CTM Week 3 - Transferred!

Sister Little had the opportunity to travel to the temple in Campinas this week!

 Eu amo vocês!!!!  Muito, muito, muito!!!

 CRAZY WEEK! The days are going by faster, and the week flew by even quicker that that. Portuguese is coming. My companion and I are singled out all the time for learning really quick. Kind of awkward, but I´ll definitely take it over the alternative.

This week´s crazy event and heart wrenching change was being transferred. Yup. Transferred. Two weeks in the CTM and my companion and I have been transferred. We were in the BEST DISTRICT THAT THE WORLD HAS EVER EVER SEEN. Nine of the most incredible, funny, wonderful people EVER! We all clicked INSTANTLY, and life with them has only gotten better since then. Well, Monday night, we got word that there were 4 elders coming from Provo that were to be in our district........the MAX for a district here is 12. So....Tuesday night, we finally find out that it will be my companion and I that move to the district of the 4 new elders to help them learn Portuguese and other stuff. Wow. Stab to the heart and twist. I was the one that was stressing when we decided to switch around where we sat within our classroom! (Meeeee no likey change...). This has almost been harder that the moving to Brazil thing to begin with! All of my teachers are different, different investigators (and our investigators were doing SOOOOOO WEEEELLL!!!), new people, new schedule...almost staring all over again just without the awesome district we were in. It sounds bleak, but I´m definitely learning a lot from it. (Elder Conover is in my new district-that´s cool, at least!) *Note from Brigette - Elder Conover is a childhood friend from when we lived in Arkansas that was called to the same mission.  Such a small world!

1) Even when I don´t understand, Heavenly Father is ALWAYS right

        -I actually still don´t actually know why it was us that had to switch yet, but I do know that it´s right. We found out when we were moving our things over that it was actually supposed to be another dupla of sisters that transferred, but somewhere down the line, that changed, so we are definitely the ones that are supposed to move, even if I don´t understand why.

2) Sometimes "losing" someone can bring you closer to them

      -Leaving my district and my teachers (all the people who have been my ANGELS coming here) is really just hard, but every time I see them, it´s all big hugs and kisses (or handshakes for our Elders) and conversation definitely means so much more. Everyone here is so amazing!!!

3) How to be a trainer

      -Yup, that´s what we´ve been designated as. We are trainers for the Provo implants. It´s fun and ridiculous, and hard, and crazy. It´s sure funny at times! Haha! Crazy!

There are definitely more things I´ve learned from this and many more I´m sure I will learn over these next 3 and a half weeks, so here we go!!

Stories (or as many as I can get down in the next 5-10 minutes...)

Investigators:

Thaís (she is our interesting story)

    Thaís is characterized by my teacher Irmã Tamiris (If anyone in Brazil has been my angel, it is her. I. LOVE. HER. SO MUCH!!!!!) Thaís wants to be baptized, but she and her "husband" aren´t married (common in Brazil-it´s super expensive to get married, so people just decide they´re married and move on). That and her aunt just died, and her family believes that after life, you just become an angel, forget about your past life, and live as an angel of God for the rest of eternity. She´s been struggling with that. First lesson we planned to just get to know her (Quebrar o gelo), and talk a little bit about eternal families and talk to her again about her desire to be baptized. We only had 20 minutes.. NO HARD CORE DOCTRINE OR REPENTANCE YET. But did she let it be that easy? Ha! NO! We´re talking about being baptized and forever families, and she actually brings up the not married thing, and asks if it´s a problem.

-Well, ya it is, but we´ll work through it with you and get you to baptism. No worries.

-But why is it that I need to be married?

-Well, it´s a commandment of God

-Where does it say what I´m doing is wrong? I don´t understand.

*My companion whips out the 10 commandments in Exodus while I´m looking like a deer in the headlights going "oh man...oh man....oh man......"*

-So am I an adulteress?! And I'm committing adultery?!?!

-Uuhhhhh.....welll......yaaaaaaaa....BUT!!!!!!!

I talk about how she didn´t know before, and we´re here to help her work through it. She has a pure heart, and is doing all of the right things. Ya. Hard core chastity lesson RIGHT OFF THE BAT!!! Try to do THAT in a language you´ve only been speaking for maybe two weeks. Since then, she is keeping commitments, and learning fast. We sang "I Am a Child of God" in our last lesson with her before being transferred (no one knew about the transfers yet), and it was super powerful. She cried super real tears and the Spirit just testified so strongly of the reality of those words. (Mom, will you put them below, please?)

The Gospel is true. It WILL bless you and your family. I k.n.o.w. this. Please, hang on tight to it if you have it, and if you don't, find it. Please. I can´t tell you enough how real the peace and blessings are.

Much love to you all, and make this week the best week EVER for someone else (I can tell you that that´s the best way to have a great week:)

Sister Little <3

1. I am a child of God,
   And he has sent me here,
   Has given me an earthly home
   With parents kind and dear.
2.  I am a child of God,
   And so my needs are great;
   Help me to understand his words
   Before it grows too late.
3. I am a child of God.
   Rich blessings are in store;
   If I but learn to do his will,
   I'll live with him once more.
4. I am a child of God.
   His promises are sure;
   Celestial glory shall be mine
   If I can but endure.
5. Chorus
   Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
   Help me find the way.
   Teach me all that I must do
   To live with him someday.