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

Kylie's letter 1-28-2013

So...... I will be staying in Camps and training, and actually about the whole extension thing it might be a little longer. Presidente asked me to stay for another three months (2 transfers) to help train all of the new sisters that are coming in. So... we will be seeing each other in May, perfect timing for the sun to start melting all that ice up there. 

This week was great! 

This week we spent without water!! It is always a great surprise to turn on the tap and watch as the water spurts a little and then completely stops. Then it gets really funny when it stays like that for days. The apartment we live in is great - we are lucky if there is electricity, and the bathroom flush works, and we have to water to shower. So basically my life in Campos has been stopped of toilet, sitting in the dark, all sweaty stinky with no way to get clean. Hahaha- just kidding it isn't that bad. We just spent 2 days without water came back for a little bit to shower and then left again, and came back etc. etc. But our toilet is still clogged. This apartment is a beauty. That is all I have got to say. It was the elders that picked it out. 

I also have some great news from Quissamã. One of the ladies I taught there that got baptized and then left the church (Angela) is starting to come back. I sent her the search for happiness book, and Sister Zeller wrote her a baller letter and we both have been praying our little hearts out for her. I knew she would come back. But she is still having problems with her family not supporting her and her whole neighborhood practically. Pray for her. But it was evidence # 678,456, 002 that God hears and answers my prayers. 

This week actually has been really hectic with getting all the reports in to the LZ and assistants and everything - so the journal got left out and thus I don't really remember what happened this week. lets see.....

One of our investigators came to church and she said she felt like she had already been here. I love when people say this. Tons of people say this or they say to us that they feel like they have always known us. This is the spirit bringing back all things to our remembrance. They feel the spirit and they remember the spirit they felt before this life and connect it to the thought they have already known us and been to church but in reality they are just remember the truths that they knew. It is the spirit! 

Random memory of the week. We walk through a ghetto neighborhood that we are not allowed to teach in, to get to the neighborhoods we can teach in. And there is a street with a jukebox and old Brazilian men sit there and change the music and start dancing to the music by themselves with beer and cigarette in hand. haha - one of my favorite memories of Campos. 

Finished the Book of Mormon in Portuguese for the first time. Love that book- cool to look back and see that when I started I had to look up every single word, but now I can go through chapters without having to pick up the dictionary. The Lord´s promises to His missionaries are real! 

Love you guys - stay safe with all that ice! really - I want a family to come back to. 

beijos

sis p 

ps. soooo, actually I was just kidding about the whole extension thing. HAHA!  As much as I want to stay for another year and a half let alone 30 stinking days. God told me no -. there is a time and season for everything. I was called to serve a year an half and there are other missions bigger and better that God has in store for me. So, get the preparations started. I want a homecoming complete with signs, music makers, Brazi e US flags, and complete with  a choreographed dance. Deal? Done!  

Kylie's letter 1/21/2013

This week was wonderful. Just like every other week. These are my sweet memories of this week. 

- Açaí with granola and paçoca has turned into one of my favorite foods. It is a type of frozen fruit smoothie and you can put several toppings on it. I am pretty sure it has some natural high or something because we buy it and eat it walking home and at night I can't fall asleep- but it is oh soooo worth it. 

- I finished our heritage this week. during my sleepless nights, I have been reading and I finished it. Mixture of too much açaí and ending the mission subconscious thinking And what a heritage this church has. It is so cool to see the growth of the church in the grand scheme of things. And it is growing so fast here in Brazil. 30 or some odd years ago, my entire mission was a district with 3 branches. And now there are 5 or 6 stakes with another district and many more wards and branches. Next step - TEMPLO EM RIO!!! That is my prayer for these people. 

- Marcus - he is a hard core catholic that goes to mass every single night. We have been teaching him, and through a process of several miracles he has received an answer that this is the true church. We were with him when he said his first pray - his first real pray. Before he was always telling us that he prayed but he was praying catholic memorized prayers to the saints. We taught him how to pray and he prayed for the people in the world that they too could learn about the true gospel through the sisters. After he said amen, he looked at us with a wide eyed grin - and I asked him how he was feeling - he said he was feeling light and happy. and he got goose bumps. He couldn't stop smiling. I couldn't stop smiling either.  Being part of a persons first prayer is such a tender mercy. Helps me remember why I came on a mission to help people feel happy. So happy they can't stop smiling. 

- igreja assembleia. Yesterday we visiting the assembly of God church, it is the church of one of our investigators. The husband is all for the church of Jesus Christ but the wife is super evangelical. So we did an exchange. Next week it is the church of Jesus Christ for them. It was a very interesting experience, much like missão evangelical. Lots of loud loud loud songs and prayers, and screaming. My ears felt swollen after. But while there I felt an overwhelming sensation of longing to return to the temple. That is gonna be one of the first thing I am going to do when I get back. I miss the temple and most of all the spirit I feel there. 

