Week 69 -- Give it your all and pray to God

 THIS WAS JUST THE BEST WEEK.

This week was so cool because it was one of those weeks that we really just gave it all and instead of going completely wrong (which totally happens more than a couple times heh heh..), Deus foi bom (God was good) and completely blew me away!! 

ahhh I think I've found one of the most amazing feelings - giving yourself a real challenge, throwing everything you've got even when everyone doubts that it'll all work out, and then.. ACTUALLY ACHIEVING YOUR GOAL. 

It’s crazy how much God does when you give your all in a righteous pursuit. #2confirmaçõespendentes #NEVERGIVEUP

Oh gente. (people) EDUARDO IS SO FUNNY (he's the guy we ran after a couple blocks for if you remember). We probably pass about half the time dying laughing and the other half crying because of how strong the spirit is. He said that it has been years since he has been able to pray because he felt that God had stopped listening. We found that one huge source of hurt in his life is that the mother of his two adorable meninas (daughters) woke up one morning and just left. Decided that she did not want to be a part of their family anymore and just abandoned him with his two little girls, leaving him to raise them completely alone as a single dad. And he just REFUSES to pray. 

BUT after one of our lessons, we called his little girl Marina to pray with us who had NEVER prayed before.  After teaching her how, everyone kneeled on the ground (except for Eduardo, unable to allow himself to kneel) and that little 7 year old said her first little prayer. I think that was the first day I ever saw Eduardo cry. 

And then only a few days later (and although still unable to kneel), Eduardo was able to begin to overcome his hurt and regret, saying the first prayer to his Father in Heaven for the first time in YEARS.  You could tell it was the type of prayer that he spoke super nervous and with real hesitation. You know that first conversation that you have with someone after an argument or disagreement and you just get like, is it cool to talk now or are we still fighting right? And even though he was able to pray, he STILL was not able to ask for anything more than for OUR well-being and safety and for his family. It blows me away how he still holds God at arm's length, knowing and longing in his heart to come home but still unable to let himself feel how much Heavenly Father really loves him. But the way he talked, it was clear that he really spoke with great tenderness and reverence, in a way that showed he really felt that God was there listening.  

God listens to every prayer and I know that if we only trust in Him and in our Savior, our pain will be turned to relief and peace. 

In the end of it all, how do we want to feel? 

Where do we want to be?

And now the question - o que ainda me falta? (What do I still lack?)

What's stopping me from feeling happy? What's keeping me from setting challenging goals and then giving it my all? 

What's stopping me from allowing God to change my life? 

Será que é mim mesmo?  (Is it me?)

21 Sim, digo-te, meu filho, que nada pode haver tão intenso e cruciante como o foram minhas dores. Sim, meu filho, digo-te também que, por outro lado, nada pode haver tão belo e doce como o foi minha alegria.  

22 Sim, parecia-me ver, assim como nosso pai ^aLeí viu, Deus sentado em seu trono, rodeado por inúmeras multidões de anjos na atitude de cantar e louvar a Deus; e minha alma sentia o desejo de lá estar.

23 Mas eis que meus membros recobraram as ^aforças e levantei-me e declarei ao povo que eu havia ^bnascido de Deus.

This is a story of a prophet of God who changed his past, becoming a believer in Jesus Christ and then sharing his testimony with all who would hear.  In this section of Alma he is sharing his conversion story with his son Helaman.

Alma 36:21-23

21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.

23 But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God.

Love you all and hope your week was amazing. 

DESAFIO (Challenge) - set a goal (spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual) and then GIVE IT YOUR ALL. Pray for the strength to overcome it and God will bless you in your efforts!

AMO VOCÊS (Love you)

<3 Sister Staheli

Week 68 -- Monkey sisters of Alecrim

So I have  found 2  pretty convincing points  that the sisters of Alecrim have officially turned into monkeys that I think you will find quite interesting - 

GUYS THIS WEEK WE ATE SO MANY BANANAS. 

