Week 57 -- Feliz 4 de Julho agente atrasado!!

Feliz 4 de Julho agente atrasado!!  (Happy Late 4^th of July)

I and the other 2 American elders in my district celebrated in the only firework-banned-missionary way we could…waking up at 12:15AM and belting the Star-Spangled-Banner.  #OkaySoMaybeTheEldersForgot   #CarryTheDreamTeamStaheli

All the Brasileiros retaliated by proudly yelling their national anthem (which reminds me a lot of the queen of England for some reason – you have to march and pound your chest).  I tried to explain our insanely passionate national pride by giving a quick US history run down of every briga/querra dos Estados Unidos (United States war) for my companion, but may have just made her more confused.  #WaitWereYouFriendsWithTheIndians?  #HowDoYouDescribeHowRidiculousTheStampActWas?  #OrTheBrillianceOfChecks&Balances?

But for real, sometimes we forget to be grateful for how lucky we are and blessed that God played such a HUGE part in inspiring our founding fathers to establish such a strong and united and free nation.   #ILoveMyNation 

God, yet again managed to blow my mind this week with all of His tender mercies e pleno amor (and His love):

Nubia & Clayton

These past few weeks we have had the blessing of teaching Nubia and her son Clayton.  NOSSA (WOW) I love those two – never have I met people so prepared and spiritually in tune as these two.  Like the first time we gave them a Book of Mormon and talked about how God still speaks directly to us and guides us step by step today through a modern day prophet like He’s always done.  It just immediately clicked with them.  Clayton took the Book of Mormon, saying how anxious he was to read it and gives the book a little love tap (right?) and Nubia said that in that moment it was like she felt the impact pounding in her chest and she just says to Clayton, NAO TOQUE O LIVRO ASSIM E PODEROSAO CLAYTON. (Clayton do not touch that book so forcefully, be respectful). And there was this other time that we got to their house only to find that Clayton had barely left for the gym (he spends a ton of time there) and that we wouldn’t be able to see him, when 3 minutes later Clayton arrives back saying how at the gym he had the craziest buzzing noise in his ears and weird feeling in his chest like he needed to go back home only to find the sisters there waiting to teach him.  And one other time when Nubia goes “cem todo respeito,sua igreja e pura e vendodeira” (with all respect this church is pure) (after only attending 1 time) .  It’s been truly amazing to see how much they’ve grown and how much the Spirit has impacted their lives, how they have so much more purpose because they know they are cherished children of a loving Heavenly Father and that His greatest hope for us is to find true hope and happiness in life because of His Son, Jesus Christ, and that He has done and is doing everything He can to have us back with Him.  All we have to do is give a little back in return.  Man, it really changes a person when you come to first learn of these simple truths, and then feel them burning in your heart by the undeniable presence of the Holy Ghost.  It is real.  God gives us His spirit so that we can know it is true.

Hearing what Nubia said and how she felt after being baptized… “aliviada que tinha trevas onde agura tem luz”  (relief and gratitude that where there was once darkness, now there is light.)   #TrustInGod’sPromises

Nubia

Side note….had a pretty HILARIOUS moment this week.

Clayton

So every time someone is ready to be baptized, the Elders do a little interview and ask questions to see if this person is prepared or not to be baptized.  Ah, so usually it all works out great but the elders got confused with the address and ended up landing at a park that was a good 2 miles from Nubia and Clayton’s house.  Enter problema that Clayton had arranged to go to the gym at 7:30 and it was currently 7:15pm.  Yikes.  So after delicately telling the elders they had better book it to where we were waiting or they would not be able to interview Clayton and he wouldn’t be able to be baptized, we hung up the phone, and walked out to the street to wait for them.  I kid you not, 12 minutes later Sister Silva starts dying, laughing so hard because the elders were flat out sprinting, running like their lives depended upon it as fast as they could to get to where we were.  When they arrived, Elder Rich didn’t even have time to take a second breath and went directly into interviewing Clayton while the other 2 elders passed out on the chairs, panting, loosening their ties and sweating active droplets like nobody’s business.  Keep in mind that these guys are a long time at the mission office right now, so they aren’t getting a ton of time walking on a daily basis.  Oh my gosh, I didn’t think I’ve seen anything funnier in my entire life – it was PRICELESS.    #8MinMileInDressPantsShirt&Tie  #Dedication

Maick (12 anos)

I also had the most tender of miracles in being able to see Maick (that’s how they spell Mike in Portugues…sorry dad) be baptized also!!  He’s the funniest, quickest kid I’ve met and whose mom got baptized when she was 15 but had lost track of the church.  Being able to watch the strength of these youth is seriously life changing, especially seeing as they are often the only active members of their families, going faithfully to church week after week.  This kid is the best!

I really gained an appreciation for the Atonement this week on a whole different level.  Sometimes it seriously hurts to realize how many weaknesses and faults I have, things that I still need to change and learn even after over a year on the mission.  Everything I wish I could improve.  But this week, I really felt the power of the atonement and I’ve come to be grateful for the weaknesses God has given me.  It’s because of them that I have the relationship and dependence that I do with my loving Father in Heaven.  I daily feel how much I need Him, because I literally can’t do it on my own.

Never forget that you have a loving Father in heaven who guides us step-by-step, loves us more than we can imagine and has promised us the presence of His spirit and console (solace) if only we are willing to give a little in return.

Distrito Patriotico E Batizador  (Baptizing District and Patriotic)

AMO MUITO VCS  (I love you very much)
Sister Staheli

 Our first zone conference with Pres and Sister Miranda! Had a really powerful confirmation that he really was chosen by God for ME.

