Week 26 -- wow being a mom is exhausting

Wow amigos. 

I think I am really just starting to appreciate just how physically, socially, and spiritually exhausted my body can get.  I've just never worked as hard in my life as I think than I am right now - giving every little energy you can muster every minute to bring light into these people's lives - teaching, serving, talking, ministering, contacting, calling, laughing, supporting, listening, bearing testimony, walking for hours, giving just a little bit more even when you really don't think you have more to give. 

It's exhausting yet ALSO STRANGELY EXILARATING (on the most irrational of levels). Loving being a missionary even if I all I want to do now when I get home is sleep @9/9:30 every night :)

The first update is that I officially think I have a pretty legit new scar on my chin. I was making crepes (which everyone here just calls a panceca and never is sweet - only savory with shredded chicken, peas, and corn) and cinnamon syrup for breakfast one morning for my new filha (daughter) (as any good mom should do) and what happens? I accidently drop my beautiful crepe on the floor. Ok, no problem silly but no harm done right. But as I am bending down to grab the crepe, I am still gripping the pan in my hand (WAY DUMB) and my chin does a little touchy touch on the edge of the steaming hot pan and boom - moon-shaped chin burn. #whoopwhoop

But this week was crazy filled with last minute preparations for this batismo (baptism) that was scheduled for this week but ended up getting pushed back until next week. It's actually kind of funny because with Erika is her name, we suggested she put her batismo right before the atividade das massas (pasta/lasagna/pizza) with the ward! It'll be perfect because everyone is already there and we can eat pizza after #whoopwhoop !! And she got all excited but apparently was just thinking about all the pizza she would eat and missed the whole 'getting baptized' part so when the elders arrived to have a baptismal interview.. needless to say things got a little complicated. But it's all good, we moved it back a week which I think is good because with Erika, we really have to teach her differently. Understanding comes bit by bit for her and so we have to be very clear and use pictures, otherwise it's a little hard for her to understand. But, when she finally gets it there's just this light that comes into her eyes and she goes "hey I think I'm starting to understand.." and all the patience is really worth it. Not to mention her adorable two little meninos (boys) that wreck the world with their giant dopey eyes and personalities. 

But there's one woman who really is one of my favorites to teach and visit, and her name is Socorro. So with Soccorro, the first person to really know the missionaries was her husband about 4 years ago, and with him she learned bit by bit and received a Book of Mormon and absolutely LOVED IT. Time passes and her husband passed away because of cancer and she lost contact with the missionaries and forgot about the Book she loved so much. But in enter the missionaries on the street and we have had the privilege of teaching her over the past month and a half. She just is riveted to everything we teach her, especially with the Book of Mormon (which in her own words is something that the more you start reading, the less you want to stop) but she has been having real difficultly reading on her own, saying prayers, or coming to church. She talks more than anyone I know (#lessons2hourslong) but is INCREDIBLY shy right and so to enter the church 'alone'  (but with us) is really scary and every time has an excuse ready for why she can't go. But one Saturday I really wanted her to remember the importance and power of it all and we finally were able to get ahold of an irmã (sister) in the ward to visit her with us and talk about the Restoration and Joseph Smith. 

So she meets beautiful Camila who is a godsend from heaven – perfect, loving and patient and willing to listen and make Socorro feel comfortable and has a real rock-solid testimony and spirit. It was perfect. And we watched the video about Joseph Smith and how he received the Book of Mormon (look it up on Youtube for those interested – Joseph Smith:  The Prophet of the Restoration) and the phone we watched it on had warbly sound and was hard to understand but the spirit was just like POW there right. And after, completely led by the spirit I opened the book of Mormon and we started to read the first chapter of Nephi all together taking turns. And at first I was stopping and describing what was happening but Socorro was like a puppy tugging on the leash, anxious and excited - finally reading the book again that brought her so much peace, and I couldn't bring myself to stop her. We testified of the truthfulness of it all - that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon really was translated by the power of God. It was such a powerful moment. 

And guess who came to church the next day, seating right next to her new best friend Camila? 

:)

The crazy thing about this week was that, that very lesson with Socorro, I had done with the Sisters who were serving in my ward when I was 17 years old. The same video, the same testimony, but this time - so much different. This time, I - SISTER Staheli was the missionary and it was one of those circular moments that happen in life when you really have perspective of it all and realize how far you've come but also that those same truths never change. 

I really know that this is the Lord's church and that He loves each one of us on such an individualistic level. He knew the needs of Soccorro and we were simply the means by which 

He was finally able to touch her heart.

