week 19 . blessed

Cristiano was baptized yesterday!!!!!! It was seriously such a spiritual experience. Both Sister Marcelino and I agreed that we felt something different when he was baptized. I felt like my heart was just going to burst. And his friend who introduced him to the church, Katiane, was dying of happiness as well of course. And Cristiano himself didn't stop smiling the whole time! It was a day that I will treasure for the rest of my life!

Also Sister Marcelino and I taught a lesson this week that was . . . well perfect. We taught a girl named Janaina who's 20 years old. When we were talking to her I felt like I was hanging out with one of my friends. She's seriously so great. But we taught her the Restoration and I was in heaven. She was asking a bunch of great questions, and talking about beliefs that she has that are exactly in line with the gospel. Sister Marcelino and I were pumped. And then it came to the part about Joseph Smith. I had her close her eyes as I said the first vision. [mom note: the first vision can be found on page 11 of the Restoration link above] After I had finished, the first thing out of her mouth was: 

"When you were talking I felt a really good sensation" with a giant smile on her face and her hand on her heart. Wow. I was almost speechless. It was so powerful to watch her recognize the spirit so immediately in relation to Joseph Smith. Every single time I teach about the Restoration of the Gospel I feel so powerfully that it is true, and there is nothing more rewarding than to see other people recognize that as well.  

She went to church on Sunday as well and loved it! (along with three other people we are teaching, all of whom are AMAZING). I am feeling more blessed than ever here on the mission and I know that there are people here who were prepared to hear this message! I love every single one of our investigators more than I can explain and when they choose to read the Book of Mormon, or pray, or go to church, or be baptized, there is no way to describe the happiness that comes. 

#minhavida 

Believe it or not this minhavida moment is brought to you by Sister Marcelino, not me haha. The other day we were talking about what we were going to do next and I said something about passing by Cristiano's house. She looks at me and goes, "Who's Cristiano?" Oh I don't know, just our investigator who's going to be baptized this week. hahaha. I gave her a blank look for a couple seconds and it clicked with her. haha Poor sweet girl can't remember names for her life. But she basically carries our companionship being a rockstar missionary everyday, so my job can be to remember the names of everyone. Also on the same note, she loses pens like there's no tomorrow. Today she was looking for her pen for like 5 minutes and asking me if i'd seen it. Finally when she gave up and sat down by me, I saw that she had stuck it into her bun in her hair hahahaha. We were laughing for like 10 minutes straight. 

Christmas decorations are up! you're the best, all the sisters LOVE the decor and you. Also we decided that instead of putting all the "ornaments" on the tree at once we're writing the miracles that happen every day on the back of the ornaments and putting them up, it's so amazing to watch the tree filling up with so many miracles from God. 

More and more grateful everyday to be a missionary right now in Brasil. I'm #tooblessedtobestressed. And tomorrow we're all going to Natal for the Christmas Mission Conference! [mom note: all the missionaries in her mission will be together for the day (that doesn't happen often) so she will be able to see missionary friends and companions] I'm SO EXCITED. 

We're going to see some miracles this week!

I love you all!

xoxoxo

Tchau!

Sister Baker

p.s. mom I met Sister Pace! she's in my zone and she gave me a hug from you! She's so sweet and we have matching Chacos! Only mine are much more dirty haha. [mom note: Sister Pace and I connected via social media because she had questions about the Natal Mission. Before she left for the MTC I sent her a quick message telling her to give Megan a big hug if she ever ran into her.]