No Words...where on the earth am I?
OK, so I am just going to warn all of you now- this is going to be a long, long email because I haven’t written a decent email in more then 3 weeks. And I have a ton of news. First off, I have been transferred- to oh wait I have to find the paper- Jardim Irajá... it’s an area in Ribeirao Preto that is-- gasp new! That is right- I am opening up a new area, well new area for sisters. There were Elders there, and they were Ld’s (That would be the district leaders) and I have a new American companion Sister Labadie, who only has 2 months less then me... wow, can I just say that it will truly be the Lord that leads us this week, because I don’t even know our address... we don’t know any ward members... we kind of wondered around until we found an internet place.. I hope we can find our way home. haha!
And wow, this area is soooo different from my last area. This area is really, really rich- it’s like America. I don’t even feel like I am in Brasil… I am currently on a mac computer- I almost fell over with happiness when I saw it... and they had an escalator in this shopping mall... and a drinking fountain.... and we used a bathroom with automatic sinks… seriously all of these things are so strange to me now. It was so weird. And it is so weird talking a bit of English now... soo weird.
Anyways, I am super, super stoked for my new companion, Sister Labadie. She is awesome!!!! It feels more like a long lost friend, we have already laughed so much as we have made blunders and also when we saw our apartment, which is more then horrendous. To say that it is messy would be an understatement. It is sujia demais... like there is trash everywhere, they left food, and old shoes, a horrible stench everywhere... it is awful. I don’t think they ever cleaned it. So that will be our number one thing to do today, so although this will be a long email, I can’t write letters today because honestly a full days clean on this apartment wouldn’t do it justice. I already made videos of it... but we will make some videos of us cleaning. Wow… seriously its horrible.
But anyways, just to fill you guys in on my last 3 weeks in Porto Ferreira... there is so much to say. This last transfer for me was truly the hardest- there were soo many good people prepared for us, it just so happened that all of them chose not to be baptized and progress... and I couldn’t really do more than that. It is the hard part of missionary work, is seeing where these people could be, but having to let them make their own decisions. Free Agency is after all, one of our greatest gifts.
But I can truly say that I worked my hardest in my last 5 months in Porto Ferreira. It was interesting because in the last few days there, I felt that I was going to be transferred. I just knew it- and I felt so satisfied with my work. I was able to see the ward grow here- and see what families returned to church, what people joined the church, how the members grew... it truly was a blessing to see and look at each member- and know that I loved each and everyone, and that I tried to help each and everyone. Perhaps the hardest part was saying goodbye to Milena, and her family... She was my second baptism there, and it was a huge, huge fight to have her baptized... Her mom didn’t want her to be baptized. But the contrast- now her mom wants to be baptized (she is just waiting for a divorce… good luck here in Brasil) and her mom also wants both of her daughters to serve missions. Wow... huge difference.
And, as far as miracles go- I never had time to write about my Christmas miracle- its quite a funny story, but I think my time is almost up- so I will save that story for next week… my family already knows the story because I shared it with them on Christmas day. But it was an awesome thing that happened, we helped a lost dog return home to its family, which happened to be a menos ativo (less active) family, and the best part of all is that this family has returned to the church. Wow, the way the Lord works truly amazes me.
Anyways, this letter is kind of scattered brained, but it is time to go now, we have to go wander around and find a supermarket, and a bank, and our house again. haha... it really is so funny... it would be funnier if I wasn’t senior, and didn’t feel the responsibility quite so strongly. The good thing is that I have had really, really good companions who have trained me well, and trained me that there really isn’t a senior or junior- its a group thing! I think what scares me a little bit more is that my Portuguese will have to save us- good thing we have the spirit on our side!
Ok, I am off- but I love you all... thank you soo much for all of the love I feel from you guys- sorry I have been a slacker in the writing department, but I promise I have an excuse- and I will make up for it now!
com muito amor-
Sister Melanie Monroe
And wow, this area is soooo different from my last area. This area is really, really rich- it’s like America. I don’t even feel like I am in Brasil… I am currently on a mac computer- I almost fell over with happiness when I saw it... and they had an escalator in this shopping mall... and a drinking fountain.... and we used a bathroom with automatic sinks… seriously all of these things are so strange to me now. It was so weird. And it is so weird talking a bit of English now... soo weird.
Anyways, I am super, super stoked for my new companion, Sister Labadie. She is awesome!!!! It feels more like a long lost friend, we have already laughed so much as we have made blunders and also when we saw our apartment, which is more then horrendous. To say that it is messy would be an understatement. It is sujia demais... like there is trash everywhere, they left food, and old shoes, a horrible stench everywhere... it is awful. I don’t think they ever cleaned it. So that will be our number one thing to do today, so although this will be a long email, I can’t write letters today because honestly a full days clean on this apartment wouldn’t do it justice. I already made videos of it... but we will make some videos of us cleaning. Wow… seriously its horrible.
But anyways, just to fill you guys in on my last 3 weeks in Porto Ferreira... there is so much to say. This last transfer for me was truly the hardest- there were soo many good people prepared for us, it just so happened that all of them chose not to be baptized and progress... and I couldn’t really do more than that. It is the hard part of missionary work, is seeing where these people could be, but having to let them make their own decisions. Free Agency is after all, one of our greatest gifts.
But I can truly say that I worked my hardest in my last 5 months in Porto Ferreira. It was interesting because in the last few days there, I felt that I was going to be transferred. I just knew it- and I felt so satisfied with my work. I was able to see the ward grow here- and see what families returned to church, what people joined the church, how the members grew... it truly was a blessing to see and look at each member- and know that I loved each and everyone, and that I tried to help each and everyone. Perhaps the hardest part was saying goodbye to Milena, and her family... She was my second baptism there, and it was a huge, huge fight to have her baptized... Her mom didn’t want her to be baptized. But the contrast- now her mom wants to be baptized (she is just waiting for a divorce… good luck here in Brasil) and her mom also wants both of her daughters to serve missions. Wow... huge difference.
And, as far as miracles go- I never had time to write about my Christmas miracle- its quite a funny story, but I think my time is almost up- so I will save that story for next week… my family already knows the story because I shared it with them on Christmas day. But it was an awesome thing that happened, we helped a lost dog return home to its family, which happened to be a menos ativo (less active) family, and the best part of all is that this family has returned to the church. Wow, the way the Lord works truly amazes me.
Anyways, this letter is kind of scattered brained, but it is time to go now, we have to go wander around and find a supermarket, and a bank, and our house again. haha... it really is so funny... it would be funnier if I wasn’t senior, and didn’t feel the responsibility quite so strongly. The good thing is that I have had really, really good companions who have trained me well, and trained me that there really isn’t a senior or junior- its a group thing! I think what scares me a little bit more is that my Portuguese will have to save us- good thing we have the spirit on our side!
Ok, I am off- but I love you all... thank you soo much for all of the love I feel from you guys- sorry I have been a slacker in the writing department, but I promise I have an excuse- and I will make up for it now!
com muito amor-
Sister Melanie Monroe
posted by Bev at 8:43 PM
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