12-30-13

soooo mama! this week was a crazy one! we traveled and workind in our area only 4 days! but one of or recent converts gave us 12 refrences and powerful testimonies to back it up!!!!!!! it was a great week because of that!  hahaha i love it here!!! 

 

we had 36 people at church and it was a MIRACLE becuase we didnt go grab anybody. they went to church with a member!!! it was truly an amazing day yesterday!!! we didnt even have room at the lil house. i was standing in the back/outside! and i gave another surprise talk yesterday about misisonary work! i like giving talks lol man. my brain is in like 20 diff irections right now so ill try to focus haha 

 

the schedule for this week

mon-division in serrinha

tues-division in serrinha

weds-holiday/lunch in santo estevão/work

thurs-leadership meeting in salvador

fri-work

sat-work/baptism

sun-church in feira/baptism!!

 

our week is going to be CRAZY!!!!! but im excited. mama im learning so much from my companion. she has really been a blessing in my life. my companion lets me know what i need to work on!!! shes not one to just let something slip by, so im learning alot haha but i really do appreciate it. i feel like my last 2 companions have been showing me that, what i realy need to work on.

 

. 

 

thank you so much for everything. i feel so blessed, i really do!

 

i love you!!!

sis benedict

 

12-16-13

Well this week was...rough! transfers happened and well frankly, everything has changed haha my new comp is from argentina and shes such a doll. she moved everything around in the house and is suuuuper organized. lol also I felt like this week was just a blah week for me. but it always is the first part of the transfer. 

 

oh i got the box you sent about 5 years ago!! thanks so much for your testimonies!

 

christmas is coming...its makin me a lil homesick! lol i think cuz its so close to when im coming home i get a lil anxious! but after the holiday ill be great!!! I love this area so much and so grateful im here!! sorry i dont have much to report on here!..its getn hot!

 

I love you, lol tell the family i love them

love sis benedict!

12-9-13

mama!!!! so to answer your questions now so i dont forget.....

1. i gota find someone with internet here first!!! but i think around the same time!

2. i havent gotten letters or my boxes yet. i know they changed the address of the mission but i think i already sent it!! lemie check

ok here it is!!! and with the packages gota put caixa postal 6946!

and release date...like when will i be released from bein a missionary.....im assuming the same day i get home right!!! 

 

and now for my week!! AMAZING!!!! we had 4 baptisms and mama..holy cow! we ended up baptizing this lady and her 2 lil kids and it was still sooo much work! but we were able to do it! and then on sunday they went and they were confirmed and the lil boy didnt wana get confirmed cuz he was scared of the big men in their black suits (good guys dress in black, remember that ;) but this family gave us WORK!!! but i was so happy that they are finally members haha 

 

also vivaldo was baptized!! we baptized his wife last week(that took forever to get it right) and then this week was his baptism! mama it was perfect. we had a lot of recent converts at the baptism and it was beautiful! i have so much love for this couple, zélia and vivaldo!! its incredible!!! 

 

transfers are tomorrow. im staying here!! yay!!!! i realy love santo estevão! i was praying a lot to be able to love this city...and now i do :) and sister stewart is going home..she ended her mission and i am soooo sad!! ima miss her a whole lot!!! its guna be hard. especially after spending 2 transfers with her. i dont wana get used to anyone else lol thats something ive learned here, people get married or stay in horrible situations because they are already used to it. be careful what you get used to!!!! 

 

im so glad bissy is better!! what are you doing givin poisonus bulbs to her!!! oxê!!! lol aaaaand im not even sure i remember what its like to be cold! i got burnt yesterday haha and it was overcast! tell me how that works!!! 

 

but this week was a good one!!! i ate alot..OH!!! we did a christmas activity yesterday hahahhaa the members showed up and it was so hilarious! they werent as actively excited like sis stewart and i! we made cookies to decorate, we did the nativity scene and cut snowflakes...mama it was so funny watching them all! il have to tell you in person, but anyways it was fun!!!!!

 

ill send some pics!!!

i love you tons and tons!! 

sis benedict

 

 

 

12-2-13

mama!!! holy snot...i dont even know where to start this letter. first off, I love you so much and glad that someone reads my letters other than you hahaha. and well this week was...interesting!!!

I dont even know how to talk about my week. oyah I HATE SATAN!!!! he tried EVERYTHING to..disanimar...to disanimate us. oman we had every type of trial our way. every single day was something different. OH my chacos broke haha one of them broke and well theres a member in the ward who bought me new shoes because it was thanksgiving an she wanted to do something special for us(they dont celebrate it here). But mama its incredible what happened to us this week. you woulnt even believe! i wrote it all down so il share it one day! tipo...from my shoe breaking, to not being able to work effectively, they werent home or didnt wana talk to the elder for the interview or the night before decided to not get baptized..things like that!

but the incredible thing. we baptized...actualy we had 5 people who went to church with the intent to get baptized..guess how many were baptized...1. mama, satan worked until the LAST second and im not even exaggerating. yesterday was horrible/great at the same time. the baptism was a mess. we had 4 peole in baptism clothes and 3 changed back before they were baptised..it was incredible. mama i cried..i cried alot actually. it was one of those crying from your heart kinda cries. i coulnt stop. it was the silent tears kinda thing. man it was rough!!! BUT through all these trials, i saw a lot of miracles and blessings. we were able to follow up with these families, i got new shoes(always good ;), we were able to see who we needed to, these people are prepared!, it wasnt so hot, they went to church!!!

i was reading in 3néfi where the nephites and lamanitas are battling against the gadianton robbers and the part where the curse was lifted off the lamanites. they were passing thru a ton of difficulties and trials, but among it all they were hugely blessed! i felt like that this week. that through all the hardships of this week, I was being blessed enough to keep working and make it through!!!

