Degundja Midju

Well I hope you got the other email of me and my recent convert's wedding.
I have also attached a picture of us taking corn of the cob with our
investigator Francisco, and us at a normal ol' sunset over the Brava
horizon. :)

Anyways, This week has been really great. Words can't express my happiness.
The work is rough.. But it's going so well! I'd like to tell you a little
back story to Francisco:

A long time ago.. Back in October/September.. I and Sister Robinson, we
were teaching Isabel (Our baptism that had a baby with her in her baptismal
photo). And When we had came over to teach her she was braiding a 20
something year old man's hair. Well, we invited him to sit with us and we
decided to read parts of 2Nephi31. During our lesson, we invited him to be
baptized on the 20th of October. ( I think?) He accepted! But he didn't
live in our area, so we passed him as a reference to the Sisters that work
in his zone.

Well, here we are December of the same year and I am working with him in
this area. The sisters have been working with him for a long while, but he
missed alot of their appointments so his progression for baptism slowed
down almost to a hault. This week we taught him the Word of Wisdom on
Tuesday. He said he'll keep it. As of that day, he already had stopped
smoking weed for 15 days. Smoking cigarettes for 15 days, and had stopped
drinking for 3. :) To this day, he hasn't touched ANY of those things and
he says he has no desire to. He wants to start his life over and put his
life on the right path. :) :)

We weren't able to talk to him Friday night, but we found him again on
Saturday. And we taught him about the law of Chastity. My comp was a little
nervous, I'll admit. He is living with the mom of 2 of his 4 children.
And.. It hasn't been looking like they like each other that much.
Complicated situation indeed.. But the lesson went AMAZING. We were just
following up on him and his life and he ended up telling us that his baby's
momma isn't taking care of the kids and he is going to send her back to
Praia... Monday. (Um, miracle much?)
He had zero doubts. He laughed in the beginning, but when we asked him why
he thought God would only want him to have sex after marriage, he was
like--I think..Sex after marriage only brings good things.
Us--And sex before?
Francisco--Nothing that good.

And then we taught him about earrings and tattoos and he was like, Sister!
Haven't you noticed that ever since District Conference, I haven't been
using earrings?! :) --man that made me happy.

And last night when we were taking pictures of us with him and the corn, he
was like---No! You can see my weed tattoo in that one! Take a different
one! And then he stuck his arm behind his back.

Oh! And at church yesterday, he ended up picking up a pamphlet that was for
parents of youth... I'm so proud of him. :)

Other that,.. We have been helping the choir with a Christmas program for
all three branches. I'm excited for them. It'll be Christmas Night. We're
hoping it will help with all of the drinking and partying that happens all
over Cape Verde. Apparently that is all anyone does here. Drink. And Party.

Oh! And that family from Ponta Verde,.. They're huge! And Elder benedict
gave a part of the family as a reference to the Elders.... But we had
already contacted half of the family.. So we're hoping to continue to teach
them even though they live out of town. :) They have family members from
America that came here and are having their whole family go to church every
Sunday and teaching them about prayer and stuff! Oh. The Lord truly is so
merciful. And this truly is a really prepared land. :)

There are 8 days until I get to call home! I'm so happy to be able to talk
to my family!!!! Oh man. Highlight of my Christmas.

Also...I got my Christmas Package mom! Don't worry, I'm exercising good
self control. :) We're allowed to skype, sooo I hope that works out! I miss
all of your faces!! :)


Merrrrrry Christmas!
Love Sister Buhler