We had transfers last week, and...I survived with Sister Gubler! We are here in Vista Verde for 6 more weeks...well, 5 more now. I think after that, I will want to leave...there are lots of reasons. I am learning that a long time in an area really can feel like a long time to the missionary, even if not for the members in the ward. Weird how that works. I am seeing a whole new side of everything as I am on the missionary side of all this! Anyway, last Monday night, our Zone Leaders called with the transfer. And like I said, I was feeling calm about the whole thing, and neither one of us thought we would leave or be transferred or anything. But in the end, the Zone Leaders called and told us I was being transferred to open an area, training. I didn't believe it. It took about 10 minutes of convincing before we finally started to believe it, and then all I wanted to do was die. I'm so glad it was just a joke! Pretty sure I can't handle that. Haha.
In other news....last Tuesday, since it was transfers and pday, and we had already used the internet on Monday and all, we asked permission from President to go into the center of São José dos Campos, because we really have nothing in our area. We spent the whole day there, and it was wonderful! We got to the bus terminal as everyone who was transfered was leaving for São Paulo, so we got to say goodbyes and take some pictures before heading out to our adventurous day. It was awesome. Absolutely fantastic to get out of Vista Verde for a while. I was feeling a bit like a prisoner after 3 months in one area, with random and rare escapes for meetings. But to have a day to play was wonderful! So that was Tuesday.
The rest of the week, we taught and got references and taught and found some ancient investigators and the work is really moving forward. Our musical fireside with President Moreira is coming together....a choir was put together yesterday, and it is sounding good. We are putting together some other music, and I get to play the piano again, which is so needed and so awesome. We have a young man in the ward who plays the piano, and he is helping us organize everything and get the music we need. It is great. And we discovered a new way to get references from the members, even more proactive than bugging them every time we see them...show up at their houses during the afternoon and invite them to come visit their neighbors with us! We did that this week with a member of the bishopric and his wife, and we got 6 references out of them, all of which we have contacted and most of which we have already taught with them! Including FAMILIES....what a blessing! As for the other people we are teaching, some are progressing, we found some awesome new people this week, and some people actually went to church yesterday!
Church yesterday....well, our lesson in Principles of the Gospel was about the Law of Chastity...and our two investigators who were there with us are both women who live with someone but are not married. And after the lesson, they BOTH decided they want to get married. It was wonderful! So we need to talk to them and their "husbands" and get going on that so we can see them baptized here pretty soon. Too bad marriages take forever! But hey, I'm not giving up. Remember Talita, who we found like 6 weeks ago? She finally went to church yesterday and LOVED it! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I am so stoked! I love this work so much. There is no other place I want to be right now, not even a little bit.
Also in church yesterday was the primary program during sacrament meeting. The Spirit was there so strong....It is true that children invite the spirit so easily, through their songs and testimonies. There is a new song now for the primary called "Eu Quero Batismo" (I want baptism) that they sang yesterday. Yes I want baptism too! It rocked. And then at the end, all the boys in the primary sang "I hope they call me on a mission", which was the first time I heard the whole song in Portuguese, and it was really cute! And I realized this was the first time I have seen a primary program since....well, senior year of high school. I didn't know how much I was missing until yesterday! I loved it so much.
Last night we had quite the adventure getting from one end of our area to the chapel for a meeting....we were SO late, and had to run. Down a huge hill. Yes I fell down a mountain and have small battle wounds. Just a couple scratches, don't worry. And then an irmão came and rescued us as we were walking up a huge hill in the road, and he drove us the rest of the way to the chapel...almost. His car died in an interesection and there was no saving it. We were literally in front of the chapel. Droga. I still kill cars, but it has been like 8 months at least since the last one! :)
Also this week, we found Jonas, who was taught by the missionaries 2 years ago. And 15 years ago. And we found his name in our area book and decided to go by and visit him, and see what the situation was. Well, long story short, he should be baptized this Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!! Pray it happens, please. 2 months without a baptism is starting to wear on me. I know I am blessed to be in a mission that baptizes a ton (we are almost at our goal of 2000 baptisms this year), but with a ton of pressure from leaders and others....2 months is a LONG time here not to baptize!
ANYWAY..........lots of things fell through, as usual. But overall it was a great week. And this week should be wonderfully busy too. We have no free nights at all, and Thursday is completely shot as we have a conference with Elder C. Scott Grow, of the 70. But of course since I'm in the interior, we don't get to go to the actual conference in São Paulo...just watch it via satellite, but with everyone here in the interior, which includes a bunch of my buddies. So that will be great to see everyone!