I love this gospel so much. the mission stresses me out, but this love i have for these people is incredible. yesterday i think i had my first conscious taste of this Christ like love for this family that didnt get baptized.

i love you so much!
give bissy a big hug for me!!!

sis b

 

11-25-13

this week was proly one of the most diverse weeks I’ve had in a long time!! let me just list off what had happened.....

1. IWENTTOTHEBEACH!!!!!

1.5 we did divisions in abrantes and camaçari 2

2. Valda prayed and got a clear answer

3. A lady from another church was baggin on her answer

4. vil and andrea were all ready to go to church before we got there!

5. zélia went to church without us grabbin her, and she brought her son and daughter!

5.5 made friends with a deaf mute :)

6. We went to visit another church!

7. Made lunch with our investigators!

8. vivaldo stopped smoking cold turkey and they LOVE cevada!!!!

9...our roof fell in!

 

ok so ima try to explain all this! 

1. I went and touched my lil tosies in the sand for the FIRST time!!!! omylanta mama the beach was sooooo beautiful! I cried a lil bit it was so pretty!

 

1.5 did divisions with the sisters and while we were doing a divison with one, the other area called and asked if we could go help them out at that moment because there was a kid with a demon and she wanted to go help him(we ended up not going to this kid!) phew!

 

2. were teaching FAMILIES mama!!! its so...unnatural for an entire family to be interested. Were teaching the family of valda, and the family of Zélia and Vivaldo! so..we challenged valda and her family to pray to know that this church is true and they need to be baptized in this chruch. We went back the other day and valda said she prayed and felt sooo good! she felt the spirit and felt something so good and peaceful! its amazing that she prayed and recognized the answer!

 

3. Sunday we went to grab them for church, and a lady from another church was telling her that her answer was a lie and she cant cheat on her church and that she needed to stay in her church. Valda doesn’t even go to that church anymore, but valda got a lil confused and didnt go to church Sunday. But were guna work with her!!!!

 

4. Her 2 girls, andrea and vil were ALL ready and excited to go to church. We didnt even have to really wait for them to get ready or convince them to go to church! They loved it too!!!! vil even made comments at church :) the only thing, she needs to get married :/

 

5.  zélia + vivaldo + família =love :) LOVE this family with all my heart!!! zélia went to church, brought one of her daughters and sons,  we didnt even need to go grab em! we ate lunch with them again, I just love them so much! theyr guna get baptized this week! lastnite I was thinking about that and the thought came in my head...vivaldo´s gunna have the priesthood one day! I got soooo stoked mama I almost cried! 

 

5.5 Their nephew was visiting, Jadson, and hes a deaf mute! hes so cool!!! I spent forever talking with him and jokin with him! I really don’t know how we communicated, but I love it! I was interested in languages before, but on the mission I think my interest to communicate in other languages grew so much!!!

 

6. That pastor, marcelo...well we went to visit his church the other day! actualy mama, I liked it. I felt I was at a youth conference or something, because everyone was singing super loud and it was upbeat and everything haha but actually it was a really interesting experience for me. Marcelo was diff. b/c he didnt yell like the others, and he quoted me there too! I felt the spirit SO strong when he spoke. I want to help him so bad. He didnt go to church these past 2 weeks, but I’ve been thinking bout him alot. I was reading a scripture about how there is NO other way to be saved than thru the baptismal covenant. My mind went straight to him. I think it was the first time in my life I became truly worried about someones salvation! 

 

7. lunch...already said that!!! 

 

8. vivaldo stopped smoking cold turkey! after we took his smokes and challenged him to stop, he only smoked 1 more time and then just stopped! We brought cevada for them Saturday and she made it and vivaldo(who drinks like 25 cups a day) didnt even notice a difference hahahaha 

 

9. yep, our roof fell in this morning!!! I was downstairs cleaning n makin breakfast when I heard a huge crash upstairs, I called for Sis Stewart...you alive!..nothing. so I ran upstairs and it was FILLED with dust. yep our roof fell in! hahaha only in brasil I swear!!! broke my only nametag and got dust on everything! 

 

oman. This week was super intersting. The only thing missing was a baptism :( but i realy feel like we are doing so much work here. We are working our tails off to help out the area, and we really feel like we are! I feel like this week were gunna have a lota baptisms. Were finding golden families! My heart is so filled with love for these people. I really feel like I’ve goten the grasp of the whole, Christlike love for these people! I want to help them all out SO bad!!! I’m constantly thinking about them and what I can do to help them. I have been praying to really love this area, and even today I woke up just filled with love for this area and this work, yes its hard, yes I cry, but I am so grateful!!!

