Week 34 -- Trust God and act

So this week was filled with lots of new people, new experiences, and new perspectives!

On P-day this last week, we were passing in the mission office and we get this frantic phone call from this guy in our ward bursting with excitement and energy and was like I HAVE TO TALK TO YOUR MISSION PRESIDENT AGORA. (NOW)

Apparently, he had been invited by a friend to participate in this huge religion forum that recognizes all these different religions from around the world, and everyone presents themselves and they were organizing this huge peace ceremony - like we're-all-BFFS-no-beef to honor all these different groups and cultures of people. And Emerson was frantic that he was the ONLY one there to represent the church and that he needed missionaries or a Book of Mormon or at LEAST a nice looking shirt - and thus President quickly cancelled any plans we had, and the trio missionaries of Natal was practically pushed out of the mission office and into an UBER to head to this event. 

 

IT WAS THE COOLEST THING EVER. They had Budhists, Catholics, people dressed in traditional Indian headgear, Baptists - around 23 different religious representatives - and each one took a turn standing and bearing a statement about their religion and presented an object to represent themselves. To see cute little Emerson stand alone, surrounded by all these educated and older men in fancy clothing, bearing simple yet firm testimony of Christ and His true living and restored Church on the earth (complete with an old youth camp tshirt e Livro de Mormon).. was pretty valiant stuff. 

And we met a lot of people which was really interesting to learn about their beliefs. We all have the same end goal, just different means of expressing and getting there. But the amazing thing is that sometimes we try to make things a whole lot more complicated than they need to be - religion and which church and money and logistics - we don't need to have 10/20/30 different paths, God already gave us THE ONLY path - our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Through Him and His guidance, we can't go wrong guys, we just can't. 

#IamtheLIGHTandtheLIFEoftheworld

This week I found out just how much God was willing to test me - where my heart was, my conversion, my reason for being on a mission, my dedication and patience, but most importantly my faith.  He really wanted to know if I actually believed everything that I had always cherished in my heart - if I actually trusted Him or if I only said that I did. 

So Saturday was a HUGE day that had a lot at stake, and I really didn't know what I was going to do or which words these people needed to hear or ANYTHING. But the amazing thing is that sometimes God throws us a huge challenge for which we feel unprepared. He tests us with things that make us feel overwhelmed or stressed or uncertain because He wants to know if we really trust in His ability to strengthen, alleviate, and empower us. Often our faith comes easily, we feel the burning and trust in our hearts because it's good and powerful, but there ALWAYS comes a moment that we are compelled to make a decision -

trust or don't trust, 

act or don't act.

What good is our faith if we aren't willing to act, really trust, and tackle something that scares us?

food for thought :)

also dying because my companion hates approaching guys on the street and meeting new people and so we did some practices that DEFINITELY included a lot of me pretending to be a boy #completewithgoateyesanddirtbeards #girlscampalloveragain

Sending my love!!

Sister Staheli

Week 33 -- Feeling the presence of my Savior ever at my side

Wow what a week of joys, heart aches, and lots and LOTS of tired legs. 

I think it's not that the TYPE of week or lessons or experiences change necessarily every week, but the PERSON that enters each week is a little different - a little more wise and aware, having a stronger capacity to love, but most importantly having just a slightly greater appreciation that my Savior is never that far away. 

Man I feel different. 

This week has been filled with lots of preparation for Neto's baptism - lessons and discussions that last over an hour (this guy REALLY thinks deeply about the gospel), lots of listening and singing along to the beautiful music of the violão (guitar), and lots of talk of which is the best salgado. But it's just the funniest thing - I think my favorite conversation up to date with Neto has been our talk about the commandments. 

