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Dear Elder--Elder Tyler Bluth

New Area Lots of Investigators

Dearest Family!!!!!

This week was SOOOO crazy. So much change!!!! I got transfered to a new area called Vila Prudente in the BIG CITY of São Paulo as the senior companion. My new companion is Sister Lima from Recife, Brazil. I think President put us together because of our size. haha. both short short short... I´m so excited to be here because I had an experience in the MTC where I met a girl from Brazil thats studying at BYU that was participating in TRC where we teach actual people and try to learn about them and what they do and what not. Anyways she wrote down the names and addresses of her family when I told her I was going to serve in Sao Paulo. She didnt even know what mission of Sao Paulo they lived in, but she told me if I served in the ward of Vila Prudente to go visit them and try to help them join the church and be baptized. I had completely forgot about her, but the week before transfers I found the paper that she had written down everything and where else does her family live but Vila Prudente?!?!?!?!?! I´m excited to go visit them and try to help Samanta and her family!!!!!!! 

This week was so busy and crazy. Being in the city is A LOT different that São Jose dos Campos because their is SOOO many people and so many cars and so much pollution and so much business and craziness. The ward here in Vila Prudente is HUGE and has a lot a lot of people really rich and affluent in the church. One member just got called to be a mission president in a new mission that´s going to be opened in July here in Brazil. Another member is a professional piano player and he plays in sacrament meeting with all sorts of cool and beautiful renditions of the hymns. I´ve never heard a piano player as good as him!!! It's awesome!!!!! Our Area is HUGE. It includes a lot of really rich neighborhoods, but also includes a lot of really really poor neighborhoods. It was an interesting experience because for the first time I entered something that they call a Favela. Kind of like the projects, but its like little streets with a bunch of huts piled together with a bunch of people living in small spaces. Look it up on Google!!!!! 

A lot happened in the short week that I´ve been here. A lot of really GREAT things!!!! We had a wedding on Saturday and baptism on Sunday which was cool because the sisters have been working with this couple for about 6 months now so that they could divorce from their other spouses to get married to baptize Fabio (samanta already is a member) Just like Adriana and Donizete in Morumbi. Fabio is so AWESOME and I know he is going to be a great leader in the Church. The Wedding was BEAUTIFUL. Samanta looked like a princess and Fabio looked like a prince. The Baptism was also really really special. The members here love him!!!!! I felt the spirit more strongly than I had in a really really long time!!!!!!

Another miracle that happened this week is that we had worked so hard the day of the wedding and heard 5 people repeatedly say to us: look, we really think you guys are really nice and we like you but we already have our own religion. But.... we kept going strong without getting discouraged and on our way to the wedding someone called: SISTERS!!! It was a member that lives in our area, but goes to a different ward. She was with her nieces and nephew that haven´t been baptized and she explained that they had been going to church in the different ward, but that they had been wanting to take the missionary discussions and be baptized!!!! and the next day they all came to our ward and we´re going to start teaching them this week. Heavenly Father really prepares people and puts them exactly in our path. WOAHHHHHH!!!!!!! 

 I miss MORUMBI a lot more than I thought I would. It was hard to leave my first area I cried a lot because I love the members and my recent converts SOOO much and I´m sad to miss Adriana and Donizetes wedding and baptism, but I´m really really happy to be here in Vila Prudente and even though its a lot of work and more stress than I´ve ever felt in my life I know that it´s exactly where I´m supposed to be and I know that I have a lot of work to do here!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL

Desi

Everything Magnified 10X on a Mission

AHOJ MOJE RODINA A KAMARADKY!

 

This has been the hardest week thus far of my mission. Which seems silly because I'm only in the MTC... but I have found out that everything is magnified by 10x on your mission. Your spiritual sensitivity, your emotions, even your HUNGER!

 

I have been feeling really frustrated with myself because I haven't been learning the language. Czech is hard. It's really really hard. But not just that, I feel like sometimes my priorities are out of wack! Which was hard because I don't want to waste a single second wasting time on myself. I have realized this week that this time in my life, my mission, is so great because my relationship with God has been magnified by 10x. Every emotion that I am feeling I know has been for my benefit. As hard as it has been, and as much as I have cried, I have learned so much. And I am trying so hard to remember the motto Joy in the Journey. In the temple today the lyric "I am weak but thou art strong" kept going through my head. I can't even remember what hymn that is from... I hope it's from a hymn... I think? But it reminded me of the scripture Alma 26:16 "I will not boast of myself but I will boast of my God" I don't have much to boast of. My Czech is spatny (bad), my knowledge is incomplete, but I will boast of God because through him and his love, I can became perfect. HE SENT CHRIST FOR US! AND JESUS WANTED TO COME! Isn't that INCREDIBLE! Please don't ever forget that. I have been trying so hard to remember that every second because I have found that when I think about Jesus and all he has done, I think less about myself, and that is a wonderful feeling!

 

 I'm trying so hard to be like Jesus. On Sunday during Relief Society we got to hear from Janice Kapp Perry (the one who wrote that song, and As Sisters in Zion, and A Child's Prayer, etc) And guess what??? She rewrote the lyrics to As Sisters in Zion and now it's called the Sisters of Zion and it's about the mission age changing and about sister missionaries. We were the first ever to sing it! It was beautiful. It talked about how angels will be with us as we share the message of the restored gospel.

 

On tuesday we got to hear from ANOTHER apostle. Elder Russell M. Nelson. It WAS SO AWESOME! He said the same thing.How we can ask people who have passed on to help guide us with the work. We can pray for angels to help us. I know all of you can pray for angels too.

