Week 39 -- Tender mercies & miracles

Wow what a week of miracles and tender mercies.  Even though every last man, woman, child e cachorro (and dog) all packed their bags for Tibol  (a nearby beach town) in preparation for Carnival on Tuesday (aka dia 5 – aka the exact day that I’ll pass 9 meses na missao (months on my mission)  #reachedthepeak  #whatthisispassingsofast), and there’s been hardly a tumbleweed roaming the streets

God has still managed (like He always does) to bring forth the miracles.  Just a few tender mercies of the week:  

-       ----     Had a zone conference with our mission president and all of the missionaries in the Interior #ricebeans&acaigalore   #inspired-words&answered-prayers-as-always

    



          Meet the district. These are all the missionaries that stay in the surrounding barrios of the city! The first two in front next to me are the only other americans (I know - hard to believe #blondhairblueeyes) from Utah but are super cool! It's tradition that the person to go home first of the group takes the pic holding flowers (because they will "die" first) - but I love this group with my whole heart! Super solid, inspiring people 

 






 --- Our cute little amigo Juan (who goes alone by foot to church and printed out the full-sized picture in color during our first lesson) asked when was the soonest he could be baptized

-

-       

$201 Reals

 -----  This older man in our ward has this insanely legit collection of money and old bills/coins that he’s been buying, accumulating and trading over the years.  Brasil has changed their types of bills a few times – ranging from Cruzeiros to Cruzados and now in Reals – and he has made it his life AMBITION to seek out every last original copy, ranging in color and transparency and equivalency to about $30 million reals.  Apparently there was a time when Brasil printed its money in the US and so all the bills look almost exactly the same – complete with the label on the bottom “Estados Unidos duo Brasil.”  But the one thing his collection is seriously lacking …. Can you guess?  Yep  - dollars.  He’s been dying to get his hands on a $2 bill and has pestered every last American missionary that’s passed through without even the SLIGHTEST success.  How to break the news that “Shoot Senior, yeah I had about $20 in $2 bills but I caved when I saw Salagadis (street food) for $1 real, I couldn’t help myself and traded it all #worthit.  But somehow even with lacking the appropriate goods for the trade, I walked out with an old $1 and $200 bill de cruzeiros (equivalent nowadays to $50-60 reals or $15 dollars.)   It meant a lot to him that there was someone willing to sit, rifle through and admire something that was his life passion.  Because what good is a collection without anyone to appreciate it and give value to it?

-      ---    The last tender mercy/miracle of the week was our good old pastor Igor.  If you remember Igor was the one that walked in during the middle of our lesson and made everyone feel like we had been caught red-handed doing something naughty like when mom catches you mid stroke scribbling in sharpie on her beautifully white washed walls or something like that.  We had gotten his contact information to meet up with him another day but my companion wanted nothing of it.  Apparently she has not had the best of experiences with teaching pastors in the past – the last one consisting of arguing and throwing scriptures down their throats, insisting and ardently disputing exactly just how they were wrong, which sadly was a terrible experience for her.  

      I don’t know, but there was something different about Igor and I couldn’t get him out of my head, and I called him to set up a meeting in the park.  During my whole personal study I just kept thinking about what he would say or how he would react, but in that first encounter, I could see he had a good heart with just the desire to serve God.  I could see it in his eyes you know?  But I studied a lot about what I thought might be his questions and what the apostles in the New Testament said about this dark period on the earth without the fullness of the gospel.  But really I was just saying a lot of prayers, relying that God would help guide us in helping him understand.  But man was I a wee bit stressed out.  But as we sat down in that park, listening about his life and getting to know him as a person – his family, dreams and aspirations, past service in the church, his love of working with the youth….I just came to really admire and respect Igor for his good heart and pure desire to serve God.  

