Monday, February 11, 2013

Columbo Week 12

Well this could possibly be the last email from Colombo. Usually when a missionary is trained, he stays in the area and gets a new companion, but since we opened the area, all bets are off. I still think there´s a good chance that the next email will be coming from Colombo, but if could be fromPonta Grossa, Paranaguá, Curitiba or some place I´ve yet to hear of :)

This week we have been working to prepare 
Rosari for baptism this coming weekend. Her husband is still working on dropping alcohol and tobacco, but she is 100% ready if she makes through this week without coffee. And she will. Yesterday at church she was smiling the whole time. She will be a great member!

Unfortunately, this week, we watched a family get ripped apart because of alcohol. The father had been a serious alcoholic for many years, but for the past 2 years he was clean. He was baptized, received the priesthood, was sealed with his family in the temple, and was serving as the ward clerk. But apparently, these past couple weeks, he was getting nervous about bills and such, and his spirit was weakened to the point where, when a neighbor offered him a drink, he accepted. And he relapsed hard. I probably don´t need to recount everything that happened, but it is a rather grave situation. He is now in rehab and very depressed because of what happened. Everyone in the branch is reaching out to help the family, but it will take some time before the scars from this incident heal completely. In the Word of Wisdom, which is a health code from God to protect our bodies and minds, the Lord speaks as follows,
 

`
 4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation— 

That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father...`

It is not good, nor necessary to drink. It never brings happiness. It never brings the Spirit. And even when it doesn´t seem to have an impact in the short run... it will in the future. What a word of wisdom.


All is well with us here, and we are going to finish off what will probably be the last week together strong.
 

Love,

Elder House



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