 

It's been a really hard week for you it sounds like and I just want to let you know how much I appreciate all of you! I know if you pray that angels will comfort you. You can feel comfort and security in their arms. If you are feeling lonely or sad PLEASE PLEASE pray. I am so silly. All this time I thought I had to do stuff alone, but it's not true. Heavenly FAther will help you and Jesus Christ will help you. In TRC we taugh a brother and he asked what if God doesn't answer my prayers. I thought about it for like a whole minute and then I said, Modlite se vic protoze Buh dava odpovidet a s jedna odpovidet, vy nepamatuji nic. (Pray more becasue God gives answers and with one answer you will forget everything else) That is how wonderful God is. One answer to your prayers and you can forget your other troubles.

 

And if you really need a laugh just imagine me, probably the goofy-est little girl on the whole planet trying to speak Czech... It sure makes my teachers laugh. And you know what, it's great to laugh! It feels really good. Men are that they might have radost (joy)!

 

Here's my testimony in Czech. I want to share it with you because I love you. Hopefully you can learn something from it!

 

s laskou

Sestra Bruno

 

P.S. I got my travel plans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

SLC to Chicago

Chicago to London (Hethrow)

London to Praca!!!!!

 

CAN YOU BELIEVE I LEAVE THE MTC IN 10 DAYS?!?!?!?!?! UNREAL!!!! I miss you all. Can't wait to talk to you on MAY 27th!!!

Count Your Blessings on a Mission

Hey everybody! It was SOOOOO good to talk to everyone yesterday! It made me feel more excited about my mission and the experiences that I´ve been having.

Something that I´m learning here is to appreciate the things that I have. I have been blessed with so many good things in my life. I have been blessed with a good physical body, a good mind, a good family. And I have the gospel in my life!!!!! I have so many blessings in my life. One of the greatest blessings that each of us have is the Holy Ghost. When we listen to his voice we are always led to make the right choice which will lead to eternal life. When we stop to really count our blessings is when we see how much heavenly father has truly blessed us with and how much he truly loves us. Then we want to share these things with other people, not just with the people we know and like but with everyone!!!!!!  I have been blessed with a mission here in Brazil to share the gospel with a lot of people who have never even heard of the church. People who stop to talk to me and try to understand what I´m saying. Sometimes people don´t always accept to act on what we teach and when this happens it´s always sad to see because we know how much joy and blessings the gospel bring. But I know that Heavenly Father loves them and that he will give them many chances to accept the gospel. 

I love you all and I´m glad for everything that you teach me and show me through your examples. Don´t let little things get you down. Keep going strong in what you know is right. Walk by faith!!!!!!! 

Tomorrow are transfers and I´ll let everyone know what happens!!!!!!!!

Love,

Desi

Training New Missionaries at the MTC

AHOJ Rodina a Kamaradky!

 

I figured I would just write to all of you about my week because I have been running out of time lately. Hopefully I will be able to send some of you individual e-mails too! Sorry if I don't!!! I'll try to do better next week.

 

This week in the MTC=SO GREAT!

 

We had mission conference on sunday which was so awesome. Some of the topics addressed were reverence and how to become a rescuer. Since being in the MTC I don't think I really thought much about reverence. I figured oh yeah we are in the MTC, it's reverent. But then I realized that sometimes it's really hard because I still want to participate in the things of the world (not singing is probably the hardest part) and plus our district and zone are so close so sometimes we just get really crazy and loud. Reverence is so important in feeling the spirit though. I am definitely starting to tell the difference of when the spirit is strong and when it is just present and reverence has a lot to do with it!

 

Our MTC president talked about how we will have the opportunity to become rescuers and how we should cherish that. I hope that sometime this week all of you will take time to talk to someone that isn't a member about the church. You all are probably better at it then me! We challenged the person that we taught this week at TRC to do it, and I want to challenge all of you to do it as well. Even if it is just mentioning that you are a member, or telling them to visit lds.org or mormon.org or you could just post a mormon message on facebook. The more people that see it, the better. I can't wait to go out and share the TRUTH! And the truth is that the church is true!

 

At this weeks devotional we got to hear from some really cool people. One of them was a former NFL player, Chad Lewis. Look up his mormon.org profile because he is so cool! We also got to be ushers. It was so awesome. I felt like a flight attendent.

 

We also got the chance to be the missionaries that help teach the new missionaries that come in every week. I don't know if they did this when you were missionaries but the first day when the new missionaries come they go in a big room and they teach a member, almost like TRC but with a big group. They start off with two missionaries though and me and my companion were those missionaries! It was soooooo awesome. One of the investigators was an amputee who had an amazing experience with God where he talked to him and heard his voice. His story was amazing. I was just glad to be in the room. I felt the spirit soooooo strongly. I can't wait until I am in the field doing this and expressing God's love for the people. They need to hear it because it's so true!!!

 

Also this week we get to be host for all the newbies at the MTC. I feel like a pro here. 9 weeks is a really long time I am figuring out. The language has been the biggest struggle this week. I feel like I don't know anything. still. Which has been hard because I think I am working so hard, but I retain almost nothing. NOT FUN! Czech is so crazy because there are these things called cases were every noun in a different situation changes the ending and every pronoun does it too. It's so hard, but so good. I am learning so much. and luckily I have two more weeks to learn more!!!!

 

I miss you all. Tell me about your life. Tell meyour summers. JUST TELL ME EVERYTHING!!!!

