Monkeys!

Well this week has flown by so fast, but it has been a really great one:)

First off, last week we were walking in the center praza and we saw monkeys- You were right Kim.

But more importantly we had a really great week with our investigators:

Diane and Lidiane: We had a really cool lesson on their potential because both of them are not completing the things they need to be baptized, so we talked about their potential as daughters of God. -- Cool side note for OMA remember how you used to always make salt dough for us to play with when we were little, ya I made some of that to use in an object lesson we did- So I guess thanks for the idea.

Susana: So we went to the bank last Tuesday and as we were leaving a lady stopped us and asked if we shared the same message as the Elders did. We told her yes and then she proceeded to ask if she could give us her address and if we could visit her. So again we said yes. She told us she lived at the end of Dos Andradas, next to a blue house, close to a house number 1590. So we went there Thursday. We found the house number, but it wasn't her house. I began to wonder if I took some of the information down wrong, so I asked my companion if we could just keep looking for blue houses for a little bit. Well, a little bit turned into close to an hour, but we finally reached the end of the street and literally right as we were going to give up we saw a beautiful, blue house numbered 1590 and well, we found Susana. It was such a miracle. Sad part of the story is that we found she doesn't live in our area, she lives in the area of the Elders. So we got to teach her only one time, but I know she is going to be baptized. But well, I guess it all works out.

Êmily: So we talked with her a lot about the doubts she has had and how she can clear up these doubts. We had a really spiritual lesson with her and well, we marked a baptismal date with her for March 8. YAY, first baptism here in Brazil.

This next Monday we have transfers again. I know crazy. I feel like we just had transfers. Time is flying here.

Also, I need to solicit all the prayers I can get this week. So this week marks the holiday Carnival. For those of you who have never heard of it, it’s like Mardi-Gras except 100X crazier. So we've heard that it’s a fun tradition of many people here to throw buckets of water on people that pass by on the street, sometimes people here like to get creative and throw other substances, too. So just pray, pray for the people that I don't punch them and that I can be patient with them all, okay? Haha really, but some prayers in behalf of the missionaries in Brazil would not hurt.

Well I love you all,

Have a great week!

Sister K. Seal

Photos:

1. We got to do a service project and help paint some desks and sidewalk for a school in our area. It was really fun!

Today marks 2 months that I've been in Brazil.

This week has been pretty slow unfortunately. We're still trying to help with the marriage process of our two sister investigators. Yesterday we taught the "husband" of Diane and he told us he is afraid to get married. He says it’s too soon- they've been together 3 years, are raising 2 kids, and he wants to have another kid. Well, that just means we have some work to do. Also Lidiane hit a road block this week.  Her boss is constantly smoking, and she has used this as an excuse for her relapse. SAD!  But it’s okay.  We will continue to help them out. Emily is still really hesitant.  Also, she wants to learn more before she is baptized, so much work to be done here is São Borja.

Well, I came into the mission thinking I would leave speaking 3 languages. Well, right now I count myself lucky if I can manage to form a sentence in one language. So we were doing contact in the center of the city last week when we ran into a guy that is from Argentina. That means he only speaks Spanish. I was excited to use my Spanish, except guess what?  I have already forgotten most of my Spanish. I understood what he was saying, but when it was my turn to speak, it was a pretty good mix of Spanish and Portuguese. Also this week I was training my companion how to pray in English. My head hurt just thinking of the words to use in an English payer. It’s a good thing that I write in my journal daily in English or these weekly emails would no longer make sense. I guess that is kind of a good sign.

So kind of cool story about today- I usually don't prepare a spiritual thought for my blog entries, but today, I don't know why, but I was thinking about what I would write here today and this thought came to mind- after a couple hours into today I've already realized that the thought I received was for me. So I just thought I'd share it anyways with all of you. Maybe someone reading this needs the same thought:

I was reading in D&C 90 and found vs. 24. It reads, "search diligently, pray always, and be believing and all things shall work together for your good..." Then I read a quote from one of my heroes, Elder Holland which reads, "Because Christ's eyes were unfailingly fixed on the future, He could endure all that was required of Him. He knows that for the faithful things will be made right soon enough." In the world we live in today, it is not easy to have this mentality that all will eventually be made right. Bad things happen to good people and we begin to wonder how a loving and just God could allow all this to happen. Its then we need to remember the saints persecution in Missouri and the revelation they received in the 101st section in the doctrine and covenants. God easily could have taken away their problems completely but why didn't he?  In D&C 101:16 it says, "Therefore let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands be still and know that I am God."

