Week 76 -- O Pai Celestial E um Deus de milagres

What?  I’m in the last week of my mission.  The last full week of being a full-time missionary and I think everyone got together and was like, let’s make the last weeks of Sister Staheli’s mission absolutely INSANE.

1)      I had my last leadership conference and “job Interview” via skype on the same day where I had to study and present a court case for BYU professors #InEnglish  #Yikes.

2)      I had 3 sick sisters camped out in our apartment (7 sisters in total) and sent 2 of them home due to knee and ankle problems and the other with a possible case of vermes (worms). 

3)      Zone choir practices because todo mundo vai cantar numa (everyone will sing in a) FLASH-MOB at the mall for Natal.  (Did I already mention that Natal in English means Christmas??)

4)      Gave a talk in one ward and played the piano for the primary program in another ward.   But I think this is the best of them all….

5)      Cleaning and taking all of the stuff out of our apartment because our mission president found a different place that they liked better!  Yep, so a majority of the last real p-day was spent moving boxes and lugging water jugs up 2 flights of stairs! 

But really, it still has not hit me that I’ll be headed home here in a blink of an eye and that I’ll be able to hug my family after 18 months.  God has been so good to me.  Really sometimes I just sit and marvel at everything He’s shown me and let me be a part of. 

O Pai Celestial E um Deus de milagres.  (Heavenly Father is a God of miracles.)

I have had many miracles, but I’d like to mention a couple from this week.

Pablos is I think the most elerto rapaz (righteous boy) I’ve ever seen.  He’s the friend of several youth in the ward and just showed up one day.  He said that after going to church for the first time, he felt so good afterward that he went home and watched videos about the church on You Tube for 3 ½ hours.  His family immediately started to ridicule him and throw around a ton of lies about the church.  To which he just gets super irritated and goes “You don’t know;  have you even gone to church before?”  And when we asked what he thought of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, he just gets quiet and his eyes get all misty and he just shakes his head like “Woah, I never cry.”  He comes from a super well off family, but is honestly one of the funniest, humblest of people.  I can really see how right President Nelson was when he said that the Lord has placed some of the most special and elect spirits here in Brasil.

I know my mom already posted this pic, but Laura is the one in the red dress

Laura is actually a girl that was baptized about 7 years ago with her entire family.  But there were some family problems and her parents got divorced, and because of a mix up, her mom was hurt and took her children out of the church.  Their mom wakes up every day with the same pain and grudge in her heart against her ex-husband - even after these 7 years, she has been unable to forgive him for what happened.  Do you know what 7 years of built up, festering pain and hate does to a person?  I remember that the first time we went to their house, the tangibility of her grudge was so strong and heavy that after only about 20 minutes, my heart was banging in my chest and I started to feel completely consumed by her pain.  I was dying to get out of there.  But with every visit over the past few weeks, bit-by-bit, the climate has gotten lighter which has really been the effect of praying as a family and reading the scriptures.  And Laura, the youngest, has really suffered from the tension between her parents and her desire to go back to church.  She said a prayer that really touched me when she said, “thank you Pai (Father) for sending sister Staheli and Sister Sousa to us, to save my family and give us the hope that one day we’ll be able to forgive and be happy again.”

AND THIS WEEK SHE ASKED IF SHE COULD GO TO CHURCH WITH US.  If that’s not a miracle, I don’t know what is?  God is so amazing.  Don’t let one small misunderstanding or mistake sit and fester.  When we hold on to our hate and grudges, the only one who really suffers in the end is us.

LOVE YOU, 

Sister Staheli

The Oldies heading out

Week 75 -- a week in pictures

week 74 -- Voces foram poeira a prara Sisters

“Voces foram poeira a prara Sisters?”  (Have the sisters gone the way of the dust?)  To which we answered – “Nope, just the cemetery.”  It only took up until the last 3 weeks of my mission, but I officially got sunburned folks.  It happens when you space putting on sunscreen and stand 3 + hours in the blazing Natal sun.  This week may have been Halloween nos Estados Unidos (in the United States), Dia de los Muertos no Mexico, but here in Brasil it was the infamous Dia Dos Finados (or day of the dead).  (Which in reality is a super low key, but highly commercialized and slightly less exciting version of Memorial Day).  But ended up being a really cool experience as we were able to as a zone (14 missionaries) organize a table and talk to people, who were really suffering from the memory of lost loved ones, about God’s eternal plan of happiness.  We had 3 questions for them to think about:

1.       Where did we come from before our life here on earth?

2.       Why am I here and what is my purpose?

3.       Where will I go after I die?

Which in reality, really are questions that we all come to think and wonder about at one time or another.  Whether it’s when we lose a loved one or when holding the tiniest of newborn infants in our arms.  Our life here on earth really starts to change when we come to realize who we really are – treasured spirit children of our loving Heavenly Father. 

