10/19/2009 Letter from Elder Shelhamer

This week was an exciting week here in Cape Verde. This Saturday, I had my first baptisms with people that I taught. It was a wonderful day! It is such a great experience to meet a person, have the privilege to teach them about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and watch them change their lives and live and follow the example of our Savior. It was a wonderful opportunity to witness them make a covenant and promise with the Lord by being Baptized. It was great. One of the three people that were baptized chose me to baptize them too! So I was able to perform this ordinance. It was a beautiful day, and many friends and family members present to witness and feel the wonderful spirit of the Baptism.
The same day, we had a big gathering at the church. We gave people invitations to give to their family and friends, and they all came for the afternoon and evening for this activity. The activity was kind of like an Open House. Each auxiliary or group in the church, made a presentation of what that group does and how they function. We had something in most of the rooms of the chapel. In the main room, the Sacrament Meeting room, we had the singing of hymns. Outside by the soccer field, we had a few of the Women serving a Cape Verdean dish that they prepared in a barrel with fire right there at the church. It was great. The way we ran this activity was like a rotation. Every 5 to 10 minutes we would have a rotation where people would go to the next room and learn more about the programs of the church. It was a great activity and people really enjoyed it.
Here in Cape Verde we walk SO MUCH. We live at the bottom of a hill, and the Chapel is at the top of the hill, along with other people we visit. We walk SO much, and sometimes we are so tired we have to just walk really slow. The roads here in Cape Verde all mostly all Cobblestone or dirt. It is pretty cool.
I have developed a greater understanding and testimony of the scripture that states ´Every soul is of great worth in the sight of God.´ I see so many different types and lifestyles of people here, and I can tell you that I have no doubt, and have a great knowledge that every soul indeed has great worth in the sight of God.
I have been working a little bit, like 2-3 days a week for a few hours in an area called Patim which is about 30 minutes outside of our main area. We have worked hard there, and talked with our Mission President, and our Mission President has decided to send missionaries there this next transfer and open the area for full time missionary work. What a great blessing.
Everything is going well here. Life is good. My companion, Elder Nóbrega goes home this next week to Portugal, and so I am excited to see who my next companion is!