Querida Familia,
This marks the first week of transfers. And our ward is starting to have more of an emphasis on missionary work. The bishop gave a almost hell fire and damnation talk about how the members need to help the missionaries. And it worked. Thus far anyways. We have been having everyone giving us references, everyone is wanting to family nights with us, so the reaction is really good. Hopefully this stays up and we can start seeing some progress with the people here.
This week was a little different. Monday was p-day Tuesday we had transfers went and picked up the new sister who Sister Vieira is training and ended our day with a dinner at presidents house with the elders that finished the mission. We are so spoiled living close to president! There I ate my first feijoado which is a traditional Brazilian black bean dish with all the parts of a big. There was a lot of unrecognizable pieces but one that I did recognize was the tail. Completely intact with bones and skin and fat and everything. I didn't eat it though. It was also so weird to be with all the elders who have that squeamish sick feeling of going home and leaving.
So our week really began this past Wednesday. So basically all of our baptismal dates fell but we have a lot of hope for the rest of our investigators. This week was a little slow and a little hard because sister Johnson has been having problems with blisters and so we have been walking so sllloooooow. Because our area is so widespread we haven't made many visits. But hopefully this week will be better. We are still working with Suali, she has reduced smoking to 5 cigarettes and the other day she said she was going to stop completely. But she is getting a little stressed with the baptismal date and so she has been smoking more. She is so close. And she didn't come to church. It the small simple things that they need to do. pray, read, and go to church. That is one thing I am learning on the mission that the gospel is really so simple. We are learning the same things over and over again, because we need the reminder but also each time we study we are enlightened a little bit more. Things click a little more in our minds and our testimonies are strengthened. I love this gospel! But this week will be better with visits and our investigators.
Random happenings of the week
- We had a gecko in our bathroom. A big one. And Sis. J is afraid of geckos and lizards so I took care of it. I caught him in a tupperware Which was actually really hard. He was climbing all over the place, the bathroom tile walls was perfect for his little sticky fingers. But I caught him and threw him out the front door. Literally.
- We might be on you tube. There are several spots next to big apartment buildings where the updraft of wind is really strong and if you are careful your skirts will be flying up around your ears. So we were walking next to ones of these buildings and holding our skirts and there was a man walking past and he looked enthralled in his i-phone. But as we walked past he kept his iphone trained on us and we realized he was filming us. We couldn't decide if it was because we were Americans or because of our skirts. These Brazilian men....Luckily our skirts stayed down.
- Chocolate factory: i forgot to talk about the chocolate factory. It was wonderful. We had a tour and I understood almost nothing that he said. But it was like walking through the Willie Wonka chocolate factory. There were big machines making weird noises and people that looked like umpa loompas walking around in their little uniforms and ear plug things. We got to eat as much chocolate as we wanted. I only ate 6 because it is really hard to eat a lot of chocolate without water. you should try it. But an Elder broke the record and he ate 76 pieces of chocolate. We are talking about fun size candy bars here. Way to represent!
- I got garbage thrown at me. It was the worst day with sister Johnson and her blisters and we had been walking forever with little results. And there were a group of young girls and one of them threw an orange peel at me and they all about died with laughter. It is so great to be a missionary.
- We had a random man come up to us and his first sentence was Excuse me but can I clear up some doubts with you. He then talked about how he was really interested in our church and what we believed in all because of the news with mitt Romney! We will start teaching him this week hopefully thanks to good ol' Romney.
That's all for now folks. Love you all so much.
ky
Monday, January 30, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Kylie's letter 1-23-12
Minha Querida Familia,
Tudo Bem?
Transfers are tomorrows, but I already know where I will end up. I will stay in Jardim da Penha, the same area I was in with Sister Johnson. The same companion. I was with Sister Vierira also but she is being transferred and will train the new American sister that is coming tomorrow. I have mixed emotions about this transfer. I was ready for a change, ready to start over in a new ward, and just start with a clean slate and work work work. But the Lord had something else in mind. Appears like He always has something else in mind. At the same time I wanted to stay here and get some baptisms. It is the hardest area in the mission and I just wanted to show that this area still has the elect of God and God is still a God of miracles. So I have another transfer to do that. We have quite the large investigator pool 22 to be exact, I hope they all will receive testimonies this transfer. Let the work begin!!