The coolest member in the world grabbing every person he saw passing by the cemetery to bear his testimony!! Love this VALEIRIO.

Our mission president’s wife Sister Miranda called us this week asking if she could accompany us for a couple hours wanting to help us teach the people we visit and share her story of how she encountered the church when she was just 17 years old.  She talked about how in reality, her cousin was the first to meet the missionaries and get a Book of Mormon, but was not interested and went to toss the book out. (gasp)  Being as she liked to read, she got a hold of the book and started to flip through its pages and began to feel struck by the power of its words.  But she said the moment that really changed her life, was when she finally understood that she was in reality a daughter of God.  The same God who is perfect, the creator of all that we see, and who has infinite wisdom. 

Her life changed when she realized that as His daughter, she has the potential to be exactly as He is one day.  All we have to do is follow His plan.  Being able to tell people all about Heavenly Father’s perfect plan of happiness for them and their families, sing hymns, (off tune) and comfort them with the promise of being able to see their loved ones again really made for a wonderful day.

Also we had the BEST DAY yesterday because Eduardo went to church and even though he swore on his life that he would not take the sacrament, (the bread and water that remind us of the sacrifice that our Savior Jesus Christ made for us and our commitment to follow Him), when the bread passed, I saw him hesitate and then grab a small piece from the corner of the tray.  Keep in mind that it’s been almost 2 months that we have been teaching him, and I think he’s finally beginning to feel humble and open the clenched fist he’s been holding around his heart for so many years.  And then because it was my last testimony meeting, I got up to bear my testimony with a prayer in my heart that God would help me to say what Eduardo needed to hear.  But when I got up there, I started to cry (embarrassing I know) and was able to just say something simple and short.  Slightly disappointed in myself I went back to my seat, only to find out after church from my companion that Eduardo had wiped his eyes at the end of my short testimony.  Maybe for me and for every other person in that room it was entirely simple, but God was only aware of one of His treasured sons in that moment, and answered the prayer of his aching and lonely heart.  I will really miss being a full-time missionary.

God is our Father and He loves us SO MUCH.  The moment we actually let that sink into our heart is when it all starts to change.

 I LOVE YOU ALL

Sis Staheli

Alexia gave me a late bday gift!! Man I love this 11 year old <3 #perfumeGOSTOSO

 The Jambo tree shedding its pink petals.

Week 73 -- Mosiah 2:41

Hey fam!

Don't have a ton of time to write this week but just wanted to show a SUPER real example of the following scripture: 

Mosiah 2:41

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it. 

So there's this guy in the ward who's name is Caninde and he's literally one of the most humble and Christ-like people I have ever met. 

He is a simple baker and had a super hard problem of smoking (the one that started when he was 8) but has always treated everyone around him with genuine kindness - literally gives EVERYTHING he has, even if it’s hardly anything. 

So this is a picture of us in his house about a month ago - super simple, only had a rede and a stove to make food.  

Then enter the part about those who keep the commandments are not only ridiculously happy, but also blessed in a spiritual AND physical way. 

Caninde, although not having much, working EVERY DAY to be able to have the simplest of living, began to pay tithing. 

And man did the Lord provide. 

This is a picture of Caninde's house this past week – 

complete with a refrigerator, a brand new dresser, a better job that pays more with less hours, a GIGANTIC BED (did you SEE the size of that thing??), and is now on the lunch calendar to feed 4 sisters every month. 

Who can deny that this man was infinitely blessed by the Lord for his faith and obedience, even with his difficult situation?

TRUST IN THE PROMISES OF THE LORD AND HE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. 

People who listen and obey God's commandments in humility really are the most happy of all His children. 

love you all!!

Sister Staheli

LESS THAN A MONTH #whatishappening?

