doesn't matter who we are, what stage of life we are in, or what calling we hold in the Church, ALL of us have been called to work in the vineyard!  Certainly, this work is the greatest and the most marvelous work that we can be a part of!!