What an amazing week!

So first off, let me send you some pictures from our last three baptisms. Three baptisms in three weeks! What a blessing! The first one (below) is of Terry. Terry is awesome. He gets on my last nerve, but I love him stilL! haha. Never mind the awkward pose I'm on. I was trying to bridge the awkward gap between my body and his by using my head...not a good idea. Lesson learned. Anyways that was an amazing day. He showed up thirty minutes late, of course, but he showed!

The next one is of Lynnette. Goodness, I love that girl. Isn't she just the cutest? The senior missionaries that are with us are the Sessions. They are so much fun to work with, and it is so nice to have them around. Elder Sessions saved me and my bike this week...it decided to deflate completely on one of the busiest streets in Huntsville. So he came to the rescue and had it fixed in five.five minutes. I was very impressed. (Oh, by the way, I'm converted to the bike. Not only does it cut travel time in half, but It is so nice to get exercise in...I feel happier each day. My butt hurts like no other, but I'm happier. The neighborhood of Huntsville loves it too.)

The next is of Shondanay. That was the baptism we had this week! It was so special. Her mom came and everything, and now we are teaching her sister and her mom (and the dad is listening from the kitchen each time...it is the funniest thing ever. LOVE IT!) There is something so special about that family. They just recognize truth and they live what they know. I love it. Goodness, I I just love being a missionary and working with people.

The next picture is of Raphael from BRAZIL. He was baptized this week as well. That was a very humbling/amazing experience. I had so much fun driving to Taldega (still no idea how that is spelled) with Sister Bruno. She is so amazing. She has been through so much, but is still one of the happiest people I have ever met. It was fun talking to her the entire way up. She started freaking out towards the end though, because she was nervous about teaching Raphael. We didnt' know how much he would knew, because he doesn't speak very much english and the elder teaching him didn't speak very much Portuguese so it was our job to make sure he understood everything. Haha...let's just say her freaking out didn't make me any more calm about my first real teaching experience in Portuguese (Ernesto doesn't really count, because he just thought that he was giving us a language lesson). But it went so well. I just listened for the most part, and was amazed at the things that I could understand. But there were times that I asked questions, shared my testimony, and even taught. The last thing I said was so cool. I didn't think about what I was saying, I just knew that he needed to hear it, and it came out so clearly that surprised not only me but everyone in the room I think. It was a neat experience that I'm very thankful that I was able to take part in.

The next picture is of our apartment. Goodness, I love those girls...excuse me, sisters. They are so amazing. It is so fun to come home each night, and to exchange our stories. Sister Jones, is very popular with the men these parts, so that always makes for a laugh or two.

The last picture, I just thought you would enjoy. One of my favorite things to do these days is to sing to Sister Bee. She loves it. phaha. Not.

So lets see, what happened this week. Better question, what didn't happen? It was an amazing week, but I think yesterday takes the prize of being best day of the mission. Want to know why? Ok, I'll tell ya.

We are teaching this man, Brother Coleman. Scares the snot out of me (sorry for the gross imagery). Only reason we went back this time was because his wife wants it so badly. THey have been married for thirty years, and he has been taught by about a hundred set of missionaries. They all are scared of him. Why you ask? Because he is a huge man who knows the bible front and forwards and tells you how little you know. That's why. Anyway, we go back despite my wishes. We go in and start talking about who knows what and he precedes to tear us apart. I stay quiet for sometime and then open my mouth despite wanting to, and he then picks apart everything I have to say...that brought on the tears. And that is where it all changed. Not really the tears, but what I said. I'm not even sure what I said, but I told him pretty much that he scared me, that I didn't want to talk to him because of that, and that only reason I was here was for some strange reason I loved him, and know that no matter what he says that this gospel will help him. I then bore my testimony about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how everyone will have the opportunity to accept it, and that he shouldn't let his pass him by. Like I said, I don't remember what exactly I said, but I do know I said those things the Lord wanted him to hear. I guess, it just took a crying girl to get him to actually listen. His wife was so shocked when he agreed to read the Book of Mormon and to pray. Now I can't wait to go see Brother Coleman. He's really not that scary afterall :)

I wanted to tell ya'll more, but my time is out. I wish I had more time to write. I sure do love ya'll. Thanks for everything. What an amazing experience this has been so far. Thank you for making it possible!

LOVE,

Sister Powell