Back in Casa Verde

                                                                                                                      February 15, 2016

 

OI FAMÍLIA!!!! I love you all so much!! I am feeling great today, how ´bout yáll?? Today I´m going to try to send you all a letter from the Cookie shop (and also some cookies). Yesterday, we ate lunch in the house of a member who made us WARM BROWNIES, and we ate the Brownies with vanilla ice cream. THE DESSERT WAS AMAZING...Brownies aren´t really common here, and the brownies that the family made were almost the same flavor as the brownies we make in our house, which made me a little bit trunky because I miss eating brownies with you all on Sunday haha, but all is well. In one year from now, I´ll be able to eat brownies with you. haha. 

Anyway, I wanted to share with you all two really cool experiences. The first is that we found a young woman who is 13 years old named Taísa who is the sweetest girl. We taught her about the Restoration, and asked her if she would follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone who holds the authority of God, and she instantly said yes (Eu vou). She really is elect!!!

 

Another experience we had was with an elderly woman who didn´t want to let us into her house out of vergonha (shame). Her name is Maria Luisa, and we talked with her outside of her house, and she was a bit grouchy with us at first. Her grandson is a member of the Church, and she is familiar with the Church, but she didn´t want to hear our messages. We talked with her a little bit, creating a friendship with her outside of her home, and it wasn´t long before she let us into her house to share a message. We taught about the Plan of Salvation, and testified of the power of the Atonement. She has a son who is really ill. He fell on his head while drinking one day, and he hasn´t been the same mentally ever since. At the end of the lesson, I had the opportunity to close the lesson with a pray. We knelt down, and I prayed for her and her son. She asked a question, surprised, as to whether or not I had prayed for the Lord to help cure her son, and I responded that I had done so. She got emotional towards the end of the prayer, and began to cry. She expressed how grateful she was to have received us in her home, and she told us how excited she was for us to return (this week). She really is the cutest old lady ever, and only wants what´s best for her family.

This area is a bit difficult because we are rejected a lot in the deep city of Sao Paulo. Many people don´t want to receive us in their home because they have their own religion, and many others work until late at night, and it´s difficult to find them in their home. While we talk to people on the streets, many simply make a gesture with their hand because they are in a hurry or don´t want to hear about the Church. It is a bit difficult, but I know that there really are elects here in Casa Verde. As a companionship, Sister Cellurale and I are going to fast once a week to see miracles and find those who are being prepared by the Lord. There is a special spirit in this area because it is so close to the CTM. 

I love you all, and I hope you have a wonderful week!!! I hope you had a wonderful valentine´s day. The next valentine´s day, I will most likely have the opportunity to see you all in the airport, and give you all a great big hug!! 

 

Also, I´m going to try to send some cookies from the shop Mr. Cheney´s cookies today haha :)

Opening a New Area and Saying Goodbye to Cotia

                                                                                                                 February 11, 2016

 

Oi família!!! So, you´re never going to guess where I am right now!!!! I´ll give you a hint...soft cookies........YEP, I´m near the CTM!! I have been transferred to a new area. I said goodbye to the wonderful people in Cotia and I am now opening up a new area near the CTM with Sister Cellurale, my new companion. Sister Cellurale is Brasilian from Minas Gerais.  

My new companion, Sis. Cellurale is from Minas Gerais, Brazil

Before this transfer, only Elders worked hear in the city of São Paulo for the longest time, so we are the first companionship of sisters who are working here in this area of Casa Verde (Green House).

Many instructors from the MTC are in our Ward, and our some of our neighbors!! It´s really strange because one of my instructors, Irmão Silva, lives with his wife basically right next to our mission home. He and his wife gave us brownies and ice cream when we arrived here, and another neighbor who is the Primary President gave us a lot of water!! 

I love this area!!! It is basically like the city of Chicago--has a mix of many cultures, especially the United States, and we walk by the CTM many times during the day to talk with people on the streets. Sometimes, we even see missionaries from the CTM on the streets (on their P-days).

 

This past fast Sunday, I already knew that I would be transferred before I received the phone call on Sunday night of the transfer. The assistant to the President called me one day, and told me that I would be transferred to another area, but that the President needed my patience for one more week.  For this reason, I decided to fast that I would be able to see more miracles this transfer, and enjoy working for the Lord. Anyway, I´ll just say briefly, that I have had some hard experiences the past couple of weeks that I have endured through, and my prayers were answered. I have learned that fasting really brings miracles!

