Email 6/1/09

Email received June 1, 2009
5th Area: Joao Pessoa-Tibiri
8th Companion: Elder Amarante

well i am not sure exactly why but this week has been one of the most difficult ever. there is a local church here that talks so much trash about us, and spreads so many rumors and lies and the problem is that it seems like 90% percent of the people in this area attend this church. it is not unusual for us to have rejection, but the past week or so i have gone through some of the most harsh rejections ever and we have faced so much opposition. it appears as though satan has great hold upon the hearts of the people here and almost every person we talk to treats us really bad. we get a lot of nasty things said to us, just walking down the street. its super hard not to get discouraged. or to even stay with the spirit-- waiting for the person that isnt hard-hearted enough to believe all the lies they hear, even if every leader of other churches in the city is coming together to destroy the work of the lord. its been really hard on us. i read the other day the book of st. john, chapter 15, verses 18-21. that was an answer to prayer and helped me out.

things were a little better on sunday, we baptized Novinho, a kid we have been working with since i got here. he is 11 and his 12 year old brother, jefferson, who was baptized a few months ago, and his mom, who we are also teaching but needs to get married first.

i will be honest, some days it feels like the lord asks too much... i have never been more physically tired, spiritually drained, or emotionally discouraged. but all these things, i know one day i will be grateful for, and are helping me to become a better person. the lord really does do His part if we do ours.

until next week,
elder sherwood

sorry, no time to write anyone individually today