After
passing a little more than 8 months in the capital, I was finally shipped out
to the boonies of the Interior (or promised land as everyone calls it), and boy
is EVERYTHING SO DIFFERENT. So I didn’t
realize this was a thing, but there are definitely 2 types of missionaries here
in Brazil, Natal. Those ‘born in the
capital (First area of the mission) and those 4-5-9 hours away in the quente (hot) interior.
To give you an idea of how hot it is here, in Natal everyone always says
“Man this week was hot.” “Yeah it
was”. “Hey at least we’re not in Mossoró.”
“Yeah it’s NOWHERE near as hot.
I’ve never been but you know people talk. “Yeah I’ve only passed through 1 day and man
NEVER AGAIN. The frequency of rain is
apparently so rare that one time it started to rain and kids on the street
started screaming and crying, going beserk with their mom whispering “it’s
okay, it’s okay, it’s called rain .” J
Also, saying
goodbye to my little part of the world and family in Natal really kind of tore
me little. I won’t bore you guys with
the mushy gushy stuff, but really I will forever be different because of the
povo (people).
Something I really admire about them was their strength and faith
despite being one of the smallest wards in the tiniest of capellas week after
week after week. Their ward wasn’t
strong because of their numbers or because they were together, but because
INDIVIDUALS therein chose to be strong, even the very youngest. They passed through some rough times, yet I am
grateful for those who chose faith in God, even when they don’t know what they
are doing or think that they stand alone.
Because in the end you look back and realize that your little light in
the darkness that seemed so small and insignificant was a lighthouse and a beam
for those who also felt lost, alone and forgotten. God asks us to be this light and strength for
others, even when we don’t feel adequate.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that
is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it
under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in
the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew
5:14-16
Everyone is
strong in their own way – recognize it in yourself AND in others because it is
very real and we all need to realize our strength and potential that God sees
in US.
As a last thought, it was pretty funny because here in Mossoró, everyone has like 5 names – like EVERYONE. Usually consisting of something like ‘Maria das Dores de Silva de Mendonca’ right? So we are talking to this lady on the street and we say “we’re missionaries a igreja de jesus cristo dos santos dos últimos dias (of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), but she just gets so flustered saying “you guys believe in things completely different. I don’t know anything about this other Jesus. Who is this other Jesus?” …… He is the one and the same and the only Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer.
Sending my
love and dying from heat exhaustion
Sister
Staheli
P.S. I get
to skype my family every week!?!