So normally for those who don't know, we usually breeze rapidinho (quickly) through the 10 commandments, talk about their application in our lives, and talk about the prophets and modern revelation and how important they are - good basic stuff right? And with the 7th commandment, (Thou shalt not commit adultery) we talk a lot about the importance of family and how sacred and important this commandment is that God has given us. But the thing is with Neto, it's never just a simple discussion - HEY 10 MANDAMENTOS (10 Commandments). We were totally not expecting the conversation that followed the 7th with this really interesting conversation about marriage and Neto's life a little bit. He lives sozhinho (alone) but comes from a pretty broken family, which is pretty normal here, with a dad who had around 10 or more children but really never was around to care for them. And how Neto's grandpa was the EXACT same way - and Neto talked about the lasting impact of such examples and a lack of a strong patriarch to really take charge and take care of the family. That he really right now is having a hard time thinking about or getting into the idea of finding someone to marry because he really doesn't have that trust that it will work out. From what he's seen, there just doesn't exist such a thing in the world as a marriage that can last an entire lifetime, and the stress of finding someone that you love enough to struggle through it all. 

And we were like, marriage is not just for THIS life, but we know that our family can be together for MUCH more after this life. #feelinglessstressedNeto?? 

He was in such a soul searching state and he's looking to us to confirm how he's feeling and I'm just like, woah dude I don't have to worry dating for at LEAST another 10 months - and my companion is like I-have-2-months-on-the-mission-and-a-serious-boyfriend-that-i-already-know-Im-going-to-marry, so unfortunately I don't think we were much help. :3 #missionoopa

But this Sunday with Neto was just the coolest thing! We were really hoping to get the ward to fellowship him and that he would be able to meet some more good people (which is amazing because there's a family that lives in the same condiminio (condominium complex) as him #blessings) and he was totally embraced by everyone! 

We were trying to leave after church and all of a sudden everyone's running around and grabbing people to head to the chapel again and we are all like what is going on - but it turns out that there was a young girl in the ward that was opening her mission call!  (which is the moment that every missionary has when they find out where in the world, what language, and when they leave for their MISSION #thebestmomentEVER).  And everyone is together shouting out guesses of countries and there's just such a feeling of love and Neto is just sitting at my side in complete awe of everything. 

And he goes, "Never in my life did I expect to be in a place like this. I had no idea that this type of love or culture or people even existed." The girl opened her call (Porta Legre Sul, Brasil) and everyone's running and hugging and crying, and it really is just the sweetest of moments right? The family that lives in his condo goes hey Neto we're leaving, and he just goes no I don't want to go home right now. And says that instead he'd WALK (about 40/50 minutes), just so that he could stay longer to feel and experience more. 

Man there's just nothing so exhausting for a heart than a mission - it stretches and expands to fit more people to love, it breaks and aches for those who fall away, it longs to be with its family, it burns with a love for the Savior and the importance of the work.. it really is an amazing creation. 

Feeling the presence of my Savior ever at my side - He really is never far away folks. 

Also sorry if my letters are super long, don't feel obligated to read them all - I know you guys love me :)

Sending my love!!

Sister Staheli

jacka (or Jack fruit - that for some reason I remember that in the States people eat this instead of meat and I'm just like WHAT THIS IS LITERALLY COTTON CANDY)

familia Marilhosa that I love with all my heart

Week 32 -- Oh what a blessed week

   OH WHAT A BLESSED WEEK.

Ok so having a trio with companions from Peru, Brasil, and the US is crazy because we are always talking about our cultures and what types of foods we eat, and what holidays we celebrate and it's THE CRAZIEST THING -- Peru is WAY MORE SIMILAR to the US than Brasil. 

There are clearly a ton of differences but the one thing that absolutely blows my mind is that in Peru, no one has any idea of what a hammock is. Like they just straight up don't exist there - which becomes a slight problem when Sister Vasquez has found that she is physically UNABLE to sleep at night with any other type of bed and she has 4 weeks left before going home to Peru. 

#so.mom.itslikefabric..between.two.hooks..that..yousleepin...

#oopa

 

This week I really gave my all to talk to every person that I could on the street, which really lead to some amazing experiences (AND our trio having the most contacts of the whole mission #nbd #whoopwhoop) 

But the most tender of mercies came with this guy named Neto. 

So we were walking on the street and we had already passed a good number of people and I see this young 22ish yr old guy walking towards us and I feel the need to talk to him. But I spend too much time thinking about it and by the time I go to open my mouth, he's already behind us. Turning around, I call out to him to make a contact which turns into one of the most interesting conversations. 