New Mission President -  Pres & Sis Miranda

Zone Conference

Did splits with SISTER MENDONÇA (my first filha that I trained!!!) 

Sis Mendonca

Week 56 - a week in pictures

Anne didn't have time to write a letter this week - so she sent pictures instead.....

Anne's district - they are sitting in order of how long they have served.  Sis Silva will go home next transfer so she is holding the flowers because she will (die) first.  

This is in Anne's apartment where they study.  Sis Colleoni painted the wall pink for them.

Jady - a recent convert

Marylicia - a local girl they worked with who just received a mission call to Sao Paulo, Brazil

 Sister Faria and Malgalaes - 2 sisters waiting for visas to go to Portugal, Sis Silva, Anne and Julianna at the corn festival

Sis Silva and Anne

Week 55 - Festa de Junina

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

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

Sis Colleoni and Sis Silva

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

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

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

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

My Brazilian sisters

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

Sending my love,
Sister Staheli

I made a balloon animal

Natal sunset

Natal rain

Week 54 -- transferred to Alecrim

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

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

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

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

John 14:27

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

John 16:33 

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

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

AMO MUITO VOCES (LOVE YOU SO MUCH)

Sister Staheli

Saying goodbye to these people was super hard...

Kaio's dog had puppies

Sister Silva is the BOMB

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

week 53 -- Pres. Colleoni finishing mission

Eaiii gente!  (Hello people)

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

President Colleoni

Sister Colleoni

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

Heloiza

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

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

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

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

Sending my love.

Sister Staheli

1 year mark

Week - 52

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

Week 51 -- Let your Gatinho Frolick

This week I got thinking a lot about comparison.

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

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

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

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

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

LET YOUR GATINHO (kitten) FROLICK. 

love you all!!

<3 Sister Staheli 

fotos:

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

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

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

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

week 50 -- Semana/Vida Consagrada

 SEMANA/VIDA CONSAGRADA <3 (WEEK/CONSECRATED LIFE)

Ok so what a week of tender miracles. (wow I know I say that a lot haha but it's the truth!)

So this week all of the members in the ward organized a caravana (caravan) to head to Fortaleza (3 hours away) to visit the new temple that took 10 years to build - anddd was a whopping 5 HOURS CLOSER than what used to be the nearest temple in Recife!!   (Fortaleza is at the top, Mossoro where Anne lives is around #304.  And Recife where the next closest temple is around #408 on the bottom right.)

 See pictures inside and outside of Brazil’s 7^th temple  -  the Fortaleza temple….

https://www.lds.org/church/events/fortaleza-brazil-temple-open-house?lang=eng

Fortaleza, Brazil temple

It was a tender mercy because Francione, a filha dela E o namorado dela foram pra visitar and Francione absolutely died of felicidade. (Francione, her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend went and she absolutely died of happiness.)

The temple is a place that when you enter, you automatically feel different. You enter and you feel with every fiber of your being that it's the house of the Lord because of how strong the spirit is - WAYYY more than any normal church building you find. Like Heavenly Father always asked His people to create and visit temples in the past, they are places that still have HUGE significance for the members of the church. And because God just loves us more than anything in the world, these temples are where He has given us the ability to be married not just for this life but for eternity, allowing us to live with our families forever. 

It's always my favorite part to be able to teach people about…eternal families. I remember one contact on the street we made with this man holding his 2 year old crinançinha and we asked him the question - "If you could really have and live with your family forever, even AFTER this short earthly life, what would that mean to you?" And he just gets serious, looks so lovingly and caringly at his little daughter and goes… "wow.. can you imagine?  It would mean the world to me." And it's just like one of those things I always took for granted and thought everyone already knew about, this wonderful promise Heavenly Father gives us. 

We always set it as our goal to share with the people we teach, and it just completely changes the way they think and approach the gospel. 

God really is perfect in that way, creating the world and our spirits, putting us in a family that never is entirely perfect but who we still somehow love no matter what... 

But because temples are so holy, they usually aren't open for the public to be able to enter any normal day, so it was pretty amazing for everyone to be able to visit and get to see the rooms where people are married as well as the baptismal font. Needless to say Francione ADOROU (LOVED IT) and got super excited because, when they saw the baptism font Gabriel (namorado da  (the boyfried of) Ana Clara), who ALWAYS is completely joking about getting baptized goes "heyyy seria legal tomar banho naquela piscina" (“hey it would be nice to bathe in that pool”) and I think Francione's heart just about exploded in excitement.

#NoteToSelf:NUNCABRINCASOBREBATISMOCOMfrancione #elanâoconsegueaguentar (#NoteToSelf:I am going to give you a chance to learn how to live with them forever.)

Just sending out a shoutout and saying how much I love my family and how grateful I am that God has given me the ability to live with them forever.

LOVE YA GENTE 

<3 Sister Staheli

look up more pics of other temples if you want! There's one in almost every state in the US and there are tons being constructed every year in the US as well as countries around the world! #youlldie 

Here is a picture of the Denver temple where my parents were married.

Denver, Colorado temple

Frankfurt, Germany temple

Temple where my mom served in Frankfurt Germany

Seoul, Korea temple

Temple where my dad served in Seoul Korea

Brennan served in Romania and the Rome temple would have been one of the closer temples to him.  Here is an 11 minute video giving a tour of the Rome Temple.

Two Apostles Lead a Virtual Tour of the Rome Italy Temple

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhWgPwEQQ98

Rome, Italy temple

Los Angeles, California temple

Jonathan served in California and his temple was in Los Angeles where my grandparents were married