Week 14 February 1, 2016 Another Fun Week!!

Oh, where do I begin?!? I love my area SO MUCH!!!! This week has been so nice because of all the rain! We are teaching a man named Bento, and he has accepted baptism!!! In our most recent lesson with him, we could feel the spirit so strongly because we were teaching the restoration, and it was right after the First Vision. This week we will be focusing on the Book of Mormon, and church. 

It looks like my companion and I will be teaching a lesson in English soon with a recent converts brother. 

Speaking of English, a brother in my current ward is an English teacher hear, and has had mehelp in his English program for Português speaking people. He has me record several English words. It´s been fun!

So 4-5 beautiful blisters have appeared on the bottom of my feet...haha, it´s been a "fun" daily experience walking on very un-even roads with them, but all is well in Zion!! The wonderful experiences keep me from thinking about my feet.

I had my first breakdown last night in this mission about the language. I am honestly to hard on myself because it´s only been two weeks, but sometimes you just need a good cry, some chocolate, and tada!!! Everything is better! :) I have goals to improve my Português this week :) 

When people ask me where  I am from, and I say Texas, they reply with many questions about guns; It´s quite funny! 

I don´t have much more time, but I hope everybody has a great week!!! Tchau!

Week 13 January 25, 2016 A Whole New Experience Filled With Adventure!

Ahhhhh, I love my new area!!!!! This past week has been beyond amazing!!! First off, my baggage was found! My new area is Várzea Grande. My new companion´s name is Sister Spindler, and I love her so much. She is from Esteio, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil; and she speaks little English. She is 27 years old, and a convert of 3 years. She has such a strong testimony of the gospel, and a wonderful example to me. I haven´t felt uncomfortable, scared, sad, ect.. because I´m with her. From how she cares for me, she is going to be a wonderful wife and mother some day. Indeed life is a whole new experience for me, but I love every moment of it-"the heat, humidity, and sunburns never bothered me anyway` haha. Indeed, the gift of tongue´s is real because I am able to understand almost every single conversation we have with people! Speaking Português is still hard for me, but I will be able to pick it up. For now I mostly bare testimony, and I am so grateful for that. Dispite the hardships, I can choose to be happy, and I am because of the Gospel, and the opportunity I have to share that with the Brazilian people here in Várzea Grande. I hope you have a wonderful week!!! Tchau!!

p.s. If I don´t spell words correctly, oh well......I am kind of forgetting how to. Love you!!!

Week 12 January 18, 2016 Rough Day

I´m finally in Brasil!!!! I love my mission president, and his wife; they´re super duper sweet. I have already met many of the elders and sisters in my mission. Brasil is a different world to me, but I can´t wait to become apart of it!!! My time traveling..... I would love to forget a chunk of it. I did my best to not look like a dumb little girl who knows nothing about traveling, but that was a tad difficult for me. after the long night spent on a plane to São Paulo, I discovered that my suitcases were lost (everything was inside), so yes, I´m not very smart when it comes to making sure I have an overnight carry on packed.... It took me forever to figure things out, and to find my next flight, but I made it. I honestly felt like crying there because of being lost, not able to understand anyone, nobody understanding me, being in a country I never set foot in before, and feeling alone. Even though I had the urge to cry, I didn´t; I smiled instead. Through all the craziness though, I had a cool opportunity to speak with a women on my overnight flight to São Paulo. She spoke very little English, but I was able to get to know her!! She has one sister who lives in New York with her husband, and she lives near her mother in Brasil. Their family is Catholic. She told me that she was a school teacher for young children. She loves to play the piano. She also told me about her father, and how much she loved and admired him, and how he passed away two years ago. She is very close to her family. We talked about Jesus Christ, faith, and the importance of families, and how families are close and strong when Christ is the foundation. I talked to her about Eternal families, and she believes it. I admire her faith, and strength. It was so cool!!!! I am so grateful for the experiences that I have had in Gilbert Arizona, I now feel prepared to serve in Brasil!!! And so, the Cuiaba adventure begins!!!

I love you all so very much!!!!

-Sister Randall

Week 11 January 11, 2016 The Sun Is Setting In Arizona...Hint, Hint ; )

So, this past week has been one of the most amazing weeks of my life! I found what my purpose was for being here in Queen Creek, the Gilbert Arizona Mission :)

There is a wonderful family in our ward who we went to teach the Restoration to, and this was my first time to really teach in Spanish. I didn't say much (because my Spanish is even more limited then my Portuguese is, and that's not saying much), but as soon as I said the first two points of the lesson, the sister had tears in her eyes. She told us about how she was really struggling with her testimony, and how she was really doubting the Book of Mormon, and Joseph Smith. The only reason she was really going to church was because of her calling, but she had decided earlier that say that she was going to stop. Her children said that she needed to read from the Book of Mormon, but she said that she didn't believe any of it any more. She had only been a convert fro some years up to this point. She told my companion that seeing my try hard to tell her that she has a Heavenly Father who loves her, and has a great plan of happiness for her in her language brought her to tears because the Spirit. I didn't understand anything, but I could tell that she was going through something hard. After we left, my companion told me everything that happened. This dear sister told my companion to tell me that I had saved a life that night. This is such a special experience for me, and I can't help but feel the spirit, and get a little emotional every time I think about it. What if I hadn't been worthy of the spirit? What if I just gave up in trying to learn Spanish because it's "too hard." I'm grateful that I was worthy enough to be there at this women's time of spiritual need. The Lord has a plan for each of His children, and this experience has helped me to remember the importance of being obedient so that I will always be ready for the guidance of the Holy Ghost. I know that we have a Loving Heavenly Father who is very aware of each and every one of us, and that we are apart of his great plan of happiness. We have a loving Brother who gave His life for us so that we can return to our Loving Father's presence, with the ones we love, to live in eternal happiness and peace. This life is hard, and it is sometimes hard to see what is in store for us, but we must always be ready to do the things which our Father would have us do.

