Letter #2, June 11, 2013

Oi mihna familia e amigos! Tudo Bem!

Hello Everyone! Thank you for the emails! I try to respond to them fast because time is so limited! I will try...and write this letter...We have time to do that while waiting for our laundry to wash.

WOW! Time flies here! I can't believe how fast a week goes by. I thought I just got here?? Sunday to Sunday is very fast. I am still loving it! There were a few hard moments but over all, things are good. I am fighting a nasty little cold that is living in our district but I think I am almost better. : )

Portuguese is coming along still. I can't believe how fast it happens. It is getting harder, but I plan to work harder too. I have the most AMAZING teachers. They are so inspired and loving. They really want us to succeed and just care so much. I love class. Their names are Irmao Nothum and Irmao Buttars. I don't know if you remember me telling you about our investigator, Agostino? But Agostino ended up being Irmao Buttars. It has made a huge impact on our learning. He has known us since we arrived here and were both struggling the most. He is very compassionate and I know he wants us to succeed.

I took the time to talk to my companion last night and we had a mini melt down after a lesson. We were frustrated that we could not express ourselves and teach him what we wanted to, because we didn't have all the vocabulary. However, he talked to us and reminded us that it was okay; that we are farther along than 3 years of Spanish! I am feeling better about that.

I love the spirit that we feel in class. I am learning more and more about my purpose as a missionary. I thought I had a pretty good idea, but there is soooo much to learn. It is all about love; loving as the Savior loves. This is something that I want to be able to do.

Sundays are still my favorite days, even though they are very busy days. Sundays are truly the days set apart to be uplifted and inspired. We had a very neat devotional that we watched from David A. Bednar. It was called the Character of Christ. It was really neat. I wish I had words to describe it. Even in the devotional he said not to take notes, but to remember how we felt. I felt a desire to know my Savior even more and a desire to come unto him, to become like him.

During a special opportunity to study individually outside, as a class, and just pray, read our scriptures and try to receive personal revelation; I read from John Chapter 13-15. I encourage you to read from these chapters! Christ talks of his love for the people and his apostles. I found many answers to several questions I have had swimming though my mind this week.

I love the opportunities here to feel of Heavenly Fathers love and encouragement. I know that this is where I am supposed to be right now and that he is pleased with my decision to serve. Thank you all for your love and support! Please support the missionaries in you ward as well! They need you!

This Sunday, my companion and I were looking forward to a day of studying and devotionals. But when we arrived to our classrooms that morning to begin, our day was changed in a moment! We were called to be Sister Training Leaders of our Zone. (We work with the Zone leaders but are over the Sister Missionaries.) We had so many meetings and trainings! It was great; very busy; but truly wonderful.

Sister Downs and I were so busy we had to do companion inventory and planning in the dinner line! We look up to our sister training leader and are learning so much from her. Actually her name is Margo Anderson (red hair) and she went to high school with my cousin, Jake! (Jacob Kirkpatrick). We have so much to learn, but are looking forward to the opportunity to serve and get to know the sisters in our zone. We do MTC training with them when they arrive to the MTC. It is crazy to think we are going to do that after we have JUST got the hang of it. Things happen fast here.

Missionaries are constantly coming and going. English speaking missionaries are only here 2 weeks. (I would be gone if that were me!) Portuguese and most foreign languages are here for 6 weeks. Japanese and Chinese speaking are here for 8-10 weeks.

I will be here until July 8 and then reassigned to a mission in the USA until I get my VISA. That is how it has been with all 4 Zones of Brazil Missionaries. Only 2 missionaries have received their Visa. We are all hopeful and prayerful! Any guesses on my reassignment?? ; )

~This Tuesday we have an awesome opportunity to participate in a HUGE change for the MTC. They are now going to be holding MTC devotionals in the BYU Marriott Center! We will all walk over there from the 2 MTC campuses. They estimate that in the next 5 years the Missionaries will fill the Marriott Center!! Incredible!! The work is going forth full force!~

ALSO!!! SOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in the MTC choir. It is the BEST! If any of you go on a mission who haven't yet, JOIN CHOIR! The director is so talented and just overall hilarious! And…

***On June 23, there will be a Worldwide Broadcast Training of the church and we are going to be the Choir singing! It will be on the church website. www.lds.org All the 12 Apostles will be there and so will our prophet, Pres. Monson. I am sooo excited for this opportunity! Watch for me on TV!! I'll let you know what I'll wear when the time is closer ; ). I feel so blessed to be here at this time!!!***

Funny Stories:

At gym time (Seriously feels like recess in grade school but I love it!) I got in trouble!! Okay not really…I am an obedient missionary! ; ) I just thought it was funny. Normally we play sand volleyball or four square or run laps but it was especially hot this day and the sand was burning our feet. So, sitting under the big beautiful trees I had an urge to climb the tree! So… I did! It was a blast! (Somebody please send this to Alex Carbine my tree climbing buddy). A few sisters joined me and we had a blast. Sadly, we found out that they don't want us to hurt the trees…Understandable. I guess I was the first sister missionary to do that. I'm not sure if I should be sorry or proud?? Haha. Just kidding. I felt bad, but it was okay. They are very kind "missionary recess watchers!"

Sister Downs got a boiled egg at breakfast one day and cracked in on the table just to find that it wasn't boiled!! It was so funny!

Elder Hamilton (Our DL) was sitting in class one day and noticed gooey stuff on his name tag. Without thinking he licked it to see what it was!!!! EW!! It ended up being toothpaste-thank goodness for him. ;)

During a devotional our organist -An elderly gentleman- was playing the Hymn, “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Have you seen the church movie where the elderly sister is playing the organ and just going crazy…up and down the keys? Well, the whole time he was playing he was doing that and literallyLAUGHING! He was playing his own version, and the music director couldn't help from laughing. The organist kept throwing in runs in between verses, he was laughing so hard he wasn't even looking too! It was sooo funny!! Very talented!