Covered by His Grace: The Portuguese Fairy has Been Here

This week my mission was turned upside down and inside out. Being companions with Sister Friaca was a ball, but this week I finally connected with people. It was crazy.

I don't know what happened, but the gift of tongues that's happening? I woke up on Tuesday, and bam - I could talk to people, and I understand them too! Obviously my Portuguese is still far from perfect; I still have to ask people to repeat a few things as well as stammer through a few sentences of my own. But, Monday I was still hearing gibberish and on Tuesday I was chatting with my Cabo Verde family like it was nothing! Twice this week I had people tell me, "Wow, how long have you been here? Your Portuguese is really good!" These people just last week were telling me I don't have it yet, but one day I will. Crazy right?

Thank heavens for my new language blessing, because this week I was in charge. Sister Tongi is new to Assomada and my area, and so I was in charge of planning lessons, teaching lessons, and remembering everyone's beautifully difficult Cabo Verdean names and where they live (and in my area, remembering where people live means remembering whose house you walk through to get to the dirt path that switchbacks to someone's patio to which you then climb a ladder to reach their neighbor's roof to get you to the cobblestone road that leads to an investigator's house..... yes), but I did it! I remembered everyone (and we know a lot of people) and was able to talk to them all and it was the coolest. My twelve weeks of training are over and I'm an all out missionary now!

My New Companion, Sister Tongi, and another stab at Cous Cous

Sister Tongi is super cool. Oh man, we're going to have a "hecka fun" transfer. She's one crazy hilarious Tongan with attitude. But she's a really good missionary. Together we're gonna help Assomada rise up to it's full potential. I seriously am so excited we are companions.

We had a baptism on Saturday! I'll include a picture even though it was hot and I look like two days ago. Pitoto is amazing, talk about future priesthood. He already has a crazy strong testimony and I'm so excited to see him in leadership positions in the church someday. Pitoto's baptism was exciting because he was my first baptism that I contacted and taught all the way through.