Grateful to be a Missionary

Transfer Calls and Finishing Training

This week was good :). We got our transfer calls and I am going to

stay in madeira and finish the training of a sister named sister

silva. I think that she is from Capo verde! It will be fun I am really

excited :) I am staying here in Lisboa until Wednesday and then we will fly

back.

Traveling

Our flight got canceled so we all got 16 euros to spend on

dinner. We went to a fancy restaurant which was fun.  But we

didnt get to Portugal until 3 am.  I am kind of tired. But On the

flight I Sat by myself in the very back of the plane with a lady

and I taught her the first lesson. She was soo cute.

This week we had a zone meeting and we talked about inviting people to

be baptized in the first contact.  Sister Briggs and I did it

this week and it was great! It helps them to know right away our

purpose. :) also our mission standard went up to 4 baptisms for the

month,12 new investigators,  6 in church and 25 lessons! I want to reach

it so bad.

Also this week a member in our ward got married. We only stayed for

the ceremony but it was cute.

Also we found some really cool people this week, that I am really

excited to start teaching! Also we went and talked to that family that

hid from us and we are going to keep teaching them! Sonia is not really

progressing anymore but we are going to try one more time and talk

about Joseph Smith.

I am so grateful that I am a missionary and I am able to help people

everyday learn about our Savoir Jesus Christ. I am so grateful that we

have a prophet called of God to lead and guide us today. I am so

grateful for the scriptures and that we can pray to a loving Heavenly

Father. I am so grateful that we can change and repent everyday. I am

so grateful for the gospel and the knowelge that I can be with my

wonderful family forever :) We are soo blessed.

Picture of fancy meal

picture of Madiera on way to Portugal to pick up my trainee

District in Madiera

Best ice cream

Our Responsibility to do Missionary Work

Divisions and Great People Who Want to be Baptized

We started the week with divisions. Our stl´s are Sister Call and

Sister Dumas. They are sooo cute and it was soo much fun. I really

loved how they just tried to have fun and they were super positive. On

my division we marked 5 people to be baptized. We taught that really

big family and almost all of them excepted and it went really well.

but on Sunday we went to pick them up for church and they were all

sleeping except for one. Marcio went with us to church and he really

liked it. Our branch is really good at helping make people feel

welcome. After church we were on our way to visit Marcios family and

they saw us in the street and ran a hid from us. Haha, it was crazy

even the mom did! I went over there and talked to them anyway. Its sad

because I thought they really wanted to be baptized, we will

maybe pass by in a week and try again with them.

We have another investigator named Sonia who is in love with the Bible

and she doesnt really have any church. She came to church and I think

she liked it. She has so many questions.

This week we also decided to drop one of our investigators named

Tereaza. It was so sad because she really wants to be baptized, but she

just cant quit smoking or drinking cofee.

This week we had Zone meeting. It was wonderful. I felt the spirit so

strong. We learned how to invite people to church better and practiced

how to invite people to be baptized. We also talked about why

covenants are so important and how they bless our lifes. I am so

grateful for covenants that help keep us close to God.

Also this week I spoke in church about missionary work. I hope that

every member there understands that it is our responsibility and

opportunity as members to be missionaries. It is so wonderful to

help someone come closer to christ.

Sister Prank and World Cup

Prank

okay so after a long night me and my comp. came home and opened the

door and when we opened the door our little dresser in front of us was

a mess... i took one look to the right and our house was a disaster...

and it looked like a murder scence~. my stumich dropped... my comp

said what i was thinking in that very moment. that we had been robbed.

I took three steps inside our house and saw that my bed was up against

the wall and that all of my clothes drawers had been messed with ( the

place that i would hide my money). I was so freaked out and my eyes

started to water. i told my comp we needed to leave. We went outside

and called sis fluckiger and she told us to call the police. We first

called the others sisters. They came home and we went in together. We

noticed that a window was left open. We went around the house to see

what was stolen. To our surprise nothing was stolen. We could not

figure it out. I wanted to call the police but the sisters said that

if nothing was stolen they you need to pay so we did what we always do

haha we called the elders. The elders came over and said a prayer and

checked around the house. After I was trying to figure it out... it

didnt make sense... someone came in but left all the cameras and money

and passports... so i thought ohhh maybe it was the sisters i asked

them if they did it and they said no. Then i was thinking maybe

someone was looking for something or it was a threat... Anyway that

night I was soooo scared and I went to bed with a stumich ache

thinking at any minute a crazy man would jump out of the closet....

the next morning i was still a little freaked out but we kept working.