With my new transfer, I had to say goodbye to the wonderful people in Cotia!
I want to share a few pictures: 

Sis.Caleira, and Sis. Rabbia, my two daughters that I had the opportunity to work with and train in Cotia.



Sister Rabbia and I during a walk at the park

Enjoying the beauty and feasting in the light!!

 

      Sis. Caleira, Sis. Limiro Sis. Rabbia, and I with family
of Irma Tuca e Irmao Joanes

Another wonderful family-- Irma Gilmara e Irmao Sidnei

A great family!! We have been teaching
Claudio (a non-member) whose wife Angelica
is a convert of three years. 

     Sister Limiro, another Sister in our house who left to be a Traveling Sister
   She will be visiting many areas in this transfer to help the President out. 



How I will miss these wonderful people that I have grown to love!!

Saying goodbye to beautiful Emily!


Although I will miss Cotia,  I am so happy to be here in Casa Verde with Sister Cellurale.



I have felt the Spirit so abundantly these past three days in the city. The Spirit really is a Comforter. The more we feel it in our lives, the more we know that Heavenly Father is watching over us, and is in every part of our lives.

Sister Cellurale is a jewel of a person! She is always looking out for me and serving. The first day, I ate a lot of fruit during lunch, and my stomach didn´t take the fruit very well, so we had to return early to our house. She did everything that she could to help me, and to take care of me. I had to sleep off the pain in my stomach that day, but now I am back to my normal self, and each day I am excited to work here!

 

Opening an area is amazing because we rely on the Lord so much to direct our path--to help us know who we need to visit because we don´t have many investigators in the area book. The members here have said many times that they are willing to help us teach, and, AHHH, I just love this area!!

 

I know that the Savior Lives. I know that charity is more powerful than love because it includes Jesus Christ. I know that with charity and love in our hearts for others, we can fulfill the work of the Lord. 

Have a wonderful week!! LOVE YOU ALL!!   

The Blessings of Baptism

                                                                                                                 February 1, 2016

Oi Familia!!! 

 

So, this week has been exciting and challenging all in one!! Yesterday we had the baptism of Emily,  She was adorable!! She had a lot of fear of the water, and after many attempts, she was immersed completely in the water.  

 

 All went well!! Robson came to the baptism and Stake conference as well!! Unfortunately, Sister Bezerra wasn´t able to make it :(. My companion and I were a bit scared that Emily wouldn´t be able to be baptized yesterday because it was really hard for her to be completely immersed without a leg popping up, or a part of her head peaking out of the water, but she did it!! After about 9 attempts or more in almost ice cold water, the poor thing trusted in Heavenly Father and had more confidence and courage to be baptized because she loves her Heavenly Father more than she has fear of the water.

Our district leader, Elder Seixas (on the far right) had the opportunity to baptize Emily

 

Yesterday, we also had our stake conference, and let me tell you, it was amazing!!

 

The night before, all of the missionaries were required to go the adult session on Saturday night, and I want to share a brief experience I had. One of the speakers who was a mission president in the past for Recife called all of the missionaries up to the stand near the pulpit. He had some of us bear testimony of missionary work, and testified that we are representatives of Jesus Christ.

 

 

At the end, he had all of us sing Called to Serve--the first verse just full-time missionaries, and the second verse, with all of the members. I remember when the members joined in, it was as if a hole in my heart was filled. We declared as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that we were followers of Jesus Christ, and we all have the responsibility to share with others who we are, and what we stand for.

We must share the sweetness of the gospel!

  The dessert ice cream we received in the house
of a member, Irma Solange one day. 

We all have the calling to be a missionary. It´s a commandment from our Heavenly Father when we are baptized. Every week we promise to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, and this means that we represent Jesus Christ in all of our actions and words. I remember that as we sang together as members and missionaries, the spirit touched my heart, declaring to me that this truly is Heavenly Father´s work for the Salvation of His Children. As full time missionaries, we aren´t able to help others without the help of the members.

 

This past week Sister Rabbia and I had more opportunities to teach with members, and the members have such powerful testimonies of truth. They know exactly what to say by the Spirit, and working with them truly is a blessing and a treasure. 

 

I know that each one of us plays a part in the eternal salvation of our brothers and sisters. 

I also want to share a quote from a talk that was shared yesterday in Stake Conference. 

~O limite de Cristo era morte. Deus o ressuscitou. Qual é o seu limite?

The limit of Christ was death. God ressurrected Him. What is your limit?

