I´m dreaming tonight...of the place I love...

Hey fam! My voice and face will be home for Christmas for a few minutes! I cannot wait for that day. Things are going great here and we are living up this Chirstmas Spirit. The huge Christmas zone conference was this week! We had half of the mission in Ribeirão Preto, back in my beloved chapel of Campos Elíseos. There was a great feast and a skit from each zone (that were actually ALL really good and funny), an awesome treinamento from Presidente, and testemunhos of the héroes. And believe it or not I was one of those few to give my final testimony and say my goodbyes. They sang God Be with you Til We Meet Again for us. That was my last zone conference I will go to in my life! Time comes at you fast. What a good mission I have behind me. It has been a wonderful 17 months. And I still have 2 more to enjoy!

I love Christmas time. There is so much to do and so much excitement in the air. I think it is a bigger deal in the states but I like to celebrate big so I am making it count here with Síster G. França. We are working hard every day and sending out lots of Ele É o Presente pass along cards and singing lots of Christmas hymns. The ward here is great and very supportive. We have two great homes to go to for Chrismas Eve Night (which is actually a bigger deal than Christmas Day here) and for Christmas Day. On Sunday the bishopric gave all four of us a pannetone! (look it up, the best little food that Christmas has ever had to offer) I LOVE that stuff and could eat a whole one in one sitting. Anyways, none of you have to worry about us missionaries here because everyone is showing lots of love

We had success visiting or recent converts this week. There is one family who lives way far away so we don´t get to visit them very often. The 15 year old daughter was baptized a few weeks ago, and the parents are investigating. They are practically members já and have huge testimonies but just have to get married first. It is a work in progress with a bunch of legal problems but in January they are making goals to have the wedding! Once they get married for sure they will get baptized. The only problem is that they are planning on moving to another ward in the stake as well so we might not be teaching them for very long. But we had an awesome lesson with them this week and watched the Christmas film Mundo Feliz. It brought a Spirit SO strong and helped us remember even more of Christ. I would highly recommend you all watching it again this Christmas season.

The Lord is continually showing me that He is leading this work. If I give a little bit more of myself He always fulfills the rest.

Sorry I don´t have much time to write today because I had to send in some references, but know that I love you and will devote every drop of my 40 minutes to you on the 25th! You guys are so wonderful.

Love,

your daughter

and sis

and friend

and brazilian

Síster Marchante

***Hey dad, could you please actually email me one of you skype emails and passwords for me to use? I will enter here on the email on Christmas and get the info. I don´t know if I remember mine correctly and I think it would be easier to use your than to create a new one out here. Thanks so much!! p.s. Emma, is it true?

Olá Presidente!

Estou muito animada para Natal! A conferência foi maravilhosa e trouxe muitas memórias boas. Vou lembrar-me sempre as experiências boas como as conferências de zona. Obrigada por todo o esforço que vocês deram para fazer com que ela seja ótima e feliz. Eu AMO Natal e amo a oportunidade compartilhar nossa mensagem durante esta estação feliz. Eu gosto muito das novas cartões de Ele é o Presente e estamos conseguindo assistir este vídeo com muitas pessoas. Que bênção é estar aqui na missão durante Natal.

O treinamento foi muito bom para mim ver como tudo cabe juntos. Eu estou aplicando os princípios da obra durante épocas diferentes na minha missão e agora consigo enxergar como tudo pode ser feito na mesma vez. Vou tentar passar isto para as nossas Sísteres também.

Esta semana começou difícil aqui em Araraquara porque quase todos nossos pesquisadores desistiram. Mas a semana foi muita boa também porque me sinto que realmente fizemos tudo que pudemos. Colocamos todos nossos corações, mentes e forças ao trabalho e mesmo durante dificuldades, vimos milagres. Estou aprendendo que realmente tudo está nas mãos do Senhor e que se Ele quer que algo acontece, nada vai pará-Lo. Achamos um Senhor e uma Senhora no Sábado que já visitaram muitas igrejas mas nunca sentiram certas. Encontramos o Senhor fazendo contatos na rua. Falamos muito com ele e pedimos entrar, e ele deixou. Eles são velhos, porém muito inteligentes e tiveram perguntas ótimas. Ensinamos o Plano de Salvação e o Espírito foi forte. Tentamos marcar uma data e falaram que querem aprender mais antes de decidir no batismo. É claro estes dias realmente quem tem interesse e potencial e quem não via progredir. Estamos confiando muito no Senhor para encontrar e ensinar pelo Espírito. Eu sei que se eu me sinto o Espírito estou fazendo a vontade de Deus. Ele guia esta obra, e Ele manda o Espírito Santo. Com Eles jamais vamos falhar. Estou tão grata ser parte da organização incrível que uma missão de Cristo é. Sabemos que nosso trabalho é vital e vai salvar almas.

Obrigada por tudo,

Síster Marchante

 

English Translation:

 

Hello President!
I'm very excited for Christmas! The conference was wonderful and brought many good memories. I will remember always the good experiences as zone conferences. Thank you for all the effort you have to make it to be great and happy. I LOVE Christmas and love the opportunity to share our message during this happy season. I really like the new cards It is the present and we are able to view this video with many people. What a blessing to be here in the mission during Christmas.
The training was very good for me to see how everything fits together. I am applying the principles of work during different times in my mission and I can now see how everything can be done at the same time. I'll try to pass it to our Sisters as well.


This week began here in Araraquara difficult because almost all of our researchers have given up. But the week was also a lot of good because I feel that really did everything we could. We put all our hearts, minds and strength to work and even during hard times, we have seen miracles. I am learning that really everything is in the hands of the Lord and that He wants something happens, nothing will stop him. Found a Lord and Lady on Saturday who have visited many churches but never felt right. We found the Lord making contacts on the street. We talk a lot with him and we go, and he left. They are old but very intelligent and had great questions. We teach the Plan of Salvation and the Spirit was strong. We try to schedule a date and said that they want to learn more before deciding on baptism. Of course these days really who has interest and potential and who saw no progress. We are very trusting in the Lord to find and teach by the Spirit. I know that I feel the Spirit I am doing the will of God. He guides this work, and He sends the Holy Spirit. They never fail to let. I am so grateful to be part of the amazing organization that is a mission of Christ. We know that our work is vital and will save souls.

Thanks for everything,
Sister Marchante

Olá minha família lindíssima!

Christmas is arriving! It really has been a week full of miracles. I am already starting to love this area a ton. There are so many wonderful people here and we are seeing great miracles. We have received a bunch of references that are really solid this week and are teaching a bunch, more than I have in months. We had a great lesson with Lucas (see below) who is really sad and needs the blessings and orientação do evangelho muito na vida dele. His girlfriend just cut off their engagement that they had been in for 7 years! He is very eleito and ready to receive the gospel in his life. We are super excited to teach him and have some baptisms here in Araraquara.

I have always only heard good things about this city and now I know why. The ward is awesome and very receptive. It was SUPER hard to say goodbye to everyone in Irajá; I have really grown to love them with all my heart, but the reception in Araraquara was wonderful as well so I know I will have great relationships here too. They were really excited when they heard that I play the piano so I will once again be accompaining in Relief Society and in Sacrament Meeting. It is great to be able to use my talents in this meaningful way. I have a huge testimony of music and the power it can send to strengthen people´s testimony. I am very blessed to be here.

Síster G. França and I are having lots of fun together and getting along great. We are working hard and finding lots of people. This area is very balanced in that we are teaching a lot of pesquisadores, menos ativos, and recém-conversos. My other areas didn´t have as much of an even spread like we do here. It is neat to participate more in all aspects of the work. It is a really big area and we have to take the onibus a lot, but we are having lots of good adventures. There is nothing like falling into bed morto every night after a long day of work. Vish! We need every drop of sleep we can get.

Oh another big change here in Araraquara is our zone. I came from a zone in Ribeirão Preto that had more sísteres than any other in the mission--about 8 duplas. Here we are the only sisteres in our zone here. It was a very different zone meeting this week. I am very used to working mostly with sisteres and this may take a little getting used to. Elders are a whole different race.

Christmas is arriving! I am super excited for this next week because we will have the huge Mission Conference in Ribeirão Preto and also our ward party the next day. We have a few FHE´s as well. With that and other lessons we have every single night booked for next week already. This season is going to zoom past. I am LOVING the decorations de Natal in our little apartment right now. We have a tree with presents underneath and a window of mini Chistmas trees and lights--tudo graças a Mãe. Thanks for everything. This is the hardest part of the year for a missionary to be away from home, but with all your love, I feel like I am almost there with you! Send lots of love and chocolate for all of the missionaries in your home wards. They often go unnoticed during these busy holiday seasons, especially in the states.

I love you all TONS!

