Cordeiropolis

Sister Monteiro´s mom passed away this week. I am so thankful for God´s amazing and wonderful plan for every one of us. Hate that there isn´t anything that I can do.

Well, we´ve been working here for a week and miracles are happening. We have this dear woman named Maria who was baptised about 5 years ago. She has 8 children and many many many grandchildren. Some of her family has been baptised, some have not. We're working with them and going to baptise two of the grandchildren next week!!! Two of her daughters are eternal pesqus, they go to church, sing in the branch, do everything but one can´t get baptised because her husband doesn´t want to marry her and the other one for a reason we've not been able to discover. But they all seem to love us.

Our branch, well, it´s tiny. 40-50 people and only 5 or 6 men who hold the priesthood. Our branch president is an implant from the stake. The elders here have honestly not been doing anything, and before that the branch was shut and before that they had elders who were fubekas. So, trying to turn things around. S.Cleise is being wonderful, she loves to work and it seems to be going well. I hope that we can make this branch strong enough to become a ward, but we need the help of God. We prayed to the Lord for guidance about where we should go and what we should say. We are meeting people and are going to make miracles here, I believe that. There are many times when we feel like we are not doing our best, that the conditions are not in our favor, but I promise you that if we turn wholeheartedly to the Lord, he will strengthen us and he will make our weaknesses strong and we will be able to walk confidently and when we meet our God, meet him with happiness and not with guilt. I love this gospel, love the opportunity to be better every day, even if I still feel inadequate most of the time. Keep walking, keep being you and let God smooth out the wrinkles in life. I am so thankful for my Savior, for his mercy with me. I need to be better but I have the desire to be an instrument in His hands and He will use me. Thank you all for our prayers and for the examples you are for me.

For Easter, instead of small chocolate eggs, people give out these giant chunks of chocolate that are in the shape of an egg. I got 3 and everyone is giving everyone chocolate....not like I´m complaining. But, it was sad. Not a mention was made of Easter at church on Sunday. I don't get it. Well, looking forward to talking to you on Mother's Day. Love you all!

S.Stapley