In this talk, the speaker was talking about how we all reach our limit in this life when we feel like we can´t continue. We pass through trials so big that we just can´t seem to jump over them. But to Heavenly Father, there really is no limit to how much we can do. Jesus Christ already broke the boundaries of our limits, and through Him, we can come closer to Heavenly Father. Through Him, we can overcome any trial.

 

I love each and everyone of you!! Sorry I wasn´t able to write much this week, but I want to let you know that I am so proud of each one of you.

 

You all are wonderful missionaries, and never let one limit or trial get in the way of your faith or testimony. I know that missionary work is real. Heavenly Father is building His Kingdom both on this Earth and in the Spirit World, and we have the responsibility to be instruments in His Hands to complete His will, and fulfill His work.

 

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!! THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR KIND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT!!! I REALLY NEEDED TO HEAR THEM!!!

 



My summer time sunburn/tan from teaching in the hot weather



So funny to see horses lounging around!

This mission isn't for me, it is for Him!

                                                                                                               January 25, 2016
Oi family!!

 

So, this past week, I had some ups and downs, but I definitely learned a lot from them. We had a emergency switch of companionships because two sisters in our house weren´t getting along very well, and so now, I have a new companion!! Her name is Sister Rabbia, and she is from Argentina. 

She has about one month in the mission, so I am training her until the next transfer at the beginning of February. She is really funny and has a really strong testimony and a strong desire to be exactly obedient.

 

Due to the quick transfer, I must say that it was really hard on me to lose Sister Caleira. 

 

I really loved working with her and I am going to really miss her. Feeling sad about the situation, I shed a few tears and realized that I need to humble myself before Heavenly Father. It was interesting because I stopped in the middle of my personal study, to control my emotions, and returned again. While in the personal study I read over and over the words vontade de Deus (will of God), as if Heavenly Father was sending me a message that this time in the mission isn´t for me, but is for Him. It´s for the strengthening of His children--including one of his divine, precious daughters, Sister Rabbia. 

 

I got a hold of myself after reading these scriptures, and now, I realize that really this is a part of Heavenly Father´s plan. I am learning so much from Sister Rabbia, and I have so much love in my heart for her. I am so lucky to be blessed with two daughters in one transfer in the mission!! :)

 

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to teach Cida and her family. Cida has been reading the book of mormon on the bus after work each day, and she is really progressing, but her two sons and husband unfortunately haven´t read the book of mormon yet. We taught their family with members that live nearby--two converts in the Church who have such strong testimonies of the gospel (a mother and her son). The husband of the mother, Sister Angelica, isn´t a member yet, but this week we are planning on teaching him. His name is Claudio, and hopefully he has an open heart when we visit him. 

 

As for Cida and her family, we are planning on teaching them again this Friday with more members, and they are going to attend the stake conference we will be having this next Sunday. 

 

As for Emily, she is going to be baptized this next Sunday, the 31st after the Stake Conference in the Stake center!! MY FIRST BAPTISM!!

 

We are going to have a family night with her and her family and another family in the Ward tonight and we are going to finish teaching her the rest of the lessons this week as we prepare her for this special day. Sister Bezerra hopefully will be able to come to the baptism, and is going to ask permission of President Del Guerso to do so. She had a huge part in the lives of Emily and her family, so it will be really special to have her there. Robson came to church yesterday as well, the dad of Emily!! He is working to fix some of his documents right now in order to be married to Irma Valmiria so that she can attend the temple. After their marriage, we will be able to teach Robson more and mark him for baptism. 

 

Almerinda came to Church yesterday as well, with her grandson, Bruno, who is 9 years old (the son of Valeria). They are going to go to Stake Conference next Sunday, and attend the baptism of Emily (Bruno really wants to). As for Valeria, the daughter of Almerinda, she returned her book of mormon, and didn´t say a word as to why. It was a bit hard on us to receive her book of mormon because she loved the book, and read so much of it already, but she has her free agency, and we are going to try to find out why she doesn´t want any part of the Church right now. 

 

As for Kleber, we had to drop him as one of our investigators this week because he hasn´t been able to keep his commitments, and is having trouble to find the courage to go to Church. 

 

SANDRO RETURNED from his trip!!! We are going to teach him tomorrow night!