Síster Marchante

Querido Presidente Brum,
Esta semana foi maravilhosa. Foi muito cansativa, mas foi ótima. Consegui conhecer a área um pouco e todos os pesquisadores que temos. Esta área é fantástica e tem muito potencial. Estou animada ficar aqui um pouco e servir as pessoas de Araraquara. A ala foi ótima ontem e bem receptiva. Sinto-me em casa já.
Eu amo servir com a Síster G. França. Ela é muito diligente e não pensa em casa muito, mesmo que seja a última transferência dela. Conseguimos ensinar muitas lições boas e ter muitos milagres esta semana. Uma milagre aconteceu com nosso novo pesquisador, Lucas. Ele foi uma referência dos Élderes quem marcaram um compromisso para 5 hr o próximo dia. Estávamos muito animadas conhecê-lo. Andamos bastante e chegamos lá certinho, mas ninguém estava em casa. Decidimos bater algumas portas no lado, e conseguimos ensinar uma lição. Depois, ao subirmos a rua, encontramos um homem chegando em casa que parou a gente e foi...o Lucas mesmo! Ouvimos a história dele e marcamos para voltar o próximo dia. Voltamos com um membro e ensinamos a Restauração (foi ontem). Ele foi muito atento e entendeu bem. Ele tem um desejo forte para fazer qualquer coisa que Deus que para ele. Ele aceitou batismo e uma data e prometeu ir à Igreja o próximo domingo. Ele é inteligente e estamos animadas ajudá-lo a mudar sua vida completamente. Ele já tem muita fé, e vai progredir rapidamente.
Não fizemos divisões esta semana como a primeira semana da transferência, mas nossas Sísteres parecem bem por enquanto. Temos planos para dar o discurso, "Tornar-se perfeitos em Cristo" de uma Liahona recente para nossa tema para esta transferência. Eu amo este discurso. Ele realmente mudou minha visão sobre nosso propósito e como ser mais como Cristo. As revistas da Igreja são maravilhosas.
Estamos muito animadas para Natal! Tudo vai ser excelente.
Com amor,
Síster Marchant

 

 

English Translation:

Dear President Brum,
This week has been wonderful. It was very tiring, but it was great. Got to know the area a bit and all the researchers who have. This area is fantastic and has so much potential. I'm excited to be here a little and serve people of Araraquara. The wing was great yesterday and well receptive. I feel at home already.
I love to serve with Sister G. France. She is very diligent and do not think much at home, even if it is the last transfer it. We were able to teach many good lessons and have many miracles this week. A miracle happened to our new investigator, Lucas. It was a reference to Elders who marked a commitment for 5 hr the next day. We were very excited to meet you. We walked a lot and we got there just right, but no one was home. We decided to hit some doors on the side, and I could teach a lesson. Then go up to the street, we found a man coming home that stopped us and was ... Lucas same! We heard his story and mark to return the next day. We returned with a limb and teach the Restoration (yesterday). He was very attentive and well understood. He has a strong desire to do anything that God than for him. He accepted baptism and a date and promised to go to church the next Sunday. He's smart and are animated help you change your life completely. He already has a lot of faith, and will progress quickly.
We did not make divisions this week as the first week of the transfer, but our Sisters seem fine for now. We have plans to give the speech, "Becoming perfect in Christ" in a recent Liahona to our theme for this transfer. I love this speech. It really changed my view of our purpose and how to be more like Christ. The Church magazines are wonderful.
We are very excited to Christmas! Everything will be fine.
With love,
Sister Marchant

Well hello there fam!

What a week it has been. So many big changes are here---After spending my entire mission in Ribeirão Preto, I was hereby transfered out of the sede and the city! I am now in... ... ...Araraquara! It is a city about an hour and a half outside of Ribeirão. I am now companions with a Síster G. França! She is from Pará, Brasil and is an amor de uma pessoa. I already love her to death. She has been out the same amount of time as I have on the mission and has already served one transfer here in Araraquara. I am super excited to serve with a Brasilian again. I have been a whole year with Americans and am ready to speak Portuguese 24/7 de novo and really perfect it before I go home. I LOVE this language and am loving learning all the nitty gritty details. I have also heard that this is an awesome area and that the ward is just great. I am so excited to get started with a new start on things in a completely differente place. The wards here in Brasil are just wonderful. The members are so open and loving every time and each family makes you feel like you´re their own daugther. I want to bring a lot of this brotherly love back to wherever I am in the states quando voltar. I´m sure this new ward will be the same.

Wow it was hard to leave Irajá. I never imagined it would be so hard. The people there have really dug their ways into my heart. We made a little coisinha para a Clarice and had a difficult final lesson with her. Everyone cried and we said our final goodbyes. Clarice is such a devoted soul and has truly embraced the gospel fullheartedly. She is a huge example of faith to me. She is coming to everything and is talking about the church to all of her family and friends. It is easy to tell which of the recém-conversos are realmente converted to the gospel because they are some of the most eager to share it with others. Clarice´s netos também are really excited to come to church every week and have already had a drastic change. I love this family demais!

We had a miracle with our investigators Eduardo e Josiana this week as well. We weren´t able to see them in the end because they were traveling in Franca, but we called and did a lesson over the phone real quick. After many deeply spiritual lessons with them, they have started to keep commitments! They said that the are praying and reading the Book of Mormon. The night before we called they said that they stayed up until two in the morning reading o Livro de Mórmon juntos! They are so wonderful and have a true desire to find the truth. I will miss them a lot too.

And of course, more than anything I will miss my dear Síster Sperry. She was transfered to a very hot town 6 hours from Ribeirão--the farthest área for sisteres in the mission. She completely changed my life and brought light and joy into every fiber of my being! I love this girl to death and learned SSSSSSSSOOOOOOOO much with her. Sometimes it seems like I learned more in three months with her than I have the rest of my mission combined. We had deep, personal conversations every day and truly trusted each other. I know I can count on her for whatever I need. It is so wonderful to have real, lasting friendships like I have and know that I will have with her. She has made me into a much better, stronger missionary and disciple of Christ. I am eternally grateful for the short time we had together.

We had Stake Conference this weekend too which was really fun. I was able to say my goodbyes to the ward (there´s the bishop there in a foto) and all my friends in Ribeirão. It´s neat too that with all of these divisões I actually know a lot of the members from the other wards in our stake as well. I have so many friends here! Who know so many people would take me right in and make me feel at home. I will miss this place a lot but I know that it is the will of the Lord that I go to this new area. I arrived without a problem and everything is working out. Presidente is definitely inspired with how he does transfers. It always works out for our good.

I have been studying alot about repentance lately especially in one of the first conference talks by Elder Anderson (I don´t remember the name but I think it was the second conference talk that he gave as a general authority). I would hightly recommend it and recommend truly trying to apply it to your life! I have grown such a love for the general authorities over the past few months. Sister Sperry has a special love for the general conference talks and I never know how wonderful they are. Read those ensigns with pride! They are such a blessing in our lives.

Here we go on another great adventure! See you next week.

Síster Marchant

Olá Presidente!

Esta semana passou muito rápido. Fizemos divisões com as sísteres em nossa casa. Eu saiu com a Síster Beserra. Eu ama aquela mulher tanto. Ela é tão maravilhosa! Tivemos uma divisão muito boa e tranquila. A Síster Beserra tem muito determinação e diligência. Acho que ela também aprendeu esta transferência como desacelerar e desfrutar o momento mais quando necessário. Eu com certeza aprendi isto com a Síster Sperry. Síster Beserra é muito engrassada e cheia de luz e alegria. As vezes ela não mostra sua personalidade profundo para todas as pessoas mas realmente ela é um amor e encheu nossa casa com luz e felicidade. Ela vai ser uma ótima treinadora. Estou muito animada para ela e a Síster Sena. Elas combinaram muito bem como companheiras e ajudarão uma à outra muito com treinar. Elas estão um pouco nervosas mas eu sei que as duas vão ser fantásticas.

Nossa foi difícil sair de Jd. Irajá. Nunca pensei que tinha tanto de meu coração lá. Eu AMO as pessoas lá, especialmente nossa recém-conversa Clarice e os membros. Os membros lá cuidam de seus missionários muito bem e sempre tivemos tudo que precisávamos. A ala vai amar as novas Sísteres que vão chegar. Mas...estou super animada ser a Síster Treinadora de lá!!! Ó como eu amo aquele área e as Sísteres lá. Muito obrigada por minha oportunidade voltar para Ribeirão Preto esta transferência e especialmente para Jd. Irajá. Estou a Síster mais abençoada na missão.

Foi também difícil sair da Síster Sperry. Ganhei um amor por ela como nenhuma outra pessoa que conheci faz muito tempo. Ela é maravilhosa e me ensinou tantas coisas boas. Estou muito grata pelo tempo tivemos para estar juntas in Irajá. Foi uma época muito feliz de minha missão. Estou animada para ela ir para Araçatuba e aprender muitas coisas lá também. Sei que as transferências foram muito inspiradas e que estamos onde precisamos estar.

Estou aqui em Araraquara! Presidente, estou tão animada estar aqui. Eu realmente estou aprendendo que de vez em quando mudança é boa, especialmente perto do fim da missão. Eu AMO a Síster G. França e estou super animada servir com ela! Acho que temos personalidades mais ou menos semelhantes e que vamos combinar bem aqui. Também ouvi falar tantas coisas boas de Araraquara e estou animada dar tudo de me mesma para ajudar a obra aqui. Com a Síster Sperry aprendi onde estão meus limites e como não ultrapassá-los, então sei que vou desfrutar o trabalho ainda mais nesta nova área. Obrigada por tudo! Vida é tão boa.

Até amanha!

