Well. That's that.

Its strange to think that its really all over. I hardly can comprehend it most days. Today was my homecoming talk in church. As most talks usually go, I didnt say anything how I had planned it. I think I was searching for some way to sum up the last year and a half.
An impossible feat. How can I explain why the past year and a half were the best time Ive ever had, or how its opened my eyes to so many things! How can I explain the feeling of watching a person pray for the first time? Or feeling the Lords protection 24/7 in the way that I did. How can I explain the beauty of Brasil? Or Brasilian culture? Or why it was so amazing to work with brasilian people? How can I capture the thrill of meeting new people everyday, and giving them that which has most value to me. The source of all my happiness? Or the satisfaction of putting your heart into the message and having someone accept it. Or seeing lives CHANGE. Seeing the glow in a person's face as they tell you about praying to know if the Book of Mormon is true.
Or the fun of getting to know each new area, ward and companion. The smells of the bakery on the corner. The sight of the incredible sunsets of Janauba!!! Ha, or even kissing everyone (well all the girls that is) on the cheek to say hello and goodbye. Bringing investigators to church, and conferences!!! And just learning something priceless from every single person and every single experience!
There arent words to capture all that!
It seems like a dream most days. Ive wanted to serve a mission practically my whole life. I remember when I was about 5 years old, and thinking about all the reasons I wanted and needed to serve a mission. It wasnt anything I thought it'd be. It was WAY better- in that I learned SO much more than I ever imagined I'd learn.
Plus I learned portuguese- proooooooooobably the most beautiful language ever..
I was SO sad at the thought of leaving the mission, brasil, everyone I had grown to love, the culture I had acustomed to, and the incredible feeling of knowing youre doing something right. Getting on the bus to go to the airport I just couldnt comprehend it. I was seriously in denile! I kept saying, " I think its just a transfer guys.. yeah, Im pretty sure Im just getting transferred.. "
Ha, or when I wasnt trying to convince myself I was getting transferred, I kept saying "They can't just kick me out of brasil! They can't just send ME home! Thats ridiculous!" haha, oh my..
Anyway, getting off the plane and walking into the airport in SLC was probably the biggest adrenaline rush Ive ever had. I wanted to bottle that feeling and/or moment.

So here I am. Im excited for life, but still missing the one I just left. They say thats normal.
Im so happy though. On the list of the millions of things I learned on the mission, is how to be happier than I have ever been.

sou grata para sempre.

Hugging my mom for the first time in a year and a half!!
*awww.. sniffle*
matando as saudades do irmaozinho
sooo much happy all in one place..

My welcome home cupcakes! Yes, that IS batman, thank you very much!!! XD

Hiya!

Well!!! This week was an adventure!! I got a phone call on monday saying that I had to be in Belo Horizonte on tuesday at 8am... hmmSo, we made all the (SuDDEN) arrangements, and headed to BH.The cool part was, that I got permission from the Pres. to sleep at the sisters house in Alvorada- which was my first area on the mission!!! I only saw a couple streets because we got off the bus, went to their house, slept, then got back on the bus- but still, it was REALLy cool to see my first area. A LOT of memories came rushing to my mind, and I realized I´ve come a long way. If anything, just in the language (haha)!
Then I went to renew my visa, and I got to see a couple of the elders that were in my district in the MTC! Seriously, this week has been a never ending memory lane! But in a good way.Monday as well I had an interview with the President, and I learned a LOT of important things from him. Though hard to really sit down and explain them all, suffice it to say, Im grateful for inspired leaders.
So I was sitting waiting at the federal office for the rest of the elders who were renewing their visas, and an elder turned to me and was like "so, youre going home huh." I was like "I guess" and he was like, "how many days do you have left?" and I was like "I dont know." But he didnt believe me that I didnt know- and I honestly didnt!!!! But he- being seriously trunky, decided to count FOR me. T.TBut I didnt let it get to me. Im working hard to make the very most of every single day- the end will come when it comes, but for now, I just want to work.Anyway, things are going really well though, here in Divinopolis! It rained yesterday XD delicious...And today being pday is nice- but I have a million things to do, SO I´m going to run. :)
I love you all!!! Thanks for all the love and support!Danny I got your letter, but if I sent a letter back, it would get home after me so.. I´ll respond via telephone? or if youre in utah I´ll just see you.Okey dokey! Até mais! -sb

bloggy blog golb

Hey! Well, what a week! First off the weather has been a rollar coaster of extreme cold and heat. It rains, and is freezing, then its super humid and hot. Fun huh? I know..
This week we´ve been trying to figure out how to work in just ONE neighborhood, because otherwise we waste a lot of time walking or taking the bus to places way too far. Its been fun. Since Luciene was baptized we don´t have to go over there EVERY day (we visit her, just not DAILY like it was.) so we´ve decided to work in a neighborhood called Mangabeiras. We have some cool people over there.
We also found a cool girl in Catalão. The crappy thing is that catalão and mangabeiras arent ANYWHERE near each other.. T.T oh well.

So the mission president decided that he doesnt want 4 missionaries living together anywhere. So, my companion and I have to find a new apartment. Yesterday we looked at a couple places, and being that I love looking at houses and apartments and things like that, I enjoyed it (she hated it) and we found an adorable little apartment in JUST the perfect place, and the perfect price! perfect size, perfect lighting.. everything perfect! Except it doesnt have an elevator and it has FIVE flights of stairs. Ok, that may not seem like a big deal to you, but at the end of the day, when you´re DYING and you can barely make it to the door- and then you have FIVE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS?!?!? Ninguem merece! Haha, so we´re searching for something better.. but we´ll probably end up moving there sometime this week. Bah! lame. I dont want to leave sis. Smith and sis. Morais :( Oh well. eu irei e cumprirei as ordens do Senhor..
Anyway, so yeah. Things are going well. Aside from the fact that I lost the key to our house.. bummer..
ok, well I love and miss you all tons. Meg, I already sent a response (snailmail) to the AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS and GIANT manila envelope of goodness you sent me, but I just wanted to let you know I got it. Thank youthankyou.. yesyesyes.
And Becky- mexican it IS my friend!
Michelle- Thank you for Sis. and Pres. Frei´s talks!!!! That was awesome! I love you!

Alrighty then, well, if you (yes you, who is reading this right now!) havent said a prayer today- do that. Right now.
Samething goes with your scriptures! I´m serious people, just like the primary colors are essential to make anything- the primary answers are essential to make salvation.

:) love love love love

blogggggggggggggg

Well helllooooo !!!
Another week gone by, and another bundle of miracles witnessed! After more than of a month of working with her, LUCIENE was baptized!!!!!
I LOVE this girl!!! And her baptism was so spiritual! She´s so fantastic! She´s one of my best friends!
Here are some pics.
This week has been adventurous. At one point this week my comp and I found ourselves in the middle of a field, trying to get across a river to make it to an appointment.. the river itself wasnt huge, but it was down in a little valley like thing. It was like 7-8ft down. I wanted to jump across, but she was like "Nem pense em pular. Eu não vou pular não.." (Don´t even think about jumping, I´m not going to jump that..)
so we found a little jimmy-rigged bridge and I started my way across it, but it was about as strong as a piece of cardboard.. so I jumped over (almost faceplanted it too, I might add...) then tried to help her across.
She made it as well, but she was like "THAT was your help? Your little pull wouldnt have done anything if that bridge had broken! The two of us wouldve fallen down into the river!" We laughed SO hard.
oh the adventures of being a missionary..

Anyway I´m going to go, but things are going really well. Here are some pics to make up for the lack of words here.. xoxo
Id explain, but I cant remember what number is which, so.. suffice it to say there was a zone conference, and it was full of friends. :)

Lucas 6:31--- you sent me pictures, I´m sending some back!!!

flávia´s baptism last week. er week before last? yeah. Anyway. It was a good day. After the stress stopped...

me and the girls in the elevator TODAY on the way to the internet cafe








me, shepherd (my companion a year ago, she came to visit us. She´s been home from the mission like 10 months now I think) reis (my current comp

myspace moment.

Suzie's arrival

Suzie leaves Brazil on September 30 and arrives in Salt Lake on October 1st.

bloggy goodness

Well! Yes, here they are, transfers again. Fun huh?So, last transfer my district consisted of:Sisters; smith, morais, reis and IElders; santos and martins.Now, with the changes of the transfer, my district consists of................sissssters: smith, morais, reis and I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THats right! Not only was I not transfered, but no one in my house was either!!! WOOO!And elder Martins was transfered. Now its elder santos and elder araujo.I dont know him, but I´m sure hes a nice kid.When we sisters found out no one was getting transfered we all started jumping up and down screaming and hugging, and then our neighbors starting screaming with us.. haha it was funny. Not like "hey shut up!" but like "whooo hooo!" Our neighbors are funny. I dont actually know them too well, just from what they yell frm the stairway..anyway..This week was fantastic! Our wonderful, elect, amazing Flávia was baptized!! She seriously is amazing. She had a dream about sister Reis and I, as well as getting baptized. SO, she then asked a member (who is a friend of hers) to send her the missionaries. We went there, she accepted EVERYTHING, and was baptized! Its incredible how the Lord prepares people! I love her SO much! She´s so much fun. She´s a tiny tiny little girl. She was showing us all of her michael jackson stuff yesterday. She´s apparently a pretty big fan.So now sister Reis and I are on the hunt for new people to teach! We´ve met a few cool people, but after Flávia everyone seems uninterested and without progress... mostly because she was IDEAL.Anyway, things are going well.I gave a talk on sunday. It wasnt ANYTHING I had prepared. Funny how that always happens. Its funny, I can remember crystal clear all the talks I gave BEFORE the mission (there were 2..) but I´ve given so many here on the mission, theyre starting to all blend into one.Maybe thats because theyre ALL about the SAME thing.. a obra missionária.. haha. Pois é..Anyway, thats about all for this week.We´re still teaching Luciene- who I LOVE. She reminds me a lot of wendee, but I can´t put my finger on why. Her son is an absolute hellian, but I still love him..ok well, until next week!

for the blog!!!!!!!!!!

