Ah, the joys

What's up my american friends and family out there?

You know what's up here? A very warm winter. And I'm totally okay with that! yahooo! 

Jacob 5:37 is an AWESOME SCRIPTURE!!! And it's kind of my big focus right now. Because working with less actives is actually, the priority right now in São Borja. We have sooo many people who get baptized and then hop out of the baptismal font and never come back to church. 

gosssshhhhhh dangiit!!! 

and every time we ask for references the members just remember and think about their friends who are fallen away and how much fun it was when they were at church. And it's really discouraging for the members to see so many new people in the branch who make the baptismal covenant but never come back. Why would they want that for their friends who aren't baptized? So.... yeah that was a problem. 

The best way to solve that is to really be a part of the conversion process of your friend who you presented to the missionaries. But, unfortunately we can't drag people from their work, family, friends, and beds to work with us full time. 

But we discovered that they willingly drag themselves when it's someone who they truly know and love and are excited for. 

So we decided to use a giant list of all the members in São Borja and find out what happened to all these people who never came back! And we are finding all kinds of people! Lot's of people died... moved away... and TONS of people fall away because they got their feelings hurt.

Seriously. A cry out to the world and beyond: if your feelings get hurt at church... whose church is it? That person who hurt your feelings? Or our savior. Because looking at that big ole plack on the church's wall it sure does not say, "The Church of Bishop what'shisbucket of Latter-Day Saints. 

So... I lovingly and sharply beg of you all. Please remember to whom you've made your covenants (covenants... covonents... ?? convênios. ah, much better.)

And a funny one that we had was when a less active we met said he never wants to go back to church because a Sister Missionary told him he can't dance with his wife. It's been 15 years since he went to church.

Be a part of the gift of forgiveness!!! We have been working with a less active, Catarina and her daughter, Gabi for eeeeever now. They haven't been to church in years. We've prayed a lot for them. And we've fasted seperately and WITH them. And for the first time in forever-- they went to church this Sunday!!! Yahoooo!! My heart was imediately filled with such.... flipping JOY when I saw Catarina and Gabi in their cute little dresses 9:00 ready for Relief Society. And Paulo, Catarina's husband, who is the 2nd counselor to the branch president, was suuuuper happy. 

That night we had a very spiritual lesson about forgiveness. And seriously!!! Not only did Catarina confess that she doesn't feel that pang of anger and resentment when she sees that person. AND she told us that she marked to hold a Family Home Evening with that person and his family!! "to make sure that [she's] not holding on to any more grudge."

I can't even express my love and excitement for the progress of this family. She and Paulo have made a goal to serve a couple mission!! woopeee!!!! The temple is now a reasonable goal that they are setting in their sights. #danceparty

....#exceptnotcuzwe'remissionaries

OKAY!!! So... I ran out of time but I love you ALLLL have ÓTIMAS weeks! 

tchau

Sister Hennefer