Week 21 March 21, 2016

This week was tough for Sister Spindler and me as it was very hat, and we both felt exhausted and tired. Right now I don´t feel as intimidated by the language, but I do struggle with finding words to say. I wasn´t shy before the mission, but I also didn´t care to say much of anything at times; because I don´t have anything to say. This has been hard for me to find the words to say for casual conversation as well as during the lessons sometimes. I had my interview with My Mission President this past week, and I explained my troubles to him. He told me that I don´t have to be concerned because that´s my personality, but that I can continue to work hard so as to talk a little more :) I have confidence for this week!! 

My spine was in a lot of pain this week, and so I got a blessing from a member in our ward. I was told that I have an angel taking care of my pain, the pain in my back and that it would be alright :) This was pretty special for me to hear, and I am so grateful. 

There was a cool experience this past week!!! Wednesday was hard for us because of no one to teach. After a prayer, we began to talk about people we could visit. I then remembered one woman that we taught the first lesson to, and thought, it´s been a long time since we visited with her. So we went to her house. She told us that a little earlier in the afternoon she was thinking about me (and this was about the same time that I was thinking about her)!!!! Oh, the workings of the Holy Ghost! We then invited her to Church!

Valdorizon is going to be baptized this Sunday!!!!! From the end of January until last week, he went from 40 cigarettes a day to 0!!!! We are so excited for him, and he is ready :) He loves the Church, and he came yesterday!

That´s all I have for now due to the short time. I love you very much!!

Boa semana para vocês!!! Até mias! Tchau!

P.S. I got a haircut!!!

Sister Spindler gave Jessica this little sea turtle! Jessica loves turtles.

Week 20 March 14, 2016 "Baptisms"

Jessica didn't really send an email this week. I just pieced together the back and forth conversation that we had through email. She did however send a lot of pictures!

 We had a baptism yesturday!!!! he is 9 years old, and his mother is not a member; but he was really excited to become a member :) The mosquito bites have stopped for now, but it is only a matter of time until they start again.... They don´t stop me from the work! :)

I feel more accustomed to the heat, and after about three days, the bites look worse than they feel. Don´t worry! My companion and I also made a plan to eat more healthy! We are only buying fruits :) There are so many different kinds of fruit here, it´s been an exciting experience! some of my new favorites are Açaí, guavas, and maracujá (or passionfruit) also Atemoia.

Week 19 March 7, 2016 "Woohoo! Investigators on Date"

This week was so great!!! We worked really hard to find new investigators, and our investigator pool has grown. We now have four investigators on date for baptism, and I am so excited for them!! 

Valdorizon has grown a lot, and actually came to Stake Conference with us! He told us after that it was a really good experience for him, and he wants to completely stop smoking and drinking coffe! 

One of our new investigators, Marli, is very excited for baptism, and she and her boyfriend are prepared to get married so that she can be baptised! She has been going to church every week, and loves the Book of Mormon! She is so prepared. 

I really didn´t now what I was getting myself into when it comes to mosquitos.... a lot of the investigators and members are surprised at how many bites I have. I have repellant for them,   even the stuff that I brought from home doesn´t work, ahhgggg, I being attacked!!! But, they will not keep me from the work!!!

I love my mission president ad his wife, they are so wonderful and funny! They really treat us as if we were their children, and they really love us; I´m so thankful. 

For a little message, fasting and prayer really work!! Sister Spindler and I fast a lot, and that has helped us tremendously (I don´t remember how to spell this word, but I want to use it, haha) 

I love you all, até mais!

Tchau!

Week 18 February 29, 2016

This week has been a good one :) Our Investigator Ariadne was baptized on Saturday, and she looked so happy afterwards :) She starting taking the lessons around the time I entered the MTC, and she is finally a member of the Church!!! She is such a sweet spirit :) 

We are teaching a man named Valdorizon, and is keeping the commitment of not gambling, and is working towards less and less of smoking and drinking coffee. He visited another ward on Sunday, but he still visited Church! We have hope for him :) 

Trand=sfers........ Same area with Sister Spindler, YAY!!! 

I don´t have a lot of time to write this week, but I will definately be thinking about our family tomorrow, I´m so excited!!!!! I can´t to receive the pictures after the sealing!! 

I will send pictures next week too :) 

Requist..
Could you buy the Nashville Tribute Album "Redeemer" and send me the music, please.... It is so beautiful!! 

I love you all, and I hope that the rest of your week is wonderful and memorable :)

-Sister Randall

Week 17 February 23, 2017 "Faith Precedes Miracles"

I don´t know how to explain this week, except to say that it was full of happy miracles!!! After a change of a selfish heart, and a fast, all sad feelings went aways, and my soul has been filled with sunshine ever since :) And the miracles keep on coming!

Our new investigator, Valdorizon is keeping commitments, and has not gambled, and is smoking and drinking café (I don´t remember how to spell this word in English...) less ever since we taught him to keep the commandments!!! His sister told him that Mormons were terrorists, but he doesn´t believe that. He is enjoying the lessons, and has a baptism date for the 27 of February!!!

