OLÀ TODOS PESSOAS!
This is Sister Mitchell checking in from the sticky south.
Things are rolling right along down here. I have- for the first time in my life, really been compelled to use sunblock. The ward members keep hassling me about it and explaining that I literally will get cancer... or my family won't recognize me when I come home.
Rough translation from Portuguese "You are going to get of the plane and your family will say. Where is our daughter? our daughter is white. you are black. Do you know where she is? and then you will be sent back to Brazil." So yup. Commence sticky shiny armed Alissa.
Also, have I explained about the dogs down here yet? They are basically mini devils. Everyone has them... they walk the streets all over. Anyway, if you are knocking at a gate (everyone has big gates around their houses and we clap instead of knock) but The Dog will either start barking bloody murder. Or it will get real cute and start whimpering, and your heart melts, and then you reach over to comfort the cute thing and... It bites your hand off.
You see- Devils are like dogs. The temptation suddenly looks fine, looks innocent, looks totally okay. BUT IN REALITY. Mannn it is waiting to eat you.
I have officially fallen in love with the fruit trees here. They just appear, and it is like oh HEY! Two second desserty snack time....and then you have eaten all of the berries and your mouth is purple. mhmm
Portuguese is coming along! We are teaching in Spanish, English, and Portuguese! haha yeah, who knew. Well... kindof. English...when I don't know a word- I will say it in English, and Sister Menden will translate #PerksofanAmericancomp. But Spanish YEAH!? and Portuguese... haha I guess you could say it is Portuguese.
And now for the part you have been waiting forrrr.....
buhduhduhduhhh AÇAI BERRY!!! haha Leticia made us Açai and I died. Uhm. It is pretty much heaven on earth. a refreshing dessert- yah blend it up and do something. But it is just scrumptious. Also- Churros. I had a really big realization this week. Ready? If food can make people this happy- I am going to learn how to cook. Unh....
-AÇAI at Leticia's house. Pretty sure if I died in that moment, I would be Fine forever.
- CHURRROOOOOOSSSSS. seriously. I am going to finish my life goal and get obese here.
But now for the real news- Let me just say. Miracles happen. They are real and people are being prepared to hear this message. The man who we are teaching right now used to smoke, drink, not believe in God, and had a really, really hard life. Full of a whole lot of sad stories, and trials, and he was struggling every day to sleep, to be happy....
Now! In literally one week, he has stopped smoking, drinking, he is reading the book of Mormon. He knows it's true! He gained a testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He believes in God, and he is... HAPPY! Can you believe it? The change this gospel truly has on souls is mindboggling.
HE IS GOING TO BE BAPTIZED SUNDAY!
The most amazing thing? It was not us doing all the work. The spirit truly prepared this man's heart to hear the message, and accept it. He acted, and we simply watched this miracle unfold.
God has everything planned already. It is a battle sometimes to take a step back and realize...this is not about us. The whole work is breathtaking and each day I am forced to grow and learn more than I can really put to words. Every day I take a few more steps, grow a little more, become a little more humbled, and Oh can I just say I AM FALLING IN LOVE WITH THIS LIFE!
Through difficulty, God grants us strength. and there is nothing, nothing, that He puts in our path, that we can not conquer.
"For the Laborer is worthy of his hire."
Courage my loves!!!
All my love and happiness, and obsessions with doce de leite. muahaa!!
-Sister Menden and me on top of a bridge, after teaching a scorpion.... mmmmm.... ask me about that one when I get home.
-Our back walk that we take every day- to the left you will see a huge plantation of fruit, and sketchy desertedness. And cactus. Don't enter! And don't throw your trash in dere folkz.
-HAPPPPPINESSSSSSSSSSS
