Week 24 - Jardim Celeste - Happy Easter

Happy Easter!!

First off, I didn’t even know it was Easter until yesterday at church.. whoooops. The culture here for Easter is so different. Everyone eats fish starting on Friday until Sunday! The holiday here is actually more of the Catholic’s holiday! And they don’t have Easter Egg hunts here or dye eggs! Actually, all they do is buy a giant chocolate egg that’s hollow.. that’s it. No Easter Bunny, no basket of chocolate.. nada.

So Friday was crazy. I knew that it was a Catholic Holiday, but I didn’t know what it meant. To start the day off, it was raining. As the day continued, the flood of water washing the side of the street away to grasp of the foot of Sister Oliveira and she went tumbling in the road river with me chasing behind her! It was probably the craziest thing these people have ever seen on the street. She hurt her ankle and could hardly walk.. so what did we do? Call for help..... nope. She jumped on one foot for half a mile to the house of Juliene and her family. On the path to her house, there were torches with bottles holding candles spaced every 2 feet the entire way!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS PART OF THE CATHOLIC HOLIDAY. We ate dinner with the family- fish- then had to leave to our next appointment on the other end of our area. As we were leaving the house, the road was filled with students from Hogwarts!!!! ........ okay not really, but ALMOST!! A TRILLION people filled the streets with red capes holding candles and chanting or maybe singing.. traffic was stopped all over the entire area. AND THIS is what happens on the holiday.. it was the craziest sight I think I’ve ever seen; I had no idea, but in the moment I literally felt like I too was from Hogwarts and felt self conscience for the first time in the mission because we were the only people without capes in the road..

But anyways, Saturday everything worked out perfect. [A family of four was] baptized and Sunday were confirmed. The bishop thanked us for our 6 baptisms in 1 month with 3 more planned and marker that are coming up.. and we responded that yes, we also are very thankful. What a beautiful Easter weekend, the saving of 4 more souls being brought to Christ and confirmed as members of The Restored Church of Christ on earth Easter morning. How great is this work and how grateful I am to be a part of it.

[A couple we have been teaching] will be married on the 23th and baptized after!!!! We went to the courthouse and set the date so it’s official finally!!

Mark 16:16