 

sorry this is such a long letter, I think you are the only one thats gunna read it :)

love you so much mama!!!!

 

sis b

I just wanted to send you a lil note telln you how much I love this gospel! I had an experience this week that really I feel  like changed my life and love for this people! We went to visit the church of a pastor who is interested in this church. Well while we were there I developed this deep love for this pastor and how much I wanted to help him out. The next day, still thinking about that experience and my feelings, I read a scripture( forget where!) but it said that there is NO other way to obtain salvation than thru the baptismal covenant and taking upon us the name of Christ.Tthe first thing I thought of was this pastor and for the first time in my life I felt worried about someones salvation. My heart ached for him. I was imagining his life and what it´ll be like if he doesnt ever get baptized. I remember thinking, how weird I’m worried about his salvation. But its so true! I was literally worried! I feel like this time on the mission im starting to understand what this work is all about, what we are here to do! I am so grateful to be a missionary and so grateful that the Lord answers our prayers. I feel like I grew alot this last week thru all the lil experiences I had!!!

 

11-18-13

 

 

Hi, so this typewriters really nice so if i have misspelling..its cuz im not used to a good typewriter haha

 

This week was another super good week! We decided to work in another part of the city because where we were going was giving us nothing. We had SO much success! We brought a mom and her lil daughter to church Sunday and a lady from another church! oh so I gotta tell you, We did a contact with a kid about 2 months ago but haven’t been able to find him at home. We ended up becoming friends with his mom that goes to another church! Well Sunday we decided to pass by and take him to church. It was a miracle that he was at home! He ended up going and his dad ended up going. This week his mom ended up going and we had a barbq after church :) bbqs here are SO much better! It’s not burgers and root beer, its real meat with rice and these realy good beans an a lil salad!!! SO GOOD!!! tell Thad he can be jealous and tell Chris that no its not like porto alegre hahaha

 

We still haven’t had a baptism, and I’m really not sure why. We have people that go to church, we found people that are progressing, they just dont wana get baptised for some reason or another. It’s so confusing to Sis Stewart and I. But I know the Lord has a plan for us and I feel like were doing it. We’re slowly winning the hearts of santo estevao!!!

 

oman mama u gota play the turkey bowl for me! They dont celebrate thanksgiving here, I’m so sad!!!! and its crazy to think I’ll be home for thanksgiving next year lol

 

 We’re going to do divisions this week in an area close to the beach. so we decided to wear jeans...oman I feel SUPER weird/normal in jeans!!! I’m not used to it! We woke up at 4am, left at 5am and was traveling until noon!! We took 4 busses and hit transito twice!! omylanta I’m so not guna miss that!!!

 

but anyways, I love you so much! I’m so grateful for yáll!!!

 

oh mama I met Sis Mckenzie! She already knew me from before, and I’m sure her moms guna read this hahahah shes so cute :) 

but anyways, this work is true, I’m so grateful to be a missionary.

 

love you

sis b

11-11-13

Hi,

  This week was a really good, interesting week! this week FLEW by!

1st off, I decided ima worry after about school lol I got enough to worry about

2. we tried to baptise the son of a recent convert, but hes scared to get baptised...he LOVEs soccer and they always play on Sunday, so were tryn help him

3 we found a whole lota people to teach this week! we are finding new people and they look really promising!!

4. Sunday we had the most people at church that weve ever had here, 23 people!!! yaaaaayyyy!!! (thats huge for us!) AND, we had a pastor come to our church. idk if I told you about marcelo, but we ran into him lookin for another marcelo and welp, hes a pastor but doesnt believe his religion, idk mama everything is just too concidencial to be a coincidence! he is lovin the bom and is readin and really evaluatin his life! we had 4 investiators at church and its funny cuz every one of the investigators knew this pastor bc they went to his church hahah it was really funny.

5 I have been noticing a lot more the influence of the spirit in this work. the other day i was studying the scriptures, and i always pray to read or learn something that will help our investigators...well i have NO idea why, but my study lead me to 1 samuel 3. i think i was looking up a reference in that chapter....idk! but anywho i started reading the first part about how samuel was sleeping and heard a voice call his name. he thought it was his dad but it wasnt. it was the Lord calling Samuel. well mama, Sunday pastor marcelo was teling us what had happened Sunday morning. He said he didnt sleep at all that night and when it was time for him to wake up he heard someone calling his name, he thought it was his wife, but it wasnt. he heard this voice caling his name a few more times. it was the same time that he needed to wake up!!! mama i gave him 1 samuel 3 to read!!! its incredible how the Lord answers our prayers!!!

6. also we gave suprise talks Sunday. bishop told us right before sac mt! haha but mine was on honesty and i prayed and prayed that i would be able to say something that our investigators would remember and needed to hear. afterwards, marcelo was talkin to us and referenced about 3-4 times somehting i had said!!!

7. i am so grateful to be here! i love this work so much!!! the Lord truly does try our faith!!! whats that scripture..its after the trial of our faith we work miracles...something like that!!! our faith truly has been tried these past few months!

8. oh did i mention an area70 is coming to visit us..and ima sing :) im super nervous but super stoked!!!!