 

This past week many of our commitments fell through one day, but we found an ancient investigator of the Church randomly who moved from another city in Brasil after being taught by Elders in the past. She had received all the lessons before baptism, but couldn´t give up smoking, so she couldn´t be baptized. She told us that she really wanted to be baptized, and that she went to church every week for 5 months, but couldn´t give up cigarettes. We left 2 Nephi 4 with her to read every time she has the desire to smoke, and we are going to work with her this week to help her come closer to giving up her addiction. her name is marilene, and she is the sweetest lady. 

 

I just want to share a few pictures from last week: 

 

Sister Caliera enjoying her donut

We made yummy pasta

 



We had the opportunity to visit the temple



Sis. Bezerra, (my mom) and Sis. Caleira, (my daughter) at a missionary training conference. 

 

 

Although it was short, I loved serving with Sister Caleiro!

I love you all!! I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each one of us. I know that our testimonies grow stronger every time we bear them. Every time we defend the Savior and the Book of Mormon, Heavenly Father is on our side, and the Spirit is with us. 

 

Have a wonderful week!!! 

In Our Weakest Moments the Lord Carries Us Through!

                                                                                                          January 18, 2016

Oi Familia,

 

Wow, this past week we saw miracles, I felt the spirit so strongly, and in my weakest moments, the Lord truly carried me. 

 

This past week Sister Caleira and I had the opportunity to teach a family about the Restoration. This isn´t just any family, however, but a family that is truly elect. I´m not sure if I shared about them in the past, but one day we were making contacts on the street, finding people who were interested in the Church, and telling them about the location of the chapel, and most of the people we talked to were rejecting us, and weren´t too excited to talk to us. After reaching our goal of contacts for the day, we needed to walk to a teaching commitment. As we were walking, a woman approached us, and asked where we served (in what part of São Paulo). We told her the areas where we served, and she said that she has a cousin who lives in our area who already went to church one time, and who would be interested in the gospel. She brought us over to this woman (her cousin), and introduced us to her. The woman who introduced us to her was the wife of the bishop in the Caucaia 2 Ward. The cousin, named Cida, passed her number to us so that we could visit her and her family, and we called one day and taught her family about the Atonement. Later, we marked another day to teach her, her husband DeCarlos, her son Gustavo (16 years old) and her other son Rian (12 years old) about the Restoration. While teaching them about the Restoration, this family fully accepted the message, accepted the Book of Mormon, and accepted baptism open-heartedly with ease!! They are going to prepare to be baptized on the 7th of February. 

Shortly after this message with their family, we ran into the wife of the bishop on the street. She works in a churrascaria (selling really good meat), and we talked to her on the street about our visit and how it went. We said that they are going to be baptized on the 7th of February. She immediately started crying, and I started crying too because the Spirit hit me so hard that this family truly is elect, and that this woman has been waiting the longest time to hear those words. She told us that elders had tried to teach Cida and her family in the past, but they were shortly transferred later, and the following missionaries after them weren´t able to teach them for some odd reason. let me tell you that in this area in Cotia, it has been a long time since elders have worked here!

I know that the Lord works in mysterious ways. This past week we had more opportunities to teach inactive members--strong women who were baptized in the church, sealed in the temple, but have withdrawn from the Church. One day, I had the impression that we should visit Abigail, one of these inactive members, and while we were there, Nuimi, another inactive member was visiting Abigail´s house as well---MIRACLE. I remember teaching them and feeling the Spirit put into my mind these words: that the Lord needs them to fulfill His Will. He is waiting anxiously to call them to specific callings in the church just to strengthen His children. One of these women had already been a Primary President in the past, and she had loved the Gospel. She kept saying how the Church is perfect, but that she can´t return to church quite yet because she needs to prepare. I assured her that the lord is waiting with open, loving, arms for his daughters to return to his flock. 



My last training session in São Paulo for all of the somewhat new missionaries. I thought it was quite funny to have to leave my new companion one day to finish up my training, only to turn around the next day and become her trainer. 

X-Baff--probably the best hamburger there is here!



Yummy!!

 

 

A bottle we couldn't get open for about an hour during one of our lunches.

I know that this Church is true. Yesterday, we didn´t have many investigators show up to church (Just Emily and her dad, Robson), but I know that it is through the small and simple things that we do as missionaries that will allow miracles to happen in the field.

 

I am anxious to keep working with Cida´s family, and help them draw closer to Christ. 

 

I hope each and every one of you have a wonderful week!! I know that Heavenly Father is waiting anxiously to answer your prayers, and to listen to your feelings and thoughts. You are always worthy to turn to Him, and the Spirit will let you know that He is there. 

Sister Harris