Ola!!!! Boa Tarde Everyone!
I made a list of things that I wanted to write home about this week and also have for rememberance in writing. Journal time is so quick with opening a new area! We have been doing a TON of paper work trying to catch up. We just received new forms for our area book this week so all the work done before us is now being organized and our work is being recorded! I can't wait for the Ipads and iphones to come to Brazil! It won't be while I am serving but; what a blessing they will be! We are still waiting for our cell phone to arrive. We need it so badly. It had been an adventure to try and contact people. I admire you all who did missionary work with out a cell phone! (Mom, Dad, etc.) It is definitely more WORK.
We had a baptism yesterday! It was great! It was for Maria Eduarda. She is 9 years old and has faith like Ammon and Aaron! She is so adorable. She was going to be baptized with her Mom, Julia. But we are working on no coffee:) We are hoping she can be baptized next week. We'll get there! The Ward here is incredible and works very hard. Our ward mission leader and his wife should wear name tags! haha They are constantly helping us out.
We taught an english class this week. We offer it for free (obviously) and find many investigators through it. It is actually helping me learn portuguese to teach english.
We are trying to use music more in our teaching. Sister Sedgwick has the voice of an angel! She and I sing to people in the street, during lessons, waiting for the bus and a member even had us sing to an entire restaurant this week! :) Hymns and music invite the spirit in such a special way. I love it! And I am learning how to prounouce words better when I have to sing them.
This week our weekly plans were interupted with a call from the secretaries in the mission office saying that we needed to come to Londrina! So we took the lonnnng bus ride to Londrina so that I could get my ID in Brazil... of course just like in the airport they found the problem with my visa and it took a little longer to do everything. My visa has a mistake. The government issued me a visa for 2 years which is actually impossible and illegal.... I dont know why. Foreigners can only have it issued for 1 year at a time and have to renew. But... I'm here and not worried since I was let in the country and have an ID haha. We are going to renew my visa in a year regardless. I attached my photo for my id so ya'll can see haha.
I had some funny stories of me not understanding portuguese this week. During Zone meeting our zone leader apparently told everyone to close their eyes. I may have been day dreaming at the moment, totally lost on what was going on, since he talks so crazy fast I can't keep up...anyways.. a few minutes later he noticed my eyes were open and I also realized everyone had theirs closed. "Close your eyes sister..." He said to me in brazlian accented english. ohhhh... oops okay I did. I had no idea what we was saying but I was trying to listen for some form of the word abrir' so I knew when to open my eyes. But aparently I missed it. Because about 5 minutes AFTER he has said "open your eyes" I was still looking like I was asleep. " you can open your eyes now" The whole zone got a kick out of it... how embarrassing.... but I laugh now. It was pretty funny haha.
Also while I was in Londrina we stayed with some other sisters in their house. It was late and I was tired from traveling so I wasn't really understanding what ever they were saying. So while they were talking (I was standing by an extra bed) I simply went to sit on the bed. What do you know...the whole bed frame broke underneath me! Yep, they were saying not to sit on it!! hahaha oops.. What a slap in the face these moments were haha. I laugh at them now, and hope will too. Besides this I am learning more and more portuguese every day. I am contacting in the streets more and teaching more and am able to speak my mind a little better every day. It will take time but it is happening! yay! I am so grateful for the mercy and help from the Lord. I wouldn't be able to do this with out Him... at all!
I received the letter from Mom this week with Blakes Article in the New Era! HOW AWESOME! I am one proud friend!! :)
I also received the letter from Aunt Heather! Thank you so much for writing me and sending it to Brazil! That means so much! I LOVE hearing all about you and your family! I can't wait to see how grown up the boys will be when I get back. :) Love you, thank you!
Like I said before, the youth are amazing here! The stake held a bizzare to raise money for them to go the EFY here. It will be their first time and they are all so excited. They tell me how much they want a temple closer so they can go. I want one in Maringa too! One of the YW calls us Sister Barbie. What a silly compliment haha I dont think barbie has nasty blistered feet and sweaty armpits all day hahahaha :)
So one thing I did get from the zone meeting is that we need more priesthood holders in the wards. So Sister Sedgwick and I made a goal that we want to baptize 5 men this transfer (3 weeks left). We promised the Lord we would do our part if he did His. It is truly amazing to see how the Lord works! After planning that day we went out and happened to run into - only the most amazing future preisthood holders! We are now teaching an incredible family who actually speak english too and I am able to teach more using portuguese and english. We have sooo much hope for them!! I love this family!
President and Sister Genaro are coming to speak to our ward this weekend! What an honor! I am excited to see them and so grateful for all they do for us missionaries:)
Well... I love you all and pray everyone is doing well. I love hearing about your day to day lives! If I dont respond right away it is because I printed off your letter to read and respond to next week.
You are in my prayers and I am so grateful for the love and support I am receiving!
Have an amazing week!
Love Sister Edwards
No comments:
Post a Comment