 

Love you all

s lasku

Sestra Bruno

Missionary Receives Answers in Brazilian Temple

HELLO EVERYONE!!! I can´t believe Michael got his call, already!!!! Where is he going??? When is he leaving?!?!?! How exciting :) This week I went to the TEMPLE!!! It was cool to watch the session in Portuguese. It made me pay attention and it was cool that I actually understood what they were saying. It was a really great day. I was praying that I could have a spiritual experience and I had a lot of questions that I wanted answered and I had exactly what I was needing and Heavenly Father answered ALL of the questions that I had written down. It was amazing :)

This week was good and frustrating at the same time. Good because I feel like I´m really gaining confidence in my teaching and my ability to speak in portuguese. We found a really awesome kid named Erick that accepted our invite to be BAPTIZED and he went to a yw/ym activity and really liked it. I´m excited to work hard to help him enter into the covenant of baptism with Heavenly Father. This week I had another pretty cool experience. Once on my way to a lunch appointment I saw a man sitting outside his work on his lunch break. I had seen him many times before always in the same spot same time of the day, but never thought anything of it. This one particular day I had a prompting to talk to him, but we were running really really late and I ignored the prompting :(.... But afterwards I felt really guilty and I prayed and prayed and prayed to have the opportunity to talk to him again, but everytime we passed by this spot he was NEVER there again. But.... the very next day after I had gone to the temple he was sitting there in his normal spot and I had the same feeling, and this time I had no fears I just went. It was an easy contact and he gave us his address and I´m not sure if we will even see any success, but I´m glad Heavenly Father gave me another chance. I´m learning the importance of always following the spirit even when its not convenient or easy. 

I´m excited for the Transfer next week. ReALLY REALLY REALLY hoping for some changes.... 

I´m excited to talk to everyone on Mother's Day this week. I will be on Skype at 4:00 PM my time. I´m not sure what time that is for everyone else.... Hope that everyone can make it!!!!!

Tearing People Down on a Mission

I'M HALFWAY DONEEEEEE, with the MTC. And man oh man, I couldn't be more excited to get to the Czech Republic... and then I think, oh wait, I don't know Czech so I guess I can wait another 4 weeks to go!

 

This week has been really hard for me.

 

Tuesday's devotional they called us to repentence and I wasn't even really sure what I needed to repent of but I just felt so horrible afterwords that I went home and prayed forever. I am so guilty of comparing myself to other missionaries because I guess I'm just used to being pretty good at things and my how the tables have turned. I seriously needed to ask God to forgive me for looking at the other missionaries and being jealous of their wonderful talents. I just realized how terrible it is to break people down just so that you can feel better. I feel so terrible for ever having done that to anyone. It's just not worth it, because you actually get strengthened by being able to experience everyone's talents and you get to grow!

 

 I just started teaching a new "investigator" because we are at the part where we teach each other. And it wouldn't be so bad except that all the Czech sisters got paired up to teach one of the Slovak sisters so I am teaching a girl named Kathy... who is Catholic... by myself... in Czech and she is speaking Slovak back and then she teaches me in Slovak and I speak Czech and it is just a HOT MESS. (I hope that made sense) Just to be clear Slovak and Czech are like 90% the same, but still there are times where she might as well be speaking Chinese beacuse I don't understand her at all... That might be because she is just a way better speaker than I am... probably that is the reason. Anyways I taught Kathy about the Restoration and she basically told me that she didn't believe something like that could happen, so I just didn't know what to say, so I just handed her the Restoration pamplete, told her to read it and said that I would explain it better the next time I came. Then later that day we had 2 board displays and I just didn't understand anything that my teachers were teaching me and I felt really stupid, which is kind of hard for me. (MAN! What a smartaleck I must have been before coming here! Sorry about that!!! ) The MTC never ceases to humble me! I can't tell you how many times I have realized what I have been doing is wrong! So after that horrible horrible day, I just cried and cried and cried and had a minature panic attack because I just didn't feel like a very good missionary! And I felt like I didn't understand Czech, and that I was just a huge idiot and I was confused why I was going to the Czech Republic and learning this language, which my teachers tell me is one of the hardest languages ON THE WHOLE PLANET TO LEARN(which is not comforting by the way, it just makes it worse). I just felt like a giant, huge, fat failure. Then I just prayed for what felt like 15 minutes. And then the next day luckily was Sunday so we got to have Relief Society and a Devotional and I was also praying for comfort. I can't tell you how many answers I recieved yesterday. Elder Allen, a general authority who is the managing director of the MTC told us that if we have felt inadequate, it doesn't mean that we are horrible people, it just means that we are becoming missionaries. Then he reassured me that I am here for a reason, and I'm learning to speak Czech for a reason. It just made me feel soooooo much better!!!!

 

Then my companion was really sick yesterday and I didn't know what to do and we had to go back to our room early and missed the movie and I was just so nervous for her, but she is doing a lot better now and everything is good.

 

Anywhoooooo this week, not my best. But I learned a lot. And I have grown and that's worth the hard times. Also sorry if this e-mail sounds like I'm complaining because I promise that's not what I am trying to do!!!! 

 

TELL ME HOW EVERYONE IS DOING!!! I feel like I haven't heard from any of you in a really long time. HOW IS THE SUMMER GOING? Has Michael graduated yet? I want to see pictures!!!! I miss you all!!!!!!!!

 

s lasku

Sestra Bruno

People Understand the Spirit

AHOJ RODINA! Jak se mas??? That's not the right way to spell it in czech but I don't have enough time to keep changing the keyboard back and forth to Czech because I want to tell you all the amazing things that happened this past week.

FIRST OF ALL, WE GOT TO HEAR FROM AN APOSTLE!!!! AHHHH Elder Scott came and talked to us about prayer. It was so amazing. Being in the room with an apostle of the Lord was exactly what I needed especially after all the experiences that I have been having with prayer. He encouraged us to pray out loud. It was amazing. AND THEN he gave an apostolic blessing that we would learn our language and love one another and just ahhhhh, it was amazing. I still can't believe how amazing I felt. The spirit is so strong here. I can't believe I'm a missionary! I seriously can't wait to get to the Czech Republic. Only 4-5more weeks!!! It's my one-monthaversery and it feels like I got here last week. Which is weird because the days go by so slowly but the weeks go by in a flash. I really hope I'm doing enough and I'm working hard enough.

