The week that will never end

This week was soooo longgggg... oh my gosh! But long and slow, and I´m still alive, and it still passed... so woohoo!

Quick version of the week here: (cause limited time)

Started last p-day with seeing an awful car accident, and I won´t give details cause it´s... yeah it was bad! Had Family Night with a member and her family.  Her brother is a progressing pesquisador.

Tuesday was tough because Sister Vilar found out she can´t continue in the mission and that she would be leaving with the group of missionaries finishing their missions. I found out that a sister (Sister Rodriguez) would likely be coming to work with me for 3 days. That was tough news... not important why hahaaaa.......

Later found out she wouldn't be coming. Sister Foster came here instead and she was so cute and fun! She was finishing her mission but wants to stay, which helped me too. We worked until we couldn't work any more and it was so fun! The work is where it's at people.

I went to bed feeling like my body wouldn't be able to do another day, but BOOM! MAGIC! My body was totally ready the next day. Power of prayer people... it's real! I'm serious. Lots of little miracles this week. Now I am with the Sister leader trainers. I think that's right haha! Some things are easier in Portuguese now.  Anyway, I'm with them because Sister Vilar left yesterday, and my new comp. will arrive tomorrow.

Transfers came, and I will stay aqui in Hortolândia Interlagos! Sião! We have 1.5 baptismal dates. I say ".5" because he will say yes this week... I know it:) My new comp will be Sister Maydana..? She's from Argentina. SO yeah that´s my week!

I ate lots of food, and walked a lot, and it´s flipping hooot! hot! hot! I also want to say how grateful I am for my Savior. This week when I found out about some changes being made I felt so stuck and so alone, and so overwhelmed.  I literally prayed crying to the Lord to take the pain away, and let me tell you,  I had to figure out how to push the pain away by:
1. studying the scriptures to find peace
2. teaching our cute family investigating the church The Plan of Salvation and needing to teach that we have difficulties for a reason.. and watching them light up when they found out they won´t forget each other after this life... and
3. Praying for literally hours every day. The Lord didn't take the pain he helped me grow from it. I love Him.

My "blue popsicle" this week is seeing Indians performing in Campinas (we were there again for the doctor), and it was some of the coolest and happiest music I have ever heard.  I loved it so much!

Sorry no photos again.. sad.. the computers can´t process my "high tech" point and shoot. haha. I will try and figure it out this week! Love you all and I promise I look the same if you´re wondering:)

Last week of transfer 1.. here I come!

Good week, but got some sucky news.. Sister Lundgreen vai embora.. (she´s leaving).  Actually she left today at noon.  She´s had a lot going on especially with her health and had to hit the road. She was definitely my buddy here so it´ll be an adjustment... Keep her in your prayers!

We had interviews with President this week and he literally is so awesome! He is a saint. He always knows what to say to help me feel better. We had the interviews during district meeting and then afterwards we had lunch as a zone! It was fun, but I was kind of in a rut having just learned about Sister Lundgreen. It´s okay though.  I honestly can´t imagine leaving at this point. Too much happening and too much I still need to learn... Yeah, that´s life.

This week we had a multi division thing with members in the stake.  It was so fun! Me and a sister that arrived with me in the field, Sister Rojo from Argentina, and a little 12 year old were together so it was so fun. Evelyn is her name:) We found a girl who only has 17 years, a baby and is pregnant! CRAZY HUH! She seemed interested... and for sure is someone who needs some light in her life. Sister Rojo will have to keep me updated on that (not my area).

We have a new Pesquisador (investigator). His name is Tadeu.. HE'S AMAZING!!! First thing he said to us after finding out we are missionaries was, "Well I have some questions for you cause I don´t believe in anything... I don´t believe in God because bad things happen."  YO!!!!! So he´s the brother of a young woman in our ward named Debora. She´s great!  Anyway, yeah we've been teaching him and he´s learning so fast. He is so open and wants desperately to learn and to change his life. He ends every lesson with "Eu acredito" (I believe). 

My companion is thinking she might have to leave. Her knee is so bad. We haven´t been able to work and we've had commitments fall through, and it´s been tough for us.  Keep her in your prayers as well!!

Now I have a new thing I wanna do every week (thanks to my Grandma Honey <3) I'm going to call it my "blue popsicle."  Grandma told me a story about a missionary who got a blue popsicle from the primary president on a hot day, and it was a tender mercy that changed his mission. So... my blue popsicle this week... talking to Sister Manning, another American sister that arrived with me, all about our struggles, and laughing and letting each other know we´re always here for each other. It was 10 minutes that changed my week for the better. 

