HAPPY DIA DAS MÃES. (Happy
Mother’s Day)
Getting to talk to my family yesterday was just the most
tender blessing ahhh :) I know that we can talk with them every week but it
almost never works out, so talking and laughing, teasing each other about the
types of foods we were both missing out on (I may not have Ruffles Dad but how
many fresh guavas do you eat on a daily basis?? #HAH), and just being there was
such a normal thing. I thank my Heavenly Father every day that because of our
Savior, we have the promise of being able to live with our families forever
<3 #ManAreWeBlessed
It's funny to think that the last Dia das Mães (Mother’s day) was my farewell talk with all of my
grandparents and family in Colorado before going on the mission. #WhatIsGoingOnItsAlmostBeen1Year.
- This week we had a HUGE slumber party on the veranda.
Because we had transfers -- there were 6 sisters staying in our house. And what
happens when you have 4 beds and 6 sisters? You drag all of the mattresses
outside and sleep under the stars. The mission has an intensity of stresses
that I've never experienced in my whole life, but then you also have those
moments that you just go.. my life is so blessed. How could anyone sit there
looking up at the great expanse of space and not think about the creation of
everything, and not acknowledge that there HAD to have been One entirely
intelligent and infinitely loving Being who created it all just for us? I just
am so grateful for Heavenly Father and how much He really loves us, how He does
EVERYTHING so that we can return back to Him and our heavenly home.
- With transfers this week I found out that I was here to
stay and that I get to finish the training of minha meninha mexicana (my little Mexican companion) Sister Arámburo! And we
also got a newbie Sister Forsyth - the first missionária escocês (missionary from Scotland) to hit Brasil!! Tall,
ginger, blazing blue eyes and entirely HILARIOUS -- you could say that although
it’s only been 5 days, we've already passed hours laughing and getting real
about life and the mission; like friends who've known each other for years. Everyone
gets starry eyed and always asks her a million questions about Scotland, and
apparently a Scottish accent in ingles (English) is
WAY easier for them to understand than from the states..??
- Other funny thing that happened is we were getting ready
for bed one night and everyone's kneeling down to say their individual prayers,
I knock out but Sister Vega and Arámburo continue to talk right? When Sister
Arámburo finishes her prayer she looks over to see Sister Vega just sitting there
waiting and Vega goes "I waited for you to finish because I'm afraid that
if we pray at the same time, I don't know which prayer Heavenly Father will
choose to listen to". J
- This week is going to be really different for me. You know
how there's always things that everyone needs to improve right, and I'm hit in
the face a lot of the time with everything I still have to grow and learn. But
this week as sisters, we have decided to make it our week of consecration. We
were challenged to have a whole lot more fé (faith) and
a whole lot more consecrated and diligent effort, knowing that in the end, God
would bless us and the people we have been teaching with a whole lot more
miracles.
I found a scripture that I really love that talks about this
in the Book of Mormon -
"For if there be no faith among the children of men God
can do no miracle among them, wherefore, he showed not himself until AFTER
their faith." (Ether 12:12)
Yes, God wants to bless our lives, but like all of the
people in the scriptures who followed Christ and were only healed AFTER their
trial of faith, we must do the same. We have to show God that we are willing to
work for the miracles, that we are willing to take that blind step into the
darkness, that we are willing to put our faith and trust in Him to the test by
doing something that is unknown or scary.
It's only AFTER this faith that He will make weak things
become strong (Ether 12:27), or rather weaknesses and faults that we have to
become strengths.
I know that if you put your trust in Him, He will never let
you down!! Trust in the promises of the Lord!
love you with all of my heart <3
LOVE AÇAI.
LOVE BRASIL.
LOVE THE LORD.
