Week 46 -- EAIIII 'ee-ay-ey'

EAIIII (pronounced 'ee-ay-ey' and is how everyone greets each other here)

Just wanted to send out some of the miracles/funny moments from the most amazing and special week of the year!!! 

1. Ok so maybe a mix of a miracle/disappointment - EASTER as we know it in os Estados Unidos (the United States) just does NOT exist here. No Easter bunny, no colored eggs (would be kind of hard given that almost all the eggs here are brown), no competitive and adventuristic Easter egg hunts that sometimes include climbing the roof or tall pine trees.  

However, it DOES include: 

 - LOTS of 70 year old senhoras (ladies)  found in literally EVERY praça,(square) sitting in large prayer circles and wearing these incredibly bright and bedazzled Maria Mãe de Jesus camisas (Mary, mother of Jesus shirts). They all sit there CHANTING with a figurine in the middle.

- Because it was Semana Santa (Easter) and ALL the catholic holidays are huge here, no one had work/school so how do they celebrate? …………………SLEEPING.  #whoopwhoop 

- Without all the hubbub, I was able to really study day-by-day about the last week of Christ's life and the significance of it was just so much different. Like wow TODAY was His last day with the apostles or TODAY was the day He suffered for us, or TODAY was the day that changed the history of the world when He rose again. It was pretty impactful. 

 

2. Long story short - Caio's mom ACTUALLY SIGNED the form for him to be baptized!! I don't think I have ever felt that much happiness in my entire life oh my gosh my heart felt like it was going to burst. 

3. I taught everyone what it means to be a "borboleta social" (social butterfly) because yesterday, we brought probably the most cutsie and hilarious, humble miracle of a family to church for the first time. OKAY FOR REAL I JUST HAVE TO TALK ABOUT ANSELMO.  So Anselmo is the pai (dad) of the family and just to show how important he is, God put him in our path 3 TIMES before we finally consented to go visit him and his family. He is way talkative stopping to talk to literally EVERY person on the street (which is why he usually takes about 4 times longer to get someplace XD), watches a TON of Discovery and always asks a lot of questions about the states, wears these adorable thick blue glasses, and just is the humblest of the humble. The first few times we talked to him, I don't know why but I didn't really get the impression that he would be that receptive/interested in the gospel right (even with him saying 'hey come visit us" - which happens a lot but without real interest right #everyonewantstoknowhowlifeisintheUS #doyouguyshavepineapple?). But after seeing him on the street walking with his 2 sons and then AGAIN on the street a few days later, I consented and we went to visit what has become my favorite family. We went and taught them about the Book of Mormon and about how we have a living prophet hoje (today) and the spirit in that tiny and humble home was just powerful. When they said that they would all go to church (Elizete mãe, (mother) Ezanael (18) and Daniel (14) and their super sharp amigo Osea (28)), with giant smiles and excitement glimmering in their eyes, and then seeing how everyone at church the next day just straight out EMBRACED this humble and innocent family.. it was just a real miracle you know? 

You know those days when everyone is just so ridiculously happy and you just think, wow, this is what it means to live. Yeah even though I am without sem (the) chocolate or colorful Ukranian Easter eggs, and thousands of miles away from the people I love more than anything else in the world, this Easter will always be marked in my heart. 

Heavenly Father is so good guys, just incredible. 

The Savior of the world really is Jesus Christ and He lives and loves us. 

Sending my love and gratidão (gratitude) for all of you beautiful people - I hope you squeeze your family a little extra-tight and send a prayer of gratitude to Deus (God) thanking Him for all the tiny miracles in your life. (and don't say that you don't have any because there isn't a person on earth that doesn't have at least a dozen)

<3 Sister Staheli

Week 45 -- feeling grateful

NOSSA GENTE. 

This week has been filled with many awesome things that make me grateful for being alive here in Mossoró Brasil - 

RAIN

I love the rain

1.  You know how much I love fruta (fruit) right?  So knowing exactly how fã (what a fan) I am, multiply that by like 10 MILLION and you have how much Sister Arámburo loves fruit - it’s not even funny. We had the prime opportunity of gaining 4 mamões (papaya) and 5 melões (honeydew) from this guy Germano that we met for the first time.  And we're hauling this MASSIVE sacola of fruta (bag of fruit) back home and passing melon here and there for random people on the street, but we still arrived home with a good quantity of fruit to be enjoyed (perfeito) (perfect). Well so while we may have arrived home and gone to sleep with 3 goodly sized melões (honeydew) and 3 huge mamões (papaya), I definitely woke up in the morning to find that my sweet Mexican companion had eaten an ENTIRE mamão SOZINHA (alone) and later consumed an entire honeydew. ALSO SOZINHA (also alone). We have been buying food as a casa (house) and sharing the cost but we have unanimously decided that it wasn't such a good idea because an entire sack of apples disappears in a matter of an hour if you're not paying good attention. #whatdotheyputinthefruit? 