To conclude I would like to finish with a small quote from Elder Holland, "Even in the darkest hours at Gethsemane and Calvary, He pressed on continuing to trust in the very God who He momentarily feared had forsaken Him." 

Like I said if for no one else, this thought already found its intended recipient.

I wish you all the best of weeks. I love you all.

Sister K. Seal

Baratas demais!

BOM DIA!! 

This week has been I think the word I am going to use is... interesting.

So investigator wise it was really good. Diane and Lidiane are progressing. They are still working with their marriage liscence- it’s quite the process here in Brazil. But great news of the week is we committed Lidiane to stop smoking last week and as of yesterday she hasn't smoked in over 5 days!! GREAT, RIGHT?? They say the first three days are the hardest, so here is hoping that she can continue strong. One of Emily's friends this week died in a car accident and she hasn't been home a lot, so we are kind of just keeping her in our prayers and are hoping to see her this week. So here is hoping. 

Also, so I have never had a harder fast Sunday in my entire life. It was 45 degrees celcius which is about 117 degrees, and we walked a lot and as a rule of the mission we are not allowed to drink water. It was hard to teach because our mouths were so dry. But, well, I am writing to you all now so I survived, but it was vale a pena. Because here we fast after lunch on Saturday until lunch on Sunday. And guess what we had for lunch on Sunday? We had salmon. It was so, so, so good, but will probably the only salmon I am going to see until I return to Carrabba's because it is really expensive. 

Also, so funny story of the week: I got my medical card- which is funny that we even get one because they don't work at any doctor's office here in the south of Brazil- but guess what? It didn't have my information on it. It has McKenna's name and information on it. So for those of you who know my passport story I hope that this gives you a good laugh also. I am starting to doubt that I was supposed to come to this mission. LOL. 

Also, so gross story of the week: So when we moved into our house after the Elders it was infested with cockroaches. Like every morning we woke up there were at least 6 in the kitchen. SO GROSS! So President Parrela bought a remédio (sorry can't think of the English word) to put in the house to kill them. So we did it this week and when we did all the baratas came out of every furniture item we have. And lots of them crawled up on the ceiling and started falling. So it was literally raining cockroaches in our kitchen. Then they would fall to the ground and we would have to stomp on them. It was like playing that arcade game like whack-a-mole. Only more gross and hard because I swear cockroaches have more lives than cats. But all is well now, we are cockroach free. Hope you all enjoy the photo. 

Well I love you all. I can’t believe we are already in February. Sorry for all the typing errors, hopefully mom is cleaning this up and making it readable.  I am already forgetting English which is bad because my Portuguese isn't good enough yet. So before long I am going to be speechless. But love you all. Have a great week. Thanks for all the letters everyone!

Much Love,

Sister K. Seal

Photo 1: Our friends:) What's worse is this was only after 1 hour. In total we probably killed like 75. GROSS!

Photo 2: "my" medical card. LOL! 

Photo 3: Sister Claret and me and our District Leader. 

Well, I survived one more week...

So this week just flew by, so not much to tell, but I will give you the few highlights from the week. 

1. Well I know many are wondering about our investigator Êmily. Well I wish I had something to tell there, by the appointment we set with her fell through, and she didn't make it. My companion and I are going to go to her house this week and talk with her and her family. We are a little nervous to do this, because when she told us about her family she told us they are not the biggest fans. But I have faith that God will bless us in trying to help this family. So just hold out a week and hopefully I will have a good story to tell. 

2. Many people have been asking about the two mothers Diane and Lidiane. The investigators that had everything set up and ready I think our first week here in São Borja. Well finally we've made some progress. So they both want to be baptized but both need to get married to their husbands and one needs to stop smoking first. But this week both are going to the place to get the marriage papers signed (sorry I know the word in Portuguese but can't think of it in English, do we have a word in English?) And also this week we taught a lesson to Lidiane who is quitting smoking and it was so spiritual. I gave her a CTR ring and told her that this would help her remember. Also I promised that I too would quit a bad habit of mine (I chose drinking soda) and so now Guarana já era. So we stopped by yesterday and she has only smoked one cigarro since Friday. That is so great seeing as how she used to smoke 3 boxes a day. Ah I am so excited for them. Wedding papers here take quite a bit of time, so I am just hoping I can be here for their baptisms. 

