October 31, 2012

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! Wahoo! Halloween isn't the same here, but one of our recent converts (Priscilia) bought a pumpkin for us to carve today. So we are going to go do that after she cuts our hair! Sis F. asked if my family is going to send me a package with American candy for Halloween, but I told her no. She was pretty sad and hopes that I get a package before she finishes her mission in December. I don't know why she thinks American candy and toys are so much better than Brazilian. She is funny. We had transfers this week and thank goodness she is staying with me. I would have had a really really really hard time if she got transferred. Now we are going to be here in Caicó together until Dec. 12 when she goes back to São Paulo. We had a really great moment this week when we were walking and I discovered that she knows the Shania Twain song "Man I Feel Like A Woman" I was laughing SO hard singing it with her. Oh boy, her American accent is so perfect. I have so much fun with her. Plus she teaches super powerfully with the Spirit.

So besides the great news about transfers the highlight of this last week was a brand new closet/armoir that we got!! It is so beautiful and now I have somewhere to hang my clothes and they aren't just in a mess in my suitcase. It really was the most exciting thing when they delivered it to our apartment and assembled it. It felt like Christmas, which is probably good because Christmas won't feel like Christmas. It is so hot here still. Getting hotter everyday. I don't mind though, it gives me something to look forward to everyday when the sun goes down and things cool off a little. The sad news of this week: our beloved rede (hammock) broke. I guess we were having a little too much fun swinging in it together and the ropes snapped. It was really funny in the moment, but now we don't have one so I think that is what I am going to spend my birthday money on. Thanks!

Sounds like you had a good trip to Idaho. I am really glad I am not in a mission that gets .6 baptisms per missionary like Sheldon. Heavenly Father really knows me because he called me here, it really is the perfect place for me to serve. The people are friendly and believe in God and appreciate our message even if they don't accept. Yeah, we have problems here but they are problems that I can handle. For example, this week I invited a guy we have been teaching to be baptized. He is SOOOO fantastic, reads the Book of Mormon everyday and always has super interesting commentary about what he read. He believes everything he reads and loves studying the scriptures. He is really smart and has so much potential, but he rejected my invitation for baptism. It was really really sad because he could contribute SO much to church, but he doesn't see himself being part of a church. He said he doesn't have any desire to practice a specific religion, but he will keep reading the Book of Mormon. Really I am so sad about him because he was by far my favorite investigator to teach, but I have hope that someday he will have desire to act on the faith he has. 

I haven't weighed myself, but everyone tells me I am getting skinnier. Who knows. I feel the same. Plus I eat a lot of not healthy food. Sis. F drinks soda like it is water so I have slowly started drinking more. Not nearly as much as her, but before I never drank soda and now I drink at least a little almost everyday. OOH!! Super good food I had here at a members house. Pure. It is basically mashed potatoes, but they mix in butter and cream (like the pints that you make whipping cream with) and mozarella and parmesan cheese. IT WAS SO GOOD!!! For real. I love it. The bishop's wife made it for me two days in a row because I liked it so much the first day. 

During one of our contacts this week I met a girl who was 17 and pregnant. THEN I found out she already had a 3 year old. Yeah, wow. Lots of people just have babies here whenever they want. Okay not lots, but she wasn't the first I met. I wish they were more receptive to the teachings of Jesus and less receptive to the teachings of the world! Really, our message could help these people, but lots aren't interested. Oh well. We keep trying. Sis. F is a way good missionary and I learn so much from her. We taught a man, Josemar about the Plan of Salvation yesterday and he told us that it was really familiar like we were confirming things he already knew! It was awesome. Hello, because his spirit does already know these things. I think he will be baptized this week. He is really great. I love teaching him because he has super interesting ideas that he always shares and he is really open to learn more. 

We don't do splits hardly ever, it was just for an activity the ward had. It was fun though. Maria Jose served somewhere in Brazil. I don't remember where. Brazilians hardly ever serve outside of Brazil. Our primary program was Sunday and the kids were so cute. We have a really rowdy primary. Like you wouldn't believe how irreverent, but it was fun to hear the primary songs in Portuguese. And we keep praying for this ward to be reverent so the Spirit can be with us during Sacrament Meeting. 

 

WELL! That is that. Love you all. Until Monday.

Sister Udy