Kylie's last email 2/25/13

Well - the dreaded week has finally come.

And I am a mess of emotions. 

I will be leaving my area the next p-day early in the morning and so I will not have time to write next p-day so this is the last email as a sister missionary. I was trying to think of a clever way to write a summary of my mission and the things I have learned but there are some things too sacred to write and there are some things that words can´t describe. 

So I would like to leave you with my testimony that I know that this gospel is the true gospel. And that this church is the only true church on the face of the planet with the divine authority of  God. I think I have passed the point of believing. I have defended His church so many times and have received a witness of the Spirit that what I was saying is true that I don´t believe anymore. It is more than a belief. I know that all these things are true. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that through a humble simple prayer he saw God the Father and the Son. And I know that through Him God restored his church and his sacred power and authority. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. And that it contains the answers to any doubt, solution to any problem, and the comfort for any needy soul. I know that today President Thomas Monson is the presiding authority of Christ´s church and that he receives divine revelation today. And that he is the prophet of the world. I know that we have a Father in Heaven that loves us, and he wants us to return. He hears our prayers and answers them. I know that He gave His son. And that by and through the Son we can return and live with the Father. I know that Jesus is the Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. The atonement of Jesus Christ is real. I know he lives and I know that is calling each one of us to come unto Him. I know that this work is a marvelous work and a wonder and I am honored that God called me for a year and a half to be a part of this work. Miracles are real. God knows his children. And the work is hastening.

 I know these things are true with every molecule of my being. 

I end this email in the name of my Savior, Redeemer and King, 

Jesus Cristo

Amém

até o proximo

 

amo vocês

Sister Peterson

Kylie's letter 2/18/13

I got my flight plans

AAAGHGhgahsdfkajsçdlf jasçdfj açeij 

I am not ready to come home yet. I think they need a training for returned missionaries. What am I doing?! Okay - so the flight plans totally threw me off. I cant really think. I cant believe I only have two weeks. Only two weeks. okay. stop thinking about it. stop. okay

well this week. 

-talked to an anti American and atheist who expressed his dislike and hatred for our blessed country Sister Leite just wanted to leave. But I didn't want him to win that easily. I stayed and listened quietly and then asked him if he was happy. And he went off on a rampage of seemed like a very sad life and he was trying to pull out reasons of why he was happy I think he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince us. I told him we would pray for him. And I apologized for anything my country or my people ever did to him. Then we left. Poor guy. He said some pretty harsh stuff about us and God. after we were leaving I remember the words that every tongue will confess and every knee will bow with Jesus returns in all of his glory. 

- We are still teaching Felipe and Inácio and they are progressing veeeery slowly. But Felipe said he would come to church this week!!! only Sunday school. BUT this is still a huge miracle. These kids are slow movers. But I am learning so much with them. I think they are one of my favorite peoples to teach. There is no way to prepare for their questions. You just have to read your heart out before the lesson say a prayer and then  go with the spirit. And I know the spirit is present because I learn things while they are asking questions. So things that I have learned with them - Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights which Felipe pointed out could be a foreshadow that he stayed in the tomb for 40 hours - he did the calculations at turned out 40 hours exactly. interesting..... Also the plan of salvation does not talk about outer darkness. EVERYONE asks about Hell. And I have never known exactly what to do, and never really understood why it doesn't talk about it in Preach my Gospel. Inácio commented that it is because the plan of salvation is about salvation. The sons of perdition missed out on salvation and do not inherit a kingdom of glory. And thus we do not talk about it during the plan of salvation. Besides who wants to focus on Hell anyways. Also they asked us why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day SAINTS. We don't believe in saints. And so what´s the deal with that. The spirit taught me on the spot that we as members are saints because this church is the only church that has the gift of the Holy Ghost. And after we become members we gain the gift of the Holy Ghost and we become sanctified through the Holy Ghost--and thus we become saints. Joseph smith once said that the biggest difference between the church of Christ and other churches is that we have the Holy Ghost. And that is why we are saints. Every week we have an opportunity to be sanctified. 

- miracle last night. So a recent convert´s daughter called us last night and told us to come to their house there was an ugly fight going on. Everybody was screaming, breaking things, and lots of tears and chaos. ( the mission is full of drama. just drama. They need to put a family psychology training section in the MTC) There was already a priestess from the husband´s church. And she was in the midst of everything doing nothing just listening. We stepped in and and everyone tried talking and explaining. I told everyone to be quiet and that I didn't want to know what happened or who did what. I then shared the scripture in Moroni 7 about charity and told everything that they needed to develop this attribute of Christ. I talked about Christ and his love. And I told them that they wanted someone to change they need to change first. Nobody has space to point fingers. We are all to blame. Everyone has something that they can change to be better. Then I asked for everyone to kneel and we all said a prayer. everyone. The spirit came back everyone was crying. And I told them to learn to love like Christ loved, and learn to forgive like Christ forgave. Then wished them goodnight and ran out the door. I wanted to leave them at the peak of the spirit. Tania, the member called us later that night and said everyone kept quiet and her husband started reading the Book of Mormon. And the priestess that was there kept saying - they have so much knowledge. It was a cool manifestation to me the authority that missionaries have. Even the priestess recognized that. It was a miracle. Only God can turn the ugliest fight into a home again. 

