November 7, 2011

Helllooo everyone!

 

I realize that a new baby was born but you can still send a quick email! Haha. Just kidding. I got the picture that Jenna sent me of baby Hayven. He looks like Bowen...I think. So cute. I can´t believe I have a nephew!!! Woo hoo! I´m so glad that Lynlee still remembers and loves me ... it makes an aunt happy. I also got a letter from Tommy and his family. It is so good to hear about them. I KNOW Bridon and Talon are GROWING...grandma sent me a picture back in September and it was ridiculous! It´ll be crazy when I get back. Its funny to hear about the cold there...what is cold? Haha. These past few days haven´t been too bad it was pretty cool and windy but I know the heat is coming. Its gonna be weird to have a hot Christmas - but hey, whatcha gonna do!

 This week was SUPER SLOW and we were super discouraged, just walking all day, knocking doors, no one wanting to talk to us...NO ONE! But, we fasted Saturday to Sunday and I know this week we´re going to meet the Lord´s elect! I KNOW IT! The Lord sees our efforts even when they bring no fruits. I love Sundays on a mission, they are the best thing ever. Especially when you´re fasting. Taking the Sacrament is really like being re-baptized. I also bore my testimony in my new ´Home Ward´. They´re all so excited I stayed again and me too! And with Sister Owens! Its the best thing EVER!!! We have so much fun preaching the gospel together!

 We´re teaching a few great people. We still have the elect family of Adriana and her son Igor (15) and daughter Dayane (8). We stopped by the other day and Adriana wasn´t there and we were just going to leave and come back another day, but Igor said, ´You guys don´t want to come in and pray?`  SO CUTE. So, obviously, we went in and taught him and Dayane about when Jesus visited the Americas and blessed the children. We´re also teaching the husband of a member and he´s preparing to be baptized. It is going to be really hard for him because he smokes, drinks a lot and never really learned anything about religion so we´re taking it really slow with him. But him and his family are so special, I´ve never felt so much love that I wanted something so much for someone as I do this family.

 Sister Owens and I also had a very special day with Carol...she was a 14 year old girl that got baptized two transfers ago. She did visits with us for a whole day and we learned so much about her. She bore her testimony in one lesson about how terrible her life was before the gospel. And it really was terrible. Her cousin that she lives with is horrible to her and Carol said she didn´t want to live anymore, that her life didn´t have purpose...and then she said we knocked on her door and taught her about the gospel and she started going to church and she was happy and she had friends and a new mom and it changed everything. Well, the end of that lesson EVERYONE was crying...including the investigator. It made me realized even more why I´m here and what a sacred work I am involved in. I wouldn´t trade it for ANYTHING...even the hard times.

 So, I got my Christmas package!!!! Thank you so so so so so much! We put up all of our decorations and I didn´t open a single present and I won´t until Christmas day! Are you guys setting up Skype so I can talk to you? I hope so! I´m so excited for Christmas in BRAZIL!!! Woo hoo! Thank you for my cards, the pictures (that are now always with me in my Português Livro de Mórmon), the presents, candy, PEANUT BUTTER, love and everything that you sent! A package means so much to a missionary! I LOVE YOU GUYS!