Week 28 - Carnatal & Christian's baptism

OIIII amigos :)

So this week was pretty hilarious for a variety of reasons:

1. It was CARNATAL which is exactly like Carnival (the crazy week where there's no bounds and everyone is on the streets drinking, partying, pick-pocketing, the whole shebang) which happens in February, but they love it so much, that they have a whole OTHER weekend just a week before Christmas. The center of all the commotion lies about 5 blocks from our apartment so it's been a pretty crazy weekend to say the least hehe.... and just a little challenging because every rock solid person we taught this week said thatttttt ... because of CARNATAL they would be unable to make it to church on Sunday because they had been out until the wee hours Saturday  :3 

#MUITOobrigadaCARNATAL (Thank you very much Carnatal)

2. We came home after a long and tiring day to find out that WE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO POWER IN THE HOUSE. Turns out the sisters who had been living here before us had forgotten to pay the bill for the month of SEPTEMBER (although we had continued to pay the months after) and Cosern was a little miffed and decided to cut all power - enter the exact day that I had run out of fresh clothes... :3 So we are sitting there in the pitch black and just telling stories and laughing at the fact we live in the most expensive apartamento in the mission and here we are, eating crackers on the floor, washing clothes by hand, and reading scriptures by the light of a tiny flashlight. Ahhhh it was exactly like all those snow days at home when we lost power. 

Except with excessive heat instead of snow. 

And less food in the house #sothatswhywehavefoodstorage

Oh and instead of returning after 30 minutes, let's wait about 3 days.

Ok so maybe just a little different but an adventure all the same! 

BUT THE BEST PART OF THIS WEEK ALL LIES WITH A YOUGIN NAMED CHRISTIAN. 

Christian is a youth that is literally one of the greatest, most genuine people I have ever met. There is not a single person who meets him who doesn't automatically love him - he has this simple and humble nature that never calls attention to itself, but that draws people in because of how genuinely kind he is. Now this 16 year old kid has been going alone every Sunday, attending every activity and church camp, and learning about the gospel for about a year AND A HALF. and has been so integrated into the ward that literally everyone already thought he was baptized. The problem was his dad, and that he wanted Christian to really feel like this was real, that he would be willing to show that he really wanted the church and not because he had any other outside influences. And after literally 18 MONTHS (we are talking like my entire mission life agora) his dad finally signed his ficha for baptism and gave the go-ahead. 

Needless to say, Saturday morning in the smallest capela in Natal was found filled to the brim with loving friends and ward members, a beaming and inexplicably happy young lad finally able to continue on the path of life to live with his Father in Heaven again, 

annddddd

mom's good old chocolate chip cookies with every woman and child in the ward scrambling to grab the recipe. But I really think they tasted so good because of how happy every person in that room already was, and how powerfully the spirit touched each one of us after Christian bore his testimony. 

I really can't describe how happy that moment was. But there's something powerful about the moment when another one of God's children enters the gate to return home, both with people here on earth and with those celebrating and rejoicing in heaven. 

Can't believe I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to help make just a small part  of something so important and eternal. 

Sending my love and really feeling humbled by the power and hand of the Lord in our lives - we are just really blessed to have Christ. He literally is the cure for every deep ache, misunderstanding, and mistake. 

Who doesn't deserve the relief and happiness He brings?

#LOVECHRISTMAS

#LOVECHRISTIAN

#LOVECHRIST

Coincidence? I think NOT!!

<3 Sister Staheli

week 27 -- cotton candy saves souls

So this week consisted of many laughs, tears, foods that excited and disappointed, and a whole lot of oh-my-gosh-why-is-it-so-hot-Christmas-doesn't-belong-in-summer type of feeling so ...... vamo-lá! (let’s go)

Ok it really is a mean joke to have Christmas in the middle of summer, I don't know WHOSE idea that was but please let's make that stop. It's funny because everyone's been running around buying presents or putting up decorations and every missionary is like, wait I still have to work on Christmas day? and #wowIhopemypackageiscoming #canIactuallyspeakinenglishfor40minutes #havingseriousdoubts

This week we had splits with my old companion Sister Carvalho when I was in my trio which was great fun also super stressful because it was just her and my poor little filha Sister Mendonça wandering around aimlessly and hopelessly lost because in our area EVERYTHING looks exactly the same and she had only had 2 weeks in the area! I switched to Sister Carvalho’s area with her little filha which was really amazing because Sister Carvalho really is the definition of a consecrated missionary - works harder than anyone I've ever met, studies the scriptures with deliberate thought and intensity, and being in her area (which is a lot less complicated AND we had a map) I was able to see just how effective and healthy her area and people she is teaching were. So while I was like whoop whoop this is great, my poor filha was like "I don't know anything-why-are-there-7-parks-that-all-look-the-same" :´D 

