Olá Olá Meus Amores!

Happy New Year my dearest friends! Things are going by so fast here on the mish. It is already 2014! I am ready to devote this entire year to the service of my Lord and Savior. How lucky am I!

A few of you asked about traditions for New Years in Brazil. I didn´t hear about anything too special except that everyone stays up past midnight and gets a bit tipsy...But as missionaries we went to bed at 10:30 again! We woke up right before midnight and ate dark chocolate m&ms (yum yum thanks Mom!) and made new years resolutions. We also watched fireworks outside of our window. We live in the third floor of an apartment complex so there so we had a decent view. That is one great tradition they have. Every city sets off tons of fireworks at midnight. No matter where you live you will always be able to see fireworks because tons of people set them off all over the city. Then we just went to bed again, because as a missionary, you are always exhausted.

We did a sweet service project this week. An irmão in the ward is remolding and repainting his living room. We went over to his house one morning and helped to sand down all of his walls and doorframes. It reminded me of working in the house with Dad. We got super dusty and were pretty tired by the end, but it felt great to do some hard physical labor again :) (did you ever think I´d say those words Dad?)

Sonia and Lucas are progressing a lot. They are growing tons in the gospel and are such a joy to teach. I feel true genuine love for them and pray every day for them to continue to grow in the gospel. Sonia is 21 and Lucas is 19. I don´t remember if I´ve told you tons about them yet but we actually met them as a street contact because their mom wanted to come to our English class. That was over a month ago, and no one from their family has been to the class yet, but we have been able to teach the lessons to them instead. They live right across the street from the Church so it has been really easy to get them to come to Church. They are truly reading the LDM and have awesome questions during every lesson. I love teaching them because they listen intently to everything we teach and have a honest desire to recieve answers to their prayers. I hope I don´t get transfered so that I can continue to teach such wonderful people here who are stealing my heart.

We switched our Preparation Day to today so that we could go to the zoo! It was super fun and had some pretty amazing animals. It was pretty similar to our zoos just a little smaller. They had a few of the basics like an elephant and bear and lion, but then lots of different types of birds and warthog type animals that I have never seen before. It was pretty intense. But the best part was the gardens. They had extremely tall trees with a really thick forest that was absolutely beautiful. I would have been happy just to walk through that beautiful forest even if there wasn´t any animals. The botanical gardens at the Cincinnati zoo don´t seem like anything after that. It was the first time I felt like I was in the stereotypical Amazon that everyone thinks all of Brazil is like. Although it was a little tricky to get our preparation day switched around it was totally worth it and plus, the zoos are free here.

We have also had some inspirational lessons with less actives this week. Our ward has lots of less actives that are needing some love, so we have been seaching them out and bringing them back. I like working with less active because they almost always are very accepting of the missionaries and know what to expect when we come. I have felt the Spirit extremely strong in those lessons and have grown from the testimonies of these members. All of the less active we have talked to still have a testimony of the gospel but just have had some difficulty or another that is keeping them from reaching their highest potential. We can use the base they already have to help move them forward to enjoy all of the fruits of the gospel de novo.

This week I have come to love and appreciate the Atonement of Christ even more. I need it so badly as a missionary and I know how much our investigators need it. We can do everything God asks of us with the Atonement and can do nothing without it. How grateful I am for this wonderful gift! Every single day I thank my Heavenly Father for the help and strength that I can gain because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He is my Savior in a very literal sense and pulls me out of every hardship I enter. Everything is possible because of His infinite and complete sacrifice for us. Even when no one else does, He knows EXACTLY what we are feeling and going through. He will never leave us comfortless, in fact, he will always be there to full us all the way up with comfort and joy! We can do it all! Every hardship of this life will be worth it and can be the chance to be molded into someone better. I am so grateful for all of the experiences a mission offers. There is nothing like it in the world. If any of you reading this are debating whether to serve or not, DO IT! Every challenge or hardship you may have to go through to become a missionary is 100% worth it. I would never choose to change my decision and am so grateful the Lord has called me as His servant to bring others back to Him. Lucky for me I myself am being led back to Him at the same time. My heart is full.

Alguns beijos piegos,

Sister Marchant

P.S. Thanks for teaching me how to type. It´s funny that the Brazilians here think it is amazing how fast I can type. I don´t type any faster at all than any normal person but it makes a big difference when it is crunch time for emails and I don´t have to peck at the keys. The simple things about life you don´t appreciate enough...

Olá Presidente!

Obrigada por tudo de sua ajuda esta semana! Este tem sido uma semana de santificação de novo. Eu estou aprendendo MUITAS coisas. Eu sei que as experiencias nesta transferência vai me preparar e me ajudar por eventos no futuro. Eu sei que Deus tem um propósito por tudo que aconteceu em nossas vidas e que eu vou ser grata por esta experiencia no futuro. As verdades do evangelho são tão boas e felizes. Estou aprendendo muito mais sobre a expiação de Cristo e estou crescendo muito mais perto a Ele. Eu sei que com a ajuda Dele tudo é possível e que eu posso vencer qualquer dificuldade que eu tenho. Deus é tão bom!

Nós também tivemos algumas boas lições esta semana. Nossos pesquisadores Sonia e Lucas estão progredindo bem. Eles gostam de ir a igreja e têm perguntas perfeitas. Acho que eles têm confiança em nós e tem desejos puros aprender sobre a felicidade do evangelho. Nós os amamos e estão tentando fazer tudo os ajudar achegaram-se a Cristo.

O trabalho empurra para a frente! Tenho um testemunho forte sobre as palavras de Joseph Smith quando ele falou que A obra de Deus avançará com coragem, nobreza e independência, que nada vai parar o progresso desta obra. Temos as melhores notícias no mundo! Que felicidade ser missionária, não importa o que desafio aconteceu. Com a ajuda do Senhor, eu vou fazer sua obra.

Obrigada por tudo,

Sister Marchant

 

 

Translation into English

 

Hello President !
Thanks for all your help this week ! This has been a week of sanctification again. I 'm learning MANY things . I know that this transfer experiences will prepare me and help me in future events . I know God has a purpose for everything that happened in our lives and I will be grateful for this experience in the future. The truths of the gospel are so good and happy . I'm learning a lot more about the atonement of Christ and am growing much closer to Him I know that with His help everything is possible and that I can overcome any difficulty that I have. God is so good !
We also had some good lessons this week . Our researchers Sonia and Luke are progressing well . They like to go to church and have perfect questions . I think they have confidence in us and have pure desires happiness learn about the gospel . We love you and are trying to do everything to help have come before Christ.
The work pushes forward ! I have a strong testimony to the words of Joseph Smith when he said that the work of God will go forth boldly , nobly, and independent , that nothing will stop the work from progressing . We have the best news in the world ! What bliss to be a missionary , no matter what happened Challenge . With the Lord's help , I will do your work .

 

Thanks for everything,
Sister Marchant