Point 1 - For real there was one day that my companion and I received a ton of bananas and then the other sisters in our house got some the SAME DAY and I counted them all... in total 36 BANANAS GENTE. And I think I for sure ate about half of them sozinha (alone). We got pretty creative - bananas and granola, bananas com açai, bananas com amendoim (with peanuts), bananas com ovos (with eggs), bananas com rice and beans, bananas com mais(with more) bananas.

Did I mention already how much I love bananas?

ALSO - 

WE HAD A CRAZY MIRACLE THIS WEEK. So we were on the street and we passed by this dad and his two girls and you know that moment when you're like - wait I totally know them but I have NO IDEA how. When we made eye contact with them, it was like this weird ripple of recognition passed through everyone and we all smiled and said hi but then we were running to make an appointment and they continued down the hill. My companion and I looked at each other after we had passed them and were like wait... what was that?  We have to talk to them. But when we turned they were already about 100 yards down the road and turning onto a different street and we're like, that would be SUPER weird to haul down there and track them down but then we couldn’t deny that feeling and while we sat there in indecision my companion just goes "don’t doubt – it’s the adversary making you doubt!!" and we went sprinting down the hill to catch up to this family. When we finally got to them and called them out the dad just turns and starts dying laughing like what these girls are crazy, you tracked us down for HOW LONG. But we managed to grab his address and phone number. BUT GET THIS - when we arrived at his house I had this weird flashback and realized that it totally wasn’t the first time I had been there. I realized that I had actually taught his MOM, who was super strong in her church (like walks over 30 min every week as a sweet 68 yr old lady ALONE) and had mentioned that she had a son who lived there too, and who used to go with her EVERY week but that something happened and he didn’t go anymore. 

When she said that, I remember that it just stuck in my head - like I GOTTA meet this son, but that we never met him and eventually stopped passing by. 

Flash forward and I realize that EDUARDO actually was that son and I'm just blown away with how perfectly God organizes and plans everything. And wow, is he really needing help. 

This is a man who went religiously CONSISTENTLY EVERY WEEK to church, visited people in their homes, earnestly prayed every day, had perfect confidence in God - everything and then all of a sudden - nothing. He lost his faith. It's interesting because he believes that God is real still, but more in the way that He only acts and listens to OTHER people and not himself. He has let so much time pass that he doesn’t feel worthy enough to pray or talk to God, like Eduardo thinks He wouldn’t listen even if he tried talking to Him. 

And I think that happens a lot with the adversary - he gets into your mind and makes you think that you are unworthy. That maybe it’s great for other people and He loves them, but after all of your weaknesses and mistakes - YOU don’t deserve to talk to your Father in heaven or that He doesn't love you. 

It’s been amazing being able to teach him and help him realize and  acknowledge that it’s never too late to come  back home, not even after everything we've done to hurt and offend God - He's always waiting for us with open and loving arms.  It reminds me of the parable of the prodigal son.  It's never too late.

Luke 15:18-20

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

God just loves us so much guys, never forget that He is always waiting and wanting to forgive us and desperately wants us to come back home to Him.

I love the mission because I'm really beginning to understand just how God looks and loves His children because He fills my heart with the same love and worry for their well-being. 

Maick in the trees grabbing Jambo

LOVE YOURSELF AND SAY YOUR PRAYERS 

YOU ARE A LOVED CHILD OF GOD. 

<3 Sister Staheli 

PS. wish Jonathan Staheli the best birthday in the world today folks – he’s a stud and I love him to death 

So yeah we had uma festa de piolho (a lice party) and my companions literally HANDPICKED these bad boys out because its been like 2 months and I'm still rocking the head lice. #mycompanionhaditfor5YEARS #butlookatthatcurlyhair! #whataboutashaveSisterStaheli? #baldisthenewbeautiful #segundaprova @macacosDOalecrim  

Point 2 - monkey sisters of Alecrim

Everything MADE OF CORN - corn cake, corn pudding, #LearnedThatMyStomachDoesn't
likeExcessiveAmountsOfCorn

#ButHowDoYouSaynotoNazaré

Week 67 -- Say your prayers

You know when your body's beat when even taking the short 10 min walk to the church after the week feels as tiring as the hour-long runs you did before the mission. I have a serious respect for mission life and for the legs that spend 9 + hours daily on the street. 