3. The weather this week has been absolutely insane. So Wednesday was scorching hot, like I have a pretty good sunburn to prove it-- yes Kim I was wearing lots and lots of sunscreen and still burnt. It was 48 degrees. Then on Sunday I was really cold. It dropped to 21 degrees and I was actually wearing a cardigan and still cold. BAH! It’s like Utah all over again. 

4. Also so my district leader went to Santa Maria and got to get all the mail that people had sent. So he was passing out mail and I had 12 letters, so just wanted to thank all the amazing people that have been writing me, it truly has made my week!! Everyone there was so jealous, which honestly I can see I kind of have the best family anyone could ask for. Thanks Holly and family, Mom, Dad, Logan, Skylar, Papa, Grandma, Oma, Kimmy, and finally received a letter from a Sister M. Seal. Good timing, too, I almost forgot I had a sister it’s been so long. JK Sister Seal. 

Thanks for all the love and support. It makes being a missionary so much easier. I think going into this experience I didn't understand what being a missionary means. So for those of you who are contemplating a mission let me give you the advice that I wish I had had, or maybe I had but didn't listen to:

1. A mission is hard. I thought because I was serving God it would be easy, but let me tell you something, Satan knows you're serving God too, and so he is trying to derail you. He knows you have the chance to do something great, to change someone's life forever, and that scares him. 

2. A mission isn't about you. I came into the mission selfishly. And honestly still believe in many aspects that I am selfish, but I am trying to work on this. A mission is an act of service; it’s not something that people chose to do to take a 1 and a half year vacation from the world. You are giving up everything that feels normal. You leave the people you love, you leave the comforts of home, and you do this in service. Once you start learning this lesson you'll start enjoying your mission more. Well at least I know that is the case for me. But like I said I am still working of the selfish thing. 

3. Obedience is essential. One lesson that I have learned that really has been on my mind this week is how important obedience is. I've never liked to be 100% obedient, maybe that comes from growing up in a big family and wanting to find my own unique edge. But on a mission I can't afford to do this. Obedience brings miracles, and I can't afford to lose the miracles. I need the miracles for me, for learning the language, for strength, but more importantly I need the miracles for my investigators. I can't afford to be selfish and lose the miracles they need for their conversion. 

Well those are some of the things that I wish I had known. I am only 3 months in, and still trying to learn more. I know that this church is true with all my heart. Every day as I study the scriptures I know that I am reading revelation given to us. I know that this church brings true happiness through the Plan of Salvation our Father in Heaven created for us. I love you all so much! 

Have an awesome week. 

Sister K. Seal

Well we actually had a day where it was okay to look somewhat normal, so I thought I would take a picture. We don't get these too often. 

This is what I sent McKenna in the mail. We have many dried up frogs here, and I was having a long day, so I decided to do something crazy. Yup I sent her a dried up frog. 

  

Me and my companion enjoying the nice weather. 

Transfers!

Well this week was transfers and I found out that I will be staying here in São Borja. Que Bencão! It’s such a good thing, opening an area is a lot of work, and I still feel like I don't know the members well enough. So there is a lot of work to do in these next six weeks :)

So crazy part about transfers: When I arrived in Santa Maria another group of missionaries came the following day and in that group there were close to 8 Americans I think. All of those Americans served 9 months in a state-side mission prior to receiving their visas. 2 of those Elders are here in my district in São Borja-Elder Hauck and Elder Johansen. Sad thing is though, in those nine months they forgot a lot of their Portuguese. They are suffering pretty badly, not to say I am not, but I think they have it even tougher than me. Anyways for transfers they found out that they both will be training, and Elder Johansen is our new District Leader. CRAZY! I can't even imagine. But they are both excited. 