- we also visited the messianica church. It was soooooo different. It is a espirita church that believes in allan kardec and it is based off of a Japanese church or something. Really weird, I felt all mixed up hearing Portuguese and hearing Japanese music and seeing Japanese writing on the wall and everything. Super different.  But fun experience. They believe in Christ and the bible but had more pictures of these Japanese monk men on the walls and I think mentioned Christ once in the sermon. I am so grateful for the church of Jesus Christ. 

-Felipe - we call him the prince of questions because his name is a prince´s name and he is ALWAYS ASKING QUESTIONS!! But it is actually really fun teaching him. We really have to study and come armed with scriptural evidence. But I worry that he isn't taking a spiritual approach. His brother came to church yesterday we are teaching his brother too. they are both 30 and some odd young men that live with their parents. They are reading and investigating a lot, but still waiting for an answer or not recognizing the answer. 

ooooo gente porque eu não fui chamado para um lugar mais perto de nossa casa. Eu vou sentir tantos saudades daqui. eu vou ter que me casar com um brasileiro kkk! Não quero sair de meu amado brasil.

Life is good. the gospel is true. and this is the last week of the transfer and last week with my first daughter (trainee) and my second daughter is scheduled to arrive next week Tuesday. until next time

sis p 

Kylie's letter 1/14/2013

Hey fam-

This week was good. Yesterday was kind of a bummer because of some things. We got chewed out by this lady - oh my goodness gracious- I have never felt so much hate coming from person just because of our religion. We just sat there and listened and I asked a few questions and it was obvious she didn't know anything about the church, only what her pastor had told her. I tried to explain and to help her understand but she wouldn't let us talk. So we just sat there and listened and listened and listened to this woman proclaim she was a person of God and that God loved here even though she drank and smoke, and drinks coffee, etc. etc. and that we were a Satan worshiping cult etc. etc. and that she doesn't know Mormon etc. etc. After about 1/2 hour of this I asked her if I could say something. And she said yes - I bore my testimony that I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father and the He loves her just as much as me and that the church and the Book of Mormon were true because God told me through the spirit. And that I couldn't deny that. There isn't anyone or anything that a person can say that will make me change the path I am on. I ended with a prayer and prayed that God would help her learn to love other people and have respect for other people's differences and that she could be happy. Then we gave goodbye kisses and left. I think she kind of felt stupid after, because she apologized. But she has been corrupting our investigator which makes me mad. She is the mom of Nayara who is the wife of our little elect family who now wants nothing to do with the church. But the husband still believes. And I know everything will work out.  It is always good to suffer a little for the name of Jesus Christ. Makes me appreciate the atonement a little better.

That was last night - but the rest of the week has been filled with wonderful miracles and spiritual experiences. One such was when we were tracting and clapping on doors and we found a woman who said that she had been praying to God to help better her life. She said that she would not enter into His house unless He helped get her life to be better. And then we showed up. She is a really sweet old lady - and I want to help her. Her husband died and she is struggling with a lot of things. I am hoping we can mark a baptismal date with her this week. We will see.

Our one investigator Felipe who is super duper interesting is still reading the Book of Mormon but still thinks that it isn't necessary to go to church and to be baptized by water. Even after I showed every scripture in the bible and Book of Mormon to prove to him, he still has these ridiculous thoughts. But he is a good kid. He will come around. We are bringing the bishop with us to our next visit. He just needs a spiritual experience.

We had interviews this week as well. We have transfers in two weeks and  President said that I will be staying in Campos and I will be training again. So that will be nice. The more advanced in the mission I get - the more I like change. I will miss sister Moyano but it will be fun to have a new comp. It will either be a Brasi or an American. I want the Brasi just to better my Portuguese but we will see. k- my time is up

love you lots

ky

Kylie's letter 1/6/13

Happy new year hope Pine Valley was really cold and fun. I have been melting here. I don't think my sunscreen works either. Or maybe it is the fact that sweat and sunscreen don't really go together. or maybe everyone just things I am red all the time. I don't know, whatever it is, pretty sure I am going to have skin cancer. Pray for the DNA in my skin cells that they don't pass on the burned molecules. Thank you - I will sure appreciate it. 

But......this week was the new year and we got to go home a half an hour early. Whoop dee doo! But that is all good. P-day before we tie-dyed dresses and watched the sisters movie and then we left to do visits and we tried to find açaí but there was nothing open. And New Year's day we roamed the deserted streets finding houses of membros inactives. What a great day I know. But this week was really good. 

