Week 31 -- New Years

and soooo off starts a new year with a new transfer and a new me! #ohboy

Wow it's so funny how different things are on a mission. 

Metas? (goals)

- eat beans and rice every day 

- walk 9 hours in the burning sun with greater tan lines than grandpa 

- go to bed at 9:30 because of sheer exhaustion

- speak a different language more often

New Year's evening

#wowalreadydoingsuprisinglygood 

#niceplanningSisterStaheli

No but really guys I LOVE ANO NOVO (New Years) because you really have a moment to appreciate every amazing that has happened, and to appreciate more than before the bits of wisdom you've learned, and the type of person that you have grown to become. AND to reflect on things that you really want to be better with in the glorious and hopeful new year. 

Sister Staheli, Sister Mendonca, Sister Vasquez

IT’S JUST THE GREATEST THING. 

 

This week not only marked a New Year but alsooo... a new transfer! Meaning that you or your companion have the probability of being moved to a new area/city with a new companion. And in our case - both Sister Mendonça e eu (and I) stayed and BOOM - back to the trio life with our beautiful Peruvian Sister Vasquez (who is in the last 5 weeks of the mission). Which sister Mendonça minha filha was pretty happy about because she has this bucket list of a mission and with this transfer has accomplished 3 THINGS - companheira americana, (American companion) companheira hispanica,(Hispanic companion)  e (and) be a part of a TRIO. So you could say she was pretty excited. 

It has been a week of work and miracles. 

So in our ward, because we were the very first ward in all of Nordeste (northeast),  we have about 570 people on our list that were baptized but only have about 70/80 that go on a weekly basis. So we have been going around and visiting some of the people on the list to see if they've moved or why they haven't been coming to church. And low and behold we meet the amazing and maravilhosa familia (marvelous family) of Marines and João Maria. 

João Maria got baptized in the church when he has like 15 years old but because his mom belonged to this other church Assembleia de Deus, she never let him go and he lost track of the church. But when we stopped by their little home, sweet Marines was in front and when we asked about João she was like oh he works until 7 but please come back and we can all talk! Oh my have I just found my soulmate of a family. He was married before and has 6 CHILDREN and she was already married before and how many children does she have? 4 CHILDREN.

So my mathematical friends, how many kids do we have in total?

10 CRIANÇAS (children) AMIGOS. 

DEZ. (ten)

They have only known each other for about a year but they have been living together in this tiny home with about 6 of the 10 children, the oldest of them at home having 8 and 9 years. And they are just the sweetest of families, really embracing us and when we invited them all to church she just goes, oh claro EU VOU (I am definitely going to). You guys just really "ficaram com meu coração" (stayed with my heart), and so on Sunday, for the first time in about 4 weeks we were finally able to get not only a person in church with us - but an ENTIRE FAMILY CARAVAN WITH 6 CHILDREN. The only car that we had available had room for 5 but how many ´people did we fit into that car?

ONZE. (eleven)

Oh my goodness it was the best day of my life. 

And everyone bore their testimony about their family and how important it is to raise children in the gospel and with a love of Christ. Just how much that belief changes them and those memories stay, really affecting the way they treat others, and how much stronger their home is because of that love and focus. Our families are just the most precious gift our Heavenly Father has given us, and He has really shown time and time again just how important they are especially now. We NEED to have a priority in the home, there is such a strength and force there that can't be recreated in any other environment. Wow the love I have for my family is one of the strongest emotions I have, nothing greater or more important and only second to my love of the Savior. 

Last little thought:
Every Sunday for the past month we have been delivering the sacrament to homes of members who can't make it to church because of a family member that is seriously sick and whose ENTIRE family stays to care for. And when I say it's been a little bit of time, I really mean like 7 YEARS. So it's always one of my favorite parts of the week - these people really give everything they have for one another and the power and evident amor in those houses just doesn't have a rival. 

But we were in the last house for the night with Ana and her family, and their sick father João. And this man is really sickly and frail. He really is only eating porridge, puree of literally everything chicken/rice/potato, like he NEVER eats anything solid. So they have blessed the bread and are trying to put it in his mouth and João just literally cannot open his mouth. He struggles and struggles and finally they are able to slip the little piece of bread into the small opening. He holds that little piece of bread in his mouth but is unable to swallow, just holding the little piece in there and his family starts to get a little nervous. They all start saying oh no it was too big for him, here João spit it out here, it's okay João you have already taken the sacrament, it's okay to let it out. 

But still he REFUSED to let that little sacred bread leave his mouth.

That little piece that represented his Savior, and every sacrifice that He had ever given for us, and that represented how much love He has for us. 