Ai gente (aah friends) I really gave my all this week mentally, physically, and emotionally - and last night I got home and just crashed on my bed from sheer exhaustion.

IT WAS JUST THE BEST WEEK EVER.  I learned a lot this week about just how important it is that we take care of those around us and the power of sincere prayer. 

I got to witness the most precious and powerful blessing of healing I have ever seen from a little 4 year old boy named Tomas.  He strongly and repeatedly expressed his faith and told his father he did not doubt. 

God does not let people (even the smallest of children) fail to receive the blessings of their Faith - especially when asked in prayer with a pure and sincere heart. 

When praying, sometimes I forget that God is actually listening. I love how prayer makes you realize that you are never alone. Literally it is the only thing that does not matter WHERE you are, how physically able your body is, what you're doing, nothing - you can Always talk to your Father in Heaven any time, any where. 

Here is a picture of  4 year old Tomas who was going around giving everyone snacks in sacrament and is SO CUTE

I am feeling especially loved this week gente. 

LOVE YOU 

SAY YOUR PRAYERS. 

and remember to 

HAVE FAITH LIKE TOMAS.

<3 Sister Staheli

week 66 -- Transfers

Hey hey fam!

WHAT A WEEK. Sorry I don’t have a ton of time but just as a recap – I had transfers this week!! I got my new companion and found out that this will officially be my last area before heading back home.  #WHAT? 

We now share the area with another dupla and so had to divide our area to be fair with what we had before and where the two duplas would be designated to work. It’s been a CRAZY whirlwind and I don’t have time to describe everything, but I really gained a testimony this week that when you trust in the Lord's promptings, and really give it ALL you have, He's really going to blow your mind with how many miracles He's capable of. 

I am working in a part of the area that I have never seen (and this is after 3 MONTHS of being in the same city).  Although we left all the strong families we had been teaching with the other dupla - I just can't even get over how the Lord has blessed us by putting new families in our path.  He has heard and answered my prayers. What did I even do to deserve this? 

There are SO MANY people prepared to hear and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ in EVERY place in the world, people that the Lord has already been teaching and influencing and loving. People that really need you. 

If you love the Lord, if you really love your family and friends - there won’t be any way to keep you from shouting on the rooftops and doing EVERYTHING you can to help them to be as happy as you are by sharing the message that Jesus Christ lives and loves us and has died for us.

You'd be surprised to see how happy you will feel, even if the person doesn’t end up going to church or something more. I really have appreciated how much God loves His children here on the mission, and how much He depends on US to be His hands in serving and blessing one another. (Remember that HE really LOVES all of His children everywhere.)

anyways, I love the gospel, I love Brasil and açai

I love my Savior

I also love my family

Sis Staheli

Alex and his bank

Alex is one of our recent converts who makes furniture for a living (the one who started smoking when he was 8 and stopped within a WEEK.). He went to a devotional about the temple and afterwards went and made this piggybank to put all of his spare change to be able to pay the bus trip from here to Recife (4 hours) to visit the temple!!

Camila

The granddaughter of one of our recent converts got baptized this week!! She is the sweetest little angel and after going a couple times with her avô (grandma), asked if she could be baptized <3 (this is a girl who loves going to church - especially Sacrament mtg - shes10) 

João Vitor and Alexia

MILAGRE DA SEMANA:

We have been teaching João Vitor for almost the past 2 MONTHS. and he is super solid, always reads and prays but just getting him to go to church was the HARDEST thing. His mom Gorete has been smoking for almost 30 years (yeah it's pretty common unfortunately to see young kids smoking here on the street side) and she stopped one of the members on Sunday as he was heading to church. She said she was sick of smoking and wanted to stop and also to go to church with him! After teaching her for a while we realized that she really wasn't that prepared right now to change but that her 19 yr old son is SUPER AMAZING and loves learning about Jesus Christ and His gospel.  João wanted to go to church the first time with his mom. But after taking another cool guy from the ward to meet him, they totally hit if off and he WENT TO CHURCH AND ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT.)

karioke with Edimar 

After a super stressful week what is the best cure? Grabbing a mic and belting all of the classic música brasileira even if you don't know the words. Man I love o meninho Benjamin <3

One of the sweetest little 11 year olds I've ever met in my entire life and the trio <3

Views from the missão Brasil Natal

the district!! 