André e Nayara are super converted and firm in the faith. They are sharing the gospel with everyone. And Mara the mom got confirmed yesterday. 

And we have a new investigator that is super duper intriguing. he is going crazy about our lessons and the doctrine. He is a young man named Felipe and he is trying to find evidences - historical evidences that the Book of Mormon is true. And yes yes yes, we have told him time after time, that this is not the way to do it. He has questions about the temple in the Book of Mormon; how they built it in the way of Solomon, and about the Jaradites, and about all of these other random things. He is super hard to teach because we have to totally rely on the spirit to help him feel the spirit, yesterday we came to his house and he was watching some film of the church with Dallon H. Oaks, and the SLC temple. I have stopped asking him if he has questions because we lose focus. But I think he will get baptized, we just have to be reeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllly patient. He is going super duper slow. But he knows the Bible front and back and has accumulated his own personal belief about the gospel of Jesus Christ that is pretty much spot on. He knew about the laying on of hands to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. That never happens. So we will see what happens. 

We have some other people that have potential. But I am really content right now. You know how I said the mission was an emotional roller coaster. Well - I think I have finally hit the end and things are evening out and it is just pure happiness. Sure there are little bumps and hiccups along the way, but for the most part, I am just happy. Happy to be here, happy to be alive, and happy to see what God has in store for me this year. That is what this gospel does, makes us happy!!!

Sure love you all

Sis Peterson

Kylie's letter 12/31/12

I don´t think there is any better way to spend one whole year than to
the way I was able to spend it completely immersed in the work of the
Lord. Crazy to look back at this year and I think that I did this
every day all day for a whole year. This week was very special with
some great surprises. First off all I have to say is that it is super
hot and it doesn't make life any better when you don't have windows in
your apartment. Luckily, Sister Moyano and I we have our study room
close to the front door so I study with the door open. The other
sisters have a room more in the interior. Their room gets to be 90
degrees during the morning. Poor things. Every morning and night I
come home and make a jamba juice. I have officially mastered the
technique. You know how you always try to make a jamba juice but it
never really turns out right- it doesn't taste like a real jamba juice,
well - I have overcome that obstacle. I throw in some milk and some
ice and a little bit of sugar and and whatever type of tropical fruit
that is on sale. and just beat it all up in the blender And
whalaaaaaaaa! a perfectly cold and refreshing breakfast and dinner.
But - okay back to the stuff that really matters. No one really cares
about my jamba juice making skills. I know, I know...

So yesterday Mara Senhora, we have been teaching for these last 2
months was baptized. She is one of the most scheikiest people I have
baptized. Her picture is included. also André her son and Naiara his
soon to be wife bought rings!!!!! They are such a crazy little family.
I love all of them so much. There is a picture of them and their 3
little girls. They just need to register and get married and they too,
with their oldest daughter Meralyn, will get baptized! They are such a
perfect little family. I love them so much. They are one of God´s
miracles here in Campos - the city that I thought would not produce
many fruits. But faith and a lot of work does miracles. And God is
still blessing us with miracles.

This week we were about to cut one of our investigators. Both of us
felt something different about him, and we had only taught him two
times, and he is really hard to find in his house, so we had passed at
least 5 times and he was never there. So we made a decision to pass
again one more time and then cut him from our list of investigators.
We went and he was there!!!! He commented that it was really strange
that we showed up just 5 minutes after he got home. He said that he
was at the mall and he was planning on staying there until 9 ish, but
he didn't feel good. Something inside him told him that he shouldn't be
there that he should go home. He listened and followed the prompting
and we showed up 5 min. after he got home! He is a dentist and lives
with his aged parents and brother and he is Catholic and his name is
Marcus. He is traveling now but I feel that God has a lot in store for
him when he gets back.

But that is all for this week folks. Tuesday was so good to get to
talk to all of you. I hope everyone is happy. And I hope everyone
makes a lot of great new years goals!!!! Happy 2013

Sis Peterson

Kylie's letters and photos 12/25/12

FELIZ NATALLLL FAMÌLIAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

So here is the scoop. I sent a bunch of pictures to make up for the lack of email. The pictures are of a river of chocolate milk that is right next to our area. And of us making colxinha with some irmãs da igreja. And of our Christmas party the day of transfers. This week was great. The baptismal date of Mara fell but we had the interview yesterday and we remarked for this sunday. So hopefully things will work out.

congrats for the wedding survival. Now That you are all pro you guys can whip up a wedding for me and one of my hippie boyfriends right?!

 

haha

 

love you guys

 

até amanhã

 

ky

 

   

Kylie's letter 12/17/12

Happy wedding week for the participants and the engaged couple.

