Right, so I'm going to jump right to the best part--FERNANDA WAS BAPTIZED THIS SATURDAY! It was sooooooo amazing. Just to explain a little bit, because I never remember what I have already told you all, but Fernanda has been coming to church every Sunday with her parents (Lília and Gleyson) since June. She is 19 years old. In the beginning she was very sceptic--she didn't even believe in Jesus Christ. (Gleyson also didn't believe in anything), but, bit by bit, we saw her faith changing. One day she commented that she believed that Jesus is our Savior. And last week she told us that she believes in the Restoration and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. She still had some other doubts, but she was always willing to keep learning and trying her faith. We challenged her last week to read in the Book of Mormon every day and ask, every day, if the book is true, and consequently, if this gospel is true. On Tuesday of this week we read the questions of the baptismal interview with her and responded to many of her questions. When we had finished, I told her, quietly, "You passed on all of the questions. I think you are prepared to be baptized. But it's you that has to decide if you are ready." She hardly let me finish my phrase, when she said, excitedly, "I want to be baptized!"
The baptism on Saturday was so wonderul. One of the most spiritual meetings that I've been to. She was glowing! After the baptism, one of the conselours in the bishopric was looking at my planner, and decided to read a quote that I had put there, about how we need to see people through the eyes of our Heavenly Father--that it is so then that we will be able to see the true worth of one soul. Sister Lima and I sang "I am a Child of God" (except we modernized it a bit and sang a part in English), and at the end of the service, every one was crying. Even Fernanda's grandma, who always said lots of horrible things about the Church. In the end, she hugged me and Sister Lima and thanked us profusely for bringing her family to the light. It was so beautiful. On Sunday Fernanda told us how good she was feeling, having received the gift of the Holy Ghost and how she felt that she was learning much quicker. I feel soooo grateful to be able to see the conversion of a beloved daughter of God. :D
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