- love you guys... see you in a few...bleh

sis p 

Kylie's letter 2/11/2013

This week was a little bit hard. We are clapping on a lot of doors because everyone and their dog (literally- i think there are less dogs in the streets) are at the beach. So we are trying to find the people who are here. Which consists mostly of old grandmas. Where are the old grandpas you might ask? They are in the bars watching their beloved futebol. The season started here in Brazil and I may or may not walk slowly past the bars with big screen TVs to catch little snippets of the games. Haha. Brazilian soccer is belo.

 

This week a man asked me to marry him on the street. He talked to us drunk and I invited him to church. And then he found us on the street again and said he was a priest and said he wanted me to be his priestess - or in other words his wife. I told him to come to church and that we would talk about Christ. He didn't come to church. Some priest.

 

Today was p-day and I dragged everyone out bright and early - actually dark and early to watch the sun rise. I really wanted to watch the sun rise on top of our roof. And so we planned this excellent p-day activity. okay maybe I planned this excellent p day activity. But I over calculated the sun. I didn't want to miss is so I got everyone up at 4 30 and the sun came up around 6 30. heh heh - whoops. But it was so beautiful and very worth it. After, I let them all sleep and made a breakfast of french toast, bacon, eggs, and cevada. What a nice person - I know. Just pray that I stay this way after the mish too.

 

- news from one of my investigators in quissamã. Michelle - she was the one we found that was very spiritually strong but needs her ´husband´ to get a divorce in order that they can get married. Well she goes through these cycles that she believes in everything and then hears something about some doctrine and wants nothing to do with the church. Something that I have discovered is very natural in Brazil. But she lets the spirit calm her doubts and her testimony becomes that much stronger. Well, she had another ´fall´ and she had a dream that she died and went to the Terrestrial Kingdom and was asking people where God and Jesus Christ were. But the people told her they weren't there and that she could not see them. She woke up with the fear that she would end up in the Terrestrial Kingdom. And she is now making large steps in fixing up her situation so that she can get baptized soon and secure her spot in the Celestial Kingdom. I love how individual each person's conversion is. Everyone´s testimony is so different and so unique but based in the same truths. God is such a loving father and he personalizes everything especially for us. I love hearing about people's conversion stories and seeing the hand of God in their lives. God speaks to each of us individually and very personally.

 

A cool activity to try during your personal studies is to trace your testimony. Go back in time and identify the times where your testimony grew. Because most of our testimonies grow by the drip drop theory we have buckets full of our testimonies that have grown throughout our lifetimes in little drops. It is crucial to remember those drops because it helps us realize how much water we have in our buckets.

 

 

Love you all- Happy Carnival! 

 

sis p

 

Kylie's letter 2/4/13

I got my new companion this week. Her name is Sister Leite which means Sister Milk in Portuguese. Everyone jokes about it and calls me Sister coffee. Haha! But she handles it well. She is the first missionary of our mission that the new age limit applies. And to be honest I feel like I am just doing divisions with a young woman from the ward. Everyday is all about princesses, glitter, rainbows, young love, and all the pink and purple jazz. She´s cute, but I feel like there is a large age gap between us. But she has a very strong testimony. She is from Rio. A different part of the state - funny that she was called to serve in Campos. But her family is living in Recife right now. Serving with her is just another testimony to me that God calls small and weak things to compound the wise. This gospel has got to be true if 18 and 19 kids are out there converting people. And I am glad to have another Brazi to perfect my Portuguese. Sis Zeller is still living with me and she got an American. It is so hard to see her struggle with the Portuguese. I am soooo glad that I have already passed that stage. Poor thing. Poor Sis. Zeller too. It is hard to train an American because it is basically you who has to do everything. But things are great.

This week was very normal. We have several people that we are preparing for baptisms. Which I hope and pray I will be able to be a part of. One of them, Sueli, bore her testimony in church. I love hearing my investigators bear their testimonies. Makes me so happy that the Lord is using me to help these people find the truth. I love this gospel and I love how I feel when I am sharing the gospel. This week is Carnaval. And so the festas begin. There will be a lot of drunk men and woman in the street. The majority of the members pack up and go on a camping trip that the ward puts on for the youth. But the missionaries are left to try to find someone ready to hear the gospel. During this time missionary work is not very productive but I am hoping and praying that we can find people to teach.

spiritual thought of the week - Share the gospel with everyone, and when necessary use words.

Love you all.

sis peterson