Be sure to take lots of cool pics and eat a bowl of tomato basil soup! Looooooooooooooooooooooooove that kind of soup. They have soup here with bananas in it. Actually they put bananas in everything rice and beans, pizza, macaroni. Yeah - so it turns out it is actually really good... But onto the good stuff. 

This last week I was able to be a part of a wedding here. I got to back to my home in Quissamã. I stayed there Friday and Saturday. It was so funny going back. I love that little town and my family there. It was an amazing weekend. We left the newbies in Campos to work and we headed off for the wedding, and more importantly the baptism, of a family we found our first week there with Sis Z and me. We worked with them almost every day and went to the wedding office place and bajillion times and they were finally married and baptized!!!! Remember Ana Maria and Jorge? They were married and they and their son were baptized. It was one of the happiest moments of the mission to see a family entering the church. And it was so good to go back to a place that I loooove so much and stay with members so simple but have such strong testimonies. It was pure bliss. It is moments like these that make every hour in the scorching sun worth it. "Life is beautiful, the gospel makes it so!" 

Transfers are tomorrow and all four of us will stay in Campos. I am really happy. Because I thought I would get transfered, but it all turned out great. I love the sisters I am living with. I sent home one of my old comapnions early this morning and only got 3 hrs of sleep. We stayed up talking and then I waited with her at the bus station forever. But it was really good to catch up with her. She lives in São Paulo. I am hoping to catch a glimpse of her when I come home. Speaking of which. I got the dreaded phone call. I was totally not expected it. The office elders called me to confirm flight plans and airports. I told them SLC and to put the date for Out 6. They unfortunatley told me that that was impossible. But I will be leaving Brasil March 6. So I will probably arrive March 7.  It makes me sick to think that I have to leave Brasil and take off my name tag. I love it here. 

Tonight we are spending the night at the train station with our elders in our zone to go to Vitória to party it up the day of transfers and celebrate Christmas. It is going to be great! I am gonna try to send pics. with the rest of my time. know tht I love each and every one of you. 

 

love you all

sister peterson

 

Kylie's letter 12/10/12

This week has been super duper hot. It was 105 Saturday. yeah. 105 and sunscreen and church clothes don't really mix. Here in Rio they have the custom to do 2 kisses instead of 1 on the cheek when you greet people and I have been opting for the oí tudo bem? and end it at that. Who wants to kiss a sweaty missionary that has been walking in the sun the whole day.

This week has been good. We are preparing a Senhora that is trying to stop smoking. Today is her goal to stop completely. She needs prayers. Her name is Mara. She is really sweet. She said she prayed for God to help her find a church a place that she could call her own and we showed up at her door clapping. Cool how God works isn't it?! Her date is for this Sunday I hope all turns out well.

And our little family is progressing too. They still need to get on the ball with the wedding.

Funny stories of the week are: elect scorpions and the law.

There has always been scorpions in every area, but here there are elect scorpions. I had gotten to the point of thinking that men don't really stop us to talk to us about religion. I had stopped being gullible and thinking that they actually want to hear something about the gospel. So with this attitude, I have just started to tell them to come to church and then we can talk. To my utter surprise they have been coming to church. One guy in particular ran (literally was sprinting after us and yelling for us to stop) after us yesterday and started talking about what church we were from and then started talking about English and my heritage and etc. etc. And he tried to get our information but I was not buying it. I told him we weren't here to talk to people about life and to play around etc.But we are here to baptize people, and if he wanted to talk about the gospel he could. And he was trying to be all convincing and saying things like - yeah I want to talk about the gospel I want to change my life etc. Etc. I wasn't buying it. I finally told him, that I know the men here and I have never had anyone run after me to talk about religion. He finally got on to what I was meaning. And he said, no I am not interested in you. (In my head I am thinking yeeeah right) Then I said - OK then go to church and if you go we will get your address and start visiting you. Then he asked me my name and got my name and started to leave. Very annoyed  and wanting to catch him in his words - I said - don't you want to know her name (pointing to Sister Moyano). And he said No and then did a double take realizing exactly what he just did and said that actually he did want to know her name. HA! I told you so... 

 MEN!!!!! What they will do for blond hair and blue eyes. And to my utter surprise. He came to church. He is the second of these elect scorpions that follow through with commitments. And we got his address. We will see how it will go. I have a very strong testimony that even scorpions can be touched by the spirit. So we will see how it goes. His name is Bruno.

Also this week we have had several people ask us if we are from the law and if we are CIA agents. Yep that is right. What a great undercover disguise. One particular encounter we were looking for a less active that apparently is in jail. And the man we asked for information. such as if he knew him, and where he lives etc. asked us if we were from the law. And we kind of laughed and said, "No". Then he got all scared and kept saying, - "No, I don't know anything, I don't know anything. Nope - Nothing".

