Be The Change You Want To See In The world

This week a lot happened.... 

First and worst off.. Italo decided he didn´t want to get baptized anymore. He went out of town for a few days and came back with his heart as cold as ice. He went out of town for a couple of days and made some bad decisions. And now he says that a religious life isn´t for him. He says he believes in the book of mormon, the church, the prophet, the importance of baptism everything, but that he just doesn´t want to give up his old life and his old self. And nothing we said or did made the slightest difference. It was maybe the most depressing moment that I have seen in my life. To think that someone is willingfully denying all of the blessings that Heavenly Father has for them. 

Then right after we heard this bad news we went to visit Sandra and Alexandro. Sandra was super depressed and so we decided to help her clean her house. While cleaning Alexandro came out of the bedroom completely drugged up, crying. He started begging us to help him. Begging us to get him out of the situation he was in. He collapsed on the floor and started pleading for us to get him out of his house. Get him away from his wife. I had no clue what to do!!!! We thought maybe this is a chance to get him help. We tried calling the bishop but no response... We sat down and talked to him about how it was the drugs that were making him crazy, but he just said he didn´t want to give them up over and over and over again. Unfortunately neither he or sandra are willing to do what it takes to progress and recieve the blessings of the gospel. Its just a sad situation because they both want so bad to get out of the situation they are in and Heavenly Father sent us to show them how to and they aren´t willing to do what it takes...

Drugs are annoying. Jorge continues to go to church everyweek reads in the book of mormon almost everyday, but can not stop using cocaine. 

In Better News

Paloma is AWESOME!!!! She just is soooo elect. She understands things and she has a deep desire to really be good and do good. She loved going to church because she says that ``mormons are happy`` and that they stress families. And that one day she wants a family that she sees at church. Happy, with strong relationships. Hopefully if all works out accordingly to plan I will still be here to see her get baptized!!!!! I´m soooo excited. 

Pietra who is the child of an inactive that is going back to church is also going to get baptized on the 12th... She is sooooo happy. And it was such a tender moment when we taught her and her mom this week. Her mom was explaining the importance of baptism and shared pretty much her testimony with her. It was the cutest most tender thing ever!!!! 

I know that the gospel is TRUE!!!!! 2 WEEKS!!!!!! 

I Guess I Have More Time Than I Thought

Well this week was good because we had a lot of really good lessons with our investigators. 

Italo still doesn´t have a desire to get baptized!!! He believes in EVERYTHING, but he says that he just doesn´t want to get baptized.... We taught him almost everyday this week and he just keeps becoming more and more converted.... 

We are helping a few less active families come back and it´s great to see when they too progress, but sometimes it seems harder than even teaching investigators.

Friday was the leadership meeting. It was a greet meeting. I felt the spirit SOOO strong and it made me want to be BETTER than I have ever been. I also got to bear my farewell testimony and of course I cried!!!!! It made me think back about all the experiences that I have had on my mission and think how grateful I am for each person I have met here!!! All of my investigators, recent converts, companions, members!!! EVERYONE!!!! 

Saturday was an emotional day.. First an investigator, who we have been trying to decide whether or not to cut, CUT US!!!! It was weird. He called at 7 am and told me that it was better for him to stay far away from us because he said he was starting to ``like`` me and he knew that it was not allowed. UGHHHHHH it made me sad because I never did anything to make him like me.. I think its just because he is so lonely and we actually cared about him and he felt the spirit and confused the feelings. I don´t know..... I just hope that Heavenly Father gives him humbling experiences that will help him accept the gospel ASAP!!!! 

Then at night we had an open house at our chapel. It was good because 2 friends of a member came and they really liked learning about the church, but me and my companion tried really hard to get people from the street to come and see what it was like, and NO ONE would... :( But one girl that we talked to came to church the next day so that was AWESOME and we´re going to start teaching her on tuesday!!! Woohoo. 

These Last 4 weeks I just want to TRY my hardest and see MIRACLES!!!!!!

Desi 

We should even give thanks for our afflictions because they turn our hearts to God and give us opportunities to prepare for what God would have us become. - Dallin H. Oaks

This week was a TOUGH one!!!

Tuesday I got a knarly farmers burn. 

Wednesday I went to the doctor because I haven´t been able to sleep because I cough so much that I start to vomit at night, but then I didn´t have money to buy the prescripition so I felt like I wasted precious work time :( I´m allergic to all of the pollution that they have here in São Paulo :( And I still have random allergic reactions This week was a TOUGH one!!!

Tuesday I got a knarly farmers burn. 