OOOOOOOOOOH my gosh!! I forgot to wish happy birthday to those who have had their birthdays over the past couple weeks! Ive been so bad at that, I´m sorry!But yes:
Jenn!!! I love you! Happy birthday! I´m so glad you´re in my eternal family! You´re amazing, and every time I see bob marly stuff I remember you and smile.
Lucas!!!Holy crap!! You are OLD!!! my mind breaks a little at the thought! I love love love you. You had BETTER be in the country when I get back- cause we have good times ahead of us! I have to catch up on your photography and amazing philosophies on life! Not to mention, I need to be re-introduced to the media, and who better than yourself to show me the movie-musicy-goodness that I have been missing out on?? Se Prepare.Ethan! How tall are you? I miss you so much! Listen, SOMEONE needs to teach me to cook, ok? Prepare yourself my little friend. my future familys meals are in your hands.. hahaBut seriously, I love you! Happy birthday!Eli:How are you!! Eli I miss you so much!!! I dont even KNOW what you are up to these days! but I love and miss you so much! Dont forget you love me k? Hey, are you still a vegitarian? Are you still playing tennis? or piano? luv youuuu..
And my deepest apologies if I didnt give a shout out to anyone who had a birthday these days..love love

liberdade e felicidade

oi!Well this week was awesome! The members of divinopolis II are FANTASTIC! They gave us a reference, and she is incredible! The two main people that we are teaching are:Luciene. She´s a single mom who lives SOOO far away. But she´s rad. There is a member here who taught her the first lesson while they were on a break (I love members who think theyre missionaries, they are the best.) and then invited her to go to church! she´s REALLY smart, and has a hellian of a child. But she´s been struggling a little this week, and we´re working hard to help her stay strong. We were teaching her and we asked her if she would get baptized, and she was like " I know I should, but I just worry that I won´t follow through with every thing." and then after a few more things explained she said "I know I can make it. I will. I´ll get baptized." It was so rad! She has been trying to quit smoking, and that same day she told us she had broken all of her smokes because she is done smoking! it was lovely.The other isFlaviaFlavia has a heart of GOLD. She just LOVES helping people. She says she will go anywhere to help someone in need. When she prays she prays for all of the people in the hospitals and people in need. Every prayer.She always says "if someone is hurting, I take that pain!!" She´s so sweet. And she has been accepting the gospel SO well. She is seriously a GEM to teach. She´s having her baptismal interview tonight. I´m so stoked.This week has been rad. I´m still enjoing thuroughly, living with the amazing sisters smith and morias, not to mention my amazing comp- REIS! love love love.Anyway, we went bowling last week. Yup, I still suck.alrighty then, até mais!love and miss you all. sb

Bloggy goodness

Hey, so I decided that I need to involve people more in the whole mission experience, so this week, I´m going to give an overview of the week. Fun? Maybe. ... but only maybe. Don´t judge me if its boring..
Since I write every wednesday, I´ll start from thursday:
Quinta:Was a relatively normal day. We got up, studied, and then ate lunch... at a restaurant (the members here live sooooooooo far away that usually they just give us money to eat at a local restaurant. Its fun. Less fun than at members, but there is usually more salad at the restaurant.. ??)We taught: Erica, some drunks in the street (??) and FABRICIA, who is one of my favorites, and Evandro. And a bunch of others just in the street. Fabricia is a cool story, she used to a CRAZY drug addict, and then lost EVERYTHING she owned, and realized that her kids lives were going to hell.. so she quit. Now she´s clean, but still is in the process of rebuilding her life. Its a sloooooooooow process but she´s receiving the gospel well. I´m pleased.SExtA:We taught wilson, rosalha (who really doesnt want anything..) and fernanda (who also, really isnt interested) Cristiane (she´s awesome) alex, and drunks in the street (faz parte)We´re teaching a cool girl named Luciene (SHE IS AMAZING!) who lives forever away, so we have to call her to accompany her. thats nice.SabaDo:Moniessssss for lunch again. We live in a good sized city though, so the restaurants are pretty good. $2,50, none the less..We taught EVERYONE about keeping the sabbath day holy (in other words GO TO CHURCH TOMORROW!!!) it turned out well.DOMingO:We have church at 3pm and so we have to eat lunch and then go to church . its weird. I like it, but this WHOLE time I´ve had this mindset of wake up at the crack of dawn to go get our investigators. I´m personally a fan of the current situation..It was good though, Luciene came, and I love her. Her son, however, is somewhat of a hellian, but I love him too. he is 4.SeguNdA:We had our weekly planning (which I love) and then all four of us went to the the bakery under our house to buy garbage, and then the whole way back up to our house we all said (while eating cake and other goodness) "I´m on a diet.. can you tell?" hahaAnyway, I´m noticing this actually isnt fun. SO I´m going to say, my week was great. I just now remembered that I had to do divisions with the other sisters THREE times, because FIRST sister Smith fell out of a mango tree and sprained her ankle, so I went with her comp to accompany their investigators, then she got better and HER comp fell in the street, twisting her ankle, so I had to go with smith 2 times. It was really fun actually. I love them both!It is sad, but pretty funny that the TWO of them sprained their ankles in the same week... hahaAnyway things are goo, I heard a cool phrase: Don´t keep the faith- SPREAD IT! haha and it has apicture of butter being spread on bread.. muahaha.Anyway, I´m in love with this area. I´m happy as can be! I love love love you all- sb

Life After Transfers goes on

Hello!well so much has happened, I dont know where to begin!! Transfers were last week, and those are always fun. I was transfered from Nova Cidade, Sete lagoas to Divinopolis, Divinopolis!Its funny, Nova cidade was like a forth of the size of salem- and Divinopolis is probably about the size of 2 or 3 salem´s put together.. its HUGE.I love it though! Its a city! Like, a real city!! (*have I been city deprived for the past year? I think so..) Its so fun! The contacts are harder because people are always in a hurry in big cities, but still. Fun. A new dynamic.ALSO! We have a new Mission President, so with him, a whole bunch of new rules. So far I´m not a huge FAN of the new rules, but I completely trust the Lord,and I trust that he was called of God. So, I accept these new rules. Again, change is part of the journey!Just before I left Nova Cidade, we had a miracle happen! I was getting sad because we were having a lot of trouble getting people to PROGRESS. And I started to feel like there wasnt ANY one in that area who wanted to hear the gospel! So I prayed fervently and fasted. I remember that one day in one of my prayers I said "Lord, where aRE Thy children who are READY to hear the gospel? Where??" and the next day at church, a kid showed up and said "I like how I feel here, and this is the only church for me. I know its true. I want to get baptized."Wow! So, we taught him (and had a few problems with authorizing him to baptize because of a crazy aunt of his, who actually didnt have anything to do with signing the baptismal form, but somehow managed to mess everything up.. just a little though.) and then *after all that with his aunt* he was baptized!!! It was so rad! And then he bore his testimony in sacrament meeting the next day! It was so simple and beautiful. I´m grateful for the opportunity to see God´s answers to our prayers.
Right now I live in an apartment with another pair of sisters!!! My companion, sis. Reis and I have the lower half of the city, and Sis. Smith (my former companion, whom I adore!) and her comp (and DAUGHTER, cause she´s training her!) Sis. Morais have the upper half- but we all live together. It is AWESOME. I love it. Sis. Smith is still insane, and it is lovely. She´s so much fun. We all sing all morning long!
I was reading an article this morning in the ensign that my amazingly awesome mother sent me (thaaaaaaaaaaaank you, it was the envy of every american, I´ll have you know) this morning and found this part particularly interesting:
"Our challanges, including those we create by our own decisions, ar part of our test in mortality. Let me assure youthat your situation is NOT beyond the reach of our Savior. Through Him, every struggle can be for our experience and our good. Each temptation we overcome is to strengthen us, NOT to destroy us. The Lord will never allow us to sufferbeyond what we can endure." -Rober D. Hales ("becoming provident providers temporally and spiritually")
I loved that part "each temptation we overcome is to STRENGTHEN us, not to destroy us!" our experiences can be what creates us, if we let it! IF we trust in the Lord. He knows how to use our experiences for our good! He knows how to illuminate our minds to make trials and challenges appear as the character-building opportunities that they are (or potentially could be.)I´m trying to put this all into practice in my life. Easier said than done, eh?But yeah, life is good right now. I´m loving every minute! Soaking in the present is how life is meant to be lived. The good and the bad have something of worth to offer. If only the exhilerating experience of feeling alive. I´m still, and continually impressed by the scripture in 2 nephi 2:26 that explains to us clearly that WE are free to choose. Our lives are ours to live- but the consiquences are what we need to be careful of! understanding the CONSIQUENCES of our actions is true freedom. God´s commandments are for exactly that. To teach us how to have the CONSIQUENCES that we want. Peace, security, wisdom, health, love- everything that we are all searching for in one way or another.Anyway, thats all for now, I love and miss you all tons.Até mais- com amor- sb

