A Week of Learning

Familia,

 

This week was alright, but towards the end it got really rough. The best part of my week was we had a division with Sister Ware and her comp. I was with Sister Ware and her comp went with Sister Morgan. It was really good to be with Sister Ware and catch up. Since she was made the sister training leader, I´ve been able to talk with her much. So it was good to finally talk to her! I enjoyed it a lot! During that division, I learned a lot from her. How to be bold, but doing it in a loving way. All the people that we came in contact with she was fearless and bold. I really admire that about her. At times I´m too soft with people and I don´t want to offend them. She taught me how I can be more bold with my investigators without being overbearing. This was my favorite division and one that I won´t forget.

 

This week we had a lot of people that we shared the 1st lesson with. When we made an appointment with them to go back and teach them more, they wouldn´t be home or they would be leaving their house. On Friday we found this awesome lady that accepted everything we taught her! I was super excited to go back and teach her more. We went by her house yesterday and she told us that she´s made up her mind about our religion and doesn´t want us to come back. I was so bummed. I thought things were going good, until she told us what was going on. I thought about what I could have done better to help her with her doubts. But I felt that she really didn´t want more.

 

I´m hoping this week will be a lot better. I know Heavenly Father puts tests in front of us to see if we´re doing our best. We had a lesson in Sunday School about the trials we have and how we can endure them. It taught me that our testimonies are the ones that will help us in our trials. When we are ready or not, we should have a strong testimony about the Gospel.

 

We walk a ton here so  for p-day my comp and I are going to get a pedicure and manicure. a member´s cousin suggested that we should see her cousin to get one. she charges $18 for hands and feet together! Are you going to write Sister Neves?  I can give you her email but she doesn’t understand English, ha-ha.

 

I´m thankful to have the chance to be in Brasil when there´s others waiting to be here. It has taught me to be grateful for the things I have. I love Brasil! I will literally miss everything when my mission is over. The people that I´ve come really close with and the food, the culture.  Everything!

 

I love you guys! I´m excited for Robbie and Tessa! Tell them congrats on their new house! Thank you for the love and encouragement. At times it´s hard to give up when things go wrong but that´s when we need to be the strongest. LOVE YOU and hope your week goes good! TE AMO!!

 

-Sister Whitnah

A so-so week

Familia!

 

Hey everyone! This week was alright. I got sick really bad on Tuesday. I had strep throat and it´s slowly going away. I was mostly in the house and it was hard to work. Friday was a little better and I could go out without feeling crappy. The weather here is changing a lot. It feels like it´s bipolar haha. One day it´s sunny and warm, and the other it´s freezing and windy. Hopefully the weather will make up it´s mind. But it is starting to get cold here finally.

 

I feel like my area is getting harder and harder as the transfer goes on. Having solid investigators here is difficult. We found a bunch of new people to teach and the only down side is hunting them down. Trying to find them in their house so we can teach them. In our practices this week for our district meeting, we practiced on being direct with our investigators about the commandments. Through that practice I learned how to be more direct but in a loving way to show we care. There was one day this week where I wasn´t feeling too good but I didn´t want to go home early because I felt so tired and wanted to sleep. I stuck it out. We found this girl about 2 weeks ago and she told us when she would be in her house. Almost everyday we passed by and she would never be there. I was getting really frustrated and wanted to give up on her. We would see her little sister and she lied that she wasn´t there but she really was. By then I knew she didn´t want to meet with us. I remembered the practice from Wednesday and tried to do what I learned. I let her know of our purpose as missionaries and that we´re there to help people be baptized and follow Jesus Christ. And if this was something she wanted, I wanted a yes or no answer. In the end, she said no and I thanked her for being honest with me. 

 

I´m getting to the point on my mission that I only want to focus on the people who want to learn more about the gospel and who want to be baptized. I´m learning each day how to find those golden people. I know that Heavenly Father puts those special people in my comp and I´s path.

 

Love you lots! Thank you for the pictures! Have a great week!! :)

 

-Sister Whitnah

It was great to Skype with you on Mother's Day!

Familia!

 

Hey it was SO good to talk to you! I was really happy to see everyone and make the most of my time with you guys! I´m glad you liked the songs that I sang to you. I was practicing all week so that they would be perfect by the time I would sing them. I really can´t believe my mission is ending in 5 months! I don´t want it to end so fast. :( but like you said, i´m going to bust my butt for these last 5 months! I know it will be great. I made some goals to end out my mission strong! :)

 

This area has been tough.  We don’t get much support from our Branch or the Branch President.  It makes it hard as a missionary.  I am learning though.  I am learning from this and how important it is to be of  help to others. We have found and taught some goldens and now we are teaching mission prep classes to them so that they can prepare to serve missions someday.  It’s pretty cool.  President asked that we stop teaching the English class.  I have made a goal to only speak English with my comp on P day.  President also wants us to do that.  He doesn’t want the US missionaries to lose what Portuguese we have gained.  I like that goal. 

 

I’ve learned a lot from my mission so far.  Big things and small things.  One thing I know for sure is that I am glad that I came.  I think every Sister should serve a mission.  I think there are things in the Gospel you can  learn SO much better if you serve a mission.  I have gained a ton.  I have read the Book of Mormon more on my mission then ever before in my life.  I know the work that I am doing is true.  I am so glad to be here in Brasil and I love the people here.   I’ve also learned to understand people better. 

 

This week was all about finding new people to teach! We did a lot of contacts and knocking doors (which aren´t my favorite..) but what can you do right? We found a couple of people that look interested. We plan to teach them this week and hopefully become new investigators. We went to different parts of the town that I haven´t worked in yet. We´re hoping to find elects!

 

I pretty much said a lot of what I wanted to tell you yesterday. Once again, it was so good to talk to you. I loved every minute of it. I haven´t gotten that emotional when I started to sing ``Families Can Be Together Forever``. I know that song is a true testimony to me. That we can have a eternal family forever. I missed hearing your voices and the way you say things. But in 5 months I´ll get to hear that again. I love you so much and i´m glad everyone is doing great! Have a great week minha família! TE AMO!! :)

 

-Sister Whitnah