Fruits of your Labors

Dear family,

It has been kind of a roller coaster week. We have been focusing on the extended family of Luana and Ruben who came to church last week. I don't know if we have done more damage than good, but I feel like we are trying our best to teach them. It is really hard to find them all in their house at the same time, but we had been focusing on Jacira (cousin) and Lu (another cousin). Jacira is 14 and Lu is 23. They are both amazing girls with such a desire to follow Jesus Christ and get baptized. The only thing: Jacira cannot get permission from her mom to get baptized and Lu who is old enough to make the decision, is experiencing a lot of pressure and tension from her family. She knows the church is true, but she doesn't want to break her family's heart. The rest of her family thinks she is crazy and doesn't want to go to church anymore. So, only Lu came back to church (Jacira is not allowed to come back to church). It is so interesting how Satan works. He uses everything he can to stop people from getting baptized. Lu says she needs more time, but I sincerely hope she makes the right decision and follows her heart. It is also so interesting how much you can love someone without really knowing them that much. I feel such a deep love and concern for Lu as if she was my own sister. I pray for her all of the time. The members love her. She has such a special light about her that everyone can sense. She will get baptized someday...I just hope it is sooner than later. I definitely want to see her in the Celestial Kingdom!

We have also been working with 2 other families that we found last week: one is a family of a mom (Edna) who is from Cape Verde and she has 3 kids: Mara (12), Melvin (10), and Marco (3). We found them on the street and said a prayer with them. We marked to go to their house. We went and taught about the restoration. At the end, we talked about the Book of Mormon and Edna said that she had the Book of Mormon and that she was actually baptized 10 years ago. She used to be an active member but fell away when she started to have her kids. Now, her kids are SUPER interested and love learning more about the church. We all went to church yesterday and they adored it. Although, I never realized how long Sacrament Meeting is to children until my mission. Mormon kids usually learn young to sit through Sacrament Meeting, but those that have not grown up in the church it is a little different. I feel like it is preparing me to have lots of kids...we'll see...
We are also working with Fátima (mom) and Diogo (8) who are also from Cape Verde. Man, how I wish I knew Creole! Maybe one day I'll learn and will be a missionary in Cape Verde :) We'll see...

Anyway, beyond that, everything is great. We had Zone Conference this last week, which was amazing. I know I need to do so much better to finish out my mission and that my time is literally running out. I feel like my time is flying now and I really cannot control it. Oh how I wish sometimes that I could stay for 2 years. But, I guess there is purpose in everything.

Well, thank you so much for everything, family. I really do love you all and miss you. Thank you for your example and prayers, love, and support. I really couldn't have made it this far without you. I love you,

Irmã Pérez

p.s.--I am just now beginning to realize the amount of work, patience, love, direction, and sometimes push to get kids prepared for missions. We are trying to work with the young men in our ward to prepare them for missions and it is hard work! I never realized how much time and effort it takes to send someone on a mission and feel blind for not recognizing all of the people that have helped me--so to everyone out there who has ever taught me a lesson, corrected me, given me a challenge, pushed me, forgiven me, lived with me, had to deal with me, helped me in anyway--this is for you: THANK YOU! I really do appreciate it. I am definitely seeing the fruits of your labors. There are MANY fruits and they are very sweet :)


OH! big P.S!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KIM! I love you, Kim! I miss you tons and I hope that this birthday is the best birthday yet and that all of your wishes come true! I know, I owe you a BIG letter, but I'll get to it, I promise! Have an amazing day and know that I am thinking of you!

Love, your Sabbie :)