But after our long day we decided that we were all in the mood for some pizza so we looked around and grabbed this number for Tibet's pizza that was on the refrigerator mixed in with ads for água e açai. Ok beleza. So we are calling this place and the ad says that for a grande, it costs $22 so we pool in and decide to grab one chicken (which is like the most common pizza here that everyone LOVES - shredded chicken with catupiry which is like this white squeezable cheese they put on tapioca and everything #SEMsauce) and one chocolate, and the person says hey we'll be there in 30 minutes and we get HYPED because we are seriously starving, slightly impressed with the speed, but mostly hyped right. The guy shows up about 30 minutes later and we go to pay for the pizza and he says that'll be $77. 

um.

que??

So come to find out that not only do they charge for the pizza (ok annoying but understandable), they charge for delivery (also annoying but understandable), for EACH card board box that holds the pizza, the speed of the delivery, the driver's healthy mustache, the discomfort of the motorcycle, and just about any other excuse under the Brasilian sun. Ok fine we each fork over $20 reais and grab the boxes of pizzas "grandes", which were so light we started to doubt that they actually had something inside. Long story short we opened the boxes to find that Tibet's pizza works with "massa FINA" , (thin crust) was not massa fina (thin crust) but rather massa de papel. (piece of paper thin).  Heated Sister Carvalho calls Tibet's and demands to know why there was paper inside of our $30 pizza box and we just can't hold it in and we are all dying laughing because it seriously was ridiculous. Needless to say we tore up that horrid little ad and swore that next time, we wouldn't be cheap and just go straight for the good stuff #reismagos #60reaiscadapizza. 

But it made for some good times and bonding experience so who's complaining? #mystomachbecausenowIdon'thavemoneyforaçai

But this week I have been really trying to help Sister Mendonça with her street contacts because she really REALLY hates them right. She has such a bright intellect and powerful testimony but she is a bit more reserved and absolutely gets way stubborn when it comes to approaching and talking to people on the street, never approaching people unless I prompt her and sometimes, quite literally PUSHING her towards them. There was one time this week when we were passing this trampolim (trampoline) with all these little kids and their parents on the side of the street (I don't know why but literally every party rents a trampoline and puts them in the middle of the square or sidewalk) and I nudged her to go over and talk to them. She quickly denied it and tried to keep on walking. I stopped and tugged her arm and we stood there for about a tense 5 seconds with me physically PUSHING her back towards the parents with her squirming and moving away. Which would have gone unnoticed because the parents and kids had their backs to us but the OTHER side of the street had all these tables filled with people that must have been quite the sight. While we are sitting there like 'go', 'NO', 'go', NO' a woman on the other side who had been seeing us comes over and mistook our hesitancy for nervousness to ask for the cotton candy that was sitting in front of the trampolim. So she says go ahead, take some! And we were like 'umm no that's alright' and with her insisting I finally asked, 'ok how much does it cost?' and she goes no it's my grandson's birthday, please just take some!

It was literally the most hilarious thing, all I could think about was me and Rachel with my Dad and how I had to bribe her to ask my dad if we could get Dippin' Dots. But with cotton candy in hand we managed to just talk to her about her family and eventually the church which made for some great conversations and discussions about the Book of Mormon. 

It blows me away how sometimes we just forget to be normal, that we are talking with real people and that it's so much easier to get to know them for who they are first than to just jump right in with talking about the gospel. I feel so much happier when I am just talking to them because I love this - making connections with people and helping them to find the way back to live with our Father in Heaven again. This week really hit me with the amount of love and urgency I feel to have these people become a part of the Lord's flock again, to be numbered as one who knows His voice and understands their purpose here on the earth. 

This work really demands all that I have to give physically, spiritually, and emotionally but yet I still feel there is more I can give. Sometimes we just demand, demand, demand things from God but are never willing to give anything back in return. 

Trying to really give more because there is nothing that I have that I didn't receive first from my Savior or loving Heavenly Father. 

EAT SOME COTTON CANDY FOLKS #savessouls

Muito amor <3

Sister Staheli

Week 26 -- wow being a mom is exhausting

Wow amigos. 