9 i love love love love love yal so much!!! its crazy how fast time is flying by!!! i wana  come home but i dont wana leave here!!! i have learned so much here! i was thinkin that today, that i am so grateful for every experience that ive had in my life, all the bad ones, the sad ones, the happy ones, they have al been growing experiences for me!!! i love this gospel so much!!!

10. oyah one more thing. this mornin i grabbed the conference ensign of 2011 and was really wanting to read a talk about temples( can ya tell im desperate to go again!) and i started reading one about elijah!!! mama im so glad yall go to the temple! please emphasize the importance of the temples. yall are so spoiled to have a temple so close! i see the sacrifice that people here make just to go to the temple.its incredible!

i love you

sis benedict

 

ps did i mention that i finally used the pocketknife that daddy gave me haha we were doin a division in salvador and the sisters had to put together their beds. wel we dont have screwdrivers or anythin, but then i remembered that i had the pocketknife in my bag, haha so i totally whipped it out and was able to put the beds toether!!! thanks dad!

i totally felt like a boyscout :)

 

11-4-13

This week we were working in an area that doesn’t even have a church or many members is rough! so were trying to work more with the members! and Sunday we had a mtg with the bishop and if we get 10 more baptisms/members by December, I think we’ll be able to open a branch there!!! so were focused on that.

 

did I mention I’m obsessed with Capt. Moroni now!!! those war chapters are soooooo interesting!! holy crap!

 

I love you and can’t wait to talk to yall next month!!! give everyone my love

sister benedict

ps...I LOVE the sacrament. I really feel so strongly the spirit when I take the sacrament an think about the atonement of Christ!!!

sorry I didn’t write a whole lot...my brain can’t even think!!!

love ya

 

 

 

10-28-13

Hi mom!!!! welp this week was a .....growing one for us. This transfer has been a rough one for us. We worked and worked and worked this week and the people we were working with didnt even go to church. We had to cut a lota people too so it was a lil rough this week! But I know the Lord is just testing us...grrr! But transfers are today and we are staying here :) Sis Stewart is finishing her misison here. gosh I love that girl! 

 

We did an activity yesterday, it was so sweet! It was the dream of Lehi. We put rope in jacira´s (first time in a while I used an apostrophe!) how weird!!)  backyard and we were playing the good angel and bad angel. It was really fun!!! I really love the people here.  There are so many good people here but they just dont see the importance of church. Actualy whats hard here is that everyone, EVERYONE that was already baptized in another church dont see the need to be baptised again. Even when they are...turned away from the church. I have really learned here the importance of the priesthood and authority. Its really incredible!

 

I gave a talk on Sunday about the root of the Christian doctrine...I didn’t have the slightest clue what it was! but man I loved that talk. Talks about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ! not just the atonement, but the sacrifice that he did for us! Thats the root of our doctrine! The sacrifice of Christ! in helaman 5:9 says that its thru the atoning blood of Christ we are saved, not the atonement, not resurrection, but the sacrifice that He did for us!!! Without the sacrifice, there would have been no resurrection, there would have been no perdão, forgiveness! I am super thankful for Christ and what He did for me.

 

I was reading the conf ensign of 2011 and mama as I was just sifting thru trying to find a talk, I was just hit so strong with the spirit. These men really are called of God. They lead our church and I am so thankful that we have the priesthood restored on the earth! I remember during conference when they show the general authority, I didnt really see anyone new. I was so comforted to know that our leadership doesnt change that often and that these are all honest men of God!!!!

 

I still havent got your package you sent me! I’m still waitin...and waitin..and waitin lol its startin to get hot here again. I’m getting tan again haha and my hair mama, omylanta its this weird shade of blonde/orange/corn...sei lá! 

 

This week didn’t have much to report on the area, its...going haha slow and steady! But I love you so much, tell everyone that I love them too!! give a special shoutout for the ellsworths :) tell them I miss going over there just to chat..."time in grade" ;) brother ellsworth'll know what I’m talking about :)

 

love love love love love you!

sis benedict

10-22-13

 Man this week i dont even remember what happened. it was a long week for us. our baptisms fell thru.

 

i realy dont have much to say for this week. almost all of our visits fell thru, We had a few investigators at church Sunday including this guy that we think is going to be the first branch president :) hes perfect!!! his name is kleber and is suuuper interested in the church!

 

oyah theres this old..er guy in santo estevão who doesnt have any problem saying what he thinks. wel he gets up to give his talk and starts off by saying that he didnt even wana talk today and started calling everyone to repentance....jhahahaha i lvoe bahia!!!!

 

but i love you all and so grateful for everytihg! i am so grateful to be a missionary:)

beijos

sister benedict

ps...did i mention that i am DYING to go to the temple!!!

 

10-14-13

 

oh mama!!!! can i just say how much i love you!!!! this week was a rough one for me. your email just filled me with hope haha! idk what it was about this week but man, it was a growing week for me and my companion.  We were having no luck with the area and it was just a poopy week!!! but we found a realy promising family on Saturday. and both Sis Stewart and I feel really good about them! We think he’s going to be the 1st branch pres here haha. We have 20 members an we need 60 before we can open a branch here. mama I want nothing more than to open a branch here!!! I want to be able to stay here until the end of my mission, but who knows. The area is rough...im starting to see the impact members really have on a persons life!!! I cant imagine not being a part of this church because everywhere we moved, we always had our lil "church family". Here in santo estevão...its growing! I am so blessed to be a part of this gospel!!!

