Week 55 - Festa de Junina

Oi familia!  This week’s got a ton of pictures because it was the long awaited Festa de Junina (June Festival) – or also known as the party where everyone finds different ways to cook corn.  I have been hearing stories about this Festa practically since the day I got here in Natal.  And boyyy, I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest (although I wasn’t able to stay in the Interior – Mossoro where it’s apparently WAY bigger).  I’m going to be completely honest and say that I have NO idea what exactly we are celebrating, but right now on every street corner and in front of every 5^th casa you can find blazing bonfires that the locals have built on the sidewalk.  “DontKnowWhatThey’reBurningButItsNotTheTypeOfSmellYouWantOnYourClothes&Hair  

The huge festa they throw is composed of this type of music they call forro (specific songs and folk dances – the songs originated from farmers and workers who would sing to the cows, each other and the crops as they harvested sugarcane, corn, vegetables etc) and have a quadrilha (which is like line dancing that tells a story) and Mesas Cheias de comida (tables full of food).

Sis Colleoni and Sis Silva

To give you an idea, some of the foods typical for this festa include but are not limited to cuscus tempurado (has the texture and appearance of rice but is straight corn that they put chopped sauteed onions, tomatoes, cilantro, sausage, scrambled eggs, garlic and salt served hot)  #NewFavoriteFood, arroz doce (kind of like rice pudding with cinnamon on top), canjica (this sweet creamy corn pudding also with cinnamon on top), corn bread (which they call bolo de milho), bolo de macaxerra (which is a starch we don’t have in the US but is in the same family as potatoes), pipoca (popcorn), corn on the cob and as always coca-cola and fresh suco (juice) made from the native tropical fruits they have here.

Now for the quadrilha – the youth here get all dolled up with traditional Nordestina clothing – tons of bright colors, plaid and brightly checkered fabrics, straw hats for the boys and braids and ribbons for the girls.  It’s been such a long time since I’ve done something like hair with my hands that it took like 40 minutes to do the first girl’s hair, but ficou bonita a gente (It was beautiful people)

In the quadrilha, it’s like this type of line dance that tells the story of a bride and groom at their wedding feast and you have all of the girls on one side and all of the boys on the other side and the girls start, one girl grabbing a broom and sweeping and dancing in front of 2 boys.  She will throw the broom to one boy and then dance with the other.  He then sweeps while they dance and then he gives the broom to another girl who repeats the process.  It makes for some drama and suspense… i.e. the girls choosing the 12 year old boy instead of the 17 year old.  Girls refusing to enter the middle to dance etc.  It was seriously so funny.

And it was cool because we had a ton of people we’ve been teaching that came, mingling with todo mundo (everyone), laughing and having fun, eating corn in all its forms.  Man I love how the gospel brings people together from all different types of backgrounds and just makes them happy.  I felt really truly happy this week – and let me tell you – com certeza tinha its dificuidades (of course it had its difficulties).

My Brazilian sisters

There was a member this week that after we said that we had already been companions said “aah, toda vez que voce repete companheiras, e porque wee ainda neto aprendeu a que voce precisava a primeira vez.”  (Every time you repeat companions. It’s because you didn’t learn what you needed to the first time.)  And I think I’m beginning to figure out what it is that Heavenly Father wants me to understand.  

Sending my love,
Sister Staheli

I made a balloon animal

Natal sunset

Natal rain

Week 54 -- transferred to Alecrim

Wow gente (people), so it happened.  They pulled me out of my beloved Mossoro and from my beloved Mexican daughter and put me back in the capital – Natal.  But this time in Alecrim (Rosemary in Portugues), which is the same area as the mission office where 4 elders are also working.  That means at least 2x’s this past week, we ate with 8 missionaries (4 sisters and 4 elders).  We also live 5 blocks from the largest and busiest shopping centro da cidade  (center downtown) – the sidewalks are crammed with small stands that reach over your head and sell anything from I-phone cases, yummy coscuz tempurato (couscous) to hammocks.  Another crazy fact is that I’m back with Sister Silva, who helped finish my training when I only had 3 months in the mission.  And now it’s her last transfer and it’s the first time that I’ve been with someone who has more time than me in the mission in about 8 months.  She is a Sister Training Leader which pretty much means she cares for all of the other sisters, calling to check in on how they’re doing and visiting their areas to help in whatever difficulty they may be having as well as finding weak points and making them strengths.  So you could say that about 110% of the time I just sit in complete awe like, oh my gosh how is she so amazing?  #PumpedForThisTransfer  #AlreadySeeingTheMiracles #SoMuchToLearn