blogger stuff

Oh my! Time is such a crazy thing! We, as a district always set goals and things, and this week we were able to reach a bunch of our goals! Which sounds like such a little thing, but it was so rad! The most exciting was reaching our goal in baptisms! Its been so cool to see people so excited to receive the gospel.Things are changing quick around here. Next week our new mission president arrives, and our mission combines with a neighboring mission. Change is such a trip. There is always that internal battle- leave what you love to gain more? Or keep what you love and never see what else there is to offer?The mission really shows the importance of progression. Everyone loves the newly born phase of babies- but imagine if they REALLY did stay there forever! Someone was saying the other day that they saw on the news a girl whose body didnt progress at all. She was 28 years old and still had the body of a baby- but also only had the mentality of about a 4 year old. But yeah, i dont know if I believe it- it was a good source, but still, thats madness...Anyway, the point is, more often than not we have to leave our comfort zone to progress. Emotionally, Physically or Spiritually.Spiritually especially, because for instance:Someone who has never heard of the church and never had a habit of reading and praying and going to church is going to have to stretch themselves to do their best to .. cumprir.. these things! But as time goes by that person will have to work HARDER to still STRETCH themselves to reach a higher point of spirituality. Its a continuing progression.I lost my voice this week. The thought never crossed my mind that leaving something like my VOICE behind could help me PROGRESS! But in actuality, it has! Because its forced me to shut my mouth more, and forced my comp to open her´s more- so Ive learned a lot, and I think she has too! Its funny how we learn new things from the adventures of life. Anyway things are good. I miss you all!Happy Fathers day last sunday! I didnt realize it was until I got Christina´s blog.. so sorry I didnt send out those good wishes sooner! But I´m going to bite christina´s style and o shout out to: MY dad! Whom I love and adore! Thanks for being so wonderful Papi, you´ve really been such a big support to me. You´ve shown your love for me in a million ways, and it means so much to me! I miss you like mad!!!Also, to Russ! An amazingly patient and good man! thanks for being someone I can trust and confide in. I appreciate your sincerity and genuine concern for everyone around you. Your example has taught me so much!And MICHAEL! I´m so proud to have you as my brother- and when I see you playing with blake and taking care of your family, it inspires me to be a better person. Keep up the good work!Not to mention the upcoming dad IVAN! You´re going to be an awesome dad, I´m excited to see it all unfold!
As well as amazing father´s Ive had the opportunity to see in my lifeRick Rush!! I love your guts!!! You know you mean the world to me! Thanks for always being there when I needed you!As well as Ed liebing! Thanks for always making me feel like part of the family! You´ve been a great example to me as well.And Richard Dutcher! I miss seeing you be the amazing dad that you are to your kids! Watching the impact you had on your kids was such a rad and priceless experience, and I never will forget it!
I appreciate each and every single one of you!!!! Thanks for making the world a better place! Keep up the good work!!!
ok, until next week- though next week is the zone pday, so I dont know how much time i´ll have to write..
KLOVEYOUBYE

Hi!

Yeah, sorry about last week. We had some miscommunication with the girls (aka the other sisters in the zone) and somehow ended up not having enough time to email. I was really sad, but here I am still alive, so I guess it wasnt such a big deal.
So things are going as they go! My new comp is from Forteleza, and apparently they have pretty beaches there. That has nothing to do with anything, but i thought Id mention it. Tomorrow is zone conference and i´m stoked about that, theyre always good. and it´ll be the last with pres. frie, so that should be interesting.
I was studying about faith the other day and found a really cool phrase:
"True faith cannot exist without obedience. In the same way, true obedience doesnt exist without faith."
So, upon pondering this, I realized that striving to be more and more obedient is how one develops faith.
Sometimes we do the right thing for the wrong motive- but like it says in Alma 32, sometimes it starts out with just the DESIRE to know. Just the desire to do right. The desire to have the motive.
But the Lord is merciful and gives us everything we need. He gives us the very best. But it is VERY dependent on us doing our part. He is JUST. Perfectly just. something Ive learned here on the mission is that the Lord´s mercy ISNT Him MAGICALLY giving us what we don´t deserve- it´s Him giving us the tools and opportunities TO deserve that which we want and need. His perfection is incredible.
Anyway, things are going well here. The weather has been perfect. Slightly cold. Its fantastic. Everyone laughs at me when I´m wrapped up in my sweater and shivering because they all know that where I come from COLD is an entirely different story. But I´ve already adapted, so what can y´do?
oh, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Matthew this week!! And it looks like Chloe Dutcher had a birthday too! Oh my goodness she must be so big! Gwen! I miss your family, send me some pictures!!! xoxoxo
(lucas, i swear if i dont get a letter from you soon...)
Anyway, so yeah, life is good. I miss you all.
Até mais! -sb

aaaaaaaaaaaah transfers!

SO I have like 10 seconds to write this email, but yeah, so TRANSFERS were today! I´m still here in Sete Lagoas, Nova Cidade, but my amazing, incredible, lovable daughter was transferred. :( I miss her so bad already! But she´s like a 10 minute jog away, so im going to see her as much as possible.. muahahaThis transfer is going to be nuts though, because my current president is leaving at the end of this one, and the new one is going to come and visit and get to know everyone DURING this transfer. So we have a bunch of meetings and stuff. Its going to be crazy. Im excited though. Sad to see my mission president go though. He´s been such a help to me in my personal progression here on the mission.But yeah, so now everything is different because all my leaders in my zone changed. So that will be interesting to see. Not to mention my new companion, Sis. Alves! I´m stoked about that though, she seems like a really rad girl (from the 3 hours we´ve had together thus far..)So yeah. I have to run, but know that I love you all!! I´m really happy. REALLY really happy to be here. And SO grateful for the gospel in my life. Christ lives.-sb

Hey There

Okay, so this transfer is ending. Its such a trip how time can pass SOOOOOO fast and SOOOO slow all at the same time.This transfer has been amazing. I love my companion (and daughter) Sis. Aguiar. She´s ALWAYS happy. Always laughing.So the work is VERY enjoyable. We´ve had some struggles with the work these past couple weeks though, and have been trying to help the people that we love progress the way they want and need to.Today in my studies I found a BILLION things I wanted to share, but now I can´t remember them all. One thing was D&C 88:33. I dont remember why, but please do read it.Oh, but I was learning about virtue. I learned that the latin root of the word virtue is "Virtus" which means strength.There is an unexplicable strength in being virtuous. Its a real power and force against hard times and dificulties.
So yeah, I thought that was cool.My week has been a little crazy, I´m apparently still allergic to dust..But its been a good week too.OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH HEEEEEEEEEEEEYHappy birthday to Randy yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOO!!! I hope you got my card and love.loveyouAnyway, so things are going well. My district and I have gotten into the kick of throwing leaves at each other when at all possible, but consiquently we are finding a TON of leaves in EVERYTHING we own. But it got me thinking about how much i love nature. Not that its great being covered in itchy leaves,but every once in a while its nice to appreciate nature. So there. Go. Appreciate nature. Summer is jumping out of spring, and there is much to be appreciated. Meg, if you didnt take pictures of the green on april 30th- go now. I want to see some green.Well, I´m not sure what else there is to tell. I love and miss you all. This church is true. I know it with all of my soul.- sb

We want Details

But things are going well. Since I talked to you like yesterday, there aren't a whole lot of new things to tell you.My testimony has been strengthened in a lot of ways this week though. I feel I am on a constant struggle to really understand faith and my own capacity to really trust in the Lord- but OH my goodness it is SUCH a rad process. One of the most gratifying things about the mission is how my eyes are opened to the reality of God answering His childrens prayers.Anyway, so upon my complaint about your lack of details concerning the family and life, and the little things and bigger things, I realized that Luke 6:31 is so true.So today Im giving details. Forgive me if theyre boring, (which is why I usually DONT put them) but I figure you dont put details in because you think Ill think theyre boring. But I want more. So Im giving more.
Today:I woke up and made pancakes. I put delicious yogurt (that an investigator gave us yesterday) on the top, and was pretty sure I was in heaven for a good 10 minutes there...Anyway, I studied from 7 to 8 (personal study) Which was really good. I re-read the article Danny Wilkins sent me (cast therefore not, thou confidence by Jeffrey R. Holland- so good)And lots of other things. It was very edifying.Then I had companion study. It was delicious. Sis. Aguiar is such a fun person. But shes also very inspired.So then the elders came by our house and we all walked over to the chapel and hung out with the rest of the zone. They all play soccer, and my comp likes soccer, but since I got beaned in the face last week, I decided that I would stay OUT of the soccer court today. It turned out well for me. I wasnt injured in anyway. I call that a success.Then some friends called me, and that was fun. OH and sister aguiar and I played on some swings and a giant wall thing (that was descriptive, I know). It was fun. Ill get those pics to you at some point. But not now. Sorry.Anyway, so now Im here.Isnt that facinating? Its ok to be jealous. But REALLY actually- you could be, because today was amazingly fun. Im very happy.I love you.Thats all.-sb

fisheyed photos in your black and white dreams have me dancing on the moon's silver gleam

