Changing and a Brave Lady

Hey everyone!

This last week has been an enormous headache, but the mini-P-Day I'm having made life grand. I'm happy to hear y'all are doing well despite my absence! 

My story for the week comes from a small lady named Josefa Célia, who passed through here to beg for help. Sister Josefa Célia is a very strong individual. In spite of being abandoned at birth, severe malnutrition and the inability to use her legs, Josefa fought to have everything she owned in her life. She lives in Aracaju, and came to Maceió to try to scrape out a new living. She was lost, and had no idea where to turn because she had literally dedicated everything to getting here by bus.

We happened upon her by chance, because normally we don't leave the office rooms to do what we need to here, but we were running through the office building lobby because of some errands. President was able to help her, and we ended up teaching her a missionary lesson that she gobbled up. She told us that the new knowledge of God we had given her would be of immense help to her, and that she wanted to get to know the Church better..."...pois eu sei que não foi coincidência que tô aqui!" (Because I know it's not a coincidence I'm here!")

Sometimes, I wonder how the world would be better if everybody took Josefa's attitude. The whole of Josefa's funds when she came to Maceió ought to have been less than R$50, which is about the equivalent of $25 in USD. Most of that money was dedicated to a one-way trip to Maceió, away from all she'd known so she could find something better. How many people are willing to just...ditch everything so they can find something better? How many of us sit back and decide to be satisfied with what we've got, just because it's easier to stick with it? How many of us sacrifice quality for the sake of convenience, because we decide that while the effort to make our lives better would probably be worth it, it just isn't worth it to US?

I'm grateful for Josefa's inspirational example to us this last week. It's been something to think about as the transfer, which shall be another radical change in my immediate lifestyle, comes to a close here. As I type I'm looking at my clock nervously, so I can know how much time I've got left to do everything I need to make the office better than I left it. But I know that all this is happening because I decided to make a similar sacrifice. I'm no less anxious for it, though! Now that I'm leaving the office, I'm going back to full-time baptism-seeking. It's going to be a blast! I'm excited to send y'all all the new things I'll be learning about being a Christlike example, like I perceive Josefa, who've I've included as a photo below, gave to us: (Please scroll down.)

And now...time's up! As a parting shot, I shall always include my usual bit about writing: DON'T FORGET TO WRIIIITE! I love your correspondences, and I share the things that you write with friends and investigators so they can be strengthened too. I love y'all, and look forward to the day that I will be able to apply what I'm learning on my mission to the lives of those I love. Keeping loving, keep blessing!

-Elder Gubler