  

     We continued to teach, explain and bear testimony of the truthfulness of our message – how God really had restored His church here on earth again through Joseph Smith.  I could see the hesitancy and doubt in his eyes melt away with every scripture in the Book of Mormon.  He could feel the power and truth in the book sitting in his hands – doubt and resistance being replaced with light and humility.  The spirit was almost palpable.  It was so strong, leading and guiding us in our words in what he needed to hear.  He sincerely and humbly opened up to us about his doubts, asking questions with a desire to only understand, not to find fault.  It truly was a miracle that I can’t believe God had allowed me to witness.  

      The thing is, God knows how difficult it is to find the truth in our world today.  He knows how lost and confused we are at times.  Because of this, He gave us our Savior to know what to do and where to find His truth.  He always beckons and invites us to find out for ourselves with the promise that He would always answer the prayer of those with a faithful and earnest heart.  This was the amazing promise that we left with Igor that morning as we sat on the park bench.  I don’t know what Igor will decide to do, but I know that the Igor that came and the Igor that left was a changed man.

I am still blown away with just how loving, merciful, present and miraculous God is.  I am blessed beyond what I deserve.  I love you all.  Thanks for the amazing people that you are.  Know that God loves you.

Love,

Sister Staheli

PS Sorry if my emails are too obnoxiously long – don’t feel obligated to read if you don’t want to.

Week 38 - Rain and Pastors

Eai (what’s up) family!

So this week was the week da chuva (the rain) – I don’t think I’ve ever seen it rain so hard with such consistency in my entire life!  It was seriously RIDICULO how much it rained (especially after everyone said that it NEVER rains in Mossoró).  Everyone dropped everything they had to run out and “tomar banho” na chuva (take a bath in the rain).  Darn my current and ever present skirt/dress combo that makes running and frolicking in the rain a bit more complicated.  But I did have some pretty fun and interesting moments this week – so ‘bora la a gente’ (let’s go people). 

This week we had the privilege of meeting and teaching two completely different pastors rounding my total number of interesting pastorly encounters up to five, two of which came to church with us.

The first one of the week was Nosso Irmato Igor, a fresh new graduate from the 4 year seminary who’s about 26, bald with a healthy growth of beard and the longest eyelashes I’ve ever seen.  But how we met was so crazy.  We were walking in the street and stopped to talk to this woman sweeping out front.  It turns out her son had been baptized in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints many years ago but had stopped going and apparently lives in Fortaleza, but she goes I have the biblia de voces! And quickly ushers us in where we meet her 2 grandkids who are 16 and 17 years old. 

So we’re sitting there teaching about how Christ was baptized and this guy appears in the doorway and everything just gets super tense and awkward like IMMEDIATELY right? And he goes….”opa. Oi.”  (Hi…. "opa" is a greeting indicating slight surprise: you didn't quite expect to run into that person where you did) “And I’m like who is this guy?  A neighbor/friend/relative that had marked a commitment with this family and is slightly miffed to find them already with company?  And the grandma just gets a little frantic and goes “oh yeah, these girls were just passing by and my son was baptized first in their church before the second baptism – in your church, (enter even more intensity because we’re starting to understand who this guy was) and they were just sharing a message with us about the gospel of Jesus and why don’t you sit and listen?”  (Super breathless and feeling like – oh shoot – somebody save me.)  So with little grace he sat down and we began to teach the rest of the lesson on Christ and His baptism and the symbolism of being baptized by immersion.

We talked about how important it is that the person who baptizes has to have the authority and power given by God and not by man to baptize.  (Which once again gets slightly tense because this man baptizes probably on a weekly basis right?)  So we finished our lesson and my companion was rushing, trying to get one foot out the door, but I just could not help myself and threw in the one thing that makes our church different than any other church.  How we know that this authority to baptize by the power of God has been lost for a long time since the death of Christ’s apostles (who all had been given this priesthood power by Christ).  And how with the death of the apostles, the people became super confused and argued over what was true or not.  Many churches began to arise with different beliefs and different baptisms because there was no one around with the priesthood power and authority to answer questions or disputes that arose.  But because God loves us, He has called a modern day prophet and apostles to restore the power of the priesthood to baptize as well as to restore truths that have been lost over the centuries.  And boy did the ball start rolling. 