I dont really know what to say in this letter, we went to santo antonio de jesus, about 3hrs away an did divisons there. I realy like the area and the people there too!

I am sooo thankful to have a family like ours. The Lord is so smart haha people here dont have the same family values like in the church! We spent 30 min outside a house listening to a man complain about his wife. We always hear that the husband is doing this and this wrong and the wife doesnt do what the husband wants la bla bla! I just think man...how different your life would be with the gospel!!! The gospel really changes lives!!!!

oh I have a challenge for the youth there...an actually everyone who reads this letter!! But here one of the wards, the youth decided that everyone take a picture with the Book of Mormon and put it as your profile pic on facebook. I’ve heard some neat stories with that. Its a great way to show that you are a normal person and a mormon haha. I really liked that idea!

give everyone my love!!!

love you sooooo sooo much

beijos
sister benedita

 

 

ps...l love the pic of the temple...idk y but this week I have been feeling soooooooo much fault of the temple!!!....er that was horrible english..I have been missing so much the temple!

10-7-13

    omylanta I dont even know where to start this letter! My week has been soooo busy! We got to work 1 day in our area this week and we were able to baptize. the Lord really is looking out for us! We were in another area doing divisions with oher sisters, and then Thursday we had a leadership council meeting! It was suuuper good!!! Sis and Pres Hart...l love them to death!

   They did a training and used the analogy with the movie miracle. It was really what I needed to hear. The coach said that he wasnt looking for the best players, but the right players. He watched and studied these boys for a looong time and knew them all so well that he didnt need any help picking his team. They said that the same thing with the Lord and us. We are here because the Lord picked us to be here! We arent the best missionaries, but we are the right ones. I really liked that! and I thought of tiesh the whole time cuz I remember we watched miracle on a Sunday night cuz it was still Sunday we were making gospel connections the whole way thru haha its tieshas fault we watched it on Sunday..shes older and I was a young impressionable kid at the time :) hahaha jk

We watched conf in english! We were at the house of jacira and they watched it on the big screen in portuguese and we were in the other room listening in english! conference wassooo good! I went with a list of a few questions and claro...er of course they were all answered! It was a really good conference! I loved what Pres Monson said that it was one of the most inspirational conferences that he’s been at. Wow! But its true..today I’ve felt so inspired I wrote about 6 pages today talking about who knows what!

  I know that Thomas S Monson is a true prophet.I feel the spirit SO strong when he talks. I am so grateful that we have a prophet to lead and guide us today. Alan, our baptism, was saying that if we didnt have a prophet, how would the church be. He really was prepared!!! haha

   I love you all sooo much and know that this gospel is true!!! I know the Lord knows each and every one of us. One thing that really touched me is the story about the grandma who was going to visit her grandson in prison an she prayed an asked why am I going thru this, why is he doing this when I have tried to be so good, and the answer came that the Lord gave him to her because she would and could love him no matter what he did. that really struck me. kids really are chosen to be with the parents that would love them no matter what.

Give everyone a HUGE hug for me!!!

Sister Benedita

 

ps did I tell you we met this guy, his nickname is pool and he as a cemetary at his house that he built with dolls haha hes sooo funny! He watched conference with us and I really wana baptize him hahaha

 

oyah its also getting hot here so its kinda funny I wake up not knowing what color my hairs guna be or shade of tan ill be hahah its kinda funny!

 

 

9-30-13

I am here in santo estevão! and acually we dont hardly stay in our area! This week were working only 1 day here because of conference! We have splits tomorrow and the next day and then Thursday we have our leadership mtg. so just Friday we have to work cuz Sat and Sunday is conference! 

We had a baptism of Eric on Saturday. Do you remember the lil kid that I just love here, who cant walk right...well he was baptized on Saturday! and also we have been working with this kid binho! He was taking the lessons from the sisters before but never had the desire to be batized...well he was baptized Saturday too!!! I was so excited! Erica and I sang and played guitar for them! 

I am sooooooooo tired alllll the time! We had zone conference and we did splits in feira. The same area that I passed before haha I love being able to stay in the areas that I passed. I feel so blessed. I will have spent 1yr in the same stake, the same zone!!! haha kinda cool huh!

Not much has happened this week. Its super corrido and the time is just flying by!!!

I love this church, I love this gospel. I am so grateful to have had the examle of a great family! Thank you all so much

bjs

sis benedita

 

ps....word to the women in the house...don’t cook when your extremely tired! I burnt rice, popcorn and cookies hahaha its so sad when your tired and just wana sleep but hungry and so you try to cook, affff! 

 

 

9-23-13

One thing I’ve learned here, that sometimes the Lord has a plan for us that we just dont understand. We just need to have faith that the Lord knows what He is      doing...even if we dont like it at the time!!!