Gorete <3

Week 72 -- Take time to listen

Birthday twins

I had a surprise this week!  Elder Patty in our district also had a birthday and this family in the ward wanted to do something for him and someone along the way said that he had this undying love for bolo de milho (corn cake) (which he does not not even like that much) and so everyone started giving him bolo de milho.  And there was a night that they invited everyone over to share it, but I wasn’t really interested about going because we had other commitments.  But my companion managed to practically drag me there and I get there to find that it was actually a birthday surprise for me too.  And as I sat there surrounded by these people that I love so much, I felt super loved as everyone shouted and sang to us and we all ate homemade bolo de milho.  Did I already mention how much they love corn here?  #PrepareYourselvesStaheliFam  #Anne’sBringingTheMilhoToColorado

I want to talk about a miracle this week which was Dilene.  So we actually were looking for a different house of a member but simply got super lost and confused.  I saw this little purple doorway of a house that looked like the type of place that sells acai (there is a lot here) but as we got close, we realized it was actually all alcohol.  My companion just gives me this – Are you sure kind of look? But the spirit was strong and I plowed on and bati as palmas (said let’s go) and proceeded to ask if she knew our friend.  And thus emerges Dilene – one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met.  

After talking for a little, she quickly calls us in and starts to open up and tell us her life story.  I think one of the most powerful ways to love and help someone is just to listen.  I think that’s been one of the strongest lessons I’ve learned on the mission – the importance of silence and letting that person release everything that they had been guarding for so long.  Sometimes you don’t even have to know what to say.  Just being there and taking time to listen is already more than enough to cure the wounded soul. 

And so with us there to listen, Dilene opened her heart about her 2 daughters who she loves so much but has stopped talking to for several years.  How her husband passed away and how she only feels less lonely in her empty house when she kneels by her bed to pray.  How she sometimes will drink with her friends but really would leave it all with the simplest sign from the Lord that He was there.  And she’s just crying the whole time.  And then in the end she surprised us by throwing her arms around us in a tight and strong embrace. 

I think it was one of the lessons that I said the least and felt the spirit the most.  Listening gente (people) is a gift God’s given us that I think we have come to neglect.  When was the last time we took time to see if someone really was doing ok or just accepted “fine” as being “good enough”  I know we get busy, but there are so many around us that are suffering so much.  My challenge this week is to not only take time but make time to sit down and listen to someone who really needs it.

It makes all the difference and is what the Savior would do if He were here!

LOVE YOU ALL

Sister Staheli

Week 71 -- Power of the presence of the spirit

October 14, 2019

Ah, can I just say how much I love you guys?  Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the love and birthday wishes you all passed my way last week.  I really felt loved and hugged a lot by reading your letters and eating my mom’s homemade granola.  My pday/birthday was consumed with a leadership conference and a trip to the Fed police station, but I did manage to talk to my parents the last 30 minutes of the day.  That was enough to make the day great.

You want to know what we did this week as a district?  Two words:  MATCHING T-SHIRTS #AlecrimDistrict.  There’s an elder in our mission whose art skills are legit and he drew a picture of us all!  It turned into a pretty awesome shirt.  But what we soon realized is that if you tuck the shirt in, in goes about half the district.  Imagining all the little floating heads sticking out of everyone’s waistline was enough to almost make me cry I was laughing so hard.   #GotToEnjoyTheSmallThings

I’m sure you are all tired of hearing this, but this really was a week of miracles.  I don’t think I’ll ever get over how amazing it is to see hearts being touched and changed by the power of the spirit and people earnestly opening the dark parts of themselves to let the light, love and peace of the gospel of Jesus Christ take away their pain.  Or even watching how sometimes the absence of the spirit is more impacting and shocking than the constant influence of the spirit we are able to feel.

We really saw this with Eduardo this week (the one that we chased down).  He has been struggling with one of the commandments ever since we started teaching him.  But when we taught him that it was wrong, he kind of laughed it off and continued on his merry way, without even the slightest sense of guilt.  But then he started reading the Book of Mormon.  He started praying and then asking questions in his prayers and he began to really feel the warmth and peaceful presence of the spirit, right?  But then in a moment of weakness, he fell into temptation and caved again.  And how did he feel this time that was entirely different from the previous occasions?  Angustra, (distress) overwhelming shame and guilt, absolutely the worst.  But what made this time so much worse?  Why would this time be any different when it was so easily and guiltlessly done before?  

Because for the first time, Eduardo had experienced how it felt to lose the spirit.  He felt how amazing and comforting it was to have the spirit with you and then how bare, vulnerable and empty it is without Him.  And wow, you don’t even know how he was seriously in the pits of the pits.  But that was his choice.  We asked him WHO had forced him to be there, WHO had made him feel that way, and I think because the answer was NOONE other than himself, made him feel all the worse.  And I get it – although his difficulties are different than mine, I know how he feels.  I think we all do – we are all human right?  We ALL have moments when we fall into the same mistakes and we ALL know how unbearable that pain is.  God knows us better than anyone, He literally CREATED our spirit and gave us our strengths and weaknesses.  And the most amazing thing He ever gave us is His son, our Salvador (Savior) Jesus Christ.