But this week...
There has been more cockroaches. The cool thing about cockroaches is that they can still move and walk after having their intestines smeared all over the floor. It is true. The trick is to hit them hard enough so their heads pop off, that way their nervous system no longer functions. Just in case you wanted to know.
Also the government of Brazil has instituted some new laws that the people here are all in an uproar. The bus fare has gone up and people have been lighting fires on the buses. Don't worry mom, we don't ride the buses. And also they are making you pay for grocery bags in order to be more eco friendly and encourage us to use reusable bags.
On a more spiritual side note - the work is continuing, we have investigators, I am understanding almost everything and I am feeling much more comfortable with the language. People are understanding me and not my companion who speaks very fast. Whohoo! I am very excited for this next transfer and hope to see more of Gods miracles in the lives of the people here in Jardim da Penha.
Love and miss you all!
Kylie
Tudo Bem?
Transfers are tomorrows, but I already know where I will end up. I will stay in Jardim da Penha, the same area I was in with Sister Johnson. The same companion. I was with Sister Vierira also but she is being transferred and will train the new American sister that is coming tomorrow. I have mixed emotions about this transfer. I was ready for a change, ready to start over in a new ward, and just start with a clean slate and work work work. But the Lord had something else in mind. Appears like He always has something else in mind. At the same time I wanted to stay here and get some baptisms. It is the hardest area in the mission and I just wanted to show that this area still has the elect of God and God is still a God of miracles. So I have another transfer to do that. We have quite the large investigator pool 22 to be exact, I hope they all will receive testimonies this transfer. Let the work begin!!
But this week...
There has been more cockroaches. The cool thing about cockroaches is that they can still move and walk after having their intestines smeared all over the floor. It is true. The trick is to hit them hard enough so their heads pop off, that way their nervous system no longer functions. Just in case you wanted to know.
Also the government of Brazil has instituted some new laws that the people here are all in an uproar. The bus fare has gone up and people have been lighting fires on the buses. Don't worry mom, we don't ride the buses. And also they are making you pay for grocery bags in order to be more eco friendly and encourage us to use reusable bags.
On a more spiritual side note - the work is continuing, we have investigators, I am understanding almost everything and I am feeling much more comfortable with the language. People are understanding me and not my companion who speaks very fast. Whohoo! I am very excited for this next transfer and hope to see more of Gods miracles in the lives of the people here in Jardim da Penha.
Love and miss you all!
Kylie
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Kylie's letter 1/15/12
Oí gente!
So one week left until transfers. this was the longest yet shortest transfer in the history of my mission (since I only have one other to compare it to but whatever) I am kind of ready just to start over again with a fresh slate and just work my little legs off and clap my hands off.
But this week went well. More cockroaches coming out of the drains. Yay! Painted the house today. Took forever, thus the late email. So our p-day is practically gone. Bummer, but whatever.
This week all of our baptismal dates fell through. Suali is having some troubles so her date dropped. Her son isn't interested. Mari and Elber haven't been coming to church and following up on their compromissos - I can't remember the word in English. Their....assignment things....invitations...
But we have started teaching Petra and Relita. I like them very very very much. They live right across the street from he church and they seem really interested in the plan of salvation. So we will be teaching them today and this week and hopefully setting a baptismal date.
This last week was a blur. Cant think of what else happened. But summer is upon us. It isn't quite as hot as it was in the DR but just about. I will come back barbie blond and Indian brown.
So one week left until transfers. this was the longest yet shortest transfer in the history of my mission (since I only have one other to compare it to but whatever) I am kind of ready just to start over again with a fresh slate and just work my little legs off and clap my hands off.
But this week went well. More cockroaches coming out of the drains. Yay! Painted the house today. Took forever, thus the late email. So our p-day is practically gone. Bummer, but whatever.
This week all of our baptismal dates fell through. Suali is having some troubles so her date dropped. Her son isn't interested. Mari and Elber haven't been coming to church and following up on their compromissos - I can't remember the word in English. Their....assignment things....invitations...
But we have started teaching Petra and Relita. I like them very very very much. They live right across the street from he church and they seem really interested in the plan of salvation. So we will be teaching them today and this week and hopefully setting a baptismal date.