Oh wow it was one of the most valiant things I have ever witnessed in my entire life. 

Our lives are SO AMAZING and I hope that this year we can all remember to prioritize those things that really matter - our family, our home and our SAVIOR.

LOVE YOU ALL,

<3 Sister Staheli

Week 30 -- FELIZ NATAL E ANO NOVO A GENTE

So wow. 

Sorry that's been a hot sec, SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST 2 WEEKS.  And I have a MOUNTAIN of pictures to show for it, so I think today I'll tell my week in pictures :)

- So this is the famous 'Arvore de Natal' (Christmas tree) that for so long I never understood why it was called that because almost every other day during the year, it's just this tall white post with cables strung about. It's super close to our capela (chapel) so we always mention it when we meet people on the street. *ta-daaaaaa*

- We have gotten into the seriously dangerous mission habit of splurging on pizza a few times every week. The pizza that's most common here they call 'frango com catipiry' which is shredded chicken with this squeezable white cheese with olives. OH MY GOSH I AM DEVELOPING A SERIOUS LOVE OF OLIVES. 

There are elders in our mission that literally order the same pizza EVERY NIGHT. Pulling a Mike Staheli with the same classic Subway special every day for the past 10 years. #whoopwhoop #abençoado (blessed)

- This is just one pic that shows just how flipping amazing everyone is at futebol (soccer) here - ITS LEGIT INSANE. They also play volleyball except it’s actually nothing like volleyball but entirely with their bodies and feet.

The fam is growing! The elder in the middle is from Paraguay and was my first LD and thus mey 'pae' Everyone else consists of the other fruits of his loins with brothers, cousins, filhos, literally it doesn't even make sense to me but he always gives me a "just roll with it" #familytree

 

OH MY GOSH OUR WARD SUPRISED US WITH THE BIGGEST CHRISTMAS BASKET I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY WHOLE LIFE. 

Literally it was so big that it wasn’t able to be limited to a giant cardboard box that was just BURSTING with besteira - cookies, caju soda, crackers, 2 loaves of bread, 3 pantones (which are like these cake/breads with chocolate chips and dried fruits), 2 jugs of Bob Esponja (spongebob) chocolate milk and in one of the pictures, you are witnessing my reaction with the craziest thing of all - GRAPE JUICE FLAVORED SOY MILK. 

Made Christmas cookies for literally every less active, member, and people that we are teaching and it was the best. EVERYONE DIES OVER COOKIES.

The effects of the Brasilian sun on my physical body

My beautiful companion Sister Mendonça

And let's not forget the best part:

Oh my gosh it's ridiculous how hard it was to talk in English. My family was like um, what? It was like the first week that I arrived in the mission field and didn't know any portugues except WAY WORSE because I was like

"Wow. You.. guys.. all.. ate.. breakfast..?

It's... hot.. there?

Sim ahhhh Yes.. there.. is... a Winnie the pooh above... me.. e (I mean AND) umm.. want.. to.. look... outside?? 

Wow talk about the gift of paciencia (patience) hahaha 

Talking to my family was like the happiest and also one of the hardest things. It's like wait.. I have a family? Like so much of my time right now is spent serving and thinking about other people that you just don't have very much time to think about it. But this Christmas has really hit me with the realities and how much these people really feel and sacrifice for their families. There is a reason that there was only one thing that really every missionary looks forward to Christmas day and it's because we spend literally EVERY DAY teaching other people how important their family is, how much God has given us and how powerful our homes can be when they are created in a loving and accepting environment. Our family and homes on earth are just preparations for the types of relationships we will have after this earth and are opportunities to really learn how to love and treat others as our Savior did. There's just something so powerful and important about our family - we ARE SO BLESSED. 

I was really hit this Christmas with the question - if I have really taken upon myself the name of Christ?  If I really am doing everything I can to hear and recognize His voice, and if I am really trusting without holding anything back, letting Him carry me through the hardest of trials.

OH my I LOVE MY SAVIOR and MY FAM. 

(the aftermaths):

And thought you'd enjoy this last pic heh heh..

FELIZ NATAL, pumped for every New Year because we can make some serious rock stellar goals to become the best that we have to offer!!!!

MUITO AMOR<3

Sister Staheli 

Week 29 -- Feliz Natal

Anne's letter the day before Christmas....

I gave the last talk yesterday in church for our Christmas program - TALK ABOUT PRESSURE. 

