From: Eliza Marchant

Date: 04/21/14 13:02:27

To: Jewel Marchant;  Gary Marchant

 

Olá bonitas!

Happy Easter! And a happy Easter it has been. Yesterday was wonderful. It started out with Irmã Debora giving her first lesson for the Young Womens. She asked us to come the first week to help and support her, especially since she doesn´t have councilors yet. She likes to talk a lot and talks even more when she is nervous so she was going a mile a minute, but she had a strong testimony and it was GREAT to see her growing and changing so much. She comes closer to Christ even week and is slowly but surely gaining a deep testimony of the Restoration and of her Savior. She also came to Church in a skirt for the first time this week! A lot of people here are anti-dresses and skirts. Although Debora´s husband has zero interest in the Church he likes us because we make Debora happy and he likes the great ways she is changing too. He bought her three new skirts this week and a few blouses and she wore them and was modest and looked beautiful. It has been so great to see her transformation from the very beginning. Up til now Debora is the miracle of my mission.

We also started teaching this other family this week who live in the back of this sketch alleyway. They were a reference from the Elderes who made a street contact with their son, Jeferson. We went there for the first time on Wednesday at night when it was raining really hard, so we were a little nervous at first, but they let us right in and they were great. They live in this small house that is falling apart but it is so full of love. There are at least three generations living there and a bunch of inlaws and babies running around, I can´t keep them all straight! They have had a hard past but are willing to listen and have huge faith in God. We taught Jeferson and an in law Taisa the Restoration this week and they were really attentive. It might have been too much for them to take in but they seemed to be willing to try the Book of Mormon and to keep commitments. We are excited to keep visiting them.

We had another interesting experience when we were doing contacts in the park last night. We started talking to this small group of men sitting on a bench when their friend ran up and started talking to us a lot about his personal, very interesting, philosophies on religion. It turns our he is also an excellent painter. He had one of his paintings on a little tile with him and we really liked it so he was like, "ok, let me run to my house real quick and I´ll make one for you." He ran all the way back home and grabbed two more tiles and a bunch of fancy paints and brought them back to the park. He painted this sunrise for us both in like five minutes without brushes, using only one finger. It really is quite beautiful and I was super impressed. It was a special easter gift!

We also hav two YSA girls in our work who are really nice and go on splits with us every now and then. They told us to come visit them last night real quick on our way home and they surprised all four of us sisteres with bags of candy and a ride home. It was super sweet and a great end to a great day. I am so very blessed!

It was awesome to share the story of Easter with everyone this weekend. We had some special lessons and got to share strong testimonies of the Savior. I learned about the Resurrection this year, and we had a strong Spirit all weekend long. I love holidays! Especially such important ones as this.

Real quick Brazilian Easter tradition: No one colors eggs here but everyone buys these giant ovos de Páscoa. They are these giant hollow chocolate eggs with other candy or toys inside. There are rows and rows of them hanging from the ceiling of the supermarket here. You would not believe how popular these giant eggs are. They are the cool thing to do.

It was overall a great, SUPER fast week full of happiness! I love being a missionary, especially in this best mission in the best area of the world.

Eat more chocolate!

Sister Marchant

Olá Presidente!

Estas semanas estão terminando mais rápido do que eu posso imaginar. Aonde foi esta semana? Nós ensinamos muito e tinha algumas experiencias muito especiais. Nós encontramos um menos ativo esta semana quando buscando na casa de um outra pessoa. Eu nunca ouvi falar sobre este menos ativo, mas ele falou que ele foi MUITO ativo por tipo vinte anos e depois de seu divorcia e outros problemas ele afastou. Nós só o visitou duas vezes e ele prometeu com firmeza ir a Igreja o próximo domingo. Tivemos uma lição muito legal com ele e sua mãe ontem onde nós compartilhamos uma mensagem de Páscoa do Livro de Mórmon e cantamos um hino de Páscoa. O Espírito foi forte e nós estávamos muito felizes. Ele falou que ele vai levar a mãe dele para a Igreja também quem não é um membro. Ontem foi um ótimo fim a uma ótima semana. Nós estamos muito corridas e muito felizes.

Ligamos por todas nossas Sísteres esta semana, e elas parecem muito boas e melhor do que a semana passada, além que Síster Freitas está doente com um gripe e Síster Cruz está ainda tendo muitos dores nos joelhos. Sister Zapata e Sister Barros são muito felizes e nunca para rir e sorrir.

O resto aqui está tranquilo e feliz. Os outros missionários aqui em Campos Eliseos são ótimos e estamos trabalhando muito. Nossa ala continua ajudar muito. Estamos animadas pela serão esta semana e estão convidando tudo mundo. Vida é boa!

Obrigada,

Sister Marchant

 

 

Translation to English:

Hello President !
These weeks are finishing faster than I can imagine. Where did this week ? We teach a lot and had some very special experiences . We found a less active this week when searching the home of a another person . I never heard about this less active , but he said he was VERY active for twenty years, and then type your divorce and other problems he departed . We only visited him twice and he firmly promised to go to church the next Sunday. We had a very cool lesson with him and his mother yesterday we shared an Easter message of the Book of Mormon and sang a hymn of Easter. The Spirit was strong and we were very happy . He said he will take his mother to the church who is not also a member . Yesterday was a great end to a great week . We're quite busy and very happy .
We will call for all our Sisters this week , and they look very good and better than last week , in addition to Sister Freitas is sick with a flu and Sister Cruz is still having many painful knees . Sister Sister Zapata and Barros are very happy and never laugh and smile .
The rest here is peaceful and happy. The other missionaries here in Campos Eliseos are great and we're working hard . Our ward still help a lot . We are animated by this weekend and are inviting all the world . Life is good !
Thank you,
Sister Marchant

 

From: Eliza Marchant

Date: 04/14/14 11:17:46

To: Jewel Marchant;  Gary Marchant

Subject: Debora is the best!

