Bispo, are you kidding me?!

Today we went to Assomada again. I will never tire of this drive.

We had to get there early so Robert could call a counselor to the Elder Quorum President. He was about to do that when the Bishop (Bispo in Portuguese) looks at me and in his broken English invites me to speak in Sacrament meeting - TODAY. Since Friday was the International Day of Women, he wanted me to say something of the importance of women. It is a few minutes before the meeting begins and he thinks I can whip that out -  and in Portuguese no less!!!

Well I went into a room and prayed like crazy. I came up with a short talk but I knew I couldn't do it in Portuguese. Not without internet connection. I need Google translate. So when Robert returned, he promised he would translate for me. So when my time came, I stood with Robert at the podium and I said a line in English and he translated it in Portuguese. I talked of how the man is not without the woman in the sight of God and neither is the woman without the man, as the Apostle Paul stated. We are of equal importance in God's eyes. I read from Moses 5:4,5,12 and 16. I pointed out how many times the word "they" is used. The Lord spoke to both Adam and Eve from the Garden. They prayed. They heard. They worshiped. They sacrificed. They taught their children.They both built up the kingdom of God. I said that as women today we have the same responsibilities. We too can pray and hear. We too can sacrifice in obedience and in service. We too can teach our children. We can teach each other and we can teach all around us. We can build up the kingdom in Cape Verde.
When the Bispo told me how much he appreciated it, I told him if he had given me more time I could have done it in Portuguese. He said, "Okay, we will do that next month." Oops.