Hey everyone!
I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving! Thursday
morning, Elder Shepherd, our Zone Leader, did a conference call with all the
American missionaries in our zone and said, "Hey
Zone. It's Thanksgiving in America right now. So while we are all out here
sweating and walking in the hot sun, not eating anything, our families are
having fun and laughing and stuffing their faces. Hope you have a great
day!" Lovely. Hahaha. Mission life is so good.
I cannot believe that it is already December. Time is
absolutely flying. I hit eight months tomorrow. That
means I can count on my fingers how many months I have left now. Weirdest thing
ever.
Anyways, I heard this super funny joke this week. You guys
are going to die. So funny. Ready? So the Zone Leaders and the Sister Training
Leaders told me that I was going to train this transfer. Hahaha. Hilarious,
right? Oh wait. No. That wasn't a joke, that was real life! I am TRAINING this transfer. Freeeeeeaking out. Just a
little. Remember how I got to Brazil a month ago? Yeah, this is happening. Apparently
my good ole buddy President Hanks in Alabama sent an email to President Parrela
and said some things that I'm sure were far too kind. So yeah, I am training next
week...
This week was pretty emotional, I won't lie. All week I had so many feelings of inadequacy. I had thoughts
of how I can't speak the language, how I don't understand the culture, how I
don't know how to be an effective missionary here. How in the world could I
possibly train a missionary if I have all these problems? It was
honestly the hardest week I have ever had on my mission. Poor Sister Ponce.
Dealing with all my tears. She is an angel. Really. However, I learned an
incredible lesson this week. I have the help of my
Heavenly Father. He is the greatest help in the world. With Him on my side, I
can learn the language, I can understand the culture, I can be an effective
missionary, and I can train a new missionary. With Him on my side, I can do all
things. I know that this next transfer is going to be difficult, but I
know, without a doubt, that I can do this.
So, we got to work. And we worked
our tails off. Sister Ponce and I made a plan to be the very best missionaries
that the Brazil Santa Maria mission has ever seen. Wanna know what we
called it? As esposas de Moroni. (The wives of Moroni). Hahaha. The ultimate
goal as a missionary. But really. We created this plan
that is near perfection. We were able to work with the members so much more, we
were exactly obedient all week, we focused on the work, and things were
incredible. We doubled our numbers with lessons taught with members and had
seven investigators at church yesterday. Yes, seven. The most I have ever had
on my mission! I am so beyond grateful for the work that we were able to
do this week. I know that because we showed the Lord that we were willing and
ready to work, He blessed us so much. I am so beyond excited for the work that
is happening here. The members are finally getting excited about mission work
and we are seeing miracle after miracle. Things are SO great.
I had a moment yesterday that I want to share with you all.
It was during Sacrament Meeting. Fast and Testimony meeting is always killer
and I tend to cry every single time. However, this time was different. As I
listened to the members of the branch bear their testimonies of this gospel, I
don't think I have ever felt so much love in my life. They had the opportunity
to go to the temple on Saturday. We had members of our branch go for the first
time, after so much preparation. What a blessing to be able to see that. I have so much love for these people here. They have so
little compared to the world's standards, but in reality, they have more than
the world could ever hope for. This gospel is their lives. I bawled all
during Sacrament Meeting. I realized that this world is filled with so many
things that distract us from what really matters. Sometimes
I find myself thinking of things I did back home that maybe were a little more
fun than tracting in the hot sun, or getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, or
having so much exhaustion that I nearly pass out during some lessons. I find
myself taking advantage of the time I have here and not using it as well as I
should. However, when it comes down to it, this gospel is everything. Those
little things are so insignificant in the scheme of things. I know that as we
all put a little more emphasis on the gospel and the things that truly matter,
we will have so much more happiness in our lives. I have seen it in the lives
of the people here and I am eternally grateful to be a part of that.
Life is great. Things are going so well here. I think I
cried every day this week because of my gratitude for my mission. I will never ever be able to express how much I love this
work. I say it every single week, but I am so happy that I am here, serving in
São Gabriel. Such a huge blessing in my life. I love this church. I love
my Savior and my Heavenly Father. This is the work of the Lord. He is truly
present in every minute of it.
I love you all. I hope you all have a great week. I will be
enjoying my last week with Sister Ponce this week ): So sad that we are getting
split up, but things will be great. She has changed my life so much! So beyond
grateful for her. Have a great week and do beautiful things.
Loves.
Sister Card
xoxo
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Building the house |
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Construction site |
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Dyingggg |
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Horse and buggy |
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Horse and buggy - for real! |
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Mate |
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Melting in the sun |
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Our construction site |
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Prettiest mission ever |
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Railroad tracks |
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Sister Ponce building the house |
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So pretty here |
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Teaching like a boss |
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The PIG for Christmas dinner! |
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