Turns out. Two Americans in Brazil spreading the gospel- is really possible, probable, and totally awesome. Talking with people on the street is super fun. People normally stare at us because we look very foreign, and then we start talking and everybody knows furshure we are foreign. Then they start to laugh, and then we laugh, and then we make friends, and then we find people to teach, and then it's just awesome!
I shall deem it the cycle of awesome.
The trick? You have to learn how to loose the vergonha.
Basically... lose the shame. Speak with anyone and everyone at whatever situation that may arise. And thus, by small and simple things, great things come to pass.
Okay. Update.
I have officially left my home in Planalto and I am now serving in the beautiful Atibaia- Itatiba. The city baby. I love the city. People bustling about, smells of sun on asphalt, and the thrum of constant movement. The pace of the life in the city is just... captivating. Everyone trying to do, to accomplish, to work, to be, to run, to sing, to eat, to do do dooooo.
We live pretty close to everything but.... the members of the church=bummer. Our area is humongous. And the buses actually don't really the outskirts of our area. We have 4 sisters working in our ward, Sister Guynn, me, Sister Remund, and Sister Freitas. We live on the 3rd floor of a downtown city apartment which happens to be super close to the church.
I don't think I have ever worked so hard in my life. Every day we come home, plan with all the energy that we have, write a record of our dealings with the population, and then pray and collapse in bed at 10:30. IT IS SO GREAT. And we keep waking up with renewed energy, vigor, and capacity at 6:30 every day. The Lord has been so very good to us. He has blessed us more than I can put in qords, and more than I can adequately describe. The more we give, the more He gives us. It is endless.
Also. I am still super psyched. Today we are gonna roast MARSHMALLOWS ON OUR STOVE! Also- I have become absolutely addicted with the Mormon Tabernacle choir.
Miracle.... in portuguese.
Uma vez, estávamos esperando uma pesquisador (marcamos encontrar ele a 2 horas nas escadas) Ele não estava la. Decidimos esperar 20 minutos no máximo. Falamos com as pessoas que passaram. 15 minutos depois ele ainda não estava.
Mas *Stefanie passou. Ela estava falando na celular sobre uma igreja (a amiga la convidou ela vem para visitar a igreja dela)
Ela esperou pela ligação terminar. E depois olho por a gente e falou "voces são missionarias da Igreja De Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Últimos dias?" ficamos com muito shock.
Ela foi batizado no Outubro (em São Paulo) Ela mudou para-cá em Dezembro e perdeu o celular dela (com todos os contatos da igreja) Ela ficou muito triste porque ela não consegue encontrar a capela aqui em atibaia.
O noite anterior- ela fez uma oração pedindo O Senhor ajudar... sé ela pudesse começar frequentar uma outro igreja.... Pedindo que O Senhor mostra a caminho.
Eu senti que fomos colocadas na caminho dela.
Ela voltou para igreja ontem.
*Nome mudado
good luck with that one loves. Google translate all the way.
(NOTE: Alissa's Grana had her friend from Brazil translate this and this is basically what it reads:
One time we were waiting for an investigator (we scheduled to meet him at 2 o'clock on the stairs). He was not there. We decided to wait 20 minutes max. We talked with a few people who passed by. 15 minutes later, he still wasn't there.
But, *Stephanie passed. She was talking on her cell phone about a church (a friend invited her to go to visit her church) She waited for the connection to end. Then she looked at us and said, "are you missionaries for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?" We were shocked.
She was baptized in October (in Sao Paulo). She moved here in December and lost her cell phone with all the church contacts. She was very sad because she couldn't find the meeting house here in Atibaia.
The previous night she prayed asking Heavenly Father to show her the way. We felt we were placed in her way. She returned to church yesterday. *Name changed.)
PICTURES:
The food a precious member suprised us with at 6:45 in the morning <3
...This one did not make it through in the e-mail she sent.
Happy valentines day -LOVE US. (Sister Guynn and Me)
The beautiful view of up-city Atibaia.
AAAND THE BEST PICTURE IN THE WORLD-THANX FOR THE JAMMIES MAHMMMM :´) oh how precious.