2. I finally got the package that my fam sent for Christmas (shoutout to CONNER #obrigada (thanks)) and was able to read the adorable letters that my cousins wrote me about 6 months ago from Thanksgiving (#died "Anne where are you." "when will you come back" "Brennan says you have a super heavy Brasilian accent and talk a lot with your hands" @laura;) ) Also watching everyone gawk over what the heck a vegetable peeler was or trying almond butter for the first time was also pretty hilarious. OFFICIALLY I have music finally too because of my champ of a brother who spent hours downloading them all on a pendrive #JOHNO . also 2 words #pineconenecklace-Colorado

3. Officially joined the ranks of the time de futbol (soccer team) São Paulo (view jersey attached) - it's like a life or death battle out here on the mission which team you side with. It's funny because there's just a couple of crazy missionaries that get all of the estrangeiros (foreigners) to root for their team because we don't know any better #butttt #sãopaulo-soccerteam-ISTHEBEST 

4. I have seen some pretty amazing examples of faith this past week. Life really tries us sometimes and God tests us to see how much we are willing to sacrifice. There's this guy we have been teaching who has really been trying to be courageous and tell his parents that he wants to be baptized (his sister was baptized about a month ago), and Caio approached his parents this week to talk about it again. Beforehand, we talked with him about how his mom would really try his faith as she had with his sister. We said that it wouldn't be easy for him, and we asked him exactly WHY he wanted to be baptized and what he would tell his mom. His response consisted of "all I want to do is follow Christ. I want to serve Him like He's served me." He then asked if we would pray for him (on top of his personal prayers) and we knelt in that small side room of his humble home, asking God for strength to talk to his mom and that she would understand. When we returned the next day, we found that Caio had talked to his mom that very night, and after saying that he wanted to be baptized, his mom came at him with vehement "essa nâo é a igreja verdadeira" "vôce não ENTENDE o que vôce fala" "O Livro de Mórmon é FALSO" and lots of other whiplashs. (“this is not the true church” “you do not understand” “The book of Mormon is false”)  Joyce (his sister recently baptized) came back in rapid defense, bearing her sincere heart out that it really was true and that it wasn't all nonsense. She wasn't shaken with the doubts of her mother because the testimony she had gained hadn't come from the missionaries or from some other person, but was knowledge gained through the spirit from the One who knows all, God. There really was a test of his faith, and when we passed by to see him the next day to head to church, he made excuses and wouldn't come with us. I left his house just in tears because of how confused I was and how sad I was this is what he had decided. As we are sitting in sacrament meeting, I was thinking a lot about the Lord and how He must feel when we get so close to choosing to obey and then turn away - it just tears your heart right out because you really love these people and you know what decision will make them happy. 

But as we were starting the opening hymn, I looked around at all those that were present and glancing towards the back I see one last family slip in the double doors, shuffling in late into the last row. I see one green shirt and a bright smile, and I turn back towards the front crying again because it was Caio who had decided to come after all. 

I think there will always be those who doubt and question us in life, não importa (no matter) what your stance or belief is. We will always be tested.  That's kind of the point of our life - but I know that God always gives us strength to be stronger than the problems He gives us. He is always there for us.

Feeling grateful, even if there is a significantly less amount of mamão (papaya) in my stomach.

sending my love!!

Sister Staheli <3

Week 44 -- Gratitude

I am just so infinitely grateful to Heavenly Father. I have been immensely blessed in my life to be born in the place, time, and put with the people I call my family and my best of friends. Things just get super real on the mission. You appreciate the grand plan of salvation that God has made for us, the infinite love and tenderness and care that He has for us by sending his Son our Savior Jesus Christ to the earth; and just how miraculous it is that we can actually return to live with our Heavenly Parents again, even with all of our weaknesses and shortcomings, and Heavenly Father just forgives us for it all.

There's nothing that is more real or important to me than Heavenly Father and the Savior, nothing. It's because of THEM that I am here, that I have such a firm testimony and surety of who I am and what my purpose is here not only on the mission but in my life and existence, that I have been blessed with the gift to see clearly when so many are blinded by the darkness.

Listening to President Nelson speak, I just couldn’t bring myself to look away - it was like one of the moments when I really sat and absorbed the fact that he wasn't speaking anything of himself. But it was God who was speaking to us through him. I have really been able to see how much I have changed, and how much I’ve grown. The mission is the most tender mercy that I have ever had and I think one of the biggest things I have really been able to appreciate is…

1. Trust in my Father who knows infinitely better than me and 

2. Value and treasure those people that He has put in your life. 

We aren't expected to do everything on our own, neither was that ever part of the plan. But sometimes we just make it so darn hard for Him to help us. I am so grateful for the gospel and for having such clarity in this twisted and confused world. 

<3

Sister Staheli

Week 43 -- New companion from Mexico

WOWZA.

So I was talking to my dad on skype last p-day when we received "THE call".

THE call that comes every 6 weeks that determines whether you stay in the same city with the same companion, or if you will have 24 hours to pack all of your bags, throw sheets and dirty clothes and pillows into your suitcase and head off for another apartment with completely different people and new adventures (wow also everything that I write in English just looks so weird hahah) !! 

