developing PURE christ-like love

so.... now that ive been saving up for the past little while all the good stories and everything... hopefully this email will be good haha.


so... first off, remember the lady that was deaf that i baptized in Odivelas? well, shes been having a really hard life lately and everything has been falling down around her in her life. she felt really alone and like heavenly father wasnt there for her. so like the end of my time in Odivelas this was all happening so we went over to her house to talk to her... and help her. basically to make a really long story short she was really resistant and didnt want anything... but finally she gave in and broke down crying and talking about how she felt like heavenly father had abandoned her. it was the hardest thing for me to see her in so much pain... i was bawling... but i specifically remember that i was just praying that heavenly father could take it all away and just give it to me. and two thoughts entered my head... one was that story about me, mitch, ashely and the rose thorn... for those that dont know it or dont remember it...


so when i was probably 8 or so and ashley was 6ish... we were over at our cousins house and we would always play pioneer and house in the front yard. well, one day we were playing by the rose bushes, i think we were playing pioneers and mitch was the bad guy or something stupid. (i dont really remember all the details.) but he picked a thorn off the rose bush and started walking towards ashley and grabbed her and started to try and prick her with the thorn... she started crying and screaming so i came running to see what was wrong with my little sister. i started yelling at mitch to stop and of course, he didnt. so finally i said, mitch prick me with the thorn! i cant remember if he ended up pricking me or not, probably he did haha.


but this story came into my head. i just wanted to do the same for Ilidia... i just wanted to take the pain away... the second story that came into my head was Jesus Christ and how He suffered in the garden for us and on the cross... i thought about how He had really take the pain upon Himself because of His love for each one of us...


the reason that this entered my head again this week is because i have been studying about charity... the pure love of Christ. And how we always need to have it for everyone in our lives... i had felt it for my sister... and i always have it for her. i would do anything for ashley, i love her so much and always will no matter what she will do. and i felt it for Ilidia... i love her and wanted to do all that i could plus a little more just so that she can be happy.


this is my goal for my mission... not to baptize a million people, but to love, really truly love these people that i come into contact with. i want to do all that i can to help them be happy.


i am so grateful that i have this opportunity to serve these people here. it is so hard at times, but really, it is what we need to do. love those that hate us... serve them and help them have happiness... eternal, lasting happiness that we can only get through the gospel of Jesus Christ.


Have a great week everyone! I love you all!


com amor
irmã graf


ps- so, what happened with Gary? is he going to be okay? can anyone please give me more details? I really hope he will be okay. Ill pray for him.