Be the Lord's hands, because not only HE - but also our other brothers and sisters need us. 

Wow the power of the Book of Mormon really changes lives.

Feeling grateful to have the restored gospel be such a huge part of who I am. 

Sending love amigos <33

SISTER STAHELI

Week 25 -- Feliz semana (happy week) of never ending surprises

OH MY GOODNESS. 

I AM STILL KIND OF IN SHOCK OF ALL THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK.

Wow okay first of all, want to say a late Feliz dia da Ação das Graças (Thanksgiving)!! We were walking on the street at night for a compromisso (teaching commitment) and I remembered that it was Thursday and that it was the 3rd week of November and it was like, ´Woah.. IT'S THANKSGIVING.' And I just got so giddy and excited because I remembered all those years and that TODA FAMÍLIA (all my family) was together at my grandparents and probably already playing ultimate frisbee in the barn and I just got so ridiculously happy. Man I love them all - shout out fam, YOU ROCK.

Ok so this week, my companion was returning home after finishing her mission and so we headed for the mission office to drop her off and pass transfers there. As we are sitting there, one of the assistants to the President goes "hey Sister Staheli, you're going to be happy with transfers today' with this kind of mischievous grin which immediately puts me on the defensive like what does THAT mean right. And come to find out that not only was I to be the SENIOR missionary (meaning the most time on the mission), but that I would be TRAINING A NOVINHA (brand new sister) FROM THE CTM (missionary training center). 

Sister Mendonca

Her name is Sister Mendonça and she's from Rio Grande do Sul, which is funny because that's exactly where my trainor was from #ironicright? But let's just say she's amazing, burning with a powerful testimony and great ideas, everyone thinks she's American (#someonemorewhitethanme), and I definitely feel like I am learning more from her than I am probably teaching her  :)

ahhhhh needless to say I was stoked and also scared out of my mind (and definitely still in disbelief), but this week has been one of the happiest and most fulfilling weeks yet on the mission. One where we really worked our hardest every moment. And where the Lord really came through and delivered some pretty amazing miracles. I don't have time to tell you guys about everything (neither do you probably want to hear) but let's just hit the funniest/highlights of the week shall we?

PRIMEIRO DIA DA FILHA: (which of course was ANOTHER holiday #literallyoneeveryweek)

We've been having recurring problems with this leaking shower head in one of our bathrooms so we called to have one of the men in our ward come fix it, which at the time seemed like a good idea because he would do it for free and he lives relatively close. But the maintenance man said that in order to turn off the water for our apartment, he would have to disligar (switch off) the water for the ENTIRE BUILDING and that it wouldn't work today. Unshaken Irmão Julio goes, hey let's do this anyways. 

Okay beleza he knows what he's doing. 

soaked with the spirit (or a spewing fire house you choose)

Enter the bathroom, he starts tinkering and then things get a little out of hand. He starts by pulling the knob that activates the water out of the wall to replace a part inside, but because of the fact we live on the 2nd floor and the water starts from the top of the building, the water pressure in our apartment is RIDICULOUSLY strong and as he pulls off this knob, a FIRE HOSE of water starts spewing out of the bathroom wall and starts going everywhere - ceiling, floor, and especially all over poor Julio. So he's shouting for us to turn on every faucet in the apartment and the other shower and we run around turning everything on, but absolutely NOTHING is stopping this torrent of a geyser right and soon every sink is overflowing and the bathroom and kitchen are sitting in pools of water. He asks me if I'm prepared to 'tomar banho' (take a shower) and soon I am in the shower helping him try to shove this little gadget back into the wall to stop the flow but literally NOTHING is working. Before I know it, he goes hey I have another part in my house and LEAVES FOR 30 MIN while I am still holding this knob and pushing with all my might and my poor filha is just standing there like what is going on, is this normal and I'm soaking wet yelling that it's okay for her to take a shower and start studying, apologizing profusely that this is NOT normal and just dying of laughter that it was actually real life. Needless to say it was quite the experience.

THEN, we are walking 10 km to get to a restaurant of a member in the ward whose day it was to offer lunch only to find them closed because #holiday. Then walking the 30 min BACK to the house in the burning sun where we didn't have ANYTHING, but luckily found a restaurant to eat. 