I was to find out that I would be staying in the area, but would receive ANOTHER NOVA (new) FRESH FROM THE CTM MISSIONARY. And get this -- unlike the first time, MY COMPANION TOTALLY DOESN'T ALREADY SPEAK PORTUGUES. 

DID YOU GET THAT. 

I AM TRAINING THE FIRST MISSIONÁRIA MEXICANA (Mexican missionary) TO HIT NATAL. 

EVER. 

It's the funniest thing, for the first time in the entire time I've been here - our house has 4 sisters from 4 countries diferentes (different) and NENHUMA (none) IS BRASIL. 

Sister Hernandez - 8 meses (months) da Colombia 

Sister Vega - 2 meses do Bolivia

Sister Arámburo (BEBEZINHA (baby girl)<3) - 1 MÊS do Mexico

e the única pessoa (only person) that's NOT hispanica ....

Sister Staheli - 10 meses dos Estados Unidos. 

ALL LIVING IN BRASIL - HOW IS THAT NOT CRAZY. 

#whoopwhoop

So this week has been hilarious as we are all freaking out like oh my gosh I am TEACHING her how to speak Portugues when even I was always asking my companions questions and practicing ainda (still) !! It’s SO FUNNY because the newbies are super cute and will speak a couple of words in Portugues but then will just turn into straight Spanish (which I can actually understand a majority) and I'm just sitting here laughing like oh my gosh this is going to be such an interesting transfer. 

View out their apartment

Sister Arámburo is also SUPER pretty and so as we are on the street talking to people, we had this one guy that we stopped and we introduced ourselves saying we're missionaries and he just stops, gazes intensely at Sister Arámburo and goes 'holaaaaaa Señorita' and just gets super close and we're like yeah PAZ E ALEGRIA TCHAU. (peace and happiness, goodbye)

But she also got pretty sick this week too with all the changes AND the fact it’s been raining nonstop every day, so we had a pretty crazy day on Saturday with Sister Vega when our companions stayed at home and we had to finish the goals of TWO DUPLAS for the week - MAN IT WAS CRAZY. #60contatos(contacts)-12newpeopletoteach-3hourstogetitalldone

ALSO MINHA FILHA (my daughter - she calls the new sister she trains her daughter and Anne is the mom) IS ACTUALLY THE SAME PERSON AS ME IT'S A MIRACLE. She loves to run every day (truly blessed), likes to eat a variety of fruit, pipoca, (popcorn) and amendoims (nuts) MUCH more than is common for the average person, and also speaks fluent Spanish (lol on the last one) but seriously is a weeee bit quiet but all the more querida (dear):) 

Eu amo vocês!! (I love you)

Yo amo ustedes!!  (I love you)

I don't know any more in English!! ;)

Sister Staheli

<3

Week 42 -- Week in pictures

So you know how I haven't taken like any pics in a long time? I decided to make up for it this last week and we managed to take I kid you not, more than 100 PICS with everything that we did!!

I'll spare you the joy of looking at every. single. one. But I will describe my week in terms of pics if that's cool with you guys :)

The slickest Sisters of Mossoró 

#açaifordaysss

Some of the wonderful people we see and interact with everyday:

Joyce - the only member of her fam, and still going strong while fighting depression with her adorable 16 yrs :)

Rebecca e Marianna - this adorable fam and menina that makes us die laughing, and also makes me excited for the day when I will be a mom <3

My Brasilian amores <3 (just look into the eyes of Neidinha at my side -- is there not a more loving and kind face in the entire world??)

Had this family that we've been teaching for some time introduce us to their pet parakeet that apparently is so loved that he never leaves the shoulder of his master, but so disregarded that it's been over a year and he STILL doesn't have a name. 

Moment of weakness:    -- disclaimer - you could say there may have been some pretty sketchy and traumatic bird experiences in the former life of Sister Staheli. #nevercompletelysafe #sheerterror 

A little taste of the beautiful Brasilian environment and the delightfully unpredictable way of changing every day

We spent the last p-day learning how to make gravatas (ties) from this member in our ward !! My companion had bought a ton of fabric and wanted to make them for assorted amigos  in the mish and it was a success! It's a trend here that everyone makes ties for each other (including the elders who are actually SUPER good #handsewedandeverything).

It was pretty funny because all they wanted to use was glue soooo I guess we'll see how long these bad boys will last lol 

The next model

SENDING MY LOVE.

Don't forget to send a hug/love to your mother! She is the most amazing person in the world and deserves to know it! 

(shout-out to the best mom in the world - LOVE YOU MOM. )

<3 Sister Staheli 

p.s. also feel free to send me an update of how you're doing in the mail!! #loveyouguys #dontfeelobligated

Brazil Natal Mission

Av. Interventor Mario Camara, 1904

Dix-Sept Rosado

59054-600 Natal - RN

Brazil

Week 41 -- phone call

It was our spring break, so Anne called.  She looked great and spoke with a Portuguese accent and hand gestures.

Week 40 -- Carnival

Anne was house bound so no emails.  They were to stay indoors during Carnival.

Here is a picture of her 9 month mark in their apartment, waiting out Carnival.

9 month mark

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!?!