Síster Marchante

Feliz Dia de Ação de Graças! It has been a very inspirational week. Last P-day seems like a life time ago! First thing--Happy Thanksgiving! Our Thanksgiving was a somewhat uneventful day but we were very blessed with a lot of great lessons. It was fun to at least be with an American companion who could appreciate it with me. We walked around saying TONS of things we were grateful for all day in the streets of João Rossi, here´s a few: We are grateful for clean houses, the sun that gives life to the earth, the rain that gives frio to the earth, the moço in plaid who talked to us on the right side of the street, all the kind ladies who let us in to give us water (it is our favorite way to enter doors), Clarice´s Christmas tree, my American shoes, each other, our families, Josiana, the Restoration DVD, and grass, to name a few. At the end of the day we came home and made some classic Thanksgiving turkeys with the girls (see in the pics below). It was of course the first time that Síster Beserra and Síster Sena made these wonders and they of course loved them. Those are the things that I am truly thankful for. And they made us wear Santa hats on Thanksgiving Day which I was against but overruled. Brazilians mix everything together from rice and beans and mistura to holidays. It was a blast to share a little bit of our holiday happiness with them. Not quite the same as 6 differente pies and all the family together like you guys had, but in our own way it was a very special day. Now on to the Christmas holidays! On Saturday we had a zone activity where we sang Christmas carols in the park. It was super fun and mais low-key than last year (although they are probably going to have a bigger choral here in a few weeks in Centro when it is closer to Christmas). It seemed liked not a whole lot of people were passing by but we actually were able to get over 100 references in less than 2 hours and had lots of fun. I love singing, especially about Christ and especially about Christmas and Christ. We had a blast. Síster Sperry has a BEAUTIFUL voice and we were able to get some great harmony going on (actually every day for companionship study we have some great harmony as well), especially with giant speakers and mics. Yeah, it was the real deal. There are some great missionaries here and we always have lots of fun. We had an amazing lesson with Josiana e her son Eduardo this week. They are really starting to open up and tell us their needs. I love teaching with Síster Sperry because we are able to have the Spirit quickly and support each other well in the lessons. We watched the 20 minute Restoration this week with them and it was super spiritual and they had great questions. We talked LOTS about prayers and getting answers and then popped the question (baptismal invite). It was the longest moment of silence I have ever had in a lesson after the invite but in the end...they both said yes! I think they might take a while for them to accept everything because they work A TON and are never em casa but they are very interessed and have great potential. They even already invited us over for Christmas. I hope I stay here in this area to see them progress and feel the love they are already starting to gain for the gospel, but if not, I know they are being left in good hands with Síster Sperry. I´m loving the ward and loving the Primary. Everyone there is just so great. Clarice is always bringing her two grandkids to church every week now and they are loving it. She is a costureira, so she even made them both a dress shirt and got tiny ties so they fit in with everyone! It is the cutest thing. Yesterday was the annual Primary Program and they came proud and all dressed up, even though it was raining a monsoon outside. And...their parents came too! Clarice was SOOOOOO excited to have her daughter (Francine) there. It turned out really great and Francine wants to come back (but also works a ton so it may be hard to find her). Francine also has been talking about getting married for a while but didn´t like the Church she was going to, but is considering getting married in ours! It is just a thought but has always been my dream to host a wedding for an investigator. Who knows what the future holds? Let´s baptize the whole family. Oh and Clarice is also getting excited about family history work. We filled out at least half of her little FH booklet this week with her. She pulled out these sweet old documents of her mom and grandma, and it was awesome to search through them to find dates and locations. I am really coming to love family history work more and more. What a great gift we have in it! I love you all lots! Have a happy week! Síster Marchante       Olá Presidente! Esta semana foi cheia de muitas coisas boas. Primeiramente, muito obrigada pela entrevista segunda passada. Aprendi MUITAS coisas e tenho muitas maneiras quero mudar e me moldar antes do fim. A Síster Sperry e eu falamos muito sobre humildade e confiança em nós mesmas. Acho que se eu conseguir ganhar auto-confiança em todos os momentos, vou ser a missionária que Deus quer que seja e será mais feliz. Estas coisas não são fáceis para mim mas sinto que já mudei um pouco e agora sei exatamente o que fazer até o fim. Muito obrigada por seu tempo extra e por sua confiança em a gente. Estou aprendendo as coisas mais importantes para mim e abrindo meu coração para novas ideias. Tenho muito esperança no futuro. Fizemos uma divisão no Bebedouro esta semana. Foi excelente. Saí com a Síster Sousa e buscamos novos. Ela já mudou tanto desde a primeira vez saí com ela alguns meses atrás. A Síster Auna está a ajudando bastante e dá amor sem fim. Acredito que uma das razões maiores que a Síster Auna veio ao Brasil neste momento foi para fortalecer e amar a Síster Sousa. As duas são fantásticas. Oramos e escolhemos uma rua para bater portas. Foi uma experiência muito legal para ver milagres e novas forças que a Síster Sousa tem agora. Ela tem muito mais coragem e energia e estava determinada trabalhar até a última porta. Encontramos algumas novas famílias que foram muito legais e nós duas estavam muito animadas no fim do dia. Andando para o rodoviária ela falou sem para por mais do que meia hora sobre a sua família (especialmente a sua tia) e conversão. Nunca vi ela abre tanto como aquele dia, e foi muito boa conhecê-la melhor. Parece que todas as coisas na vida dela estão melhorando pouco por pouco e que a vida dela está em ordem. Ela agradeceu muito pela ajuda do senhor e falou que ela tem muito mais paz e felicidade agora na missão. Foi um grande prazer sair com ela. Sou grata e fico com admiração com cada divisão. Nossas Sísteres são maravilhosas. O resto de nossa semana foi muito boa. Tivemos uma reunião familiar com nosso recém-converso que foi muito bom para ela ganhar novas amigas. Também tivemos uma lição de ouro com nossos pesquisadores Josiana e Eduardo onde marcamos duas datas de batismo. Eles são inteligentes e realmente querem saber a verdade por se mesmos. Acho que eles buscarão diligentemente. Amo ensinar pessoas como assim. O Programa da Primária este domingo trouxe muito gente e alguns visitantes. Foi lindo e tudo mundo gostou. Amo as pessoas aqui, e realmente me sinto o amor que elas têm pelos missionários e pela obra. Tenho as melhores áreas na missão! Obrigada, Síster Marchant     English Translation:   Hello President! This week was full of many good things. First, thank you for the second last interview. MANY things and have learned many ways I want to change and mold me before the end. The Sister Sperry and I talked a lot about humility and trust in ourselves. I think if I can gain self-confidence at all times, will be the mission that God wants it to be and will be happier. These things are not easy for me but I feel I've changed a bit and now I know exactly what to do until the end. Thank you for your extra time and your trust in us. I'm learning the most important things for me and opening my heart to new ideas. I have much hope for the future. We made a division in the Trough this week. It was excellent. I left with Sister Sousa and seek new. She has changed so much since the first time I went out with her a few months ago. The Sister Auna is helping a lot and gives endless love. I think one of the biggest reasons that Sister Auna came to Brazil at this time was to strengthen and love Sister Sousa. Both are fantastic. We pray and we chose a street to slam doors. It was a very cool experience to see miracles and new forces that Sister Sousa has now. She has more courage and energy and was determined to work to the last door. We found some new families that were really nice and we both were very excited at the end of the day. Walking to the bus she said no to for more than half an hour about his family (especially his aunt) and conversion. I've never seen it opens as much as that day, and it was very good to know her better. It seems that all things in her life are improving little by little and that her life is in order. She thanked a lot for the help of the Lord and said she has a lot more peace and happiness now in the mission. It was a great pleasure to hang out with her. I am grateful and I'm in awe with each division. Our Sisters are wonderful. The rest of our week was very good. We had a family reunion with our new convert who was very good for her to win new friends. We also had a golden lesson with our Josiana and Eduardo researchers where we scored two baptism dates. They are smart and really want to know the truth to them. I think they will seek diligently. Love teaching people as well. The Primary Program this Sunday brought a lot of people and some visitors. It was beautiful and all the world like it. I love the people here, and really feel the love they have for missionaries and for work. I have the best areas in the mission! Thank you, Sister Marchant

Hello there you guys in your cold life,

Síster Sperry and I say that we know we are doing a good job when we feel like we are just floating along from appointment to appointment. That is how I was feeling this week just floating through without a worry in the air. We teach and do contacts without stress and without freaking out about what time it is in each place or what we are doing wrong. It makes missionary work quite enjoyable and we are still able to grow and improve without focusing on anything bad that is going on. It all will turn out alright in the end! Síster Sperry is so wonderful and a great example to me. We are learning together and becoming the people we want to be.

This Brazilian culture is making me a lot more relaxed and easygoing. On a mission it is really easy to get stressed but now I think I am figuring out not to care about the little unimportant things so much, especially the parts of life that I have no control over. I hope I can keep that part of this culture with me when I go home.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! I am greatly missing all the thanks going around as well as Aunt Jalane´s banana cream pies, choosing between light and dark meat, the universal nap after lanch, playing cards past midnight (with five layer PBandJ´s at times), turkey football, and the family movie trip each friday. There are just some traditions that should never be changed. Enjoy Thanksgiving tons and don´t let these traditions die! Thanksgiving is perhaps my favorite holiday of the year. It is sad that the day passes here just like any other day. Celebrate extra hard for me this year.

I am thankful for so many things in my life, especially for YOU my great family! I am so grateful for a traditional, stable family. That is such a rare thing in the world. I could count on one hand how many missionaries I know here who have a normal family with a father and mother married and without any wayward kids. Thanks so much for all you do and for always supporting me. You are very rare in this world and bring me so much joy! I always have forces to keep going because I know you are cheering me on and loving me no matter what. Family is the most important thing in this world.

Clarice is ótima. It just never ceases to amaze me how wonderful she is. This next Sunday will be the Primary Program in our ward. Clarice is now bringing her two grandkids to church every Sunday, Kaué (4) e Kauan (7). They are little firecrackers. But they love church (especially now after a few weeks) and are loving Primary. Clarice says that by tuesday or Wednesday each week they start asking her, "Are we going to your church tomorrow?" They are hard to deal with in Sacrament Meeting but are super cute. We were able to print off on of the songs for them and Clarice is practicing with them in her tiny house all the time. It is the cutest thing. We have practiced with them a few times too and they are learning the words well. They will be great up there next Sunday.

Our amazing investigators have been really sick lately so we have not been able to visit them as much as we would like. There are a lot of bugs going around. But don´t worry, I´m feeling great right now. I have been really blessed and lucky on my mission to have very few health problems, which is super rare out here, especially for sisters. The Lord is protecting us and taking care of us. I am very lucky to be here and to be doing well for so long. I have huge trust and faith in the Savior that He cares about even our smallest needs and desires. He always answers our prayers. Even for you.

Love you,

Síster Marchante

P.S. Our wonderful Bishop Caio gave us a little surprise this week. He told us to come to the chapel real fast Thursday night because he had a gift for us. When we got there he gave us 4 and the elders an entire tube of peanut butter! We screamed with delight. Our bishop is wonderful and super funny. I am very grateful for the chance to serve in this ward. There are so many wonderful members. It makes a HUGE diference the relationship that we have with the members. Even if the work is not exploding with baptisms and visible success, if the ward members are happy and greet us excited each week it makes it all worth it. Please greet your missionaries with love and do what they ask whenever you can. A simple ride for an investigator is often very difficult to find and can bring much peace and tranquilidade para os missionários.