Talk about 'welcome to the field - we don't have working showers or time to study or food to eat' #whoopwhoop #totallykiddingbutwow 

Even with such a hilariously ridiculous first day for my companion, the rest of the week was SO AMAZING. I finally had the ability to work as I knew we should and we really poured every effort into meeting new people, teaching lessons, and really striving to rely on the Lord to guide us and man did He provide. I felt His guiding hand helping us know what to say to people, putting people in our path that are really prepared which is SO essential. Because sometimes it's easy to get in your head that it is completely up to you to find these lost souls, the people who really are seeking for something deeper in their life and who feel the absence of God, but that responsibility is not completely in our hands. It's our Father in Heaven who knows the hearts of His children and He is doing everything in His power to put them in our paths, we just have to have the faith to search and find. Working with members and less actives, as well as doing everything physically possible to be His hands, we arrived to find our capela filled with 108 PEOPLE (with a norm of 83) including 4 (!!!) other people we are teaching.

Irmã Raimunda (she always gives us jewelry and makes chocolate mousse)

Added to that fact, this week the Lord has blessed us with a baptism planned for the 30th for a woman named Erika who has two adorable meninos (boys), a marriage for a couple and another baptism for another woman, AND really amazing people including an incredible woman named Socorro (who I promise to tell you more about next week). 

Wow I really appreciate that we can never be afraid to take on a challenge or something unknown in our lives, because we always have God at our side to comfort, teach, and guide us when we are uncertain and don't know what to do. 

Have faith friends and move your feet. 

It really works.

LOVE YOU ALL, 

Sister Staheli

Week 24 -- The last coxinha

This week was so amazing and filled with so many tender mercies it really was SO GOOD. You know those people that when you are with them, just fill your soul?
When you're with them, you forget about all those things that always occupied your mind and seemed so important and get a taste of what it really means to feel alive? 

Woah maybe got a little deep there but hey life was really real this week. I am sending a companion home for the second time, which has its advantages and disadvantages but really you get to be a part of the best part of the mission - when they sit and bear testimony of what they've learned over the past year and a half, which really is THE COOLEST THING. #wisdomwhoopwhoop 

But there are some pretty amazing people that mean a lot to me that I wanted to write home about so here we go (this time with pictures #FINALLY):

1. I asked my mom to send the Mrs. Field's oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe that we always make at home for my dad's bday and is literally THE GREATEST - because of all the american foods, people always get a little starry-eyed over them - because literally NO ONE knows how to make them. So essentially I've been dealing the goods to every Brasileiro I can.  And this week we went over and had a little "aula de cozinhar" (cooking class) and I taught one of my favorite families how to make them. The thing with this recipe though is that it literally makes 112 cookies and so.. needless to say we got pretty creative (#oatmealsnickerdoodles #chocochipnormal #chocochipwithnesquick)! But it was really cool because they really don't have a lot of money and Cynthia the mom got really excited because after passing the recipe, they are going to start selling them to people to raise their humble income a little more to support the 2 kids and grandparents. #thanksmomyouarealiterallifesaver

2. My mom also sent clothing in the package that I got for my birthday (like when I say clothing I mean like 7 shirts, 3 skirts, a small child TUDO). And if you remember the story of that poor mom that we cleaned the kitchen for, Marlene, they all luckily found a home. She wore one of the outfits the next day to church  bearing the biggest smile that's ever touched my heart.

3. And now for the best one. There have been a lot of people that have touched and impacted me so far in the mission but one of the most impactful has definitely been Marco. Just as a little background, Marco (like many people here) has AVC (I think it might be CVA in English - Cerebral Vascular Accident) a pretty crippling disease that bounds you to your bed and you begin to lose all sense in your body, including the ability to talk, and is a fatal disease that is really hard to watch a person go through. But there is a couple in our ward who have not been able to go to church for the past 8 years because Marco, the husband,got AVC and Francisca stays with him day and night to care for him. But man if you think that the inability to talk or move has stripped this man of his love or personality - boy are we all wrong. He is literally the most tender, humble, genuine, and bursting with humor person I have ever met. Really one of those people that I mentioned in the beginning of the email and has forever changed my life. We usually stop by at least once a week to visit them and leave a message. 

But the thing is Marco never eats anything but this horrible oatmeal porridge that he eats every meal because his body can't handle really solid or fatty foods but we made a promise that we would bring him a coxinha (which is like this fried chicken potato dumpling that they sell on every street corner) the next time we saw them. And let me tell you, they have 10 MILLION coxinhas on EVERY CORNER, but as we are finishing up the day and headed over to visit them, we realized that we still hadn't bought one and run desperately to literally every stand:

"have a coxinha??"