 

Feliz Páscoa gente!

It really is hard to spend holidays without you all, but there are lots of new traditions and exciting things happening here to experience! Instead of Easter baskets they sell tons of these giant chocolate eggs. All the kids get a giant chocolate egg with toys inside. There are hundreds hanging from the ceiling of the supermarket here in town--it kind of makes me clostrophopic. But it is exciting and gets me in the Easter spirit. We have been studying a lot about the Resurreição this week and searching the story from all the four gospels. The Resurrection is such a wonderful, miraculous gift, and it is way neat to learn about all the details surrounding it. I encourage you to deeply study it again this Easter season if you haven´t already.

We had our first divisions this week with Sister Casperson and Sister Rodriguez! I went with Sister Rodriguez and had a blast. She is an excelent teacher and doesn´t really need any advice from me, but it was really cool at the end to talk to her a lot about how it is to be a new American learning Portuguese. It really is feelings and frustrations you will never understand unless you experience it. Sister Casperson has only been here for about a month and has no language background, so I can only imagine what it must be like for her. Spanish helped me SSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOO much. I am so grateful that I chose to stick with Spanish all the way until the end of high school. Who know it would come in handy so much? It´s funny though, now I remember hardly nothing of Spanish at all. If I try to think or speak of Spanish it all comes out in Portuguese. I want to study Spanish again though when I come home. I LOVE languages!

Biggest news of the week--our recent convert Debora received a calling! I am so grateful to still be in this area to see her grow so much and to help her with this. She has been called to be the Ward Young Women´s President! She has only been a member for two weeks and hardly has even heard of Young Womens. It is going to be an adventure and an awesome challenge for her. Luckily, Sister Hoggan and I went all the way through the Young Womens program so we can get her started with even the most simple things such as what does it mean to have councilors and what are the Laurels. She is nervous but very willing and ready to go. I have huge faith in her and know that this will really solidify her testimony in the gospel as she studies and teaches the doctrine to this small group of Young Women. Debora is my hero! (She keeps giving us way too much free food too. That girl)

The other day we were doing exercises outside (we often descer until our apartment´s parking lot to do exercises in the fresh air :)) and I was just really anxious to get out and teach! There are so many people here in need of the gospel! We always have tons of people to visit and never enough to time to help all of the people on our lists. Our investigators are having a hard time keeping commitments this week for different reasons, but we had some powerful, determining lessons this week with some of them and we are excited to really go for it this next week.

We also were able to watch the General Women´s Conference this weekend! You were right Mom, that second vid really hit me too. I thought of you! Life goes super fast, especially a mission life. Time is a funny thing. Thank goodness we get to have endless time together in the eternities! We watched the Conference in Portuguese which was a really neat experience. I could understand almost everything! I didn´t retain a lot of it because I was focusing so hard on the language but I tried to take good notes and we should get the Conference edition of the Liahona soon! The Church is so great with all of these neverending resources to study. I am going to study the gospel until my brain explodes.

I love you all tons! Go eat another chocolate egg--especially those ones filled with the white cream (what are the called? It starts with a C). Thanks for writing such long emails this week! Love you!

Love,

Sister Marchant

Olá Presidente,

Estamos trabalhando muito e estamos cansadas mas felizes. Somos muito ocupadas organizando todos as coisas para nossos Sísteres e tentando aprender como ser bons líderes. Tivemos nossas primeiras divisões com Síster Rodriguez e Síster Casperson esta semana. Eu sai com Síster Rodriguez. Ela está fazendo ótima e está muito feliz. Ela ensina com poder e autoridade e faz contatos muito bom. Eu acho que ela vai ser um líder muito bom na missão e um exemplo grande para outras Sísteres. Ela já é uma treinadora muito boa com Síster Casperson, e elas estão felizes trabalhando juntos. Ajudei ela começar um plano de estudo de inglês; ela está animada estudar e fazer a prova em fim com a ajuda de Síster Casperson. Síster Casperson também é muito inteligente e sabe como fazer todas as tarefas de uma missionária. Ela só precisa mais ajuda com Português. Para nossa treinamento da manhã seguinte nós falamos muito sobre trabalhando igualmente. Síster Casperson não tem medo, mas como qualquer outra Americana nova, é difícil entrar conversas quando ela não sabe como fazer transições ou comentar. Encorajamos que Síster Casperson lidere mais e Síster Rodriguez fale menos. Mas elas são muito poderosas e não precisa mudar muitos coisas. Não precisamos preocupar sobre sua dupla.

Nossa semana foi bom mas um pouco desapontada. Nós tivemos algumas lições muito boas e tivemos muitos pesquisadores quem prometeram ir a Igreja, mas ninguém estava lá ontem. Vamos correr atrás todas estas pessoas esta semana e tentar explicar com testemunhos mais forte sobre a importância de frequentar a Igreja. Mas a Igreja domingo ainda foi muito boa. Nossas recém-conversas em nossa ala, Debora e Tiago, ambos receberam chamados! Debora é a nova Presidente das Moças e Tiago e o Líder da obra missionária da ala! Nós estamos muito animadas trabalhar com eles. Os dois estão muito dispostos e animados (e um pouco nervosos) ter estes novos chamados. Vamos trabalhar muito com eles para ajudar eles entender como servir em seus chamados e realmente que significa todas estas coisas e palavras novas. Estou muito animada para Debora especialmente porque eu sei que isto é exatamente o que ela precisa para permanecer ativa todos os domingos na Igreja e conhecer muitas mais pessoas. A obra está continuando forte aqui! Eu amo esta obra.