Wednesday I went to the doctor because I haven´t been able to sleep because I cough so much that I start to vomit at night, but then I didn´t have money to buy the prescripition so I felt like I wasted precious work time :( I´m allergic to all of the pollution that they have here in São Paulo :( And I still have random allergic reactions 

Thursday was thanksgiving. No one here even knows what Thanksgiving is, and we didn´t have money to really celebrate. We scraped some personal money together and bought a lime pie after we worked and ate it at night. 

Friday was the day of rejection. We got rejected by every single person we talked to on the street, and to make matters worse this great family we started teaching that I had really gotten my hopes with told us not to come back. and worst was that they refused to give me a specific reason. Just that they just weren´t really interested right now. That was the worst. I tried to be brave and tell them what they were missing out, but it didn´t seem to have much effect. Afterwards, I cried so hard that I couldn´t work for like an hour!!!!

Today I got robbed... Again.... luckily they only stole the cell phone and my bus pass. 

The point of these hardships isn´t to complain... just to say that Heavenly Father gives us afflictions because he wants us to learn and improve. I think he wanted me to learn to be grateful no matter what happens!!! It made me really evaluate the things I am grateful for. I´m grateful that I have the gospel in my life, and I´m grateful for all of the people that I have had the opportunity to teach. I feel like I have LEARNED so much from each and every one of them. Today I got to spend my pday with a recent convert from Vila Prudente. At the end she started crying when I left.... and just told me Sister Bruno... Não esqueça perseverar até o fim... Sister Bruno, Don´t forget, Endure to the End... It made me happy to see that she remembered what we had taught and that she was HELPING me!!!!! 

Going to continue enduring to the end... and taking advantage for every day that I have here on the mission

Sister Bruno 

PS- Thanks for everyones help with my byu apps!!!!!! 

Thursday was thanksgiving. No one here even knows what Thanksgiving is, and we didn´t have money to really celebrate. We scraped some personal money together and bought a lime pie after we worked and ate it at night. 

Friday was the day of rejection. We got rejected by every single person we talked to on the street, and to make matters worse this great family we started teaching that I had really gotten my hopes with told us not to come back. and worst was that they refused to give me a specific reason. Just that they just weren´t really interested right now. That was the worst. I tried to be brave and tell them what they were missing out, but it didn´t seem to have much effect. Afterwards, I cried so hard that I couldn´t work for like an hour!!!!

Today I got robbed... Again.... luckily they only stole the cell phone and my bus pass. 

The point of these hardships isn´t to complain... just to say that Heavenly Father gives us afflictions because he wants us to learn and improve. I think he wanted me to learn to be grateful no matter what happens!!! It made me really evaluate the things I am grateful for. I´m grateful that I have the gospel in my life, and I´m grateful for all of the people that I have had the opportunity to teach. I feel like I have LEARNED so much from each and every one of them. Today I got to spend my pday with a recent convert from Vila Prudente. At the end she started crying when I left.... and just told me Sister Bruno... Não esqueça perseverar até o fim... Sister Bruno, Don´t forget, Endure to the End... It made me happy to see that she remembered what we had taught and that she was HELPING me!!!!! 

Going to continue enduring to the end... and taking advantage for every day that I have here on the mission

Sister Bruno 

PS- Thanks for everyones help with my byu apps!!!!!! 

"The Lord’s way is not to sit at the side of the stream and wait for the water to pass before we cross. It is to come together, roll up our sleeves, go to work, and build a bridge or a boat to cross the waters of our challenges."

I don´t have a lot of time to write this week because I have been working on my college essays, but this was a great week!!!!

On friday we had a specialized training with President Ferrin and the assistants. I really enjoyed the training and it gave me motivation to work harder than I have ever worked before!!! When we left I started talking to like EVERYONE in sight. It was a really rewarding day. 

On sunday was the baptism of Gabriel. He was so HAPPY afterwards :) It has been super awesome to see the change that he has made in his life. Next step... Endure to the End 

We are currently increasing the number of people that we teach, and had a good number of investigators at church so that was really rewarding to see. I hope that this week is a good week for all of you!!!!!!!!!! 

Vila Esperança

This week was pretty good. I am finally getting used to my new area and my new companion, Sister Peart. I still miss Vila Prudente and Sister Oborn, but I know that I am going to really learn how to love Vila Esperança. This week our ward made a lot of PROGRESS. 

My companion and her old companion had met a family before I got here and had been working with them. They have a really complicated situation. Raquel, the mom is a single mom. She has 4 kids. So it´s really hectic there. Her daughters boyfriend lives in the same house because his dad is a drug addict and kicked him out on the street and he had no where to go. But they are great people and we worked hard to prepare them for their baptism. Saturday was the big day and it ended up being a really special baptism. They aren´t perfect and they need a lot of help, but I am confident that Heavenly Father will bless them SOO much because of the faith that they have. I also know that the gospel can cure ANY problem. I am hoping that we can continue helping them have less fights and more strong family bonding moments. 

