Oh Rats!

Feeling much better, rats, bird poop, and tea!  The adventures of a missionary in Brazil!  So thankful for prayer and a loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers prayers.  So thankful for loving family and friends support and for their prayers!  ~Momma Baker

So this week was an adventure ill tell you that much. We had another miracle baptism. We had a baptism marked for sunday, but Victor, the guy who was going to be baptised called and said that his dad wouldn't let him, which is really sad. His brother, his sister in law, his mom and his other brother are all members of the church. His mom and dad are divorced and he lives with his mom so technically he could get baptised anyways but he didn't want to make more contention in the family because there already was a fair amount of contention with his parents being divorced and all. So that baptism fell through so that was a bummer. When he turns 18 he will be baptised though so thats good at least we planted a seed. Anyways so we were feeling kindof down because a baptism fell through and we were sitting in the principles class with all the recent converts and we see this little head peak through the window. So Sister Lencini went out and talked to this cute little old man for about a half an hour. He loves the church. He goes to church every Sunday and he feels like he is already a member. He lives in Natal right now but is buying a house and moving to Currais Novos the next week and so Sister Lencini asked him if we wanted to be baptised and he said yes of course so he was baptised. I cant pronounce his name otherwise i would tell you what is was but i dont really know. Ill let you know next week when i have talked to him for more than 2 minutes. He is a bright soul i can tell you that. I reminds me of a little elfish creature. 

   So we had a rat in our house. We were getting ready for bed, i was sitting on my bed in the bedroom and my comp was in the bathroom and out of the corner of my eye i saw something move so i looked over in time to see a rat run underneath our closet. I yelled to my comp "Sister! um Rato!!!" and she screamed a little bit and ran out of the bathroom. (Momma note: rato in portuguese is mouse so my guess is she means mouse not rat-from the pictures either that or it's a baby rat!) so we grabbed a broom, a squiggy mop thing that we call um rodo (pronouced hoe doe) , ax and fire and a bucket and stood ready like fierce assassinators ready for our prey. I was standing right next to the closet ready to do something, i really didnt know what yet, but i was ready man. And sister lencini started to poke under the closet with the broom. All of the sudden the rat ran out from under the closet and straight for me. It ran OVER MY FOOT and back under the closet. oh my gosh. gross. This whole time we were screaming like little babies. So we decided to try again. I got ready with the Rodo as my weapon this time in the door way. Sister Lencini started poking under the closet again and this time it ran straight for me! I wasnt going to let it get away this time so obviously i started beating the heck out of it. First swing of the rodo i nailed right in the middle. but i had to be sure it was dead so i whacked it a couple more times like a serial killer until i thought it was dead. Then of course i went to grab my camera. When i was gone to get my camera i heard a shout from the other room. "Sister its moving!" so i ran back in and it was flinching its paw so i had to beat it a couple more times. And thats how i became a serial killer of rats. Gross. 

   Another gross adventure happened to me this week. We were making contacts in the street and we stopped by these lovely ladies that we sitting outside of their house. It went like this: "Hi we are missionaries for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints my name is Sister Baker and this is my companion Sister Lencini. What is your name?" and one said "Terezinha" "pleasure to meet you Terezinha!" and i reached out my hand to shake her hand and bird crap landed right on my arm. She laughed, i laughed and she invited me in to wash my arm. And then we set up a time that we could come teach them the gospel. Boom Baptism. 

As i have said before the people here love their coffee and tea. Most of the tea here is just herbs and water and sometimes sugar so its not against the word of wisdom. And you can buy this stuff called cervada which is the same thing as coffee just without the caffine. So of course i have been offered tea and coffee (cervada) many times at members houses. (Momma note:  Cervada is made out of a grain not a coffee bean. It's kind of like Postum.   They suggest that the members drink this instead of coffee.  Also the tea is okay to drink because it is fresh herbs.  They are told specific teas to teach the people to not drink like black tea etc.) At first i hated it i thought it was repulsive, but now i actually like it. Its kind of good.  Its kind of weird here on the missh. My love for coffee and Tea has grown a lot, ha ha, as well as my love for tomatoes. I love tomatoes. I eat them plain. So good.  

Well it was tranfers this week. Not much changed. I stayed here in Currais Novos with Sister Lencini. I am happy about transfers. I love my comp she's great. She's not like a best friend that i giggle with but she is a really good comp.  One Elder in my District, Elder Ribeiro finished his 2 years and returned to his house. He was super trunky and the end poor kid. and Elder Harris was transferred to a different area which was sad but you know there is an ancient time maximum which roughly translates to 'he who is resistant to change is destined to parish' So i guess that its for the best. Imma miss him though. He was a homie. 

Also Barbara moved to Natal. I miss her. (mom note: Barbara is a less active member that Joci was working with.  Barbara posted pictures with Joci on instagram.  She also called from Barbara's house on Christmas.  They formed a sweet friendship.)  Well that's all for now. I sure love you guys!!! untill next week!

Sister J. Baker

Also i was sick last week. Super sick They said it was either Rubella, dangy or this other name of somethings that i dont know how to spell. All of these sicknesses are from stinking misquitos. They were going to draw blood to see which one it was but i wouldnt let them so i just took a bath in Camomilla tea and took some meds for the sick and for the throat. I stayed sick until thursday last week. It was horrible. i felt better after 2 days. Well enough to work but i couldnt go out in the sun because of my sick. Ich. Horrible. Moral of the story. Dont get bit by a misquitos. 

I love you 

Sister J. Baker

This is Joci's rash with her sickness.

This is a portion in response to Jake's letter:

Some days are harder than others and somedays i feel like i don’t even know why i’m here and that it was be easier to go home but i didn’t come out here thinking that it would be easy. I came out here for everyone other than myself and i guess that the attitude that you have to have. When i was sick i started thinking of all the negatives because i was sitting around and doing nothing. I was thinking about how i couldn’t speak the language and how i wasn’t even making a difference and how my companion doesn’t love love love me like my other one did and how i was getting fat and how i didn’t have any investigators and loved me to death and then i realized how many freaking times i thought about myself and changed my out look and the rest of the week was awesome and i love love love my comp and my investigators and everyone. Its better that way. You just have to get to work. I love you.  I miss you. Keep up the good work

Until next week,

Sister Baker