Well, here I am again. Kicking at the lan house here in Sete Lagoas.
Im pretty positive this is my favorite place ever. A large part of it is the leadership here is fantastic. It makes my life a lot easier. I feel VERY blessed to be here.
The past couple weeks we've had some fun activities! Last week was a zone pday! It was fantastic because I got to see the other sisters who are far away (sisters;smith, batista and stevens) And we played fun games and music. One game was just ridiculous. There were 3 white shirts, 3 pairs of pants , 3 ties, and 3 belts. 3 sisters had a contest of who could dress up as an elder the fastest. It was hilarious. Then we had to IMITATE one. That wasnt my strong point.. but it was still SO funny. NOT as funny as seeing 3 elders dress up as sisters was though..
They even had to put on lipgloss! ooooooooh my. Ill send pictures when I can.
The work is going really well here!! I looooooooooove love love my ward. The ward members are all my best friends. There is a kid named Jorge who is EXACTLY like Matthew (my brother). He has the same mannerisms, and is strangly tall and strong for his young 16 years. he even has the same size hands (Matthew sent me a letter the other day with a tracing of his hand, and jorges hand fit PERFECTLY) he even has a squigly pinky on his left hand! The only difference is hes brown and matthew is white. But seriously. I love this kid. If only for the fact that its like hanging out with matthew. Some times I forget he[s NOT my brother, and I half expect him to pick me up and carry me around the way matthew did. But obviously, that wouldnt ever happen.

Anwyay, right now we[re teaching a REALLY cool guy named Jeferson! I LOVE this guy! He has jumped into the church with both feet! And is super excited for his baptism this saturday. Im so stoked to see this guy receive baptism. He has been SO prepared by the Lord. We're also teaching his daughter (who is married and lives in another neighborhood) and the elders are teaching his son Jackson (and his wife and kids.)
Its sooooooooooooooooooooooooo sweet to see families being taught. Its the best thing in the world.
Its weird to see time fly to fast though. It seems like Ive been here in Sete Lagoas forever- and at the same time, like I just got here yesterday.
We are teaching this guy named Cristiano who is super rad too. (ridiculously stubborn, but super rad). He plays almost EVERY instrument. He used t ohave a a cello, but he sold it just before I started teaching him (have I already told you all this?) But he said he is going to borrow it from someone so we can play together. (him on the violin, me on the cello.) I keep trying to tell him its been a loooooooooong time since Ive played - but I really want to play, so Im not going to discourage him from getting it >D
Anyway, I cant remember what Ive told you all already and not.
I know last week I didnt write anything, but I dont remember what I wrote the week before that (or even what happened... my life is always the same routine, so its hard to separate the different weeks)
But the point is, Im so happy to be alive, and here. The Lord is exceptionally merciful to me, and I am seeing it more and more every single day. ( a cada dia.. oh sorenson, if youre reading this, you have to know people are STILL making fun of me for that!! And I wrote you a letter, but I havent had a chance to send it yet. I LOVE YOU!!)
Anyway, I miss you all. Send me pictures. And thannnnnnnnnnnnk you thank you to those who have sent me letters- Im sorry its taken a while to respond. Like I said, Ive been short for time lately.
I wish you could all see sete lagoas. Its such a lovely place.
Ok well thats all for now. Im happy to be alive.
-com amor,
sb

She wrote this week! Yay!

Wow! So pretty much this is the most amazing zone ever. Every one here is like best friends! We do something EVERY pday! Unfortunatly for you guys, that means I´ve been short on time to write.But here´s the low down: SOU MAMÃE!!!! (Aka, I´m training) Yeah, my daughter was born last week. Here name is Sis. Aguiar! She´s from Curitiba!It´s such a trip, because she watches me teach and then says "wow mommy, I wish I could teach like you..." And I listen to her teach with her flawless portuguese and respond the same "wow, I wish I could teach like you.." hahaIt´s been really cool though, because the zone has been doing a lot to really get everyone more focused, and dedicated. My zone leaders Elder Paiva and Elder Leme are amazing leaders, so everyone is always really excited. And somehow everyone always ends up screaming "50!!!" Its fun. Its rad because there are 3 sets of sisters in our zone. So we have sleepovers. Its so freaking cool. Last one we had though we were fasting. I dunno, but 7 girls in one house and NO ONE can eat chocolate?It was rough.But worth it.Our conference was about pride. Which is a very profound concept. One worth talking about. It interesting the different ways that pride can be manifested- its so subtle sometimes. Its really cool to realize where progress is is needed and how to do it. Thats why I love zone conferences. Anyway, I guess what I´m trying to say is everyone has pride, but getting over it is SO worth it. And actually a really cool experience. So.. Go there.
And I just want to say that Im sorry if there is a shortage in letters lately, I really haven´t had time to anything anything anything. But I love you. Love love love you. All of you.And I´m sending lots of love and hugs. :DI´m sorry this email was so boring. I was trying to find a way to describe how awesome my life is, and the amazing experiences that I´m having- but I just can´t seem to put it into words. I really am sorry. I´m really happy though. If that makes anyone feel better. Im really REALLY happy.I love this work. LOVE love love this work.But yeah, Ive got to go. TCHAu!-SB

Conference was Rad

Well! Like every year, I have to go through my post-conference depression upon the realization that I have to wait another 6 months for the next one. But I find great comfort in that I can read the ensigns and relive the goodness..Conference was fantastic wasn’t it? I was only able to see Sunday´s session because all of the investigators that we marked for Saturday didn´t end up going. It sucked.But Sunday was incredible! A cool treat was that they had a room that was showing it in ENGLISH! So I got to watch this conference in English. That was rad. I miss the Prophet´s voice when I watch it in Portuguese. But it was a VERY intense conference. Its pretty clear that things are going to get worse before they get better, but we´re going to have lots of opportunities to pass through the refiners fire, so really its not a bad thing. We´re here on this earth to learn- and that’s what we have in front of us- the opportunity to prove ourselves and learn. I´m grateful we have the Gospel´s guiding light to lead us through the tunnel of dark ahead of us. Don´t fear it- just embrace the experience. That was what I got from the message anyway. On the 6th the President had the whole mission kneel and pray at 6:00 to thank the Lord for the Birth and resurrection of Christ, and the restauração of the Gospel! It was a REALLY really cool experience for me. Probably one of the best prayers I have ever had in my life. I am also OBSESSED with my companion Sis. Smith. She´s SO much fun- but more than that, she´s teaching me A TON. Its funny, you´d think I´d be the one teaching, being that I turned senior- but no. no no, she´s teaching me SO much. We did a division yesterday- which was fun, I LOVE sis. Santos, but I missed sister smith. It was only a division of 11 hours.. usually they´re 24..Anyway, she reminds me a lot of Christina. She´s obsessed with Africans and humanitarian projects. She´s spunky and fearless. I´m trying to be her. I haven´t succeeded yet, but who knows, maybe the transition is just hard for me to see… haha
We´re teaching a lot of good families right now, but WOW satan is giving us plenty of work. There is this one lady who EVERY weekend there are a million things that go wrong. They are all FREAK accidents too, so it´s not like we can say “so next week, what are you going to do when this problem arises, so you can go to church??” Bah.But that just goes to show how amazing she will be in the church, because satan REALLY doesn’t want her there.
Anyway, so things are going well. Today we´re going to make chocolate easter eggs. I´m excited. I´m wearing a shirt that says “ I can´t. I´m Mormon.” Cool huh? I get a kick out of it.
Anyway, so I hope that everyone soaked in general conference. Truly modern day prophets are one of the greatest gifts we have- please don´t take them for naught. Soak in every word! And apply it to life. I know that every single talk was exactly what our Father in Heaven wanted us to hear. He spoke to us! Its amazing!! Anyway, I love and miss you all! ****Go read the conference talks again!!****TCHÃO! sb
Ps- if anyone could get me mark johnsons address, that would be rad. I miss him. Also, if someone could hug ashley walton for me, and give her a big kiss on the face, that would be appreciated as well.

Out of Time

Suzie said she was out of time this week, but she will e-mail for reals next week. She is well and loving life.