But hey. I'm tired. There is a whole new definition to being tired on the mission. It's like nothing I have ever felt before. But oh so worth it! The work is moving forward, and Sis. Gubler and I are going to turn this place around this transfer! We have enough potential to baptize weekly with our current investigators, but we need to really get the ball rolling on some of them for this to happen. But it is NOT impossible...miracles happen every day. Never forget that. The Lord's hand is ALWAYS present in our lives!
I love you!
Karen
In other news....last Tuesday, since it was transfers and pday, and we had already used the internet on Monday and all, we asked permission from President to go into the center of São José dos Campos, because we really have nothing in our area. We spent the whole day there, and it was wonderful! We got to the bus terminal as everyone who was transfered was leaving for São Paulo, so we got to say goodbyes and take some pictures before heading out to our adventurous day. It was awesome. Absolutely fantastic to get out of Vista Verde for a while. I was feeling a bit like a prisoner after 3 months in one area, with random and rare escapes for meetings. But to have a day to play was wonderful! So that was Tuesday.
The rest of the week, we taught and got references and taught and found some ancient investigators and the work is really moving forward. Our musical fireside with President Moreira is coming together....a choir was put together yesterday, and it is sounding good. We are putting together some other music, and I get to play the piano again, which is so needed and so awesome. We have a young man in the ward who plays the piano, and he is helping us organize everything and get the music we need. It is great. And we discovered a new way to get references from the members, even more proactive than bugging them every time we see them...show up at their houses during the afternoon and invite them to come visit their neighbors with us! We did that this week with a member of the bishopric and his wife, and we got 6 references out of them, all of which we have contacted and most of which we have already taught with them! Including FAMILIES....what a blessing! As for the other people we are teaching, some are progressing, we found some awesome new people this week, and some people actually went to church yesterday!
Church yesterday....well, our lesson in Principles of the Gospel was about the Law of Chastity...and our two investigators who were there with us are both women who live with someone but are not married. And after the lesson, they BOTH decided they want to get married. It was wonderful! So we need to talk to them and their "husbands" and get going on that so we can see them baptized here pretty soon. Too bad marriages take forever! But hey, I'm not giving up. Remember Talita, who we found like 6 weeks ago? She finally went to church yesterday and LOVED it! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I am so stoked! I love this work so much. There is no other place I want to be right now, not even a little bit.
Also in church yesterday was the primary program during sacrament meeting. The Spirit was there so strong....It is true that children invite the spirit so easily, through their songs and testimonies. There is a new song now for the primary called "Eu Quero Batismo" (I want baptism) that they sang yesterday. Yes I want baptism too! It rocked. And then at the end, all the boys in the primary sang "I hope they call me on a mission", which was the first time I heard the whole song in Portuguese, and it was really cute! And I realized this was the first time I have seen a primary program since....well, senior year of high school. I didn't know how much I was missing until yesterday! I loved it so much.
Last night we had quite the adventure getting from one end of our area to the chapel for a meeting....we were SO late, and had to run. Down a huge hill. Yes I fell down a mountain and have small battle wounds. Just a couple scratches, don't worry. And then an irmão came and rescued us as we were walking up a huge hill in the road, and he drove us the rest of the way to the chapel...almost. His car died in an interesection and there was no saving it. We were literally in front of the chapel. Droga. I still kill cars, but it has been like 8 months at least since the last one! :)
Also this week, we found Jonas, who was taught by the missionaries 2 years ago. And 15 years ago. And we found his name in our area book and decided to go by and visit him, and see what the situation was. Well, long story short, he should be baptized this Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!! Pray it happens, please. 2 months without a baptism is starting to wear on me. I know I am blessed to be in a mission that baptizes a ton (we are almost at our goal of 2000 baptisms this year), but with a ton of pressure from leaders and others....2 months is a LONG time here not to baptize!
ANYWAY..........lots of things fell through, as usual. But overall it was a great week. And this week should be wonderfully busy too. We have no free nights at all, and Thursday is completely shot as we have a conference with Elder C. Scott Grow, of the 70. But of course since I'm in the interior, we don't get to go to the actual conference in São Paulo...just watch it via satellite, but with everyone here in the interior, which includes a bunch of my buddies. So that will be great to see everyone!
But hey. I'm tired. There is a whole new definition to being tired on the mission. It's like nothing I have ever felt before. But oh so worth it! The work is moving forward, and Sis. Gubler and I are going to turn this place around this transfer! We have enough potential to baptize weekly with our current investigators, but we need to really get the ball rolling on some of them for this to happen. But it is NOT impossible...miracles happen every day. Never forget that. The Lord's hand is ALWAYS present in our lives!
I love you!
Karen
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