"have no" (x10)

Until we finally see one last stand closing up and what do they have sitting there in it's perfectly fried crust? The very literal last coxinha in probably all of Natal. 

But really no words to describe how much I love these people or for how much I am learning what it really means not only to be a missionary, but a true follower of Christ. 

Love you all and sending my prayers across the miles! Thank you for all the love and support, it really means the world <3

COM MUITO AMOR,

Sister Staheli

Week 23

Life is good and I eat a fresh mango almost every day.

Sister Feitosa

Week 22 - Week of Miracles

Wow okay something that I will absolutely NEVER get tired of is all the new tropical fruits they have here that neither I nor my companion (who is BRASILEIRA) have ever heard of. 

banana de cozinha (banana to cook)

The fruits I have eaten so far:

- at least 4 different types of bananas (ranging from the size of your pinky to the size of your forearm)

- Goiba ( which I think is guava)

- Maracuaja (passion fruit)

- 3 different types of MANGOS (I think this is my favorite)

- Acerola (I don't think this has a translation in English)

- Mamão (papaya -- hehe @meganstaheli ;) ) 

- Abacaxi (pineapple), melancia (watermelon)

- Coco Verde (green coconut)

- AÇAI

Jambo

and the newest from the week: Jambo (which if I'm being completely honest, doesn't taste all that good but hey we don't discriminate)

Wow - had a lot of miracles this week, sometimes so many and so frequent that I forget how miraculous they all are.

One with a recent convert who had literally NOTHING in the house to make for us that day, but it was her day to feed the missionaries. When we called, she desperately scrounged the house but came up with little more than rice and beans, but not wanting to turn us away and in a complete act of faith - confirmed lunch and tried to think of what to do. They have about 4 or 5 people who live in that house and as she is scrounging for money looking for money to buy at least a little bit of sausage, there's a clap at the door. Turns out her neighbor (who is not a member) found that she had too much chicken and carne (meat) in her fridge and was on her way to give it away to a friend but felt impressed to drop by Cynthia to ask if they needed it. Needless to say that she was shaken with the almost immediate result of her faith and selfless desire to serve the missionaries the best that she could no matter that she had nothing herself to give. She stood up and bore her testimony crying this Sunday just overwhelmed with the hand of the Lord in her life. So we arrived that day, not realizing that anything was that different or spectacularly different about another meal with an amazing member that we love, but for her it was the most powerful manifestation of God being aware of her. My companion was reminded of the widow in the bible (1 Kings 17) who had only a little bit of flour in her house to make a meal for her starving son, but was approached by the prophet Elijah and asked to make him food first and THEN for her son. Overwhelmed because she knew that she really didn't have anything to give but filled with faith, she obediently made the bread for the prophet and only after her selfless sacrifice realized that she had more than enough to fill the empty bellies of both her and her starving child. 

God really blesses those who put their faith in Him, and sacrifice for Him even when they think they have nothing to give. 

Hope that Halloween was popping and that every child out there reined in a king's feast of candy. I tried to get the people of Natal hyped about Halloween but apparently Dia dos Bruxas (day of the witches) really doesn't have as positive connotations here. But had the cute little 2 year old menina (girl) of Cynthia on my side who was riding around with a broom in between her legs and offered to say the prayer that went a little like this:

Thank you for our table.

Halloween #bee #nailedit

I'm a bad witch. 

AMEN.

Love you all and hope that you make an effort to act in faith and trust that He will bless you more than you can imagine. 

MUITO AMOR,

Jessi

Sister Staheli

Week 21 -- 'Am Murry'

So apparently in Portugues, NOT ONE WORD ever ends with the sound of 'n' (or a lot of hard consonants like in English) and so every time that I try to describe what my name is people have the hardest time. They legitimately can't form the 'n', AND all of their names end with a lift at the end (sorry a little hard to describe) but all are super fluid and connected like French.  So when it comes to my name Anne Marie people usually get flustered and confused and usually turns into a very beautiful "ahh.. so it's Am Murry???" Which just gets a lot of pitiful glances. #smhmom #callmeMarialikeeveryoneelsenexttimepls

Had a pretty hard-stopping experience this week with my companion on the way back from a meeting with our new ward mission leader, who by the way lives about a 45/50 minute walk from our apartment.. at 9 at night.. with no one around.. around the borders of the arena Das Dunas