Question after question.  Scripture after scripture discussing and bearing sincere testimony.  We didn’t have time to talk about everything but marked a different day to answer his questions a little better.  I can’t wait until he reads just a part of the Book of Mormon (aka the book that changes lives), it’s all the proof he could ever need that it’s all real.  I don’t know how receptive he’ll be with it all but it still was way peaceful – the spirit testifying the truth of it all with every word.  #Missionsaresogreat. 

But on another note, we also met this youngin Juan (pronounced hoo-waw) that was so sweet and also super intelligent with his 13 years of life.  After meeting his whole family we were able to teach them a little, and learn more about the Presbyterian church and meet his grandpa (also a pastor of said church) who is seriously the sweetest old man in the world.  They love talking in English and so I got to help them practice a bit.  Good people with good hearts making the world a better place.  But Juan just gets so excited and says I have a surprise for you guys but waited restlessly until the end of the lesson – finally bursting that he (and his grandma) would go to church with us on Sunday, but that if his grandpa couldn’t (because they ALSO have church at the same time) he would walk there on his own later.  And in the end just goes wait, wait, wait!  Grabs his phone to take a picture of the 3 of us and goes directly to the computer to print out 2 full sheets, color photograph and signs the bottom – DE:  Juan Pablo Para Sister Staheli com Carinho.

And guess who arrived early with his saint of a pastor grandfather on the 2^nd row?  J 

Getting to teach and share with people something so important and a part of me like the gospel (every day) has really made a mark on me.  God is real and I know that this is His church.  I Love YOU ALL.  Thanks for all the support even if I don’t have time every week to respond.  It means a lot!!

Sending my love,

Sister Staheli

Week 37 - transfers to Mossoró

After passing a little more than 8 months in the capital, I was finally shipped out to the boonies of the Interior (or promised land as everyone calls it), and boy is EVERYTHING SO DIFFERENT.  So I didn’t realize this was a thing, but there are definitely 2 types of missionaries here in Brazil, Natal.  Those ‘born in the capital (First area of the mission) and those 4-5-9 hours away in the quente (hot) interior.  To give you an idea of how hot it is here, in Natal everyone always says “Man this week was hot.”  “Yeah it was”.  “Hey at least we’re not in Mossoró.”  “Yeah it’s NOWHERE near as hot.  I’ve never been but you know people talk.  “Yeah I’ve only passed through 1 day and man NEVER AGAIN.  The frequency of rain is apparently so rare that one time it started to rain and kids on the street started screaming and crying, going beserk with their mom whispering “it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s called rain .” J

Also, saying goodbye to my little part of the world and family in Natal really kind of tore me little.  I won’t bore you guys with the mushy gushy stuff, but really I will forever be different because of the povo (people).   Something I really admire about them was their strength and faith despite being one of the smallest wards in the tiniest of capellas week after week after week.  Their ward wasn’t strong because of their numbers or because they were together, but because INDIVIDUALS therein chose to be strong, even the very youngest.  They passed through some rough times, yet I am grateful for those who chose faith in God, even when they don’t know what they are doing or think that they stand alone.  Because in the end you look back and realize that your little light in the darkness that seemed so small and insignificant was a lighthouse and a beam for those who also felt lost, alone and forgotten.  God asks us to be this light and strength for others, even when we don’t feel adequate.  

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.      Matthew 5:14-16

Everyone is strong in their own way – recognize it in yourself AND in others because it is very real and we all need to realize our strength and potential that God sees in US.

As a last thought, it was pretty funny because here in Mossoró, everyone has like 5 names – like EVERYONE.  Usually consisting of something like ‘Maria das Dores de Silva de Mendonca’ right?  So we are talking to this lady on the street and we say “we’re missionaries a igreja de jesus cristo dos santos dos últimos dias (of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), but she just gets so flustered saying “you guys believe in things completely different.  I don’t know anything about this other Jesus.  Who is this other Jesus?”  ……  He is the one and the same and the only Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer.

