This past week we’ve been focusing on learning from our trials and challenges, realizing that through our trials, and through our times of discouragement and despondency, we can become so much closer to our Heavenly Father and learn so much more about the Atonement.
Christ suffered every single mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual suffereing we have ever suffered, and as we go through trials and down times, we cen become more grateful to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for the atonement. It depends greatly on our attitude, and how we accept and grow through our challenges. Just rely on the Lord. Conversar com nosso Pai Celestial.
And we really do need opposition in all things. Those hard times make the good times so much better! Yippee skippee!
So basically, the mission has lots of hard times. Heat, cockroaches and ants :), new languages, lots and lots of hard work… People promising they’ll come to church on Sunday, then you get ready early, get a member with a car, and go out to pick people up for church, then no one is home or they’re sleeping, and you have no investigators at church with you, when you had lots of people committing to go the day before. Discouraging. But then it is so fantástico when you find those golden elect people, those who have been hungering for the gospel, and those who come to church and baptismal services!
This week was good in the hood, like always. I went on my first division! And I only ahve 6 weeks here! Ahhh. I was a bit nervous to be going out all day without my companion and with a member instead, but it was such a fantastic day. We taught coolio peeps, talked with lots of people, and had much much fun of course. And yes yes, ofcourse I grew muchly.
I’m just learning and loving lots out here. There’s no where else I’d rather be right now, adn this is where I need to be. Despite the fact that I had a cockroach crawl on my foot this morning as I was doing my laundry, everything is great. And the rice and beans are getting more and more delicious everyday. :) And it’s actually time for me to go eat some rice and beans now with our favorite Sorvete family now!
Boa sorte e bom dia também! Amo vocês, claro!
-Sister Owens
My first transfer just finished with much success and goodness! And now transfer number two has commmenced. I1m with Sister Morales still (yay!) and we’re in the lovely Jardim da Penha on the lovely isle of Vitória.
This transfer shall be an excellent 6 weeks. We have some really great people we’re teachign right now and I love them so much. It is such a blessing being an instrument in the Lord’s hands bringing the gospel and the spirit to these elect people!
Missionary work is so fun these days. Portuguese is improving on a daily basis, thank goodness, an dI love meeting these wonderful people and just how good they are. People are really good and Christian here. In fact the other day we were teaching this one super nice lady, Ivane, who we contacted one rainy day in the rain rain, and as missionaries, we get a bit tired at times. And Sister Morales had yawned and the lady asked if she wanted to go take a nap on her bed. They’re just so nice and welcoming. Although of course, we don’t usually take naps at people’s houses.
But funny story, the other week we were teaching this cool lady who makes rainbow jello and gives us delicious mango juice, and I was pretty much falling asleep in the lesson. Both of my companions were doing most of the teaching and I was sitting there, perhaps dozing off, fighting so hard to keep my eyes open. Soooo funny. If there’s a part of the lesson where I don’t talk for a while, it becomes a bit on the difficult side to keep my heavy eyelids up. :)
I’m so happy I’m here. Missionary work is defintely work though. Maybe that’s why I’ve been so tired. Never worked so hard in my life. :) We walk and talk all day long. And we laugh all day long too. Just having soooo much funny and so many funny things are happening.
Lots of funny things with Portuguese too. I’m learning the small differences in some words that make big changes in the meaning. Such as “com ela” (with her) and “comi ela” (I ate her). Now I’m focusing a bit more on saying “with her” instead of telling people about some other people I ate. I don’t like to eat people.
PS Many mahalos to Elena and Alexis and Hayley and Crystal for the lovely mail I got. Mail makes me like the happiest earthling ever. Obrigadão!