 (Look it up! It was built for the World Cup one year and is shaped with one overhang taller than the other to catch and circulate the winds that blow in from the sea to cool down everyone inside).. which is a place where at least 2 other duplas (pairs) of sisters have been robbed in the past, one with $600 OFLEGIT AMERICAN MONEY IN HER BAG #smh #americanas.  So we are walking with a little urgency, right and we are crossing this little street, when we see this moto that pulls a little U-ey and turns his bike towards us waiting with this giant black helmet and the only thing visible is this cheshire cat bright white smile. I'm like wow okay lets go - lets go - lets go and we turn to rush by and he's saying something but I really just have a little bit of pure blind panic and adrenaline pumping through my body right. But my companion starts walking TOWARDS HIM and I'm like what are you DOING - and it turns out that the words he had been saying were "I'm a bishop, I'm a bishop, I'm a bishop."

Well you could have said that little EARLIER my buddy. 

But it turns out that he served in the same home ward in São Paulo that my companion lived in, and that he had moved here with his family after the mission and it was crazy because AS a missionary, he had passed lunches in her house - and here she was, in HIS home area, serving a mission. God really is amazing sometimes and if there's one thing I have really gained a testimony of so far, it's that He is SO aware of every single one of us on a very individual level. 

I don't remember exactly where (and sorry I forgot my Book of Mormon) but I was reading Alma 33 and it talked about how important it is that we always remember that, and that we are always aware of Him and talking to Him throughout the day - in our work, when we retire to our rooms, and the verse that I really love is when the prophet is praising God in His mercy and to paraphrase- 

"How merciful is the Lord because He heard MY clamors amongst his congregation". 

I thought about the fact that if all of sudden I was unable to talk to Him, that I never prayed or was allowed to have Him know the thoughts and desires, or just the really hard things that no one else really wants to listen to of my heart. I don't think I had ever felt so alone or more lost just at the thought of never having Him there to listen to me through it all. We are so lucky that we have a Father in heaven who listens to us, loves us no matter how much we fall short despite our efforts to do things right and that the reason that He has this mercy on us IS because of the Savior. 

Always try to keep the One who cherishes you more than any other thing in this world close to your heart and I promise that you will have the strength to carry on through those problems and things that feel too much to bear. Man I wish I had more time to tell you about some of the amazing people I met this week, but really know that there's nothing more important in this life than showing love and gratitude for those we love and He who loves us most. 

SHARE THE LOVE OF THE SAVIOR WITH EVERYONE. PLS.

Muito Amor<3

Sister Staheli

ps. I will buy a new SD card this week to send pictures finally!! sorry folks I have been really trying

Week 20 -- Don't fall for the head massage, it's a trick

Well folks, it happened. 

THEY HAVE COMPLETELY CHOPPED ALL OF MY HAIR. 

We were sitting at this member's house because my companion wanted to do a Brazilian Blowout - where your hair stays straight for EVER and is legit about a 4 HOUR long process - and she asked if I wanted to cut my hair too, which I turned down (smart) because hey I liked my hair right? But my friends, that was BEFORE she started massaging my companion's hair and putting all these lucious creams that were different colors and all I could think was, man it is crazy hot and that would feel so great. and I CAVED okay (dumb). So she starts cutting and I go, okay I really only want barely anything cut, and she just goes like 2 fingers? I go yeah okay beleza. And what started with 'DOIS DEDOS´ soon escalated into 4 or 5 as she insisted that whoever had cut my hair last did it completely wrong and it needed some serious fixing. Trying not to freak out because I really didn't want to offend her but also in AGHAST to what she had just did, you could say my laugh was a little on the please-help-me-this-isn't-real hysterical. XD 

"No really, BONITA.  it looks really good" 

"..... *grimace* *clears throat* ... thank you!  :)(!!!!!)"

So folks that is how I spent my p-day last week, 4 hours and 5 less inches of hair to show for it heheh..  #walkedoutlookingMORElike12yearsoldthanIalreadydid :3 

Another highlight of the week was finally getting the package that my mom sent for the b-day #LOVEYOU. Which really was hilarious because there was nothing that made me more happy than to open all of the packages of sillybands, those dino pills that expand in water, and CTR rings for all the meninos (boys) in the ward and children of the people we teach (all things I had asked for btw) -- my companion was probably like wow this americana is a legit child but there is nothing like feeling that little squeeze of love from home, no matter how small. :)

