Well my dears,
Yesterday marked 6 months in the mish for me. I've been in Brazil for 6 months. If I were an Elder, I would've burned a tie. But since I am a sister and I only have one tie, I didn't burn it. Also, it means that 1/3 of my mission is already gone. So you want the news of the week? Well, today (in 3 or 4 hours) we will find out who will be transferred, who will stay, etc. I'm really anxious, as usual, but I'm praying I will stay here in Vista Verde. I love this area more than words can describe, and this ward is a part of me. I don't want to change just yet...there is so much potential here, and I want to see this area really blossom. I have a sinking feeling though, that I'm gonna leave. But I know nothing about these things, so who knows really. Just President and the Assistants right now. It's interesting, because we don't have interviews with President anymore, so the transfers depend on the Zone Leaders...fortunately I am good friends with my Zone Leaders, so they (at least one of them, anyway) know my challenges here and good things. Anyway, whatever will happen will be interesting, that's for sure.
As for other things....We worked hard this week, and we had a division with two women in a ward that our District Leader has. They are both 21 and waiting for their mission calls, so we did a division with them on Wednesday. We knocked doors for 3 hours, and ended up teaching, between the two companionships we made, 17 lessons. It was fantastic! Also, we received a reference this week from our LZs, from a recent convert they have. We visited them on Saturday, and the situation is a little more complicated than we'd anticipated, but I have hope for them. But they live in the middle of nowhere. Real country folk. In fact, while we were looking for their street, a couple horses were loose and began to run behind us on the street. That was funny.
We had a ward activity this week, on Tuesday, which is called "Terça-chick". I think I may have already explained this to you, but it is basically a ward Family Home Evening night. We went to that, and it was all about missionary work. The lesson, and the game too. The game/activity was how to make contacts and give out passalong cards. This ward rocks. Seriously. We get so many media references from people who hand out passalong cards here. So keep up with the missionary work at home. Invite the people you know to church, to activities, and to talk with the missionaries. Passalong cards work...people really do call. So just keep up with faith, and be a missionary in all you do. The first and most important thing is in your example. People will see that you are different, that you have a light that those around you don't have. So just remember to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places, and pray for missionary opportunities and for the courage to talk about the Gospel with those around you. It is part of our baptismal covenant, and a commandment from the Lord. This church does not exist without missionary work. It is a natural result of having the gospel in your life...cuz when you have something so good, you naturally want to share it with those around you.
As for a bunch of random things....There were a bunch of wildfires we saw this week. It's interesting, cuz fires just happen here. There's no wood or anything, but there is always a bonfire, or a wildfire. And no one seems to do anything about it, which is also interesting. We were at a bus stop near one, waiting for an investigator, and we were there long enough to see the small fire burn itself out. Also, I saw a garbage truck last week...that's not the momentous part. The momentous part is that it was towing a little plastic car behind it. I laughed so hard at that! I wanted to take a picture, but didn't get my camera out fast enough. Last random thing....I heard Rascal Flatts on Saturday, and then saw a couple country dancing in a bar as we walked past.
Hey, so I talked with one of our Zone Leaders recently, Elder Nóbrega. I asked him if my Portuguese has improved in this transfer. Cuz I know him since I got here in the field, so he's seen me from basically before I could say "tudo bem" until now. Anyway, I asked him, because I honestly can't see improvement anymore, and it gets frustrating sometimes. But he told me that yes, my Portuguese has improved greatly in these last 6 weeks. Que bênção! But really, it's only with the help of the Lord that this is happening. That I am speaking this foreign language, that I am teaching, that I am still here. Hah. But y'all know I am not a quitter. I've become even less of one since I got here. It's interesting the things you learn on the mission. I've learned a lot about myself...a lot about who I really am, my strengths, my weaknesses, things i need to improve, and what my future holds. My priorities have changed, and I have a better idea of what I want to do with my life after the mission. Even that has changed a little. It's interesting.
I want to go to the temple, so badly. I miss it. This is the longest I've gone, since November, without the temple. We are so blessed to have temples so close to home at home. Take advantage of that. Don't forget the blessing that it is, because here, there are not temples near to everyone. My comp, for example, lives in Belém. The closest temple to her, right now, is Recife. Look at a map, and you will see how far it is. The one that is being built in Manaus right now will be closer after it is finished, so she is really excited for that. Anyway, my point is, that the temple is a blessing, and I miss being able to go readily. I'm about 2 hours by bus out of São Paulo. Probably another hour to get to the temple. Plus I can't just go whenever I want. Haha.
Welp, 6 months and I'm still here. Less than a year left. Crazy. Live your life day by day, and "seize the day" cuz, it passes by rapidly. Don't put off something that you want to do...just do it. We only have one life on earth. Do all that you need to, all that you know is right. And work hard, always improving.