Week 65 -- Ants

Hey fam what a week! I’m starting to really feel my time here is flying by, which kind of scares me.  I’m not going to lie.  It’s like I'll just Wake up one day and I won’t be a missionary anymore and one of the most amazing experiences of my life will just be over and done with. How I thank my Heavenly Father for every blessed day He gives me to serve these people with all of my heart and to forget about myself.

I had a day this week that I think I can officially say was 'o dia das formigas'. (ants day) Why you may ask?  It all started at lunch and we had all finished eating and after suco (juice) and everything, I was thirsty and grabbed a glass to drink some water. But what I didn’t know, was that this cup already had like 8 GIANT formigas (ants) in the bottom, which I only saw as I went to drink right. A little grossed out, I wasn’t feeling super inclined to drink but, never underestimate what one may do when desperate gente - but still I didn’t drink a ton right? PRONTO, then we headed afterwards to a diferente house where I was SURE to quickly ask for a HUGE glass of water. The cute senhor comes back with a filled cup and handed the glass to my companion right, who holds it and then kind of turns her body towards me with the cup. Thinking that she was in reality PASSING the cup to me because I was dying of thirst, I gratefully grabbed the cup and went to put the cup to my mouth. and THEN I saw her face and why she hadn’t already started to drink. I don’t know if you have ever seen those fancy dessert Pinterest cups where they wet the rim of the cup and then coat it with sprinkles, but it was practically this right - but instead of sprinkles let’s imagine that it was 30 MIL FORMIGAS VERMELHAS. (30 thousand red ants)

I'M NOT EVEN KIDDING - IT WAS INSANE.  Oh my gosh so we are dying and the senhor was like hey why hasn’t she drunken it yet?  And my companions just go - ah she gets embarrassed super easy and doesn’t like to drink in front of other people (it does not help that I'm dying and turning red). And then he just goes, "good luck to whichever fellow ends up marrying her one day"...and then goes after looking at me, “she deserves a really good one.” #SeriouslyDied

An amazing thing that happened this week was that the man God has chosen to be our beloved prophet, Presidente Nelson came to speak to all of the missionaries and people here in Brasil. I definitely started crying with how grateful I was to have a living prophet here to protect us and guide us in our crazy world. And that was just when he walked into the room (all of the church buildings streamed it live from São Paulo) before saying anything. DOES ANYONE GET HOW BLESSED WE ARE?  He had all of the primary children sing and I think I lost it a little more.

One thing that they talked a lot about is how we should really strive to eliminate ALL of the dissension that we may have in our lives with the people we know.  That when one of our relationships with someone isn't good, it starts to affect OUR own ability to feel and receive the spirit AND be in tune with what God needs and wants us to know. Like the billboards on the highway that say "our goal is ZERO fatalities" as a warning for people to use seatbelts. The scriptures are filled with faithful people who made it their priority to have ZERO CONTENTIONS or I like to say, ZERO GRUDGES.

It’s not the easiest thing (especially when we really haven’t done anything wrong) but make an effort this week to really have ZERO contentions so that nothing can come between you and your Heavenly Father.

It’s just not worth it folks - He needs and wants to talk to you JUST as much as you need to talk to Him.

Loving life and thanking you for all the e-mails - I really love you all so much!

send a bday squeeze to brennan staheli - (he may or may not have been the inspiration for my Fb password when I was 12 yrs old #DeservesSeriousCreds #HesPrettyCoolTalvez) 

LOVE YOU ALL,

<3 Sister Staheli

really gonna miss grabbing fresh coconut water and eating fresh coco for 2 reals. Also she ripped this coco in half herself #filhaforte #muitofeijão 

we got to the church building only to find it completely wrecked - #InitiateCleaningPowerOf3Sisters #CleanedTheENTIREchurchBuildingAlone !! #MoTABjams

Week 64 -- Anne's store

No letter this week, but Anne sent a picture of a store with her name. 