Obrigada por tudo,

Síster Marchant

P.S. Eu muito mais fácil escrever rápido em Português agora!

 

 

 

Translation into English

 

Hello President ,
We're working hard and we are tired but happy . We are all very busy organizing things for our Sisters and trying to learn how to be good leaders . We had our first divisions with Sister and Sister Casperson Rodriguez this week . I hung out with Sister Rodriguez . She is doing great and is very happy . She teaches with power and authority and makes very good contacts . I think it will be a very good leader in mission and a great example for other Sisters . She is already a very good coach with Sister Casperson , and they are happy working together . I helped her get a plan of study English ; she's excited to study and take the test in order with the help of Sister Casperson . Sister Casperson is also very smart and knows how to do all the tasks of a missionary . It just needs more help with Portuguese . For our training next morning we talked a lot about working also . Sister Casperson has no fear, but like any other young American, is difficult to get into conversations when she does not know how to do transitions or comment . We encourage Casperson Sister Sister Rodriguez lead more and talk less. But they are very powerful and do not need to change many things . We need not worry about his double .
Our week was good but a little disappointed . We had some very good lessons and many researchers who had promised to go to church , but nobody was there yesterday. Let's go after all these people this week and try to explain with stronger statements about the importance of attending church . But to Sunday Church was still very good . Our new converts in our ward , Debora and James both received calls ! Debora is the new Young Women president , and James and the Leader of the ward mission ! We are very excited to work with them . The two are very willing and excited ( and a little nervous ) to have these new calls . We will work hard with them to help them understand how to serve in their callings and really that means all these things and new words . I am very excited to Debora especially because I know that this is exactly what she needs to stay active in church every Sunday and meet more people . The work is continuing strong here! I love this work .

 

Thanks for everything,
Sister Marchant

 

PS I fast a lot easier to write in Portuguese now !

 

Hey hey!

Uau, what a semana this has been! First of all, Conference was out of this world. I loved watching and learning in each session so much. The time has never zoomed by so quickly. All of the American missionaries in Ribeirão joined up in our stake center (which of course is in the one and only perfect area na missão) to watch Conference in English. We had our own little air conditioned room in the High Council Room. It was a blast and super spiritually strong. I felt the Spirit stronger this weekend than any other Conference weekend. I could sit there and listen to them all day long.

We had a few pretty big changes this week...TRANSFERENCIAS! And the news is...I am staying in Campos Eliseos again! By the end of this transfer I will have 7 months in this wonderful area. And..Sister Hoggan is staying as well! She is a wonderful, super hardworking companion and I am very excited to continue to work with her and with these people that I love so much in Campos Eliseos. Elder Graf is going home to the states today but the other four missionaries aqui in our district are staying the same as well. They are all super strong missionaries and it is a pleasure to work with them.

But the big news is that Sister Hoggan and I are the new Sister Training Leaders!!! I did not believe it when we heard. Presidente Brum called us Friday afternoon and asked us both to start this next transfer. Usually a Sister Treinadora is trained by another who already has been, but we will be trying to figure this out on our own! Our main jobs will be to go on divisions with six other duplas of Sisteres and to work closely with the Presidente in extra meetings and leadership trainings. I did not see this one coming but am very excited to start. It´s kind of like being a zone leader for sisteres. I have learned TONS from my divisions with the Sisteres Treinadores in the past so I am excited to serve as one and learn so much more in this other aspect of service. I am a lot more confident in myself now knowing that the Presidente and the Lord know I can do hard things and have confidence in me. We are going to be runnning around like crazy being super busy, especially since this transfer only has 5 weeks (I don´t really know why, the weeks of the year don´t add up right), but I am happy and healthy and ready to go.

I could write for hours about all of my adventures if I had the chance! But don´t worry, I´m keeping a journal everyday so you guys can hear all the good details when I come home. Love you all tons!

Com Amor,

Sister Marchant

P.S. Do you all have a Preach My Gospel? Elder Ballard (and me) hope that you will write your missionary friends with details about what you are learning. I love this manual SO MUCH. We are having this trainingish project as a mission where we pass off a list of different things we are learning from Preach My Gospel. I am basically going to have this book memorized by the time I get home. I LOVE Pregar Meu Evangelho!

Olá Presidente,

Que uma semana maravilhosa! Eu amei Conferência Geral tanto, tanto, tanto. Nunca passou tão rápida, e conseguiria assistir todo o dia. Eu gostei dos discursos de Presidente Uchdorf sobre gratidão e de Presidente Monson sobre caridade para com um ao outro e todas as pessoas que nós encontramos. Aprendi muitas maneiras eu quero mudar e melhorar para tornar-me uma melhor professora e líder na missão. Tenho muitas coisas para fazer e aplicar desta Conferência, mas estou animada começar.

Estou também animada servir em nesta novo chamado como uma treinadora. Foi uma surpresa mas estou disposta fazer qualquer coisa que o Senhor peça. Sei que com a confiança Dele e de ti eu posso ter as forças e inteligência fazer coisas difíceis e ajudar outras missionárias. Eu amo estas Sísteres tanto! Sister Hoggan e eu estamos pensando muito sobre elas e como ajudar cada dupla. Estou muito grata pela oportunidade trabalhar mais perto com elas e conhecer elas melhor à medida que trabalhamos juntos. Obrigada pela email sobre nossa mordomia e quais são nossas responsabilidades. Vai ajudar muito à medida que estamos aprendendo como servir nestas novos aspeitos. Vamos ser muito ocupadas! Que uma coisa ótima.