I want to quickly talk about someone we’ve been teaching this week:

Diego is a man we’ve been visiting diariamente (daily) who struggles with a dependence on alcohol and cigarettes – who used to be at about 20-30 a day but has narrowed it down to 4-5.  It’s been a trial of my faith and patience because I’ve never taught anyone like him before.  I’ve never been burdened with a consuming addiction, so sometimes it’s hard to understand and not be like “Man, he caved and drank again”.  Or to not get discouraged when we arrive and he quickly throws away the cigarettes he promised not to smoke that day.  But time after time I have also been impressed with his persistence in reading the Book of Mormon or meeting goals he set for what he wants in his life, or even how after everything – we did not need to pass by and give him a call to make it to church on his own this week.  Something that really gets me and that’s been able to help him a lot is that in reality – Sister Silva and I will never understand completely how hard it is to be him.  To fight that bodily dependence and overwhelming urge he feels to revert back to old and destructive habits, no matter how much he wants to quit.  We can’t just say “Hey eat a banana (he likes bananas) and say a prayer every time you feel the urge to smoke!”

But we do have the ability to say, “Hey Diego there is one who understands.  One who never gives up on believing that we can succeed, even when no one else seems to be able to, including ourselves.  One who already passed through every pain and weakness, both physical and spiritual, that we may ever know in our life time.  And why do you think He did that for us?”  Exactly for when we feel like Diego – alone, overwhelmed by our inadequacies to do what we know we should, discouraged and without the ability to see our life getting any better.  Aka how every single one of us has felt at some point in our lives.  He did it to understand all that we would go through and to give us His strength.  He did it to save us, both from the world and also from ourselves.  He did it because He loves us.

John 14:27

 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 16:33 

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Learning a lot folks – try to have a bit more faith and patience this week.  Whether in yourself or in those around you.  I promise you’ll be able to see a difference.  God always keeps His promises.

AMO MUITO VOCES (LOVE YOU SO MUCH)

Sister Staheli

Saying goodbye to these people was super hard...

Kaio's dog had puppies

Sister Silva is the BOMB

Our district leader that only lasted uma semana (one week) 

week 53 -- Pres. Colleoni finishing mission

Eaiii gente!  (Hello people)

Sorry for not writing this past week.  My body passed through literally every type of enfirmadade (disease) you can imagine and I hardly had strength to make it to the computer to talk to my family.  But God is misericordioso (merciful) and still managed to bless the life of small e pequena (and insignificant) Sister Staheli more than she deserved this week (and always).

President Colleoni

Sister Colleoni

My mission president is in the last 3 weeks of his mission and we had our last conference with him and Sister Colleoni.  There’s never been a shadow of a doubt in my mind that Presidente Colleoni is a man who knows his Savior.  He has always loved us like unto the love of the Savior, humble and trusting, yet also not afraid to queimar (correct us) when we need it.  I am so grateful for my time with him because I know I never heard his words, but the word’s and inspiracao (inspiration) straight from my Heavenly Father.