Alma 36:17-21

17  And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

18  Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

19  And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

20  And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

21  Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

The atonement of Jesus Christ is real and has the ability to change us.  Turn our pain into joy and guilt into peace.  But it can’t happen by itself, we need to seek after it.  I’m so grateful for my Savior.  I know He’s ready and willing to forgive each one of us.  Trust in Him and do those things that invite the spirit to be with you.  I promise that you will be all the more happy because of it.

LOVE YOU ALL

Sister Staheli

Week 70 -- Pizza e luvinhas

7 Outubro 2019   #21 ANOS!!!!  (October 7, 2019 - #21 years old!!!)

# conferencia geral (General Conference)  I hope everyone was able to watch it!

It is unreal how much I love my mission.  Oh my gosh guys, THIS WEEK I ATE PIZZA WITH PLASTIC GLOVES.  #LostMyAmericanPride.  SO something I’ve seriously come to appreciate here on the mission is that everyone eats EVERYTHING with a knife and a fork (or sometimes spoon).  Things like sandwiches or batatas fritas (french fries) they will pick up with their hands, but like PIZZA or CHICKEN WINGS…..it’s all in the utensils gente! 

This week I did splits with a trio (which had a pretty amazing miracle.  I’ll explain below) and to celebrate said miracle, we went out to pizza night.  But this place doesn’t give you plates to eat on (even though it’s got a pretty chic vibe) but only putting a can of plastic “luvinhas” (gloves) and a napkin or two on your table.  Also it’s been 16 meses (months) here in Brazil and I still have yet to eat a pizza with tomato sauce (or any molho (sauce)) for that matter.  They just serve it with cheese and other toppings (they like sausage and this cottage cheese) and they just put a ton of ketchup on the table to use if you want!

But, I’d like to talk about the miracle of Panatis that happened this week.

There are some sisters in an area in Panatis that I take care of that have really been struggling for a few months now.  They’d been getting pretty disenchanted and stressed about the people they’ve been teaching and felt that even though they were giving EVERYTHING, nothing was happening.  I call them regularly and prayed a lot to know how to help them, but I woke up one morning and felt really inspired that God needed/wanted me by their side for a couple of days.  So day of, I grabbed a backpack and off I went – and what a day it was.  So we’re in the house of one of the families they were teaching, whose son had been baptized over a year ago and their mom was getting pretty interested in the Church and the Book of Mormon.  Only one problem gente – Ela ainda nao casu com a pai dos dois filhos dela e esta no processo ainda (She has not yet married the father of her two children and is not in the process of doing so.)  #After20+Years.  But, she has been going regularly to church and loves it.  So we get there and start talking to her and her daughter about KPOP (popular S. Korean music) (don’t even ask why but literally ALL of the 12 year old girls are crazy about them  #BTS  Bangton Boys Band) and then later talked about the church (naturally J lol) and came to find out that the daughter had NEVER stayed in the room before when the sisters arrived because she’s super shy, but that day for some reason she stayed.  We find out that she had actually had a ton of questions about our purpose here on earth that she had asked her brother over the span of several months and had learned many things little by little.  Prompted by the spirit, we taught her about how important our life is here and (once again encouraged by a spiritual push) I challenged her to be baptized the following week.  She just thinks about it and goes, “This is what I want.  I want to follow Jesus Christ.”  And I look over at the 2 sisters and there is this look of COMPLETE SHOCK – like eyes wide open and boca aberta (open mouths) and everything (I wish I had taken a picture).  Keep in mind that it had been MONTHS and MONTHS since they’ve had any success and so really were not believing it right?  THEN her brother walks in (who’s 21 and has been preparing to leave on a mission soon) and we are just already dying over how he’s going to react and we are like “Hey you know what will happen on Saturday?”

“No – Meet Up?” (Which is a huge church youth conference they do every year in Brazil)

“Nope.  Um batismo” 

“De quem?”

“Da Luana.”

He goes into shock, looking everyone in the eyes to see if it’s true.  He sees that it is real, runs over and tackles his sister in a bear hug, kissing her cheeks and agrees to baptize her. 

-        Everyone is crying. 

-        Sister Staheli’s feeling like her heart is about to explode of pure joy and happiness for them.

-        We find out that it was always Luca’s dream that his sister would be baptized before leaving on a mission. 

