What a week again! We started off doing divisions in Ribeira Grande which is an area on the other side of the island. Ribeira Grande means big stream.... and wow that area is so pretty. It reminds me of the Shire from Lord of the Rings. The people there are known for their unusual accent. It doesn’t even sound like Portuguese but with some help from the Lord and lots of guessing I understood what they were saying.
After a lot of fasting and prayers my comp and I decided that we would work in a new area because we haven’t been seeing a lot of success. We are hoping to see some improvement. We are in the richer area so it’s harder to find people but we are looking for people who can be leaders and help this branch because that’s what it needs. We felt a little frustrated because we would have like 7 or 8 strong appointments scheduled for every day, but by the time we would get there they weren’t home or didn’t want to meet with us. We know that the Lord is preparing the people, we just need to look harder.
After a lot of fasting and prayers my comp and I decided that we would work in a new area because we haven’t been seeing a lot of success. We are hoping to see some improvement. We are in the richer area so it’s harder to find people but we are looking for people who can be leaders and help this branch because that’s what it needs. We felt a little frustrated because we would have like 7 or 8 strong appointments scheduled for every day, but by the time we would get there they weren’t home or didn’t want to meet with us. We know that the Lord is preparing the people, we just need to look harder.
Our “golden investigator” wants nothing to do with us now and we don’t know why. We feel really sad about it.
On this island it can be perfect weather one moment where you are enjoying the sun and the next it is raining like crazy and you are soaked. An LDS mission tradition is that whenever you get soaked by rain, you will then be blessed to have a beautiful wife someday. So...every time it rains, we just look at each other and say, “YES, PRETTY WIVES FOR US!!" haha!
I think the quote of the week comes from this one guy when we knocked on his door and he opened it and said, "Oh no- Mormons," and slammed it in our faces!
I’m starting to feel the weight of my duties as Zone Leader here in the Azores. Balancing the work in our own area with also teaching, training and helping the other 12 missionaries throughout the islands in our zone is tricky and exhausting. But I feel the Lord’s help everyday.
There were a lot of trials this week but with the Lord is on our side. We know that it will all work out according to his will. We have a phrase in the mission that goes, "Tudo vai dar certo," or “It will all be okay.” We know that we are doing the Lord’s work and that we will find the people he is preparing if we do our part.
Some people have asked me in their emails “so where are the Azores (Açores in Portuguese)?” Well, they are nine tiny islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Not quite halfway between Portugal and New York. So...yes I am literally in the middle of nowhere! Haha! See the attached map in my pics.
I love this mission so much. It has brought me so much happiness through the good times and the hard times. I know that this is the only true church on the earth and that Jesus is the Christ! I love you all--have a great week!
-Elder Herrmann
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