I got to have an interview with one of my teachers and it made me feel a lot better about the language (and the blessing helped too) but he said this language was really hard and that I was right were I needed to be. I am also learning that I will leave the MTC not knowing how to speak Czech. It's really sad. And that doesn't make me discouraged and it doesn't make me want to try less because I'm discovering that even though my Czech will be horrible, people will always understand the spirit!

Another amazing thing that happened this week was me and my companion were having a really bad day and so we took a walk around the MTC during our companion study and while we walked we were getting emotional about how our lessons were going and how we didn't know Czech and how we struggling but didn't want to be struggling because we knew how selfish it was, and then a teacher that we didn't know came up to us and told us that he had a prompting to read a scripture to us. He read Romans 8:18. It felt like something straight out of the Ensign magazine. That scripture was exactly what we needed. GO AND READ IT NOW! It's amazing. My companion and I then went and sat down on this little strip of grass overlooking a huge dumpster and prayed to Heavenly Father because we knew we needed help. I have been really trying to go to the Lord with a plan. I don't want him to think I'm lazy!!! But it seems like everytime I pray he tells me to do something differently, which is hard but has been good for me. I have been so humbled these past 4 weeks.But sometimes I just have to pray please help me to feel happy. It's hard, but it's good.

Finally yesterday was sunday, which is starting to be my favorite day of the week. I love having time to just think of all that I am blessed with! I hope you guys are taking time to feel the blessings of the Lord because he is blessing us so much! We got to hear from Sister Esplin, in the primary presidency and then from the BYU mens chorus. It was so awesome. Our topic was on faith in Jesus Christ and repentence. Both are so amazing. I am starting to love everyone in my district. They all have such strong testimonies! One guy was roommates with Davis Michaelson from our Stake in South Carolina. I didn't really know him, but it's cool how small the mormon world is.

Make sure you guys are praying. It's so important. I can't believe how stupid I was before my mission. These simple things we can do really bless us and they are so easy! So JUST DO IT. And if you have time you should watch the testiments. I had never seen it before and it's such a good movie.

Tell me everything that is happening at home. MICHAEL WENT TO PROM? What is Nikki up to? How is the Chicken (Gen)?

Thanks for everything you guys do!

s lasku,

Sestra Bruno

Challenges of Missionary Work

A lot of really good things happened, and a lot of really sad things happened this week. All of which have really helped me realize the love that Heavenly Father has for all of us!!!! I don´t like to dwell on the bad, so I´ll tell you the good. 

1. After waiting for almost 3 months for the divorce papers of our investigators Donizete and Adriana to come through, so they can mark their marriage to one another to be baptized, they finally came through and should be married and baptized by NEXT MONTH :) 

2. We started teaching a really awesome 15 - year old girl, named Sabrina, who really has a desire to be baptized and to follow the example of Jesus Christ. 

3. We´ve been visiting a man who left the church about 8 years ago when he and his wife divorced, and sunday he and his new woman we´re at church.  

4. Me and Sister Teixeira have finally came to an understanding, and our relationship is growing. It can only get better from here. She helped me a lot this week. 

5. We get to go to the TEMPLE next week. I`M SOOOO EXCITED :) :) :) 

I´m glad to see that everyone is doing good, hope you all have a good week!!!!

Desi

Facing Trials

This week was hard, but I´m grateful for my trials. It means Heavenly Father is testing me. I know that I´m strong and that he wouldn´t give me a trial bigger than I could handle. Good news is that the divorce papers of my investigators Adriana and Donizete are finally moving. They should be divorced, married and baptized by next month. It´s been really strengthening to see the patience and faith that Adriana has, and the desire that she has to truly follow Jesus Christ and be baptized. I know that if we seek out the good we definitely see the blessings that the savior has given us. I´m grateful for all of you guys and the example that you´ve always been for me.

Love,

Desi 

The Point of Missionary Work

AHOY RODINY! Jak se mas?

How are all you? I miss you sooooo much! This week was a blessing and a struggle. Did you all get my e-mail? I'm concerned because I don't have all your e-mails so I can't write to you!!!! So I guess I'll just write it in this e-mail sorry if I get personal

Dad-Love you. Did you and Michael and Nikki watch conference? It was so good. If you didn't then I'm going to punch you. Not really, but saying that reminded me of pre-mish days. And now I regret putting that. So I won't really punch you I just want you guys to watch it so much.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED every single talk. Probably my favorite was Pres. Uchtdorf's on light. It just struck me to my very soul it seems. I think I have been so focused on what I can do to make myself and my companion better missionaries that I missed the point of missionary work. THE PEOPLE! So after hearing all the talks on light and being a difference in this dark world, I finally realized, OH you are suppose to serve others rather than trying to fix them, or worrying how much Czech you know. So I am still going to work diligently but also remember that charity to our fellow men matters more. I loved the quote given in conference "His arms are outstretched with yours in service to fellow beings, including your family. So if there is anything I can do for you guys let me know! I'll try my best, but I'm staying pretty busy!

Also I loved when sister Dalton said to "Step out of the world and into Heaven" How beautiful! That's kind of how I feel being a missionary. It's my opportunity to step out of the world and find Heaven on earth. And you guys can do it to. Families were stressed (as usual) in conference and it made me miss you guys sooooo much. Speaking of

Gigi and Eric- Thanks so much for the dearelder. You seriously got me with the pregnancy April Fools. I WAS SO MAD, but then I laughed so hard. Thank you sooooo much for helping me get on my mission! I couldn't have done it with out you.