Olá Presidente,
Esta semana fizemos uma divisão muito boa com as sísteres em Bebedouro. Eu saí com a Síster Morales e Síster Sperry saiu com a Síster Serdoski. Eu estou cuidando a Síster Morales quase todas as 7 meses que estou uma Síster Treinadora e a amo muito. Ela está mudando e melhorando com cada divisão e é muito mais forte do que ela acha. Ensinamos algumas lições boas e conversamos muito sobre a dupla dela e como elas podem trabalhar em mais união. Eu amo estas sísteres tanto. Vamos voltar lá de novo a próxima semana para ver como as coisas e todas as 4 sísteres estão. A Síster Auna é uma ótima missionária. A Síster Sousa está melhorando bastante e é um pouco preocupada sobre sua saúde, mas está feliz com a Síster Auna. Vida é boa.
Em Irajá coisas são boas e normais. Na verdade muitos de nossos pesquisadores estão doentes então não conseguimos visitar todos. Porém, temos ótimos pesquisadores como Josiane. Visitamos ela sábado e ela teve muitas perguntas difíceis e ótimas. Foi bem legal ver alguém que tem tanto interesse e sede ouvir a verdade. Oramos e jejuamos que ela vai ler e orar. Temos fé que muitos milagres estão para vir aqui em Irajá. A ala está pronta para receber as pessoas eleitas.
Também estamos fazendo muitas reuniões familiares com as famílias aqui. Tem um rodízio agora em João Rossi onde uma família diferente tem a reunião em sua casa cada semana. É uma ótima oportunidade trazer pesquisadores e menos ativos. Esta ala é maravilhosa.
Obrigada Presidente!
Síster Marchant

 

 

Translation Into English

 

Hello President,
This week we made a very good division with the sisters in Trough. I left with Sister Morales and Sister Sperry came out with Sister Serdoski. I'm taking care of Sister Morales almost every seven months I'm one Sister trainer and love her very much. It is changing and improving with each division and is much stronger than she thinks. Teach some good lessons and talked a lot about double it and how they can work more unity. I love these sisters both. Let's go back there again next week to see how things and all 4 sisters are. The Sister Auna is a great missionary. The Sister Sousa is improving a lot and is a little worried about his health, but is happy with Sister Auna. Life is good.
Irajá things are good and normal. In fact many of our researchers are then patients can not visit all. But we have great researchers as Josiane. We visited her Saturday and she had many difficult and great questions. It was really nice to see someone who has so much interest and thirst to hear the truth. We pray and we fast it will read and pray. We have faith that many miracles are to come here in Irajá. The wing is ready to receive the elected people.
We are also doing a lot of family reunions with families here. Has a rotation now in John Rossi where a different family having meeting in your home every week. It's a great opportunity to bring researchers and less active. This wing is wonderful.
Thank you President!
Sister Marchant

From: Eliza Marchant

Date: 11/17/2014 12:12:31 PM

To: Jewel Marchant;  Gary Marchant

Subject: Semana de milagres e milkeshakesssssssss...

 

Boa tarde minha família linda,

What a wonderful week I have had before my eyes! It started out with a great FHE (if you haven´t done it yet recently or at all this year, call your missionaries and tell them you want to host a FHE at your house for any investigators that they have, or better yet invite your own friend/neighbor! The missionaries would die of happiness) in João Rossi. Their little front room/kitchen was bursting with gente and we were all squeezed in on the ground and in every available cranny. That is the way it is supposed to be.

Then the next day way had Conselho de Liderança with everyone. I love those meetings so much. I always feel the Spirit so strong and feel super motivated to go out and give it my all again. They just keep getting better and better. At the beginning I honestly was super intimidated by them but now after about 6 conselhos I am one of the oldies. I feel way more comfortable now to make comments and feel somewhat worthy to be amongst so many important people. The organization of the mission truly is remarkable. This is such an inspired organization. I know that the Lord is leading this work.

We did some practices about the Restoration and talked about how to have more effective first lessons, especially when we do contatos de oração (make a contact and just offer to say a prayer with them but then actually sneak in some really inspirational doctrine of truth afterwards). Right afterwards we went to visit Brianda´s family. She was the only one home but it turned out to be possibly the very best Restoration lesson of my life. She cried and we cried and were just full of the Spirit and happiness. This lesson actually was never supposed to happen because she had texted us earlier saying that she wasn´t actually able to meet that day, but we didn´t get the message until we were already there in her prédio. We got there at about 4:15 and she had to leave at 4:30 but we got started with just a little introduction and teaser and she got so excited and asking so many questions that we didn´t leave until 5:30. She is very smart and has been visiting many churches and searching for the truth for a long time. She understood apostasy and continued revelation really well and said she always wondered why everything good should stop in our day after Christ. In the middle of the lesson she said "Eu sou da Igeja dos Mórmons!" and hugged the pamphlet! She is a spunky little thing. In the middle of the lesson também, her paster called and said he wanted to come visit the next day...didn´t see that one coming. She has had a super busy week so unfortunately has canceled a few of our compromissos for the rest of the week, but we are really looking forward to visiting her whole family again this week. I have never been so happy and jubilant after a lesson. Síster Sperry e eu were jumping up and down and just couldn´t stop talking about it, so we had to go get milkshakes (you would be surprised how delicious these little baby milkshakes are here). I keep thinking that this is too good to be true and I really hope I don´t get trasfered now. We´ve only taught her one real lesson but have huge hope that she will progress into much more. Now the only question is that her husband is a famous tattoo artist...

We also met an amazing new investigator named Edilene. She actually lives in Irajá but stopped the Elders in the Centro to ask for help with English. How convient that both of us are Americans here. Worked out great. (we are really using our engilsh skills a lot lately). We visited her real fast saturday morning to get to know her a little bit and she invited us back sunday night. She actually made us this feast of chicken and potatoes and pinapple juice (you would not believe the homemade fruit juices they have here. To die for), and then we started teaching the Plan of Salvation. She has a crazy backstory. About two years ago her 15 year-old daughter died of cancer. Then shortly after her husband went crazy and divorced her so now she is living alone and feeling very alone. She said she is searching for purpose in life and doesn´t know at all what to do with her future. She started out last night by saying, "Alight I have a really hard question for you and you probably don´t know the answer but I want to know what you girls think, Where do we go imediately after death? Is there a waiting period or do we go straight to heaven?" Well my dear, we have all the answers that your heart could desire. We taught her the whole Plano de Salvação with our little gravurinhas and beared our testimony strong. It was a really neat experience because once again the Spirit was super forte and we could feel help from heaven. It was really cool for me because Edilene said that when she looks at me I remind her of her daughter Marcela and that she could feel her presence in the room when we taught. Edilene and Brianda jokingly (but not) said that they feel like they have known us for a super long time. Quem sabe...It is an honor to be here as a servant of the Lord for these wonderful people. I LOVE teaching intelligent people who understand what we teach and have real, honest questions. This is such a wonderful place to be.

Síster Sperry also gave a talk this week that was super great and the church was stuffed full of people. Better frequency than we´ve had for a while. It was a very sucessful week.

Love you,

Síster Marchant

P.S. Another Irmã took us out to this super chique health shake place today called HerbalLife. Ever heard of it? It was a very interesting experience. I´ll tell you about it when I have more time, but honestly the shakes were pretty good. There has got to be some secret combinations going on there...

Boa tarde Presidente,

Tivemos uma semana ótima. Não ensinamos muitas lições, mas as lições que ensinamos foram ótimas. Tivemos duas das lições mais espirituais de minha missão esta semana. A primeira foi com a Brianda, e foi terça-feira depois o conselho quando ligamos para o senhor. Ensinamos a Restauração para ela e ela chorou e perguntou tantas coisas que não conseguimos falar suficiente rápido. Ela tem uma família linda e um desejo muito sincero e real para saber a verdade. Eu já achei muitas vezes que aquela família é boa demais ser verdadeira. Espero MUITO que tudo dê certo e que consigamos visitá-la muito mais. Sentimos que já conhecemos Brianda faz muito tempo. Foi uma milagre aquela lição porque ela ligou antes para falar que nosso compromisso não daria para ela mais, mas não recebemos a ligação até estávamos entrando o prédio. Decidimos ir mesmo e tudo ficou perfeito. A Síster Sperry e eu estávamos gritando e abraçando com alegria depois no elevador. Que dia perfeito.

Também encontramos um novo pesquisador de ouro. Se chama Edilene e mora sozinha. Duas anos atrás a filha dela de 15 anos morreu de câncer, e logo depois, o marido dela separou dela. Ela estava escondendo muito tristeza e falou que está buscando propósito na vida. Ensinamos o Plano de Salvação para ela, e ela chorou e falou que ela sempre acreditou isto mas nunca achou uma lugar que explicou como explicamos. O Espírito foi forte e ela disse que podia sentir que isto é o que a filha dela quer para ela. Eu amo ensinar o evangelho verdadeiro. A primeira vez que as pessoas ouvem a verdade é tão gratificante.

Fizemos uma divisão aqui em Irajá. Eu saí com a Síster Sena e a Síster Sperry foi com a Síster Bezerra. Elas são missionárias ótimas. Síster Sena ainda parece jovem para mim e tem medo de algumas coisas, mas estava disposta a tentar qualquer coisa comigo. Achamos uma família de menos ativos/não membros que foi uma milagre e mostrou para nós duas que o Senhor realmente está vigiando a gente. A Síster Sena está muito bem. Eu não gosto de pensar que algumas áreas são mais difíceis do que outras, mas a área delas é realmente muito mais fechada, e é difícil entrar casas e encontrar novos porque quase todas as casas são de interfone e ricas. Nossa área não é como assim. Mas ainda conseguimos ensinar algumas lições muito boas e me sentia o Espírito muito forte com ela. Eu amo a Síster Sena e amo ver de fora as maneiras que ela está progredindo e mudando. Ela realmente já é uma pessoa diferente e mais forte do que quando chegou aqui em Irajá. Eu sirvo com as melhores Sísteres.