We also have been working with a family that just moved here from the state of Bahia here in Brazil. They are super awesome. They are here in São Paulo looking for a better way of life. In the Bahia it is super hard to sustain a family. They were walking around last sunday looking for a house when they saw the church and saw that the sign said Visitors Welcome and felt like maybe that Jesus Christ was the help that they needed in their lives. And they loved the church and the members loved them. The bishop gave Alison, the husband, (yes its a boy name here) a job at his construction company and Vanubia (the mom) has been hired to help a lot of the members clean their houses. We started teaching them and they have already accepted baptism. But first they need to get married, and of course they accepted as well!!! We are super excited for them. We just hope that the marriage papers will pass soon so we can be here when they get married and baptized!!!!!!! They have two daughters one that is 10 and one that is 2. It makes me happy to know that the gospel is helping them and I hope to be able to teach with the spirit so that they can truly become converted. 

This week we are going to work to find a lot of new investigators especially families, and continue working to help our ward grow and become more united.  

Hope everyone has a good week!!!! Continue sharing the gospel the best you know how.  

Desi 

The Time Is Mine

This week I have officially been on my mission for 1 year... It seems like yesterday that I was entering the MTC.... Times flies so FAST

Last week was kind of frustrating because I just felt really unmotivated and it wasn´t a good feeling. 

This week I am going to choose to beHAPPIER, and BETTER..... 

 It should be a much better week because we have a baptism on Saturday and a baptism on Sunday.. :)

I am learning that the time to act is now. I need to take advantage of every minute left that I have on my mission. To be the Best I can, and to help as many people as I can tocome unto christ. In 1 year I have seen so many changes in myself and in others. I´m so grateful for this past year that has passed by. It has been such a rewarding year. I´m looking forward to these next 6 months as well!!!!!! THE GOSPEL IS TRUE

Desi 

Setting worthwhile goals gives direction to our lives.

So this week was SUPER BUSY.... A lot happened!!!! A LOT

Monday was our district meeting. And me and my companion put our new goal for 8 baptisms for the month of October.... We know that it is a high number, but we both felt inspired to put it as our goal. I have yet to reach a monthly goal on the mission, and this is the highest goal I have set, but I know that Heavenly Father will help me reach this goal with a lot of prayers and fasting, and obedience. 

Tuesday we had the opportunity to visit one of our Recent Converts in the hospital. She has lung cancer. It was the first time that I entered a cancer hopsital. It was really an eye opener for me because It made me realize how blessed I am to have the health that I do, and the life that I do. It also made me really sad to think of all the people that our nearing the end of their life, and don´t have the gospel. I´m really grateful that I do. It makes me want to help EVERY single person in my surroundings!!!!!!!!! 

Wednesday we had so many scheduled appointments we had to run from appointment to appointment!!!!!! And so it was the rest of the week. But we saw some awesome progress in a lot of our investigators. 

On Saturday was General Conference. One of our investigators before conference told us that She WANTS to be baptized. She has investigated the church on and off for 10 years!!!!!!!!! She is the cousin of a member. She still has her first book of mormon that was given to her by elders 10 years ago!!!!!! At conference she wrote down 10 questions and in just one session 9 of the 10 questions were answered. And the second question was answered during the second session..... It made me SOOOO happy. And now after conference she is 100 % sure!!!! I loved conference!!!!!!

Also on Sunday we had 2 baptisms of 2 girls. Geovana and Amanda. We met them 2 weeks ago. Their mom works for a member cleaning her english school. They went to church last week and loved it!!! This week we taught all of the lessons and they were baptized yesterday. Their mom wants to be baptized too, but its a complicated situation... She lives with someone that she is not married too, but she can´t get married because if she does she will lose the money that she gets every month for being a widow..... But I know that Heavenly Father will help her realize that it´s worth losing the money, to take part of the only TRUE church, and to make a covenant with the Lord!!!!!!! Anyways I don´t know how exactly she is going to feel that she needs to be married, but I know that she will!!!!!!! 

We have another investigator who has a baptism date for the 20th of October, and a lot of others that we have been teaching a lot and who have gone to church, so we know that our goal this month is definitely possible!!! 

I feel like goals are definitely something that I have been learning a lot about on my mission. It´s a way to help us progress. Our goal here on the earth is to prepare to meet God. He wants us to all be perfect like he is. Our progression in necessary. We can´t just stay the way we are, we always need to be progressing. Setting High Goals shows our Heavenly Father our desires, and when we have goals we are willing to work hard to reach them. 

Set your goals high, if you have not already done so. 

Desi 

``There is nothing so unchanging, so inevitable as change itself``

So this week was an interesting week. 