Of Mice and Missionaries

brasil is freaking amazing. Yesterday there was a huge rain storm. My companion and I had to get to an appointment, so we just jumped right into it. So we get to our investigators house, and they had JUST so happened to buy each of us skirt. They were cute too! Then they drove us to the church where we had a meeting that night. It was so sweet. I love this family! Their names are Ana and Daisy. Ana´s husband just died 3 weeks ago, so things are pretty rough in their house. Simple things like saying "So, how are you guys!" is a mood killer. But they are super receptive, and very interested and excited about the church. They, like all investigators, have their "obstacles" that would keep them from getting baptized, but its all part of the process. Were it easy to do the right thing, it wouldnt mean anything.So things are going well. There are some big changes going on in the mission. For example, we as missionaries arent allowed to use the pass along cards. Also, in july (have I already mentioned this) My mission president is going home (he´s finishing his mission) and I will get a new brasilian one. But the BIG change is that the boundries of the mission will change, so we´re going to get a part of another mission in july. (does anyone know if andrew meek is still serving his mission, because if so, I´ll be seeing him in july.. he´s probably not though). So that will be cool to see.I´m in love with this work though. This transfer has seriously been one of the best. For instance, my fearless district leader- ELDER WINTER- , to help us out with our mice infestation, came over and killed some for us. Not just killed them, but chopped them in half. Were this a COOL lan house, that would actually let me use the usb port- I would show you. But dont worry- one day, you will see the carnage.(yeah, he definatly asked me to put that in there. But it´s true, the elders did chop mice up in our back yard. It was sick. At first I was sad to see so many little buggers die- but then when I found more in our house, I was disappointed they didn´t get them all..)Anyway, now that we have that behind us, I just have to say:I love and miss you. I´m grateful for all the love and support. I´m so grateful for the opportunity to assist in this great work. i lOVE YOU!

OUSADIA

HEY!!! So yeah, pretty much my new companion is the BEST! She´s SO freaking funny, and a fireball- but more than that she´s a really hard and dedicated worker. I´m so stoked for this transfer. I´m just bummed its only 5 weeks!!! The work is going so well. I dont know what is different, but just lately I´ve really felt an overwhelming gratidude for being able to serve a mission. I´m so excited to work in this area, its TINY, its only four neighborhoods (in comparison to the whole CITY as it was in Pará de minas) and there are a TON of members. FOR EXAMPLE: Last night we were waiting for the elders so we could all take the bus to the zone leaders area, anyway, so we were doing contacts to kill the time, and EVERYONE we met was a member!! It was SO embarrassing!! and hilarious. My comp was like " are we in utah? " cause yah. But its so RAD that there are so many members! And they have already given us some really REALLY good references! I´m really excited. My zone and district leaders are fantastic as well. probably some of the best that Ive ever had. But I´ve loved all my zone and distric leaders, so theres not really any way to say one is better than another.. but theyre very creative, and very excited. Its fun. ALSO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are THREE (yes, let me repeat THREE!) duplas of sisters here in the zone so yesterday and the day before we had a big SLUMBER PARTY!! It was so rad!! because we had zone conference and then pday de zona (today) Anyway, it was a LOOOOOOOOOOT a lot of fun. I love the sisters in our zone.Anyway, but seeing that it is Pday de zona, everyone is doing fun things, and I want to go play XD so I´m going to leave it at that for now.I do want to say that I am learning A TON of things about myself and the depths of the gospel truths right now, and it is mind blowingly wonderful. I miss you all like crazy, but there isnt anywhere in the world Id rather be right now!!!
But I do miss and love you all!LOVE LOVE LOVE!! -sb

OH MY! Time flies! Being that transfers were today I dont have time to write all the things I want to!! Eee!!But here are the more interesting happenings:1. I was transferred!!! I´m now in a city called "Nova Cidade" (no, thats not a joke, its seriously the name of the city..)and the fun part is: My companion and I are opening this area!! To sisters that is, it was elders before. But that means that neither of us knows where anything is.. fun huh?2. I turned senior! woo! That means I have more time on the mission, and Im in charge of the cell phone.. muahaha..No, just kidding, its more than that, but seeing as I have only a few hours in this new position, Im not sure what the difference.3. My new companion! Sis. Smith! She´s from west Jordan. Fun huh?I´m excited, she´s a fun girl. She has 5 months on the mish.4. I received the birthday package from becky and meg!!! LOOOOOOVE!!! Thankssssssssssssss Im so happy!!!5. My "mom" (my trainer here in the mission) "Died" today! (went home) Wow I feel so old! Its madness!!
Aside from that, theres not a whole lot to say. But with those 5 things, there would potentially be a WHOLE lot to say, but Im out of time.I absolutally loved the area I was in, and my companion Sis. Gaspar as well. But I´m excited to learn new things here in Nova Cidade.Last transfer was really a spiritual one for me, and it has me pumped up to work harder. I love this work. I can´t even put into words how much I love this work. I love being a missionary!!! I can´t believe how much I have learned about my Saviors love for me, how much I have learned about God and our relationship with Him, how much I have learned about eternity!! Not to mention getting being here in Brasil! Its fantastically wonderful. I do miss you all at home though. I got a letter back today that I wrote to the dutchers because somehow the letter got all hashed, so it got sent back. I´ll try sending it again... we´ll see how the second time goes.Anyway, I wish I had more time- but today was transfers, I really am without time. I love and miss you all.Com amor- Sb

Catastrophy keeps us together

Oh my! Well, the weeks are flying! I can´t believe this transfer is almost over (sometimes when I say that phrase i feel like a broken, and very cliché record.. everyone says it. But its true. I can´t believe it.)
Sis. Gaspar is so much fun! She talks pretty much NON-STOP. Its awesome. I love it.anyway, about my week..So one day we were looking for an address, and it was REALLY hot. We were wandering around, and then Sis. Gaspar decided to take a little rest at a bus stop. So we sat in the shade, trying to get the courage to brave the sun again. But it was interesting, we sat down, and although we knew we needed to get going, I (and I believe Sis. G as well) felt like we needed to wait. So we were sitting there, for seemingly nothing. A lady came to the bus stop to catch a bus, and we started talking to her. We sang her a hymn, and marked to visit her at her house. She was very nice and friendly. Her bus came, and she left, and we started on our way again. Well, we had trouble finding her house, and it wasnt near our other investigators, so we werent able to go on the day we marked. In the end we found her house a couple weeks later, and she was SO excited! She was like "I thought you had both left! It feels like its been years since that day at the bus stop! I felt so good when you two sang me that hymn. And that peace I felt was so wonderful! I´m so glad you came to visit! Its funny, I thought you were waiting for a bus, but then when I got onto the bus I saw that you left- that you were waiting there for nothing, and I thought, 'they must have been waiting there for me!' It wasn´t a coincedence that we met that day!" Its incredible to see how the Lord leads us. Something SO simple as just WAITING. So we´ve been teaching her and her daughter (Maria Fatima and Luciene). Maria fatima LOVED church last week, and she´s been working really hard to learn how to pray instead of ... rezar *yeah I dont know if that word even exists in english..* Its rad.We´re also teaching a really cool family, but to explain them and why they´re rad would take forever, so suffice it to say that they LOVE us. The other night we were walking home and we passed by their house, and they live on a fairly busy street. Anyway, so we were on the OTHER side of the street, and the way their house is, you cant see the road very well from inside the house. Anyway, so we´re walking past and Patricia RUNS out and with the Book of Mormon in her hand was like "sisters!! Sisters!!" We got worried that she was trying to give the book back or something (because that happens like that sometimes) and she was like "Hey remember that part you marked in this book? And you asked a question, and said the answer was in this chapter? Well, I want to answer first, so let me tell you right now k?? Then tomorrow when you visit you can tell everyone that I discovered it first!! Everyone else has already read, but I figured it out first!!" Haha! She then explained the rest of the chapter to us. It was so funny. She´s a riot. Someday remind me, and I´ll tell you more about her.
Anyway, Sis. Gaspar said something SO profound on monday:She said that she heard a quote that goes something like this:
Critisism is a very dishonest way of praising yourself.
Soak that one in.When was the last time you critisized someone? And why?Now I´m a lot more conscious of what I´m saying, and recognizing in myself pride that I want to overcome. I think pride is the hardest thing to recognize in oneself - but its a VERY dangerous trait to have.
Can you guys believe its march already? Madness.
2 corinthians 7:4 is a freaking awesome scripture. Ive been thinking a lot about happiness lately.And as everyone knows, but seldom believes:Happiness is NOT the absense of problems.I´m grateful to be learning this amazing lesson!
cool quote from Elder Bednar:"Prayer is a privilege and the souls sincere desire. We can move beyond routine and "Checklist" prayers and engage in meaningful praryer as we appropriately ask in faith AND ACT. As we patiently persevere through the trial of our faith, as we humbly acknowledge and accept 'not my will but Thine be done. .... asking in faith REQUIRES: honesty, effort, commitment and persistence"
Anyway, I´m sorry I dont know how to better capture the misson experience to share with you. But I hope that you all know that I KNOWthis gospel is true. Everyday the Lord is opening my understanding to the truths of these things. I know God loves His children. That means you and me. I´m so grateful to be here!!! Sometimes it takes over all my senses. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I´m grateful to shout it out to everyone I meet- that He is our Savior. That He lives. That His teachings and gospel are the instructions that lead to eternal and true happiness.
Send me pictures.
kloveyoubye-sbMeg: happy bday last week! Sorry I didnt say it last week. I love you! XDAlex: Im sending you a billion hugs because I miss you like crazy.Gwen- I dreamed we hung out for hours! It was so much fun! I´m sure it will be much more fun when its real... haha I miss and love you! Give everyone in your fam a hug for me, cause Im missing them too. Including your parents! XDMarie: I got an enya CD, and I have a billion flash backs of memories of you everytime I listen to it. I miss you.Becky: I love you! muito!!

Nothing to Post

Sorry, Everyone. There's nothing to post this week. Suzie ran out of time. She says she is well and very happy, so no worries.

This Week

Thanks to Robbie: QUIZ TIME! WOO!