Haha. Yep - we are from the Celestial law. I would be pretty scared too if two girls in cute flowery dresses and skirts showed up at my door.

Good luck with finals and wedding stuff. Remember that Christmas is all about Jesus Christ and the mission he came to accomplish. To pay for our faults, weaknesses, and sins. But He lives. And we will too.

 Spread the love. Proclaim the joy. And share the gospel!

love you all

ky

This is me and my cute little companion in the rain the one rainy day. here is way dryer than Vitoria. I like the sun better than the rain.

Kylie's Letter 12-3-12

CRAZZZZZY! it is already december. And it is nice and HOT! Time is just flying by! And things are going great. I think we are going to have a baptism this next week. It is the mom of the family we are teaching she is working on quitting smoking. Pray for her to have strength to stop. Her name is MARa. 

But this week was great! here are the highlights. 

- the family we are teaching asked us to be godmothers. So I now have three god daughters and I will be the one to carry the rings down the aisle. Shique huh! 

- One of my goddaughters has lice and I did her hair this Sunday. I have been washing my hair with vinegar this week to prevent lice. okay- so maybe I am a little over the top but I really dont want lice. So I have smelled like salad dressing all week. 

- My family from Quissamã came to stake conference yesterday. It was a great reunion. And My family that I taught for the last 3 months I was there, are getting married and baptized next week. So me and Sis Z are gonna try and work somthing out to get to see the wedding and the baptisms and do our baptisms here as well. There will be just too much happiness next weekened I dont know if I will be able to handle it. 

- spiritual moment--thought of the week. I have been learning how to be a good leader. And guess what it is? The same thing as missionary work. To be a missionary we help people come unto Christ throught faith, repentance, making and keeping sacred covenants until the end. And guess what- that is the same thing you should do with anyone and everyone. The real way to help people is the help them let Christ help them. And that is throught increasing their faith that will then lead them to repentance and the desire to keep their covenants. It all starts with faith and their relationshiop with God and their Savior and everything else just falls into place. 

But that is all for this week. Dan sent me a bunch of pics. And oh my goodness MASON IS HUGE!!!!!! weird wierd weird. 

Love you alll super duper muito muito. 

tchau

ky

ps The pic is of me and my zone. My little comapnion is on the far left. And I am on the far right. Just in case you didnt recongize me . 

Kylie's letter 11/26/12

Dear family

This week was great. Monday we went to Walmart, which wasn't that great. But whatever. They had cream cheese. But this week was really good. Filled with spiritual experiences.

Our family is wanting to be baptized. I had them say a prayer to confirm everything they were feeling. They had some really cool experiences with opening up to the Bible and the Book of Mormon to inspired verses. It is just going to take forever for them to get married. But we are working on it.

It is so nice to be in an Ala. Everything runs so much smoother and Sundays are actually not stressful. I just sit back and watch the members in action. It is a nice change, I can focus more on being a missionary instead of Sunday school teacher, relief socity counselor, etc.

Highlights of this week –

-          It is getting to be suuuuuper hot.

-          There is a man from Bahia that wants to marry me

-          We ate homemade tacos with homemade tortillas!!! Thanks to my nifty difty recipe book I brought along

-          Cockroaches in my suitcase

-          We taught a profeta (a young girl) who claimed she had the authority

I love this area. And I love being a missionary. And I love preaching the gospel. I was talking with Sis Z who is living with me (tender mercy) and we were talking about some missionaries who are wanting to get back to real life. And as we were talking we concluding that the mission is as real as life get. When it all comes down to it. What we do everyday is the only thing that really matters. Helping others and ourselves come closer to Cristo to one day inherit eternal life which is the greatest of all gifts. I don’t know about you guys – but I am pretty excited for eternal life. So – spread the love this holiday season and help everyone remember what real life really is. When our joy will be completed and we will live in a state of never ending happiness. (way better than the fairy tales – and they lived happily ever after…)

Love you guys

Sis P

Kylie's letter November 19, 2012

Buenas Dia!!!

Minhas queridas! This week was soooo good! Let me tell you what happened. 

So the first week here was ridiculous, we were cutting all of the investigators that the elders had and we were teaching about two or three lessons every day which isn't very much for Brazil. And it seemed like everyone we talked to had already received the missionaries and they were super rude etc etc. It was rough. So to start off the week last week, I did a special fast and prayed my guts out after lunch to have Heavenly Father bless me with a family or at least one person. I explained to Him that my mission was coming to an end and that I was willing to work really really hard until the very last day, but I would like to find someone somewhere that needs our message. And I told Him that I had no idea where they were but I knew He did, so I told Him that I would talk to every single person I felt a prompting without a hesitation and I would try even harder to step up our pace here and beat down every single door here if I had to. 