This last week was a blur. Cant think of what else happened. But summer is upon us. It isn't quite as hot as it was in the DR but just about. I will come back barbie blond and Indian brown.
Love you all!
ky
ky
Monday, January 9, 2012
Kylie's letter 1/9/12
Oí Familia!
Tudo Bem!
Thanks so much for all your emails letters and prayers and everything else.
This email will have to be short because we are going to tour the chocolate factory Garota!!!!!!! Yeah!!! It is a Brazilian chocolate factory they have here and it is so yummy. I feel like Charlie in the Willy Wonka Factory! This is the first real p-day activity I have had since being here so I am a little pumped!
But this week has been good. Suale the lady with the smoking problems went from 40 cigarettes to 12 but jumped back up a little so we are still working with her. It is so hard to see her desire for the gospel but the addiction and the effects it is having on her. This one addiction is the thing that is keeping her from baptism, it is just really sad to watch. But I know with God anything is possible. Mari and Elber we are working with the marriage office place to get them married. They had everything ready to be married but never did anything about it. So we are trying to get things all done for them. But it turns out their documents are overdue. So we have to start the process all over again. And they haven't come to church we are struggling to decide if we should waste our time in running around trying to find witnesses and signatures or test their testimony and their desire and let them do it themselves. We have a few new investigators which I am excited to see what happens with. There are two investigators that we have that remind me of the Avatar. Junior, he believes that God is energy and energy will carry us to our salvation. And Emily. She is a previous investigator of the elders. the elders who taught her before said She held the Book or Mormon and said she could feel the energy in the book and she came to church and kept talking about the energy she felt and kept touching the walls. We haven't contacted her yet but I am excited to. She sounds really interesting to teach.
But besides that, we have had cockroaches crawling up our drains and sewage water coming out of our laundry room floor and our house smells like poo.
Other than that life is good, things with companions are good, and the work is getting better started out a little slow but definitional getting better.
Love you all!!!
kylie
Tudo Bem!
Thanks so much for all your emails letters and prayers and everything else.
This email will have to be short because we are going to tour the chocolate factory Garota!!!!!!! Yeah!!! It is a Brazilian chocolate factory they have here and it is so yummy. I feel like Charlie in the Willy Wonka Factory! This is the first real p-day activity I have had since being here so I am a little pumped!
But this week has been good. Suale the lady with the smoking problems went from 40 cigarettes to 12 but jumped back up a little so we are still working with her. It is so hard to see her desire for the gospel but the addiction and the effects it is having on her. This one addiction is the thing that is keeping her from baptism, it is just really sad to watch. But I know with God anything is possible. Mari and Elber we are working with the marriage office place to get them married. They had everything ready to be married but never did anything about it. So we are trying to get things all done for them. But it turns out their documents are overdue. So we have to start the process all over again. And they haven't come to church we are struggling to decide if we should waste our time in running around trying to find witnesses and signatures or test their testimony and their desire and let them do it themselves. We have a few new investigators which I am excited to see what happens with. There are two investigators that we have that remind me of the Avatar. Junior, he believes that God is energy and energy will carry us to our salvation. And Emily. She is a previous investigator of the elders. the elders who taught her before said She held the Book or Mormon and said she could feel the energy in the book and she came to church and kept talking about the energy she felt and kept touching the walls. We haven't contacted her yet but I am excited to. She sounds really interesting to teach.
But besides that, we have had cockroaches crawling up our drains and sewage water coming out of our laundry room floor and our house smells like poo.
Other than that life is good, things with companions are good, and the work is getting better started out a little slow but definitional getting better.
Love you all!!!
kylie
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Kylie's letter 1/2/12
Feliz ano novo gente! Happy New Year!
So This week has been really slow. We taught a whopping total of 9 lessons. Whohoo! Everyone was busy with holidays and festas or at least that is what they said.... But this week we have got a lot planned we are going to start working with the less active members and recent converts becuase they are they have part member families and always have references. We want to eventually stop clapping at doors and just do visits. So hopefully this week it works out.
Also this week we marked 4 baptismal dates! Which is a huge thing for us. We marked with a couple that have three member children. They have had all the lessons and want to get baptized they just need to get married. So we are going to work with them and help them work towards that. Apparently it is a huge process to get married here. Then we also marked with another lady who has also received all the lessons and has such a strong testimony of the gospel. But she smokes 2 packs a day and she wasn't able to quit and thus wasn't baptized. So we are going to work with her and her family. Her son also committed to baptism as well. Yay!!