Apparently, he's living alone here in Natal and was studying at college up in the north but kind of lost sight of who he was, dropped everything - all contact, cellphone, TUDO and was like how can I serve a mission like you guys? But I don't think he was getting the whole a “mission-isn't-tourism-where-you-go-to-any-country-you-want type of thing” and wasn't really expressing much potential, but I still felt prompted to ask if we could pass by his apartment that very day to share a message about Christ.

Us - "will you be at home?'

him - "I don't know.'

us - "..righttt okay. do you have a number we can call?'

him - 'no. I don't have a phone.'

us - '.rightttt okay we will pass by at 3:30 okay?'

him - '..okay..'

And my companions are just like what are you doing, this guy is clearly not interested. But I still left thinking about this guy and was a little perplexed the whole day. 

Then we had a few other lessons and left for a different neighborhood and we were about an HOUR LATE to visit him. But after letting us in, the guy at the condominio said that Neto had been expecting us for quite some time but that he wasn't answering his phone in the apartment. Undeterred, we entered to knock on his door.. only to be greeted by echoes. 

ahhh que droga right? We search around the inside of the condominio but don’t see him anywhere and my companion just goes, no I have this feeling that he's here. And runs around to a different window and shouts in, calling his name - to which he FINALLY appears and we are able to enter and teach him. 

We taught about the prophets in the bible and how God has always called prophets to help guide his people, and go on to talk about Joseph Smith, how he was called to be a prophet and how the Book of Mormon came to light, and we left a chapter for him to read with the invite to ask God if it was really all true or not like we always do. 

But in my mind, I was still doubting whether this guy was really interested or if he was just waiting for us to leave the whole time. 

FAST FORWARD to the next day and we pass by to see if he's read it or not, only to find that he hasn't read the part we had left about when Christ appeared to the people in the Americas.

Instead.. he's read the entire first 7 chapters of the first book of Nefi. 

And was still reading when we got there. 

Completely absorbed and intrigued with Nefi and his brothers and their little family, the faith they had, and the trust they had in the Lord. 

We asked him how he felt when he was reading and he turned to us with this really profound comparison of faith and trust.

He said that faith was when we simply believe something because other people say that it's true, that we rely on the belief that THEY have. (a little different I'll admit)

But trust is when we feel the truth of something because WE feel it deep within ourselves. That it has become a part of us and because of this - it's stronger and more resilient. 

He then goes on to say that 

'I don't have faith. 

I trust.' 

I was just so touched. 

He has TRUST that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. 

And because of this trust - he has come to know. 

AND THEN HE CAME TO CHURCH WITH US AND IT WAS THE GREATEST THING.

But he also has a million deep questions so let's see just how this goes, but really feeling blessed with how the Lord works in our lives and how important it is that we are always showing him how willing we are to be His hands. 

Like this guy at church said on Sunday

"We aren't earthly beings having a heavenly experience, we are spiritual beings having an earthly experience"

So embora folks - always remember who you are and your divine potential. 

TRUST that God has a plan for you, and not only TRUST - but use Him to help you know what it is.  

LOVE YOU ALL<3

Sister Staheli

Week 31 -- New Years

and soooo off starts a new year with a new transfer and a new me! #ohboy

Wow it's so funny how different things are on a mission. 

Metas? (goals)

- eat beans and rice every day 

- walk 9 hours in the burning sun with greater tan lines than grandpa 

- go to bed at 9:30 because of sheer exhaustion

- speak a different language more often

New Year's evening

#wowalreadydoingsuprisinglygood 

#niceplanningSisterStaheli

No but really guys I LOVE ANO NOVO (New Years) because you really have a moment to appreciate every amazing that has happened, and to appreciate more than before the bits of wisdom you've learned, and the type of person that you have grown to become. AND to reflect on things that you really want to be better with in the glorious and hopeful new year. 

Sister Staheli, Sister Mendonca, Sister Vasquez

IT’S JUST THE GREATEST THING. 

 

This week not only marked a New Year but alsooo... a new transfer! Meaning that you or your companion have the probability of being moved to a new area/city with a new companion. And in our case - both Sister Mendonça e eu (and I) stayed and BOOM - back to the trio life with our beautiful Peruvian Sister Vasquez (who is in the last 5 weeks of the mission). Which sister Mendonça minha filha was pretty happy about because she has this bucket list of a mission and with this transfer has accomplished 3 THINGS - companheira americana, (American companion) companheira hispanica,(Hispanic companion)  e (and) be a part of a TRIO. So you could say she was pretty excited. 

