Craaazy hard week...

Hey everyone!

What a week... I don’t even know where to begin! I learned SO many things about trusting in the Lord: trusting in His time, trusting that He has a plan, trusting that He is in control. I have never felt so dependent on Him in my life, but it is the most incredible feeling to know that He is here with me, present in everything I am doing. I truly love Him so much and feel so grateful for His influence in my life.

So this week...

We had one of the most challenging weeks in the world. We were setting goals that were only possible with the help of the Lord. As we challenged ourselves, we were able to see that He really wanted our success and put SO many people in our path. We are teaching like crazy now, with nearly 50 lessons a week. I have never been so tired in my entire life. But it is so worth it. There is nothing better than this work and being a part of this.

And always after a challenging week come the blessings, right?

So guess what? WE FINALLY MARKED A DATE WITH CLECI. She finally decided that she was going to be baptized. It was one of the most spiritual, if not the most spiritual, lessons of my entire mission. We got everything ready for it, and the ward was SO excited (since she had been coming for the past 6 months!). We were so beyond thrilled for it all.

Sunday morning, the day of the baptism, rolls around, and she's not at church... We headed over there after Sacrament Meeting and she ended up telling us that she isn't going to get baptized, she doesn't want us to come back over, and she isn't ever going to come back to church. She got her answer, but isn't going to do anything with it...

My heart absolutely broke. All of this work, all of this certainty that this was the right time for Cleci, and it fell through. Sister Silva Santos and I were a mess yesterday...

But I learned so many things because of this experience. I know that the Lord has His own timing. He knows exactly what Cleci needs at this time. We have to submit to His will. Maybe it wasn't in our plans, but it was in His. He knows more than we do. So we have to just trust in Him and trust that things are going to work out perfectly. I know they will. There is no doubt in my mind about it.

I'm completely out of time today, but I love you all so much. I am so grateful for this gospel and for the blessings I am receiving every single day. I love this work. I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. I think it's nearly impossible to love them more, but I manage to love them a little more every single day. I love what I am doing, more than I could ever explain. I hope you all have a fabulous week. Don't forget about me! I know I have been gone for a year now, but I'm still here (; LOVE YOU ALL. Miss you like crazy. You are always in my thoughts and prayers!

Sister Card

xoxo

PS - far too excited for General Conference this weekend. The last one as a missionary... WHAT? And yes, Sister Jensen and I spent every single one together on the mission (:

My darling companion and I (: 

Yes, FINALLY WEARING LONG SLEEVES. 

Best thing ever. And yes, I am a giant here. 

How in the world can I be 5'5 and be so tall?!

This is our favorite thing in the world to study... O manual de Casamento Eterno... 

Five an a half months... (; hahahaha. JUST KIDDING. 

NO. But really. We do read this all the time, so the picture was necessary!

PERU!

Hey everyone (:

K, I still can't get over the fact that Jackson is going to Peru! I am so so so so excited for him and for everything that is going to happen in these next two years. I think that South America is going to explode with two Cards serving here, even if it is only for a few months together. They aren't going to know what hit them (: Miracles are going to be going happening like crazy here. I love it! I really can't express how excited I am for my cute Jackson!!!  He is going to be such an incredible missionary (:

So Momma asked for some "boring details"... Haha. I will tell you all about where I am serving and what it's like.

Uruguaiana - It's a pretty big city, with tons of people. It is SO different from São Gabriel. We don't have cobblestone streets or anything here! There is a lot more movement here than there was there!

I live in a big apartment complex on the fourth floor. It is the worst thing in the entire world at 9:00, trudging up those stairs, after a long day. Sister Silva Santos and I are always in tears as we get up there. Hahaha. But yeah, with all those stairs, I'm looking real good (; So it's worth it, I guess! Hahahaha just kidding. No, but really..... (;

We live right next to BIG (the Walmart of Brazil) and right next to the Internet Cafe. So it makes things super easy on P-day. Running errands is super fast, which is such a blessing on P-day! Leaves us with plenty of time to write letters and sleep (:

I don't eat rice and beans every day anymore... It's actually super sad and I really do miss it... We eat all sorts of things here. Rice, pasta, lasagna, salad, lentila, and churrasco. SO much food every single day! But I have totally started my "diet" now and it is the worst thing ever. "Six months to sexy" (the missionary diet when you have six months left) has started... In six months from yesterday I will be home. Yeah, I am dying about it too... So crazy fast.

There are a ton of members here! A ton! There are 5 chapels here and they are currently building another one. So fabulous (: The church is growing SO quickly here. It's incredible to see and to be a part of!

That's about it though with the boring details! Let me know if there is anything else that you want to hear about (:

The work is going along so well. I am amazed every single day in the ways that the Lord is answering our prayers. He really is so involved with the work and with everything that is taking place. I really feel like we are in a trio with Heavenly Father. He is helping us with EVERYTHING. I don't think I can even express how much I love that feeling - knowing that the Lord is truly so involved in our work and in our lives. I realized, this week, how much faith I really have in Him and how much I trust that things are going to work out. A few months ago, I never felt too sure about the future, in my own life or in the lives of our investigators, but now, I can honestly say that I know that things are going to turn out exactly the way they need to, as long as we are trusting in Him (:

I love what I am doing. I love it more and more every day. I feel like the days are going by far too quickly, but I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be here and to be a part of this work. Even though this time is going by CRAZY fast, I am taking advantage of every minute of it. I love what I am doing. I really, honestly, do. I am excited to keep working for another six months here and to keep bringing others to Christ. I am so blessed.

I love you all so much! I miss you all like CRAZY. Seeing all those pictures of you all at Jackson's mission call opening brought back SO many memories. Can you believe it has been a year and a half since I opened mine? Insane! But I love you all!!! STAY STRONG. This church is true. There is nothing better <3

Sister Card

xoxo

"That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." <3

-D&C 50:24

No pictures this week... I am lame, I know.