Coimbra 2/13/17

Boa tarde família!

First off, happy to hear you guys all survived last week. Tough loss for Jonah and Sam, but right on for playing your hearts out. Hard work is always worth it! Sister, happy you had a good time with Kawelo and with your pic! We should all strive to surround ourselves with good friends. Seta, right on Bu, with paddling around da island, coming native. Nah, but thank you for serving your sister. Service is both our responsibility and privilege. Mom and Dad, you're both too funny. Thank you for stay alive haha. Couldn't help but laugh when I heard mom say that she had a mtg. LOL! Also, Edmilson doesn't wanna talk to us anymore. Apparently, his family doesn't like us. We tried to fix the situation, but nothing. So yeah, he dropped us. Also, that African family isn't really open to mark visits with us, so basically, they dropped us too, for now.

This week was pretty hard here in Coimbra 1A as well. It's been pretty frustrating, and I felt like people just weren't understanding us, not necessarily because of us, but because they didn't want to. It just drives me crazy when I feel like people are not getting it!

For example, we taught this evangelical Brasilian family yesterday, and they just couldn't wrap their heads around this being the true church. We taught them from the Bible, everything in accordance with the Bible, but they just couldn't, and/or wouldn't. I was a little bit like "c'mon, for real?" Especially when the lady would be like "yeah" and start disagreeing and then would say "yeah, there's only one way." I'm like "THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY!!!" Fogo, was small kine frustrating.

Seemed like nobody wanted to shake my hand or talk to me in the street this week. I mean for the most part, contacts went fine, but there would be whole parts where people would actively avoid me, or just straight up ignore me, even when I'm like right in front of them. But hey, tudo bem. 

Started using this fun new technique to do baptismal invites in the street. It's my new favorite. I walk around with a picture of Jesus Christ's baptism, and as we do contacts and stuff, I'll bus' it out and ask them if they believe in this baptism. Most the time they say yes, which leads into a good conversation and invitation to be baptized. If they don't, well, it's okay, it still leads into a good conversation and invitation to be baptized. I really like it. We actually found this kid who was like "yeah, I wanna be baptized," and so we'll see if we can help him be baptized.

But this week wasn't all bad....

We found this super cool Brasilian who just moved here last week. We found him cuz, 2 weeks ago on a division with Elder Gomes, we were knocking doors, and Elder Gomes marked a return visit with somebody for two weeks in the future. I was like "whatever, nobody is ever there for those." But he was like, "she was Brasilian." Right when he said that, I felt like I should write it down. So, I did, and when we went back, she wasn't there, but he was!!! He went to church, he liked it, and totally understands the need for the Restoration. He's doing his doctorate here, so he's pretty smart. Thank goodness for the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

We had this pretty cool lesson with this youth named Fábio. He has some major doubts and stuff, and he was really kinda bashing with us. Elder Casper was leading the conversation, but his responses weren't satisfying the youth. So, I stepped in. It was like everything made sense to me. Everything was made clear. The Spirit showed me what to say and how to say it. The Spirit was upon me, and I could not be confounded. I responded to all his doubts and questions and testified of the truthfulness of our message. It was probably the strongest lesson I've taught up until now. The Spirit was incredibly strong, and I know he could feel it, but he still chose to deny it. I was sad, but I really liked that lesson cuz I know that I did all I could, and that the Lord backed me up, like he has promised He would in the scriptures.

That's been some of the notable stuff from this week. There is lots more, but of course, I can't fit it all. Hope you guys are all doing good. Love you guys! Have a great week!

com amor,

Elder Kim

Me and Rulanda, last week Sunday. Sheʻs my first recent convert, and Me and Elder Meza thought she like disappeared but apparently sheʻs coming back to church!!! Super happy to see her there!

 Pic of me and Elder de Andrade. Heʻs from Cabo Verde and heʻs finishing his mission this transfer. Was cool to do a division with him cuz this was his first area, so was cool.

We went bowling today. Was fun! Elder Hirchi (far left) killed us. I would definitely like to try that out some more. Bowled 82, which is  terrible but hey could be worse. Hit two strikes though so not so terrible, haha.