Updates for my Parents

Mom Saying Hi from Brazil

This is Joseph, and I decided since my parents have not updated this lately, I would give everyone an update for them. My mom was very nice to send me about 10 or 12 pictures of some friends in Brazil. I feel very lucky in that my parents have the opportunity to meet with and visit with a family that I taught when I was there almost 10 years ago. Last month, and again tonight actually, they are spending the evening with Paulo and Mariangla Silva. This family was very special and one of the most Golden contacts I ever had on my mission. If you don't want to hear my story, you can skip down to the pictures and just ignore the next part.

I was in an area called Guaiba which is now part of the Porto Alegre South Mission and our mission president sent out a message that President Hinkley instructed the missionaries to visit with less active families for at least 10 hours per week. At first this instruction seemed almost too difficult, since we felt that we needed to be tracking or doing other things with our time. However, my companion and I decided that if the Prophet asked us to visit less active families, then we should do as he asked. So we got a very old ward list from the bishop and started to search for the people we didn't know.

We actually started with a name that was on the opposite side of town and we thought we could work our way back home throughout the day. When we arrived at the house on our ward list we came across a 12 year old boy named Felipe. He informed us that the person we were looking for did not live there and that in fact, they lived on the other side of town. At this we initially became discouraged and were about to leave. Then for some reason, I asked the young boy if he had ever talked with two Americans (I had never asked anyone this my whole mission). He said no, and we began to just make some small talk as we tried to figure out what to do next.

As we were talking with Felipe, the parents walked by and into the house. A moment later Felipe's mom and grandmother came out and inquired as to what we were doing. We informed them that we were looking for someone else and that Felipe had informed us they did not live there. At this point, we were very surprised at their response. They asked us if there were any more names on that list that lived at this address. We then asked them why they asked, and the response was that "she is a member" from the mom pointing to the grandmother, and then the grandmother pointing at the mom and saying "she is a member".

From there we asked if we could come in and visit with them for a while, which they said yes. Come to find out that the mom, Mariangela, had never been baptized and that the grandmother had stopped going to church when Mariangela was 7 years old. From there we got to meet the whole family, Paulo the dad, Mariangela the mom, Felipe 12 years old, and Lucas 8 years old.

I know that this family is very special to Heavenly Father, so much that I was supposed to go to that house that day, and keep talking with Felipe for a few more minutes. I also know that He loves them so much that he sent my Mom and Dad (Bob and Vonnie) to go back into that part of the world to revisit them and bring back the Spirit and love of the Lord to them again.

So thank you for letting me write a few words, and I cant wait for more updates from my parents about their visit tonight. Here are some pictures for you. Thanks.

Bob and Vonnie with Paulo and Mariangela Silva in Guiaba

In front of the Church in Guaiba RS

Joseph Baird (Missionary in Porto Algre North from 1996-1998)