Smile wrinkles...and faith
We want you to meet Bernardino and Maria da Paz. We love this couple! When couples grow older and have smile wrinkles around their eyes like theirs...that speaks outloud. They laugh through life, they love to serve, they know that Heavenly Father is in charge, and that brings peace and smiles.
They have followed this scripture through their lives and it is easy to feel their faith.
We spent a few hours this past week with them visiting people...including their son and his family.
Oh Boy! You can love people and still be terrified to the core at their ability to drive a van through the narrow streets as if chased by fire! Ducking around and through the car crowded one-way mazes. Still catching my breath! Ha!
but forgot it is a gift that she needs to share. We have been texting and she even came to church Sunday. We were so happy. Grandpa was conducting Sunday evening in Ribeira Grande. She said next time we ask her to sing in church...she will.
Tuesday 6:30 am to the airport.
We spent Wednesday evening coming home from Lisbon after a tremendous zone conference in Coimbra on the Continent. President and Sister Barcellos are such a blessing. We love learning from their words and their way. Got to bed about 12:30 in the morning.
Picked 4 elders up from the airport at 7:30 am for their apt.
Thursday evening til 11 pm with the ministering visits with Bernadino got to bed about midnight.
Friday evening at the emergency room with a young elder til midnight,
Saturday back to another hospital. Had meetings til' 8:30 pm at the church.
Sunday early to pick up a family for church here, then 4 missionaries for lunch, then off to another meeting in Ribeiro Grande. Drop off elders, then pick up Guiomar, then hurry to conduct the meeting at the church, then take Guiomar back, then pick up the elders, then arrive home about 8:30 pm.
Today, we got a covid test for an elder, got groceries, did laundry, had 2 zoom mtgs. Made pizza, salad, had grape juice and played one game today and now we are going to sleep!
Guiomar was waiting for us at her door. She has 16 children and has lost one recently.
She was so sad and then he came to her in a dream and it has helped her faith so much.
We love the moments when we get to meet people who are lead to the church by their dreams, or answers to prayers or...or. During Relief Society, Suzileia shared with me a prayer she had offered recently and she shared that she felt like coming to our church with her husband and daughter was an answer to her pleading. I believe she is right. She has a simple beautiful faith. The kind I think Heavenly Father must just love. What a sweet family from Brasil. Sunday was their 2nd time to attend the meetings. Elder Cooper and our (new to this island), Elder Alvey (who we served with in Evora!) are such good missionaries. What a blessing!
We so enjoyed our visit with Alexandra and Brother Pinto. He is a counselor in the District Presidency, a physics professor, and she is one of the earliest members of the church from Sao Miguel. We are trying to understand the French/Portuguese here because the stories they have and the faith we find in these saints is precious.
And in the inbetween times, we are back knocking on doors. Because we know 'His Sheep will hear His Voice'. We are hoping that we can find those who are waiting to hear how much He loves them.
We hope you all have your caramels and apples ready for this weekend with general conference!
We love all and each one of you. Our prayers are fervent that we can all understand the words and thoughts of the living Prophets and Apostles. Write down 2 questions. Listen to your feelings as you listen to their words. Take good notes so we can all share our favorite phrases. Love You!