But I think it went well, people congratulated me after which I don't know was like a wow, way to go you made it through or a wow I really enjoyed your talk, or a wow you are really-really american. Christmas really feels a lot different here and I can't believe that it's already Christmas Eve. But it is also really special and the only time in my entire life that it will be assim (like this) so I am so so grateful to be here, even with how much I miss you guys.   And how cool is it to be celebrating Christmas in the Natal (Christmas) ward, in the city of Natal (Christmas), in the Natal (Christmas) mission.  I love my Savior and am grateful to be here celebrating his birth and life.

Feliz Natal!!!

Sister Staheli

Week 28 - Carnatal & Christian's baptism

OIIII amigos :)

So this week was pretty hilarious for a variety of reasons:

1. It was CARNATAL which is exactly like Carnival (the crazy week where there's no bounds and everyone is on the streets drinking, partying, pick-pocketing, the whole shebang) which happens in February, but they love it so much, that they have a whole OTHER weekend just a week before Christmas. The center of all the commotion lies about 5 blocks from our apartment so it's been a pretty crazy weekend to say the least hehe.... and just a little challenging because every rock solid person we taught this week said thatttttt ... because of CARNATAL they would be unable to make it to church on Sunday because they had been out until the wee hours Saturday  :3 

#MUITOobrigadaCARNATAL (Thank you very much Carnatal)

2. We came home after a long and tiring day to find out that WE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO POWER IN THE HOUSE. Turns out the sisters who had been living here before us had forgotten to pay the bill for the month of SEPTEMBER (although we had continued to pay the months after) and Cosern was a little miffed and decided to cut all power - enter the exact day that I had run out of fresh clothes... :3 So we are sitting there in the pitch black and just telling stories and laughing at the fact we live in the most expensive apartamento in the mission and here we are, eating crackers on the floor, washing clothes by hand, and reading scriptures by the light of a tiny flashlight. Ahhhh it was exactly like all those snow days at home when we lost power. 

Except with excessive heat instead of snow. 

And less food in the house #sothatswhywehavefoodstorage

Oh and instead of returning after 30 minutes, let's wait about 3 days.

Ok so maybe just a little different but an adventure all the same! 

BUT THE BEST PART OF THIS WEEK ALL LIES WITH A YOUGIN NAMED CHRISTIAN. 

Christian is a youth that is literally one of the greatest, most genuine people I have ever met. There is not a single person who meets him who doesn't automatically love him - he has this simple and humble nature that never calls attention to itself, but that draws people in because of how genuinely kind he is. Now this 16 year old kid has been going alone every Sunday, attending every activity and church camp, and learning about the gospel for about a year AND A HALF. and has been so integrated into the ward that literally everyone already thought he was baptized. The problem was his dad, and that he wanted Christian to really feel like this was real, that he would be willing to show that he really wanted the church and not because he had any other outside influences. And after literally 18 MONTHS (we are talking like my entire mission life agora) his dad finally signed his ficha for baptism and gave the go-ahead. 

Needless to say, Saturday morning in the smallest capela in Natal was found filled to the brim with loving friends and ward members, a beaming and inexplicably happy young lad finally able to continue on the path of life to live with his Father in Heaven again, 

annddddd

mom's good old chocolate chip cookies with every woman and child in the ward scrambling to grab the recipe. But I really think they tasted so good because of how happy every person in that room already was, and how powerfully the spirit touched each one of us after Christian bore his testimony. 

I really can't describe how happy that moment was. But there's something powerful about the moment when another one of God's children enters the gate to return home, both with people here on earth and with those celebrating and rejoicing in heaven. 

Can't believe I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to help make just a small part  of something so important and eternal. 

Sending my love and really feeling humbled by the power and hand of the Lord in our lives - we are just really blessed to have Christ. He literally is the cure for every deep ache, misunderstanding, and mistake. 

Who doesn't deserve the relief and happiness He brings?

#LOVECHRISTMAS

#LOVECHRISTIAN

#LOVECHRIST

Coincidence? I think NOT!!

<3 Sister Staheli

week 27 -- cotton candy saves souls

So this week consisted of many laughs, tears, foods that excited and disappointed, and a whole lot of oh-my-gosh-why-is-it-so-hot-Christmas-doesn't-belong-in-summer type of feeling so ...... vamo-lá! (let’s go)

Ok it really is a mean joke to have Christmas in the middle of summer, I don't know WHOSE idea that was but please let's make that stop. It's funny because everyone's been running around buying presents or putting up decorations and every missionary is like, wait I still have to work on Christmas day? and #wowIhopemypackageiscoming #canIactuallyspeakinenglishfor40minutes #havingseriousdoubts