Welcome to the 2009 edition of getting to know your friends. Press 'FORWARD' then change all the answers so they apply to you, and then send this to your friends including the person who sent it to you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends that you might not have known!

1. What time did you get up this morning?
6:30am *surprise surprise*

2. Diamonds or pearls?
I enjoy stones that have lots of colors. But if I had to chose, it´d be diamonds.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
You know, everyone always asks that, and I just don´t remember. Does anyone remember for me? What was the last movie I saw in the theaters??? Please, really do let me know if you remember..

4. What is your favorite TV show?
Pica-pau (woody woodpecker) or chaves. Because thats the only tv I see these days. These two shows play in EVERY house- any given hour of the day.. so when we to to lunch or any house really, its always playing.
..in reality I don´t like either. Though pica-pau makes me nastaulgic.

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?
I dont even know anymore. Today it was cereal. Yesterday was yogurt.

6. What is your middle name?
MICHELLE ! Though Ive yet to hear that beatles song.. yikes.

7. What food do you dislike?
Meat. Yes, ALL meat. Even fish. Even Chicken. Yes, Chicken is meat.

8. What is your favorite CD at the moment?
The one with the Belle sticker... ??

9. What kind of car do you drive?
I like to call her "Ônibus" she´s the real deal.

10. Favorite sandwich?
the ones with lots of veggies. (que saudades..)

11. What characteristics do you despise?
Selfishness and small mindedness. Lack of common curtesy or decency.

12. Favorite item of clothing?
currently? uh.. my yellow skirt that Tereza made me.

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
Everywhere. I HAVE to see: Japan, England, Nicaragua and the rest of Brasil.

14. Favorite brand of clothing?
uh... jody? she makes some pretty sweet dresses... lol

15. Where would you retire to?
PA. washington maybe. somewhere near an ocean.

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday?
VINTE DOIS! yeah I´m pretty old.

17. Favorite sport to watch?
Pateca

18. Furthest place you are sending this?
Everything is far from here.

19. Person you expect to send it back first?
Becky. She loves me like that.

20. When is your birthday?
JANEIRO 31 1987

21. Are you a morning person or a night person?
I definitely am [[[being forced to be]] a morning person [[right now]] haha

22. What is your shoe size?
7 or 7-1/2 (now don´t you have the urge to buy me shoes?? I know you do.. go on. Follow your instincts.. jk ... )

23. Pets?
I´m still dealing with the trauma of losing Jupiro, I don´t think I should try another pet for a while...

24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us?
I made german pancake for breakfast.

25. What did you want to be when you were little?
A music teacher

26. How are you today?
Allergetic.
27. What is your favorite candy?
almost any and every form of chocolate.

28. What is your favorite flower?
I´m fond of the flower trees we have here. the bright pink and purple ones.

29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
Well TODAY is pday so... NEXT pday?

30. What is your first name?
Sister XP
31. What are you listening to right now?
switchfoot

32. What was the last thing you ate?
german pancakes.. delicious.
33. Do you wish on stars?
These days I´m a bigger fan of asking GOD for my wishes and needs, rather than balls of fire in the sky.. Though I´m pretty sure I´m in love with the stars.Random fact: I was looking at orians belt last night and missed Marie.
34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Literally: BROWNBut if I could choose: Blue, teal or grass green. (possibly swirly crayon with all three..)

35. How is the weather right now?
Perfect. Seriously. Perfect.

36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today?
Elder Do Vale. He wanted to know how we are feeling today.

37. Favorite soft drink?
I´m not a huge soda fan. Were I to base it on which I drink the MOST- it would be Guarana. But then again, I don´t really get to choose..

38. Favorite restaurant?
Stop & shop. I´m a sandwich fan.

39. Real hair color?
You know, I actually can see my real hair color these days. Its a bit of a trip. Its brown. yeah. Pretty exciting.

40. What was your favorite toy as a child?
I liked a little Wendy´s toy. It was a little guy who had lips for a head. He wore yellow polka dotted pj´s and was holding a teddy bear. He was standing so that his toes were touching.

41. Summer or winter?
winter? Where?

42. Hugs or kisses?
Não pode.

43. Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate (!x100000000000)

44. Coffee or tea?
blech, neither.

45. Do you want your friends to email you back?
YES! But can they? No. Snailmail me. you know you want to.

46. When was the last time you cried?
A couple weeks ago. I thought about crying yesterday. No dice.

47. What is under your bed?
I don´t know, but it smells so foul.. I keep looking, but to my primitive eyes, there is nothing..

48. What did you do last night?
I walked for about an hour to find Vinicius, but in the end we just ended up inviting him to church and marking another hour to teach him and his girlfriend.

49. What are you afraid of?
oct ´09

50. Salty or sweet?
..::**¨%SWEET%¨**::..

51. How many keys are on your key ring?
4

52. How many years at your current job?
Jobs are for suckers.
53. Favorite day of the week?
Wednesdays, tuesdays and sundays.

54. How many towns have you lived in?
Here in Brasil: 3 Belo Horizonte, Janaúba and Pará de Minas

55. Do you make friends easily?
I´m a bit hazy on the definition of "friend" But I´d like to think so, yeah.

56. How many people will you send this to?
? one.. my mom :D

57. How many will respond?
2500!!
(I´m hopeful)

Anyway, now that we have all had a trip down memory lane (who isnt remembering high school right now??)This week has been rad. Gloria received the Holy Ghost this sunday. It was really awesome to see the glow in her face. She has really worked hard to be obedient to the Lord and His commandments.Yesterday in district meeting I gave a training about obedience. It was really fun. I had a lock and various keys, and I talked about how obedience is the key to everything we want and need to acheive in this life. God knows exactly what we need to be happy. To be as happy as possible- and that is exactly why He has given us the commandments and modern day prophets that He has. I read a lot of scriptures. Here are some:D&C: -78:7 -130:18-21 - 107:99-100 - 82:9-10
These scriptures are incredibly profound. I invite ALL of you to read them, and really ponder what this means in your life.A cool quote I heard the other day:"It makes ALL the difference to eternity whether we do right or wrong today." - James F. Clark
And its so true. It was a cool experience to teach.Then afterward I was talking to Elder Jackson. He just got here this transfer, and he was like "wow, how long did it take you to get fluent?" I laughed and said "oh, I´m not fluent, I´m not even close" and he said "by the sounds of that training it looks like you´re pretty fluent to me!" it was a good feel good moment for me.
Sis. Gaspar and I have been having an "English Hour."Where we speak in english for an hour a day. She´s learning really well. Its fun too. She´s such a riot.
Oh, belated Happy Valentines day to all you happy couples out there. And a happy singles awareness day to everyone else :)Although here, valentines day isn´t until june... so.. yeah.
Anyway, I´m really grateful to be here right now. This week I´ve had a lot of little reminders and testimonies that God knows and loves me- and didn´t put me just anywhere. I love that feeling.
Alrighty then- COM AMOR, ATÉ SEMANA QUE VEM.. ... (se der.. jk)
- sb

Last Week's letter (Sorry, Everybody!)

Olá!Well this week has been incredible! This week we had a baptism. It was a little bit out of the norm, because I can honestly say I hadn´t taught this woman a single lesson. I don´t think my companion ever taught her a LESSOn, though she´s shared some scriptures with her..Because this woman, Gloria, has been going to church here in Pará de Minas for FOUR years!! But she couldnt get baptized because of family problems. She told me her story yesterday- it was incredible!! She was living in another state, when her mom died. She was so sad. She was walking through town one day, and some sisters stopped her to make a quick contact. They didn´t have much time, but they gave her a book of mormon right then and there and told her they´d go to her house another day to explain it. They mentioned that she could help her mom, who had passed away, have salvation too! This line stuck out to her, and she remembered it throughout the years! But she moved, so those sisters werent able to teach her. I´m sure they have no idea what a difference that 5 minute contact made in the life of this woman. Afterward she was studying with the jehovah´s witness, and they told her she would never see Jesus. She cried and cried and cried!!! And decided that she didnt agree with that religion. She searched others, but never felt right about any of them. One day at work a friend of her´s asked her what religion she was, and she said “estou sem religion agora.” I´m without religion right now. So this friend said “come visit mine!” Explained when and where it was. She asked “it it those mormons?” and he got a little worried (because everything people associate with the title “mormon” is 90% of the time COMPLETELY wrong..) so he was like.. “Uh.. well it´s a nick name yeah, but the name of the church is (etc)” and she said “Then I will be there FOR SURE this Sunday!” But although she didn´t have any problems accepting the message, she had one problem. She had to get married legally. So the misionaries that were teaching her set everything up, and she was about to be married, when her husband (because of a comment someone made about his religion) went all ANTI on her, and so he kicked the missionaries out, he refused to marry her JUST so that she couldnt get baptized. Wow, this story is taking forever.. I don´t have time to explain everything, but suffice it to say that she remained firm in the church, shes dont geneology already, she´s been paying tithing for the past 4 years, and has an INCREDIBLE testimony. She had to seriously fight SO much to stand up for her beliefs! In the end, her and her husband ended their whatnot, but she had no other place to live, so she just moved into a separate room, and started working to be able to feed herself and the missionaries every week. So she got special permission to get baptized this past week, because she´s keeping all of the commandments, and is worthy. She cried SO much. She kept saying “see! The Lord never forgets us.”She cried all through the talks and hymns before the baptism, up until she came out of the water. It was a very cool experience to watch.
Anyway, I was extremely impressed by this woman. It wasn´t ever easy for her. It made me think about all the things that are so easy to take for granted. So often we hear stories like this, or stories of people who sold their houses and possesions to get to the temple, and we say “wow. What an incredible story. Good for them.” But we TOO should be working JUST as hard to give all we can to “work out [our] own salvation”There is a scripture that comes to mind, the one that says we shouldn´t be slothful because of the easiness of the way. (al. 37:46) Its easy to go to church every week- but where is our heart? What about our personal preparation to really GET something out of every week? What about our fasts? Or how are we helping the missionaries in our stake? Or working with inactive or less active members? What are we doing to actually WORK? Don´t take it for granted! Dont let these opportunities for spiritual growth pass you by! Our time here is precious, we need to utilize every second. Anyway, all in all, this week has been incredible. Ive seriously learned SO much. I feel like Ive grown a lot as a person. I´ve got to run, but I wanted to give a quick shout out to the birthdays of today: Grandma!!! And (formerly known as: ) Sis. Sorenson!!! Happy birthday! I love you! alrighty then- até mais com amor- sb Ps- Next week I´m totally posting that quiz robbie sent me..

