New photoes Wednesday August 22nd

Photos! :D

1. Simone was baptized! She left a life of addictions as she came to know Christ and is a huge inspiration to me.

2. Simone (same name) was baptized as well! :D I had never seen someone sooo excited to be baptized.

 

3. Look! It´s ShikaBear! (dog we had as I was growing up). Oh my goodness this was an amazing moment. Brought back memories. :)

 

4. We find cool things in the museums here... I love Brasil.

5. A full fridge definately deserves a picture!

6. Our recent convert finally had her baby! His name is Pietro and he is soooo beautiful.

Made me just a tiny bit trunky. haha

We recieved special badges because we´re missionaries so we could enter into any part of the hospital as "ministers" hahaha. I know... pretty spiffy.

 

8 & 7 .Annnnd the family that I love sooooo much here in Atibaia. They help us with everything...

Including making us a lunch of pizza! It had been so long since I had eaten pizza... I was in heaven! :D

 

9. The four sisters in our zone during district meeting.

10 and 11.  And then we had a party for all of the AUGUST BIRTHDAYS! wooooo hooooo!

His love is infinite!

I´ve been studying a lot in 3 Nephi this week.

Two scriptures really stood out to me:

Chapter 9 verses 13 and 14

I would write them out, but they are in portuguese and it wouldn´t really make a difference.

It is after the nephites have seperated themselves from one another and they have forgotten their God.

Their cities are destroyed by fires, floods, whirlwinds, earthquakes and all manner of destruction and they are left in darkness.

It says that the earth was so destroyed that those who didn´t fall into the cracks could feel the vapors of the darkness that came from them.  In the darkness they mourned for their loved ones.

Through their cries the Lord speaks to them. He names each one of their cities and explains how they were destroyed and why. And then in verses 13 and 14 he gives them hope. All of you who were saved because you were a little more just than the others, will you not return to me now?? Repent, be converted,  come unto me and I will cure you. You will have eternal life. My mercy is stretched out to you. He who comes I will recieve and you will blessed and cured.

How many times does the Lord give us warnings, chances, opportunities to follow him. To be happy, to choose better the next time. With the nephites over and over and over again he warned them. He sent prophet after prophet. Guidance after guidance. War after war. Destruciton, victory, evertyhing that he could to help and teach them and in the end they still turned away. The prophets testified of the signs that would come and they came. They saw them and finally were converted and believed. But still after time they turned away. Forgot so easily.

God warned them. Repent or there will be destruction, but they didn´t listen. As our father he doesn´t want us to hurt, but he is obligated to fulfill his word.  And as our father he still loves us.  Even after all the chances and warnings he stretched forth his arm of mercy. "Will you not return to me now?" Please, listen.

I am humbled by the patience of our Lord for each one of us. He truely is our Father. And his love is infinite.

Atibaaaaaaiaaaaa!

We are seeing miracles in our area. Truly the Lord´s work is on fire.

I feel so humbled to be used as an instrument in his hands.

 

oh! p-days will be changed to Mondays next transfer... so in about two weeks!

 

I finally tried Açai. It´s a fruit that can be eaten in about a million different ways because it doesn´t have flavor really, but it´s incredibly healthy and fattening. There are cities here in Brasil that live off it. Literally.

But here in Campinas it´s used as type of smoothie/ice cream with other fruit and sweetened condensed milk (which is one of God´s best creations) and granola. I never tried it because it sounds gross to me and I am stubborn. BUT! I finally did and I loooove it! But now I am sad because it doesn´t exist in the states and I will miss it for the majority of my life.

Long distance relationships are hard.

 

Also, i´m learning a lot about people. As missionaries we are here to help people work through their problems by teaching them the gospel and helping them to truely understand Christ´s sacrifice. But as missionaries we are very young usually inexperienced with the problems our investigators have. We need to listen to the spirit and we need to pay attention to them. And because of this I´m learning to see signs and read people. Not in a weird, creepy way but in a spiritual way.

The things we learn on our missions are a lot more than I expected. Or in life in general I´ve decided.

 

I love you all! Have a great week!

new photos

It's one thing to lose your cell phone.....

... it´s another to loose the missions.

 

But first things first!

Thanks for ALL of the birthday wishes! I love you all!

 

Melanie... I miss you too! And you were especially missed at the Sister Lunch at President´s house.

I wasn´t there for Rafael´s baptism, but when I heard I teared up a little bit... I am so happy for that family! :D

 

Laura! Thanks so much! I miiiiissss yooooouuuu! HOw did your test gooooo???

Believe it or not I´ve been stressing about it with you.

 

 So this week I lost our cell phone.

yep. it was interesting experience. This past weekend my head was thinking about more things that I personally believe it had room for. One day i lost the phone and the next i almost lost my water bottle and planner. I was about to just lay on the dirt road and let the dogs climb all over me. hahaha not literally... gross.

But the whole time i just kept thinking.. what am i suppossed to learn from this?

 

Want to know what I learned? This:

 

I... am human. yep.

I can´t do everything perfectly, and thats okay.

That´s why we´re here, to be perfected.

 

So... crazy week! and wonderful at the same time. I absolutely love the mission.

And I absolutely love God, our Father and his son, our Savior.

 

Have a great week everyone!

Para Bens....

Para Béns to... 

Preston for your misson call!!! Woooo hooo! :D

my brother Kent for accomplishing your life award! :D 

annnd Andrew and Tia for your marriage! haha because technically it´s been a while. haha :D

Melanie! Loved the pictures!

When I get home I´m totally doing the Freedom Run! And the Ogden Rodeo! And the temple! hahaha

Let´s just say you´re a great salesman... woman. kaka

My favorite chapter in the book of Mormon is 3 Nephi 11. Always will be.

But I can´t deny that I love the intensity of the wars in Alma.

The Book of Mormon truely is captivating. 

It took me a long time for me to think this way, but I am so grateful I finally do.

Have a great week!