This week we had splits with my old companion Sister Carvalho when I was in my trio which was great fun also super stressful because it was just her and my poor little filha Sister Mendonça wandering around aimlessly and hopelessly lost because in our area EVERYTHING looks exactly the same and she had only had 2 weeks in the area! I switched to Sister Carvalho’s area with her little filha which was really amazing because Sister Carvalho really is the definition of a consecrated missionary - works harder than anyone I've ever met, studies the scriptures with deliberate thought and intensity, and being in her area (which is a lot less complicated AND we had a map) I was able to see just how effective and healthy her area and people she is teaching were. So while I was like whoop whoop this is great, my poor filha was like "I don't know anything-why-are-there-7-parks-that-all-look-the-same" :´D 

But after our long day we decided that we were all in the mood for some pizza so we looked around and grabbed this number for Tibet's pizza that was on the refrigerator mixed in with ads for água e açai. Ok beleza. So we are calling this place and the ad says that for a grande, it costs $22 so we pool in and decide to grab one chicken (which is like the most common pizza here that everyone LOVES - shredded chicken with catupiry which is like this white squeezable cheese they put on tapioca and everything #SEMsauce) and one chocolate, and the person says hey we'll be there in 30 minutes and we get HYPED because we are seriously starving, slightly impressed with the speed, but mostly hyped right. The guy shows up about 30 minutes later and we go to pay for the pizza and he says that'll be $77. 

um.

que??

So come to find out that not only do they charge for the pizza (ok annoying but understandable), they charge for delivery (also annoying but understandable), for EACH card board box that holds the pizza, the speed of the delivery, the driver's healthy mustache, the discomfort of the motorcycle, and just about any other excuse under the Brasilian sun. Ok fine we each fork over $20 reais and grab the boxes of pizzas "grandes", which were so light we started to doubt that they actually had something inside. Long story short we opened the boxes to find that Tibet's pizza works with "massa FINA" , (thin crust) was not massa fina (thin crust) but rather massa de papel. (piece of paper thin).  Heated Sister Carvalho calls Tibet's and demands to know why there was paper inside of our $30 pizza box and we just can't hold it in and we are all dying laughing because it seriously was ridiculous. Needless to say we tore up that horrid little ad and swore that next time, we wouldn't be cheap and just go straight for the good stuff #reismagos #60reaiscadapizza. 

But it made for some good times and bonding experience so who's complaining? #mystomachbecausenowIdon'thavemoneyforaçai

But this week I have been really trying to help Sister Mendonça with her street contacts because she really REALLY hates them right. She has such a bright intellect and powerful testimony but she is a bit more reserved and absolutely gets way stubborn when it comes to approaching and talking to people on the street, never approaching people unless I prompt her and sometimes, quite literally PUSHING her towards them. There was one time this week when we were passing this trampolim (trampoline) with all these little kids and their parents on the side of the street (I don't know why but literally every party rents a trampoline and puts them in the middle of the square or sidewalk) and I nudged her to go over and talk to them. She quickly denied it and tried to keep on walking. I stopped and tugged her arm and we stood there for about a tense 5 seconds with me physically PUSHING her back towards the parents with her squirming and moving away. Which would have gone unnoticed because the parents and kids had their backs to us but the OTHER side of the street had all these tables filled with people that must have been quite the sight. While we are sitting there like 'go', 'NO', 'go', NO' a woman on the other side who had been seeing us comes over and mistook our hesitancy for nervousness to ask for the cotton candy that was sitting in front of the trampolim. So she says go ahead, take some! And we were like 'umm no that's alright' and with her insisting I finally asked, 'ok how much does it cost?' and she goes no it's my grandson's birthday, please just take some!

It was literally the most hilarious thing, all I could think about was me and Rachel with my Dad and how I had to bribe her to ask my dad if we could get Dippin' Dots. But with cotton candy in hand we managed to just talk to her about her family and eventually the church which made for some great conversations and discussions about the Book of Mormon. 

It blows me away how sometimes we just forget to be normal, that we are talking with real people and that it's so much easier to get to know them for who they are first than to just jump right in with talking about the gospel. I feel so much happier when I am just talking to them because I love this - making connections with people and helping them to find the way back to live with our Father in Heaven again. This week really hit me with the amount of love and urgency I feel to have these people become a part of the Lord's flock again, to be numbered as one who knows His voice and understands their purpose here on the earth. 

This work really demands all that I have to give physically, spiritually, and emotionally but yet I still feel there is more I can give. Sometimes we just demand, demand, demand things from God but are never willing to give anything back in return. 

Trying to really give more because there is nothing that I have that I didn't receive first from my Savior or loving Heavenly Father. 

EAT SOME COTTON CANDY FOLKS #savessouls

Muito amor <3

Sister Staheli

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