BUT FOR REAL MY COMPANION IS THE MOST AMAZING PERSON EVER. I have been infinitely impressed with how much she gives all the time. It doesn't matter which house we come across or which family we visit. She is immediately in the kitchen washing dishes, grabbing the mop and scrubbing the floors, grabbing babies out of barely standing, exhausted mothers, and really just being the most genuine conduit of love and service I have ever seen. Sister Feitosa is also the first companion I've had that really has shown a deeper interest and care for me, practicing lessons and giving me feedback, and really just being the person to really help me understand what it means to be a missionary, to be a representative of our Savior. This work is not about the fact we are perfectly hitting all of our goals for new people to teach or the number of lessons we have, it's about love and being His hands. There was this one moment this week that we stopped by the house of a less active mother who has about 4 or 5 young kids and at the door, the little girls said that she had a serious headache and wasn't really feeling up to a visit. We started to turn away, but I really REALLY had to use the restroom right and so we asked if we could just pop in really quickly and they let us in. After ascending the stairs, we entered an apartment completely dark with the exhausted mother lying on her bed with the newborn baby. Passing the kitchen we saw tall towers of dishes from more than just one meal on every space place, old potato peelings and chicken bones scattered around in piles on the counter, all these insects swarming the little trash bucket that sits on the counter by the sink, everything evident of the lack of someone to care for them. Without another word, Sister Feitosa heads toward the tall stack of dishes and starts lathering them with soap and scraping old food into the garbage. Following her example, I quietly join and side-by-side we work to clean, put away, disinfect, and clean every space of this sick young mother's small kitchen that feeds more than 7 or 8 people every day.

 I was looking at my hands the other day and I was thinking about how sometimes when touching something that is under my standards of cleanliness or finding something wet and dirty, my first reaction is to pull back our hands, to avoid contact and protect myself against that which was unclean. And that small kitchen definitely had its share of things that really should not ever be touched. But looking at my hands, I really thought about the reason I had them and what harm really happens when we remove our barriers of discomfort and really use them. My hands are not things to be kept in plastic sleeves, completely unblemished from the stains of the world - my hands were made to serve. They were made to alleviate burdens, to love unconditionally, and to never be held in reserve for something better. If we never stop in our busy lives to not only notice, but ACT upon a need - we are missing the purpose of our existence. 

We have to put into practice the gospel and example that our Savior gave us, not just treasure and appreciate the warmth it brings in our hearts. 

Feeling more than just a little bit humbled. It's a little unreal how much I love my Savior and grateful every day for the hands He has given me to serve. 

  

love everyone you can folks - not just with your heart, but with your hands.  

SENDING MUITO AMOR DE BRASIL, 

Sister Staheli <3

Week 19 -- Transfers

Well friends, you know what happens the moment you find a mango tree and have a baptism scheduled the following weekend with the sweetest Marlene with her pink bible and you just turned 20 years old and have many progressing almas (souls) ready to accept the gospel and life is good?

You get transferred. 

#whoopwhoop

And wow this new area is CRAZY and just KINDA OF DIFFERENT. 

So I was transferred to the ala Natal, as in NATAL,NATAL. Which is in the city with 5 or 6 bairros (neighborhoods) and onibuses and 2 shopping malls and everyone is practically running all the time because they are in such a hurry and essentially completely different than the smallest little residential area of Cidade Verde. The crazy thing is that I am serving in the first ala (ward) that was ever established in all of Rio Grande do Norte!! Including the fact that we meet in the very first capela (chapel) that was ever built here - which is very cool and very small. But what is crazy is that the work here is completely different, which was apparent with my first visit to the capela - there was just trash everywhere on the ground including old wrappers and plastic cups, INSIDE the fence. It is a ward that really everyone has forgotten about and the members are not very strong, and really I have discovered they need a lot of love. The number of people actually in the records of the ward number almost about 572, but weekly just a little over 85 is the normal frequency rate. So my first day here was not spent as a normal day going around meeting new people to teach and doing a lot of street contacting - it was spent jumping house to house nurturing and visiting those members who haven't made it to church in a month or more, have forgotten what the Book of Mormon is about, or are too sick to leave their home yet still haven't received a visit from a loved one or amigo. I have been learning that here, the ward doesn't need more names on the long list of members who don't come or are being forgotten by the world - not throwing more seeds onto the ground but nurturing the roots and young saplings that are already struggling to survive. Some people get distracted with the numbers and the pressures to have physical evidence of your success as a missionary, but what really is important is that these are real people needing real love. 