Sending my love and dying from heat exhaustion

Sister Staheli

P.S. I get to skype my family every week!?!

Week 36 - Portuguese lesson on the First Vision

February 11, 2019
Anne sent a video of her teaching in Portuguese.

Week 34 -- Trust God and act

So this week was filled with lots of new people, new experiences, and new perspectives!

On P-day this last week, we were passing in the mission office and we get this frantic phone call from this guy in our ward bursting with excitement and energy and was like I HAVE TO TALK TO YOUR MISSION PRESIDENT AGORA. (NOW)

Apparently, he had been invited by a friend to participate in this huge religion forum that recognizes all these different religions from around the world, and everyone presents themselves and they were organizing this huge peace ceremony - like we're-all-BFFS-no-beef to honor all these different groups and cultures of people. And Emerson was frantic that he was the ONLY one there to represent the church and that he needed missionaries or a Book of Mormon or at LEAST a nice looking shirt - and thus President quickly cancelled any plans we had, and the trio missionaries of Natal was practically pushed out of the mission office and into an UBER to head to this event. 

 

IT WAS THE COOLEST THING EVER. They had Budhists, Catholics, people dressed in traditional Indian headgear, Baptists - around 23 different religious representatives - and each one took a turn standing and bearing a statement about their religion and presented an object to represent themselves. To see cute little Emerson stand alone, surrounded by all these educated and older men in fancy clothing, bearing simple yet firm testimony of Christ and His true living and restored Church on the earth (complete with an old youth camp tshirt e Livro de Mormon).. was pretty valiant stuff. 

And we met a lot of people which was really interesting to learn about their beliefs. We all have the same end goal, just different means of expressing and getting there. But the amazing thing is that sometimes we try to make things a whole lot more complicated than they need to be - religion and which church and money and logistics - we don't need to have 10/20/30 different paths, God already gave us THE ONLY path - our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Through Him and His guidance, we can't go wrong guys, we just can't. 

#IamtheLIGHTandtheLIFEoftheworld

This week I found out just how much God was willing to test me - where my heart was, my conversion, my reason for being on a mission, my dedication and patience, but most importantly my faith.  He really wanted to know if I actually believed everything that I had always cherished in my heart - if I actually trusted Him or if I only said that I did. 

So Saturday was a HUGE day that had a lot at stake, and I really didn't know what I was going to do or which words these people needed to hear or ANYTHING. But the amazing thing is that sometimes God throws us a huge challenge for which we feel unprepared. He tests us with things that make us feel overwhelmed or stressed or uncertain because He wants to know if we really trust in His ability to strengthen, alleviate, and empower us. Often our faith comes easily, we feel the burning and trust in our hearts because it's good and powerful, but there ALWAYS comes a moment that we are compelled to make a decision -

trust or don't trust, 

act or don't act.

What good is our faith if we aren't willing to act, really trust, and tackle something that scares us?

food for thought :)

also dying because my companion hates approaching guys on the street and meeting new people and so we did some practices that DEFINITELY included a lot of me pretending to be a boy #completewithgoateyesanddirtbeards #girlscampalloveragain

Sending my love!!

Sister Staheli

Week 33 -- Feeling the presence of my Savior ever at my side

Wow what a week of joys, heart aches, and lots and LOTS of tired legs. 

I think it's not that the TYPE of week or lessons or experiences change necessarily every week, but the PERSON that enters each week is a little different - a little more wise and aware, having a stronger capacity to love, but most importantly having just a slightly greater appreciation that my Savior is never that far away. 

Man I feel different. 

This week has been filled with lots of preparation for Neto's baptism - lessons and discussions that last over an hour (this guy REALLY thinks deeply about the gospel), lots of listening and singing along to the beautiful music of the violão (guitar), and lots of talk of which is the best salgado. But it's just the funniest thing - I think my favorite conversation up to date with Neto has been our talk about the commandments. 