That day I did exactly that and it was amazing. It was raining and usually it is kind of annoying to work in the rain because you are up to you knees at times in rain and you are wet all day etc. But I decided to be happy about it. And it was actually a very fun day. Every single person we passed in the street that I felt the prompting `talk to him`I did it without hesitation and the results were amazing, we found people that had actually never heard of the church before and marked times to meet with them. The end of this day we picked a street to clap doors and the first door we came to a woman answered and she let us in. We left a message about family prayer and marked a time to come back. We came back and she and her husband and her two little girls and her mother in law were there too. We taught the first lesson and after the woman her name is Naiara said that the first day that we knocked on her door she had just finished talking to Andre her fiancé about religion and everything and how it was weird that there was so many churches and then bingo! we showed up. And she felt a feeling to let us in. They had some doubts about the Book of Mormon and André who has a lot of knowledge about the Bible understood everything really well and it made sense to him, but he had a doubt about the Book of Mormon because there is a verse in revelation that talks about you can't add anything to the Bible etc. I explained about that he was only talking about the Bible only and that the Book of Mormon is here only to add to the truths it is an additional testament of Jesus Christ. And miraculously he totally understood it on a level that he himself recognized the spirit was confirming that John was really only talking about the Bible. After that he was sold. And he wanted to get baptized Monday, but we explained that there are some things that need to happen first. His wife was still a little skeptical and after we left she looked up Mormons on the internet and got all scared but when she told her husband her husband (hallelujah) showed her that you cant trust the internet. He looked up things about Jesus Christ that said Jesus was a demon. And with our next visit she said that she felt the spirit enter the home as we entered and she too wants to get baptized. The grandma doesn't really understand a lot but she feels the spirit and felt the spirit during our visits and she too is determined to stop smoking and get baptized too. The just need to get taught the commandments and get married and this will add one more family to the Lord. I didn't expect God to answer my prayer so quickly. But I am so grateful for this and so grateful that Sister Moyano will be a part of this. Actually it was probably her faith and prayers that got us this family too. She is a great little missionary a little nervous when teaching but she is really sweet. She will get to practice teaching all the commandments and all the lessons. Something I didn't get to do until six months in the mission. Haha - vitória definitely was a lot harder than this area. but that is the great story of the week!! They are an amazing family Naiara, Mara, André, Dafne, e Jenifer. The cutest little girls in the world. 

other fun things that happened. 

- It has been raining a ton and when it rains it pours and at times were are up to our mid calves in the rain.

- We talked to a homeless guy on the street- I actually got a really strong prompting to talk to him, and he walked with us for a bit, and as we were walking he shouted to a bunch of men he knew as we passed. Each time he called them by name and told them if they ever saw people messing with us that they should help us. And that they should keep an eye out for us. So now we not only have the angels with us we have an added protection of the local city gang. It is kind of funny the respect people here have for missionaries and people of the church. I have heard several stories of missionaries getting robbed and when the robbers realizes they are missionaries he gives them their wallets back and lets them go. Brazil has really strong roots in Christianity. kind of cool. 

- This area is great. It is in the city. We have really nice neighborhoods on one side of the train tracks on the other side there are ghettos. The worst ghettos I have ever seen in all of my areas. We avoid those areas. 

- We went to Walmart today - bonus of living in the city they have fun stuff like that

- Some man shouted super duper rude things at us shaking his Bible at us int he hand as we walked past and he invited us/told us to come study the bible with him. I walked past him two times on purpose just to be really nice and say hello good after noon super sticky sweet just to make him mad. I kind of wanted to ask him if he believed in the same Jesus Christ that taught us to love one another. But I am not sure if he would know who I was talking about.

But that is about it for the week. Love all of you so much thanks for your prayers. And have fun with Thanksgiving. Eats lots of yummy American food. And know that I am so thankful for every single one of you and for this Gospel. It is true and I know it.

