Have Courage - The Savior will be by Your Side!

We had divisions (i.e. missionary companion(s) temporary reassignment) again this week and Sister Larsen stayed with Sister Affonso and I in the area. We were doing practices and Sister Larsen is becoming noticeably sad. As I ask her what is wrong she said, "I am here to help and love people but how can I do that when I can't even speak the language?" She has only been in the field one week so getting adjusted is definitely hard.  I remember the huge amount of culture shock that I felt that first week in the field. That night she and I talked in English for a little while about the difficulties of mission life - it helped both of us. I gave her a huge hug and we took a picture so that in eighteen months when we have worked through and overcome so much we can look back and recognize how much we have grown! With trials in ones life, I recognized something super important that Christ will walk with Heavenly Father's children every step of the way!

We had our temple day this past week with three zones in our mission.  I got to talk with a bunch of the missionaries serving in different areas in the mission - and even missionaries I have not seen since the CTM! I have made lots of friends especially with the people in my district.

At the Brazil São Paulo LDS Temple - (Left to Right) Sister Smart, Sister Lara, Sister Affonso

We have an investigator named Dorival and he is super challenging because he asks a ton of questions. The day we did divisions our District Leader,  Elder Gomzalvez and Elder Ortiz went with us to help us to teach a lesson. After, Elder Gomzalvez told me to continue to believe in myself,  he said, "Sister Smart you need to continue to  believe in yourself  because I believe in you and see your potential and God believes in you. Continue to pray for something better, more powerful and more essential when teaching and the Spirit, the Holy Ghost, will provide. He will always give you what you need in the moment you need it. So I want you to believe in yourself use the Spirit and be happy!" Every time I see him he always asks me if I am happy and says , "Only joy Sister!" I know that God places people in our lives exactly when we need them. He is a great District Leader.

It's crazy how your mission allows you to believe you can accomplish and do anything - most of all have courage. There are so many things I am excited to achieve while here; a mission teaches you courage that's for sure.

The trucker strike is finally finished or over so there is food and gas again. Once the gas stations had gas again, it was chaos for miles and miles as people waited in line and argued to fill up their gas tanks. President Acosta warned us before it happened to buy three days worth of food and water so we had all the food and water we needed. He truly is inspired!

I can bear testimony that we are in a "battle" and the missionaries out here in the mission field are on the front lines. We have an investigator named Pablo and because of his friends that are disrespecting his decision to be baptized - trying to limit his desire; he isn't going to be baptized anytime soon. I hope and pray he will be baptized in the future.  He is young and has so much potential!  I know that these things happen because he truly is a special son of God and that he can be a strong and courageous member of the church and that Heavenly Father loves him.

I will keep growing, loving and pushing forward! There truly are miracles in each day! Love you all!