Festa Junina

Good Morning Friends and Family!!

So this week has flown by and I don't have a whole lot to relate about this week. Well okay I will try to come up with a couple of interesting things:

Well, we had our Festa Junina! It was a blast. I sent some pictures I hope you like. We dressed up- yes don't worry I didn't actually lose my front tooth Kimmy! We made some great food and it was fun. Only down side it has been raining this whole week. No joke I haven't seen the sun since last Sunday. Sad story, I know. But anyways, so because of the rain we didn't have all of our investigators we invited come. But hey, we still threw a pretty awesome party all things considered. 

Also, this week we had transfer calls. Good news. I am staying here in Panambi. Really I already told President I want to stay here for the rest of my mission. He hasn't responded yet, so I will let you know how that goes. JK. 

Well Brazil is still in it to win it in this world cup. I know I know I am American, but I think I am starting to turn into a real Gaucha-- Like southern Brazilian. Well I hear Michael has been watching the games I just want to make sure he knows that the team that is going to take it home is BRAZIL!! 

Well, folks, that is about it for this week, Thanks for all the continued letters!! My zone leaders are going to pick up all the mail from the office in Santa Maria this week and I am excited to get some good updates from everyone. Thanks Papa, Kim, and Grandma for all the cards I have gotten here in Panambi!!

Well, I love you all, 

Quick Spiritual thought:

Today I was studying in D+C 101 and I read the parable of the vineyard. I love the idea that really God knows best how to protect us from Satan's grasp. He loves us and gave us the tools to keep us protected, but how many times do we lull ourselves into false security and say to ourselves we don't need to study more because we already have a strong testimony. This truly is one of Satan's tactics. Every day we need to grow our knowledge learn more and build our testimony so that when Satan attacks (Helaman 5:12) That we can be strong enough to fight him off.

I love you all. I am so grateful to be a missionary. I love this work. I love my Savior. 

I hope you all have amazing weeks! Eat some good barbeque for me on the 4th of July. 

Sister K. Seal

You're Officially Invited...

June 23

Morning Everyone:)

What a week. Okay actually we didn't do a whole lot this week, it has been pretty slow, but I do have a few highlights:

Well first off. We had 23 people at church yesterday!!! That is double what it was when I first got here in Panambi! I can really see the Lord helping us out here in His work.

Also we are working a lot with a recent-convert/less active of the last sisters that were here. It is so sad to see how people choose to be baptized because of the missionaries instead of testimonies. It happens WAY TOO OFTEN! Anyways his name is Fabio. He is really great. This week he gave us 2 references to contact. And one of his friends (one of the references) was at church yesterday. So we are really excited to help both strengthen the testimony of Fabio by helping him help his friend. (I hope this is all making sense, living with only Brazilian sisters is killing my English).

Also this week I learned a valuable lesson and figured I could pass this lesson along: You can't cook an egg with the shell in the microwave. So here in Panambi we don't have very many members, so we cook our own food at home for lunch. So one day this week my companion was boiling her egg on the stove top, when our gas went out. So she, trying to be clever, put the egg in a dish with water in the microwave. She sat down and all the sudden there was a loud noise coming from the microwave she went to look in the microwave but as soon as she got right in front the container exploded. No worries my companion is now fine, we all gave a good laugh and made a new house rule, but it did give us a little shock.

So mom said Kimmy keeps asking for a daily agenda here in Brazil: It really is just the same thing every day. We wake up at 6:30, write in our journals, eat breakfast, then study, study, study. Then we go to lunch. I already have recipes that I plan to bring home and make for everyone!! Then we have appointments from 1:30 until 8:30 meeting with the families we are teaching. Sometimes we have Family nights like the cookie Picture from last week. Then we come home, plan for the next day, and go to bed. I wish there was some exciting thing to share, but well, it’s the same thing every day.

Well, I did want to send you all an invitation to our Festa Junina. You are all invited it is going to be Saturday here in Panambi!! Jk:)

I love you all. Thanks for the letters and support. It means the world to me.

Well, this next week is transfers. I have no doubt that I am staying here. Which is good, because I love it here!

Well until Next week,

Much Love,

Sister K. Seal

“Behold I say unto you, that by small and simple‍ things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

“And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.” (Alma 37:6–7.)

The World Cup is finally here in Brazil!