We also had a zone conference this week. In which Presidente said that we all should make a goal to baptize 20 people. Personally. They are going to keep track of how many people we baptize and we have to decide in companionship's whose baptism it is. I have doubts about this whole personal thing. I would feel much better if it was 40 people together. But whatever. He also said that we will know we worked 100% if we get 20 people to baptize. If we baptize less then we know that we didn't give it our all. I know he is called of God and receives revelation but I still feel weird about it. I don't want to get concerned about the numbers and fighting with my companion over whose baptism it is going to be. So I just made a goal to change the hearts of 20 people with my companion through faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the HG, and enduring to the end. They can count and record whatever they want about me and my work as a missionary, but in the eyes of God I feel like he will be counting the work my companion and I do together.
Anyways...New years was great! We went to a barbecue party thing at some elders house and played barbie uno! We received barbie uno for Christmas. And then we went to Presidents house and watched the fireworks at midnight. President lives on the twelfth floor of a apartment building that is right across the street from the beach. The fireworks were amazing. Everyone was on the beach and everyone was wearing a solid color. EAch color represented what they wanted for this new year. Ex. White = peace, red = love etc. There were four ships out in the ocean and when it was midnight the fire works began. It was 15 minutes of perfect synchronized fire magic. The fireworks were synchronized with music and it was one of the best firework shows I have ever seen. After the fireworks were done everyone lined up on the shore and you could see them jumping each time the tide rolled in under their feet. They jumped seven times for good luck. After we had ice cream and went to bed. I passed out. My body is so used to going to bed at 10 30. It was very fun.
Happy new years to all of you and I love you all muito muito muito!!!
love
kylie
So This week has been really slow. We taught a whopping total of 9 lessons. Whohoo! Everyone was busy with holidays and festas or at least that is what they said.... But this week we have got a lot planned we are going to start working with the less active members and recent converts becuase they are they have part member families and always have references. We want to eventually stop clapping at doors and just do visits. So hopefully this week it works out.
Also this week we marked 4 baptismal dates! Which is a huge thing for us. We marked with a couple that have three member children. They have had all the lessons and want to get baptized they just need to get married. So we are going to work with them and help them work towards that. Apparently it is a huge process to get married here. Then we also marked with another lady who has also received all the lessons and has such a strong testimony of the gospel. But she smokes 2 packs a day and she wasn't able to quit and thus wasn't baptized. So we are going to work with her and her family. Her son also committed to baptism as well. Yay!!
We also had a zone conference this week. In which Presidente said that we all should make a goal to baptize 20 people. Personally. They are going to keep track of how many people we baptize and we have to decide in companionship's whose baptism it is. I have doubts about this whole personal thing. I would feel much better if it was 40 people together. But whatever. He also said that we will know we worked 100% if we get 20 people to baptize. If we baptize less then we know that we didn't give it our all. I know he is called of God and receives revelation but I still feel weird about it. I don't want to get concerned about the numbers and fighting with my companion over whose baptism it is going to be. So I just made a goal to change the hearts of 20 people with my companion through faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the HG, and enduring to the end. They can count and record whatever they want about me and my work as a missionary, but in the eyes of God I feel like he will be counting the work my companion and I do together.
Anyways...New years was great! We went to a barbecue party thing at some elders house and played barbie uno! We received barbie uno for Christmas. And then we went to Presidents house and watched the fireworks at midnight. President lives on the twelfth floor of a apartment building that is right across the street from the beach. The fireworks were amazing. Everyone was on the beach and everyone was wearing a solid color. EAch color represented what they wanted for this new year. Ex. White = peace, red = love etc. There were four ships out in the ocean and when it was midnight the fire works began. It was 15 minutes of perfect synchronized fire magic. The fireworks were synchronized with music and it was one of the best firework shows I have ever seen. After the fireworks were done everyone lined up on the shore and you could see them jumping each time the tide rolled in under their feet. They jumped seven times for good luck. After we had ice cream and went to bed. I passed out. My body is so used to going to bed at 10 30. It was very fun.
Happy new years to all of you and I love you all muito muito muito!!!
love
kylie
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