When we got back for lunch we got a text from the other sisters saying

"hey we were the ones that did it last night... can we still be

friends..?" ohhhhhh I was sooo mad hahaha but dont worry we will get

them back! ;)! I am just grateful that no crazy man came into our

house.

World Cup and Ward Activity

Also this week we had a great ward activity!! We had a game night. We

played a few min it to win it games and some chocolate games and ping

pong. It was sooo fun. I think that the members really enjoyed it as

well. Not alot of members came but it was still fun.

hahah the world cup... the portugues people love watching it! I think

they are pretty upset with how they have been playing. Its all they

talk about and do here haha. Also we tried to do a family night with a

brazilian family while brazil was playing and they couldnt even talk

to us they were just screaming and watching the game hahah it was sooo

funny!

Also we have got a great branch i love them! about 40 people come to

church each week. Lately we have been doing alot of finding.

Also this week we started teaching this family. They are soooo

elect!!! They are so ready! its just hard to have them all in the

house and to get them to church. But this week we will walk there and

wake them up :). They are a family of 8 and they  just great and i am

soo excited to teach them :)

Also today we went on a island tour! We have a less active member

named sasha who is from demark that is a tour guide and she gave us a

tour of part of the island today!! it was soo much fun!!!! :)

Also I just know how much heavenly father loves us and is listening to

our prayers.

Life on the lovely island

Madeira

This week was good. :) It was a little challenging. We were rejected a lot. But it was still

great haha I cant be sad for too long I just look outside and I

remember, oh yeah I am on an island... :) It really is the best thing

ever!!!!!! :) It is the prettiest place that I have ever seen!!  I just need to work

harder and be positive.

Family Night

This week we had a family night at irma Eduarda´s house with Rita.

It was soooo great!!! We watched the Joseph Smith film. I love it. I

feel the spirit soo strong every time. Ahe fed us a really yummy

dinner and I made cookies. Portuguese people love cookies. But I

just love Rita sooooo much. This week she invited us over to meet her

family. Her family is soo great. She has three daughters that dont believe

in God and a husband that is Catholic. It was sooo much fun!!

They are all really nice. They talk really fast and basically it was

only in Spanish (from Venezuela). I understood 90% of it haha. But they had so much

energy and I love them :). They also made us some Venezuelan food-- it

was alright.. haha. But Rita is great and she will be batized this

Saturday. (She atually found the sisters

and asked them what time church started and she had been looking into

the church for about a year.)

Beach Baptism

The other sisters had a baptism on the beach.. well it was like a big rock

beach... and  it was windy and they kept getting knocked into the

rocks... hah the man getting baptized was determined to get batized

there. It took a long time. :)

I know that God loves us. I know that the church is true. I know

that through Christ we can change and can change the lives of others.

I know that God listens to our prayers. I am grateful to share this knowledge with others.

Hike

Today is Sister Briggs Bday and a member took us on the prettiest

hike. Pico Ruivo, its the highest peak in madeira, 6,200 ft. We

were like on top of the clouds. IT was the coolest thing that I have

done on my mission.

Madeira

Adventures on the Island

The airplane ride was a lot of fun. I was kind of nervious because I

didnt know how it would be but...I LOVE MADEIRA!!! It is soooo beautiful!!

it is probable one of the prettiest places I have ever been!!! :) It is soo green,

I can see the ocean from every part in my area and has beautiful flowers.

They even have a flower that smells like popcorn!! It is not too hot

and not too cold, it’s perfect weather :) Everything is uphill so we use

the buses alot. Also in our area there are a lot of tourists. They say

that Madeira is like the Hawaii of Europe. Its fun to see people from

different parts of the world and hear them talk. I love talking to

anyone that is from England hah :) But we dont usually work where the

torrists go.