-        The sisters de Panatis are able to feel hopeful and realize how apt and willing Heavenly Father is to grant them miracles when they really believe and work for it. 

-        Heavenly Father manages to blow Sister Staheli’s mind yet again with His infinite goodness.

-        Sisters celebrate by eating chicken and sausage pizza with stuffed crust, complete with luvinhas (plastic gloves) and ketchup.  And Sister Staheli realizes that sometimes life is short and you’ve got to stop to enjoy and celebrate the good times and tender mercies of the Lord.

Oh also, not only did God bless the sisters of Panatis but also the sisters of Alecrim as Joao Vitur was able to feel strong and prepared to take upon himself the nome de Cristo (the name of Christ) and be baptized.  JUST TRY TO TELL ME GOD IS NOT GOOD GENTE.

Believe in miracles folks.  They are real.

Personal Revelation is real.

The Spirit is real.

God is real.

AMO VOCES

Sister Staheli

My birthday breakfast - Acai Bowl 

Our district

Week 69 -- Give it your all and pray to God

 THIS WAS JUST THE BEST WEEK.

This week was so cool because it was one of those weeks that we really just gave it all and instead of going completely wrong (which totally happens more than a couple times heh heh..), Deus foi bom (God was good) and completely blew me away!! 

ahhh I think I've found one of the most amazing feelings - giving yourself a real challenge, throwing everything you've got even when everyone doubts that it'll all work out, and then.. ACTUALLY ACHIEVING YOUR GOAL. 

It’s crazy how much God does when you give your all in a righteous pursuit. #2confirmaçõespendentes #NEVERGIVEUP

Oh gente. (people) EDUARDO IS SO FUNNY (he's the guy we ran after a couple blocks for if you remember). We probably pass about half the time dying laughing and the other half crying because of how strong the spirit is. He said that it has been years since he has been able to pray because he felt that God had stopped listening. We found that one huge source of hurt in his life is that the mother of his two adorable meninas (daughters) woke up one morning and just left. Decided that she did not want to be a part of their family anymore and just abandoned him with his two little girls, leaving him to raise them completely alone as a single dad. And he just REFUSES to pray. 

BUT after one of our lessons, we called his little girl Marina to pray with us who had NEVER prayed before.  After teaching her how, everyone kneeled on the ground (except for Eduardo, unable to allow himself to kneel) and that little 7 year old said her first little prayer. I think that was the first day I ever saw Eduardo cry. 

And then only a few days later (and although still unable to kneel), Eduardo was able to begin to overcome his hurt and regret, saying the first prayer to his Father in Heaven for the first time in YEARS.  You could tell it was the type of prayer that he spoke super nervous and with real hesitation. You know that first conversation that you have with someone after an argument or disagreement and you just get like, is it cool to talk now or are we still fighting right? And even though he was able to pray, he STILL was not able to ask for anything more than for OUR well-being and safety and for his family. It blows me away how he still holds God at arm's length, knowing and longing in his heart to come home but still unable to let himself feel how much Heavenly Father really loves him. But the way he talked, it was clear that he really spoke with great tenderness and reverence, in a way that showed he really felt that God was there listening.  

God listens to every prayer and I know that if we only trust in Him and in our Savior, our pain will be turned to relief and peace. 

In the end of it all, how do we want to feel? 

Where do we want to be?

And now the question - o que ainda me falta? (What do I still lack?)

What's stopping me from feeling happy? What's keeping me from setting challenging goals and then giving it my all? 

What's stopping me from allowing God to change my life? 

Será que é mim mesmo?  (Is it me?)

21 Sim, digo-te, meu filho, que nada pode haver tão intenso e cruciante como o foram minhas dores. Sim, meu filho, digo-te também que, por outro lado, nada pode haver tão belo e doce como o foi minha alegria.  

22 Sim, parecia-me ver, assim como nosso pai ^aLeí viu, Deus sentado em seu trono, rodeado por inúmeras multidões de anjos na atitude de cantar e louvar a Deus; e minha alma sentia o desejo de lá estar.

23 Mas eis que meus membros recobraram as ^aforças e levantei-me e declarei ao povo que eu havia ^bnascido de Deus.

This is a story of a prophet of God who changed his past, becoming a believer in Jesus Christ and then sharing his testimony with all who would hear.  In this section of Alma he is sharing his conversion story with his son Helaman.

Alma 36:21-23

21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.

23 But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God.

Love you all and hope your week was amazing. 

