Sou Panaca

Sou panaca is Brazilian slang for "I´m an idiot".

We were invited to do service for a member family, help them paint some planks of wood. We called the other Elder´s in our branch and let them know what time to go over (we assumed they too were invited). When we showed up in the morning, the Sister told us "Elders, I didn´t tell you to invite the other Elder´s. You shouldn´t have called them. The last time they came, they spilled all the paint everywhere!!"  So, we said we were sorry and all that. We painted, nobody spilled anything, and she calmed down. Later, after lunch, she asked us to move a 300 pound cement flower planter. We picked it up, and started walking, and I tripped. And dropped my end. And it fell. And broke, in many, many pieces. Sou panaca. Her husband laughed and said "Haha oh well. It was old anyways. It was an heirloom from my great grandma!" he was joking (I think... I hope), but she looked devastated. She went inside for a little bit (probably to pray and ask for patience with us nimrods), and came out laughing and teased me for dropping it. On the plus side, that thing sliding through my hands as I dropped it pretty much tore out the wart that was growing on my finger, and I was able to easily remove it. My finger looks way better without a wart.

César from Empalme got baptized!!!! Elder Sánchez baptized him. Unfortunately, I could not attend, since I´m about 5 hours away by bus. But, it´s still really sweet.

So we spent the WHOLE week trying to get people to commit to go to church, and a few people said they´d go. We passed by there houses on Sunday morning, and no answer. We called, no answer. We showed up to church without anyone. One investigator said he´d go, but had to work in the night and wasn´t sure if he´d be able to make it on time for sacrament meeting. So, he was our only hope. He never showed up. We did, however, have an investigator. A 9 year old girl brought her 11 year old friend, and we are going to be stopping by her house and we are gonna try to teach her and her grandparents. There is still hope for a baptism this month!!

Sorry this was short, I am rather pressed for time. Hope you all have a great week!

Elder Brown

Alma 5:45-46

 45 And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?

 46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.