Estou muito animada ficar em Campos Eliseos também! Que uma bênção servir tanto tempo aqui na área que eu amo tanto. Eu conheço todas as ruas e membros agora e onde tudo mundo mora então nós podemos trabalhar mais arduamente, nunca perdendo tempo buscando ruas ou esquecendo nomes. Tenho muito mais confiança como missionária, como ensinar, e como seguir todos os horários e partes pequenas da obra. Continuo aprender muitas coisas e minha vida está mudando imensamente. Eu amo ser missionária! Nunca imaginava tanto eu mudaria ou tanto esta missão afeitaria meu futuro. Tenho outros planos e maneiras que quero viver minha vida no futuro agora. Sou uma nova pessoa por causa das pessoas aqui.

Muito obrigado por tudo Presidente. Qualquer coisa que você precisa de nós, estamos prontas ajudar.

Síster Marchant

 

 

English Translation:

Hello President ,What a wonderful week! I loved General Conference so, so , so much. Never went so fast , and could watch all day . I liked the speeches of President Uchdorf about gratitude and President Monson about charity towards one another and all the people we met . I learned many ways I want to change and improve to become a better teacher and leader in the mission . I have many things to do and apply this conference , but I'm excited to start.I'm also excited to serve in this new calling as a coach . It was a surprise but I'm willing to do whatever the Lord part . I know that with Him you trust and I can have the strength and intelligence to do difficult things and help other missionaries. I love both these Sisters ! Hoggan sister and I are thinking a lot about them and how to help each couple . I am very grateful for the opportunity to work more closely with them and know them best as we work together. Thanks for the email about our stewardship and our responsibilities . Will help a lot as we are learning how to serve these new aspeitos . We will be very busy ! What a great thing .I'm very excited to stay in Campos Eliseos too! What a blessing to serve much time here in the area that I love so much . I know every street and members now live and where all the world then we can work harder , never wasting time searching the streets or forgetting names . I have much more confidence as a missionary , how to teach , and how to keep all schedules and small parts of the work . I continue to learn many things and my life is changing immensely . I love being a missionary ! Never thought I'd change both or either this mission afeitaria my future . I have other plans and ways I want to live my life in the future now . I am a new person because of the people here .Thank you for everything President . Anything you need us , we are ready to help.Sister Marchant

From: Eliza Marchant

Date: 3/31/2014 12:34:37 PM

To: Jewel Marchant;  Gary Marchant

Subject: Miracles Galore

 

Hey hey!

This has been an amazing week. We have been super busy doing tons of different things! First of all, we had a Zone Conference this week that was really motivating and helpful. Presidente Brum is so great. He gave a "treinamento de poder" like usual that got me really excited to go out working strong again. He is an ex-military colonel, so he is a little strict and straightforward, but he always throws in a bunch of surprises and jokes. I feel very safe and loved with him as our Presidente. He really is like a father to us during this year and a half.

On Saturday we had a huge Relief Society fireside/party to celebrate the birthday of the Relief Society. The RS President gave a long, inspiring talk and Debora and us four sisters sang a special musical number called "filhas de um Rei" that turned out really well. The Stake RS President was there and asked us to sing in the next Stake RS program they are having. I hope I will still be here in Ribeirão Preto!

We had a lot of investigators at this party too: Marisa, Debora, and Kayla. Kayla is the owner of the sorveteria across the street from the Chapel. She has been coming to our Aula de Inglês and is super sweet. She is a little timid but still showed up even when we told her last minute. I think this was the first Church activity she has even been to. After we finished with our closing musical number we went down and talked to her. She was crying and said she felt really peaceful and different. Music really can have a lot of power! I am very grateful that all of those long years of piano lessons and choir are really paying off every week here in Brazil. We are very excited to start really teaching Kayla the gospel. We continue to give them lots of business too because we have a lot of missionaries who eat a lot and like ice cream and especially açaí a LOT. Wow, açaí is the best thing in the world.

Speaking of music, Elder Ruberson is at it again. He put together an audition choir of about 28 missionaries to create a program for julho with songs about the Restoration. We have rehearsals once a month on a Preparation Day. He has chosen some hard but beautiful music that I am very excited to work on. I am also excited because this time I will be able to sing alto instead of play piano. Don´t get me wrong, I LOVE the piano, but it will be a nice change to sing in a choir again. I Love to sing! Our first rehearsal was today, and we have a really fun group. Elder Ruberson asked me and Sister Sperry to be his assistent directors. I don´t do very much except help during sectionals but I am really enjoying it.

Sunday was a great day at Church again! (see below). We had a new investigator Nathali at Church who is a 20 year old college student. We actually haven´t ever taught her a real lesson yet but keep running into her in the street. We invited her to Church and said a prayer with her on the sidewalk this week. We went to pick her up and even though it was raining super hard she came with us through the rivers in the streets. She really liked Church and is excited for General Conference!

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited for General Conference. I have been waiting for this for months! We taught Carlos our cemetary gaurd friend about prophets and General Conference this week and he also thought it was really cool that we have modern prophets. He also promised to come to a few sessions this weekend. His only problem is that he works on Sunday. But if he can change his schedule around somehow I think he would start coming to Church every week and could get baptized and confirmed quickly. He is a diamond in the rough!

Marisa and her girls continue to progress a lot as well. Marisa is a little stubborn and very Espítita, but I think she is going to start changing a lot too with the help of the gospel. She committed to stop drinking beer and coffee this week. It will be difficult for her to give up coffee but we have plans and I know she will succeed.

Everything is going really well! I love you all and really could write for hours if I had the time. Keep living life strong!

Love,

Sister Marchant

Olá Presidente!

Estou continuando aprender e crescer cada dia um pouco mais. Esta semana foi um pouco diferente com a Conferência de Zonas e uma atividade grande do Sociedade de Socorro em nossa ala e o novo coral, mas tivemos muito sucesso também. Debora foi confirmada! A reunião foi muito boa e a bênção foi exatamente o que ela precisava. As outras Sísteres e nós e Debora também cantamos uma música especial durante a reunião sacramental. O Espiríto foi forte e tudo mundo estava feliz. Foi um ótimo dia.