And speaking of my Birthday, I got heart attacked by my zone and they left letters on hearts with candy. I was so grateful. They are seriously so nice and so funny.

I still can't believe I am at the MTC, and I will be for the next 6 weeks. I am learning so much.

On Sunday after conference we had a devotional where Vocal Point sang, if you can get every song ever from them. They are so great.

Basically I cry and laugh and love so much here. And everything is really hard but I know that it's for my benefit and for the people of the Czech Republic. I can't wait to gooooo!!!!

I miss you all and want to hear everything that's happening. Is Michael done with his papers? Did Nikki watch the Young Women's broadcast? Did any of you? If you didn't watch it. It made my heart soar.

Just want to Leave you with the scripture Pres. Monson gave in his talk D&C 1:39. Truth abideth forever. And the truth is I love you so so much and want you to be happy.

Miluje!

Sestra Bruno

Conference Inspires Missionary

Yesterday I watched conference in Portuguese. I was a little bit nervous because I was scared it would be hard to understand the translation into Portuguese and that I wouldn't get very much out of it, but I had been praying for a whole week to be able to prepare to understand and get something out of conference. Before hand I prayed that Heavenly Father would help me understand and that all my questions would be answered and it was amazing. I understood almost every word, and I felt like the talks where directly spoken to me (excluding the talk about marriage haha) I loved Elder Holland's talk on faith, he is always phenomenal and to hear President Monson talk is always so uplifting. Heavenly Father truly does answer prayers. Tomorrow is transfers and I´m dying to know if I´ll stay or if I´ll go. I´ve been here in Morumbi for almost 4 months, so we´ll see what happens. Hope everyone is good and that they enjoyed conference as much as I did!!!

Desi

Doubling Teaching Pool

Last week of the Transfer. This week was good. Yesterday Denise, our recent convert, told us she wants to serve a mission and that she already told her family, that she´s been praying about it, and that she wants to start saving money!!!!!! And Bruna, our other recent convert, gave a talk on standards!!!! I´m so proud of them and the changes they´ve made in their lives and their willingness to serve the Lord. It´s so awesome to see. HAPPY EASTER to everyone. Here in Brazil it isn't the biggest deal ever. They have these big chocolate eggs and they give their kids chocolate eggs and that's all, buttttttt Bishop Nilson is awesome and he bought me and my companion one and surprised us at church. He is seriously one of the best bishops in the world!!!! I´m grateful for the savior and his sacrifice and his Resurrection. One day all of us are going to be resurrected as well!!!! We  saw many little miracles happen this week and we doubled our teaching pool, I´m excited to work hard to show my gratitude to the savior!!!!!! I´m also REALLY excited for general conference this week. I´m hoping to really use it as a tool to help people know that we really have a PROPHET today that communicates with Heavenly Father to lead and guide us!!!!! One week till transfers. I don´t know if I´ll stay or if I´ll go.... I´m hoping to stay because I´m finally loving the ward and I´m finally getting a hang of everything, but then again I don´t want to get my hopes up because everytime this happens I end up leaving...... ANyways I love you all!!!! Hows it coming with sharing the gospel?!??!!?!?!?!
Sister Bruno

Teach with the Spirit

Hey I forgot to write down everyone's e-mail before I left to can you forward my letter to everyone and then send it back so I have all their e-mails!!!!

My first week in the MTC has been a rollercoster. My companion is sooooo quiet, but only when it's just us and she really misses her family. Like. A. Lot. When we are working on our lessons we really flow so I think that our spirits must get along but as far as our physical bodies it has been kind of hard. But then again she reminds me of Kamilla Cunningham so much so I am hopeful that we will become friends once we can both kind of work through whatever we need to work through.

We already taught our first lesson to our "investigator" Stepan (Sh-Teh-Paaaan) His name is kind of hard to say. He is 34 and married with children. He is interested in the church because of the opportunities that it will give his family. He isn't really sure about God or Jesus Christ though. And we taught him all in Czech!!! It was so hard because me and Sestra Steglich planned our lesson out in english and had such a clear idea what we would teach. We wanted to commit him to being baptized after the first lesson, but we couldn't figure out how to say anything in Czech so we just talked about how God is our loving Heavenly Father and how Jesus is God's son and we are Jesus' brother and God's children too. Basically all I know how to do is bear my testimony, say a prayer, and a few other phrases in Czech. My teachers are very funny because they said that Czech is like a cheese grater because once we leave the MTC we won't be able to speak Czech or English. I can feel that because now I am having a hard time writing in English already and it is just my 6th Day. AND MY BIRTHDAY. I'm 20!!!!!! But it's funny because I forgot it was my birthday until my companion said happy birthday to me this morning!

Anyways the next day after we taught our investigator we were suppose to teach him again but he didn't show. So we practiced our lesson with one of the Slovak teachers. Our district and the Slovaks have a different district but I've heard that we will serve one transfer in Slovakia? I don't know though. Also I'M HERE FOR 9 WEEKS, not 6 like I thought. So I don't leave the MTC until May 27th! Practicing with the Slovak teacher was harder because Sestra Steglich and I were both really frustrated because we had memorized phrases but then the teacher read a passage that basically told us not to do that and to work with the Spirit. So as soon as I started the lesson, I began to cry. I just really felt the meaning of the phrases so strongly even though they were in Czech and I wasn't pronouncing them correctly. Also all of the things we memorized went out of my head and I just started to say things I knew were true, even though they weren't what we had planned. Sestra Steglich began to cry too because we started to testify of his family and how we know families are eternal, and then I cried because I missed you guys so much!