love you

ky

Kylie's letter 11/12/12

So here is the scoop. i got transferrrred tooooooo .............................CAMPOS; which is still in the state of Rio. So I am in the same zone just moved cities. Instead of the country I am in the big city. Super fun to passiar [walk] on p-day; but to work--not so fun. We are doing 2 or 3 lessons a day which is kind of hard after 7 to 8 in Quissamã. I think I will stay here until the end. Random because the mission is the state of Espirito Santo but the majority of my mission has been outside of it. Haha. But it was a tender mercy. I really wanted to stay in Quissama but God had different plans. So he puts me in the same stake as Quissamã and my ward has two of the stake counselors. So that means I can directly talk to them about the branch and get them on the ball helping the forgotten little branch. And I will be able to go to the wedding and baptism of the families I taught and I will get to see the members when they come here for stake stuff. Whoohooo! And I am training a little gal from Argentina. she´s cute. Basically just speaks Spanish all the time and I keep having to remind her to forget Spanish and speak Portuguese. And I was also made district leader. I know - weird huh?! I really did not want to be district leader. I have never really liked district meetings And so serves me right. I got called as district leader and I take care of the first district of sisters. which also means I have a bajillion things to do on the computer today. All the things I never know the district leaders had to do. All the elders have been teasing me and saying i have sisterdocio. which is a mix of sister and sacerdocio = priesthood, in port. also means i get to do divisions with the LZ and the assistants. This is not what I signed up for. But I'm sure the lord has something to teach me while doing it. So sorry this email is lame. I have so much to do and so many emails to update etc etc. but just pray that we can enter into these houses and find the elects. This area is super hard. Reminds of Vitoria. But it will all be good. Sure love you guys a toooon.

Kylie's letter and pictures 11-5-12

Gotta to be quick. Tomorrow is transfers and both me and sis z were transferred. We are going by train and I have no idea where I am gonna end up. This week was hard. we are leaving a lot of wonderful families. Yesterday the branch had testimony meeting and everyone talked about us and bore testimony about missionary work. And our little family we are teaching bore testimony, and I sat up in front by the keyboard bawling my eyes out. Then last night they did a little party for us. It was wonderful. Its been really dark and rainy here and I have just wanted to roam the streets on my bike soaking in all of the memories of this little town. I love these people so much. But I know that I will love my new area too. I will send pics because this email is super duper short. But I will be training next transfer and it looks like the transfer after that i will pick up another greenie and be training two at a time. Oh joy!!!

Love you all

ky

Kylie's letter 10-29-12

Fam

This week was great – here are the details

- Bought my first hammock! So I wasn't even interested in buying it but
this poor guy comes up to us and starts with 30 reais. And he starts
going down to 25 than 20 and kept pushing 20. I was trying to get rid
of him and told him we would buy it for 10 reais which is 5 bucks
super cheap. Thinking he would leave us, but he agreed and Sis. Z and I
bought our 5 dollar Brazilian hammocks! Whoohooo! Poor guy i think he
was just trying to get money to pay for a bus ticket out of Quissamã.
Haha.

- This week I discovered the fun of catching chickens and little chicks.
It is incredibly entertaining and super difficult. A bunch of our
investigators have these little animals running all over their yards
and the kids will run and catch them, and I joined them too. And i
  don't think I have ever had so much fun on the mission. The poor little
things start squawking and squawking. But it is so triumphant when you
actually grab one and hold their cute little fluffy bodies in your
hand. que alegria!

- I also met my new hippie boyfriend. And guess what?! He is a member!
So we planned it all out, I'll finish my mission and come back and
reactivate him and then we will get married and travel Brazil,
  Brazilian hippie style! He made me a rose out of a palm leaf! What
can I say- I have a thing for hippies and they have a thing for me!

- This week I got my first dose of heat rash. Summer is starting to
creep in, and I was starting to get mosquito bites (or so I thought)
And I was telling my companions, the mosquitos really ate me last
night etc etc. And then that night when I was taking a shower I
noticed a huge rash all over my body with big welts and we concluded
must be heat rash. That night I couldn't sleep because my whole body
was itching soooo bad. But sis Z had this medbond stuff that I used,
and it is going away now, and I just have little splotches now and
then. Oh the joys of Brazil!

- Also this week we went to another historical museum that happened to
be at the same time as a whole bunch of students from a near by city.
And we the Americans- sono became one of the extractions. They also
wanted to take pictures of us and with us. What can I say – we are
pretty cool.

- Also sister z and I have started teaching seminary here and we have been creating a scripture mastery cd with music. I love seminary! 

- also spiritual thought of the week - one of the elders gave this for a training for district meeting he talked about the gospel and how in the gospel you have to know that it is true, feel that is true, and act like it is true. These three verbs - to know, to feel, and to do - and that is what makes a true follower of Jesus Christ. I really liked that - because there are people here with all sorts of combinations some know and feel it but don't do anything about it, others feel and do it but don't know much, others etc. But with the three together is a powerful combination. All of us can be better about knowing the gospel, feeling the gospel, and living the gospel. 

amo vocês. And happy Halloween this week!!! We are having a Halloween p-day today and carving pumpkins - or we are going to try to carve pumpkins. they are different here more like squash! but that is okay!