So normally for those who don't know, we usually breeze rapidinho (quickly) through the 10 commandments, talk about their application in our lives, and talk about the prophets and modern revelation and how important they are - good basic stuff right? And with the 7th commandment, (Thou shalt not commit adultery) we talk a lot about the importance of family and how sacred and important this commandment is that God has given us. But the thing is with Neto, it's never just a simple discussion - HEY 10 MANDAMENTOS (10 Commandments). We were totally not expecting the conversation that followed the 7th with this really interesting conversation about marriage and Neto's life a little bit. He lives sozhinho (alone) but comes from a pretty broken family, which is pretty normal here, with a dad who had around 10 or more children but really never was around to care for them. And how Neto's grandpa was the EXACT same way - and Neto talked about the lasting impact of such examples and a lack of a strong patriarch to really take charge and take care of the family. That he really right now is having a hard time thinking about or getting into the idea of finding someone to marry because he really doesn't have that trust that it will work out. From what he's seen, there just doesn't exist such a thing in the world as a marriage that can last an entire lifetime, and the stress of finding someone that you love enough to struggle through it all. 

And we were like, marriage is not just for THIS life, but we know that our family can be together for MUCH more after this life. #feelinglessstressedNeto?? 

He was in such a soul searching state and he's looking to us to confirm how he's feeling and I'm just like, woah dude I don't have to worry dating for at LEAST another 10 months - and my companion is like I-have-2-months-on-the-mission-and-a-serious-boyfriend-that-i-already-know-Im-going-to-marry, so unfortunately I don't think we were much help. :3 #missionoopa

But this Sunday with Neto was just the coolest thing! We were really hoping to get the ward to fellowship him and that he would be able to meet some more good people (which is amazing because there's a family that lives in the same condiminio (condominium complex) as him #blessings) and he was totally embraced by everyone! 

We were trying to leave after church and all of a sudden everyone's running around and grabbing people to head to the chapel again and we are all like what is going on - but it turns out that there was a young girl in the ward that was opening her mission call!  (which is the moment that every missionary has when they find out where in the world, what language, and when they leave for their MISSION #thebestmomentEVER).  And everyone is together shouting out guesses of countries and there's just such a feeling of love and Neto is just sitting at my side in complete awe of everything. 

And he goes, "Never in my life did I expect to be in a place like this. I had no idea that this type of love or culture or people even existed." The girl opened her call (Porta Legre Sul, Brasil) and everyone's running and hugging and crying, and it really is just the sweetest of moments right? The family that lives in his condo goes hey Neto we're leaving, and he just goes no I don't want to go home right now. And says that instead he'd WALK (about 40/50 minutes), just so that he could stay longer to feel and experience more. 

Man there's just nothing so exhausting for a heart than a mission - it stretches and expands to fit more people to love, it breaks and aches for those who fall away, it longs to be with its family, it burns with a love for the Savior and the importance of the work.. it really is an amazing creation. 

Feeling the presence of my Savior ever at my side - He really is never far away folks. 

Also sorry if my letters are super long, don't feel obligated to read them all - I know you guys love me :)

Sending my love!!

Sister Staheli

jacka (or Jack fruit - that for some reason I remember that in the States people eat this instead of meat and I'm just like WHAT THIS IS LITERALLY COTTON CANDY)

familia Marilhosa that I love with all my heart

Week 32 -- Oh what a blessed week

   OH WHAT A BLESSED WEEK.

Ok so having a trio with companions from Peru, Brasil, and the US is crazy because we are always talking about our cultures and what types of foods we eat, and what holidays we celebrate and it's THE CRAZIEST THING -- Peru is WAY MORE SIMILAR to the US than Brasil. 

