What a Good Week - from Araturi

Hey, all! Sorry that you haven't been getting much news from me lately.

I can't believe that the time has gone by so fast. Three weeks left.......yikes, better not to think about it! (And Mom, forget that I said that. No need to hyperventilate, just think to yourself, "He'll get here when he gets here, and it's going to be great", and then go back to whatever else you were thinking about or doing. That's what I'm doing to try to stay focused and sane.)

This week was such a good week. Thiago, the husband of a returned sister missionary, was baptized! I had the privilege of baptizing him. The firt time I say him, I wasn't sure what to think, because he had talked to so many Elders before us, and was kinda like, "Oh, great, not like I haven't heard this before....." But, he really felt like this is the truth and that this is the right path for him and his family. His wife said to him a few weeks ago, before he had made the decision to be baptized, "I made a goal for us: next year, we are going to the temple to get sealed!" He was like, "I don't even know what the temple is! Don't I have a choice in all this?" And her attitude about it was, "Nope! You don't! We're going, and that's final." This actually opened his heart, and he knew for himself that this is what the Lord wants them to do. They came by our apartment last night to give us some "celebratory" cake, and we said thanks to them. Thiago responded, with meaning and feeling behind his words, "No, Elders, thank you." What a blessing to see all this happening in their lives, and the change in his face and his heart.

Also, a couple that we are teaching went to his baptism, to church the next day, and to the stake devotional about family history and the temple! I asked Allyson, the husband (it's a guy's name in Brazil), what he thought about the devotional. He said, "I loved it! I love everything about the Church!" They are going to be baptized in two weeks probably.

Have a great week, everybody! Remember that I love you all very dearly, and that the time goes by really fast!

Love,

Élder Reid Powell Empey