Week 54

I was told by President Genaro that I was going to Maringa. It's a city a little bit south of Londrina. But today...the zone leaders told me I'm going back to Bauru.The zone I was already in but just a different area. My comp will be Elder Morgan (he's from California). He's here in Zone Marilia with me right now. Which means there will be two completely new missionaries there! Just like Ourinhos will receive two new missionaries! Good luck to the missionaries that will go to Ourinhos! They will have a whole city and not even know where their house it!!

I'm actually pretty upset about being transferred because first of all: packing is no fun. Second, I was super excited to work with the new people we had found. And third, I was going to meet Elder Halpin's family..but now...I won't be able to meet them. That's really sad but I guess I can meet them in a a year when i get home.

We did baptize this week. Her name is Gabriele and she's 9. She is the daughter of a memeber who has been inactive for 10 years but now we have been visiting here-she has gone to church every single week! Now the husband just needs to get baptized but I guess that's work for other missionaries.

There was a lady that we had worked with for over two months that we didn't baptize.It was really sad to leave. She used to be a prostitute and did all sorts of bad things but has completely changed her life around because we helped her. She even stopped drinking coffee and everything!She was ready to be baptized but just didn't want to be baptized yet. It was really really hard to leave because she had already worked with other sets of missionaries *at least two other companionships* and never opened up to them and told them what her problems really were, so she FINANLLY did with us after a month of working with her and now we left and I hope she doesn't just give up.

I know I'm here on the mission to learn a lot of things  but two in particular are humility and learning how to follow. Being a leader is important but we also need to learn how to follow.

I have a testimony that the church is true. The Lord knows each one of us individually. The leaders of the church are truly inspired and receive revelation from the Lord. I know that the Lord knows me and I am trying to be who he wants me to be. It's hard. Really hard. But I won't give up!

Elder Haws