6/4/18 - Noite a Pajama and Other Fun Things!

My heart is so full! I've come leaps and bounds with the language this week. Dom de Linguás is so real! It's a huge confident boost when even the "older" American missionaries tell me they're impressed with how fast i'm learning. However, I know this progress is not becuase of me, but because of the The Lord. I continue to work for every bit of progress I can each day, but it's come to the point where my comp and investigators have to tell me to slow down. I guess talking fast is a never ending problem for me in inglês and now português too. I'm trying to remember to slow down. When I told my comp I was given the nickname Twitchy for talking too fast she started calling me Sister Twitch. 

The workers strike is still going on. Gas stations have slowly started to open up again, but now all dilvery truck drivers have joined the strike so all grocery store shelves are looking pretty bare. We've stalked up on beans and rice just incase this lasts for a while. The protests we've witnessed on the streets are pretty crazy. I think it's funny.

We has splits this week which was a blast and a half! I found out Sister A. Riberio is really 36. I adore her and she's very fun, but sometimes she can be a little serious. Sister Bodaine and Sister De Paula tried to teach both of us how to loosen up and have fun. I learned so much about the work, the language, and how to find the fun while still working hard.

Ice cream trucks are common in America right? Well here they have the same concept but for pizza, cleaning chemicals, eggs, you name it. These trucks will drive the streets blasting their ads and because everyone's house is very open here, everyone and their dog is forced to listen to it. Anyway, there was a churro truck that came by when I was with Sister Bodaine and she told me I had to try one, but the guy didn't accept card and we didn't have cash with us. He saw we were missionaries and ended up giving us free churros filled with hot gooey brigadeiro. Super nice!

When we got back to the apartment we ordered pizza, (not sure I like São Paluo pizza, I'm told I need to try it in the capital), and watched 17 miracles and had a noite a pajama (sleepover) with our Sister Training Leaders. It was so fun and reminded me of all the fun girls nights I'd have before the mission. Much needed! 

We found a kite festival while we were out. I found out they all attach razor blades to their strings and try to cut the other kites. I guess people have died from this? We kept our distance, but at least they were pretty!

Sister A Riberio was on the phone one day and I was waiting next to her. A group of 9 year old boys were riding bikes near us, I could hear they were talking about me. "you ask her, no you ask her," (but in portuguese of course), one of them, finally rode up to me and asked, " Moça, você uma gringa?" too funny! They all gathered round and were asking me the meaning of different English swear words. I taught them to saw "cool beans" instead. 

Ricardo stopped progressing but we are teaching the 8 year old daughter of a recent convert, she's about ready to cannonball into the font she's so excited. We've found a few others with potential and are continuing to see miracles as we come up with out of the box ideas to find people. I'm excited to put some of these ideas into play this week.

This week I've been so thankful for Book of Mormon Youth Conference. I had the opportunity to go twice, once as a youth and the other as a member of the Army of Helaman. When people here tell me The Book Of Mormon isn't true, I reflect on what I felt during those conferences and I'm able to bear firm testimony that this book is a book of God, Jospeh Smith was a prophet, and this church is the same church Christ established during His mortal ministry. Huge thank you to all of you that helped make those conferences possible. I know many testmonies are built and made stronger there. 

I've also been thinking a lot about a verse to How Firm a Foundation, "Fear not I am with thee, oh be not dismayed. For I am thy God and will still give thee aid. I'll stregnthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand. Upheld by my righteous hand" (apologise for bad spelling. Portugese is slowly murdering my English abilities.) I'm so thankful for the knowledge that He is always with us helping up in every detail of our lives.

Eu amo vocês! 

Sister Barlow

1) Noite a Pajama

2) Churros

3) "Moça, você uma gringa?"

4) Sister A. Riberio surprised me by making a cake for my 2 month mark. She's the sweetest! I love her with all my heart!