Obrigada para tudo! O conselho foi ótimo e bem tranquilo. Gostei bastante aprender e desfrutar o Espírito que sempre está lá. Me sinto muito abençoada por todas minhas experiências aqui na missão. Sei que o senhor molda nossas missões individualmente para nossas necessidades e como podemos ajudar as pessoas mais. Vida é boa.

Até quarta!

Síster Marchant

 

 

English Translation (not very good this week)

 

Good afternoon Chairman,
We had a great week. We teach many lessons, but the lessons taught were great. We had two of the most spiritual lessons of my mission this week. The first was with Brianda, and it was Tuesday after the board when we turn to you. Restoration to teach her and she cried and asked so many things we can not talk fast enough. She has a beautiful family and a very real and sincere desire to know the truth. I've often thought that this family is too good to be true. I hope it all works out MUCH and we can see her more. We feel we already know Brianda long ago. It was a miracle that lesson because she had called earlier to say that our commitment would not give her more, but did not get the call till we were entering the building. We decided to go the same and everything was perfect. The Sister Sperry and I were screaming and hugging with joy after the lift. What a perfect day.
We also find a new prospector. Called Fabiana and lives alone. Two years ago her daughter of 15 years died of cancer, and soon after, her husband away from her. She was hiding much sadness and said he is seeking purpose in life. We taught the Plan of Salvation for her, and she cried and said she always believed this but never found a place that explained how to explain. The Spirit was strong and she said she could feel that this is what her daughter wants for her. I love teaching the true gospel. The first time people hear the truth is so rewarding.
We did a split here in Irajá. I went with the Sena and Sister Sister Sister Sperry was with Heifer. They are great missionaries. Sister Sena still seems young to me and afraid of some things, but was willing to try anything with me. We find a family of less active / non-members it was a miracle and showed us both that the Lord is really watching us. The Sister Sena is fine. I do not like to think that some areas are more difficult than others, but the area is actually much more of them closed, and it is difficult to enter and find new homes because almost all the houses are rich and intercom. Our area is not as well. But we can still teach some very good lessons and I felt the Spirit so strongly with her. I love Sister Sena and love seeing out the ways that she is progressing and changing. She really has a different and stronger than when you arrived here in Irajá person. I serve with the best Sisters.
Thanks for everything! The advice was great and very quiet. I liked enough to learn and enjoy the Spirit that is always there. I feel very blessed for all my experiences here in the mission. I know you do shapes our individual quests for our needs and how we can help more people. Life is good.
Until Wednesday!
Sister Marchant

 

Hello, hello,

This was a pretty normal week. Nothing too crazy happened. But then as a missionary there is no such thing as a normal week. Divisões went really well and everyone is em paz just working along. We have some great sísteres, and I love serving and getting to know them. 

The big news of this week was that we found two new families! One was a contact knocking doors. We went back saturday and taught the Restoration which went really well. The father was actually not super interested and was making jokes half the time, but the mom was really focused and was almost defending us lots of times. They have a 22ish year old son who is really quiet but seems pretty interested too. I really think they will read the Livro de Mórmon and pray. The only problem is that they work DEMAIS and are only available weekends, and this next weekend they will be out of town. They will have a slow progression but I think they really will progress. If you don´t have about Valdir, Josiane, e Eduardo for a few weeks don´t worry, they should be alright.

We also visited for the first time Brianda e Márcio. Brianda actually stopped us a few weeks ago in the supermarket and asked us to come by. They are some of the most interesting people I have ever met. Márcio is a famous tatoo artist so they have tattoos all over their bodies and live in a really chique apartamento. They also have a 1 and a half year old son, Thor, who is one of the cutest kids I´ve seen in this whole country. They are some of the kindest most open people I have ever met. I have never seen a couple treat their son so well. Everything he does is adorable to them and they treat him with such love. They are a huge example to me. It is interesting because their tattoos and few peircings don´t seem to fit at all. They never smoke or drink or go to parties and are very religious. They are super kind to everyone (for example, they gave us dinner last night after our lesson and were inviting literally every person who walked by their apartment door to come in and eat with us) and want to help in any way possible. Síster Sperry is even planning on taking her family to stay in their "city flat" when they come out to visit Brazil. They are sincerely searching for truth and have visited many churches but haven´t felt completely satisfied in any one specifically. I don´t really know how this is going to work out, especially because Márcio´s entire profession and all of their income is contrary to the prophet´s counsel, but I think we are going to be able to bring a lot of light into their lives. They don´t know what they are missing, but I think will understand quickly and really try it out. We´re going to have to teach them very gently, but I am excited to keep visiting them.

Life is good. We are always tired and full of good Brazilian food (especially desserts, every house we enter likes to feed us cake). I believe that this transfer is just going to float by in hot bliss. Yes, vish! some of these days have been smoking hot. Next time you go out in the cold and think "wow, my body is a bit chilled right now", think of me and be grateful your clothes are not soaked in sweat. But you know, I think it goes along with the warm Brazilian welsoming. We are able to enter lots of doors asking for water! We literally do that at almost every house we knock on. Things aren´t scary anymore. We have been through a lot and it doesn´t phase me to knock on any single door or talk to any hooligan in the street. João Rossi is always an adventure!

Love you lots. Keep up the good work livin your life right and know that I am happy and safe.

Feelin good,

Síster Marchante

Olá Presidente!

Esta semana foi tranquila e normal. Tivemos muitas milagres e estamos muito felizes trabalhar aqui em Irajá. A liderança desta ala é muito boa e eles estão ajudando a gente bastante.

Fizemos uma divisão em Bebedouro esta semana. Eu saí com a Síster Auna e a Síster Sperry saiu com a Síster Sousa. Foi uma divisão muito boa. Conversei muito com a Síster Auna e a ajudei sentir-se melhor sobre seu progresso na missão. Acho que é muitas das Sísteres não conseguem ver a diferença que já aconteceu em se mesmas e nas vidas das outras pessoas durante suas missões. Todas delas estão mudando tanto, e é importante focalizar nas coisas boas que estão fazendo. Fizemos uma lista juntas depois do almoço (almoçamos em uma restaurante) de todas as coisas que aprendemos na missão, e demorou muitas páginas. Nosso progresso nunca termina! Foi bom para nos duas. A divisão foi muita boa e ensinamos algumas lições ótimas. A Síster Auna traz o Espírito muito rapidamente. Ela ensina e lidera com muito amor. Ela está ajudando a Síster Sousa em maneiras incríveis, e elas estão muitas felizes juntas. Foi difícil ir embora de lá!

Nossa área melhorou bastante esta semana. Achamos duas novas famílias que são inteligentes e escutam bem. Também planejamos projetos de serviço e várias reuniões familiares com membros e menos ativos na ala. Sempre tem pessoas para visitar e coisas para fazer. Eu amo esta área. A Síster Sperry e eu estamos muito felizes estar juntas!

Obrigada por tudo!

Síster Marchant

 

 

English Translation:

 

Hello President!
This week was quiet and normal. We had many miracles and we are very happy working here Irajá. The leadership of this wing is very good and they are helping us a lot.
Made a division Trough this week. I left with Auna and Sister Sister Sister Sperry came out with Sousa. It was a very good division. I talked to Sister Auna and helped her feel better about your progress in the mission. I think it's a lot of Sisters fail to see the difference that it has happened in the lives of themselves and others during their missions. All of them are changing so much, and it is important to focus on the good things they are doing. We made a list together after lunch (lunch in a restaurant) all the things we learned in the mission, and it took many pages. Our progress never ends! It was good for us two. The division was much good and taught some great lessons. The Auna Sister brings the spirit very quickly. She teaches and leads with love. She is helping Sister Sousa in amazing ways, and they are many happy together. It was hard to leave there!
Our area has improved greatly this week. We find two new families who are smart and listens well. We also plan service projects and meetings with various family members and less active in the ward. Always have people to see and things to do. I love this area. The Sister Sperry and I are very happy to be together!
Thanks for everything!
Sister Marchant

 

Hello hello,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPAI!!! You deserve the best week of you life. I hope it is fulled with much happiness and bliss. Do you have any big exciting plans? You and mom seem to be doing lots of big trips lately--will you visit either of your beloved grandkids? Dad, you are truly the best leader I have ever known and have blessed my life in more ways than I can count. Thank you so much for always being so strong and for always being so loyal to mom and to us. You are the true essence of what a real father should be like and I konw that Father is very proud. What a wonderful life you have lived and will continue to live so great. Thanks for all of your cheery emails and love that you send my way. You have made my mission so wonderful.

I am here once again living the life with the Síster Sperry. This was a very nomal missionary week. There wasn´t anything weird or any travels or any giant meetings. It is nice to have a break week every once and a while.

We are working a lot with menos ativos and finding them all over the place. As we are now working practically exclusively in João Rossi agora, there has been some downtime as vezes this week and we knocked doors (and yes, in this neighborhood everyone actually has doors to knock instead of interphones to ring or gates to clap at). Surprisingly about half of the doors we knock on have already been baptized! I am so excited that we are working so much with menos ativos now (remember 50% of the work) because there are a lot of people who really need it and who are more open and willing to come back and rechange their lives. The worth of the soul of a menos ativo is just as grande as the worth of a new investigator. There are so many people who need just a little help in this world, just a little push to get them back on the path and focused on Christ. I have a huge love for menos ativos and will want to work more with them when I start serving in my home ward. You just grow such a love for those you serve.

Speaking of serve, we did a bunch of fun service projects this week. The best one was...ajuda em uma alua de inglês! We went to this ritzi English school in the Centro which had a class who was being taught by a member of our stake. We were able to help out in the class wednesday night. It was one of the funnest, most gratifying things we did this week. We actually didn´t even teach anything specifically, but just had the students (there were 8 that night) come in one on one and have a conversation with one of us for about 20 minutes. Their goal was to get to know us and just try to keep a conversation going about anything for the full time. There was a wide range of skill level, but there were a few that I talked to who were super good and understood almost everything that I said. My whole life of language studies (I guess the past 6 years) I have always been on the other side of these conversations and have been really stressed out. It was great to be the one who actually knew both languages and could just help them relax and enjoy it. It turned out so great and everyone was really excited, because I think they were able to see that they are better at english than they think they are. It was so much fun! We might start going there now for an hour or so once every week for our projeto de serviço. I love languages more than I can imagine and was really grateful to be able to use this skill that I gained to help someone else learn. We were also able to throw it a little bit with each person about the gospel. This will be a great way to find new investigators or at least give these young adults (they were all about our age or a few years older) a good perspective of the church. It was só alegria all around.