There are clearly a ton of differences but the one thing that absolutely blows my mind is that in Peru, no one has any idea of what a hammock is. Like they just straight up don't exist there - which becomes a slight problem when Sister Vasquez has found that she is physically UNABLE to sleep at night with any other type of bed and she has 4 weeks left before going home to Peru. 

#so.mom.itslikefabric..between.two.hooks..that..yousleepin...

#oopa

 

This week I really gave my all to talk to every person that I could on the street, which really lead to some amazing experiences (AND our trio having the most contacts of the whole mission #nbd #whoopwhoop) 

But the most tender of mercies came with this guy named Neto. 

So we were walking on the street and we had already passed a good number of people and I see this young 22ish yr old guy walking towards us and I feel the need to talk to him. But I spend too much time thinking about it and by the time I go to open my mouth, he's already behind us. Turning around, I call out to him to make a contact which turns into one of the most interesting conversations. 

Apparently, he's living alone here in Natal and was studying at college up in the north but kind of lost sight of who he was, dropped everything - all contact, cellphone, TUDO and was like how can I serve a mission like you guys? But I don't think he was getting the whole a “mission-isn't-tourism-where-you-go-to-any-country-you-want type of thing” and wasn't really expressing much potential, but I still felt prompted to ask if we could pass by his apartment that very day to share a message about Christ.

Us - "will you be at home?'

him - "I don't know.'

us - "..righttt okay. do you have a number we can call?'

him - 'no. I don't have a phone.'

us - '.rightttt okay we will pass by at 3:30 okay?'

him - '..okay..'

And my companions are just like what are you doing, this guy is clearly not interested. But I still left thinking about this guy and was a little perplexed the whole day. 

Then we had a few other lessons and left for a different neighborhood and we were about an HOUR LATE to visit him. But after letting us in, the guy at the condominio said that Neto had been expecting us for quite some time but that he wasn't answering his phone in the apartment. Undeterred, we entered to knock on his door.. only to be greeted by echoes. 

ahhh que droga right? We search around the inside of the condominio but don’t see him anywhere and my companion just goes, no I have this feeling that he's here. And runs around to a different window and shouts in, calling his name - to which he FINALLY appears and we are able to enter and teach him. 

We taught about the prophets in the bible and how God has always called prophets to help guide his people, and go on to talk about Joseph Smith, how he was called to be a prophet and how the Book of Mormon came to light, and we left a chapter for him to read with the invite to ask God if it was really all true or not like we always do. 

But in my mind, I was still doubting whether this guy was really interested or if he was just waiting for us to leave the whole time. 

FAST FORWARD to the next day and we pass by to see if he's read it or not, only to find that he hasn't read the part we had left about when Christ appeared to the people in the Americas.

Instead.. he's read the entire first 7 chapters of the first book of Nefi. 

And was still reading when we got there. 

Completely absorbed and intrigued with Nefi and his brothers and their little family, the faith they had, and the trust they had in the Lord. 

We asked him how he felt when he was reading and he turned to us with this really profound comparison of faith and trust.

He said that faith was when we simply believe something because other people say that it's true, that we rely on the belief that THEY have. (a little different I'll admit)

But trust is when we feel the truth of something because WE feel it deep within ourselves. That it has become a part of us and because of this - it's stronger and more resilient. 

He then goes on to say that 

'I don't have faith. 

I trust.' 

I was just so touched. 

He has TRUST that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. 

And because of this trust - he has come to know. 

AND THEN HE CAME TO CHURCH WITH US AND IT WAS THE GREATEST THING.

But he also has a million deep questions so let's see just how this goes, but really feeling blessed with how the Lord works in our lives and how important it is that we are always showing him how willing we are to be His hands. 

Like this guy at church said on Sunday

"We aren't earthly beings having a heavenly experience, we are spiritual beings having an earthly experience"

So embora folks - always remember who you are and your divine potential. 

TRUST that God has a plan for you, and not only TRUST - but use Him to help you know what it is.  

LOVE YOU ALL<3

Sister Staheli

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