I hope all of you can find blue popsicle moments through out your week:) Looking for the Lord´s hand changes everything. 

Pictures won´t load this week. All the pictures I have from this past week are only on my camera not on the computer. So I´ll try to figure that out for next week!

Love you all and thanks for the prayers!

Sister Walstad

I asked God to help me grow... It started raining. LITERALLY

This week was much better everyone. HI! Yes, I am alive! So we have been walking to physical therapy for my comp... every... day... 40 minutes one way. HA! So an hour and 20 minutes of walking... but it´s good exercise for all the rice and beans and cake. Anyway, one day it started raining sooo hard... and we had a 40 minute walk ahead. So yes... We walked. And walked. And walked. Picture at the end if y'all wanna seen how it turned out! Rain storms in Brazil... wow!

This week was not super eventful, but quality... does that make sense? Anyway, here´s the rundown on pesquisadores (investigators):

 We have Wilson who is on date, and he´ll hopefully be baptized next week! But time will tell. We also have Elias, the husband of a member here. He was very closed off to learning about the gospel after being introduced to the restoration, but has recently opened up a little bit, so we´re gonna start working with him hopefully a lot this week! 

We have 2 families, Ocila and João, and Giselda and Paulo. Both not married legally, but both families with GREAT potential, so we will also be working with them:) Last we have Gislaine, who when she heard about the First Vision, told Sister Vilar and her comp at the time never to go back to her house, but felt bad about it and invited them back the next day. She was at church on Sunday and we are meeting with her tomorrow! Lots of love for these people... one of the reasons I'm sticking around :)

We had a holiday here on Friday, and Noite Integração, which is like a ward gathering to talk and stuff. It was on the Word of Wisdom, and they danced as an activity to end it! UGH!! I couldn't participate... nearly died... nearly...

I ate SARDINES this week. Yes...the fish. I am totally eating like a normal person here. I eat onions and tomatoes and fish and beans and all kinds of stuff. Sometimes I don´t even know what it is:)

I hope you are all doing great! I felt the power of your love and prayers this week... so thank you so much.

Nova Iorque de Hortolândia

  RAIN RAIN RAIN

My Area! 

Gislaine

MULTIZONAAA

So not an eventful week. I got super sick and had to take a day to rest, heal, and drink some gross tea. My body is just adjusting to my new surroundings! My companion had a Doctors appointment in Campinas, so we've done some traveling this week! 

And we had Multi-zone conference! LOVED IT!! Crazy story -  Elder Sorenson from my Provo District got his visa and didn't tell us over here in Brazil because he wanted to surprise us.  So I got to the church on Tuesday not knowing he was even in the country and BOOM there he was standing behind me with his hand out like casual "hey Sister Walstad." AHHH!  Literally like seeing a brother! Our district there was a family, so it was a good thing, and a tender mercy of the week for sure! All of the sisters here love him because he´s tall (haha). It´s funny! 

Elder Sorenson

(Another) "Crazy story"... another elder from my Provo district bailed from the mission!! His comp woke up one day to him making breakfast totally ready for the day.  Someone knocked on the door at 6:35, and it was his brother! He said, "bye elder," and then left... Nobody knows where he is, except his brother. CRAZY HUH! 

So, I wanna talk a little about my area! We have a huge area... 22 different groups of neighborhoods, lots of people to find and teach. It´s hilly and flat. It just depends on the area.  And it´s starting to get very hot! Today it rained and it´s cooler, but the past couple of days... man... so hot! There are always beautiful sunsets, and there´s so... many... churches... and barber shops, and açai shops. And like a pharmacy around every corner... and lots of little clothing stores. It´s cute! 

The buses here remind me of Harry Potter (haha). They go SO fast and stop for like .3 seconds before going again, doors still open, people walking around on the bus. It´s a party. I pray for my survival every time I step onto one! Still alive... God answers prayers people... God answers prayers. 

This week I´ll take more pictures of my surroundings! It´s different than the U.S in every aspect. But I am learning how blessed we are there... People are so humble and loving here, even with nothing. They have the biggest hearts!

The work is my happy place, I feel more joy helping people than in any other thing. I hope you can all take time this week to help or serve someone in need.  It brings more happiness than anything else. That and reading in the Book of Mormon.

MUCH LOVE<3

Thank you for the prayers!

(Sister Lundgreen, sis of the mission, and life saver.  We had a sleep over this week and it was a blast!)

Had burger King in Campinas (Campinas looks like japan a little)