First, even the most eloquent language cannot begin to describe the amount I am learning and feeling here on my mission. This is definately the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but the blessings I am recieving from God are unparallelled.
So, to explain the subject line of this email:
Recently we had record high temperatures for a sustained period of time (110-120 degrees with the humidity factored in) which lead to some very heavy rain. So heavy in fact that the nearby city of Xerém (cher-aim) was nigh completely destroyed by massive flooding. People died, homes were lost, and even now, about two weeks later, rebuilding is just beginning. The ward I am currently serving in was the nearest with means to help so we were put in charge of coordinating the local relief efforts. We have been helping a lot there this week, organizing supplies recieved and sending them to the city. All of the wards and stakes in this part of Brazil have been sending food, water, higine products, clothing, and just about everything else you need to live, and we organize it, package it, and send it in to the city. Unfortunately Elder J. Lima and I were not cleared to go to the city itself to help the relief efforts, but we have been meeting all of the church leaders here as they have arrived with more supplies to send out and it has been really a good experience.
As for the defending the faith portion of the subject line, Elder J. Lima and I have had a few really good experiences lately quite literally defending what we believe. There is an unusually high number of churches in this city (namely one on every corner) and it is very difficult to find anyone that feels like they need to hear our message at times because they insist they have everything they need. Well, these countless questions have driven Elder J. Lima and I to study more and more and we are learning so much.
By far the most interesting encounter we had this week was while making steet contacts (tracting doesn't exist here, you talk to everyone in the street instead). I went up to talk to a family that appeared to be enjoying that particular evening sitting outside chatting. I went up, introduced myself, and told them why us missionaries were there. At that last part, a elderly woman who was standing nearby talking to them raised her voice at us and told us to leave because we were of the devil and she was trying to bring these people to salvation. As it turns out, she was trying to get them to join with her church here. We politely apologized for interrupting (I think) and informed her that we were actually not from the church of the devil but from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This infuriated her quite a bit and she proceeded to tell us about how our doctrines were twisted and we didn't believe in the bible and how we had no idea what we were talking about. Elder J. Lima responded by opening the bible and using it to begin explaining what we believed, and that we in fact understood the bible and lived it, and that if any other person truly understood it that they would realize that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints really is the Church of Christ established on the Earth again, as it was established when Christ himself was here. The whole encounted lead to her being very confused but still upset with us so we politely excused ourselves.
There are more details I want to include, but my time is up. I love you guys! Send me letters and/or emails whan you have a chance, I'd love to hear from you!
All the best!
Elder Viglione
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