Heading Home :(

Portugal

Dear family,

I am glad you all decided to write me, even though you thought I wouldn't read your messages. I did. Thanks for writing anyways. I am excited to come home, but at the same time terribly sad. But, I am glad that I served a mission, and just to tell you about the last week:

Two of José´s nieces got baptized. José was baptized last week, and we marked his nieces to get baptized. They are Cassandra and Marlene. They are both 11 years old (they are cousins to each other, not sisters). They are awesome. They read the Book of Mormon every night and have such a thirst for learning more. We marked Marlene's little brother, Bruno to get baptized the next week. He is very excited. Their baptism was beautiful. We bought them matching skirts and they were just glowing.

Also, another miracle...Irma Joslin has been sick for the past four days, so we didn't really leave the house a lot because she was very ill. So, one of these nights, I decided to call a long list of people that I had found in our area book. I did. I called a woman named Doris that was contacted by some elders a while back. She had never been taught anything. She is from Nigeria and has been in Portugal for a year or so. She doesn't really speak Portuguese. So, I just talked to her for a little bit and invited her to church. I asked her if she knew where the chapel was, explained about it, and said we would see her on Sunday, surprisingly, she accepted the invitation.

She came to church on Sunday. I translated Relief Society for her. The other hours I had to teach, speak, and play the piano, so I couldn't translate for her, but a kind member tried her best to translate. Apparently after church she told the member that she wants to get baptized. And she told the member she wanted to get baptized next week!

I talked to her afterward, but she failed to mention that little detail, but she was very excited to have us come over. We marked an appointment to go over there tonight, but I won't go because I have to spend the night in the mission home. But, I am completely sure she will be baptized soon. She is a very sweet woman and I was glad to see this little miracle before I left.

Wanna know what is happening to Irma Joslin? She is staying in Odivelas, but she is training! She is training a little American who is coming in on Thursday. She is very nervous and is still trying to recuperate from being sick, but she is excited at the opportunity to train. I am super happy for her.

Irma de Almeida is going to the Azores and training there! She is leaving on a plane to the island on Thursday with her new little greenie. Irma Lima is staying in the area she is in right now (Almada) and receiving a companion from the old north mission ( the missions combined now). Irma McCrery is going up north to Coimbra. It sounds like lots of cool new fun stuff is happening.

But, I feel like I have finished the mission well and that I have new adventures waiting for me ahead, even though they probably won't be baptisms, new areas, new comps, new districts, etc. But, it's a good change, right?

I'll see you all tomorrow.

I love you,

The last time I'll be able to write this...

Irma Pérez