After the death of Bento, it was a little while until we were able to have a lesson with his grandchildren, but we are again able to teach them, AND their father!!! They said that they will work towards having courage to go to church, and continue to learn about the Gospel! My companion and I love them soooo much, and we are always happy to see them :) 

I really don´t like mosquitos, and my legs are a pretty sad sight right now.....oh well. My companion thinks it´s really funny when I say, "Mosquitos têm muito amor por mim" (mosquitos love me) haha, and one of our investigators told me that by the time I return home, the mosquitos here will be able to speak English, haha. 

The Mission Tour was amazing, and it was really great to hear from Elder Arnold of the 70´s, his wife, and the Mission President and his wife. I was able to perform my Embark in the Service of God song, and we could all really feel the Spirit after. Elder Arnold told me that the song brought tears to his eye´s. We all have the responsibility to share the message of the restored gospel with all people. This past month I have been studying a lot about the Tree of Life. All who have the fullness of the Gospel in their lives have partaken of the wonderful fruit of the tree, but we must not stop here. We must continue to hold tight to the Word of God, and help others do the same. 

There is a wonderful article about the Tree of Life in the February Liahona, and I invite you to read and study!! I feel very enlightened after this study :)

I love you all!!!! Até Mais,Tchau!!!

 

                          "After a long day of hard work, oh how we love to sleep!!"

Week 16 February 15, 2016 "Another (almost) Trek Experience"

This has been a hard week for my companion and I. After our middle of the week P-Day, we were thinkng everything would be back to normal..not quite. Thursday afternoon I felt very lightheaded, and thought I could pass out at any moment. I felt really weak. It was a very hot day. That night I started to feel better, I even taught a FHE lesson with a family in our ward whose son is less active, the spirit was strong. 

I woke up Friday morning feeling worse with some pains in my stomach. After calling the mission presidents wife, Sister Oliveira, my companion took me to a doctor place where I got a shot, and an IV.. I didn´t cost anything! I ended up taking several naps that day. To make that day better, we got a call from the brother of our investigator Bento; Bento passed away that morning. That was very hard for us. We visited their family later during the day. Many people were there. Bento was loved by many people. Bento and his four grandchildren had been taking the lessons since my secomd day in this area, and all had accepted baptism. My companion and I visited them again the very next morning to offer what comfort we could give, and say our final goodbye´s to Bento before the truck came to take his casket away. 

Work was terrible that day. When we returned to our house I felt so depressed about everything. Yes, I had another breakdown. I cried for 10 minutes. I felt sick, I couldn´t understand the language, and will all of this, I felt homesick. It is so true when people say that mission´s are hard. I felt like I had so little faith, and so little hope for me ever learning and speaking Português. 

After this experience, I could feel new strength, and the love of my Heavenly Father for me.

When Christ suffered in the Garden, he suffered for not only our sins, but our pains and afflictions as well. Because of the Atonement, we can become better, and our weaknesses can become strengths [Ether 12:27] I have the ability to do hard things, including learning Português. 

Yesturday was a very good day. We had 6 investigators come to church, and I was able to open my mouth more, and speak in Português. That is my biggest fear right now, opening my mouth to speak. After being able to speak with people in Português, a section of my Patriachal Blessing came into my mind, "you will meet many people, and I promise you that when you open your mouth, you will be able to speak to them." 

As this applies to me, it also applies to all people when sharing the message of the Gospel:

 Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say;but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life,and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man. D&C 84:85

I am so grateful for this experience in my life, and with this strength renewed I will work hard to fulfill my purpose.

-Sister Randall

Week 15 February 10, 2016 "Yay, Carnaval.... Mas Boa Samana!!!"

This week has been good, but we have had to cut teaching time during the week due to carnaval. It´s been hard to find people to teach because of all the partying for carnaval, but now that it has passed, the good work will go back to normal! 

Many of the new investigators that we find do not progress, it´s been hard. We have had some who we have had cool spiritual experiences with!

One family accepted the invitation to be baptized after the first lesson. After saying the first vision, we asked how they felt, and the grandmother could only say "fé. Eu sinto muito fé." It was a really wonderful experience! 

 We are currently teaching a man, and his 4 grandchildren. His grandchildren (13, 11, 10, and 7) hang on to pretty much every word we say. They have accepted the invitation to be baptised! One day this past week while we were teaching them the 3rd lesson, The Gospel of Jesus Christ, we asked each of the children if they felt like they needed to repent of something, all three of the older children said yes, but the 7 year old said no. He knows, he is still so inocent. It was a special lesson :) 

Since arriving in Brazil, the mission president, and several missionaries have gotten the word out that I sing, and write music. I have had calls from other missionaries asking me where they could find my music on youtube. With all of this, I´ll be playing my Embark in the Service of God song for the mission tour, whoa. I`m excited :) I love sharing! 

I don´t have much else to say for this passed week, but it was a good one :)