Week 5: That's How the Sisters Do

April 14, 2014 

Oi família e amigos! Hi family and friends, 

Man this week was much more promising than the last. I must say, I recovered pretty well... but I've been keeping a close eye on where I've been eating and WHAT I'm eating so all is well there. As for vitamins, minerals, and such, I'm on top of it. During divisions, Sister Puckett and Barbosa sorta laughed at my children's vitamins but later told me they were jealous... HAHA! 

So anyways, we've got a LOT more investigators than last week. I want to say we've almost got ten... plus I made my first baptismal invite, to which the couple said "YES!" WOOOHOOO! It’s hard though since they didn’t go to church yesterday and we haven’t had much luck getting hold of them... but the ZL called us and told me that I've done such a good job this week so I don't have room or time to be discouraged. 

The beginning was slow since it was hot and we felt like we were wandering in vain to find the elect. It was hard since most people turned us down or were simply not interested. However, we had such a wonderful miracle happen to us on Wednesday. We were walking past a park and I saw only a few people but I wanted to talk to them anyways. Why shouldn’t they hear what we have to say. I told Sister Pence that we should go to the park and she said "but there aren’t too many people and some of them are teachers with kids..." but I insisted and she agreed. Okay I saw some burrowing owls as well and I wanted pictures but I knew I had to work first, then bust out the camera. Anyways, we came across two students studying and we started talking; soon two more joined and we taught the first lesson to them. Wesley, one of the students told us he stopped going to church since he didn’t know which to join. Tania was also very interested. Once we read the First Vision, the spirit was so strong. It was such a neat experience, I started crying and my companion got the shivers because it was strong. The students felt it too. Tania commented that "I prayed last night since I haven’t talked to God and I just thanked him for everything and asked for guidance and here you guys are!" It was amazing, perhaps the best part of HUMP DAAAAAAYYYY! The only problem is that they’re from other cities and only come to Dourados to study so they leave during the weekends. Please pray for them! 

Another new investigator is Jaqueline. She is very faithful and has gone through many hardships. She accepts what we have to say, but she doesn’t know if baptism is right... but we are gonna teach her the 2nd lesson tonight and hopefully all will be well :) she showed up for church and loved the testimony meeting (thank the heavens that no one told a long story about their life and blah blah blah) 

Also, the weather started to take a turn and next thing you know it is cold. It started Wednesday evening when some strong winds came through town. It was hard to walk since dust, gravel, and debris pelted at us and I had to keep my eyes shut for part of the time, but the tempest didn’t stop us from working. Since Thursday, it has rained every day and just as all is cooling down, our shower breaks. So we got a pipe that only has cold water coming out of it. You can't have it all when you’re on a mission. We are gonna call someone to fix it later today. Cold showers aren’t a problem when it is 90 degrees but now it dropped down to 70 something and it sucks. But when I showered today, shivering and struggling to wash myself, my music came to "count your blessings" which made my shower more bearable. Best part? Feeling clean in the end. Sometimes you've gotta go through a lot just to be clean. When y'all take your warm showers today and complain that the mirror is fogged up, just remember dear ol' Sister Espiritu ;) haha. 

Despite my interesting circumstances, I am so happy to be here. Yesterday my comp and I talked about how we LOVE Krispy Kreme and how we miss it but then I remembered that we can have these luxuries (yes, I am calling Krispy Kreme a luxury and IT IS) any time after the mission. But right now, we have 18 months to indulge in the luxurious blessings that the Lord is providing us. Sure, I don’t have a warm shower now and cooking meals is hard when food is short and the bread is dried, but I wouldn’t trade this for nothin' right now, no not even for a thousand boxes of hot Krispy Kremes! I am so thankful that I am an instrument in the Lord's hands. I finished "Our Heritage" today and I learned much of the sacrifices that the Saints before us had to make in order for the gospel to be restored. It makes me grateful for all of the resources we have today. I am thankful for being a missionary here and teaching these people in Dourados. I only hope that Jacqueline, Nelson, Wesley, Tania, Anderson, and Cecilia will open up their hearts and follow the Lord. I am grateful for these people, I'm learning something new every day. Perhaps I've forgotten a few things like I always do, but I never forget the goodness the Lord shows me every day. I know I'm in the right place. 

I’m glad the Portuguese class you and mom are teaching for the missionaries waiting for their visas is doing well. This Friday, sing "nosso lei e trabalhar" for the hymn. Its "put your shoulder to the wheel" but change the chorus to "nosso lei e batizar BATIZAR! Batizar com água frio e confirmar" its uber amazing :) 

gonna send pics, got a LOT to send you know. The photographer in me is dying to put these on the blog. Love y'all! 

-Mari

P.S. I am so happy! It’s cold and I missed wearing a jacket. 

 

Thursdays weekly planning lunch... Pancakes. Or as I like to call them... PLANCAKES! you gotta hand that one to me! Its a new tradition :)