Teaching Simply

Oi Familia!

Wednesday PDAY!!  So weird that it's on Wednesday now.  There are so many experimental changes in the mission haha. I feel like a real guinea pig.  Buttttttt I won’t complain because man, it must be suuuuuper stressful for the president.

But before I get off topic and forget, again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMILYYYYY!!!! I'm super excited and sad and mind blown that you are 18.... Scary. Mostly because you're old. and secondly because that means I'm old, too. hahaha.  Super weird.   I realized that I will be 21 in July.  My entire 20th year of my life will have been away from home on a mission.  How strange.  But kinda cool. haha.  I sent a letter/"presents" for Birthday and Mothers day and Father's day hahaha.  Don't get excited.  It’s super lame. but I really can't send anything from here and we don't have time really to get stuff.. :( But I will bring home presents :D they got some coooooool stuff here!!! and incredibly cheap haha.  Sooo my last month here, I will throw out all my worn out mission clothes and return with one outfit and the rest, souvenirs. haha jk. I won't. but anyway,  I'm super distracted.  I hope your birthday was great!!!!!  You can now officially buy light dry ice! and go to big kid prison. :D Congrats! hehe. 

This week, we taught Irisma again, the one who had the crazy dream of Joseph Smith, and we were on divisions--splits with the young women.  I was with Laura.  She is seriously the BEST!! amazing missionary.  She is 16 but her story is amazing. Such a strong testimony. Her sister was baptized and later she started investigating. She had really bad depression and anxiety so church and talking to people was really hard for her.  But through prayer and scriptures and with the help of the ward, she overcame it all and is one of the most amazing ward missionaries!! 

She talks to EVERYone about the gospel and invites everyone, even just people on the street!! and she bares testimony all the time and basically, literally, is a sister missionary already. It's amazing. and she helps so much with the language. haha. I'm praying she will get called to serve in our ward ;D

Anyway, she and I were teaching Irisma and while she saved me many times in the lesson, I basically was teaching myself and it was really scary. buuuut I did it and it was awesome!  I could understand almost everything, but the words I wanted to say were really jumbled haha. sighh.  It's really frustrating when I want to say something but can't cause I don't know how. butttt I definitely think this is teaching me to teach much more simply and talk more slowly and with power.  I really have to think about what is most important in what I want to say.  I learned on my mission that missionaries talk wayyyy too much.  It's hard to slow down and let the Spirit talk, too -- which is the most imporatant part -- but here, I'm learning quickly that I need to talk as fast as these investigators (just understand them) but I just need to say what's most important, praying that the Spirit will cover the grammar/accent problems haha.  But I know with time and hard work I will be able to get to the point where they will be able to focus more on what I'm saying rather than how I'm saying it, as it says in PMG. 

Transfers ended this Monday... We didn't even know haha, because apparently in Brasil, all the missions have one transfer with only 5 weeks -- no idea why but they do.  And thank GOODNESS we're all staying. I was seriously super nervous that Sister Ped would leave and I'd have to lead the area that has no accurate map and I can't understand directions really well hahaha.  But it's all good.  Phew.  But I know that this is her last transfer here so I gotta learn everything in the next 6 weeks. But no worries.  I know it'll all work out..  I was praying for oneee more transfer with her, because I know how hard it'll be without her, but then I stopped and realized what I'd been learning the last 10 months in the US.  He knows way better what I need, so if whatever happens, I can trust that He won't just throw me in a hole and leave. Wow, it's really amazing how much less stress it is when you can really trust the Lord.  Especially in missionary work because sometimes -- or all the time -- it's realllyyyy super dang hard. but knowing -- not just believing -- really knowing that He's there constantly aware of my situation and needs, and that He loves me enough to give me the challenges I need, is probably one of the biggest blessings from this experience of visa waiting.  This knowledge really helps me here in Brasil. 

One missionary who arrived here with me, starting this tranfer, is District Leader.  His trainer is leaving his area, and he's training an american visa waiter.... HAHAHHA OMG.  I seriously thought they were joking but omg.... he's a really good missionary so he can handle it.  He's stressed and probably scared to death, but I know he can handle it. but I was like PHEEWPH! THANK GOODNESS the Lord doesnt trust me THAT much hahahhaha! jk but seriously.... my heart stopped when I realized that was possible!!! ahhhahldfjlsd. I would die hahah. 

ALSO, Sis Nilson has her VISA! WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOHOHOHOHOOO.   She is coming this next transfer to the MTC and then here!!!! I am SOO excited for her.  She was pretty distraught about me leaving her :( but, it's the pattern of things -- she arrived at the MTC a few hours late, arrived to the field a week after me,   and now to Brasil a transfer after me haha.  We were joking about that but now it's legit! lol.  Soooo happpyyy!!! :DDD

 OKAY, so  literally in like 3 days I can skype home!  What!! Crazy!  I can't believe it’s here already!!  This is the last time I can call home before I GO home..........  

but anyway.. the time difference here is really annoying, because we have appointments and stuff but you have church and I dont know what time so i'm PRAYING it's not at 1, becauseeeee we can skype at 6pm here, aka 2 there.  But if you do have church at 1 maybe we can skype earlier. idk. 

But we planned it for 6pm here, 2 pm there.  Hope it works!!!!! 

My computer is psycho so its probably way out of order.... sorry... but I saw the pics of Emily!!!!!  Suuuuuper prettyyy!!! :)))   You’re sooo grown up hehe.  I will answer any questions about this email Sunday..  I can’t fix anything ugh. 

But ahh remind me about Kevin Sunday!  Soooooo coooool1!!! 

ps. Happy anniversary  Cami and Jeremy and Happy birthday, Grant !!!!   =)))

Love you alllllll.  Talk to you on Sunday!!