5/21/18 Dreams Come True in Villa Angelica

Olá!

I AM SO HAPPY HERE! I love this work! Every time I put on my nametag I can't help but smile because I've wanted this for so long and now this dream is a reality! (cheesy, but true)

I forgot to explain last weeks title: The Never Ending Game of Chrades... Basically either I'm speaking Portugues, looking up a word in the dictionary, or trying to act out what I'm talking about using soud effects and gestures to my companion. Trying to explain "drain" to her took 10 minutes and crazy sound effects, but eventually we got there. She's so patient and most times we just end up laughing because neither of us knows what they other is trying to say.

I also forgot to mention that we opened this area. SO HARD! But I think we've finally got out feet under us enough to actually be effective in the work.

Again, I forgot to mention also that I met my mission president last week! He's basically Fix-It Felix and his wife is the Brasillian Shakeria. They are the best and I adore them!

This week has been cold and rainy. You wouldn't think Brasil would be cold, but it's cold! We are entering winter right now. The locals are all wearing large coats in the 70 degree weather. I'm fine unitl the wind picks up and then I'm right them with them bundled up and saying "Ay! Que frio!" Tropical storms hit hard and fast.

We were having a bit of a hard time finding people to teach, but through a whole lot of prayer and a whole lot of fasting miracles have happened and we have a lot of investigators with potential. Ricardo is mid 20s and very interested. If he continues to progress he will be baptized next Sunday. Thais has 2 kids, Yazmin (10), and Mikey (8) they are adorable and we love them. Joelma and her husband have 4 sons and are very Catholic, but they listen to our discussions and have baptismal dates set. I've been teaching the sons English. The oldest is 17, the others are 15, 14, and 12.

I have gained so much more respect for anyone I know that has served a mission. This is crazy hard, but it's the best thing ever!

Sister A. Ribeiro continues to help me in every way possible. She's 24 and super tiny, but I've never seen so much stregnth in one little body. We walk about 15 kilometers everyday and she packs her bag super full and she carries a ton of O Livro de Mormon without batting an eye. Last Pday I taught her how to make American Chocolate Chip cookies and now she talks about that everyday.

We had a zone conference this week and seeing older American missionaries speak fluently gives me hope.

Everyone here has been pumped about FIFA 2018. I wish I knew more about soccer so I could use it as a way to find people.

We had to leave our area to email today so we are in the Central of Sorracaba. I feel like I'm shopping in NYC again. It's so cool.

I found a copy of The Liahona from December pf 2016 in our apartment. It's one of the only things here in English. As I've been reading it I came across an article titled the Divine Power of Grace by James J Hamula. I've learned that Grace is there to help us after we've done all we can do. It allows us to do what we could not otherwise do on our own. I know I have felt The Lord's grace each day as I try to learn Portugese. When I'm teaching a lesson I know my grammer may not be perfect but I find myself saying words I studied, but also words that I didn't know I knew. Miracles come through grace after we've done all we can do.

Romans 5:1-2

Photos:

1) Luiz is 7 and had Downs Syndrome. He prays all the time for the missionaries in this ward. He's my best bud.

2) Presidente and his wife

3) I love my cute companion

4) Sister A. Ribeiro making "Americana COOOKIESS!"