P.S.

Also, THANK YOU to the Lawson (*brett and roselee) family for the necklace!!! I loooooooooooooooove it! I wear it every day, and write "smile 2 Nephi 9:39" to everyone.
Also, my bday was rad. Everyone and their dog sang me happy birthday (all my leaders in my zone, as well as that random kid) and Presidente Frei called me and told me happy birthday. One of the girls in our branch gave me a pair of earrings. IT was sweet. Sis. Gaspar bought me a chocolate cake!! and sang me happy birthdya, gave me a card, and put up a banner with spiderman stickers all over it that said "feliz aniversario!" She´s so rad.
I´ll send pix next week. (I was going to this week, mas não deu. Desculpe)

Para de Minas

So here I am, kicking it in a new area! Leaving Janaúba was a trip- but change is all part of the process of life. Especially life on the mission..
So I´m about an hour and half away from Belo Horizonte. Its nice to not be so far away. Although, the city we´re in still feels a bit isolated, because it´s just us 2 missionaries here. In the whole city. I´m sure that doesn´t mean a whole lot to you, but its weird. Usually there is a dupla of elders. The closest elders are our district leaders, and the live in the neighboring city, 45min away. But still. Its rad. My district is cool so far. Some random member from their ward got so excited to meet me (apparently someone told him about me, what he heard, I have no idea) that he called me and sang me happy birthday, then bought me a birthday present (a porciline owl playing the cello) ALL before I ever met him..So to say the least, I´ve felt very welcomed here. The members of the branch have ooed and awed about me playing the organ (a lovely contrast to the reactions Ive gotten in the past...)The branch here is very small, but the members are all really excited and willing to work to help the branch grow.
On another note, I read a cool quote the other day: Soak it into your bones:
"Prayer is not a substitute for work; it is a sometimes desperate effort to work FURTHER and to be efficient beyond the range of one´s powers. It is not the lazy who are most inclined to prayer; those pray most who care most, and who, having WORKED HARD, find it INTOLERABLE to be defeated." George Sahtayana (whoever that is)
But this was a eye opener for me. Prayer is not a substitute for work. Its not a substitute for doing our part, for following through, for working out our own problems. It is however a source of strength and further illumination. I saw that a LOT this past week, and it was INCREDIBLE! This week was so awesome because I saw the help of the Lord- because I understood how to look for it.
Another cool quote is:"Desire can be measured through preparation."
So what are you preparing for? And what SHOULD you be preparing for? and what are you going to START preparing for as of THIS very moment?
Anyway, so yeah. Things are good. Next week I´ll send pix.A quick shout out to Daniel Carter and Becky Liebing for sending me letters!! thaaaaaaaaaaaank you! love love love!Which reminds me! I had the craziest dream the other night! It was one of those dreams that I thought was REAL life! (which rarely happens to me) I was hanging out with the Carters (michael, daniel and lisa) and we were all talking about our missions, and I kept saying "it passed by so fast." and then I stopped and I was like "wait a minute, it passed by WAY fast! What happened?! I had way more time left! Someone stole 8 months of my mission!" and I was running around like crazy trying to find someone to give me the rest of my mission time back. I was SO sad! and then I woke upppppppppppppp: Here! I was so stoked! It was straight out of a movie- I was like "I´m back!" lol Anyway, so needless to say, I´m happy to be here. But I am working harder to appreciate every minute- just a little bit more.mmmk loveyoubye sb

Transfers this week

Sorry, Everyone. Suzie had transfers this week so there is no post. I'm sure she'll be back on track next week. So, tune in next week...same bat time, same bat channel. :D

If you don't want temptation to follow you, don't act as if you're interested. Richard L. Evans

well, here I am, pday again. If my suspicions are correct it will be my last pday here in Janaúba. Who really knows, but no one has heard of anyone staying in one place longer than 6 months.. and Ive been here 6 months. But I wouldnt mind staying longer. I love this town. I love this branch! The people here have become like family to me. There is a girl here name carol that got baptized 2 weeks ago (she is AWESOME) she went with me yesterday on a division *Maria José went with Sis. Lima* and she was telling me that if I´m transferred she will get so sick that Pres. Frei will HAVE to send me back.. it was sweet. In a strange way, granted, but still sweet.This past week has been interesting. In that it was full of good and bad. Good because we´re finding and teaching a lot of new awesome people. For example: Yesterday Leia told us she believes God has told her this is the path she should take! Woo!!!!! I love it when people are actually progressing!Bad because a baptism that we worked really hard for fell through. It was sad. And there isnt anything more we can do. But that´s life on the mission. there are ups and there are downs.. that´s life in general come to think of it..The trick is just putting into practice good knowledge and using the past to help you create the future you want.*Easier said than done though, eh?*
Anyway, so completely off that subject, today Sis. Lima and I primped ourselves. She put something creamy in my hair to do something or other good to it. Then we used the masks that we got for christmas from chelsea *thankssss!!* It was a riot! we laughed until we cried.
Apparently someone called in to ask for a family booklet (from the pass along cards that we give out) but with my name. No, not with SISTER blandon, but with SUZANNE blandon. So it was apparently someone who knows me pretty well (but not well enough to get the house number right.. they were close. estranho..)
Anyway, Sis. Lima is done with her internet jazz so Ive got to run. But let it be known that I am well and happy. I love this work. I LOVE seeing members of the church bear their testimonies and feeling the veracity of it. I love learning new things from things that Ive read all my life. I love that the cycle of learning never EVER ends- but that it all depends on our faith that God will always teach us new things, and our capacity to seek diligently.What truth did you miss learning today because you didn´t take the time to search the scriptures? Don´t let a day pass by without learning something new.This day is precious.com amor- sb0d

And so it goes...

Heeeeey there.
So life is good. This weeks adventures begin in a small house on the edge of town..
we´ve planned divisions with the members like 3 or 4 times this week and EVERY time it fell through because Katielle at the last moment had some sort of excuse for why she couldn´t leave with us. Bummer. But it was bittersweet news, because we needed the division- but I divisions. They stress me out of my mind. They´re good for me though, I learn a lot. I still them. I´m trying not to. So far so good (since they haven´t worked out at all this week..)
Oh, let me explain. A division with the members means that 2 members leave with us. One goes with one sister, and the other with the other. So, for example:
Maria José will go with me, and I will teach all the lessons and start every conversation, answer every question and resolve any doubts or confusion- and she´ll bear her testimony at the end that the church is true.

yep.

This week I found a scripture: Romans 8:35 Its talking about separating us from the Love of Christ. Nothing can separate His love from us- but what are we placing between us and RECEIVING that love?? It’s a profound concept. Let your mind boggle that one for a minute. See where the letters fall. (when was the last time you played boggle? That game reminds me of Grandma..)

On Saturday we had “New beginnings” at which, Jussara received a medallion thing.. it’s the gold on, not the fire-face one… (I was obviously very involved in these programs as a yw..) but it was SO cute, she cried as she bore her testimony *when she received it* and she said “But I´m not crying because I´m sad, I´m crying because I´m so happy.” She’s adorable. She’s the ONLY member in her family, and she’s firme forte na igreja.
Also, Wellington came to that same activity and church the next day ( I may, or may not have bribed him with a ring that he wanted..) It was good for him. I’m praying he’ll be there the upcoming Sunday. *in case anyone doesn’t know, or forgot, Wellington is a teenage kid who sis. Sorenson and I taught that hasn’t been too strong in the church since he received the Holy Ghost and Aaronic Priesthood. And by ‘too strong’ I mean he hasn´t been back since.. until this last Sunday!*

anyway, things are rolling a long. I can´t believe i´m in the FIFTH week of this transfer!! There is a joke going on that I´ll stay here in janaúba another 3 months (because if I stayed another transfer I would have to “kill” Sis. Lima, and then I´d have to stay another transfer after she went home, to show the next sister all the roads and how the whatnots function in the branch.) We´ll see. Its HIGHLY unlikely (that’s why it’s a joke) But who knows what the Lord has in store for me. In any case I love janaúba. The PLACE where i´m called has never been whats most important- its how I am utilizing the experiences and opportunities IN that place to further the Lords work.

