April 7, 2014- Assis, São Paulo, Brazil

Family,

This was an eventful week! CONFERENCE!!!! YAY! I had a great weekend and felt uplifted with the spirit. I do admit... I am very excited to receive the Liahona to study and read all the talks again. This time I did not have the opportunity to go to the Stake Center to watch it (like last Oct., in Maringa) where they also have a room for all the english missionaries. Our Stake Center is in another city and the cost to travel and bring all our investigators wouldn't have worked out very well. But thanks to the blessing of the internet we were able to watch conference in the homes of members with our investigators. 

My brain was a little fried by the end. (I could hear them speaking English and the Portuguese translation at the same time.) It was a battle to pay attention to just one language at a time haha. And on top of that I was worrying about each investigator and how they were feeling and what they were understanding and answering their questions and helping to quiet the children so they could feel the spirit.... the missionary life is great! 

Our investigator, who is a Pastor, watched a session of conference with us. He thought it was very interesting and beautiful. He kept commenting on the things said in the talks. We are trying to help him understand that they are not just ordinary preachers of a church but actual men called by God, a prophet and 12 Apostles like times of old. 

We also had our investigators Sueli and Alessando there. Sueli is a golden investigator! SO prepared to hear the Gospel. She received a very special answer to her prayer that- the Church is true- during the Conference. Alessandro is so great! He came to church more that a month ago all by himself after an invite from some other sisters. He came back because he felt something very different and good. He has a strong desire to be baptized. We are helping him to get married and stop with a few addictions. But he faithfully is attending meeting and LOVE reading the Book of Mormon. He was embarrassed to ask for one and when we gave him one he was smiling like a child at christmas! We have lots of plans to help them all this week and are excited to get going. Prayers for them on their behalf would be wonderful. Each has their own problems that they need to overcome to be baptized. Thank you for you love and support! 

This week we almost stepped on a SNAKE walking home in the middle of the city! (This is not Texas, like Jacob! haha) The snake was trying to go up stairs, we thought it was blind. So I got a stick to try and help it. Yep, it wasn't blind! I poked it and it whirled around and jumped down three steps towards us. We ran away screaming and avoided that area all week hahahaha. We showed the video of this to Irmã Osana (a sister in the ward who likes to sew clothes for us). When they part where it turns around a jumps happened she threw the camera, startled and spilled the cup of juice she had been drinking. hahahah it was so funny. We all had a good laugh. 

So you all may remember the story of the dog attack when I was new here in Brasil. Well, I don't know why, but they dogs here do not like me. I have been extremely cautious since this day and I don't play with any dogs, in the street of houses. But I have come to a conclusion. The mean dogs are the ones trapped behind bars in houses! The ones in the streets leave us alone. I feel very protected by all your prayers. Two dogs attacked me.... Luckly no skin was broken!!! The only effects were jello wabaly legs hahah. But really, I appreciate all the prayers on my behalf here. They are being answered. 

Well, I love you all and apologize this letter is not more spiritually uplifting. I hope you all had wonderful spiritual manifestations this weekend! You are all in my prayers. Have a great week!

Love, Sister Edwards

Dressed like the Elders...just need a tie