Well, as luck would have it, this week once again ended up being a lot of improvisation and hard work. Unexpectedly, our week was disrupted by a suprize conference. This is essentially what happened...

On Tuesday, our Zone Leaders (Elders W e M) arrived to go on splits with our District. When they got here they casually asked, "so, are you ready to go to Cuiaba tomorrow?" Turns out basically everyone had forgotten to tell me that I was invited to a Special Training in Cuiaba on Thursday. But, since there's only one plane that comes to and from Alta Floresta cada dia, I had to catch the flight Wednesday afternoon, and stay there in Cuiaba until Friday! SURPRISE!! 

But, regardless of the two days lost working in my area, I think the training was worth it. I learned soooo much, and President Reber was able to explain and give some great details on a couple of the changes here in Missão Brasil Cuiabá. 

Of course, after two days far away from my beloved city of Alta Floresta, I returned foaming at the mouth (figuratively of course) to get back to work. So, as soon as we could it was off to Cidade Alta!! My companion and I worked the entire day without much sucess, but finally found an incredible family of five! We invited them to chuch, and this past Sunday three of them came!

Unfortunately, the family that we've been teaching for a good while now, R e L, encountered some difficulties during the week, and once again R was unable to put her cigarrettes behind her. What a difficult and depressing addiction. We have literally tried everything we could, and now this decision is up to her and the lord. We replanned the baptism of L for this coming Domingo, with the hope that her baptism will inspire her mother to really make that final little push that will be necessary to overcome.

But, despite all the craziness, the week ended well. We had great attendance at church on Sunday, and the father (S) of the two girls baptised two weeks ago ( T e C) joined his daughters in the restored gospel. The decision to be baptised meant a lot of big changes in the life of this father, but I know that at least now he is on the path to established an eternaly happy family.

That path is the Resored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that this path is open to us through the sacrifice of our Savior. I know that the blessings of this Gospel are real. As is the power of the Atonement of Christ. I am honored and humbled to be a part of making those blessing available to the people here in Brazil. What an opportunity is this!!! 

Elder Johnson