love you all

ky

Kylie's letter 10/22/12

This week was pretty normal. nothing super duper extraordinary happened. It was a good week this week, we reached our goals in lessons and then some on Friday so that made Saturday and Sunday less hectic. I am sending a bunch of pictures to make this email more exciting but here goes this week:

This week I ate my first Brasilian coconut, one of the families we are teaching gave us a whole bunch and we used our creativity to open them. The water is apparently really healthy but I felt like I wanted to throw up when I drank it. It wasn't that good. But the meat was pretty good - due to the fact that is PACT with saturated fatty acids. My favorite! (I still have random dietetic facts floating in my head) 

Also this week we have been scoping out a few new neighborhoods to work in. This last week we went to Macadinha which is a super historical place they had a little museum there that we happened upon knocking on doors. So the houses are where the slaves were kept, so it is just one huge building with a bunch of doors. We taught 4 lessons in one hour it was great. It was just one house after another. And the museum is in one of the units that we clapped at thinking it was a house but lo and behold a tour guide met us and took us on a mini tour of this little memorial they have. the only problem is it is way far away from the church and they don't have buses on Sunday.... so we will see what happens. 

This week we had a fireside and our choir presentation it was great. I love Brazilians. They all sing with a lot of gusto even when it isn't the right notes. the spirit was felt. 

All this week our families are going super well. the one family of Adriano e Adriana - the one with the sister in Rio that is a member. They are progressing slowing but surely. The husband said that he likes how we taught and that we are different from other churches instead of insisting that it is true we just bear simple testimony and let them find out for themselves. He told his wife after we left (she told us after)that he didn't want to read the Book of Mormon because if he read it and believed it he would have to stop drinking. This is actually great because that means he understands what we are trying to do and our purpose. The next visit he had read until page 20! They are a great family. My second real family that I have taught on the mission! WHOOOHOOOOO!!!!

But that is about all for this week! The mission is great! I love feeling the spirit everyday and helping others better their lives! I love Brazil and I love quissamã and I love you all!!!

happy week! 

sis p

    

Kylie's letter 10/15/12

One of the most common questions that we get after we introduce ourselves is if we know Justin Beiber. So we have just started throwing that line into our contacts - Hello, my name is Sister Peterson and we are missionaries of the chruch of Jesus Christ, and no we don't know Justin Beiber. But could we come and visit you and your family another day...?

And you also know that you have a lot of time in one area when the little children in the street yell your name as you ride past. 

buuuut

this week was grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat! 

We had an branch activity at the beach!!!! Whoohooo! And I got burnt to a crisp. But it was all worth it. We went to the beach and the kids swam and I played soccer with the irmãos and young men of the branch - there is a rule that the sisters cant play soccer with the elders but they never said anything about playing with other members of the church. So, I played my heart away and held my own against these Brasilian soccer fanatics. It was so fun. I also cut a huge chunk off of my big toe playing. I think I stepped on a shell or something. But it is all good now. We had a Brazilian barbecue with rice and farofa. It was great. I love Brazil. 

This week we will enter the process for the marriage of Ana maria and Jorge. They are doing so great. I will try to attach some pictures of them. Ana maria bore her testimony yesterday and it was so cute. She talked about all he blessings she has in her life now because of the church. They are such a simple family but they are feeling all of the blessings that they restored gospel has to offer. I love them. this past week we baptized Luanna the daughter of Ana maria that lives with another mom, and everything went great with the baptism. 

This week we had some miracles happen. We have been working really hard in this neighborhood and getting a lot of cold shoulders and I have been praying my guts out to find people prepared by the Lord, and while we were entering a house of a lady we had contacted in the street, her sister, who was there,  said - "Oh hey, I am Mormon too." And both me and sister Z took a step back and said, "Wait, what did you say?!" Turns out this investigator´s sister already is a member. She and her husband  were baptized earlier this year and they are trying to move into this neighborhood.  They have a bunch of family here including the family were were about to teach; and so we got all of their addresses and we are going to start teaching them all. We also ran into the mother in law of this sister in another part of the neighborhood.  She was there to get her birth certificate so she could be baptized and we grabbed the addresses of her and her family that live here as well. It was way cool to be united with the other missionaries in Rio and see how their work is bringing fruits for our side of the mission. This truly is a marvelous work and a wonder. 

This week we are working on a choir. They don't sing very well, but the spirit is so strong. We will perform in a fireside this weekend. And it will be super sheeky! 

Also this week - I ate a fish head complete with the eyes and everything. and I also ate cow stomach. They make this soup stuff with it and you can see all the micrvilli and everything. You cant really chew it, you just kind of slurp it down. I almost died. 

I love the mission and I love you all! 

Fique firme forte!!

tchauzinhos e beijos! 

ky