Letters from 8/29/2016

Oh, we have already received and pretty much demolished the 4 small packages! hahahah I shared with all of our district when I got them. Everyone was pretty dang happy to say the least! This week was actually really good!  Well, we're now the only companionship here in Enseada, which is INSANELY difficult, because we are trying to visit all of our investigators, and the investigators that the other sisters had, and still make sure the less-actives, recent-converts, and other members feel loved and gooooodness gracious. It is insane, but GOOD. 

Dad, you would LOVE my  bishop and LMA here in Enseada, they remind me of your personality and these men have been like our Dads here. Meetings usually just end up with everyone dying laughing and them teaching us life lessons hahahaha! Also, their wives completely take care of us too, so I have to say, we've been pretty spoiled with some of the great members here. It's always nice to have members that live in our apartment building too, because they give us food sometimes when we're heading up at night hahahah! I hope all is delightful with you all!!!! LOVE YOU DAD!!!!!!

Life is good here!  And nothing new other than a BAPTISM AGAIN THIS WEEK!!!  Izabela is the love of my life and she loves me to death too ahahhaha! She's 21 years old and has made so many big changes in her life the last 3 months. She has a testimony of the Book of Mormon that is SO STRONG and I love how she loves going to Institute every saturday! Can I just say, she is a true CONVERT!!!!!!! She just cried during the entire baptismal service and it was beautiful!!!

LOVE AND MISS YOU MOM!!!

Just know that I received this today and CRIED because wow that kid is amazing!!!! Hiag was an ivestigator that had been going to church for a while that we taught and won the love of his mom, who had previously pretty much hated the missionaries. I bonded with his dad who REALLY hated the missionaries talking about the Karate Kid there in Areia Branca. Man, this made me so happy today!!! And look at this kid practicing his english ahahahha!!! 

This is his email:

Hey sister! That's me, Hiag from Areia Branca ward, who wasn't baptized because my parents did not allow...
So, gess what? I finally got that!!! I'm finally a truth member of the church of Jesus Christ of the latter days saints. There is 1 month now and I am really happy, also, I am goimg to receive the bigger priesthood in this sunday, on the stake conference!!!
I am so happy and so thakfull as well for your teachings and our speaches. I am already visiting people with the Elders and things like that. I really wish I could visit some families with you and sister Rodrigues.
Well, I hope you are having a good work and I wish this e-mail arrives to you because Idk if you have already got back home or if this e-mail is the right one kkk

Miss you sister!
Hugs, Hiag

Ps: as I'd promissed, there you are a photo of my baptism, a friend of mine have done this.

Letters from 8/22/2016

I JUST LOVE ALL THESE PICTURES!!! Mom, you win at life for being the best picture sender there ever was. I keep looking at thesee pictures and everyone looks different! EVERYONE. I'm not going to recognize anyone when I get home! What the heck!!! We took some great pictures today because our ward mission leader's wife (who is also a recent-convert) took us to all sorts of beautiful turist points to take pictures. She has lived in Guarujá her  entire life so she knows everything. IT IS SO COLD TODAY!!! It got down to 16 degrees celcius so I pretty much almost cry every time I have to leave the apartment hhahahhaah! And no, I dont know what I am going to do when I arrive in Kentucky in the dead of winter. I've honestly forgotten what winter really is. It was POURING raining yesterday and we got so soaking wet. We arrived in the house of Marcela (a woman we're teaching who is the LOVE of my life and I want her to marry someone in our family, so I will shamelessly send you all a picture of her when I can and feel free to send them to Lori to send to Johnny if  he is still single) and Kellnner, her son who was baptised about a month ago. She gave us towels and we talked about the priesthood and family history, so it was a good night. Also my companions and our LMA and his wife surprised me on my 1 year mission anniverary! They made stir-fry for me (It was DELICIOUS) and there were even candles hahahahhaa! Add Magda Ribeiro on facebook mom, because she wants to be able to send you all the pictures and she too is like my mom here in Enseada. Love these people! I am well, so stinking tired, but good!
I have learned a lot about the Atonement this week and what it means to truly use the Atonement in our lives. I think I said this the other week to you all, but what I now know is that the purpose of the Atonement isnt just to turn us clean. We arrived on this Earth pure and so if we return to God only having turned pure again, this life hasnt proffered us anything. We have to use the capacitating power of the Atonement to turn into MORE than we imagined we could be. This is hard, this is painful, and usually involves a LOT of difficulties, but the Lord will make us into miracles if we reach out to Him and truly trust in Him. It is like 2nd Nefi 2: 22-25 or something like that "Todas as coisas foram feitas segundo a sabedoria daquele que tudo conhece." He knows all and we must trust that He knows best for us and will direct His servants here on earth for our wellbeing.
LOVE YOUUUUUUU Mom!

I LOVE YOU, DAD!!!! This week was still hard ahhahaha but so GOOD! Paulo, a 17 year old boy from a less-active familiy was baptized and now he and his dad are coming to church together. We had transfers today and I stayed in Enseada! Woohoo!!! hahahah Literally I am going to finish my mission having had probably only 4 areas, but thats okay, makes me fall in love with the people and it will be easy to visit everyon one day when I come back to visit.

We've been baptising every couple of weeks and are truly seeing the ward grow and the fruits of our labors. This has been proof to me of the love that the Lord has for us and that I'm not truly a failure hahahaha Life is HARD, but is also pretty dang good! 

I hope all is well with yall and man, how I want to go hangout in the OBX with all the fam! I cant believe one year has already passed by.....it truly is crazy how quickly time passes, especially in the mission where you have no notion of time truly passing hahahah!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!!

LOVE YOU 

Izabela with her Sister Missionaries

Izabela really did make it....

New convert who was baptized on 8/27/16 (Izabela)

So close to the beach...but betta not!!

Looks like the food is agreeing with Sis. Neal

                                   A new convert from Alina's previous area that wrote to
                                                    tell her of his baptism.  (Hiag)

Alina Mission Pictures from 8/22/2016

Pictures from 8/22/2016

August 1, 2016

This week was actually pretty dang awesome!!! We baptized Kellnner, a 15 year old young man who has already turned bffs with the other young men in the ward and who's Mom, Marcela was just too happy to see his baptism! Marcela wants to be baptized so badly as well, but she's divorced from her ex-husband, but still living in the same house as him because she doesnt have enough money to rent anything for her and her two kids, so it's complicated and really hard, especially since she's just taken the Gospel in like a sponge. The other day she was telling us how she downloaded all the church videos and was watching Meet the Mormons when she couldnt sleep at night. The worst part is that I still havent watched Meet the Mormons hahahahha one day! We have some amazing investigators that came to church and loved the baptismal service as well, so it was amazing. 

List of people to continue praying for: Kellnner, Marcela, Isabela, Christian, and Giovani!!! These people are so great and Kellnner was baptized, but the rest are so ready and could all be baptized this month with faith and a few miracles! Love to hear that everyone is doing good as usual. LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!

And if in this package you could send some beef jerkey (the brasilians love this stuff and think it is amazing ahhaa), Pez candy and the cute applicator thing hahaha, Nerds and some other Willy Wonkey candies, and fritos or cheetos everyone loves. Or surprise me;) hahahah mostly just the Sisters I live with want and love lvoe love American sweets, so they (and me as well) will get pretty pumped haha!

Love and miss ya, Dad!!! You're the best and if you havent seen the church video called Earthly Father, Heavenly Father, watch it and know that I think about you and cry every time I see it!!!

Sister Neal