Also, so we've been meeting with a young girl named Êmily. She is so great. You can just tell that the Lord has been preparing her for some time now. She is good friends with the branch president’s daughter and loves going to church. We first met Êmily a month ago at church where we gave her a Book of Mormon. We set an appointment for the following day, but she didn't show up. We asked the family of the branch president to contact her for us because she doesn't have a phone, and we don't have her address. The family didn't have much luck, and kept forgetting. Honestly my companion and I were running out of ideas on how to contact her. So about 2 weeks ago we said a prayer, just asking for a miracle so we could contact her. And well last week in church there she was. That Sunday, Sister Claret and I were each working with some non-members and before we got a chance to talk with her she had left. I felt awful, we had been praying for a miracle and when we received it we let it slip away. So we decided to go talk with the branch president later that night about some of the activities that we had planned for that week in the church edificio. And guess who was there? Êmily! Except guess what happened? We got so excited talking to president about the ideas we had planned that we left their house without even talking to her. Not only did I throw away one opportunity but 2x I threw away the opportunity. It took my companion and I 5 blocks to realize what we had done. When I first realized I turned to her and told her we needed to go back. She was slightly reluctant, because it would look weird us returning, it was blazing hot and she was tired. But she said that we could go back if I honestly felt we should. I explained the feelings I had felt earlier that day and reminded her about the prayer we said earlier that week. So we went back and talked with Êmily and it was bom de mais. The spirit was so strong. It was incredible. We asked her to pray about the things we taught. Then when we started talking about a follow up appointment she told us Thursday was her birthday, so I thought she was going to say it wouldn’t be possible to meet that week. But she asked us if we could meet with her on her birthday. What teenager do you know that is that excited to learn about their Savior? Anyways that was an example to me of her desire to learn. So we met with her on her birthday ( I made cookies and everyone here loves cookies-- Fun Fact they don't have cookies here in Brazil. Que Triste Neh?) She talked to us about her prayer and said she received an answer. We talked about baptism and she wants to be baptized. Her mom was baptized about 20 years ago and doesn't like the church anymore, so there are a couple road bumps still ahead, but she accepted the date January 31 to be baptized! QUE LEGAL!!

So sorry about the long story. But I am excited! And I hope that you all have a wonderful week! Love you all!

Sister K. Seal

Yup:) Chaco tan lines are trending here in the Brazilian Missions.

 Nosso AmigoJ

Love Y'All

Oi! This week flew by so fast. I can't believe it's already Monday again! BAH!

Anyways this week was crazy busy partially because we planned a noite familiar with families from our branch every day this week. Family nights are awesome! We get to bring our investigators and they get to know the families and we get to know both the families in our branch and our investigators. Win-win situation.

So this week we received a reference from the Elders in the neighboring city. We went to set up an appointment with M. and when we were talking to her. We were talking to her- just really getting to know her. And the most amazing thing happened, okay slightly exaggerating but guess what! She speaks some English. Great! Well I actually just thought it was funny. And she doesn't speak perfectly, but it was a little miracle I think God gave to me. She is great very interested in the church, and we are going to continue teaching her. 

So this week there has been a lot of rain- its such a blessing. All the members and other people who see us out in the streets working feel bad that its raining, but what they probably don't know is how many prayers I ask for rain. So actually its so much better when it rains. 

Funny story of the week: Remember my friend that broke into our house and was drunk? Ya you'll never guess what happened this week. We were waiting outside the church waiting for a member who was going to come teach with us, and while we were waiting we say our friend. He was walking towards us. So we called the other Sisters that we are living with and told them to grab a camera. So they were in our house- right next to the church. So we walked to our house stood in front of the gate, and when our friend walked past us they took a picture of me and him. Yes he was drunk. But it makes for a good story, so I will send you all the photo next week because I am still waiting to receive the photo from the other Sister.

Spiritual thought of the week: I was listening to a talk in church yesterday and this idea crossed my mind. The speaker was relating living the gospel to The Karate Kid movies. There is a part where the kid is asked to repeat the same simple motion- that appeared to have nothing to do with Karate- over and over again. I couldn't help but think back to the SMA (standard Mormon answers) like reading our scriptures, praying, and going to church. How many times are the miracles we experience because of our obedience to the simple things. My testimony truly is of this. By small and simple things are great things brought to pass.