Love,
Karen
Yesterday marked 6 months in the mish for me. I've been in Brazil for 6 months. If I were an Elder, I would've burned a tie. But since I am a sister and I only have one tie, I didn't burn it. Also, it means that 1/3 of my mission is already gone. So you want the news of the week? Well, today (in 3 or 4 hours) we will find out who will be transferred, who will stay, etc. I'm really anxious, as usual, but I'm praying I will stay here in Vista Verde. I love this area more than words can describe, and this ward is a part of me. I don't want to change just yet...there is so much potential here, and I want to see this area really blossom. I have a sinking feeling though, that I'm gonna leave. But I know nothing about these things, so who knows really. Just President and the Assistants right now. It's interesting, because we don't have interviews with President anymore, so the transfers depend on the Zone Leaders...fortunately I am good friends with my Zone Leaders, so they (at least one of them, anyway) know my challenges here and good things. Anyway, whatever will happen will be interesting, that's for sure.
As for other things....We worked hard this week, and we had a division with two women in a ward that our District Leader has. They are both 21 and waiting for their mission calls, so we did a division with them on Wednesday. We knocked doors for 3 hours, and ended up teaching, between the two companionships we made, 17 lessons. It was fantastic! Also, we received a reference this week from our LZs, from a recent convert they have. We visited them on Saturday, and the situation is a little more complicated than we'd anticipated, but I have hope for them. But they live in the middle of nowhere. Real country folk. In fact, while we were looking for their street, a couple horses were loose and began to run behind us on the street. That was funny.
We had a ward activity this week, on Tuesday, which is called "Terça-chick". I think I may have already explained this to you, but it is basically a ward Family Home Evening night. We went to that, and it was all about missionary work. The lesson, and the game too. The game/activity was how to make contacts and give out passalong cards. This ward rocks. Seriously. We get so many media references from people who hand out passalong cards here. So keep up with the missionary work at home. Invite the people you know to church, to activities, and to talk with the missionaries. Passalong cards work...people really do call. So just keep up with faith, and be a missionary in all you do. The first and most important thing is in your example. People will see that you are different, that you have a light that those around you don't have. So just remember to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places, and pray for missionary opportunities and for the courage to talk about the Gospel with those around you. It is part of our baptismal covenant, and a commandment from the Lord. This church does not exist without missionary work. It is a natural result of having the gospel in your life...cuz when you have something so good, you naturally want to share it with those around you.
As for a bunch of random things....There were a bunch of wildfires we saw this week. It's interesting, cuz fires just happen here. There's no wood or anything, but there is always a bonfire, or a wildfire. And no one seems to do anything about it, which is also interesting. We were at a bus stop near one, waiting for an investigator, and we were there long enough to see the small fire burn itself out. Also, I saw a garbage truck last week...that's not the momentous part. The momentous part is that it was towing a little plastic car behind it. I laughed so hard at that! I wanted to take a picture, but didn't get my camera out fast enough. Last random thing....I heard Rascal Flatts on Saturday, and then saw a couple country dancing in a bar as we walked past.
Hey, so I talked with one of our Zone Leaders recently, Elder Nóbrega. I asked him if my Portuguese has improved in this transfer. Cuz I know him since I got here in the field, so he's seen me from basically before I could say "tudo bem" until now. Anyway, I asked him, because I honestly can't see improvement anymore, and it gets frustrating sometimes. But he told me that yes, my Portuguese has improved greatly in these last 6 weeks. Que bênção! But really, it's only with the help of the Lord that this is happening. That I am speaking this foreign language, that I am teaching, that I am still here. Hah. But y'all know I am not a quitter. I've become even less of one since I got here. It's interesting the things you learn on the mission. I've learned a lot about myself...a lot about who I really am, my strengths, my weaknesses, things i need to improve, and what my future holds. My priorities have changed, and I have a better idea of what I want to do with my life after the mission. Even that has changed a little. It's interesting.
I want to go to the temple, so badly. I miss it. This is the longest I've gone, since November, without the temple. We are so blessed to have temples so close to home at home. Take advantage of that. Don't forget the blessing that it is, because here, there are not temples near to everyone. My comp, for example, lives in Belém. The closest temple to her, right now, is Recife. Look at a map, and you will see how far it is. The one that is being built in Manaus right now will be closer after it is finished, so she is really excited for that. Anyway, my point is, that the temple is a blessing, and I miss being able to go readily. I'm about 2 hours by bus out of São Paulo. Probably another hour to get to the temple. Plus I can't just go whenever I want. Haha.
Welp, 6 months and I'm still here. Less than a year left. Crazy. Live your life day by day, and "seize the day" cuz, it passes by rapidly. Don't put off something that you want to do...just do it. We only have one life on earth. Do all that you need to, all that you know is right. And work hard, always improving.
Love,
Karen
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