Well, folks, the World Cup is finally here in Brazil! That has made for an interesting week here in Brazil. I knew that Brazil took their soccer seriously, but wow it's like a whole other religion here. 

Quick funny story of the week. Remember in São Borja when the drunk man broke into our house?? Okay, well, one of the members that helped us kick him out moved here to Panambi. And I didn't remember him, but he remembered me and told the story for all the sisters here. Haha. Gave me a good laugh. Don't worry, our new apartment is much safer than São Borja. 

This week has been a crazy one! We had splits with our Sister Training Leaders-- Wouldn't that be great if they could Transfer Sister M. Seal down here for a week to do splits with me? No but really it was really good. Sister Saito came and she used to serve in Panambi and so she showed us a lot of helpful things seeing as I am still new to this area. I learned a lot and have lots of plans to improve. 

Also this week we had a family night with one of our investigators. She is really a miracle. So I found her my first transfer here in Panambi. She was running to pick up her son from school, but I felt like I should talk with her. She said she was in a hurry, but quickly gave me her information. 

One day we tried to go and contact her, but she lives in an apartment on the top floor, and the doorbell wasn't working. So we said a prayer. And within 5 minutes a girl walked passed us to get into the building and we asked if she would let us in. Turns out she is the step-daughter of Botira (our investigator) and showed us in to her apartment. We've been teaching Botira and her family for about 2 weeks now. They are so nice, and are reading the Book of Mormon. I am excited to see what comes of this family. 

Well this week was pretty good lots of work to do, and not enough time to do it in. Normal for missionary work right?? I always feel like I am running from one appointment to the next, and well sometimes it literally happens. But there has to be some way to burn all the calories from all the delicious food here right?? 

Well I love you all! Thanks for all the letters and support. It means the world to us missionaries!! Have a great week.

Sister K. Seal

P.S. Read this story in the Liahona this week and thought I would share. Loved it. 

"Almost three years ago a devastating fire gutted the interior of the beloved, historic tabernacle in Provo, Utah. Its loss was deemed a great tragedy by both the community and Church members. Many wondered, “Why did the Lord let this happen? Surely He could have prevented the fire or stopped its destruction.

”Ten months later, during the October 2011 general conference, there was an audible gasp when President Thomas S. Monson announced that the nearly destroyed tabernacle was to become a holy temple—a house of the Lord! Suddenly we could see what the Lord had always known! He didn't cause the fire, but He allowed the fire to strip away the interior. He saw the tabernacle as a magnificent temple—a permanent home for making sacred, eternal covenants.

"My dear sisters, the Lord allows us to be tried and tested, sometimes to our maximum capacity. We have seen the lives of loved ones—and maybe our own—figuratively burned to the ground and have wondered why a loving and caring Heavenly Father would allow such things to happen. But He does not leave us in the ashes; He stands with open arms, eagerly inviting us to come to Him. He is building our lives into magnificent temples where His Spirit can dwell eternally.

"In Doctrine and Covenants 58:3–4, the Lord tells us:'Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. 

"For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory.”

"Sisters, I testify that the Lord has a plan for each of our lives. Nothing that happens is a shock or a surprise to Him. He is all-knowing and all-loving. He is eager to help us, to comfort us, and to ease our pain as we rely on the power of the Atonement and honor our covenants. The trials and tribulation that we experience may be the very things that guide us to come unto Him and cling to our covenants so that we might return to His presence and receive all that the Father hath.” (Sister Reeves October 2013)

I also echo the testimony, that sometimes when we feel that we are in the ashes, we just need to look up and ask for help and guidance. He will never leave us in the ashes. He has a plan far greater for each one of us than we could ever imagine. And we would do well to acknowledge His love and Divine Power to shape our lives into something far better than we could ever imagine. He loves you, and through the infinite power of the atonement of His son we can become like Him. 

Absolutely Fantastic!!

June 9

Good Morning!!

So this week has been absolutely fantastic!!

We had a mission tour, where Elder Suarez came to visit us. He told some amazing stories about how the Church started in Recife. It felt a lot like how the church is right now in Panambi with a frequency of only 12 people including the missionaries. But I realized that really we just have to be diligent and patient and understand the Lord has a plan. 

