Valdir...a must read experience!

[thecorduroykid]

This experience was related at an assembly:

Valdir was born in Portugal. When he was younger his family moved

to Brazil. He was 12 years old, when his father died, and a year later

his mother remarried. Valdir did not accept that someone would take

the place of his father. Conflicts arose between Valdir, his

stepfather, and his mother. After a discussion that irritated the

nerves, he decided to leave home. A short time later, the rest of the

family decided to return to Portugal. Valdir was only 13 years old

when he separated from the family.

He decided to become a priest. He began his studies in a seminary

and graduated in theology and became a priest. Due to his position,

they sent him to the Vatican in Rome to work and to continue his

studies there. During that time he was sent to 80

different countries

and learned to read and write 6 different languages. He worked with

Paul IV and John Paul II. Also, he took their classes, and knew them

in private. He also had lots of contact with the Pope at present,

Benedict XVI. He was highly respected in the church and was sent to

different countries to investigate and solve problems within the

church.

He has also composed religious music. At least two of these

compositions are well known all over the world and famous Brazilian

priests sing these. At least 2 million copies have been sold.

In the mid-90’s, he was sent to Sao Paulo in Brazil. A short time

later he was going to be consecrated (named as bishop). But in that

time he started to feel disappointed by the abuse of power and the

partiality that existed within the church; for that reason he decided

to demit his position. A year later, he received a message

from the

Vatican where he was informed that he should become bishop so that he

could advance to later become archbishop and cardinal. But, he

rejected it again. He was also informed that a priest with such a high

education as his could not stay in a large city without having to take

on more responsibility. He had to move to a smaller city. He chose a

city that was in a very Catholic region close to the city of Tatui. He

had the desire to do social work. (This area belongs to the West Tatui

congregation.)

In the 80’s Valdir was sent by the church for a year to the United

States. His mission was to study the more influential churches in that

country. It was then that for the first time he received information

about the Witnesses. Even though the truths he learned did not please

him, he was convinced that only the Jehovah’s Witnesses fulfilled the

mandate of preaching the gospel publicly and

from house to house, even

though people made fun of, repudiated, and rejected them ferociously.

After some time, he received a visit from a brother that was

preaching from house to house. The brother left him a pair of

magazines. After having read them, Valdir used them as material for

his next sermon and cited the source material. Some of those present

reacted negatively, and the church’s headquarters in Sao Paulo was

informed. Valdir received a reprimand but was not intimidated, and

continued to have the brothers visit him. He also continued to read

and use the magazines in his sermons.

A pioneer brother that had gone to MTS started to study with

Valdir. Even though he experienced a lot of opposition (verbal, and

psychological, and was attacked several times) he continued to study.

Valdir solicited a discharge in the church and started to frequent

the

meetings. His prior friends came to be his enemies and they tried

to cause him damage. To hinder his search for a job, they started to

lie about him. They even tried to convince a person in the

congregation to accuse him of committing a crime. This person negated,

and told Valdir what they were doing.

As an unbaptized publisher, he had an average of 70 hours monthly

in the field service. In July of 2005 he expressed is desire to be

baptized, but he was advised to wait some time. In January of 2006 he

was approved for baptism at the assembly that would be held in

February in the Tel assembly locale. When he was approved for baptism

(a month before the baptism) he felt that he needed to reconcile with

his family, for which he had not seen in 31 years. He thought that a

true Christian had to preach the truth to his family.

During all the years he had contact with the consulate to

renew his

permit of residency in Brazil, there was always a greeting from his

family and a telephone number so he could get in contact with them,

but Valdir never called them. Now he wanted to call his mother. But

when he heard her voice, he failed to speak and just cried and had to

hang up. After a few minutes he called her again.

This next dialogue is what happened next:

Mother: How are you, my son?

Valdir: Thanks to Jehovah, I’m doing good now.

Mother: What name have you used? You speak of Jehovah?

Valdir: Yes. I am no longer priest in the Catholic church. I am a

Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I have a lot to tell you.

Mother: My son. All of the family, including me, your stepfather, and

your siblings are Jehovah’s Witnesses for years now. It is because of

that that we tried to reestablish contact with you.

For a few minutes, they couldn’t speak, just cry. Valdir was

informed

that one of his brothers serves as an elder. His stepfather,

his mother, and one of his brothers is baptized. He still hasn’t

decided if he will stay in Brazil, or move back to Portugal.

This experience was related by Georg and Mona Green, missionaries in

Tel, Brazil. They are in the same congregation as Valdir.

--

a•ga'pe,phi·le′o,stor·ge′ღ

michele, mum, gigi ♥

"and blessed be your sensibleness"

1 samuel 25:33...ruth 2:12

we live, we learn, we move on and we strive to be grateful...

[Brother_Bliss]

I remember reading this one before.

I do like the sound of this one, and if it is true and not just an urban legend, then it really is an amazing experience.

Sometimes I wonder about statements like 1) being sent to 80 different countries by the Catholic Church, 2) recording music and selling millions of copies and all the priest sing his songs, and 3) putting in 70 hours per month as an unbaptised publisher but being told to wait another 6 months before being baptised.

Often times the stories start out as true, and then get embellished as they circulate. However, yours and the one Teresa posted 7 months ago seemed to match up word for word.

[Linda]

This is a wonderful story.