Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Vila Real back to Odivelas ~ July 2012

July 31, 2012

So.. The Transfer call came yesterday morning and whelp.. for some odd reason i just can´t finish the work in the areas i have already served in and the Lord keeps sending me back to take care of unfinished business... I have been transferred back to ODIVELAS.. the land where i was born in the mish. It feels good to be back. I am serving with Irmã Baer. She is from Alpine and the sweetest person in the world.. I am so grateful to be with her right now. She is gonna get me back in line, not that i was ever out of line, but we can always be better at being on the line, whatever. anyway.. She is sharp and on the ball. We are so ready to do work here.


It´s hard to know why Heavenly Father makes the decisions he does, but i just have to trust in him and know he knows what is best for me. So right now, at this time in my life, Odivelas is where i need to be. The answers to my prayers will come later i am sure..

It was EXTREMELY difficult to leave Porto and Vila Real.. I Love the North. I loved our branch.. I loved Teresa our sweet and only investigator.. During the week she told irmã Palmer and i that she has been diagnosed with cancer in her uterus.. She has basically given up on life and lost her faith.. She is just expecting to die soon and she is not fighting to overcome this.. We would go to her house almost everyday to make her lunch but she would end up making us lunch. It was so backwards. We were able to get her out of the house and come to a members house with us for a birthday party. Teresa loved it. She kept thanking us for getting her out of the house. She said it is no fun to be home alone, sick and no one to talk to. Her family lives in Cape Verde and she doesn´t have many reliable friends that will sit with her during the day. My heart breaks for her..

We´ve made progress with her in understand the doctrine of Christ and she has gained a testimony of it all.. especially the law of chastity. We had the best lesson with her and 2 other girls about the law of chastity. Teresa accepted everything! But her friend was rough to teach.. The friend said, that it is a great commandment but it´s too hard to keep living in this world.. Irmã Palmer went all Chuck Norris on her and said.. are you kidding me.. you´d rather just follow the world and settle than have self worth and keep the commandments of god?? The friends then said, i think you need to get out and travel more. I said, Oi.. i have already seen enough of the world and i hate it. I have traveled and i am in Portugal and from what i have seen and what i know.. I am that much more grateful for my standards and guidance from Heavenly Father. He won´t give us a commandment that we can´t keep.. The conversation got a little heated and intense because Irmã Palmer and i were so frustrated that this girl would rather be lazy and listen to the world than actually get a testimony herself. We left her with an invite to come to church, but other than that we knew she just wanted to attack us and didn´t want anything to do with our message. One day she will understand and accept but right now, she´s not willing to change or accept Christ. It is so sad.. I can only continue onward and search for those that will accept what we are teaching. Like Teresa.. She just needs to accept the fact that her baptism in the Evangelical church isn´t valid and she´ll be baptized in a heartbeat. I wish i could be there to continue to teach her but i know Irmã Palmer and Irmã Young will help her. I get so attached to these people and i hate leaving them.. I only got 6 short weeks up there.. Since i am on a pattern of returning to every area that i serve in.. maybe i will get to go back one more time!

I want all of you to know that I know without a doubt the commandments protect us from harm. I know we live these standards for a reason. I can only do my best to continue to testify of what i know is true. Don´t doubt the revelation that Heavenly Father gives to us and his prophets. He lives and loves us and knows what is best for us.

I love you all. Take care.

BEIJOS XOXO
Com amor,

Irmã Boshard

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