brazil

brazil

Monday, May 12, 2014

5/12/14

Hey, so it was soooooo great to talk to you guys. Wow, it felt so familiar, and it was seriously such a blessing that I didn't struggle in speaking English. Way more efficient when you don't have to stop and think. I have to do that sometimes when I'm typing. Mom and Dad, you guys look so great. Oh I forgot to tell you. I sent a Mother's Day card, but it probably won't get there until Father's Day, lol. Oh well. One day, communication won't be so disheveled, lol. 
So, how weird is it that the next time I see your beautiful faces will be at Christmas! I don't know, did I seem different? I hope I wasn't serious or boring, haha. But I also hope that I at least have changed a little bit, for the better of course. I feel like I've changed a lot. Sometimes I think about how I would have acted in certain situations and am embarrassed at my past self, lol. The mission is incredible that way. It really changes who we are at the very core. Well actually I don't think it changes us so much as helps us discover who we truly are in God's eyes. 
So I got transferred back to Ipiranga, but another ward. How awesome is that!? It was sad to leave my comp and my district. We were really a family there. I cried when I left my trainee B at the bus station. I'm really nervous for her because she is going to have a hard companion, and I can already see that she is starting to close up a little bit because she is afraid of getting hurt. Ugh, I don't want her to lose the progress she has made. But she knows I will always be there for her and I know that all transfers are inspired. My new comp is sister L. She is from the AMAZONS. Que chique. She told me this past transfer was really hard because her companion didn't want to work at all, and she told me I'm an answer to her prayers. When I told her she would be happy this transfer, she told me she had a feeling as if she had just received her testimony again. Haha, I really hope I can help her heal a bit. Something that really made me feel great is that she told me my reputation in the mission is that I work really hard. Wow, I honestly had no idea. I haven't had a baptism since December and sometimes wonder if maybe I'm not working hard enough...but I feel like I'm working really hard. Its really easy to doubt yourself. But L told me that when she found out I was her comp, missionaries were calling her and telling her she was going to get to finally work super hard and that I am super diligent. It was really an answer to my prayers to know that God approves of my efforts. It's so easy to feel like you're not doing enough, but I have seen miracles every day of my mission, so I know that Father is not far from me. Another really gratifying experience was after I talked to you guys. Remember Luc, the lady that talked to you. I love her so much, and have become very close with her. I always gave her little challenges to grow and she always did them . There were many times that  I had a heart to heart with her because I could tell she was struggling. Last night I talked to her some more and she told me she has never met a missionary that changed her life so much. She told me she knows that we knew each other before this life and believes God sent me to be an angel in her life. Wow, well moments like those remind me that baptisms are important, but they aren't a measure of our success. God will use us in ways we never expected if we only listen to him. 

I love you and I'm so excited to make this last part of my mission the best part. I am rededicating myself to this work 200 percent.

Love you. and SHARE the gift of the Gospel. We can't be stingy with something so fantastic.