DESAFIO (Challenge) - set a goal (spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual) and then GIVE IT YOUR ALL. Pray for the strength to overcome it and God will bless you in your efforts!

AMO VOCÊS (Love you)

<3 Sister Staheli

Week 68 -- Monkey sisters of Alecrim

So I have  found 2  pretty convincing points  that the sisters of Alecrim have officially turned into monkeys that I think you will find quite interesting - 

GUYS THIS WEEK WE ATE SO MANY BANANAS. 

Point 1 - For real there was one day that my companion and I received a ton of bananas and then the other sisters in our house got some the SAME DAY and I counted them all... in total 36 BANANAS GENTE. And I think I for sure ate about half of them sozinha (alone). We got pretty creative - bananas and granola, bananas com açai, bananas com amendoim (with peanuts), bananas com ovos (with eggs), bananas com rice and beans, bananas com mais(with more) bananas.

Did I mention already how much I love bananas?

ALSO - 

WE HAD A CRAZY MIRACLE THIS WEEK. So we were on the street and we passed by this dad and his two girls and you know that moment when you're like - wait I totally know them but I have NO IDEA how. When we made eye contact with them, it was like this weird ripple of recognition passed through everyone and we all smiled and said hi but then we were running to make an appointment and they continued down the hill. My companion and I looked at each other after we had passed them and were like wait... what was that?  We have to talk to them. But when we turned they were already about 100 yards down the road and turning onto a different street and we're like, that would be SUPER weird to haul down there and track them down but then we couldn’t deny that feeling and while we sat there in indecision my companion just goes "don’t doubt – it’s the adversary making you doubt!!" and we went sprinting down the hill to catch up to this family. When we finally got to them and called them out the dad just turns and starts dying laughing like what these girls are crazy, you tracked us down for HOW LONG. But we managed to grab his address and phone number. BUT GET THIS - when we arrived at his house I had this weird flashback and realized that it totally wasn’t the first time I had been there. I realized that I had actually taught his MOM, who was super strong in her church (like walks over 30 min every week as a sweet 68 yr old lady ALONE) and had mentioned that she had a son who lived there too, and who used to go with her EVERY week but that something happened and he didn’t go anymore. 

When she said that, I remember that it just stuck in my head - like I GOTTA meet this son, but that we never met him and eventually stopped passing by. 

Flash forward and I realize that EDUARDO actually was that son and I'm just blown away with how perfectly God organizes and plans everything. And wow, is he really needing help. 

This is a man who went religiously CONSISTENTLY EVERY WEEK to church, visited people in their homes, earnestly prayed every day, had perfect confidence in God - everything and then all of a sudden - nothing. He lost his faith. It's interesting because he believes that God is real still, but more in the way that He only acts and listens to OTHER people and not himself. He has let so much time pass that he doesn’t feel worthy enough to pray or talk to God, like Eduardo thinks He wouldn’t listen even if he tried talking to Him. 

And I think that happens a lot with the adversary - he gets into your mind and makes you think that you are unworthy. That maybe it’s great for other people and He loves them, but after all of your weaknesses and mistakes - YOU don’t deserve to talk to your Father in heaven or that He doesn't love you. 

It’s been amazing being able to teach him and help him realize and  acknowledge that it’s never too late to come  back home, not even after everything we've done to hurt and offend God - He's always waiting for us with open and loving arms.  It reminds me of the parable of the prodigal son.  It's never too late.

Luke 15:18-20

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

God just loves us so much guys, never forget that He is always waiting and wanting to forgive us and desperately wants us to come back home to Him.

I love the mission because I'm really beginning to understand just how God looks and loves His children because He fills my heart with the same love and worry for their well-being. 

Maick in the trees grabbing Jambo

LOVE YOURSELF AND SAY YOUR PRAYERS 

YOU ARE A LOVED CHILD OF GOD. 

<3 Sister Staheli 

PS. wish Jonathan Staheli the best birthday in the world today folks – he’s a stud and I love him to death 

So yeah we had uma festa de piolho (a lice party) and my companions literally HANDPICKED these bad boys out because its been like 2 months and I'm still rocking the head lice. #mycompanionhaditfor5YEARS #butlookatthatcurlyhair! #whataboutashaveSisterStaheli? #baldisthenewbeautiful #segundaprova @macacosDOalecrim  

Point 2 - monkey sisters of Alecrim

Everything MADE OF CORN - corn cake, corn pudding, #LearnedThatMyStomachDoesn't
likeExcessiveAmountsOfCorn

#ButHowDoYouSaynotoNazaré