Adventures in Babysitting
Hey friends! Welcome back to another absolutely wild week as a secretary. Sometimes people think that the office Elders just sit at a desk all week and do nothing. Maybe in some missions that is true but not for us. I barely sat at my desk this week, in fact I barely had a second to breathe. It was just go go go. Multiple days started at 6:30am, running on straight adrenaline, so many adventures, high emotions, and days ending only when I went to sleep.
Vai Buscá-las
Want to know what happens when you are on your way to the temple and pass out on the subway? You send two Elders sprinting across São Paulo to get you.
Wednesday morning. I woke up to my comp informing me that we had three missed calls from President's Wife, Sister Andrade, at 2:30am. I opened my phone up and sure enough we did, I also saw a missed call at 1:30am from a dupla staying at a house close by. I walked out to talk to the other Elders staying with us and found out that a missionary had to go to the hospital in the middle of the night. Just lovely but at least it got resolved. We went over to the office in sweats and hoodies at 6:45 to help some of the Elders going to the temple and the missionaries going to immigration appointments. Perfect, morning problems solved. We played some basketball and headed back to the house.
I started studying while I waited for the other Elders to shower when I heard a phone call come in. I took out an AirPod to eavesdrop on the conversation, after all the morning adventures there was bound to be more. I heard the voice of the missionaries that had gone to the hospital that morning. I walked in to be part of the conversation and what had happened? They missionary passed out on the way to the temple. That's all I needed to hear. Threw on my proselyting clothes, my tag, and we took off running. 20 minutes later we got to the station where security had helped them out. When I tell you we were running, it was a dead sprint. We evaluated how the missionary was doing and made our way out of the station to get them some food. After some rest, begging them to eat something, and doing some sightseeing, we made our way back to the office. By a miracle there was no black out on the way back.
Everyone survived, everyone made it back safe. A little later I could finally get ready for the day, we grabbed some lunch for the missionaries and get to work in the office. Just kidding. After a nice 1.5 hour all you can eat lunch with President we could get to work. Just kidding. The missionaries that went to immigration got back, normally it would be all good, not our problem but, one dupla was missing. Where are the sisters? Mission policy is that sisters shouldn't go by themselves because it is outside of the mission and you have to cross São Paulo to get there. I knocked on President's door, “President, Sister ______ and Sister ______ were left alone in Lapa.” President put his hands over his face with a three word response, “Go get them.” With that we were off to Lapa which is 40ish minutes outside of the mission. Hit up that quick side quest, ran into an inactive Canadian member on the train, taught a Brazilian in English, picked up the sisters and made our way back. A nice little adventure.
We got back to the office and there were still like 20 missionaries there, a few more problems, and one exhausted Elder Urbano. I sat down in my chair and just took a deep breath. Didn’t work very well, I got up, went and got some water, crashed out, and just let the day end. I was supposed to do a division with my ZL but that did not happen, by the time everything had calmed down it was 8pm.
Other Adventures
A dupla stayed in our area 4 almost 5 days in less than 2 weeks (shout out honorable Belém 3)
Got a call from Sister Andrade in the middle of proselyting and sat down and had a meeting in the middle of the road.
A group of different sisters got lost in the metro (shout out to them)
Babysat a crap ton of Elders
Had English graduation and got to see some friends
Sat shotgun in Presidents car on the way to lunch
Randomly left graduation to go pay for shipping on stuff for a new house
Bought bedding for all the novinhos ($$$)
I started work in the office before 7am 3 times this week. Friday was 7am to 10pm in the office. Long day
Found out that I have been planned as secretary for 4 months
Found out a bunch of random things that my APs know about me… whoops
So many missionaries have seen me in sweats and hoodies this week haha
I have had to work at least doing one thing every P-day
President got an 85 inch TV
In the midst of all this I managed to work in my area twice! One time before it got dark. Don’t worry, we still do online all the time.
Had the best district counsel ever (my APs were there)
The whole office crashed out this week with 7 billion things to do
Our senior couple worked 9am to 8pm on a holiday, bless their hearts
Quotes
“She looks like she plays volleyball for a Rhode Island community college” [Elder Allen, 6/2/2026]
God's Hand
Energy for long days
Good nights of sleep
Being able to safely take care of people and get them where they need to be
Spiritual Thoughts
Love. Yes, I talked about this last week but we are at it again because every week I learn a little bit or a lot more about love. First, some context. It’s transfer, send people home, and novinho week so we are in for another busy week with lots of things to be done and a lot more babysitting. Included in that I have to send off my two best friends in the mission. One home and one to the Guarulhos Mission. Yeah, on Friday night we had a mission wide phone call on who would go to what mission. I will be staying in the São Paulo East mission and nearly all my friends will stay in Guarulhos. Let’s just say last night was a sad sad night in the office.
After the phone call all of us were pretty down, tears were shed, all the emotions were out. Even from people that I didn’t think I would ever see cry. As I was down and struggling though my own emotions a scripture came to mind. Mosiah 18:9.
“Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life”
Even though I don’t have the best relationship with some of them I was prompted to walk over and be the shoulder they needed. At that moment I remembered something my friend told me a few transfers ago. Everyone has their own story. Everyone has their own story that makes them who they are. It’s not my job to judge or put them down. My covenant that I made with my Heavenly Father is to love them. In that moment of sadness and struggle I was overcome with the Spirit as I was there to love unconditionally. As we put away our natural character and take on the character of Christ we will be uplifted and strengthened by the Spirit. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Shout out to everyone that made my week an adventure. I loved it and now we are on to the next week. Thank you for those of you that responded or sent emails. I love each and everyone of you, if you need anything please reach out. I am praying for all of you and hope you see miracles this week! Until next Saturday!
Com amor,
Elder Urbano
