Hugo's Baptism

We started working with the Esteve Family when I was serving in Coimbra. The parents were both baptized into the church years ago, but had fallen away. We started teaching the mom and the kids all the lessons and the dad would join us occasionally. We taught and marked Hugo for baptism and he was baptized a few months later. We had so much fun teaching this family. It was so much fun to teach Hugo and Luis and play games with them so they could more fully understand the gospel principles. I love baptisms they are such happy days. It is wonderful when a person that you teach and love takes the first step in gaining eternal life. I was so grateful for the opportunity I had to be able to take part in baptism of Hugo.

Some funny things about the baptism are that when we went to fill up the font a member wanted to help us. I told him that it was just fine and it was all under control. However, he insisted that he had to help us so we let him. Well he turned the water temperature super hot. So when it was time for Hugo to enter the font it was too hot to get in. So we had to fill huge bowls full of cold water from the kitchen and throw them into the font. Finally it was cool enough that both people could get in and he was baptized. Also, despite teaching the word of wisdom in detail after the baptism ice tea was served as part of the refreshments. yikes. The first one was out before we knew it so Irma Ray hid the second jug so that people wouldn't be breaking the word of wisdom at a baptism.

I have a lot of fun memories with Hugo and his family. Some of my favorites are when we played nao comas gomas (don't eat pete) and when we played the game of life, mormon edition that Irma Evan and I created. One of my most favorite moments is when we were eating lanche with them Hugo insisted that I drink hot milk (In Portugal the people drink hot milk with nothing else in it, even in the middle of summer, I never adjusted to this one so I would ask just to drink my milk cold) so I told Hugo that I preferred my milk cold and he looked at me like I was crazy. So a few minutes later he tried to take my cup away from me (mind you its like 95 degrees outside with lots of humidity and I was melting) and I said really Hugo I like it this way and his mom said leave Irma Call alone. So a few minutes later he asked me one more time if I was sure that I didn't want hot milk. I assured him that I was great but I thanked him for being kind.