Rodiny jsou vecne (families are eternal)

There were so many tears that day because we were all frustrated and tired and wanted to be able to speak more Czech!

Then on Sundays miracles happened. We bore our testimonies and I really felt the spirit. Then we had to go to a different room for Sacrament Meeting but since there are soo many missionaries we couldn't all fit in the room with the general authority who was Bishop Causse (the presiding bishop of the church) so we had to line up in this huge line. Me and Sestra Steglich and the other two girls in our district Sestra Roubicek and Rosenvall wanted to be in the room so bad and feel the spirit so we waited in line for an hour and a half then we got to the door and they told us our backpacks were too big and we would have to go put them in our classroom. (rookie mistake) So me and sestra steglich ran back and put everyone's bags away and they said they would save us seats. When we got back we looked everywhere and the usher said there were no more seats but we could take a minute to look. We couldn't find them and we just kept looking. Then finally one of the ushers held their hands up telling us there were 7 seats and her fingers just kept going down. 5. 4. We started running and finally we got seats. We thought we were going to sit way in the back if in the room at all, but we just kept walking to the front and walking to the front until finally we were in the FIRST ROW!!!!! Right in front of the Presiding Bishop of the Church. I sat down and started to cry. God knows the desires of my heart! The spirit was so strong that I didn't stop crying the whole meeting. At the end one of the wives of the MTC presidency came down and handed me a tissue and I just kept saying how I couldn't believe I was here. I am so blessed. It was such a small thing but I was so happy!!!

Then after we got to hear from Sister Sheri Dew on Christ. Then we watched movie that was the talk the Elder Bednar gave this Christmas at the MTC. PLEASE LOOK IT UP. IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIVES. I love Easter so much. I will never forget how much Christ loves us or my first Sunday in the MTC being Easter. It was a miraculous event!!!

I loved the Sunday walk and everything I did yesterday. And I love the MTC. And all of you guys! Seriously. I wish I could write more but I am running out of time and I am still trying to figure everything out. Hopefully I will have more for you next week!

Also, Flora will you please post this on Chelsea Hildt's facebook wall:

I MISS YOU SO MUCH CHELSEA!!!! Thanks for the Dear John's they are so beautiful. I laughed and cried during them. You are such a wonderful friend and I just love you so much. Good luck during school!!!! I will talk to you soon, but I need your e-mail because I can e-mail you now. And Paige and Derek's e-mail!!!! AHHH Love you!!!!!

Smiling Key to Success on Mission

28 March 2013

Sister Francesca Bruno

MTC Mailbox #6

CZE-SLVK 0527

2005 N. 900 E.

Provo, UT 84604-1793

Hey fam!

The first day in the MTC went well.  My teacher spoke to me only in Czech which was really confusing but also really cool.

My companion name is Sestra Steglich.  She is exactly like Kamilla Cunningham personality and likewise.  It is so weird but pretty cool to kind of feel some familiarity.

We had a meeting that talked about the secret to success on your mission and one point was to smile. So keep smiling y'all.

Spirituality  Minded Is Life Eternal

read 2 Nephi 9:39

Then we had a teaching experience where actors were pretending to be investigators. I found out that I have a lot to learn so I am going to do my best!

Good luck with everything you are doing!

Sestra Bruno

P.S. Michael  hurry up and put your papers in!You will love it here.

28 March 2013

Vim ze rodiny jesu vecne!

(veem jey row dennee soo vey ech ney)

We are teaching a lesson tomorrow about families and I just wanted to say I love you! (Our investigator's name is Stephan

Hope y'all Are Doing Well!

Nashledanou! 

Sestra Bruno

Love Love Love You!

Elder Cruz Motivates the Missionaries

This week we had mission conference!!!! Elder Cruz from the seventy came and gave a talk. It was really awesome! It gave me such encouragement to go out and find the people that are ready to accept the gospel. It gave me more will power to do the things that I need to, but most importantly it increased my testimony in the Savior. Something that I learned is that salvation isn't easy and it wasn't meant to be. But what we suffer here is just a fraction of what the Savior suffered for each one of us and that when we trust in him and keep his commandments he promises to help us overcome whatever were suffering. This Sunday the bishopric didn't know who was talking in church, so I volunteered to speak. I was so nervous because I didn't have anything prepared, but luckily for me I remembered Franny´s talk which she sent me last week and used the same scripture in Mark and spoke with the spirit. It ended up being really good for me. It boosted my confidence in my ability to speak Portuguese and it reminded me that Heavenly Father is helping me with whatever thing that I need and ask for in Faith. I Can´t believe that Franny is going into the MTC tomorrow. I know that she´s going to be an awesome missionary. I hope that everyone is good. Hows sharing the gospel with your friends coming????

Desi 

Determination as a Missionary

20 March 2013

Sister Deseret Bruno

Rua Caa-Acu 229 Belenzinho

0317-020 Sao Paulo-SP

Brazil

Dad--

I just wanted to write you to express my gratitude for you.  Thanks for teaching me the gospel and for teaching me determination.  Here on the mission I'm learning a lot and seeing success because of my determination to do what's right and my determination to help the people that I meet.  I know this last year has been hard for you, and I'm sorry that I couldn't see past my pride to truly help.  I pray for my family every day, and I know that Heavenly Father hears my prayers.  I don't think I'll ever understand the relationship that you and mom have, but what I'm realizing is that you both have helped me a lot in my life.  I don't think there's really a way to pay it back.  

Stay strong and trust in the Lord, continue trying to do the best for our family and for other people.  Happiness comes through serving other people.  Thanks for being a good father, your faith has made me stronger.  I hope you know that I love you.