Tuesday was transfers, and me and my companion Sister Amaral were told that we would stay... So we were all excited about this new transfer and the great things that we would see together, because we have two awesome investigators that have baptisms marked for October, Marcos and Karina. 

On Wednesday we wrote goals for the transfer and talked about all the things we could do, to help our area, and we were super pumped to work hard!!!!!!

Then on Thursday, we got a call from the Assistants that there was going to be an emergency transfer because of a situation that happened with other sisters. When I first got the call I felt heartbroken. Sister Amaral went to a different area, and I stayed here in Vila Prudente with Sister Oborn. Sister Oborn is my second american companion. I feel sad that Sister Amaral left, but I already love Sister Oborn!!!!!! 

But ever since Thursday it feels like everything is changing in my area. We started working in a different area than usual, we have new investigators, we are trying new methods of working. The mission is wierd. I feel like in one day I feel up to 100 different emotions. Happiness, Sadness, Excitement, Discouragement all at the same time. I´m sad that Sister Amaral isn´t my companion anymore, but I´m happy that Sister Oborn is my new companion. Change is hard, but I know that it is for the best. I read a talk by Marvin J. Ashton that described exactly how I am feeling. Here is a quote he used from C.S Lewis, 

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace” 

And so it is, with us. Sometimes change is hard. But it´s usually for the best. I hope that I can learn to adapt quickly and see the sense in what God is building in my life. I hope that this week will be a good one for me and Sister Oborn and for all of you!!!!!!!! 

Love, 

Desi 

  

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There are great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I welcome that exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord, humbly, ‘Give me this mountain,’ give me these challenges.`` - Spencer W. Kimball

This week had some really great Ups and some really low Downs. 

Teaching lessons are always great ups. This week started good, because we taught some really great lessons to our investigators. But as the week went on. Bad news kept coming. Day after day. First day, Jeiza, one of Raquel´s friends that wanted to be baptized for sunday, decided she didn´t want to, but Rafaela was still wanting to the whole week. She´s awesome one day after we taught her about the gospel of jesus christ she went to school and taught her entire class about faith, repentance, baptism, the holy ghost, and enduring to the end. They started calling her pastor Rafaela and she told them. No, actually it´s Sister Soares. Everything seemed ready for sunday: the President of the Young Women made a cake, Me and sister Amaral practiced singing When I am Baptized the youth of the ward got all excited. And what happened?!?! We got there on sunday and she told us she wasn´t going to be baptized. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?! I thought. I felt true sadness. Geiza the whole week had been talking to her about all the things she would miss out on, like drinking going to parties, drinking coffee things that don´t bring happiness!!!!!!!!! On our way to church we talked to her and made a pact that she would  say a prayer and pay attention to what she learned in young women´s and afterwards make her decision... and what happened?!?!? Heavenly Father answered her prayers....  

7 For God hath not given us the spirit of ^afear; but of ^bpower, and of ^clove, and of a sound mind.8 Be not thou therefore ^aashamed of the ^btestimony of our Lord

She told us that the leaders had given her this scripture to read and that it was exactly what she needed and that she knows that Heavenly Father really answered her prayer and that this church is really true!!!!!!!!!! But she still told us that today couldn´t be the day. the youth spent the entire church talking to her about the decision. I also think that one of the young men helped a lot with the decision, but now she is going to baptized on Thursday. 

We also got robbed this week as well. Luckily he only stole our cell phone. But it´s been hard without a cell phone. REALLY HARD. We lost a lot of our investigators numbers and just my luck the same day I left my planner at the mission office, so I didn´t have numbers or addresses of some of the people we had marked to vist during the end of the week. It may seem silly but this was a BIG MOUNTAIN for me. Because after everything seemed to be going wrong this happened. I was already so stressed out because of everything else going on. 

But... I know that Heavenly Father gives us mountains to climb for our benefit. Funny because last monday I downloaded free music from lds.org and one of the musics talk about mountains to climb. It says 

``I know  that it won´t be easy, but it´s making me strong. So give me mountains to climb, rivers to climb, something thats going to make me better than I was . Give me mountains to climb because I know its taking me higher than I´ve ever been before.`` 

I thought it was a good message so I translated it for my companion. After everything that happened she laughed and said. The savior heard you. What does it say in D&C??? Song of the righteous is a prayer??? Heavenly Father definitely has a sense of humor. 

But this week should be a lot better. We have the baptism of Rafaela on Thursday and Sabrina on Saturday.... WOOO HOOO. Sabrina is finally going to be baptized on Saturday. SOOOO HAPPY. And tomorrow we are going to the temple. I know it is going to be a GREAT WEEK. 

 

Never Give Up!!!! Whatever Challenge the Lord gives you, face it with Courage and know that you are capable. 

Desi 

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