It has been a week of work and miracles. 

So in our ward, because we were the very first ward in all of Nordeste (northeast),  we have about 570 people on our list that were baptized but only have about 70/80 that go on a weekly basis. So we have been going around and visiting some of the people on the list to see if they've moved or why they haven't been coming to church. And low and behold we meet the amazing and maravilhosa familia (marvelous family) of Marines and João Maria. 

João Maria got baptized in the church when he has like 15 years old but because his mom belonged to this other church Assembleia de Deus, she never let him go and he lost track of the church. But when we stopped by their little home, sweet Marines was in front and when we asked about João she was like oh he works until 7 but please come back and we can all talk! Oh my have I just found my soulmate of a family. He was married before and has 6 CHILDREN and she was already married before and how many children does she have? 4 CHILDREN.

So my mathematical friends, how many kids do we have in total?

10 CRIANÇAS (children) AMIGOS. 

DEZ. (ten)

They have only known each other for about a year but they have been living together in this tiny home with about 6 of the 10 children, the oldest of them at home having 8 and 9 years. And they are just the sweetest of families, really embracing us and when we invited them all to church she just goes, oh claro EU VOU (I am definitely going to). You guys just really "ficaram com meu coração" (stayed with my heart), and so on Sunday, for the first time in about 4 weeks we were finally able to get not only a person in church with us - but an ENTIRE FAMILY CARAVAN WITH 6 CHILDREN. The only car that we had available had room for 5 but how many ´people did we fit into that car?

ONZE. (eleven)

Oh my goodness it was the best day of my life. 

And everyone bore their testimony about their family and how important it is to raise children in the gospel and with a love of Christ. Just how much that belief changes them and those memories stay, really affecting the way they treat others, and how much stronger their home is because of that love and focus. Our families are just the most precious gift our Heavenly Father has given us, and He has really shown time and time again just how important they are especially now. We NEED to have a priority in the home, there is such a strength and force there that can't be recreated in any other environment. Wow the love I have for my family is one of the strongest emotions I have, nothing greater or more important and only second to my love of the Savior. 

Last little thought:
Every Sunday for the past month we have been delivering the sacrament to homes of members who can't make it to church because of a family member that is seriously sick and whose ENTIRE family stays to care for. And when I say it's been a little bit of time, I really mean like 7 YEARS. So it's always one of my favorite parts of the week - these people really give everything they have for one another and the power and evident amor in those houses just doesn't have a rival. 

But we were in the last house for the night with Ana and her family, and their sick father João. And this man is really sickly and frail. He really is only eating porridge, puree of literally everything chicken/rice/potato, like he NEVER eats anything solid. So they have blessed the bread and are trying to put it in his mouth and João just literally cannot open his mouth. He struggles and struggles and finally they are able to slip the little piece of bread into the small opening. He holds that little piece of bread in his mouth but is unable to swallow, just holding the little piece in there and his family starts to get a little nervous. They all start saying oh no it was too big for him, here João spit it out here, it's okay João you have already taken the sacrament, it's okay to let it out. 

But still he REFUSED to let that little sacred bread leave his mouth.

That little piece that represented his Savior, and every sacrifice that He had ever given for us, and that represented how much love He has for us. 

Oh wow it was one of the most valiant things I have ever witnessed in my entire life. 

Our lives are SO AMAZING and I hope that this year we can all remember to prioritize those things that really matter - our family, our home and our SAVIOR.

LOVE YOU ALL,

<3 Sister Staheli

Week 30 -- FELIZ NATAL E ANO NOVO A GENTE

So wow. 

Sorry that's been a hot sec, SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST 2 WEEKS.  And I have a MOUNTAIN of pictures to show for it, so I think today I'll tell my week in pictures :)

- So this is the famous 'Arvore de Natal' (Christmas tree) that for so long I never understood why it was called that because almost every other day during the year, it's just this tall white post with cables strung about. It's super close to our capela (chapel) so we always mention it when we meet people on the street. *ta-daaaaaa*

- We have gotten into the seriously dangerous mission habit of splurging on pizza a few times every week. The pizza that's most common here they call 'frango com catipiry' which is shredded chicken with this squeezable white cheese with olives. OH MY GOSH I AM DEVELOPING A SERIOUS LOVE OF OLIVES. 