This week I really had my eyes reopened to just how much Heavenly Father loves His children, and just such immense gratitude for my family which is such a funny random thing. But when I was bent over, picking up all the trash that littered the ground of the capela I remembered one time when we were visiting our family in Sun Valley and we stopped by the church to practice piano for a couple hours (#dedicated) and my sweet mother who spent the 2 hours stooped pulling weeds and making an effort to make the house of the Lord a little more lovely, not because of anyone else, but because she really just loves Him. 

Man how much I love them is just unreal.

Give your family a little extra love this week folks, having a family that speaks kindly and tries to have a little more patience with one another, who listens when they have had a hard day, or simply there to laugh and make pancakes and cinnamon syrup - yo there's NOTHING BETTER.

Also funny thought - 

I don't know what it is, but literally EVERY day since I turned 20, everyone in the whole world has asked me how old I am. Which really isn't that weird until you start figuring out that they are all wondering how you can be serving a mission because you look like you're SIXTEEN. I kid you not everyone is INCREDULOUS when I say that I am 20.  So I started asking people how old they thought I was and this was the most priceless example:

- asked a little girl who had 10 years and she says: hmmmm 13?

So yep, staying fresh and young folks despite entering the second decade of my life so don't stress about me getting old or anything :)

Also sorry my SD card for my camera has been entirely a pain and hasn't been recognizing my pictures but I'll try to look for a new card for next week!

MUITO AMOR,

Sister Staheli

Week 18 -- General Conference

I just can't even tell you how amazing it was to watch General Conference this weekend and I'm sure you all felt how strong the spirit was. There is just nothing that I am more sure of than the fact that these men really are ordained of God and that He really has a plan for every single one of us. I thought it was interesting that almost every talk was about really taking the name of Christ upon us, but I was especially struck by the talk that talked about how Heavenly Father hasn't been preparing us to just be obedient dogs that will fetch his slippers but children that will grow to help run the family business. That the commandments, every new change, everything has really been to help us become more independent in our desire to learn - that He has been guiding us to develop these heavenly divine character traits that will really help Him know He can trust us no matter what. I really can't describe the conviction and just plain knowing in my heart that we are living in the last days and that every moment is really so important. That we are doing everything we can to help bring those around us to Christ and that we are really there with Him ourselves. It was just the coolest thing. 

My birthday was really so amazing - no one can believe that I turned 20 (I think they all were thinking MAYBE 18 - curse these young Staheli genes). But it was great I woke up and Silva my companion had put probably about 100 little colorful sticky notes everywhere and balloons and they sang to me after I got out of the bathroom.  Then in between sessions they surprised me with this TABLE FULL OF FRUIT. Oh my gosh it made my heart so happy you don't even know it was HILARIOUS, because they know I really don't like bolo.  They had set out a huge watermelon, apples, guavas, papaya, pineapple, tangerines, and a crazy beautiful assortment of fruits.  OH - and I wanted to make crepes and cinnamon syrup for my companions of the house and so completely improvised and it totally was fine! 

But THEN TRANSFERS HAPPENED. And of course after all this, Presidente and the Lord have decided that I am needed in another place - so I have been moved to the area Natal, Natal. It’s just a little sad because it’s like you've run the race, see the end and then have to go back and start again. So I won't see the baptism of Marlene or Heluiza but I know that the Lord would only direct me to where I am most needed. So off I go, I know that He really knows best. 

Muito amor!!

Sister Staheli

Week 17 -- I FOUND UM ARVORE DE MANGA EM (a mango tree in) CIDADE VERDE

Okay Sunday was definitely the CRAZIEST DAY OF MY LIFE. Honestly the whole week in general if I wrote describing every small and huge thing that happens every week, my email would literally be 10 pgs - the mission is BEM CORRIDA (well run). I wish I could sit and tell you about all of the people and experiences I am having, but just know this little taste doesn't even do them justice. 

Yesterday, we left early in the morning for a compromisso (commitment/appointment) and this week we were a little behind our metas (goals) because literally EVERY lesson that we have been having with people are often more than an hour long - PACKED with amazing discussions and spirit crushing doutrine (doctrine), these people are actually engaged and asking questions and really listening. So the quality of our lessons is OFF THE CHARTS, but the quantity... yeah a little low this week.. but priorities right? :) So we leave the house early in the morning to finish our numbers and contacts, and boy WHAT A DAY. It was like I haven't been serving in the same, low key, smallest area of the entire mission - Cidade Verde - EVERYTHING was completely unexpected and different, it was the weirdest thing.