Nós também estamos ensinando um Carlos quem é o chefe do cemitério aqui em Campos Eliseos. Ele é MUITO chique e quer mudar sua vida muito. Ele é inteligente e entende tudo que nós ensinamos. Está animado assistir Conferência Geral e achou que profetas modernos são bem legais. Ele está disposto ser batizado também, o único problema é que ele trabalha todos os domingos. Seria muito difícil mudar o horário dele mas vamos trabalhar mais com ele e enfocar no Dia do Senhor.

Na verdade, aquela prática que nós fizemos no Conferência sobre o Dia do Senhor foi muito útil já o próximo dia. Nós encontramos uma moça na rua com quem tivemos falado algumas vezes antes, mas nunca deu certo ensinar ela. Nós falamos sobre a Igreja e convidou ela ir esta semana. Nós andamos a sua casa ontem e apenas de muito chuva, ela andou conosco para a Igreja! Ela gostou MUITO e esta animada sobre Conferência Geral também. Nossos pesquisadores são progredindo muito e nós estamos muito animadas por eles.

Nós estamos felizes e saudáveis. O coral vai ser muito bom também e é uma honra ser uma parte dele. Temos muitas bênçãos de ser missionários e o Senhor está nos cuidando.

Obrigada por uma Conferência maravilhosa!

 

 

Hello President !I am continuing to learn and grow every day a little more . This week was a little different with the Conference of zones and a large activity of the Relief Society in our ward and new coral, but we had a lot of success too. Debora was confirmed ! The meeting was very good and the blessing was exactly what she needed . The other Sisters and Debora and we also sing a special song during sacrament meeting. The spirit was strong and everything else was happy. It was a great day.We are also teaching a Carlos who is the head of the cemetery here at Elysian Fields. He is VERY chic and want to change your life much . He is smart and understands everything we teach . Is excited to watch General Conference and found that modern prophets are pretty cool . He is willing to be baptized too, the only problem is that he works every Sunday . It would be very difficult to change his schedule but we will work with it and focus more on the Sabbath .In fact , this practice we did in the Conference on the Lord's Day was very useful since the next day. We found a girl in the street who had spoken a few times before but never worked teach her. We talked about the church and invited her to go this week . We walked home yesterday and just really rain, she walked us to the Church ! She liked this and VERY excited about General Conference too. Our researchers are making great progress and we are very excited for them .We are happy and healthy . The choir will also be very good and it is an honor to be a part of it . We have many blessings to be missionaries and the Lord is watching us.Thank you for a wonderful conference !

Síster Marchant

 

Bom dia família!

Biggest news of the week is that the newbies have arrived! The American Sisteres and Elderes for this transfer came in last Wednesday. They are doing great and moving right in. One of them is Sister Casperson! She is living in our apartment now as companions to Sister Rodriguez.They are really great and hardworking. They are in charge of Campos Eliseos A now. The office elderes are also training an Elder Johnson now too so we have 7 missionaries in our ward! Our ward is so full. This Sunday we had 95 people in Sacrament Meeting which was even more than last week. I thought last week was a once in a lifetime opportunity but once again our chapel was way full! Bispo Fabio e Irmã Sueli are very on top of things and never stop working. They are so excited to work every second and are willing to help with anything we need. I am never going to find another ward quite like this one. Part of me wants to stay in this area until the end of my mission!

I also saw this week...Sister Shipp!!! It was SO great to see her again! She is such a strong missionary and will be so great here in Brazil. The night she arrived she actually stayed with us in Campos Eliseos (we have lots of extra beds and there was a zone conference in our chapel the next day) so I got to talk to her a little bit and catch up on the past 5 months. She loved California and is also excited to start here in Brazil. I could really see myself in her as we interacted with the other missionaries and a few members that first day. I was so scared and silent when I arrived here too! I feel like I have changed SO much since being here in Brazil and have really grown since that first day. Moving to Brazil after getting your visa is kind of like starting all over again as a missionary for the first few weeks. You really can hardly contribute at all and have no idea what is going on. I am so grateful I survived through that stage and that I can be a true part of the work now every day. I understand this language better every day and it is not holding me back from anything anymore. Eu amo Portuguese demais!

The sad news was that Debora was unfortunately not baptized this week. Her husband has CRAZY work schedules (basically he doesn´t ever stop working either) and doesn´t find out when he will be off until the day before. Debora really wants him to be present at her baptism which we are all up for, it just makes it hard to plan. But she said for sure during this week or next Sunday it will happen. I know how important this is and how much she needs the gospel in her life! We will continue to visit her often and encourage her to stay strong and committed even amongst any struggles she may have with support from family or personal motivation. She is such a happy person and is SO prepared to be a member of the Church its not even funny.

We have worked a lot with Marisa too this week. Her daughters are on fire and attend basically any reunião the Church has. When we told them they could be clean of all of their sins and worries through baptism this week they said they wanted to get baptized tomorrow. They would be very ready if only their mother was as excited. We have a rule in the mission that you cannot baptize kids under 18 without their mom or dad being baptized as well. They have had lots of problems with kids going inactive fast and then still being responsible for this covenant they made. I think it is a great rule. It is a little sad in this situation though because the girls are so righteous and ready! Marisa really likes the Church too and is super supportive of us coming over and her daughters learning everything possible, she is just super active in her current religion still and has no desire to switch. But she is coming to Church almost every week as well and is reading the Book of Mormon like crazy. I think the gospel will touch her life and she will be able to feel the difference between her religion and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ as she studies more and truly prays in faith.

