How's my favorite family and friends doing? So I've got a handful of stories to share. To start things off, P is really progressing. She's going to be baptized on October 12. On Thursday, we taught word of wisdom to her, and I read her a scripture saying your body is a temple. I then asked her what that meant to her, and she said, "I have to quit smoking." PERFECT! So we gave her the 7 Day Quit Smoking Program. And she's so far been really strong. She trashed all of her tobacco and is doing great. She threw a party for Sister Hoskisson during our dinner break because it was her birthday. We love P.
So we had a potential investigator, N, who just got out of surgery. She's really cool and she has been so receptive to the gospel. She is so faithful and we gave her a book of mormon yesterday and we're meeting with her again tomorrow to talk a little bit more about it. She's looking for a church that will help her and her son. I'm working hard to bear my testimony of the Book of Mormon as much as I can. It really does answer any life questions. I started reading the Book of Mormon again, fresh copy, and just highlighting any verses that will help me become a better missionary. It's been really good. I just love it so much, and I know it's true.
We've also been teaching this Liberian Catholic man named C. C wants to know more about the Book of Mormon and our Church. He finds it really interesting and he doesn't want to get baptized until he knows for sure. We told him that we don't expect him to get baptized until then, but I know that once he does know, he will be an amazing asset to the Church.
One of the less actives we are working with is M. M is this beautiful brazilian who just had a baby. The baby is gorgeous and I love visiting her because she gets so excited because I kind of speak portugues. She wants to make us Brazilian food. So I'm excited for that. She recently joined the church and is the only member of her family. She wants her kids to join, but the elders before us were pretty pushy with the kids so that was a little hard on them. So we're hoping to start teaching her kids. She wants them to serve missions. I love M.
Another thing that happened this week wasn't so fun- On Saturday, we went to visit one of our favorite people, T. T just changed his chemo and he's been having trouble with his lungs. So we went to visit him, but got to his porch, and some lady who was there told us he was in the ICU, so we went to go visit him later that night. The U of M hospital is the biggest building I've ever been in. We spent forever trying to find the ICU and by the time we found it, we had to leave to go to ward correlation and decided to go see him the next day.
At about 1 in the morning, Sister Hoskisson woke me up and told me she was having really bad pains in her back and side, so we called president and so at 1 in the morning, we made a trip to the Emergency Room. We were there until 7 in the morning. Sister Hoskisson had a kidney stone and so they got her some drugs and told her to drink a lot of water. Then we had to go straight home to change and then go to church right after that. We were a mess. President told us to go home after church and sleep it off, so we did. And when we woke up, we went back to the hospital to visit T. T is in bad shape. It was really upsetting to see him so tired and weak, but we prayed with him, and got some people to go out and give him a blessing, so that is good.
So in 12 hours we had been to the hospital 3 times. I am still so exhausted from it. But it was funny because there was this lady in the ER completely strapped up from head to toe on a stretcher, and she just started screaming, "AWE HECK NAW! I GOTTA GO TO WORK!!!" I don't know. She was really funny.
Anyways, I'm just learning to have faith in the Lord's Timing. I know I'll go to Brazil when I'm needed. And obviously I'm needed here in this mission for a while :) I love it, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I haven't gotten a letter yet, but maybe I'll get it today!
Anyways, I love you guys!
Looks like Universal was a blast!!!
Love, Sister Marshall
Update:
4 of the elders are now in Goaiania, Brazil!!!