 - I found not one, but TWO mango trees that I never knew about, I had an encounter which started with 2 VERY cute and curious (perhaps uncomfortably curious) monkeys but soon escalated into 5 or 6 staring down from the tree exactly over my head. They start off cute but when there starts to be enough monkeys for every leg, arm, AND CABEÇA (head).. you start to fear for your life a little - not going to lie. 

- So we have this little side street/alley that we literally walk EVERY DAY about 4 or 5 times because it has a lot of people, but they all know and recognize the missionaries because we have been here forever right. But they always have this same group of men that are always drunk even at 10 in the morning and we usually just smile and say "bom dia" (good morning) and pass by right. BUT yesterday we just pass by and these two are together and call out "hey where's MY convite" (invitation) (for church right) and we just respond yep today at 3, you are all welcome! Which turned into this conversation where my companion is talking to one and I am talking with the other, and somehow I end up leaving with his fresh caju (cashews) and tangerine he just bought (I still don't know how), but we are about to leave and Alexandro goes "Hey I want to be taught". Ok beleza, (beautiful) marked a time with him later on (which don't stress because we're bringing Jóse our recent convert, but then he leans in really close and goes "If anyone messes with you guys, ele vai VIAJAR." (he will travel) Which means exactly what you think it means. XD And apparently he is in some type of gang and everyone knows him, (he is completely drunk this whole time so I am still a little unsure how much of this is reliable), but hey I sure slept more soundly last night let me tell you! 

- Ok this one I still DIE, IT'S SO FUNNY. We meet the cutest little kitten on the street and I kid you not, I really don't like gatos (cats) but this guy was PRECIOUS, black and white and rugged and TINY. But of course we become the greatest of friends and coax him through the gate of our condominium and he follows us all the way to our building, with us dangling our keys in front of him and making cat sounds. I don't really know how this happened but we are going INTO the elevador and everyone is still coaxing and joking around, but then he actually ENTERS THE ELEVADOR and the door closes and I am still not believing what is going on but everyone is dying. We reach our floor and coax little Friend, out the door, into the hallway, INTO OUR APARTMENT. Oh my lanta folks it was seriously the funniest thing in the whole world. I was like guys we can't keep him here and they all just said, only for one night our apartment allows animals! Soooo what happens? We make him a little bed out of a basket and towel, cut up some sausage that Hernandez had and some water, the whole time he is just meowing and doing little cute summersaults IT WAS THE FUNNIEST THING. We lasted about 15 minutes and then let him back out into the wild. Ahhhh what a good 15 minutes though. 

And then we had an opportunity to teach Fatima, who is the aunt of one of the most amazing people I have met on the mission Jessi. She was one of the first people who really embraced me and showed me such love when I came into the mission. We are always over at her house, eating couscous or singing songs as she plays the guitar, and she is really like an older sister to me that I really needed. But her aunt has been living with them for some time, always accepting but never really interested in the church or anything, but had an experience that really touched her and asked to have us come over to teach her. Wow, I can't even begin to describe how tender of a spirit this woman has or how the Lord has been preparing her. I will tell you more about her next week because I am low on time, but with every scripture that we left, she read them MULTIPLE times. So we entered the lesson prepped with this lesson that we had been preparing but, in the beginning of the lesson, she starts telling us about her life and the hardships that she has gone through. And soon we are all crying, sharing scriptures and basking in the felicidade (happiness) that our Heavenly Father never leaves us comfortless, that when we are at our most humble we are really the most happy because we have the clearest of perspectives. Our lesson soon switched to one about the plan of happiness that God has specifically for her and Jessi bore her heart about how grateful she was that we can live with our families for eternity. It really is a profound truth that we take for granted. Imagine it, really. Never being alone, surrounded for all eternity with those you love more than anything else. It was a moment when the spirit came in and filled the cracks of every corner of our hearts and souls. I am infinitely grateful for the beauty of the gospel.

This weekend is literally one of the most AMAZING times of the year, when we really get to hear the words that our Heavenly Father wants us to hear, counsel for questions and doubts we never even realized we needed, and to really witness the greatest tender mercy of having a living Prophet that has been called of God to guide us. Please ponder and really come with an open heart ready to learn, because sometimes we really think we already know everything there is to know in life when really we are all still children in the sight of God you know? 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE. HUG YOUR MOM

SAY YOUR PRAYERS

Muito amor!!

Sister Staheli