10/14/13

Hello hello hello! Isn't facebook great? I got to tell you to tell you the big news before email time haha. Sneaky right? Anyway, yeah, so Im going to Brazil!! Here's the story. It was just a normal old day , when sis H walks over to me with the phone and said it was President Francis for me. I knew what that meant, but I was somewhat in denial. So, then he told me I had my visa and would leave the 21st (which is such a blessing because Mike's baptism is the 20th!). Well, I was silent....for a long time, and President probably thought I had died, but I just couldn't talk. I was crying and all the sisters were watching me and well.....I'm really sad to leave. I've got to be honest, I'm sooooo grateful for all of your prayers for my visa, but this transfer has just been amazing and i haven't even thought about my visa since it started. I always knew that God would wait until I was completely immersed in the work and vulnerable to tear me away haha. That silly bugger. I have been working so hard and accomplishing so much, and because of that, I knew it was coming soon. I knew it, but I really wanted another transfer here. How can I explain other than just one word: Love. I have loved and learned from so may people here in ways I cannot describe. I am sooo excited for Brazil, of course....well, I know I will be, but it is very bittersweet. I know without a doubt this didn't happen by chance. I know without a doubt I was meant to be here for reasons that are honestly too sacred to explain via email, but believe me when I say that God is so perfect in the way He directs our lives. We just need to trust Him. Trust Him! and you'll never regret it. Trust him, and He won't let you down.

I thank God for the opportunity I had to serve here. I can't believe how much I have learned in such a short period of time. Wow, it truly changed my life to serve here, so I'm trying to not think about leaving. But at the same time, of course I know that this is an answer to so many prayers and I feel so blessed to receive my visa with sooo many people waiting to go. In many ways, I am speechless. I don't really know how express in words how it feels to have so much emotion that is happy and sad at the same time, but I'm just working as hard as I can so that it doesn't sit in the front of my mind. Wow, Brazil. It's still sinking in. Holy cow, you guys, I don't speak Portuguese! Ahhh, but I know the Lord has me cradled in His loving hands. He'll qualify me for whatever work needs to be done. I am nothing more than a tool for Him right now,  and I'm going to need all the help I can get. I want to share His love with everyone. That is my ultimate goal in my mission. God's timing is something we will never fully understand, so we cannot get discouraged by stats or numbers. However, love is something we can feel and know and understand in our souls, so that is how I measure my success. I can truly see in people's eyes when it really clicks and they start to believe and feel how much God loves them. If people understood only this, if everyone really truly knew it, then we could change the world, baptisms or not. Share a smile. Tell people how wonderful they are, because we are all our worst critics. Isn't it amazing how many compliments are never actually heard by the person they are directed at? Why do we save all of our praise for people when they aren't in the room? Tell them, because they aren't telling themselves. I feel it is such a privilege to tell people they have worth, and through the power of the Spirit, they are able to feel the truth of my promise. We all have worth. Let's remind one another. I might be able to do emails again on Saturday. Not sure. I also might be able to call from the airport. Not sure again. I don't know my itinerary right now at all.

Okay, I'm headed to Brazil soon. AHHHH crazy! Love you all and feeling so blessed. Remember God loves you! He does. I know it. I feel it. You are all masterpieces in His eyes, regardless of where you are in life.

sis Huntington