This week was crazy, Eder
got baptized!!! I was a little worried though because the day before and the
morning of the baptism he wasn’t answering any of our calls so we went to his
apartment and he wasn’t there. I figured
he bailed again but right when we were leaving we ran into him. Apparently he
lost his phone and he was not at home because he was buying a white shirt for
the baptism!! He was so excited for his baptism!! So I was pumped but the
night before Eder said, "Elder Herrmann I want you to baptize me!” And all
I could think was, "Wait, I don’t speak Portuguese!" I started
freaking out because I had to say the baptismal prayer in Portuguese! So I said
it in my head probably 300 times. While I was walking up to the font my head
smacked against the mirror thing at the top in front of everyone! Next, I
messed up the baptismal prayer by saying filho (son) before pai (father) so I
had to say it again. Then when I baptized him his hand was out of the water so
I HAD TO DO IT AGAIN!!!! 3RD time is the charm, right!? I was thinking
about it and that is how I pictured my first baptism to go. It was truly an amazing
experience! I had the same nerves that I always got right before football games
and, believe it or not, it’s the best feeling in the world!! Afterwards we went
and celebrated at McDonalds because that is high class food when you are on a
missionary budget!
This week I learned a
lot!! My comp wanted me to gain more confidence with Portuguese so we would go
into big apartment buildings and start at the 12th floor where there are 4
doors on each floor and we would work our way down knocking every one! He would
run down to the other floor right before me and ring the door bell and then run
away so I would have to go up and talk to them by myself. It was fun and I got a lot more confident and
loved it! On one of the floors he hurried and rang all 4 doors and then ran to
the next floor so I stood in the middle and 3 doors opened. I tried to teach
all 3 but they just slammed their doors!
I got a ukulele and
love playing it at night!! My trainer knows how to play so we jam out and it’s
so fun! This week there was a lot of rain and when it rains in Portugal it’s
something else!!! I love the rain and told my comp I was excited for the
rain...he said that he thought that too when he first got here but told me that
I will get sick of it fast because it rains every day in the winter!
I’m learning about
what the Savior expects of me. I was reading in Alma chapters 20-30 this week
and I love the story of Ammon and King Lamoni!
I love how Ammon was always looking for times when he could share the
gospel and how he testifies with such power and authority! Ammon is the
missionary I want to be. I read a talk
by Elder Holland where he answered missionaries who questioned why missions are
so hard and shouldn’t they be easier through the Lord’s help. He responded, "Missionary work is not
easy because SALVATION IS NOT EASY!” That hit me hard, I need to stop thinking
about how hard it is and realize that this work will be hard if I want to bring
salvation unto others!!! I know it is
worth it.
I love you all so
much! Tem um boa semana! Fica bem! E lembrem sempre de Deus!
Hahaha! Life as a greenie is fun.
Elder Herrmann
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