      The correios...umm post office! The post office is on strike here, actually the banks are too! how cool right........GAH! but anyways I havent got the package yet, and dont even bother to send one for Christmas haha I probably wont even get it till like January or Feb! its crazy to think that Christmas is coming up...again! I havent even really thought about it till today! the mission is just flyin by..dont like it one bit!

   Im in santo estevão..and actually its an area I already passed with a companion I already had :) sister stewart...shes the 1st American companion I had, shes from cedar city! I’m sure I already sent pics of her! We were in feira 1 going to santa estevão because had a few members there. Well its cool that I’m back there and in santa estevão right now!  Theres about 20 members in this city, we have our meetings in a house and the neighbors like to blast their music on Sunday morning! but its good! The hardest thing there is that nobody goes to church Sunday! They are reading, praying, they know its true, but when Sunday rolls around...nada!  also we only spend 5 days there! We travel Tuesday and Wednesday!

Sister leader is basically doing divisions with the other sisters! We have about 12 areas that we do divisions! so I get to sit on an on a bus forever every week....im soooooo loving it (NOT!) but I do like to visit the other areas! I feel truly blessed for the areas that I passed thru! also ima spend 1yr in the same stake and the same zone! how crazy is that hahhaha

I’ love yall so much and I’m so grateful to represent the Savior Jesus Christ! We were watching finding faith in Christ and it just touched me so much! everything that He went thru..for what end. Everything He did, He did because He loves us. I want to have that kind of love and preocupação for people!!!

love you all soooo much

bjs
sister benedita

 

 

ps did i mention in my area that all we have are Baptists, hardcore TJ and catholics....its reallly fun to do contacts............

 

 

9-16-13

 

 

so this week is super short...transfer days! Im geting transfered...but I already knew that. Ever since I picked Sis Mann up at the airport I knew I wasnt going to finish her training! But Im going to santa estevão...another area I had already visited a lot! Im going to be in the same stake..still haha but Im stoked. Im super sad to leave, I loooove serrinha. but I feel like Ima return here! I want to at least!! But I love you all.

 

This week was so filled with miracles. We had a less active that we’ve been workin with for 5 months to go to church...well he came Sunday! I cried! We had 105 people at church!!! I was tickled I was sooo happy!!! that’s a lot of people for us!

love you so much!

 

bjs

sis benedita

 

ps did I mention Im going to be a sister leader trainer and Im going to be with sis Stewart!! We were already companions and I love her to death!!!

9-9-13

mama!!! omylanta about tiff. You know in a funny sorta way I knew she was in the hospital. I dreamt the other night I was with her and we were visiting someone in the hospital who was really sick.. actually it was summer dunn! She was super sick and we were visiting her!! golly I feel so connected with yall sometimes!!! I hope she gets better!!

 This week has been a crazy one! so I explained that serrinha is a cowboy  town right. Well this weekend was vaquejada...or a big huge rodeo!!! We had to be in our house at about 6 every night from Thursday to Sunday...we didn’t even leave the house Sunday! But Thursday was FILLED with horses! I’ve never been in a town where I saw more horses than cars!! haha loved it!! I love horses!!!

I don’t understand why parents let their kids go to parties and let them do bad things but when it comes to church and following Christ and being baptized they want nothing to do with nothing! gah it’s so frustrating!!! 

            We did our play!! mama it’s on youtube!! look up apresentação das sisters!! its SOOOO funny! I sent some pics of the play. actually all the pics are on the other chip at raianes house..  so later ill get em to ya!

um I’ve been studying a lot about death. seems like that’s ben the topic of the week for me! had a lot of people asking about death and what’s going to happen and stuff..   I really got a deep love for this gospel! These people think that death is the end...how depressing is that!!! I went to the cemetery this week and on almost all of the headstones said "saudades eterna"...or eternal misses! I was just like man...how depressing that these people don’t even know that their loved ones are on the other side just rejoicing and waiting to see them again!!! I’m so grateful for this gospel!

Other than that this week has been...tranquil! Nothing really big happened this week..  that I remember at least! oh! they finally got a subway here in serrinha(thats a huge deal!) so we ate there today..soooo goood!!!!! 

 I love you tons! this mission is flying by so fast I don’t even have time to register anything!!!! but I love yall

love love love yall

sis benedita

So raiane was doing 2 months as a member right...well we were a lil short with money...so we bought a guinea pig!!(its waaaaay cheaper than to make a cake!) so we surprised her with it haha she loooooved it! she loves animals and so it was all okay to get her another pet hahahaha

 

ps...theres this lil girl here at the lan house that won’t stop staring at me hahahaha oooh and put our video on facebook haha its soooo funny!!!!

ps did I say we were having transfers here next week!!!! and who knows if I’m going to  stay and finish the training of sis mann! so who knows if I’ll still be here! I hope so I love serrinha!

ps Sunday... was SO empty because of the 4 day rodeo! we had about 30 people...maybe! and I gave a 20 min on the spot talk haha they were starting the sacrament mtg and the counselor came up to me..oi sister...think ya can give a talk right now? missionaries are always prepared right....sure think gilson!!! lol but it was good!!!

