Vamos jogar entao

SO! Here we are at pday again! It seriously seems like yesterday was the last pday! I cant believe how the time is flying! It kinda scares me to tell you the truth..

Things are fantastic here! I LOVE Janaúba, it´s still adorable to me, and I like Sis. Sorenson more every day! I´m learning a ton! Yesterday at our district meeting Elder Barbosa was talking about our weak points, and how we should recognize them and then MAKE A PLAN to over come them. Can you imagine if EVERY person in the world was constantly analyzing themselves and then CHANGING for the better because of it?? So it really made me look at myself and see what I need to do to progress more each day, each week, each YEAR for the rest of my life! But so far I decided to just work on the things that are essential for right now. For example: Speaking portuguese!!! I realized that I have a hard time teaching lately because I speak ENGLISH all day long and then when I try to think in portuguese its not there. So Sis. Sorenson and I made a goal to speak ONLY portuguese during the day, and in the evening we can speak english. Because we need to enjoy and utilize the fact that we both speak english (its a rare thing, after this transfer She and I will be the only american sisters) but we need to be progressing in our portuguese as well. So far its been really good! Ive been learning a lot faster. ** So that´s a challange for all of you! Look at yourselves and analyze what you ARE in comparison to what you WANT to be,and then make the necessary plans to get there! This life is limitless! It´s really just a matter of finding that solution. It´s obviously easier said than done, but I promise it´s possible!**

This week I´ve really learned a lot from the people we´re teaching. One girl we´re teaching is named Leila. She is SO Awesome! When we taught her the lesson of the restauração, at the end she said "Eu não sabia essas coisas! Eu não sabia essas coisas aconteceu!" and she was so grateful that we were telling her because she recognized how important it is to know that there is a living prophet! Its incredible to see how the Lord has prepared people to hear the gospel. She´s so rad.
Another lady we´re teaching has really been hard. REALLY hard, because she acts like she´s not understanding anything we´re saying sometimes, and so we had to pray ALOT to know whether she really was all THERE, you know, like, if she was able to comprehend and keep the commitments we were teaching her. But we prayed about it a lot, and she was interviewed by our district leader and he said she was capable and ready for baptism! So tonight she´ll be baptised! yay! Im excited. But the big thing that I learned from this is that it´s REALLY really REALLY important to ALWAYS be praying for wisdom concerning EACH and every person we teach. To really be listening for that guidence from the Lord to know how HE want´s them to be taught, on a very individual basis. That´s the beauty of missionary work- even though we´re teaching the same lessons, each one is a little different, because each person is different, and our purpose is to teach in a way that each person will understand these truths, and be able to feel the Holy Ghost testifying of its veracidade também.
Yeah, I couldn´t remember how to say that word in english, sorry..
Anyway, so this branch is really small, and it reminds me of my singles branch there in PA (which I still miss soooooooooooooooooooooo soooooooooooo much..) And Ive been wracking my brains to trying and think of how I can help this branch be as awesome as VF3 (That´s a pretty darn big goal, but still, every one deserves the best ward or branch ever right??) And I realized that the reason VF3 was so incredible was the LOVE! Everyone just LOVED and accepted EVERYONE! Imagine if every ward everywhere had people who were excited for every new person, and GENUINE friends with EVERYONE in the ward? That scripture in mosiah 8(:8-10) would be more of a reality wouldnt it? So my goal is to SOMEHOW help these people to realize that loving EVERYONE as much as they can will bring a PRICELESS joy and unity to this branch.
****so what I need from any and all of YOU! Is this:
-Family home evening ideas. Games, lessons, object lessons, hand outs, THE WORKS! Because we´re going to start having a family night here with the members and rotate who´s house it´s in, but in general the idea is to bring them all closer together.
-Relief Society hand out ideas, and projects to unify the RS. And the Priesthood, cause I could pass ideas on to the Elders.
-fun group games to play (that don´t require a lot of objects..) because we have "integreção" every week, which is kinda like mutual, but its just for everyone, in attempt to bring the branch closer together. So games to get to know one another and whatnot would be good to know.

But Mom, if you could just give me a quick recap each week of either the hand out or the activity of RS each sunday that would help a ton. ******

So anyway, the branch here is really small though, and the missionaries help a LOT. We teach the sunday school class every week, and if any of the teachers or sacrament speakers are missing, we´re the ones that fill the gaps (I´m a bit nervous to teach the sunday school class.. not this week but next.. :s but it´ll be a good learning experience.)

So anyway, things are fantastic! My testimony of how well the Lord knows each and every one of us is growing SO much! Its incredible! I´m so grateful!

My favorite scripture today:
Luke 6:31-38 & 46
Its really profound, but you have to really soak it in to appreciate it!! dooooo it...

So what the heck! Michael and Marin Moved! To conchohocken none the less!! What for? To another apartment or a house or what? And are you still in the same ward? Is Marin still working at the same place? Does robbie still live with you?! What´s it like? Oh my gosh I miss Pennsylvania so much!!! Please please please pleeeeeeeeeeeeease take lots of pictures this fall and send them to me k? And Im still sorry I broke your camera, and I still havent forgotten I owe you $100.. It´s going to be a little while before I can get that to you.. sorry..
I miss your gutss! All of you over there in PA!!! Becca! I write in my planner to write you EVERY WEEK (someday I´ll show you, it´s true) But these past Pdays have been crazy, so it hasn´t happened- BUT today I have faith! Today is crazy too though, but I´m going to do it!
Anyway, well I hope that all is well! I miss you all like crazy!

So for the next 6 weeks or so you can send me snail mail to:
Av. Saudade, 1051 apto 201
B: Saudade
39440-000 Janaúba- MG
Brasil

**Did anyone else catch the irony that we live on road Saudade and in bairro saudade? haha**

So yeah. Things are good. Hot. Its very hot here. But good.
:D I love love love you all! And I love this gospel! I know without a doubt it is true! Someone PLEASE read the account of the people of Alma vs the people of limhi
(I don´t remember off the top of my head EXACTLY which verses they are, but its mosiah 21- the people of limhi, and mosiah 23 the people of alma. The principle is this:There were 2 different groups of people, one WITH a prophet and one without- and they were at one time -not the SAME time- captive by the very SAME captures! and the results are what is important to observe. Also, read mosiah 2:41)
Ok, thats all. KLOVEYOUBYE