I wish you all an amazing week. And to my lovely Sister Miss McKenna Seal- I am so excited to hear about your transfers. Thanks for all the letters. They are amazing and are truly such a source of strength for me. So thank you for your support and encouragement.

Much Love

Sister K. Seal

Miracle of the week: So we were searching for a house in a road that was full of mud (because it was raining a lot). Miracle was I didn't slilp. For those of you who know me will truly understand that that is no small thing.

Photo 1: The muddy street that we were on.

Photo 2: So somedays are just hard. So I found a mango on the side of the street and started embracing the Brazilian in me. FUTEBOL!

Happy 2014

Happy 2014!! I'll admit it was so different being in bed asleep at 10:30 on New Years Eve. I figure though that as a missionary I am going to need all the blessings I can get, so that means 100% obedience.

So São Borja- well its still stinking hot, but I think I am starting to get used to sweating all the time. LOL And well our Mission President says, its a perfect excuse to share our message. Knock on the door (which in Brazil means clap outfront of the house) and ask for a glass of water. Usually people feel bad for the 2 crazies that are walking around in 118 degree weather and invite us in to give us a cup of water. Then we start talking with them and gradually bring the conversation to religion. We ask to sing a hymn for them and say a prayer, and because everyone here is very religious for the most part they also agree to this. So we sing, pray and then ask to share a quick message. There you have it;) São Borja missionary work recipe. 

So I have kind of been a slacker missionary in these emails and haven't written any investigator stories, but it was because I didn't have any amazing stories to share- I kind of realized how hard missionary work actually is here in the south of Brazil. Its definitely different than João Pessoa. But don't take that as me complaining or not being grateful for the opportunity I have to serve here. I am really grateful for my mission. I just realized the work that I will be doing is going to be a lot different than that of Sister M. Seal. 

Então I have a story. I did my first street contact on the first day of the New Year- January 1, 2014.

I asked my companion how to do a street contact and told her I wanted to do a contact within the next couple of days. She told me how to say the phrases in Portuguese and I started memorizing. Then we say a young man ahead in the street. She asked me if I wanted to do it. I said I wasnt ready but I wanted to watch her do it. So we go and she looks and me and says to the young man Oí tudo bem? Then she turns to me and just starts staring. It took me a while to realize she expected me to do this contact. Bah! It was so crazy scary. But I did it and I got the addresses of 2 young men. Although I doubt they understood a word I said. 

So we've been working with a couple of sisters (I am going to use their initials E. and M.) We found these sisters in our first week here. It was on a day that was hot! We were walking and searching for the house of a less active memeber, but we were lost, tired, and things were just not going our way. When all of the sudden a girl called out to us"Hi Sisters". So we stopped and asked her how she knew the missionaries. She explained that awhile ago, when there used to be missionaries in this area, that she had heard a couple disussions. She invited us in and we sat down, drank some water and taught a simple lesson. We gave her a pamphlet on the restoration and invited her to pray about these things. She explained to us that she was going to leave town for Christmas, but that we could come back after she returned. So we went back last week, and she was so receptive when we shared another message with her. We re-invited her to pray about the things. Leaving that lesson Sister Claret and I felt to happy and excited. Then Saturday we retured to see how her prayer was. When we got there her mom was sitting out front, and we asked if we could speak with E. and she said that she didn't want to speak with us anymore. BAH! I was so shocked and confused. So Sister Claret asked if we could share a message with the mom of E. As we shared the message every 5 seconds she would say something about her church, and testify to us that her church was the true church and that we would be so welcomed if we ever went. Anyways long story short she invited us to attend her church tomorrow at 8:00pm. She said that if we went to her church she would come with her daughters to our church on Sunday. Elder Holland said in a talk given to missionaries, "You have to go where your investigator is to bring them unto Christ." Well I guess tomorrow come 8PM thats exactly what we will be doing. I had never interpreted that literally, but I guess whatever it takes to share the gospel. -- Don't worry we approved this from our District Leader. 

Anyways I am so grateful for my friends, my family, and the opportunity I have to serve the God I love. I wish you all an amazing 2014! I love you all so much! Really, I mean that everytime I write that in these weekly letters. I have the best friends and family in the entire world. Also got my first letter this week. Thanks Papa. 

Much love

Sister K. Seal