Zone conference was on Thursday!! It was good, and such a wonderful learning experience!

Our ward is growing closer together, and starting to really move towards the missionary effort!!!! It is so cool to see how everyone is starting to take action!!!

So, I have some very exciting news, and sad news....... I'll start with the sad.

Our only two investigators dropped us, it really hurt........ but we were able to find a golden investigator!!!!!!! Her name is Hilda, and she really wants to learn more. She came to church on Sunday, and definitely wants to come back!!! She loves to way she feels, and believes what we have shared with her, in that she can be with her family forever. She will be going to the Bishops FHE this evening!

ok, now for the second half of the good news...........

                      *DRUMROLL*

JEFFERY R. HOLLAND IS SPEAKING TO OUR MISSION ON THE 15th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited!!!!!!!!!

and there is more to the good news.....

MY VISA IS READY!!!!!!  I will be flying to Brazil on the 18th, a week from today!!!!!!! whoa.....I am service and excited at the same time.\

I love you guys so very much, and the next time I email will be in Brazil!!!

Tchau, till next time!!

-Sister Randall

Week 10 January 4, 2016 I Am Seeing Miracles!

What a wonderful New Year so far!!! The past week and a half have been amazing as my companion and I are beginning to see miracles! My area has been very slow since I arrived here in Queen Creek, and the investigators that we had were not keeping commitments, and it really did feel like we were sometimes wasting time. Many people were in Mexico for the Holidays, and we were not getting appointments. My companion and I needed to change something that we were doing. We are getting the Bishop more involved (because I think he was a little out of the flow in missionary work), and we are working to strengthen the members in fellow-shipping :) We also, as a Zone, made a commitment to invite everyone we meet to baptism! It's working, and now we have a potential on date to be baptized on the 23rd of this Month! She was indeed a miracle! My companion and I also had a cool experience with an Atheist! The Spirit came really strong while we were talking to him; and when my companion bore testimony, you could see the Spirit working through him! He said thank you with a smile on his face, and gave each of us a hug. He then let us say a prayer with him. The Lord is preparing people, and even though this man may not be quite ready now, a seed has been planted; and we know that his future will be bright. Our door knocking experiences are getting really fun! Baring testimony is so powerful, and I can feel more in my spiritual growth when I share it with everyone! My companion and made a plan to visit and teach all members and less actives in our area the Restoration. It is such a beautiful and powerful message, and I can see how that re-confirmation that the members receive effect their lives! It's so cool!!! I love my area soooooo much, and the members are amazing!!! I also love the people that I meet, and I am excited to see how many of them grow in learning the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

So, after playing my songs at a lot of the members homes, I was asked if I could play the piano for church yesterday (because the brother who plays every Sunday moved to the YSA ward). Even though I can't sight read the hymns very well,  I was happy to do it! I will be playing again this Sunday! New

New Years was fun! The stake held a party at a small family run amusement park, and had members and missionaries invite non members! There was about 7000 people there, and about 2000 of them were non members!!! It was so great! All the missionaries who were serving in the stake greeted people, and helped do little services! When it was 6:00, we needed to go (New Years Eve....yup) so my Zone did an activity in one of the Church buildings. It was really fun! 

To end this email, I would like to share a little spiritual thought on prayer. We are so blessed to have a way given to us to communicate with our Father in Heaven. He hears our prayers. He loves us. He knows our names. He wants us to come to Him in prayer, and he wants us to put our trust and faith in Him. He is willing, through the Holy Ghost, to answer questions, guide us, and comfort us in times of need. Don't take prayer lightly, and something that becomes repetitive. It is a gift, and one that is given freely with no cost. I invite you to take time this week to pray with earnest to your Father in Heaven. It's important, and by doing so, we are blessed in important ways personal to each of us.

I love you all so very much!!!! Tchau!!!

Week 9 December 28, 2015 Happy New Year!

Christmas was wonderful!! The members, and investigators made me feel at home, and I am very grateful for that :) It seems like we had Christmas miracles the day after, and people opened their doors to us, and they look like great potentials!! Our current investigators are agreeing on set appointments again (YAY) and our investigator Patricia came to church again! After basically my whole time being here, we are finally seeing progress! So my visa is done processing, and I might be hearing from my current Mission President about leaving soon. I'm excited and sad because I have come to love the members, and my investigators. My experience here has been a blessing, and I am beginning to discover my why for being called here. I love you so very much, and I am so grateful for the love that I feel from My Savior Jesus Christ, and Father in Heaven. I will continue to do my best, and never quite!! This Christmas season has reminded me of why we celebrate, and why we are able to find true happiness; it is because of our Savior. My goal for this upcoming year is to follow after the scripture found in Luke2:52 which is to:
1. Wisdom 2. Stature and in favour with 3. Man and 4. God.

As you set personal goals for this upcoming year, will you  set goals in these four areas?
1. Wisdom
2. Stature (Physical fitness)
3. Favour with Man (Social)
4. Favour with God (Spiritual)

I love you all, Happy New Year!!!!

Week 8 December 21, 2015

We didn't receive any email this week because we skyped! Love technology!