December 10, 2018 - It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas!

So right when I think I'm gonna have time to email you all, I get bombarded with 8 mission emails! So now I'm low on time as usual. But honestly, not much happened this week. I already mentioned the craziness that was transfers on Monday, and then Tuesday we went to Vitória for Leadership Council on Wednesday. There were burgers again :P And this time we got back from my eye appointment in time to be in the picture! (Yes, I got that figured out, and I am currently using antibacterial eye drops. She said it started with an allergic reaction that got infected, probably because I have dry skin around my eyelashes. Apparently it's a common thing. But anyway, it was already tons better by the time I went to the appointment, and now it's totally fine!) We got back on Thursday, and worked like normal, and then Friday we had travel again for district meeting, and then Saturday was the branch Christmas dinner! It was amazing and there were tons of people, and I am super excited for Christmas now!

While I'm on that topic, Christmas eve we're allowed to have a district p-day (and we're not allowed to work at night because of the possible danger--que pena), Christmas day we get to talk to our families! (what time will be best for you all?? I have no idea where I'll be yet) and then New Year's Eve we also can't go out at night, so it will basically be all day p-day! whooooo!

This has nothing to do with anything, but yesterday they out of the blue switched up just about all the presidencies of all the organizations in the branch except for the Elder's Quorum, so we should have some exciting new things going on pretty soon! Also, Isaac was called to work with the Young Men!! SUPER proud and excited for him!

This week got a little crazy on Friday and Saturday because we almost had a baptism. Genivaldo finally came back from Vitória! I was honestly SUPER surprised to find out that he had taken his BoM with him (explains why his family couldn't find it haha) and had read at least a little, remembered all of the lessons, and hadn't broken any of the commandments while he was gone! So we scheduled his baptism for the following day (Saturday) and ran around everywhere getting stuff ready (which was made quite a bit easier because there was already going to be a branch baptism that day) and then he decided not to follow through. We were disappointed, of course, but it was also obvious to us that he just doesn't have sufficient maturity or commitment-level.

BUT guess who also appeared! Remember Joyce? Friend of a girl in the branch that we were teaching, but didn't want to accept a baptismal date? Pretty sure I talked about her already. It's really hard to contact her, or to find her at home, so we didn't see her for over a week. But she showed up at church yesterday, and we left early to teach her today, even though it's p-day. We felt like it was a worthy sacrifice, and it paid off! She promised to keep the word of wisdom, and the law of chastity, (she was a little non committal when we taught WoW the last time) and accepted a baptismal date for December 22nd!! Pray for her please!!!!! She's super awesome, and has a super sweet hilarious little sister that she wants to bring to church. AND, when we asked her what she learned at church yesterday, she said she learned that she can feed the missionaries 😂. So anyway, it's been a good day :)

Ok I'm just about out of time, but I love you all! Have an awesome week!

-Sister Kirkham