Weekly email!

Ok. I am running out of fun creative ways to start emails. I am also running out of desire to write good emails. Ya know?  So, sorry, but this email might be a little on the lame side. We taught some cool lessons this week, including one with a nice Brazilian family. We worked a lot with members which was awesome! We ate good food. Sister Allred got sick, so we had to spend a day in our house but she was a trouper and recuperated quickly and we were soon out working again! I think most of the cool stuff I have to say is about yesterday! 

So Saturday we decided to text as many people in our contact list as we could and invite them to church. Few people answered and none of them said they would be there. But as we were working on it one of our friends called us and we invited her to church! She seemed a little uncertain and asked a bunch of questions. I think she was worried we worship idols or something. And she wanted to go to her other church and wasn't sure if it was OK to go to two. So to help her decide we offered that if she came to our church we would visit hers! She was super excited about that! And on Sunday she came! She was late and missed the sacrament and my musical number, but she said she really liked what she saw and would love to come again! We also had a member bring a friend to church with her and this friend loved it! So we are hopefully going to start meeting with her soon too! And get this...one of those people we texted.... Came! Just showed up! She almost got out without us even seeing her or realizing! It was my first Sunday so I didn't have any idea who was active and who isn't, but luckily sister Allred saw her and talked to her! It was a miracle! Apparently, in this area it's usually really hard to get people to church. And we had 3! And 4 less actives came too! It was a miracle! 

That afternoon we went with our friend to her church. She is actually new to Porto and hadn't been to this church before, but she attended assembly of god in her country and so she figured it would be the same. I have visited many other churches in my life, with friends and to perform, and I always think it is so interesting to see how others worship. They sang a lot with bass and drums and microphones and it was very loud, but I could also see on their faces how much they loved the Lord. The preacher taught a wonderful sermon about Daniel in the Bible and consecrating ourselves to the Lord. And they were great examples to me of welcoming visitors. He had the three of us stand up and introduce ourselves during their meeting and had everyone in the congregation shake our hands. I felt very welcome. Our friend seemed to not like it very much, she liked her old church better and she said she wouldn't go back. Hopefully, she will decide to come to ours!  Though the other church service was interesting and I could feel these people's passion, I struggled to feel the spirit there. It was a bit of a shock going from our meeting so peaceful and still to a rock concert-style worship, and it helped me appreciate the reverence of our church. Though as members, I think the fellowshipping of newcomers is something we can all improve with. It was definitely a neat experience. Afterward we talked to our friend a little bit and gave her a Book of Mormon. She was really open to it, and so excited to have the book! It was awesome.

Anyway, it was a good week! I love you all! Seek the spirit every day! Pray, read the scriptures, go to church. It's not too hard to do, and it will make all the difference.

Tchau!

Sister Hardy