Living with a Tongan, tears on the street, and the power of desire

Living with my new companion, Sister Kalamafoni, has been an adventure. Her parents are from Tonga, and though she was born in Oregan her family speaks Tongan at home. Her English is perfect, but she tells me Tongan is still much easier for her to speak/understand. She's calm, extremely patient with my wildness, and powerful in her simple testimony. I'm proud to say that we didn't speak one word of English until our fourth day together! Then we decided we could speak English at night, after daily planning. :-) This is only my second American companion on the mission, so I still am a little weirded out with the whole English-speaking thing.

This week was intense. Three experiences that stuck out: In a street contact-turned-lesson, a faithful young woman told us of her mother's recent death, and of all that she had learned from her mother about God. For the first time in a LONG time, I cried in front of an investigator -- thankful that it had gotten dark during the conversation. As she talked, though it was the first time we had met her, I could already imagine myself coming back to Brazil and seeing her be sealed to her deceased parents.

I learned about the power of desire this Sunday morning when a struggling family with five children stuck to their decision to go to church, even though they were without water. We helped and watched as they carted buckets and buckets of water from the neighbor to bathe everyone and go.

The church is true! I love Brazil! No time!