Desi

Unusual Encounter

Almost 6 months since I´ve been out. I can´t even believe it!!!!!! This week we met a man named Wagner who talked to the elders in a different area one day while it was hailing and they were stopped to take refuge in the same bar. Yes bar... A place where both claim that they would never be in. But its an interesting experience to teach Wagner because he´s going through a lot of difficulties right now. He is without a job and without light in his house. The elders really changed his life in just one hour of talking to him while it was hailing. When we got to his house to teach him he already had read all of the pamphlets on the restoration, the word of wisdom, and etc. He stopped smoking in just one week!!!!! And Sunday he is going to be baptized if everything works out according to plan. He seems to really like the church, and I´m hoping that everything works out for him because he seems really humble. Sister Teixeira is a little concerned that maybe he has other motives, but I´m really hoping that everything works out for him and that he truly becomes converted to the gospel. Because I know the change and the happiness that the gospel brings. Hope everyone is doing good. Love you all!!!!

Desi

Joy in Bringing in New Member

Yesterday was the baptism of Denise!!! It was amazing!!!!!! I´m so lucky to be serving here in the Morumbi Ward because the members here are phenomenal. I´ve never in my whole entire life seen a ward so active and involved in EVERYTHING. We had a great turnout the relief society room was packed, there weren't even enough seats for everyone and Denise was just SOOO happy, I´ve never seen anyone as happy as she was yesterday. Feeling the spirit I felt yesterday makes all the days walking in the hot sun, all the days walking in the pouring rain, all the não entende´s (I don´t understand´s) I have to say, all the não obrigado´s (no thank you´s) I hear ,more than worth it. I´m so happy for my recent converts, because I know and I feel that they already have REALLY strong testimonies and I´m not scared to leave them because I know that the ward will take good care of them. On Sunday Bruna, who got baptized last month, got up and bore her testimony about how she knew that the church was true and how happy she was that the missionaries found her. I felt the spirit so STRONGLY I couldnt help but of course CRY. haha.  I know that the Lord still has a lot of work for me to do here  in São Paulo and even though sometimes its hard I know that what I´m doing is right. Sometimes I feel completely and utterly lost, but I know without doubt that Heavenly Father has put a lot of trust in me and I don´t want to let him down. I want to continue working hard until not only the end of my mission, but the end of my life!!!! I invite all of you to try and fazer um contato, try to make a contact??? Not sure how to say it in English but when you meet someone and give them a pamphlet or say something about the gospel to them and invite them to church or invite them to know more about the gospel. Everyone try and let me know how it goes next week. TA BOM???? Love you all!!!!!!

Sister Bruno

Teaching with Power

Querida FAMILIA!!!!!

First week with a Brazilian companion.... Sister Teixeira. She is AWESOME!!!!! She teaches with such power and authority!!!!!! I know I´m going to learn A LOT from her!!!!! This week was really really good. Weird, but good. I wanted to be sad because I had to say bye to my trainer, but I wanted to be happy because my new companion is really cool!!! On Sunday is going to be the baptism of Denise, a 19 year old girl. Awesome how we found her. Her mom is a long time friend of the brother of the teacher of the gospel principles in the ward. She added irma Beatriz on Facebook because she was friends with her brother in high school. Irma Beatriz posts a lot of church related things on Facebook and Val (Denises mom) was really curious what all of it meant so she started chatting with her on Facebook. Irma Beatriz asked her if she could send some friends to visit her and explain more about the church. One week later Sister Waite and I showed up at their house, but no one was home except for Denise. She said that usually she doesn't let strangers in the house when shes home a lone but she felt prompted that she should let us in. And we´ve been teaching her and She´s been reading the Book of Mormon and she went to church yesterday and ate lunch with us in the house of a member and she loves the church and she felt the spirit really strongly one night when she was trying to sleep but she kept thinking about all the things that we talked about and she prayed to know the truth and she felt like it was true and after she slept like a baby. And Sunday she´s going to get baptized!!! She is incredible, she´s already talking about maybe serving a mission!!!!! I´m so happy for her. I know that Heavenly Father really prepared her for the gospel. We´re teaching her mom right now too. It´s been a little slower with her because it´s hard for her to grasp the concept that we have a prophet TODAY, but I know she can´t stop thinking about it. I know through the example of Denise she´ll see that this really is the Church of Jesus Christ!!!!! 

Don´t have a lot of time, but I love you all!!!!! ps franny and annika who is tiffany engaged to???? Travis or someone else????????? 

Love, 

Desi

New Companion

OI TUDO MUNDO!!!! 

Last day of transfer 2 is here, and tomorrow I will be getting a new companion. President Ferrin called Sister Waite this weekend and told her she was being transferred, but didn´t know where. Soooo I´m really anxious to know who will be coming in her place. It´s funny how things work out. Once you finally build a relationship with someone and finally get to really love them and know them, things change and you have to say goodbye.

This last week has been really good. We have so many progressing investigators who are actually reading the Book of Mormon and who are actually looking for an answer. It´s been hard to schedule all the people we need to visit because we have so many. It´s really so much easier and funner to teach people who are sincerely looking for the truth and sincerely want to know about the truths of Heavenly Father. I know that with patience and hard work and lots of prayers this next transfer will be a success!!!!

This week was a lot of fun. Donizete and Adriana´s (Mom and Stepdad of Bruna) divorce from other spouses are finally progressing. And soon enough they´ll be married and baptized and in one year they´ll be sealed in the temple. They are so awesome and they already have such strong testimonies of the church and they aren´t even baptized yet. I truly feel like their my family here in Brazil. One night this week we left their house after dark and they were so worried about us they walked us halfway home. We stopped in a soccer field and played tag for a few minutes, it was awesome. 