Random fun fact: I dreamed Sis. Lima arranged to do a division, and when we got to the church it was Mark Johnson who would work with me that day! It was so much fun! Man I miss that kid! The whole time we kept asking “but how does this work? Aren´t I only allowed to leave with the sisters of the ward? Oh well..” haha. Que saudades.

Welp. That’s all. KLOVEYOUBYE

Now we're up to date!

So, tell me honestly: In the past week, how many times have you written “2008” ??jkAnyway, So here I am, chilling in Janaúba. This week has been awesome! It started off with a family home evening at the branch president’s house. The snack afterwards was a hotdog something or other, and so he made me an egg. It was SO cute. He came out with a plate, especially for me, with this grin, like he was so proud of himself! I love our branch president, he´s so sweet. The other cool thing about it was that a less active member, Rita came. It was hard though, because I LOVE Rita. She’s SO so sweet, and she just stopped going to church one day, and started going to the church she use to go to. BUT she came to the FHE, and we talked to her a LOT. She didn’t however, go to church on Sunday : ( But the rest of the week went well. We had 2 other fhe´s in member’s houses. And they were FaNTASTIC! It was such a cool experience. I was assigned to give the lesson at the first one. I planned a lesson from a Liahona that I had recently received, but once I was there, and we were about to start I felt like I needed to re-evaluate the lesson. So I skimmed through the liahona REALLY fast, and stopped at a page that talked “defeating our own goliath’s” so, I stood up and just let the spirit teach this family about defeating their goliath’s. The reason why it was so interesting, was this:I had planned to teach Maria (alves), Erica and possibly Nilde. But it was raining like CRAZY that day. And I mean, CRAZY (and I would know, seeing as I walked there from planalto to veredas- 5 neighborhood’s away). And because of the rain, ALL of Maria’s kids were there. (so, what I had planned PLUS: 3 or 4 guys from ages 18-23. )And they all LOVED the lesson, and the games we played after- so much that they came to the family home evening at Maurina´s house the next night! And Nilde- who on Sunday had said she wasn’t going to go to our church anymore (even though she got baptized a little over 3 months ago) has decided she DOES want to go to church. Yeah, the guidance of the Holy Ghost is pretty much the coolest thing that has ever happened to me. Ever. Another awesome part about this week was Sunday morning. We had EIGHT people come to church!! In Janaúba- this is a miracle! They were all rad people too. There is this 17 kid we´re teaching, and he´s so cool- he was explaining to us what he understood about life after death, and pretty much taught us the whole 2nd lesson, and THEN some (like deeper doctrine about what´ll happen in the millennium. It was so cool!) We marked a baptismal date with him-And then he told us he´s leaving TOMORROW on a month long vacation to go visit his mom in the bahia. Bummer for us, but I´m sure when he get´s back he´ll finish being taught by the sisters here and be BAPTIZED!! His cousin and sister are being taught too, but yesterday we were only able to catch him at his house.
I´d like to say happy birthday to lisa carter- woo! Yay for birthdays!
This week´s awesome quotes:
“Are you one of those in the “I hate to” family?How often one hears people use that phrase. If you are guilty of using it, try to break yourself of the habit. It doesn´t reflect a strong, healthy, vigorous mental attitude. IT suggests pettiness, querulousness*, a lack of the “I will” spirit. The way to conquer a disposition to “hate” so many things is to cultivate a cheerful, resolute, beneficial frame of mind. If you fill your heart with love of your fellow mortals and are possessed of a consuming desire to be of a service in the world, you will have little room left in you for “hating” this, that, and the next thing or person. The forceful person, animated by the right motives, starts more sentences with the words “I like to” than “ I hate to.”Get this thought into your mind. If you are constantly “hating,” the cause lies within yourself.” – B.C. Forbes
"This is the true test of love- to respect and serve those who can be of no use to us at all." - Anonymous**Wrap your brain around that one a little bit**
“The trouble with an opportunity is that is always comes disguised as hard work.” – Will Rogers
“Many of live´s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” –Thomas Alves Edson
“Work is the true elixir of life. The busiest man is the happiest man. Excellence in any art or profession is attained only by hard and persistent work. Never believe that you are perfect. When a man imagines, even after years of striving, that he has attained perfection, his decline begins.” –Sir Theodore Martin
“The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated” – William James **This one really struck me, because I thought to myself “Wow, that is so true.” Thinking of myself, and then I realized that every SINGLE person around me is looking –in some way or another- to be appreciated. So if one wants to make their home a more peaceful place, to make their ward or neighborhood more united, to make the WORLD a better place- strive to help the people around you feel appreciated. It´s the little things that make a huge difference. The big things do too though… But all in all, it´s not the size of the item or time, it’s the amount of heart you put into it. So go on. Share some love with the world.**
But my ALL time favorite- I LOVE this quote, I just pray that SOMEONE catches the meaning in a deep-life-changing way
“Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week’s value out of a year, while another gets a full year’s value out of a week.”- Charles Richards
Anyway, I wanted to apologize for writing “Even though most of you don’t write me...” I had just found out something that put me in a very bad mood, and I took it out on the faceless “you”È verdade, sinto muito falta de muitas de vocês, mas isso não quer dizer que NINGUÈM me escreve. Ontém recebi uma carta de Sister Underwood! E minhas irmãs me escrevem, e minha mãe nunca falta. Então, quero pedir desculpa porque fui out of line.. I don´t know how to say out of line in portuguêse. I suppose it´d be something like “mal educado” or something like that. Anyway point is, sorry, that was immature and stupid. Just because there are some people that I´d LOVE to hear from that I HAVEN´T, doesn´t mean that NO one is writing me. I appreciate those of you who have written, and I´d like to say, I know how it is- it´s hard to find time to sit down and write. But on the other hand, I´d like to say that it´s NOT easy for me to write either.I understand everyone has their busy schedule, but please do try to squeeze in 5 or 10 minutes in your week to scribble me a note. At the bus stop, in between classes, while you´re chilling, watching tv, or instead of 10 minutes of facebook/myspace.. (Yes you. You know who I´m talking to.) missionary.com is pretty sweet, the way I understand it, you just send it like an email and they mail it FOR you. None of that sealing the envelope, finding a stamp or the right postage nonsense- just throw in the addy, and probably some form of payment for the postage!
anyway, I’m really tired, so I’m going to go now. But I’m grateful for this gospel. I haven’t a single doubt that it is true. My testimony of the Book of Mormon and its veracity grows daily. I invite every single one of you- whether you’ve done it countless times, or not enough to even count once- to read a chapter and ask God if it’s true. I’m grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who never ceases to communicate with His children. I´m grateful for my amazing family- and for the ONES THAT ARE ON THE WAY!!! WOO!! *cough* I mean, you know… there in the future..(I´m praying someone has twins sometime soon, cause that would just be rad. A boy and a girl. Name them Gabriel and Gabriella.. lol.. actually I really love those names.. DIBS!)
TCHÃO! Com amor -sb

A week late

Sorry that this message is a week late. I had technical difficulties last week.

D&C 109:8
Well, I don’t know about you, but I personally am disappointed in the Utah science department. They predicted that huge earthquake, and were ENTIRELY wrong. It makes me wonder what ELSE they’re wrong about..Anyway, other than that, I’m grateful that that giant earthquake DIDNT come this year. Can you believe this year is OVER!?!? I know I can’t. I’m pretty sure I’m going to be thinking 2008 for another 10 months, and then as soon as I get the hang of 2009- it’ll be 2010..So things are going well here. It’s hot -as usual- but not unbearable, so that’s been nice. Last Sunday Pres. Izael (the branch president) gave a FANTASTIC talk. I’m excited to see how the branch will apply it.Yesterday I did my FIRST division (with WARD members!) So I went with Maria José and Sister Lima went with Talitta!Maria José is a regular; she leaves with us every Tuesday. She’s already served a mission, so she’s a good one to take with us. She has a tendency to stress over tiny miniscule things, but all the same, I love her to death. Talitta just moved back from São Paulo, and is thinking about serving a mission. She’s caught between wanting to serve the Lord and wanting to play in the world- so I think it was a really good experience for her to leave with us. She’s ADORABLE. She’s spunky and fun. Anyway, it was a good experience. I learned a lot about my capabilities, and what I need to work on.
I’ve been thinking a lot about who I am, and who I want to be. There is a book that Sis. Sorenson left that I’ve been reading a lot. It’s “the missionary’s little quote book”Here are some rad quotes that I hope EVERYONE will really internalize and soak in.
”You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time.” – J.s. Knox
“So long as a man is angry he cannot be right.”- a Chinese proverb
“Temptations and worries are a bit like the birds of the air. You can’t prevent them from flying around your head, but you can keep them from making a nest in your hair.” – Martin Luther
“We are NOT human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” – Tielhard de chardin
“I have learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not our circumstances.” – Martha Washington
“Don´t get discourage if you hit hard times. The hard times will teach you more than the good times will. Nothing is too tough to get through.” –Gwen Dutcher
So, all in all- I´m working hard to use these gems of knowledge and become the person I want to be.
Gotta run!! I love you all!







Even though most of you don’t write me...