I think I am really just starting to appreciate just how physically, socially, and spiritually exhausted my body can get.  I've just never worked as hard in my life as I think than I am right now - giving every little energy you can muster every minute to bring light into these people's lives - teaching, serving, talking, ministering, contacting, calling, laughing, supporting, listening, bearing testimony, walking for hours, giving just a little bit more even when you really don't think you have more to give. 

It's exhausting yet ALSO STRANGELY EXILARATING (on the most irrational of levels). Loving being a missionary even if I all I want to do now when I get home is sleep @9/9:30 every night :)

The first update is that I officially think I have a pretty legit new scar on my chin. I was making crepes (which everyone here just calls a panceca and never is sweet - only savory with shredded chicken, peas, and corn) and cinnamon syrup for breakfast one morning for my new filha (daughter) (as any good mom should do) and what happens? I accidently drop my beautiful crepe on the floor. Ok, no problem silly but no harm done right. But as I am bending down to grab the crepe, I am still gripping the pan in my hand (WAY DUMB) and my chin does a little touchy touch on the edge of the steaming hot pan and boom - moon-shaped chin burn. #whoopwhoop

But this week was crazy filled with last minute preparations for this batismo (baptism) that was scheduled for this week but ended up getting pushed back until next week. It's actually kind of funny because with Erika is her name, we suggested she put her batismo right before the atividade das massas (pasta/lasagna/pizza) with the ward! It'll be perfect because everyone is already there and we can eat pizza after #whoopwhoop !! And she got all excited but apparently was just thinking about all the pizza she would eat and missed the whole 'getting baptized' part so when the elders arrived to have a baptismal interview.. needless to say things got a little complicated. But it's all good, we moved it back a week which I think is good because with Erika, we really have to teach her differently. Understanding comes bit by bit for her and so we have to be very clear and use pictures, otherwise it's a little hard for her to understand. But, when she finally gets it there's just this light that comes into her eyes and she goes "hey I think I'm starting to understand.." and all the patience is really worth it. Not to mention her adorable two little meninos (boys) that wreck the world with their giant dopey eyes and personalities. 

But there's one woman who really is one of my favorites to teach and visit, and her name is Socorro. So with Soccorro, the first person to really know the missionaries was her husband about 4 years ago, and with him she learned bit by bit and received a Book of Mormon and absolutely LOVED IT. Time passes and her husband passed away because of cancer and she lost contact with the missionaries and forgot about the Book she loved so much. But in enter the missionaries on the street and we have had the privilege of teaching her over the past month and a half. She just is riveted to everything we teach her, especially with the Book of Mormon (which in her own words is something that the more you start reading, the less you want to stop) but she has been having real difficultly reading on her own, saying prayers, or coming to church. She talks more than anyone I know (#lessons2hourslong) but is INCREDIBLY shy right and so to enter the church 'alone'  (but with us) is really scary and every time has an excuse ready for why she can't go. But one Saturday I really wanted her to remember the importance and power of it all and we finally were able to get ahold of an irmã (sister) in the ward to visit her with us and talk about the Restoration and Joseph Smith. 

So she meets beautiful Camila who is a godsend from heaven – perfect, loving and patient and willing to listen and make Socorro feel comfortable and has a real rock-solid testimony and spirit. It was perfect. And we watched the video about Joseph Smith and how he received the Book of Mormon (look it up on Youtube for those interested – Joseph Smith:  The Prophet of the Restoration) and the phone we watched it on had warbly sound and was hard to understand but the spirit was just like POW there right. And after, completely led by the spirit I opened the book of Mormon and we started to read the first chapter of Nephi all together taking turns. And at first I was stopping and describing what was happening but Socorro was like a puppy tugging on the leash, anxious and excited - finally reading the book again that brought her so much peace, and I couldn't bring myself to stop her. We testified of the truthfulness of it all - that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon really was translated by the power of God. It was such a powerful moment. 

And guess who came to church the next day, seating right next to her new best friend Camila? 

:)

The crazy thing about this week was that, that very lesson with Socorro, I had done with the Sisters who were serving in my ward when I was 17 years old. The same video, the same testimony, but this time - so much different. This time, I - SISTER Staheli was the missionary and it was one of those circular moments that happen in life when you really have perspective of it all and realize how far you've come but also that those same truths never change. 

I really know that this is the Lord's church and that He loves each one of us on such an individualistic level. He knew the needs of Soccorro and we were simply the means by which 

He was finally able to touch her heart.

Be the Lord's hands, because not only HE - but also our other brothers and sisters need us. 

Wow the power of the Book of Mormon really changes lives.

Feeling grateful to have the restored gospel be such a huge part of who I am. 

Sending love amigos <33

SISTER STAHELI