What a wonderful week it has been. The temple is open again, clean and beautiful and to our surprise, there were 3 buses from Belem that arrived Monday night with Saints from the Belem, Castanhal and Icoaraci Stakes. For 4 days, there was great rejoicing as we encountered old friends. One Sister reminded us that her son who has now served a mission, returned and now married, was 8 years old when we served in Belem. Made us feel old but happy for the progress of this family. These faithful people were up every morning and standing in line by 6:00 AM waiting to get into the cafeteria, which doesn't open until 7, for a breakfast of milk, fruit, and bread, anxious to put in a day of service. They brought pages and pages of family names with them, supplying enough to provide for every ordinance for the week.We have a new responsibility coordinating the baptistry 2 days a week. A new experience and lots to learn but we have already been blessed with insight of how to accomplish this in a good way. Most of the responsibilities we have been given have come with only a little direction so we must rely on the Spirit so that things will be done in the right way. I believe the Brazilians think that just because you are from the "American church" you know all of the answers. At any rate, we had 2 and sometimes 3 boys and 7-10 girls who attended the baptistry sessions morning and afternoon to begin the process so the other ordinances could be completed. It was a beautiful example of how this work is to be done, on a family name basis.
On the two mornings we coordinate the baptistry we also, with the Counselor and his wife in the temple presidency, open the temple and serve as receptionists. It is one of our favorite positions in the temple, to greet the people as they come. It was especially a great joy this week to welcome our beloved Belem brothers and sisters. One of the impressions that came to me this week was how the Gospel blesses us in every aspect of our lives. As I saw these people come dressed in suits and their Sunday best, modest clothing, I remembered the stories that perhaps you might remember reading in the Ensign or hearing, of a humble, almost destitute people arriving and not only being filled spiritually, but literally being fed and clothed before returning home, a 33 hour bus ride without air conditioning, and some continuing up the Amazon for 4 more days. As you can see they now come on the executive, air conditioned buses. As they entered the temple it was evident that, not only had their lives been made sweet by being faithful to their covenants, but they had prospered financially. It still takes them a year to save enough to come but they go home resolved to return next year. One sister said to me, "I always cry when I have to leave the temple." My reply was, "You will take it with you in your heart." "Yes," she said, "we will take it with us in our hearts."
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| Patriarch Queiroz and Family-Castanhal |