I read a talk in an old Liahona this week that really helped me have a more positive attitude and helped build my faith. Hope you all are trying everyday to become more like Jesus Christ and are working hard at achieving your dreams. My dream was always to serve a mission and now that I´m finally here I want to try my hardest to live every moment the best I know how and work hard to help other people have the same happiness and hope that I have. LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!

``Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past, but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the high priest of good things to come. Keep your eyes on your dreams, however distant and far away. Live to see the miracles of repentance and forgiveness of trust and divie love that will transfor your life today, tomorrow and forever``

 - Jeffrey R. Holland 

Desi

The Work Goes On

Hey everyone!!!!

This week we taught a lot of lessons and met a lot of new people. Looking forward to the last week of transfers to work hard and help a lot of people. Everytime I teach a new lesson the gospel just makes more and more sense!!!! Hope everyone is doing good. LOVE YOU ALL

Sister Bruno

Missionary Split

Hey Everyone!!!

Hope this week is finding you well, and that you share your love with everyone this Valentines Day by sharing the gospel with others. This week was good. Splits were AWESOME!!!!!!! I was with Sister Santana in Caça Pava, and part of her area has Campos do Jordão, PRETTIEST place EVER!!!! Everyone look it up on Google and Google maps. I want to live there!!!!  We went with a member on Wednesday to visit some less active families and some investigators. Campos do Jordão is UP UP UP in the mountains, so the members and investigators usually only go to church once a month when they have a caravan go up and pick them up. I met some really really awesome people. One man, Derrly, we visited lives in a house that he built in the middle of the forest, WAY COOL and he accepted baptism for this Sunday coming up when the caravan comes! I felt the spirit really strong when Sister Santana was inviting him for baptism. It was a really awesome experience WOOHOO. I also met another women, Rachel Carvaljo, that was baptized in the year 1960, and she serves on the city council of her little town, and she's in a book which she showed me called Mormon Women. I seriously want to be like her when I grow up. She´s so awesome and you can see the love that she has for the gospel and for other people! I hope that I get the opportunity to serve in Caça Pava its an awesome area. 

Something really funny happened this week to me and my companion Sister Waite. Last monday after I emailed you we went into downtown Sao Jose dos Campos to have PDAY with Bruna and Adriana. After we finished there we got on the bus to go to our Zone meeting. The bus was really crowded already so I sat down in one of the only empty seats I saw, and while sister waite was paying people with Cameras entered the bus in one door and people with drums and big dresses entered the bus on another and started dancing and playing music. It was for a news program here called Janguarda Mix they were filming for Carnaval, because Carnaval started Friday. I didn´t really think much of it, just like WHOA I wonder if this is what Carnaval is, but yesterday at church everyone came up to us saying AH ARTISTAS, FAMOSAS. They saw us on TV!!! haha. Maybe its on Youtube look up Janguarda MIX 2/9/2013.... 

Anyways, everything is good here on this side of the world. Sad that they don´t celebrate Valentine´s Day, but I hope you all have a good one. I LOVE YOU ALL

Sister Bruno

Personal Valentines Expressions

Happy Valentines Day!!!

I love each one of you So Much!

DAD--I love you because you taught me the gospel and because you don't live and work for yourself. You live and work for your family.

FRANNY--I love you because you're always trying to do the right thing and encouraging others to do the same.  You serve by example, and you're so funny.

MICHAEL--I love you because you have work hard and you have such a strong will and you're so smart.

NIKKI--I love you because you're so SWEET, and you have such a loving and loyal heart.

I love being a missionary because I get to teach about the gospel.

I love the gospel because it teaches that families can be forever, and I love my family.

Te Amo

PS--Every heart has a a scripture about Love, read them tonight during family scripture study.

Invitation to Be Baptized

Querida Familia!!!

 

Amo Vocês!!!!!! This week has been hard hard hard, but good good good. We had a wedding and baptism on saturday. Fabiola and Evanildo. I´m sooooo HAPPY for them. They´ve been taking the lessons since September, but never committed to baptism. But a couple weeks ago we explained that the wedding didnt have to be big just the signing of the papers and they could have a big wedding after they save money, and I invited them to be baptized for the 19th and they accepted, so I was super happy about it. They have such a cute family. Yesterday, when I asked them why they decided to be baptized they explained how welcomed and how much they liked the church, and how they felt a really good feeling (THE SPIRIT) at church. I realized how important it is to get people to come to church. Sunday Services are KEY, and this transfer its been hard for us to get our investigators to church. If you have any ideas please share. Portuguese is coming, slowly but surely. Patience is key. I´m understanding fairly well, but people have a hard time understanding my accent :( This week I learned how truly powerful prayer is this week I prayed and prayed and prayed to be able to understand better to be able to teach better to be able to know what people were saying and I truly feel like every single one of my prayers have been answered, and I found this awesome scripture in D&C 112:10, Be Thou Humble, and the lord thy god shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answers to thy prayers!!!! It´s so true. I love studying the scriptures too. Right now I´m reading in Alma for personal study, everyday I learn how I can be a better missionary! And our mission has a goal to read the whole book of mormon by the end of the year in companionships, so I´m reading with my companion in portuguese. It´s really interesting to see the differences in languages, different words same meaning!!!!!! What is everyone learning in the scripture study??!?!? I want to know :) Transfers are tomorrow. Don´t know if my trainer will stay or leave. She´s really worried about it because she´s already been here for almost 6 months. I think she wants to leave, its been really hard for her to train me. I try to be an easy companion and help her, but I can tell it´s hard for her. Anyways everyone have a good week, and read the Book of Mormon this year. And share the gospel with your friends. Especially Michael and Franny. Sitting through the lessons now will help on your mission A TON!!!!!! Love you all write me i´m on for 30 more minutes!!!!!!

 

Sister Bruno