We also did a fun little note for the bishop this week. There are a few hard things going on in our ward right now (normal ward problems, but still a lot to take on) and our bishop was feeling a little overwhelmed this week in nosso conselho da liderança (which we are now attending every month which is going really great). Bispo Cais is fantastic and really gives his all to this large ward and to the Lord. He is a great leader and has a lot on his plate (he is also studying law at the moment...you know how that is Ian. Imagine being bishop at the same time!) So after the conselho we skipped home and whipped out some delicious american chocolate chip cookies and ran a plate over to his house. Apparently they don´t do doorbell ditching here (the porteiro gave us a wierd look), and it took a few tries to get him to come to the door, but it turned out great and was super fun to do. I think the other Brazilian sisteres here with us got a kick out of it too. We might not be getting tons of baptisms here in this area, but I feel like we are really helping the ward and building up menos ativos. I just love the people here so much! For the first time this week in Sacrament Meeting I had the doubt of whether I want to visit Campos Elíseos or Jd. Irajá for my last Sunday of the mission. Difficult decision when you have the best areas in the mission!

We are teaching Lucila mais now and she has a huge desire to learn. It is hard to see her as often because she works so much now, but things seem to be looking up in her life. They always do when you start living the gospel.

Love you tons and tons!

Síster Marchante

Olá Presidente!

Esta semana foi muito tranquila. Eu gosto muito dos começos das transferências porque com mudanças tudo mundo está animado de novo e é como um novo início. Está especialmente ótimo quando você é companheiras com a maravilhosa Síster Sperry! Estou tão animada servir com ela mais uma! Ela está me ensinando muitas coisas e sempre resolvemos qualquer problema imediatamente. Vida é muita boa e mais leve lá em Irajá. Estou amando a área e a ala bastante. Só muito grata posso ficar aqui.

Não tenho muitas novidades esta semana além do conselho da ala. Tivemos conselho ontem e demorou por duas horas. Tiveram muitas coisas para discutir, e me sinto que realmente ajudamos em alguns pontos. Foi um pouco intenso e cansativo então quando a reunião terminou corremos para casa e fizemos "cookies" rapidinho e deixamos um prato deles na casa do bispo que mora na rua do lado da gente. Foi divertido e acho que ajudou levantar os espíritos da família dele. Temos muitos problemas com individuais na ala neste momento mas realmente temos líderes maravilhosos que estão fazendo tudo possível ajudar. Amo as pessoas aqui.

Também tivemos um projeto de serviço bem legal esta semana. Ajudamos ensinar em uma ala de inglês. Foi bem legal porque só tivemos uma conversa pessoal com cada aluno, então conseguimos falar sobre o evangelho com cada um. Acho que vamos voltar, e acho que vamos conseguir muitas referências disso. Eu amo idiomas tanto! Eu sempre quero estudar português mais. Estou tão abençoada estar aprendendo este idioma tão lindo.

As Sísteres estão bem. Não fizemos divisões esta primeira semana, mas falamos bastante com elas.

Estamos saudáveis e felizes! Obrigada por tudo Presidente!

Síster Marchant

P.S. If my emails to the Presidente ever seem incomplete, it is because I do generally delete small parts of them when I send them home. Great things are really happening here!

 

 

English Translation:

Hello President!
This week was very quiet. I like the beginnings of transfers because with changes everything else is excited again and it's like a new beginning. Is especially great when you're wonderful companions with Sister Sperry! I am so excited to serve with her more! She is teaching me many things and always resolve any problem immediately. Life is good and much lighter there Irajá. I'm loving the area and wing enough. Only very thankful I can stay here.
I have not much news this week besides the ward council. Counsel had yesterday and it took two hours. Had many things to discuss, and I feel it really helped in some spots. It was a little intense and tiring so when the meeting ended we ran home and made "cookies" and quickly left a plate of them in the bishop's house who lives on the street side of the people. It was fun and I think that helped lift the spirits of his family. We have many problems with individual ward at this time but we truly wonderful leaders who are doing everything possible to help. I love the people here.
We also had a pretty cool service project this week. Help teach English in a ward. It was cool because we only had a personal conversation with each student, then we could talk about the gospel with everyone. I think we'll go back, and I think we will get many referrals that. I love both languages​​! I always want to study more Portuguese. I am so blessed to be learning this language so beautiful.
The Sisters are okay. Divisions did not do this first week, but we talk a lot with them.
We are healthy and happy! Thanks for everything President!
Sister Marchant

Hello Fam!

Yes, I would like you to know that it is officially 111¨F today. We have made it through a few weeks of Spring now and things are looking great and hot. I am pretty sure I have never been in a place so hot it my entire life. Just wait for Christmas! I´m pretty sure it is a lot hotter this year than last year, but maybe cause I just remember the good things from a year ago. Anyway, I´m going to be a suntanned babe by the time I get home!

This week has been incredibly busy and wonderful, basically a good description of every week. We actually did two divisions this week which both went really well. I am loving divisions more and more now. I am learning better how to just be their friends and teach by example. When the Sísteres trust you they are willing to accept and learn quickly, even if you don´t say anything they will learn and apply faster because they are more open to change. I am learning a lot about leadership on the missão and have been studying it a lot in personal study and reuniões de conselho. One thing I learned today was about the importance of designating responsibility for others. Even if you could complete the task effectively, often it is better to designate for others so that they can have the opportunity to learn and grow. After studying and seeing the wide scale of how members fulfill their callings here, I definitely will cumprir my callings differently when I come home. I never realized how incredibly important everything in the Church is! The sucess of the Lord´s Kingdom on the earth will affect us for eternity. This is literally between life and death! I need to do my best to give everyone the complete oportunity to choose to follow Christ and to work how He knows is right. There is nothing better and no greater happiness than following the commmandments of God.

Clarisse is the best. She is reading up a storm and learns so quickly. She came to Church again this week and is loving it all. She is also telling all hew family about it. I think that is a sign of a true progressing investigator--when they start telling their family and friends about the Church before you even talk about missionary work. She is such a cutie, and you can really see how the gospel is changing her life. She is coming to Church every week and has a baptismal date for this next Saturday! I know she can do it. She has a testimony of everything and is going strong. We taught her about fasting the other day and she is fulling like crazy! She is fasting at least a few hours EVERY DAY to help her stop smoking. She also received a priesthood blessing this week. She is a very determined person and I know she will conseguir. I love this woman so much! I truly believe she is the best pesquisador that I have ever had.

I know this Church is true more than ever. I was sitting in a Reunião Familiar this week and had a sudden anxiety and fear of coming home to the real life. I know I still have quite a few months left, but I have never really felt that before. I love the people here so much and love their strength and love for the gospel. It is hard to stay strong these days in an evil world, but this is the time we need to stay strong in the gospel more than ever. Don´t you quit! Don´t ever give up, even when callings are really stressful, someone offends you at Church this week, or you just don´t feel like reading the scriptures today. It is all worth it. You will be so grateful for the good choices you made here (in your four minutes on earth**) for the rest of eternity. Emerse yourself in the gospel and never doubt. "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith". I´m praying for you all! Life is so great when you know your fate! Believe in Christ and you will always know where you will go.

I love you until the ends of the earth!

Síster Marchante

P.S. Tip of the week: Bloody liver doesn´t go so well with rice and beans. Especially when your companion gives you her extras. Gotta do what you gotta do. 

Olá Presidente!

Dia após dia após dia---só alegria. Estou tão feliz! Ainda quando coisas difíceis aconteçam, vencemos rápido e estamos felizes de novo. A Síster Sperry é muito paciente e trabalhamos bem juntas. Temos uma confiança forte entre uma à outra e muito boa comunicação. Nunca me sentia tão amada na missão. Ela é um exemplo excelente para mim.
Visitamos Bebedouro esta semana. Saí com a Síster Vaneza e a Síster Sperry saiu com a Síster Morales. Elas são missionárias muito boas e poderosas. Fizemos muitos contatos juntas e tivemos uma lição maravilhosa com um pesquisador inteligente onde explicamos simples sobre o batismo e marcamos uma data. O Espírito foi forte e aprendi muitas coisas. A Síster Vaneza tem o desejo e disposição aprender e tentar novas coisas. Ela tem muito coragem e com certeza age como um líder. Ela ainda é nova na missão e não sabe o que fazer em todas as circunstâncias de ensino, mas vai voluntariar tentar qualquer coisa. Tenho muito respeito para ela. Forem ao médico esta semana e estão proativos com sua saúde. Boa saúde é algo muito importante para mim, então tentamos focalizar em comer bem e BEBER ÁGUA, e sempre fazemos exercícios divertidos juntas nas divisões. Eu sei que isto não resolverá todos os problemas mas acho que vai ajudar alguns.
Também fizemos divisões com as Sísteres aqui em Irajá esta semana. Parece que estão fazendo muito melhor agora. Saí com a Síster Jales. Ela ainda tem dias muito difíceis, mas a Síster Sena entende mais como reagir e ajudá-la. A Síster Jales mudou muito durante sua missão e é muito madura e confiante em se mesma agora. A divisão foi muito boa e fácil, sem pressão. Ela sabe liderar e ensinar super bem. As três de nós na casa são mais unidas agora e ajudamos uma à outra a vencer tristeza. Sempre acho que esta transferência foi muito inspirada.
A Síster Sperry e eu estamos muito bem. Temos o melhor pesquisador na missão, a Clarisse. Ela está fazendo tudo certo e aceita tudo. Ontem ela foi à Igreja e assistiu uma aula sobre dízimo, e imediatamente depois estava preenchendo um formulário para doar. Ela é tão eleita e só tem que completamente parar de fumar para ser batizada. Eu a amo tanto e quer o melhor para ela! Ela recebeu todas as lições e está tão perto; ela acredita em tudo. Não posso esperar até o batismo dela!
Nossa única dificuldade real agora é o pé da Síster Sperry. Está piorando e as vezes ela tem muito dor. Estamos indo ao médico hoje depois dos emails, e estamos orando e jejuando para respostas. Sei que o Senhor providenciará!
Amo a missão e me senti um amor super grande para com os membros esta semana. Vida é boa.
Síster Marchant

English Translation

 Hello President!

