Hey hey!

The time is zooming by. The days go so fast! This week we had some great lessons and talked to a lot of neat people. The highlight of the week is definitely Sheila and Muhammed´s family. They have two girls (Julia, 13 and Yasmen, 11) and are super great. They live in this little house behind their clothes store in Centro. We found them as a reference from other missionaries. The dad is Muslim but nonpracticing (and he is the first Brazilian Muslim which I have met) and their mom is Christian but doesn´t go to any church because she has never found a demonation that has everything that she is looking for. They speak english really well and actually lived in Lebanon for a while so they speak Arabic as well. What a sweet family. We have taught them a few times this week and have felt the Spirit really strongly. Muhammed was really closed off and I don´t think will accept for a long while, but he is very respectful and one of the funniest people I have met in my life. Sheila and the girls accepted a batismal date for next month and came to Church for Relief Society this week! They left before Sacrament Meeting because the girls were sick but I think they liked it and said they would come back next week. Sheila was so beautiful in a sweater and long skirt and looked like she was right where she belonged. I am very excited to continue teaching them and watch them accept the true gospel that they are searching for.

We also had a sweet lesson with a reference named Lucas. He was a reference também (I think from ourselves actually weeks back in Campos Eliseos...). We found him at the perfect time, the same day when he was researching and watching shows about religion. We came in and taught him the Restoration and talked a lot about the Book of Mormon. He understood well and had lots of questions. I LOVE teaching intelligent people. He and Sheila and Muhammed are such a joy to teach because they really understand what you say and you don´t have to teach the same things over and over again. We can teach more deeply, which more details ties all the blessings of the gospel together more and makes more sense. They are ready to choose whether to accept more quickly. I think one of my favorite parts of missionary work is teaching people who understand fast and are willing to act on what they learn.

I also love being a missionary because you have SO many friends. This ward is really accepting us well and is willing to help out whenever we call. We receive SO much food here and people are very sweet. The people we meet in the street here as well with this Brazilian culture are very respectful, and although not always accept are message, think what we do is good and will give us the time of day. I have more friends now than I have in my entire life! Our investigators are excited to see us and the members welcome us warmly into their homes. Our hard work is paying off bigtime with tons of blessings for us.

Love you para sempre e até as eternidades!

Síster Marchant

P.S. I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting yesterday! I went second and I think spoke for about 15 minutes. I found out the day before so it was a little nerve-wracking to try plan it out so fast, but I spoke on what I have learned so far on my mission, which has lots of material. We are doing crazy things here on the mish! What a great life.

Boa tarde Presidente,

Recebemos um presente ótimo ontem com Síster Beck chegando em nossa porta! Estamos animadas a começar a trabalhar juntas com ela. Ela é uma missionária de muito poder e amor. Ela é muito paciente e quer ajudar tudo mundo. Vai ser uma honra trabalhar com ela e aprender dela. Vamos sair amanhã cedo para viajar para SJRP para visitar agora nossas quatro duplas lá. Temos muitas coisas fazer mas juntas com Cristo tudo vai dar certo.

Esta semana visitamos as Sísteres in Iguatemi. Eu saí com Síster Zapata e Síster Hoggan saiu com Síster Soares. Síster Zapata ama sua área e as pessoas lá. Foi legal ouvir as histórias dela lá e como ela mudou as corações dos membros na ala. Parece que eles realmente confiam nos missionários agora e estão começando a ajudar muito mais. Síster Zapata está fazendo um ótimo trabalho lá. Ela está muito alegre e ri a todas as coisas. Ela faz muito bem com contatos e não tem medo de nada. Foi um dia muito bom e aprendi muitas coisas dela. Falamos muito sobre o propósito de estresse e como vencer. Fizemos nosso treinamento também em gratidão e como usar o Livro de Área melhor. Acho que foi uma divisão muito eficaz.

Aqui em Irajá estamos vendo muito sucesso. Encontramos uma família com uma mãe e pai e duas filhas. É uma família muito feliz e contato, mas eles estão buscando algo mais. Já frequentamos muitas igrejas cristãs mas não encontraram o que elas estavam buscando completamente. Temos o que eles precisam! O pai (Muhammed) é Muçulmano e não quer ouvir nada, mas o resto da família dele é muito receptivo. Mas ele ama elas muito, então eu acho que ao ele ver o evangelho muda as vidas de sua família o coração dele abrandará.

Síster Hoggan e eu somos saudáveis e fazendo bem. Temos muito mais aprender e fazer aqui e estamos fazendo nosso melhor. Eu amo ela muito. Ela é uma missionária maravilhosa e uma bênção grande em minha vida. Aprendi e continuo aprender tantos coisas dela. Estou muito grata sempre ter ela a meu lado e sei que posso confiar tudo com ela. Quero ser mais como ela é.

Obrigada por tudo! Estou animada por esta semana ocupada mas divertida!

Síster Marchant

 

 

 

English Translation:

Good afternoon Chairman,
Received a great gift yesterday with Sister Beck coming to our door! Animated We are starting to work together with her. She is a missionary of great power and love. She is very patient and want to help all the world. It will be an honor to work with her and learn from her. We will leave early tomorrow to travel to SJRP now to visit our four double there. We do many things together with Christ but everything will work out.
This week we visited the Sisters in Iguatemi. I went out with Sister and Sister Zapata Hoggan left with Sister Smith. Sister Zapata loves your area and the people there. It was nice to hear her stories there and how it changed the hearts of the members in the ward. It seems that they really trust the missionaries and are now starting to help more. Sister Zapata is doing a great job there. She is very cheerful and laughs all things. She does very well with contacts and not afraid of anything. It was a very good day and learned many things from her. We talk a lot about the purpose of stress and how to win. We did our training in gratitude and also how to use the book area better. I think it was a very effective division.
Here Irajá are seeing much success. Find a family with a mother and father and two daughters. It is a very happy and contact family, but they are seeking something more. Have we attend Christian churches but did not find what they were looking through. We have what they need! His father (Muhammad) is Muslim and do not want to hear anything but the rest of his family is very receptive. But he loves them too, so I think when he sees the gospel changes lives of his family his heart softened.
Sister Hoggan and I are healthy and doing well. We have much to learn and do here and we are doing our best. I love her very much. She is a wonderful missionary and a great blessing in my life. Learned and continue to learn so many things from her. I'm always grateful to have her by my side and I know I can trust her with everything. I want to be more like it is.
Thanks for everything! I'm excited by this busy but fun week!
Sister Marchant