Lots of work=Lots of blessings

I've never had to work so hard in my life.  This week was so spiritually exhausting.  Rosalia and Enilda were all ready to be baptized on Saturday, but then the craziest train of events happened. In the beginning of the week, we found out that Rosalia's sister Jaqueline had been missing for over a week.  She had been baptized 2 months ago after fighting an addiction with Crack cocaine. Unfortunately she returned to her bad habits all over again.  When she disappeared, she took her whole paycheck and didn’t pay her families rent, leaving her three children without a place to live.  On Thursday we helped them move in with Rosalia and Enilda for three hours. Moving couches and big appliances is not easy when the house is at the end of beco(narrow alley where people live). Everything was fine Thursday night, but on Friday we got a text message that the fridge had fallen on Rosalias back and that she couldn’t walk.  It was the day of their baptismal interviews.  We gave Rosalia a blessing and within a few hours she was walking around the house.  They were interviewed and were ready for Saturday.  But then on Saturday Rosalia sent us a message two hours before baptism saying that she was too nervous and could not be baptized.  We got there as fast as we could and found out that she hadn’t eaten in the past 24 hours because she was so nervous. After another blessing and lots of encouragement we convinced her that Saturday was the day of her baptism.  They were baptized and were so happy afterwards.  When we got back to their house, Enilda began to feel pain in her chest and one of her arms.  We called a taxi and she went to the hospital. She had a stroke and spent the whole night in critical care. Today she had surgery and everything is looking better.  Please pray for Enilda so that she can be confirmed at church next Sunday.

I’m exhausted.  It was a battle every day for these two to be baptized, but it happened!  Totally worth it in the end.

Also, this week we had an emergency transfer and two more missionaries moved in with us-- Elder Eskelsen and Elder Miller.  They are both Americans.  Elder Miller and I were in the MTC the same time and we flew to the Pocatello mission together.  He got his visa about a week ago and finally made it to Brazil.  He’s only been here 6 days but he’s speaking super well. Because it was an emergency transfer, there aren’t beds for everyone or desks to study....it’s a mess but way fun.

I love you,
Elder Marsh

Wow I forgot about Boston!  Good luck mom.  That’s going to be so fun.  Do you have a goal time? or anyone to run with?  There are tons of Brazilians in Boston. Everyone in Brazil has a relative that lives there.  You could probably find some awesome food there.