Tying the Knot

This has been the big month for weddings. First, Holden the young man we work with, finally was married. He has been talking about his wedding with great anticipation since we arrived here. Weddings are done a bit differently here. People gather at a notary building that is decorated like this.

The couple sits in those chairs as the notary behind the desk reads the legal agreement of marriage and then they sign the papers. They pick two close friends to sign as witnesses. It is a big honor to be chosen for that. After this 30 or so minute legal session everyone heads for the church or wherever they choose to hold a reception. On the way there, the caravan of cars belonging to the wedding party honk their horns to let everyone know that something wonderful has just happened. Here they are arriving at the church and then at the reception.

But it was not over for them there. The two flew to Brazil two days later to be sealed for time and eternity in the Recife, Brazil Temple. Four other couples that we taught in our temple preparation class went with them. A few more will be going next week. We are so happy for each of them.

We also had the honor of being involved in another wedding. A couple of months ago the missionaries introduced us to a young couple that were planning to be married. Well whenever the subject of marriage comes up the missionaries call us in. They figure with 36 years of experience in the institution of marriage we ought to have some advice. We visited with this couple. He is a returned missionary but has not been involved with the church for many years. She is not a member of our church. But the closer they got to a wedding the more they both reflected on religion. Anyway we have kept up with them over the last while as she has investigated the church and as he has been trying to get his footing back in the church. Then to our surprise they asked us to speak at their wedding. Now Robert who has been a marriage sealer in the Temple in Houston had no worries about the invitation. He used to do this thing all the time. But I had worries! and mostly because I had to say what I wanted to say in Portuguese. Well the big event come last Saturday. They gathered at the notary and we watched the legal ceremony. Then we came back to the church. But instead of going directly into the reception they choose to have a small religious service in the chapel. They walked down the aisle to the tune of a song sung by the children in Primary. It is entitled, "Love is spoke Here". It talks of the joy that can be had in a family when Christ is the focus. Then they took their seats at the front of the chapel. The Bishop said a few words and then it was my turn. I knew I couldn't speak long as my Portuguese vocabulary is nothing to brag about so basically I said.... Marriage is a covenant between three individuals. The husband, the wife and the Lord. It forms a triangle. The husband on one side, the wife on the other and the Lord at the top. At the bottom, the husband and wife look far apart, but as they draw closer to the Lord (or move up the sides of the triangle) they draw closer to each other. I told them that was the secret to a wonderful marriage. I then bore my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that the church and scriptures can help us grow closer to Him and thus strengthen our marriage. And I did it in Portuguese. It was about a dozen sentences and it felt like it took forever. Afterwards I asked if they really understood me. They said they both did and my pronunciation was great. Then the most amazing thing happened. In broken English the groom said, "Sister Mathews, I love you." Wow. By the way Robert did an amazing job too. He spoke of how if you want something to last, you treat it differently. He gave the analogy used by Bishop Howard about his wife and how she treated their wedding silver so carefully. At first he thought she was a bit too careful until he saw how long is lasted and how perfectly kept it was after so many years.
Here they are arriving at the notary and after the legal ceremony.

Then to top it off, the very next day, she was baptized. They wanted to begin their married life united in the same faith. They hope to be able to make a trip to the Temple next year. This is them just after she was baptized.