I have been lied to....completely and utterly lied to......

 

I have been lied to....completely and utterly lied to......BRASIL MAKES COLD!!!!!!!! I have been FREEZING! It got cold from one day to the next! And I have been so, so, so, so, soooooo freezing! It got down to about 14 or 15 degrees....celcius here!!!!!!!!

 

...I wanna see how cold that is in Fahrenheit......okay.......... ................ ......................... now I feel like a wimp..... that´s like 57-59 degrees........oh boy..... I´M GONNA DIE IN DECEMBER!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness.....GO BACK TO BYU IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER AFTER LEAVING SUMMER IN BRASIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ......okay......all you who served in Brasil........ ........ you can laugh at me, but after that you have to make me chimarrão e pão de queijo....BEM quentinho!........ yeah.......

 

I bought new shoes! That mostly hide the marks from the sun as well! Woohoo!

This week was a good week. Hard like all the others, but WAY MORE HOPEFUL! We´re taking things into our own hands now bc a lot of the people aren´t super excited to help us (they want to "stay quietly in their little corner in their spare time" as they told us in a meeting this week), and the Lord is blessing us. We had two people at church this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We haven't had anyone at church this whole transfer! It´s been really discouraging in this area as we are lacking a lot of support and we can´t seem to find the people who are READY, but finally with a lot of changes that President is making in the mission, we´re starting to see little differences. It´s really hard, and there´s a LOT MORE REJECTION the way we´re doing things now, but you also have the chance to see who really is interested or not. 

 

A few things I LOVED this week. 

-Ether 12 uses the word "faith" THIRTY-THREE times! If that doesn´t call attention, I don´t know what does! I was talking with Calvin recently and he said that faith is a principle of power, and when our will is the same thing that God wants, and that´s what the investigator wants, NOTHING can stop us! It´s all about choosing to believe and then full speed ahead following the impressions we receive. Alma 37:6 says that it´s through the small and simple things that great things are realized. (I don´t have anything memorized in English anymore-it´s all in Portuguese. Sorry!) 

-My study today was THE BEST!!!!! I read a few chapters in the Book of Mormon this morning, and finished with Alma 26 which is EXACTLY HOW I´M FEELING!

 

v3,5: This is why I love this work! It´s hard, and it´s amazing! Seeing the changes in people´s lives! wow! 

....and I´m out of time.......

v.22 is the RECIPE for success in missionary work here and at home! Let´s go!

v.27-31

v35-37 MY TESTIMONY!!!!!! To you all! In the name of Jesus Christ, amém!

Love you all! Boa semana!

 

And Mom and Dad, thank you for listening so well to the Lord. You are such examples to me! I´ve had a few promptings this week, and the Lord told me THIS MORNING that I needed to get going on things, and then you expressed the same testimony! THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU!

 

 

And yes! There´s no place like home! (and yeah, I was a total creeper taking a picture of the back of someone´s car)

 

Never, Ever, Ever Give Up!

 Yeah!!! This week, everything I learned can be summed up in 4 scripture stories I read this morning:

Job 5:7-11

D&C 95:1

Alma 20:29-30

Mosiah 24:10-16

The adversary wants to kick our behinds, but that can´t stop us. I became rather confused this week wondering if the problems we´ve been having in our area are because of something I´m doing wrong or simply opposition. I´ve become really confused wondering where the promised blessings were gonna come in bc everything we do seems to crumble at the last moment. This has been happening week after week, and I finally kinda hit the end of the rope. I´m tired. 

 

BUT the fight´s not over!!!! I received a priesthood blessing last night (the priesthood power is real!), and Heavenly Father reminded me that the Spirit is ALWAYS by my side (which means this isn´t because I´ve been doing things wrong) and that I just need to remember the JOY that comes in this work!!! He will comfort us! The gospel is true, and we´re on the winning side. I love all these people so much, and I want DESPERATELY that they be on this side as well (so prayers for everyone we had to cut...and everyone else who rejected us without a chance). 

So keep on moving forward. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the same church that Christ established when He was on the Earth. I know that this is the only organization that has the priesthood authority to seal families for all eternity. This is the promise I hold most dearly-to be able to one day live with my Heavenly Father, my Savior and my family one day. Ten months away from my family has helped me realize more than ever, how precious they are. I will NEVER stop working to have this promise fulfilled! 

I love you all and never, ever, ever give up!

 

 

 

A fruit that I ate. I have NO idea what it is. I found it in the fridge when I was transferred. It kinda tastes like kiwi......

 

 

This scripture made me laugh!!!!!!!! It sounds like Armadillo with a southern accent!!!!!!! SO I drew an armadillo that is stuck in my scripture til today! 

 

 

This is a mural thing we made to help motivate a couple to get married so that they can help their daughters come unto Christ and so that they can have a family eternal! I´m actually super proud of this thing bc we have only pass-along cards and Liahonas in our house!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It´s just so beautiful! I feel the Spirit muito in this place!

 

 

 Yes, I´m holding a chicken!!!!! And that´s Giovanna at my side! Love that little girly! She is so sweet and SUPER mature for a 10 year old (but what can you expect with Davi and Arlete raising you! ;D)

 

 

 Yeah....I think I have 4 socks like that now! (some have two holes becuase I switched it around partway through the day when the hole became too much of a prob!) Haha!!

I TAPED EM!!!!!!!! .....but that only lasted one day....I need duct tape.....

 

 

Mayck got baptized!!!! He was one of my investigators in Louveira!!!! It´s super great that they have to come to our chapel to be baptized! I got to see Aline´s baptism yesterday as well! SUPER HAPPY FOR THEM!!!!!! It´s INCREDIBLE the light they have after being baptized! It´s almost TANGIBLE! THE GOSPEL IS TRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEE

EEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!