Day after day after day --- only joy. I'm so happy! Even when difficult things happen, quickly won and we are happy again. The Sister Sperry is very patient and work well together. We have a strong trust between each other and very good communication. I never felt so loved in the mission. She is a great example for me.
Trough visited this week. I left with Sister and Sister Vaneza Sperry went to Sister Morales. They are very good and powerful missionary. We made many contacts together and we had a wonderful lesson with a clever researcher explained where simple on baptism and set a date. The Spirit was strong and learned many things. The Sister Vaneza have the desire and willingness to learn and try new things. She has so much courage and certainly acts as a leader. She is still new in the mission and do not know what to do at all times of learning, but will try to volunteer anything. I have much respect for her. Are the doctor this week and are proactive about their health. Good health is very important to me, so try to focus on eating well and DRINKING WATER, and we always do fun exercises together in divisions. I know this will not solve all the problems but I think that will help some.
Also did divisions with Sisters here in Irajá this week. Looks like they're doing much better now. I left with Sister Jales. She still has very bad days, but Sister Sena understands more how to react and help. The Sister Jales changed much during their mission and is very mature and confident is the same now. The division was very good and easy, no pressure. She knows how to lead and teach very well. The three of us at home are now more united and help each other to overcome sadness. Always think that this transfer was very inspired.
The Sperry Sister and I are fine. We have the best researcher in the mission, Clarisse. She is doing everything right and accepts everything. Yesterday she went to church and attended a lesson on tithing, and immediately after was filling out a form to donate. She is so elected and only have to stop smoking completely to be baptized. I love her so much and want the best for her! She received all lessons and is so close; she believes in everything. I can not wait until her baptism!
Our only real difficulty is now the foot of Sister Sperry. It's getting worse and sometimes she has much pain. We are going to the doctor today after the emails, and we are praying and fasting for answers. I know the Lord will provide!
Love the mission and felt a super great love for the members this week. Life is good.
Sister Marchant

Wow!

It´s the most wonderful weekend, of the year! I love General Conference so much! There were so many miracles. Síster Sperry and I were talking that Conference is one of the most special things for us because it is perhaps the only time in the whole year when we know that our families are doing the exact same thing. We sustained with you and wrote with you and sang with you this weekend. I hope that you watched every session so that I could share this special time with you all! It was a weekend full of happiness.

We watched all four sessions in the Stake Center in Planalto Verde which is about 30 minutes away. We were able to watch it almost all in English (except for the Portuese talk! What a wonderful gift!) in a little room on the side with all of the Americans in our stake. It was so fun and the Spirit was strong. Síster Sperry and I were super excited and wanted to do something special to remember so we brought in a bunch of mini sandwich fixins like the good ole days in the nasty Nati. It was simple and fun and a success. Then on Sunday we brought in brownies that went super fast. There was only us two and Síster Shipp as sisteres (yay! She is back in Ribeirão so I see her all the time:)) so we did our part as the Relief Society. I love Brazilians so much, but every once and a while it is wonderful to be with a bunch of Americans as well. This was a very memorable conference for me.

I saw so many miracles there! I loved the talks by the 70s this conference. My favorite talk was probably by Jorg Klebingat of the 70 who talked about the 6 ways you can feel good about yourself and find peace in this life. I really want to read this talk again and apply it in my life. I thought of Grandpa when I saw Clay Christianson playing on the orgão, and I also saw one of the brothers who Síster Shipp and I taught in the TRC in the MTC who sings in MoTab. It was a great treat. Allan F Packer of the 70 really reminded me of Dad too, só seu jeito, and when he started talking about Family History I almost did a double take to make sure it wasn´t Dad for real. And the final talk by Elder Bednar was perhaps the best. It was such a miracle because the Sunday Afternoon Session was the only one that our investigator Clarisse came to (see more deats below). She is progressing so well and it brings my heart such joy every time I see her! The only thing left to teach her is tithing and she will be ready for baptism. We are doing a fast with her today to help her officially stop smoking. She called hoje da manhã and said "ok I´m calling to tell you that I´m am starting my jejum." She is only doing it for two hours but she is very serious about it and is very devoted. We reminded her to start and end with a prayer and she said, "claro que já fiz". She is the best pesquisador that I have ever had. I love her tons and cannot wait to see her make it to the water.

It was a huge joy for me to see the conference in Portuguese! And the other languages too. Who says that Americans should get all the blessings of hearing all of the speakers speak in their own language? There have been various Brazilians who have told me that they want to learn English just so that they can hear the prophets and apostles speak in their own language. And the Americans who translate into English are EXCELLENT. Although the Portuguese translators are amazingly great as well, usually in Portuguese it doesn´t come through quite so calm and perfect (we watched the Women´s Conference in Portuguese last weekend. I understand all of it now (wahoo!) but I don´t remember very much because I am more focused on the words than the message). It really touched my heart to hear Elder Godoy speak in Portuguese and it was much easier to understand than the talks that are translated into Portudues. I don´t think we appreciate the added affect of having the talks in the intonations and personalidades of the speakers. It makes a huge difference. This Church really is an international Church and is the Church of God, not of America or of the prophet. I love being a part of this wonderfully divinely inspired organization. It is such an honor to share the truths of Jesus Christ with all the world.

Love you tons! Tell me all you learned from Conference!

Síster Marchant

Olá Presidente!

Minha vida é maravilhosa! Estamos sempre feliz e estamos sempre aprendendo. Esta semana foi um pouco diferente porque não tivemos muito tempo para trabalhar na nossa área. Tivemos uma ÓTIMA divisão com as Sísteres em Jaboticabal. Eu saí com a Síster Huamani e a Síster Sperry saiu com a Síster Corrêa. Foi um dia maravilhosa. A Síster Huamani trabalha muito arduamente e está muito disposta a tentar coisas novas, mesmo que seja difíceis. Fizemos muitos contatos diferentes e bons e achamos uma família de ouro. A Síster Huamani tem um testemunho muito forte e sabe porque está aqui. Uma dos melhores qualidades dela é que ela é humilde e quer melhorar muito. Ela aceita qualquer conselho facilmente e está buscando maneiras para melhorar. Tenho muito respeito dela e sei que terá uma missão de poder. Ela está muito bem com saúde. Ela é uma missionária jovem ainda e tem muito aprender no trabalho, mas está melhorando rápido e vai saber fazer tudo logo.

A Síster Sena está fazendo maravilhas com A Síster Jales. Ainda tem alguns dias ruins, mas elas estão trabalhando muito bem e vendo sucesso. Elas são semelhantes em muitas maneiras e estão ajudando uma à outra. Amo morar com elas!

O treinamento da historia da família foi ótima e ajudou muito. Estamos muito animadas aplicar isso mais com nossos pesquisadores e com os membros. Acho que ajudará muito.

Conferência Geral foi maravilhosa! Tivemos tantos milagres. Nosso pesquisador a Clarisse foi no último sessão, qual também foi minha preferida. Ela estava planejando ir Sábado anoite, mas não deu certo. Depois, estava planejando ir domingo da tarde, mas tinha que votar. Finalmente ela conseguiu ir domingo da noite. O discurso do Élder Bednar foi perfeito para ela. Imediatamente quando ele falou, "Quero dirigir meu discurso para as pessoas que não são membros da Igreja," tudo mundo na nossa sala de Inglês gritou, e estávamos quase chorando pelo fim. Amo Conferência Geral! Realmente foi uma resposta de orações. O Élder Bednar também recitou quase toda a história de Enos, que nós se sentimos que devemos dar para Clarisse na verdade DUAS vezes para ler. Estamos fazendo um jejum especial com ela hoje para ajudá-la parar de fumar completamente. Ela parou de beber café já e está lendo o Livro de Mórmon mais do que qualquer outro pesquisador que já tinha. Amo ela tanto! Quero ver seu sucesso até o fim tanto. Não conseguimos trabalhar com muitas pessoas esta semana, mas com aqueles que trabalhamos, estamos vendo muito progressão.

Amo esta área e amo a Síster Sperry. Estou muito abençoada aqui. Tivemos um estudo do sacramento muito especial esta semana e depois dois discursantes falaram tanto sobre ele na conferência. Também estávamos estudando no "Adjusting to Missionary Life." Naquele parte atrás do livreto (página 52 in inglês), me sinto finalmente que estou na parte de "stage 4 de adjustment: Emotional Self-Reliance". Eu continuo a aprender todos os dias e estou amando meus dias aqui. O tempo passa rápido!