Heloiza

A miracle that happened this past week was being able to see Heloiza.  Just to recap, when I was still starting off the mission and was hardly speaking/understanding Portugues, we met this woman on the street and started to teach her.  Now this woman at the time was dating this super shady dude who lived in Dubai and was always having some random accident or needing hospitalization, or some type of expensive incident that she was constantly sending money for.  Did I mention they met online?  And that she found another account on facebook with the same dude but a completely different name?  Yeah “ShadyRight?  For quite a while we just sat and listened to her vent, but there was one lesson that was incredible.  We taught about how the evangelho (gospel) is the unreo caminho pra voltar a viver com nosso pai celestial (is the only way we can return to live with our Heavenly Father again).  My companion left the end of the lesson for me to teach.  Although I stumbled, and was completely inadequate, God gave me His words and spirit in that moment and she accepted the challenge to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized.  Long story short, soon after she disappeared and no one knew where she had gone or what happened to her.  Well it turns out, she moved to Mossoro, found the church and the missionaries and not only was she, but also her 2 nephews were baptized.  Needless to say, seeing her out of nowhere at the temple dedication, worthy, with a recommend was more than Sister Staheli could handle. 

Last miracle was Kaio.  Remember that rapaz (boy) that’s caused me more agehia e alegria, (aging and joy), tears and laughter, frustration and love than any other person I know?  Anyways, after 4-5 meses (months) he was finally baptized on Saturday.  Never have I met anyone who had more obstacles in being baptized.  And he is 13 years old!  I have never met someone with a more pure and innocent love for the Savior in my life.  Afterwards I asked him how he felt and he just goes “Sister Staheli, I’m so happy, I’m so, so happy!  It’s like before I always had this angustia (anguish) and heavy and oppressive feeling hanging on me and when I went under the water to be baptized, it all went away!”  And then he just ran off so giddy and feliz (happy) with the other rapazas.  (boys)

Man, I love my pai celestial.  (Heavenly Father)

Look for the miracles folks.  They’re real and they are in your life.

Sending my love.

Sister Staheli

1 year mark

Week - 52

No letter -  Anne skyped us instead.  She has been feeling a bit under the weather as she caught a nasty bug this past week.   

Week 51 -- Let your Gatinho Frolick

This week I got thinking a lot about comparison.

What happens sometimes is that we get so focused on what is happening in the life of someone else, that we forget to be grateful for all of the things we have been blessed with. 

The tendency to compare and compete with those around us is one of the adversary’s most powerful tools in making us forget about our own personal value; making us feel inadequate or worthless because we aren’t a carbon copy of our neighbor.  When we start to compare ourselves with others, we blind ourselves to all of the unique talents and abilities God has blessed us with, using our lives like a "spot the difference" painting, where one is “perfect” while the other is lacking in one aspect or another.  Thinking that every difference in color or position of the gatinho (kitten) in our picture vs. that of someone else, represents some type of failure or defect.  Falling into the trap of thinking why isn’t my gatinho (kitten) drinking leite (milk) on top of the geladera (refrigerator) like his, instead of frolicking in the catnip like there’s no tomorrow?  (You see the ridiculousness in the question?)  Who says that he has to be?  How boring would it be if all we had were gatinho’s (kittens) drinking the same dish of leite (milk)?

Maybe in the beginning it starts as something small, but comparing has a tendency of self -replicating…exponentially.

Embrace who God has made you to be, and trust in Him to help you become more.  I know He will guide us if we only open our hearts sincerely and humbly enough to ask.

Homework assignment:  Look up “Who Says” by Selena Gomez and sing it at the top of your lungs (or at least listen with a singing heart to understand just how unique, important and valued you are by our loving Heavenly Father)  #Works #SpeakFromPersonalExperience

LET YOUR GATINHO (kitten) FROLICK. 

love you all!!

<3 Sister Staheli 

fotos:

What happens when you buy everything needed for a solid açai (banana, granola, leite em pó, leite condensado (powdered milk, condensed milk)) EXCEPT.. cups!  #3cups16missionarios #ThrowItAllInTheBox #AteAçaiOutOfAPlasticBag

The beginnings of "festa de juninha"(June Festival) - aka the biggest carnival to hit Nordeste that consists of every type of corn-based food you can imagine and lasts an entire MONTH (more pictures to come)

Divaneide and Nicole (6 aninhos (years)) - the literal BOMB.COM of Mossoró and have been such a blessing to see them progress in the gospel

the aftermath of a lunch where I actually thought I was going to die #MomIThinkSheMadeMeEatAnEntireLASAGNAsozinha #passeimal