We must trust in Christ's Atonement!

                                                                                                             Sept. 26, 2016

Hi family!! So, this past week I´ve been pretty sick. I don´t like to talk a lot about my health in emails because I don´t like to worry you, but I just thought I´d inform you that today I´ll be going to see a doctor because my lungs have been really bad. This past week, there were times when I was teaching in lessons, and I ran out of breath, my face got super red, and I couldn´t breathe until I drank a lot of water. My chest and back have been hurting from how hard I´ve been coughing. I´m pretty sure it´s from the pollution of the city. Anyway, all is well, I scheduled a doctor´s visit with the mission office, and I know I´ll get better. If you could keep me in your prayers.

This past week I went on exchanges with two sisters, Sister Alves de Souza, and Sister Avelino, below, and so I got to explore different areas, and help the Sisters be excited to talk with everyone on the street.  

Me with Sister Alves de Souza

Me with Sis. Avelino

I actually learn a lot more from the Sisters than they do from me, so it´s a wonderful opportunity to grow and feel the love Heavenly Father has for them in the mission. They are such cute girls!! And it´s weird that when I go on exchanges I feel so old in the mission, but I feel like I just got here to Brasil!!

I loved hearing the Women´s Conference so much, especially the second talk about Christ´s Atonement. Elis, Natasha, Marcus´s mom, and Valeria came, and it was absolutely perfect for them because they needed to be strengthened due to some hard family situations.   

Yesterday, at church, Sister Thomas and President Thomas talked to Elis and shared with her the importance of loving family members no matter what even when they may make poor choices. How we must provide an example for them to follow. A lot of tears were shed, and they took Elis to get away for a bit, to see a baptism in another area. She told us last night that after witnessing the baptism, she was able to feel more peace. She has some hard things, so please keep her in your prayers.

 

We taught Valeria this past week about the Law of Chastity, and she said she would try to obey it. She and Fabio want to get married and are just waiting for Fabio to find a secure job in order to make that happen.

Elis has stopped smoking completely for 10 days, and she´s staying strong. She has a desire to be baptized, and she´s already read up to Mosiah in the Book of Mormon. She wants to finish it, and she loves how in the Book, it is passed from generation to generation--from father to son. She said that it is really for our days, and it is changing her life. She still thinks October 9th is a little bit too early, but we´re going to work with her still to trust in Heavenly Father. She has to completely stop drinking coffee as well, but with her faith, she could move mountains!!

I want to share a couple more pictures:

We celebrated a Sister's Birthday

I was excited to be reunited with Sis. Caleira and other Sisters

Yesterday in Women´s conference, I learned that we have to trust in Christ´s Atonement more in our lives. We have to trust in it daily--that he has already overcome everything that we have to endure in this life.

 

LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! SO EXCITED FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!