I love these investigators so much and really love the ward members and other missionaries here. Life is great and I continue to learn a lot about the gospel and about myself each day. Every single youth in the Church should serve a missionary. It changes you SO much.

I love you all tons!

Sister Marchant

P.S. Last night I had a dream in Portuguese that I was at Subway trying to buy a sandwhich, but they would only give me white bread, cheese, and meat. All of the vegetables were just sitting right there in front of me but they wouldn´t give me any! I begged and begged until they said I could pay extra for the veggies. Story of Brazil. Be happy for every single green thing on your plates and eat your fruits and veggies with pride. They have a lot of great fresh produce here but no one ever serves it. The food is super good though, just not very healthy. :)

Olá Presidente,

Foi uma semana boa e corrida. Nós tivemos oito Sisteres em nossa casa uma noite esta semana com a transição com os novas Americanas. O dia depois a reunião de zona foi muito boa. Eu amo nossos reuniões aqui. Nós temos líderes de zona e distrito muito bons e eu sempre aprender muitas coisas em nossas reuniões semanais. As praticas são muito eficaz, e nós estamos aplicando elas mais agora em nossos estudos em casa também. Eu estou gostando as temas dos treinamentos destes meses passados e agora me sinto muito mais confortável com todas as lições e com Pregar Meu Evangelho. Eu sei que tem muito poder e dedicação nesta missão.

Nós trabalhamos muito com Debora e a família de Marisa de novo esta semana. Debora esta progredindo ainda mas não foi batizada este domingo passado. Ela quer que o marido dela possa assistir, que seria muito maravilhoso, e ele só tem folga o próximo domingo. Ela prestou um testemunho forte esta semana conosco que ela quer ser renascido e começar uma vida melhor. Vai ser difícil sem muito apoia de sua família mas ela esta determinada ainda. Vamos continuar a ajudar ter um testemunho mais forte do Livro de Mórmon e de perseverar até o fim.

As filhas de Marisa são progredindo muito rápido. Elas vão a todas as reuniões e atividades da Igreja e estão fazendo boa amizade com as Moças aqui. Nossa lição passada foi o Evangelho de Jesus Cristo e as duas filhas mais jovem falaram, "Quero ser batizada amanhã!" Nós ainda tem muitas coisas ensinar, mas elas estão aprendendo rápido. Nossa ala continua ajudar muito, especialmente a Presidência das Moças e o Presidente do Sociedade de Socorro, Irmã Sueli. Marisa continua ler o Livro de Mórmon muito e ir a Igreja, mas ela não está mudando muito como as filhas dela. Ela está muito animada que suas filhas estão melhorando e mudando, mas ela ainda gosta de sua religião Espirita. Ela frequenta as duas agora e acha que Espiritismo é certo para ela e nossa religião é certa para as filhas dela. Não faz muito sentido para mim que ela pode acreditar em as duas, mas estamos tendo ensinar muito sobre autoridade e que realmente só tem uma lugar com toda a verdade.

Estou tentando muito para receber revelação por nossa área esta semana. Eu posso sentir-se o Espírito forte e estou recebendo respostas a minhas orações. Eu amo esta obra!

Boa semana,

Sister Marchant

Wow!

What a great week. We have been working até o pó. Our ward is so fantastic! We had an awesome Domingo this week at Church and had tons of investigators and less actives we have been working with there too. I have never seen that chapel so full in my life. It did my heart so good to sit up there on the stand (I played the piano every week) and see so many happy souls there soaking in the truth. There were so many people there that they ran out of sacrament bread! They had to run out real fast and find some more and rebless it. I personally have never seen that before but it was a pretty great problem to have.:)

We also had our first stake choir practice this Sunday. Sister Brum asked us to participate in the Stake Womens Choir. They are having a big fireside event for the birthday of Relief Society this month and we get to be a part of it! It is super fun to sing in a choir again. I always miss singing in choirs after a long break of not having one. I love to sing!

Debora is getting baptized!!! We have her interview this Thursday and then our planning her baptism for Saturday. Things are going really well and we have become really great friends. She seems to really understand what we teach and is eager to improve her life through Christ.

A lot of great things have happened with Debora and Marisa and her family this week. I wrote most of them below so you can read it in broken Portuguese. Sorry I don´t have much time today--so many people wrote this week I have just been reading up a storm! Thanks so much to all of you dedicated email writers! They are very appreciated!

Love ya,

Sister Marchant

Olá Presidente Brum,

Esta semana foi uma outra maravilhosa. Nós estamos trabalhando duro e vendo sucesso. A parte melhor do que tudo com certeza foi Domingo. A capela foi cheia! Nunca em minha tempo aqui em Campos Eliseos tenho visto tantas pessoas lá. Tivemos oito pesquisadores na capela (woo!), e os Élderes tinham alguns também. Sou grata que vamos receber uma outra dupla esta semana por que tem muito trabalho fazer aqui! Nós sempre temos pessoas visitar ou contatos contatar. A liderança nesta ala é ótima. Bispo Fabio e o Presidente da Sociedade de Socorro, Irmã Sueli nunca param. Eles sempre querem visitar pessoas e nos ajuda. Eles têm muitas ideias boas para resgatar menos ativos e são muito dispostos trabalhar com nossos pesquisadores. Os outros membros da ala estão ajudando muito com reuniões familiares e fazendo amizade com nossos pesquisadores na Igreja. Eu AMO esta área!

Nós estamos preparando um batismo esta semana para Debora! Ela tem estado preparando-se para batismo toda a vida dela. Ela nunca fumou, nunca tinha enamorados antes de casamento, quer pagar dízimo--todas as coisas que geralmente são difícil para vencer ela já está fazendo certo. Nós amamos ensinar ela porque ela escuta bem e entende bem. Ela tem o desejo melhorar e ser nascida de novo. Ela tem algumas dificuldades com a família dela não dando muito apoia, mas o marido dela aprova e a filha (com seis anos) gosta da Igreja também. Ela vai ter uma entrevista Terça, e se isso vá bem, eu acho que ela vai ser batizada Sábado!