We live in a beuatiful house. We share it with 2 other sisters

Sister Cardoso (Portuguese) and Sister Prieto ( Brazilian). It has been

really fun to have other sisters in the house. Ha the first night I

woke up to go running and there was a giant cock roach on the floor...

ew... also we might have bed bugs!!! But its okay hahah I am on an

island :)

I love our little branch :) We meet in a pink church building and the

members our great. The accent here is a little weird... hahah Some

things I dont even understand!

This week we also had zone conference. We practiced on

inviting someone to be baptized and we also practiced following up. We

have a very small zone.

We have an Investigator that is ELECT!!!!! She has been

investigating the church for about 11 years and the sisters stopped

and talked to her in the street and she is marked to be baptized on

the 13th. She is from Venezuela. She is soo sweet and talks and

laughs alot :)

We went to visit someone that we had contacted in the

street.  When we opened the little gate and went to ring the door

bell three dogs come around the corner and start barking. I

carefully slipped out and my comp came right behind me. But the dog

bit her!!!! It wasnt huge, but it bit her ankle.

But it has been great!! :) Today we went to a castle :)

I have always wanted to go into a casle. :)

Well I hope you all have a wonderful week!!

Transferred To an Island off the Coast of Africa

Transferred

Guess what?!!! I AM GOING TO SERVE ON

Madeira!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I AM SOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) it will be great! I

got the transfer call yesterday at like 2 and they said that I had one

hour to pack and to get to the train station. I ran home and me and

Sister Caldwell were frantically throwing everything into my bag... we missed the

train by 4 minutes. But it all worked out! I was able to stay see my

old comp Sis Carroll and we stayed up talking sooo late... I LOVE

HER!! It was so fun! My plane will leave in a few hours I will be

serving with sister Briggs.  I can only take one suitcase weighing less than

23 pounds.   I am going to miss this area and the

ward and Sister Caldwell, but I know that they are in good Hands :)

International Party and Zone Conference

This last week was wonderful. We had a huge ward activity. It was an

international party :) Everyone brought food from different countries

and we mad a really fun jepordy game that they loved and we played

musical chairs :) It turned out to be a great activity. We have 6

investigators there and about 50 people. I made an apple pie :) it was

soo much fun.

We had a really great conference ,Elder Kearon came from the 70

and he spoke to us. It was amazing the spirit was very strong.

I am soo happy that I am a missionary an I am able to have all these

cool experiences. It was also great to see everyone at the conference.

okay sorry it's short, but my I have to catch my plane... :)  I love you all

so much!! have a great week!!!

Teaching the Truth and Sometimes Indiana Jones... :)

Vera, Nilda, Ishmel, and Chritane

Our investigator Vera is doing good. She loves everything and

especially the Book of Mormon. This week she was sick and was in the

hospital so we were not able to see her. Nilda right now is kind of

avoiding us, but we are going to try and visit her by surprise. We

found a new investigator name Ismel who came to church. He is 17 and I

am excited to teach him. We also are going to be able to teach

Christane this week she was out of town all last week.

An Unfunny Movie Night

This week we had a ward activity. We had another movie night. We

watched Mega mind.  Sister Caldwell and I sat outside and made sugared

popcorn. They said that Portugues people only like sugary popcorn.

It was a great activity we had about 40 people there. Haha I guess

that none of them thought that it was funny. No one in there laughed. hahah

Portuguese Indiana Jones

We were invited to a members house to eat for lunch.

His name is Joaquim and he is really cool. He reminds me of Indana

Jones. He has been all over the world and been on so many cool

adventures. He makes the stones for grave sites and also he

paints sculptures. He works in a graveyard. In Portugal you can only

be buried for a certain amount of time and  after that certain amount

of time they dig the graves up. So that is his job. He kinda lives in a

house,  but I dont know if i would call it a house. I felt like we were

camping. We ate soup and pork and soda. Next time we go over there I

will bring my camera.

Member Missionary Work

In church this week they announced that they want to split our ward.

It  will  be a really good thing. They announced

that the month of June is going to be a month for the members to

invite at least one friend to church. It was perfect because this

week we made a ward plan for how the members can invite their friends

to church and give them to the missionaries.

I am so grateful for the gospel and that I am a missionary. I have

been studying in Preach my Gospel about how I can improve my personal

studies. Personal study everyday is sooo important. I am grateful for

that time to learn, recieve revelation, and grow closer to our Savoir.

I hope you all have a great week. I love you alll soooo much!!!