 

9-2-13

You asked about ipads......HAH! you are just too funny huh mama! we dont even get cars or bikes out here...i really doubt were guna get ipads! wow thats too funny.....ipads on the mission! I’m blessed to even have a lukewarm shower in our house! and thats only cuz we bought a showerhead!!!! We probably won’t get ipads..it’s too dangerous! 

but aside from that....We had 3 baptisms that fell and I hit my 1 year mark...I shed alot of tears this week. I was super stressed....it was a realy rough week for me. you just learn to love the people here and 

 .....isabellis readin my letter right now and she doesnt understand anything that im writing!...ok jk she understands a little bit :) 

 but anyways, I love isabelli to death. She is 13 ad loves the church. she reminds me alot of how i was!....you know really quiet and doesnt do anything...like me right :) haha just kidding but I just love their family so much and want them to be a family forever! After we got home that night the other sisters had made me a cake...ok it was like a lasagna type thing they put rice paper over it of the disney princesses and sang to me!

 but all is well! I’m still here in serrinha and I’m still kickin! I feel like I’ve gotten so much closer to the lord this week. I know the lord gives us trials to make us humble so we can become strong! (éter 12:27)

what else happened...

-oh the lights went off the whole nordeste!!! all of bahia was withouot light! we had to come home at 1730! it was so pretty the -sky without any lights..nossa! 

-we bought a guinea pig for raiane!! They are so cheap here! its cheaper to buy a guinea pig than to make a cake hahaha

 I know the spirit puts in our hearts what we need to say! I have experienced the power of the Spirit this week. There were a few times I was talking with someone and thinking...oman its totally not me talking right now!!! I know the lord knows what these people need better than I do!

Oh yah to put a cherry on the icing of my really rough week I found out Sunday that if we dont reactivate peopole here in serrinha, the wards going to turn back into a branch....how sad...gosh I’m so drained of energy! I’ve went through every emotion every day this week!!

but I love yall so much!!!

sis benedita

ps..were puttin on a play at a school about the independence day of brasil (7setembro13!) its guna be SO funny!!!

 

8-26-13

8-26-13

omylanta...I just wrote a big ole gooshie letter and ...errrr idk where it went..ok...breathe hahaha ok! I’ll try to remember what I wrote!!! I am in love did I tell you that  :) I’m in love I’m in love and I don’t care who knows it!!!(name that movie)  I am in love with my life!!! I am just so filled with this outward love for everything! I have been really praying this week to have more love for the people and more love to want to help them out! it’s been a struggle for me still adjusting to a companion that doesn’t talk a whole lot. I’m learning the importance of a companionship and how one really helps the other!! I feel like I’m giving a whole lot more in the companionship and well that’s to be expected, my dear child doesn’t speak portuguese haha but she’s really coming along, she’s understanding a lot more and speaking a lot more!!!! she’s a doll!

So I was saying that we have a baptism today, she’s 8 and just a peach!!! she’s super smart and her mom isn’t a member but her aunt is,(farildes) and she’s actually related to viviane(other baptism)! but super stoked bout that! ima make a lime cake for her! I made it for viviane and she tried it and relay liked it! so ima do it again!!! um what else.

 oh isabelli, she’s the cutest lil thing! she’s 13 and really likes church and the bom. só que her mom and fam is hardcore baptist and really closed off when we talk to her. and she thinks we worship josé smith(lota people think that too!) but I just love them to pieces! I really think the lord is giving me that gift to love, because normally I would have not tried like I am with this mom to even open the book! Which she did the other day, miracle! her dad is less active and is uninterested!(I think that was a portugese-english word right there!) it frustrates me when there are people that sit there and tell you in your face that they don’t want to hear anything because they’ve already "researched" our church. I ask them have you read the bom?...no. have you gone to church....no. then you have no idea what this church is all about. if you’ve never read the bom or gone to church. if you’ve never prayed about this church then you have no idea. it’s so important to read the bom! if you want a testimony, read the bom. if you want to know, read the bom. but anyways......

          idk what else I was wanting to tell you...I love you!!!!! I feel so incredibly blessed to be a missionary and to be a part of this gospel! I’m doing 1 year here in about 3 days, I don’t feel prepared to already hit 1 year! I haven’t changed enough, I haven’t done enough! crap!!! but it really goes by so dang fast! were already halfway thru our transfer and I don’t even know hardly anything about my comp I feel like haha but we have grown so close! I really feel like the Lord put her in my life right now to help me! I feel so blessed to be her companion!

I love you so so so so so so much!!!! its crazy to think illl talk to you face to face in 6 months! how crazy is that! tell the family I love them and pray for them every day! I love you all!!! I know the Lord is in charge!

there’s no way this church can’t be true!

love sis benedict

8-19-13

 hi mom!:) ummmm...life is great. Its craaazy! I’m just loving teaching portuguese again. Shes comin along!

um I am just so everywhere today. I’m super tired. It really is the worst feeling to feel so dang tired all the time! Im doing 1 year here in a lil bit. It passes by SO fast!

 

 

  Its interesting too. mama. about a few months ago when I was senior to an American I thought. I’m being prepared to train someone who speaks not a lick of Portuguese. Its soo true. I was senior to an American, trained and trained again. I feel like the lord was showing me what was coming. (I hope I’m making sense!) and with my comp now, Sis Mann, I don’t think im a finish training her, idk why but I feel like this next transfer I’m going bye bye! 

