So this week has been super spiritual and hectic at the same time.  Elder Lima and I decided to make it a big deal to make as many contacts as we could.  That means that at any moment, one of us would stop, shake someone's hand and start talking and the other one would have to stop too. Well, one day, I was having the worst time with allergies.  I don't know if there is some fancy kind of pollen they have here in Brasil or what, but I could not stop sneezing.  We were walking to lunch and I was just recovering from a sneeze attack, when Elder Lima stopped and started to make a contact with this really attractive Brasillian girl.  Well, normally both missionaries shake the person's hand, but my hand was occupied by something else (I was sneezing ok? and I was about to wash them)  The girl turned to me and stuck out her hand, and I wasnt about to wipe my hand on my pants....I tried my best to explain that my hands were dirty, but she started to get offended.  So yup, you bet ya, I shook that hand.  I hope she thought it was just sweat haha. She asked for it right? :P

Yesterday, we were walking the street looking for novos because our appointment fell through.  We knocked one door and a man answered and let us in.  We taught him about Heavenly Father and His love.  He seemed a bit different, but we were excited to teach him nonetheless.  Just before the closing prayer a woman came out of the house and sat next to him (his wife) and started explaining that he had an accident a number of years back and now he has the memory and the capacity of a four year old.  She started crying as she explained how hard it was for her beause she has noone to help her with her husband.  We felt impressed to offer a blessing of comfort.  She accepted and asked me to do it.  I don't have much experience in this department, and in Portuguese, you can imagine how nervous I was....But I wasn't.  In the words of Joseph Smith, "I was calm as the summer's day"  The language wasn't a barrier and the spirit was definitely present and the words were said.  The weird thing is, I don't remember any part of what was said.  All I know is Im grateful for the experience.

Also, the day before we headed over to one of our golden pesquisadores that is moving along slowly but surely. We didn't intend to pass by because he normally isn't home, but Elder Lima had the feeling we needed to stop by.  We got there and  he let us in and we started talking.  It was about five minutes in and we noticed what he was wearing...a garment top with the sleeves torn off!  We cautiously asked him where he got it.  He sayed it was given to him by someone who had received it from someone else.  We explained to him in the words that we could that it wasn't just a shirt to sleep in and he gave us the garment without any questions asked.  I know it wasn't without reason that the stray garment top ended up in his hands, that Elder Lima felt we needed to visit this pesquisador, and that he just happened to be wearing it at this time.  Our Heavenly Father has his hand in everything. 

Well, I am all out of time for this week.  But Thanks for the emails, the support, and the love.  I love you all.  The church is true, and I know this for myself.

Abraço forte,

Elder Stinnett