Speaking of being diligent we had the baptism of Meline. It was so amazing. It felt like everything that could have gone wrong that day went wrong. The water heater didn't work, and we found out last minute that we didn't have 2 witnesses for the baptism. Seriously everything that could have gone wrong-- Did. But it just gave me the opportunity to notice to things. We as missionaries are truly in the midst of a battle- a battle for souls. We are here trying to help our brothers and sisters enter the pathway towards salvation. But as much as we want this happiness for them, and as much as God wants this happiness for them, Satan doesn't and he truly is willing to give it his all to destroy their happiness. But the day of the baptism came and it was sunny and really warm, and we didn't even need the water heater and the Elders from Cruz Alta came and everything went according to plan. It was a beautiful baptism. And the next day we got to have a testimony meeting and it was to date one of the sweetest experiences I have had here in the mission to watch this recent convert Meline bear her testimony that she knows this church is true. It was absolutely beautiful. 

Well I also wanted to give a BIG shout out to Grandma and Papa-- I got a wonderful package this week!! Thank you so, so much!!

I love you all and hope you all have a fantastic week. 

Sister K. Seal

A Super Week!!

Good morning everyone!

Wow this has been a super week!! 

Well first I received some pretty great hand-written letters!! So thanks to the faithful Great-grandpa Hulet, Oma, Mom, Skylar, Conner, McKenna, Kim, Grandma and Papa. Seriously thanks for the support. And for Conner-- I am really trying to be better at writing back. So practice some patience okay, kiddo?? JK Love you. 

Also BIG CONGRATS to Michael! I worry to think about you going to college this year-- I mean who is going to wake you up now that Zoey is not there to bite your butt? Mom you may need to find an apartment that allows pets... JK but really Parabéns!! 

Mom, keep it strong one more week!! You can do it. 

Skylar and Dad-- BEAUTIFUL cakes!! Send me one in a package okay?? No, but really, I think I figured out why you were decorating cakes. You figure hey, I got 2 daughters coming back from missions and hopefully getting married soon-- trying to cut wedding costs, huh?? Smart man. 

Well. like I said, amazing week! Sounds like the rest of you had some pretty steller weeks too. This week we had Stake Conference. It was really nice and we had some AMAZING speakers!! The temple president of the Porto Allegre temple, my mission president, and Elder Lear of the quorum of the seventy came to speak at the stake conference. The messages were beautiful and I learned so much. 

Even our investigators loved the conference. Meline is going to be baptized this Saturday. But also we brought another investigator; she is the mom of Fabio, a recent convert (for mom and dad she is the mom of "The Bread"). Anyways, after the conference she said she too wants to be baptized. That is truly a miracle, because the sisters have been teaching her for like 7 months and she never wanted to get married... but after this conference she said she knows it is all true!!

Well it was perfect! This week is also going to be AMAZING!

1. We have a surprise member of the quorum of the seventy coming to visit the missionaries Wednesday. 

2. We have a baptism

3. Because I get to catch up with my old district from São Borja.

Makes for a good week. 

Anyways well I just wanted to leave you with a quick thought I got from Stake Conference. Elder Leal shared this story:

A man died and was resurrected and waiting in a room to be interviewed. Another man was ahead of him. The door opened, the man entered, and the door closed. The man on the outside could hear the conversation on the other side of the door. The interviewer began: “I want you to tell me what you know about Jesus Christ.”

“Well, He was born of Mary in Bethlehem; he lived thirty-three years, spending the last three organizing his church, choosing his Apostles, and giving the gospel to direct our lives.”

The interviewer stopped him and said: “Yes, yes, that’s all true, but I want you to tell me what you know about Jesus Christ.”

“Well, he suffered and died so that we could have eternal life. Three days later he was resurrected so that we might return to Heavenly Father.”

“Yes, yes, that is true, but I want you to tell me what you know about Jesus Christ.” The man, a little perplexed, again began: “Well, he restored the gospel in its fullness to the earth through Joseph Smith, reorganized his church, gave us temples so we could do work to save our dead. He gave us personal ordinances for our salvation and exaltation.”

The interviewer again stopped him and said, “All of what you have said to me is true.” The man was then invited to leave the room. After he left the door opened and the second man entered. As he approached the interviewer he fell upon his knees and cried, “My Lord, my God.”

I love you all! Thanks for all the love and support! Hope everyone is enjoying there summer!!

Much Love,

Sister K. Seal