Sacred Moments...: February 2011

So this weekend was amazing...in all ways shapes and forms!

1. Edilson, Rose, and Larissa. This week after a lesson we had with
the family, Larissa pulled us aside and told us that she had received
her response on the 12th of February but hadn´t seen the chance to
tell us until that night! She said she was at her Grandma´s house
praying to know and she felt a very pure joy fill her heart and got
very emotional feeling the spirit. When she told us she was so excited
to share her experience. It was adorable! It made me get all teary
eyed and feel the spirit too! We asked her if she wanted to be
baptized on Sunday (what is now yesterday) and she said she would talk
to her parents and get back to us because she hadn't told them about
her answer yet. So she talked to her dad and he thought she should
wait a little bit longer but after talking to him again he said if she
really wanted to, that he´d be there to support her. Rose...she didn't
understand as well. She called her crazy and told her she wouldn´t
follow through with the commitment and so shouldn't do it. We have
learned a little bit more about Rose this weekend. Love her to death,
but she has very set opinions about religious things!

Anyway, so we decided to wait and see how the lesson at the temple
went with their family to see if she would actually get baptized now
or later. It was AMAZING!! We invited a stake leader, Adriano, who is
over missionary work to go with us. He did a fantastic job explaining
temple work and bearing testimony. Loved it. We took them into the
waiting room of the temple and talked about baptism - reading from 3
Ne 11. The spirit was so strong and Edilson had tears in his eyes.
He said he is almost positive he will be baptized even though he wants
to read and pray a little more before setting a date. We asked him and
Rose about how they felt about Larissa wanting to get baptized, and
Edilson said he was very happy with her decision but would like her to
wait a little and even be baptized with him when it happened. I felt
the spirit letting me know that I really should let her wait so they
could be baptized together.

When we invited Rose to be baptized she explained that she feels as if
her baptism (catholic) is valid and was wonderful for her and doesn't
have any intention of being baptized again. Adriano explained
perfectly the fact that her baptism was a wonderful decision she made
should have meant a lot like it did, but that it was a step she took
to follow Christ, and that because of that faith, Christ is now
showing her the place that truly has authority from God to baptize.
It was a great explanation, but she didn't want to hear it. Again, I
love her to death, but I am sad at her lack of spirituality. She isn't
even willing to pray about it. :( But luckily she is very supportive
of her husband learning about the church and going there. He has
always looked for the right church but didn't find it, so he became
someone who likes to say 'I don't need a church, I have God in my
heart"...but now he is seeing that the true church of Jesus Christ
exists and he is very excited!

Long story longer...Edilson LOVED the temple and Larissa too! They
will be baptized soon and stay very very strong in the church. Rose
will come around too...I just know it!!

2. Karoline. We prayed even more with Karol this week and gave her
her baptismal sheet to show to her mom. She really wanted to be
baptized before one of us gets transferred so she took it home and
pleaded with her mom. FINALLY her mom accepted. She signed the sheet
but told Karol that she doesn't want any more members bothering her
about stuff from the church or visiting their house. Not exactly the
way we wanted it to be, but at least she is letting her be baptized
now! She told us on Sunday at church so we spent the first 2 hours
(the schedule is reversed here with RS first and Sacrament last)
organizing everything for her to be baptized that afternoon. The
baptism happened and was awesome! The young women sang and the leaders
bore testimony and people cried and it was wonderful!!

3. Vanessa. Our lunch was at a members house who has a sister that is
inactive form a different city. She just so happened decided to drop
her other plans and come to lunch. Sister Felipe, her, and I hit it
off from the beginning and she ended up giving us a ride to the stake
center and staying for the baptism. Then she helped us with a special
lesson that happened after wards which I will explain now.

4. Amanda. She came to the baptism and we found out that she has
been going to church for about a month in other wards and went that
day in the stake center. The Zone Leaders invited her to our baptism
so she could see it and meet us. She came and we decided to teach her
after the baptism. Vanessa helped us because she had made friends
with her during the service. We taught her about the Restoration and
the spirit was incredibly strong. The lesson was truly guided by the
spirit...its hard to explain...but it was that feeling that the ldeas
and words we used were straight from Him. Not our own. We taught the
lesson to them both and at the end we marked Amanda´s baptism for the
12th of March and the 4 of us were bawling our eyes out....I have
never loved anyone so quickly as Vanessa and Amanda...in less that 4
hours we formed a bond that I will never forget. I cant describe how
powerful it was...but I´m pretty sure we were good friends there in
the preexistence!

Loved this weekend...it was incredible. I know God lives and loves us
so much. He gives us way more than we will ever be able to deserve.
We are very blessed to have this life to prepare to return to his
presence and do our best to show him our love and gratitude.

Love you so much Mom, Dad, Andy, Dev, Ash, Erik, Hailey, Andin,
Cam...your love and prayers make these miracles happen!

Sister Knudsen

The chapel that is being built here! We went there and the workers
and security guard gave us a tour and we started teaching them. They
are awesome but I will talk more about them next week!

PACKAGE!!!

The baptism!!! Silvana, Raquel, Henrique, and José Quirino! LOVE THEM!!!

The awesome Brazilian flag that José Quirino made for Sister
Phillips. She came here for splits one day and went there and paid
him to make it for her. It turned out awesome!! I am still deciding
what I want him to do for me.