12/31/18 - Ilumine Sua Fé

Christmas on the mission is the coolest thing ever and I loved it! 

Here Christmas Eve is a bigger deal than Christmas Day. Everyone stays up until midnight and eats themselves silly. We went home by 9:30 so Sheila sent us with SO MUCH FOOD to eat in our apartment. 

Everyone knows the best part of a mission Christmas is skying your family! Loved that! The branch president was laughing at me because I was struggling to just speak English. I'd flip into Portuguese without realizing and my fam would have to stop me.... Dom de Linguas is awesome.

I saw a toucan fly over my head this week. That was cool.

All us aliens went to São Paulo to do some stuff with our Visas. All of us were on the subway using our talents to make contacts. We had some people doing magic, others drawing caricatures, some singing hymns etc. It was so cool. Anyway, I'm still legal here in Brasil! 

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE! Aparaceido, Cristane and Bea were baptized! This family is so special. They live in our apartment complex and are the cutest things ever! The spirit was so strong and it was a great reminder of why I chose to serve a mission! They're working to be sealed in the temple by next Christmas!

The members here are awesome. After the family's confirmation all the members were almost competing for who would have them ove for family night first. I love Aldeia! 

At the end of sacerment meeting President Tarso challenged everyone in the branch, EVERYONE, to bring at least one new person to visit church in 2019. Even if you have a little kid in the family, they need to bring someone too. I want to extend that challenge to you too! Bring one new friend to visit church and introduce them to the missionaries. The work here in Aldeia, and all over the world, is so much easier with the member's help!

I took President Nelson's challenge and finished the Book of Mormon before the end of the year. This is my second time finishing in Portuguese. Marking all the verses that talk about our Savior was extra special. Christmas on the mission is the best because your whole life, every waking day is foucused on Him. I had the chance to feel even closer to him during the Christmas season and truly come to know Him better as my friend, brother, and savior. I love Him and I love this work!

Be excellent to eachother

Sister Barlow

Moroni 10:32

1) Kavata Family at their baptism

2) Skype

3) We were spoiled

4) Christmas Eve at Presidente Tarso's house with our cute refugee Family