Week 63 -- Piolho - LICE!

Oh Gente, what a week!

This week was significantly meaningful as for the first time in my life I truly developed a personal understanding and empathy with those divinely blessed with piolho.  (lice)

Or in other words – I got hit with head lice this week!  #ITCHY-WhyAmIItchy?

So yeah, picking those little buggers out of my hair made for a pretty great time, and also a shower WAY longer than is necessary.  (roughly 40 minutes)  But I think I cleared a majority of them out.  All thanks to our little amiga Selena (the 4 year old menina who likes her chicken only when smothered in bright red lipstick).  Who I SWEAR I NEVER TOUCHED, but to whom I will forever be grateful to for having given me this new and quite invasive empathy.

Other funny thing that happened this week…we’ve been teaching this family that has 3-4 little primas (cousins) around the ages of 9-11 who have really become our little buddies.  Every time we get to their house, they come out screaming, hugging us and giggling.  Completely normal right?  (Man if I had a Real (the Brazilian currency) for how many hugs I’ve had from little children I’ve never met.  Wow do I love being a missionary.)  But one day, we got there and found that they had played “house” (that takes me back to the dandelion salad days – Rachel and Bethany J) and they had each picked one of us 3 sisters to be 'mom'.  I just died.  You don’t even know!  Also, wow, I’m just hit so often here with how pure, loving and Christ-like children are.

This week I also managed to be once again challenged, molded, blessed and humbled with the power of God’s perfect love and gospel applied in the lives of his children.  We have been teaching Lucimar and Jacki, maei e filha, as well as Lucimar’s sister Ania.  We had just finished grabbing acai on PDay when we crossed paths with Wedson, a member in the ward, and as we walked by, he greeted his neighbors and took the opportunity to present us and invited them to learn more from us.  What really struck me was the sincerity and urgency on how he talked.  He said “You can’t even imagine how their message will come to bless your life and your family’s lives.  You need to hear what they have to say.”  When he was a teenager, he was the type who had hair way down his back and didn’t give a hoot about anything, let alone anything related to God.  But when the missionaries stopped him on the street, something pounded him in the chest and said exactly what he repeated to every person we stopped on the street….”You need to hear what they have to say.”  So powerful was his conviction and testimony that I marveled again at how powerful and merciful the gift of repentance is and God’s promise that if we are truly willing to change, that He will forgive and help us leave our old self behind.....becoming day after day a little bit stronger and a little bit more Christ like, purified by the infinite love and sacrifice of our humble Savior.

Lucimar and Ania were one of the neighbors we had stopped (literally NEXT DOOR neighbors whom he had never met), and who were touched by the spirit Wedson brought by bearing his testimony.  We have really begun to see the promise of his words being fulfilled this week, by applying God’s perfect gospel in their family, reading the Book of Mormon and praying as a family.  They feel “cheia de luz” (full of light) and relieved of the oppressive weight on their shoulders.  They are beginning to recognize the peace that the spirit brings.  And keep in mind these are normal, everyday people – People who struggle to know how to take care of their teenagers, who live in a family environment that’s not perfect, who are seeking more meaning and wanting to understand their purpose in this life.  The blessings of the gospel are not limited to a certain type of person – how can a loving Father only want to bless and be a part of the lives of a select few?

And imagine after all this, Wedson thanked US for having given him the desperately wanted opportunity and excuse to share his testimony with his neighbors.  But always remember that you don’t need the sisters at your side to share what is in your heart.  God will always be at your side to help and give you the words to say.  It is good to know you are never alone.  You know?

Enfim (finally), and once again, I LOVE MY SAVIOR and although I am blessed with piolho (lice), I am FEELING BLESSED GENTE.

Amo Voces (I love you)

Sister Staheli

found a liscense plate that was almost the EXACT same one that my mom used all through highschool before being totaled by a snowplow! #NowYouKnow

almoço com o distrito!!
(lunch with our district)

every day is a happy day with Nayara