Marisa e as filhas dela estão progredindo bem também. Marisa não foi para a Igreja esta semana porque ela estava passando mal, mas todas suas trés filhas foram, e elas gostaram muito. As Moças foram muito boas e muito simpáticas. Nós também tinham um reunião familiar ontem anoite com Irmão Mateus e Irmã Natali. Foi muito bom especialmente para fazer amizades. Marisa e duas filhas dela foram. Quando fomos a casa dela para levar elas para a reunião, o Presidente das Moças da ala e o marido dela, o Presidente das Moças da Estaca, e uma Moça da ala estava saindo da casa! Nós não sabíamos mas eles fizeram uma visita também. Esta família recebeu muitas visitas da Igreja ontem, e também aceita tudo. Nossa ala é ótima. Marisa e suas filhas ainda tem algumas coisas mudar e coisas aprender, mas eles estão progredindo para com batismo esta transferência também! O Senhor é tão bom. Nós estamos recebendo MUITAS bênçãos de Deus em Campos Eliseos.

Tudo é bom e melhorando também! A vida missionária ainda é difícil mas com certeza vale a pena todos os dias. Sou muito grata por esta oportunidade servir meu Senhor. Isto é a obra Dele, e é uma honra ser uma parte dela.

Obrigada por tudo!

Sister Marchant

 

 

Translation into English:

 

Hello President Brum
This week was another wonderful . We're working hard and seeing success. The best part of all was certainly Domingo . The chapel was crowded ! Never in my time here in Campos Eliseos have seen so many people there. We had eight researchers in the chapel ( woo! ) , and Elders had some too. I am grateful that we will receive another double this week that has much work to do here ! We always have people visit or contact contacts . The leadership in this wing is great . Fabio Bishop and the President of the Relief Society , Sister Sue never stop . They always want people to visit and help us. They have many good ideas to rescue less active and are very willing to work with our researchers . The other ward members are helping a lot with family gatherings and making friends with our researchers in the Church . I LOVE this area!
We are preparing a baptism this week to Debora ! She has been preparing for baptism throughout her life . She never smoked , never had lovers before marriage, wants to pay tithing - all things that are usually hard to win she's doing right now . We love to teach her ​​because she listens well and understands well . She has the desire to improve and be born again . She has some difficulties with her family not giving much support , but her husband and adopted daughter ( six years old ) loves the Church as well. She will have a Tuesday interview, and if that goes well , I think she will be christened Saturday !
Marisa and her daughters are also progressing well . Marisa did not go to church this week because she was sick , but all his three daughters were , and they loved . The girls were very good and very friendly. We also had a family gathering yesterday anoite with brother Matthew and sister Natali . It was very good especially for making friends . Marisa and her two daughters were . When we went to her house to take them to the meeting , the ward Young Women president and her husband, Stake Young Women president , ward and a young woman was leaving the house ! We did not know but they made a visit too . This family received many visits from church yesterday, and also accepts everything. Our ward is great . Marisa and her daughters still have some things to change and learn things , but they are progressing toward baptism this transfer too! The Lord is so good . We are receiving many blessings of God in Elysian Fields.
Everything is good and improving too! The missionary life is still difficult but definitely worth every day. I am very grateful for this opportunity to serve my Lord . This is His work , and it is an honor to be a part of it .

 

Translation into Dutch:

Hallo President Brum
Deze week was een andere prachtige . We werken ER hard aan en het zien van het succes . Het beste deel van alles was zeker Domingo . De kapel was druk ! Nooit in mijn tijd hier in Campos Eliseos zo veel mensen daar hebben gezien . We hadden acht onderzoekers in de kapel ( woo! ) , en ouderlingen had wat ook. I ben dankbaar dat we zullen ontvangen nog een dubbele deze week dat veel werk te doen hier heeft ! We hebben altijd mensen bezoeken of contact contacten . De leiding van deze vleugel is geweldig . Fabio bisschop en de voorzitter van de ZHV , Sister Sue nooit stoppen . Ze willen altijd mensen te bezoeken en ons te helpen . Ze hebben veel goede ideeën om minder actief te redden en zijn zeer bereid om samen met onze onderzoekers . De andere leden van de wijk zijn het helpen van een veel met familiefeesten en vrienden maken met onze onderzoekers in de kerk . I hou van deze streek!
We bereiden een doop deze week om Debora ! Ze is de voorbereiding op de doop door haar leven . Ze heeft nooit gerookt, nooit minnaars had voor het huwelijk , wil om tiende te betalen - alle dingen die meestal moeilijk om te winnen ze nu aan het doen . Wij houden van haar te leren omdat ze luistert goed en begrijpt goed . Ze heeft de wens om te verbeteren en wedergeboren . Ze heeft wat problemen met haar familie niet geven veel steun , maar haar man en geadopteerde dochter ( zes jaar) houdt van de Kerk ook. Ze zal een dinsdag interview , en als dat goed gaat , i denk dat ze zullen worden gedoopt zaterdag !
Marisa en haar dochters zijn ook voorspoedig. Marisa ging niet naar de kerk deze week omdat ze ziek was , maar al zijn drie dochters waren , en ze vonden . De meisjes waren zeer goed en zeer vriendelijk . We hadden ook een familiebijeenkomst gisteren anoite met broer Matthew en zus Natali . Het was zeer goed, vooral voor het maken van vrienden . Marisa en haar twee dochters waren . Toen gingen we naar haar huis om ze naar de vergadering , de afdeling jongevrouwenpresidente en haar man , Stake jongevrouwenpresidente , wijk en een jonge vrouw werd verlaten van het huis ! We wisten niet maar ze maakten ook een bezoek . Deze familie zijn bezocht door vele kerk gisteren , en ook accepteert alles . Onze wijk is groot . Marisa en haar dochters hebben nog een aantal dingen te veranderen en te leren dingen, maar ze gaan vooruit in de richting van de doop deze overdracht ook! De Heer is zo goed. We krijgen vele zegeningen van God in Elysian Fields .
Alles is goed en te verbeteren ! De zendeling leven is nog steeds moeilijk, maar zeker elke dag waard . I ben zeer dankbaar voor deze gelegenheid om mijn Heer te dienen . Dit is Zijn werk , en het is een eer om een deel van te zijn .