There are elders in our mission that literally order the same pizza EVERY NIGHT. Pulling a Mike Staheli with the same classic Subway special every day for the past 10 years. #whoopwhoop #abençoado (blessed)

- This is just one pic that shows just how flipping amazing everyone is at futebol (soccer) here - ITS LEGIT INSANE. They also play volleyball except it’s actually nothing like volleyball but entirely with their bodies and feet.

The fam is growing! The elder in the middle is from Paraguay and was my first LD and thus mey 'pae' Everyone else consists of the other fruits of his loins with brothers, cousins, filhos, literally it doesn't even make sense to me but he always gives me a "just roll with it" #familytree

 

OH MY GOSH OUR WARD SUPRISED US WITH THE BIGGEST CHRISTMAS BASKET I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY WHOLE LIFE. 

Literally it was so big that it wasn’t able to be limited to a giant cardboard box that was just BURSTING with besteira - cookies, caju soda, crackers, 2 loaves of bread, 3 pantones (which are like these cake/breads with chocolate chips and dried fruits), 2 jugs of Bob Esponja (spongebob) chocolate milk and in one of the pictures, you are witnessing my reaction with the craziest thing of all - GRAPE JUICE FLAVORED SOY MILK. 

Made Christmas cookies for literally every less active, member, and people that we are teaching and it was the best. EVERYONE DIES OVER COOKIES.

The effects of the Brasilian sun on my physical body

My beautiful companion Sister Mendonça

And let's not forget the best part:

Oh my gosh it's ridiculous how hard it was to talk in English. My family was like um, what? It was like the first week that I arrived in the mission field and didn't know any portugues except WAY WORSE because I was like

"Wow. You.. guys.. all.. ate.. breakfast..?

It's... hot.. there?

Sim ahhhh Yes.. there.. is... a Winnie the pooh above... me.. e (I mean AND) umm.. want.. to.. look... outside?? 

Wow talk about the gift of paciencia (patience) hahaha 

Talking to my family was like the happiest and also one of the hardest things. It's like wait.. I have a family? Like so much of my time right now is spent serving and thinking about other people that you just don't have very much time to think about it. But this Christmas has really hit me with the realities and how much these people really feel and sacrifice for their families. There is a reason that there was only one thing that really every missionary looks forward to Christmas day and it's because we spend literally EVERY DAY teaching other people how important their family is, how much God has given us and how powerful our homes can be when they are created in a loving and accepting environment. Our family and homes on earth are just preparations for the types of relationships we will have after this earth and are opportunities to really learn how to love and treat others as our Savior did. There's just something so powerful and important about our family - we ARE SO BLESSED. 

I was really hit this Christmas with the question - if I have really taken upon myself the name of Christ?  If I really am doing everything I can to hear and recognize His voice, and if I am really trusting without holding anything back, letting Him carry me through the hardest of trials.

OH my I LOVE MY SAVIOR and MY FAM. 

(the aftermaths):

And thought you'd enjoy this last pic heh heh..

FELIZ NATAL, pumped for every New Year because we can make some serious rock stellar goals to become the best that we have to offer!!!!

MUITO AMOR<3

Sister Staheli 

Week 29 -- Feliz Natal

Anne's letter the day before Christmas....

I gave the last talk yesterday in church for our Christmas program - TALK ABOUT PRESSURE. 

But I think it went well, people congratulated me after which I don't know was like a wow, way to go you made it through or a wow I really enjoyed your talk, or a wow you are really-really american. Christmas really feels a lot different here and I can't believe that it's already Christmas Eve. But it is also really special and the only time in my entire life that it will be assim (like this) so I am so so grateful to be here, even with how much I miss you guys.   And how cool is it to be celebrating Christmas in the Natal (Christmas) ward, in the city of Natal (Christmas), in the Natal (Christmas) mission.  I love my Savior and am grateful to be here celebrating his birth and life.

Feliz Natal!!!

Sister Staheli