   Oh mama I renewed my visa woot woot! I’m legal here for another year :) the only thing, they put was a guy not a girl haha gee thanks! but nossa I so wanted to be there!!!  

 

but ok I think I’ve bugged u with enough pics :) I wish I could send more...but o man I got loads for yall you can see those in about 6 months :) I love you and pray for yall every day and thank the lord for you guys!!! I’m glad to hear everyone’s well and doing great! tell the yw I love them and they should serve missions ;) tell the boys that they need to go too, even if they don’t want to! love you tons and miss ya :)

love sis benedita

idk if you’ve noticed but im sending pics as I’m writing so I’m sending like a lil bit at a time with pics haha

 

8-12-13

This week was soooooo crazy! I spent 3 days in salvador, nobody told me I would stay the night with the president so I didn't bring anything! gaaah elders...but it was so awesome. I went to pick up my new kid at the airport Sis Mann and from Logan Utah...shes just a doll. she doesn't speak or understand anything I say but that’s okay. she'll get there.  We’ll get there! she plays piano super well and she sings and plays guitar too! I’m so happy :) she reminds me a lot of sis grundvig actually! she has the same mannerisms.  It was hard to say goodbye to Sis Grundvig! I cried a bit! but this week was kinda hard for us teaching wise. We traveled I think every day! spent 3 days in Salvador, had a zone conf and lunch was in another city!!!...omylanta ....ISAWTHEBEACHFORTHEFIRSTTIMEINMYLIFEIALMOSTCRIEDIWASSOHAPPY!!!!!!!  The beach is so beautiful!! omylanta!!! I have sooooo many pics haha.  A movie video or something was here in Salvador, I saw that too! It was actually way cool!!!!
   It’s super hard the mission but I absolutely love it. I get a lil freaked out that its going by so fast! I do 1 year here in a few weeks!!! aita vei! but I am stoked too that I’ll be seeing yall in a bit haha i love you and so grateful for yall!!

love ya

sis benedita

 

8-5-13

I am absolutely loving the mission. We have transfers tomorrow and guess what...yep im stayin here in serrinha(yay!) and I’m training again..(crap!) im really nervous! but it will be good, I’m stoked! I dont even know where to start. We are super corrido...er rnnin all over the place today so this letter will be short and a bagunça....or in other words..hope ya understand!

 

We had a miracle baptism this week, viviane, she has been investigating the church for 10 years and was baptized Saturday...I’ll explain it all one day, its actualy a really neat story. sis grundvig and I sang...went HHHORRIBLE!!! hahaha but super funny! I’m so glad people here arent too learned with music haha

 

umm....I almost died today! We went to climb a hill with a saint on top of it..its like tablerock but in place of the cross think of a huge virgin mary! well we went there to take pics...I fell about 5 times and scraped my knee real bad it hurts! I told sis grundvig that the saint doesnt like me haha she doesnt like mormos very much!!! but I am so happy. I know there’s so much that I havent even said!

 

 I love my comp and its gunna be really hard to change but I just love the people here! It’s still frustrating when you walk an hr in the blazing heat to talk with someone you set an appointment for and they werent even there! grrrrrr! but ta tudo bem! sou muita grata por ser uma missionária e por estar aqui!! mama muito obrigada por tudo! o seu apoio é muito importante pra mim!!....crap writin in ´port...ask chris to translate!

 

Translation :    but ta okay! I am very grateful to be a missionary and to be here!! mama thank you for everything! your support is very important for me!....

 

 Basically I  am sooooo stinkin happy! Filled with so many experiences and miracles that happened this past transfer...I do 1 year this months....dont like it at all! but it goes  by so stinkin fast!!!!..thank you for everything.

sis benedict

 

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7-29-13

This week was super good as far as my comp and I. my companion is so amazing. I’m her trainer but she really was the one training me. This is our last week before transfers and I’m super nervous! I think Ima leave serrinha. so Ima leave here and have a new comp... but da tudo bem! I dont have much to note for this week because I didnt do a whole lot because we were sick! We went to another city about 2 hrs away to buy a bag...turns out it wasnt even in that city so we went to another teeny lil town and everything was closed!(small towns do that at lunchtime!) but we were able to find a bag!!! yaaaaay took about all day but we made it haha it was so much fun! sis grundvig likes doin those things too...just go without a plan really!!! also, I’m really learning the power of the Lord! yesterday we were visiting some people with a member, the brother actually and well there were alot of people there and its kinda intimidating! The bishop ended up showing up too...talk about pressure haha but sis grundvig was all ready to leave and we hadnt really even talked about anything. We were getn ready to sing when the member was talkin to her brother and how he doesnt believe theres life afer death. So i put my big girl shoes on and started talkin about the plan of salvation and a lot of things I normally wouldnt have said.... I felt the spirit SO strong during that lesson!  It truly was amazing! I know the Lord knows what people need! I know He knows each and every one of us! I have 11 months today! well yesterday and today and its going by so fast! Its crazy to think that! next month is 1 year..I have so much I want to change about me haha!!! but I love yall so much and hope the best for yall!!!!

cheiro
sis benedict