Talk about a montanha-russa...(roller coaster)

There really is not much to say about this week but I'll share a couple of experiences to keep y'all caught up on the good old life of a little lost missionary here in Brazil:)

This week we had a leadership conference and I did a training with my companion about working with members! I learned so much about how important missionary work is for all of us! So I want to challenge you all to remember that EVERY MEMBER IS A MISSIONARY!!! We are all Christ's disciples. Also after the training, President kept calling on me and made a joke that he's going to call me as an Assistant because he's been thinking about having 2 sisters as well (haha).

We started a competition this week with our district for who can do the most contacts and it's been really fun! It's a great motivator, especially being the leaders that are going to have to be the ones who end up buying the prize (ha).  But on Thursday as we were finishing up our day, we had to get a few more contacts in. So we turned down the street of the church (definitely guided by the spirit) and found a bunch of young guys at the church building! We found out that every Thursday they have a soccer night there and they always have tons of non-members! So we created ANOTHER competition with the youth of the ward to bring friends there, and they'll win chocolate. We're excited to see how that goes this week:) 

My next experience is not as fun... but a good learning experience. On Saturday we hadn't found very many new people and we were anxious to find some (like always in this area) so we knocked once again on DOZENS of doors and I have never heard "no" so many times in my whole life in a matter of 2 hours. I've probably said that before but this time I'm serious. That morning I had studied Ether 12, which was also my "love note" this week. In verse 26 Moroni says that the fools will mock, but they won't have the power to take advantage of our weaknesses. So despite the huge lump in my throat and the embarrassment I felt, I won't give up because Christ wouldn't. My weaknesses will be made strong in Him. (Ether 12:27)

That's about it from this week:) Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed week...

Blue Popsicle: Churrasco (basically a fancy bbq) with some members for lunch. I love food:)

Travel night to Piracicaba

Visited my best friends!!!

Said "tchau tchau" to Elder Mansel

They "turned me into Barbie"

Game night with some cute members:)

1st of 6

So this week was normal.. there aren't many things to say very out of the ordinary, but my new comp is great! She's a firecracker for sure! We're gonna have lots of fun this transfer:)

This week we taught some really great people and we were able to see a lot of progress in a few of them. We are hoping the next 5 weeks are full of success and miracles:) I'll keep y'all updated on everything!

Blue popsicle: 

Love note": during the whole week we were able to invite tons of people to church and had many who said they'd go (if you served a mission you know how it is) and on Sunday nobody showed up... SO... I said a prayer about a half hour after sacrament started and I asked God to let me know if we had done our part that week and prayed that He would send just ONE person to show me if we had. Right when I said amen and looked over to the entrance, ONE pesquisador walked into the church.  I know God heard my prayer and prepared an answer before I even asked for one. I love Him. 

Sister Dionisio (hard goodbye)

This is tapioca. I wish you could all try it.... oh and my new comp!

This is what a pesquisadora gave me to treat me cold hahahaha

Chocolate covered strawberries!!!

A year down.... e aí

I survived another week here in Brazil! This week was cool… literally freezing cold... and I have an entire year here in the mission! I also “killed off” my comp (not literally it's mission slang :) I can't believe her mission's over!

My new companion is going to be Sister Cavalcanti (pretty sure that's how you spell it) and she's from the North of Brazil! It'll be a whole new adventure this transfer! I'm excited.  Change is hard, but it's a good way to learn right?

This week we followed up with our pesquisadores that have baptismal dates, and knocked on dozens and dozens and dozens of doors trying to find some new people to teach. That is the only way to find new people in this area. Some areas you'll find people on the street or get referrals from members, but here we have to knock doors. It's a good time. We never know what's going to happen:) We made some friends that are Jehovah’s Witnesses/English teachers! So that was cool!

I am learning so much out here.  It has NOT been (at all) “the best year of my life”... but I would NEVER give up the experiences I have had that have helped me learn and grow. I wouldn't even want to know who I’d be without serving a mission. I have never cried, laughed, asked why, loved, grown, prayed or pleaded so much in my life. My life has been the roller coaster of all roller coasters this year and I'm ready to see what the “last lap” has to offer. 

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I love you all<3

Blue Popsicle: A pesquisadora gave us cool custom metal mugs. I don't have a pic but I’ll send one some day. SO cute!

"Love note": 2 Nephi 9:41 (I don’t know if I’ve already shared this scripture but this week it once again had an impact on me) 

"Que ninguém desista"  (Don’t give up!)

1 YEAR!! PARABENS

Brazil!!!

A solid 45 degrees had us feeling FROZEN

Her last Domingo:(

Celebrating Sister Dionisio's B-day <3

Locked out of our house.. I thought I'd fit through the top...nope...

Found the most american thing I could to celebrate the 4th!

"6 weeks, 6 months and 6 days left of the mish"

My dear friend Sister Tribe. She's growing up so fast :´)

"RIP"

This week was the 52nd week of my mission and I hit a year on Friday. Who can believe it?! Feels like literally 1000 years ago but also like yesterday. I'm sure y'all know what I mean! 

So this week I just want to share a little bit from a training that I was able to give this week with a few other missionaries about personal study. First off, personal study is not just something us missionaries should be doing.  We ALL should seek to understand God's will, and His plan for each of us individually. I just want to challenge you all to put God first in your lives, praying and searching diligently in the scriptures to strengthen your spirits and to face the doubt and threats that this life throws our way. We tend to forget Him when things are happy and easy, and when they get hard we either (FINALLY) turn to Him in hope, or we blame Him - turning to Him in anger.  If we are constantly studying and praying, we will be blessed just like the prophets of old. (Mosiah 1:7)  And we will have received answers before we even had the question. God is good that way:) He prepares us for the hard stuff. So that's my invitation to you all this week… That we can all focus and rely completely on Him. 

Blue Popsicle: At lunch on Sunday they made Japanese style rice... MIRACLE

"Love note": I got the May 2019 Liahona that has all the General Conference talks... best thing ever to be able to read the words of modern day prophets<3

Don't worry... we ran before the train could hit us;)

My comp "died"....meaning she finished her mission (thus, the RIP:))!

Took a trip to Piracicaba

Lunch at Habib's.. I wish I could bring this place home with me...

Division with these cute sisters 

A picture of Brazil