In São Paulo the buildings seem to grow in every direction.
It appears as though they are stacked on top of each other, growing up and out
and around each other. Without fail there are two prevalent architectural
features or aspects: beauty and graffiti. New buildings, old buildings, houses,
churches, sidewalks, trees- all these seem to be coated in some way by
graffiti. Even spaces where it should be impossible for someone to have reached
(i.e. 13 stories above the ground on a windowless building) yet there it is.
Every surface is a canvas for vandalism.
The heart of São Paulo 30, 40, or 50 years ago must have
been a pinnacle of beauty and architecture. Incredible, old, ornate buildings
are entrenched in layers and years of vandalism. But even with the graffiti,
there is something spectacular about this city, something resilient, but also
something open.
Today we went proslitismo for the first time! It was
incredible. Our area was the center of São Paulo where the Theatre De
Municipal, the historic buildings, façade depicts 4 giant statues struggling
beneath the weight of stone above them. The image is reminiscent of Atlas who
held the sky aloft, but I found that the figures who drew our attention were
not the goliaths of the municipal theatre but were the real people struggling
beneath the weight of cloth and cardboard shelters.
Irma Santos (literally an angel, or at least a woman with
enough faith that could could literally call angels to protect us if she needed
to- I am truly convinced of this) split us into groups so that two Elders would
always be in sight of two Sisters. Sister Carrillo and I were paired with Elder
Sinsel and Zylks. Sister Degn/Hawkes w/ Batchelor/Doria. After praying our
group headed wearily across the street. We had to stay in constant view of Irma
Santos, which we would be incredibly grateful for soon.
Every companionship had 10 Livro De Mormons in clear
backpacks (and our umbrella and water bottle-that’s all we could bring, and all
we want to bring). The first person we ask is nice, but doesn’t want one. The
second man already has one but we couldn’t understand the rest of what he said
because the noise was insane- cars, motorcycles, people. Everything was
fighting for our attention and to make it more difficult we realized that the
main reason so many people were on this side of the street was because an
evangelist was preaching via microphone to a crowd.
Third person, nada.
So, we stop a woman walking by. At first she doesn’t want to
stop but then she does and pulls out her bible from her backpack. There was a
moment where she almost wanted to listen. Sister Carrillo was speaking with her
about how both books work together as scripture, in fact are supposed to be
together when another man leans in. To be honest, I had no idea what he was
saying and he immediately won the woman onto his side. Sister Carrillo didn’t
even know what he was saying and I think he knew also. He kept telling us we
needed “to know the fruit of Joseph Smith” and something about the reason he died
is because he had too many wives. Behind him, some 20ft away, Irma Santos
motioned to me to leave. We were running out of time and we hadn’t given out a
single Book of Mormon. But how could we leave when he wouldn’t let us. He was
speaking and he was pointing at the sky and counting on his hand the “fruito de
Joseph Smith?” Plus…you can’t be rude!
I was praying for understanding. For a way to leave this
situation. I think I hoped that it would come through the gift of tongues but
no, it came in the form of another man passing by, pointing to the Book of
Mormon in my hands and asking for it around the yelling man. We gave it to him
and somewhere in our brief conversation with him before he slipped it into a
plastic sack of his belongings and left, the other two people disappeared. I
keep thinking about the woman’s shirt though. It said, “If you don’t try, you
never know.” HA!
After that we talked with Irma and she said how Brazilians
love to talk and that we had until 3:00 to meet with her and leave. It was
2:35! At this point we decided to cross the street to the theatre steps where
people were collected. Both Sister Carrillo and I have discussed that as soon
as we crossed the street, there was quiet. It was almost tranquil.
In the next half hour we didn’t just hand out our own books,
but helped our district hand out their books. By 3:00 Sister Carrillo and I had
given out 18 Livro De Mormons! 18!!! It was incredible!!!
While we were handing out the last of our BOMs a man was
bothering Irma Santos, our instructor. He was a homeless, shirtless, possibly
drunk man that we had seen earlier in the day. She was discussing with another
man the BOM when the drunk man stumbled up to her and tried to apparently talk
to her and touch her shoulder. Sister Carrillo and I were back across the
street with the Elders getting some of their BOM’s to help them finish handing
them out. I was watching her though, and was about to run across the street to
help her when the man fell to the ground and looked like he fell asleep. Later,
whenever he would try to come up to us missionaries he would fall on the ground
again. We found out later that Irma Santos had been praying that he wouldn’t be
able to touch her or us. It was crazy and such a blessing. I truly believe God
works in mysterious and sometimes very loud ways. He might (quietly) simply
give you an impression that you should cross the street or He might (loudly)
not let someone potentially dangerous get near you. If that makes sense.
Another funny experience. We were talking to this man and he
seemed super excited about the word of God and he even told us how he loves
God, but when we tried to give him the BOM he kept telling us, “Oh, no, no. I
don’t like religion. This is religion.”
Also, when you give out the BOM you have to call it a
“presente.” So many times we’ll be talking to someone and they’ll seem a little
interested but also not committed. And on occasion they’ll even say, “Oh no, I
have no money. No money.” But as soon as we say, “No, presente para voce!” their
whole demeanor changes. Nothing is free in Brazil, but here we are giving them
something completely free. Something we can promise them will change their
lives! And they love it. People lean in when they hear we’re talking about
Christ and they get truly excited when they realize that we are simply giving
it to them! It’s amazing.
Several times we were talking to people who go, “No
Portuguese. Only English.” And of course, Sister Carrillo and I would surprise
them, “Oh ok! We’re missionaries from The Church of…and we have a message for
you about the gospel of Jesus Christ!....Now this book is in Portuguese, but if
you call this number or got to this site, missionaries can come and bring you
one in your own language and teach you more information about this other
testament of Jesus Christ. For free.”
It was so incredible to see how much it brightened them to
talk about Christ. This is such a God loving culture (except for the one
atheist man we asked to talk to. “I’m an atheist, dear. Obrigado mas Bom Dia.”
–He was super nice about it and so was his partner, haha!:)) You’ll ask, “Do
you know Jesus Christ?” and they’ll say, “Who doesn’t?” And everyone is so easy
to talk to and so accepting. In my other half of my letter there are more
details about hardships, but these were some positive experiences.
After, when we were waiting for our bus, it began to rain
and rain, and then, it hailed the size of
quarters! It was insane. Irma Santos
told us it was pretty rare. The rain was feet deep in some areas! Last week our
district got stuck in a rain storm and because of Easter everything was closed.
By the time we got back to the CTM we were soaked! It was seriously so fun
though. We learned however if you just wait the storm might let up for one
minute. But only one minute because then the clouds would break open again and
you’ll be stuck in worse weather than before! Haha! It was incredibly fun. Well
I gotta go! They’re kicking us out.
Love you! Tchau!
Sister Hemmert
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| Sister Hemmert, Sister Carrillo, Sister Hawkes, Sister Degn |