Obrigada,

Síster Marchant

 

 

English Translation:

 

Hello President!
My life is wonderful! We are always happy and we are always learning. This week was a bit different because we have not had much time to work in our area. We had a GREAT room with Sisters in Jaboticabal. I went with Sister and Sister Sperry Huamani left with Sister Corrêa. It was a wonderful day. The Sister Huamani works very hard and is very willing to try new things, even if it is difficult. We made many contacts and good and find a family gold. The Sister Huamani has a very strong testimony and know why you're here. One of her best qualities is that she is very humble and wants to improve. It accepts any advice easily and is seeking ways to improve. I have much respect for her and I know that will have a quest for power. She is very well in health. She is a young missionary and still has much to learn on the job, but is improving rapidly and will soon learn to do everything.
The Sister Sena is doing wonders with The Sister Jales. Still has some bad days, but they are working very well and seeing success. They are similar in many ways and are helping to one another. Love living with them!
The training history of the family was great and helped a lot. We are very excited to apply this more with our researchers and members. I think it will help a lot.
General Conference was wonderful! We had so many miracles. Our researcher Clarisse was the last session, which was also my favorite. She was planning to go Saturday night, but it did not work. Then I was planning to go Sunday afternoon, but had to vote. Finally she was able to go Sunday night. The Elder Bednar's talk was perfect for her. Immediately when he said, "I want to address my remarks to people who are not members of the Church," all the world in our room shouted English, and we were almost crying by the end. Love General Conference! It really was an answer to prayers. Elder Bednar also recited almost all the story of Enos, if we feel we should give Clarisse actually TWICE to read. We are doing a special fast with her today to help her stop smoking completely. She stopped drinking coffee already and reading the Book of Mormon more than any other researcher who had. Love her so much! I want to see your success as much to the end. Not many people were able to work with this week, but with those we work with, we are seeing much progression.
I love this area and love Sister Sperry. I am very blessed here. We had a very special study of the sacrament this week and then two Ranters talked much about it at the conference. Were also studying the "Missionary Adjusting to Life." That part behind the booklet (page 52 in English), I finally feel that I am part of the "fourth stage of adjustment: Emotional Self-Reliance." I continue to learn every day and I'm loving my time here. The time goes fast!
Thank you,
Sister Marchant

 

Hello there belas pessoas!

My life is so happy! Síster Sperry is such a wonderful person and we are laughing all day long. I am so very blessed to be with her for at least this one transfer. I am learning a lot and changing into the person I really want to be. We must be doing something right to be receiving so many little blessings from the Lord and to have so much alegria. The Lord is taking care of us.

The highlight of the week was definitely Clarisse. She is doing so great! She had a stroke last year and lost all feeling in her legs so she can only use a wheelchair and also crawls around her tiny house. But she is one of the best examples of strength to me. She takes care of her two netos almost everyday, and they are a riot. I have never seen kids so disrespectful. She takes care of them while their mom works even though she can hardly move around her house because she has such love for them and trusts in the Lord so much to help her. She is reading the Livro de Mórmon more than any other investigator I have ever had and prays multiple times daily. This week SHE QUIT SMOKING!!! She was really anxious and nervous about it but now it has been a few days where she has gone completely smoke-free. She came to Church again this week for the second time and looked absolutely beautiful. It is truly a testament to me that the way to overcome any addiction or trial in general is simply to live the gospel. She is doing all the steps and all the same things that we tell everyone, but her life is truly changing in large ways because she is living what we teach. With the help of God all things truly are possible, even if you have no money and no transportation. We still have a few commandments to teach and with General Conference this weekend will be pretty crazy, but if all goes well she should get baptized the week after! I love Clarisse so much and want to see her life completely change with this more than anything else right now. What an inspiration she is to me!

The ward is helping out a lot right now as well. We had a small ward activity this week to integrate our investigators (that Clarisse went to!) that went really well, and there are lots of people willing to do divisions and give rides (GIVE RIDES TO THE MISSIONARIES!! I know most of them have cars in the states so it is probably a little different, but I cannot tell you how much I appriciate rides when we need them or rides for our investigators. It means SSSOOO much to us. If your missionaries ever ask for a ride, please find a way). Irajá seems like a very happy ward to me and they are so kind and accepting to us. I never knew how much the members influenced the life of a missionary. Truly know who your elders or sisteres are and try to love them like your own kids! They are someone else´s kids far from home and truly depend on the members for support. I know you will be hugely blessed if you help the missionaries. You will be happier and have a sense of fulfillment in your life like you never did. I want to be a completely different member than I was when I left when I get home. There is SO much you can do to help. Maybe this Sunday you can go up and ask the elders what you can do this week to help them out. Knowing which members are open and willing to help goes a long way. They will remember and will use you.

Anyhow, enough of my big rant, everything is going just swell. The days are floating by in bliss. Ok, so life is still hard, it always will be as a missionary, but it is so rewarding and I am feeling great. Healthwise I am tired like always but feeling good and strong without any real problems at all! What a blessing. Síster Sperry is doing well as well except for her foot. She fractured something in her foot a week before the transfer so she is feeling a bit of pain these days. We don´t know exactly what is wrong but have another consulto médico next week so hopefully they have answers for us! We are praying lots and did a special fast this week. Pray for my companion this week!

Thanks for all your love and support for me! I am really feeling my prayers answered and am seeing the power of your prayers in my life as well. Keep going to the temple and receiving all of the blessings of the gospel. Oh how I want to go there! Enjoy Conference like you never have before as well. I CANNOT WAIT! This is one of my favorite weekends of the year. Vou aproveitar.

Love you lots!

Síster Marchante

P.S. I received a wonderful package from you this week mom! Thank you sssssssooooo much!!! You send me exactly everything that I need. You guys are so wonderful.

P.P.S. I wish I had could write all of the belo details of my life but I am spending lots of time writing to the Presidente these days (it´s always editted, I don´t send all of it) and writing in Portugues is still a little slower than english. Thanks for reading all the way down there!

Olá Presidente!

Eu sinceramente acho que nunca tenho estado tão feliz em minha missão eu até minha vida. Já tive várias experiencias mais felizes, mas nunca tenha estado tão feliz por tantos dias consecutivos. Vida é ótima!! Pela primeira vez me sinto como meu trabalho é suficiente e que o Senhor está feliz com meu trabalho. Temos muitas coisas para melhorar e nossos números não são muito diferentes, mas com Síster Sperry estamos muito calmas e felizes todos os momentos. Nunca chegamos nem sequer perto de brigar ou ter problemas. Eu amo minha companheira.

Esta semana visitamos Bebedouro. Eu saí em divisões com a Síster Sousa enquanto a Síster Sperry saiu com a Sìster Auna. Foi muito bom. A Síster Sousa está mais feliz e tem muito mais confiança em se mesma. Pode ver o amor que as duas têm para com uma à outra, e têm atitudes muito bons do trabalho. A Síster Sousa tem um espírito muito calmo e puro e traz muito às lições. Ela é muito quieto, mas no fim da divisão ela abriu ainda mais e tivemos uma conversa muito boa. Acho que a conferência de zonas foi muito boa para elas porque ela com certeza não se sente bem sobre seus próprios esforços. Estamos tentando fazer mais para conhecer as nossas Sísteres melhor e ser amigas com elas. Acho que muitas vezes as Sísteres (especialmente as mais novas) vêem uma divisão como um momento quando nós vamos só corrigir e julgar. Elas nunca devem sentir-se julgadas ou como elas não podem trabalhar normal, como se fosse elas têm que mostrar para nós. Estamos trabalhando para ensinar e treinar com amor e ganhar sua confiança primeiro para que elas se sentem a vontade conversar conosco quando têm dificuldades ou perguntas.  Acho que deu certo com ambos a Síster Auna e a Síster Sousa. Estamos aqui para amar e ajudar!

Nossa área está bem. Os membros estão ajudando MUITO, especialmente com o nosso pesquisador a Clarisse. Ela está maravilhosa! Ela oficialmente parou de fumar! Fez alguns dias agora e vamos continuar acompanhar perto para que ela não caia de novo. Amamos ela muito, e ela aceita tudo que ensinamos. Ela precisa da luz do evangelho na vida dela, e está vendo muitas mudanças maravilhosas na sua vida por causa dele. Ela é um exemplo muito grande para mim de força dentro de dificuldade. Quero ser mais como ela é.

Tudo é bom aqui além do pé da Síster Sperry. Descansamos algumas vezes esta semana (mas provavelmente não suficiente), mas não está mudando muito. A Síster Brum marcou um novo consulto médico. Acho que a parte pior é só que não sabemos exatamente qual é o problema especifica. Estamos usando muito gelo e descansando pelo menos uma hora antes de almoço muitas vezes. Também fizemos um jejum especial esta semana. Entretanto, o Senhor está nos abençoando em MUITAS outras maneira e estamos vendo muitas ternas misericórdias diariamente. A minha vida é tão boa e abençoada.

Obrigada Presidente por seu tempo!

Síster Marchant

 

 

 

English Translation:

 

Hello President!
I honestly think I have never been so happy in my mission I even my life. I have had several experiences happier, but have never been so happy for so many consecutive days. Life is great !! For the first time I feel like my work is sufficient and that the Lord is happy with my work. We have many things to improve and our numbers are not much different, but with Sister Sperry are very calm and happy all times. Never got even close to fight or have problems. I love my companion.
This week we visited Trough. I went on divisions with Sister Sousa while Sister Sperry went to Sister Auna. It was very good. The Sister Sousa's happier and have more confidence in it herself. You can see the love the two have for each other, and have very good attitudes of work. The Sister Sousa has a very calm and pure spirit and brings much to the lessons. She is very quiet, but at the end of the division she opened further and had a very good conversation. I think the conference areas was very good for them because she sure does not feel good about their own efforts. We are trying to do more to meet our sisters and best friends to be with them. I think that often the sisters (especially younger) see division as a time when we will only fix and judge. They should never feel judged or they may not work as usual, as if they have to show us. We are working to teach and train with love and gain their trust first so that they feel the urge to talk to us when they have difficulties or questions. I think it worked with both Sister and Sister Auna Sousa. We are here to love and help!
Our area is well. Members are VERY helping, especially with our researcher Clarisse. She is wonderful! She officially stopped smoking! He made a few days now and we will continue to monitor closely so it does not fall again. We love her very much, and she accepts everything we teach. She needs the light of the gospel in her life, and is seeing many wonderful changes in your life because of it. She is a very great example to me of strength within difficulty. I want to be more like it is.
Everything is good here besides the foot of Sister Sperry. We rested a few times this week (but probably not enough), but is not changing much. The Sister Brum scored a new doctor consult. I think the worst part is just not exactly know what the problem is specific. We are using too much ice and rest at least an hour before lunch often. We also made a special fasting this week. However, the Lord is blessing us in MANY other way and we are seeing many tender mercies daily. My life is so good and blessed.
President Thanks for your time!
Sister Marchant