Oi Oi Família!

I cannot believe you all are STILL having huge snow storms. I don´t really remember what snow is like. But actually we did have an experience this week where I got a glimpse of what my memories of snow. Slowly over the transfer our freezer froze over with big ice chunks so that eventually we couldn´t fit anything in it. We had to unplug our fridge/freezer for a day and let all the ice melt down to nothing. I was scraping away at the solid layer of ice and it reminded me a little of snow:) Broken freezers are the closest I can get.

This week we have been in a trio! This is all three of our´s first experiences in a trio. It is quite different but I am learning A LOT. There is a lot you have to organize and straighten out to keep everything equal between three people. But our new companion Sister Rodriguez is great so it´s not that hard. She is 27 and is from Porto Alegre. It is great to be serving with a Brazilian again too. She used to be a Portuguese teacher so she knows the grammer and everything about Portuguese really well. We are also starting to teach her English which is great. She doesn´t know anything right now so we are starting from the very beginning. It is neat to see her and imagine what it must have been like to try to teach me Portuguese from the beginning. Vish! There is a lot to learn about a language.

Debora is doing great. We visit her almost every day and she always has news stories about her life to tell us. It will be SUPER hard to give her up next week. So we are currently working in all of Campos Eliseos until Sister Rodriguez´s novinha comes from the MTC next week. Then we will split Campos Eliseos in half and give them half of our area like we did before with the Elderes. Debora is in their area (nooooo!) so after this week we will not be able to teach her much. I´ve never been so sad to leave an investigator but I know she is going into good hands and that Sister Rodriguez will take care of her well. We will still see her every week at our English class and of course at Church every Sunday :). She has a baptismal date for this Saturday. I don´t know if she will make it then but either this week or next week for sure. I really hope and pray she can get baptized while I am here.

Marisa´s family is doing great too! We are becoming good friends with them and developing a trust that will make it easier to teach. Marisa, Giovana, and Mariana (Bianca was in a different city visiting relatives this weekend) came to Church this week! I think the girls were a little bored in Relief Society and Gospel Doctrine (see below) but they said they liked it and I think they will come back again to try out as Moças when all of the young women come back from their trip. They are eager to learn and we are eager to teach. I love working with them! And yes, they are in our area for good.

I have been studying a lot about and trying to apply charity into my actions and work more this week. As I study the example and life of the Savior, I am learning that their really is always so much more we can give to help others. He gave every second of His life to teaching and helping us, and I want to be able to gain a sliver of the charity He shows for us. I know that just a little bit of charity can go a long way and that our service in the Church does not go unnoticed. Thank you so much to all of you who are fulfilling your callings willing and giving of yourselves to build the kingdom of God. Blessings overflowing (literally more than we can count) are available to us when we live the Gospel of Christ with all of our hearts. I love you all tons!

Love,

Sister Marchant

Olá Presidente!

Esta semana foi ótima. Estou aprendendo muitas coisas. Ter Sister Rodriguiz em um trio conosco é muito bom. Ela é muito inteligente e sábia e nos ajuda muito. E diferente ensinar e planejar com trés pessoas, mas Sister Rodriguiz é muito fácil. Nós estamos felizes e aprendendo coisas diferentes juntas. É uma oportunidade muito grande para aprender novas coisas. Sister Rodriguez está me ajudando muito com Português também. Nós falamos Português 24/7 e é muito mais fácil agora falar o que eu quero. Eu amo esta idioma! É muito bonita e muito legal finalmente entender quase tudo que todos os pessoas falam. Para mim falar é ainda a parte mais difícil, mas estou melhorando pouco por pouco. Tenho um desejo muito grande ser completamente fluente nesta língua.

Nosso pesquisador Debora está progredindo rápido. Ela foi para a Igreja esta semana de novo e gostou. Ela não trabalha então nós podemos visitar ela quase todos os dias. Ela entende o que nós ensinamos e já tem um testemunho que a Igreja é verdadeira. Sua dificuldade é que ela não tem a apoia de sua família. O irmão dela é um pastor de uma outra igreja e não quer que ela entre nossa Igreja. Mas ainda, eu acho que ela vai ter as forças para seguir Cristo e ser batizada ainda com desafios. Ela sabe que este evangelho está trazendo mais felicidade na vida dela. Ela está preparando ser batizada o próximo sábado.

A família de Marisa também foi para a Igreja esta semana! Foi sua primeira vez, e infelizmente todas as Moças estavam no acampamento durante Carnaval, mas eu acho que a família ainda gostaram e vão voltar. Nós vamos tentar ter mais lições com membros esta semana com esta família e com Debora para que eles possam ter amigos na igreja e ter mais incentivo frequentar. Temos uma reunião familiar planejada para anoite com Bispo Fabio que vai ser muito boa e especial. Estamos animadas para o progresso de nossos pesquisadores!

Tudo é bom aqui. Estamos trabalhando duro e estamos cansadas, mas felizes. É muito bom ser missionária.

Obrigada por tudo,

Sister Marchant