September 26th - New Transfer!

Thanks for all the pictures and the stories! They磛e really cheered me up!! So we had transfers Tuesday and me and Sister Nic醩cio are together, but I磎 in another trio! With Sister Owens. She磗 from Alaska and she磗 the best friend I ever had! I love her! She is always happy and funny and awesome and I need it with my other companion. This week was rough. I know missions have ups and downs, but I磎 pretty sure they磖e not supposed to be like this...but I磎 making it through with Sister Owens. I can磘 even explain it, Sister Nic醩cio is just really hard to live with and teach with...but I磎 praying as hard as I can every day for charity, patience and humility. It all came to a point (again) Saturday night when we got home late because I had to sing at a fireside and Sister Owens played the piano. Long story short, Sister Nic醩cio was REALLY REALLY mad and because she was mad, I was mad. But we got home, she went to bed and I just looked at pictures of Lynlee and Ellee and cried and cried and then went to bed and cried and cried, just wanting my mom! Its funny how when something goes wrong, the first thing we want is our mom. I came close to calling President, just so I could call you and talk to you...but I pushed through. I learned a lesson about the Spirit. I磛e always know how essencial the Spirit is in our work and if we don磘 have it we might as well not leave the house that day, but also, the Spirit drives my desire to work and the more I have the Spirit, the greater desire I have to share the gospel with others. Missions are hard, but I know if I push through I will be a better daughter, mother, sister, aunt, wife and child of God because of it! I磎 doing my best and trying not to complain...I磎 so greatful for a great and amazing family that loves me and prays for me and ward family too! Bispo Marcelo, here, said that he wants to have my records sent to his ward. I don磘 know if its because he likes me or because I磛e been here so long...either way...I love this ward too, but its my second ward family...not my first! ;)
Sorry, I don磘 have much to report this week. The week of transfers is always a little blah because it seems like the week doesn磘 start until Wednesday. But its been good. We磖e still visiting Volmar. He磗 so dang cute I wanna punch him!!! And we have a lot of other people we磖e teaching. We磖e also focusing on the husbands of wives who aren磘 members. I don磘 understand how they磖e not members. I don磘 understand how a husband can take his wife and kids to church every day, drop them off, and go home, without a problem in the world. Eternal families! HELLO! But, that磗 what I磎 here for - to figure out why they haven磘 been baptized and received all the blessings of being a member of the church and help them gain a testimony that its so true and so perfect! Its interesting everyday when we invite people to be baptized and they say yes and then you give them a date and they磖e like, Whoa, whoa...I don磘 know about that. But, eventually, with the Lords elect, they understand and they can磘 wait to get baptized and receive all the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every day I磎 learning more and more about how God works with His children and how he wants me to teach and share the Gospel with the people of Brazil.
Brazil is such a special country. So many people here have had dreams about the gospel and about Jesus Christ and it was their witness that the gospel is true and they want to be baptized. Its not very often that people have vivid dreams about the gospel, but in Brazil it seems very frequent. I love this country. They磖e so pure in heart and simple. Its such a different experience during Testimony Meeting, so many people bare their testimonies and conversion stories and its always so simple and perfect. I always think how much dad would love it because you don磘 have to worry about people speaking blasphemies. :) You can just sit there and listen to the speakers and feel the Spirit so strong. Its great!
I did get to watch General Relief Society Conference in Portugu阺, and yes, my notes are in Portugu阺! Pretty cool, huh? I loved President Uchtdorfs talk, in Portugu阺 it was about the flor : 创N鉶 esquece de mim创 I think its funny how, whenever the Apostles talk to the women they always say, Its okay. Calm down. You磖e doing great. No one is perfect. - Because its so true. I can totally tell the difference between Elders and Sisters. Talking with Elder Spencer at transfers was hilarious. Hearing all the stories of all the things the Elders do and then being a Sister and feeling like a slacker if you sit on a seesaw and take a picture. Haha. So funny.
I CAN碩 WAIT FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOO! I磎 so excited! I learned a cool thing to from a member of the ward. All the talks are pre recorded in Portugu阺 by translators. Except, Elder Richard G. Scott records his own voice in Portugu阺 so when he is speaking this weekend I磍l get to hear his actual voice! Every one in Brazil refers to him as the Brasileiro. (you can look up older conference talks of Richard G. Scott in Portugu阺 and hear his voice if you want) Also, obviously, the Prophet doesn磘 have a talk pre recorded, so there is a man that can translate very fast and he translates the moment the Prophet is speaking. I thought that was pretty cool.
One more thing, a member of my ward here has a friend that needs a place to stay for about 10 days in the US and practice English. Val asked me to ask you if you guys would be able to help. She said it would be in December, but doesn磘 know exactly the dates yet. Let me know if you guys would be willing to do that! Awesome sauce.
It was so good to see pictures of every one at my birthday party. Bridon and Talon are getting SO BIG! CRAZY! Oh! I got my package during transfers! Perfect!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!! You磖e the best family in the world, hands down and not just because of the package, but because you磖e my family!!!!!!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!!!!
Sister Kelsi Kate Johnson