Merry Christmas from Brazil!

Merry Christmas! We had a transfer on Sunday, December 9th. I will be staying here in Cidade Vargas for the time being with a new companion, Sister Ferres who is somewhat new to the mission field; she is awesome!

We recently found a man named Eduardo that we are hoping to baptize this coming week. He has already been to church! We will see what happens.

Remember I mentioned that we approached a young man walking home down the street in an area we were at. We haven't been able to find the boy home that was walking up the street but who knows what could happen in the future? Luis was a miracle that God sent to me for sure. I remember the first day we talked with him I had a strong feeling to talk  with him while he was sitting waiting for the bus.  We were able to go back to his house and teach him.  Sister Melo noticed he wasn't paying much attention and asked him why. He said that he was with a lot of things in his head, he was hesitant about going to church and didn't really want to go. Sister Melo then bore powerful testimony about the Plan of Salvation/Plan of Happiness with her dad passing away at the age of ten and how the gospel changed her life. He then said without a doubt that he would go with us to church on Sunday, December 9th. On that Sunday we taught him in front of the baptismal font and committed him the date to be baptized. Also, I have never seen anyone become friends with the other youth in a ward so fast. Before we knew it, he wasn't even wanting to talk to us Sister Missionaries anymore haha. Since he doesn't live near family we had to ask for authorization of his godparents. His godfather did not want to talk with us or let him be baptized. I had a strong feeling to to leave the form with him and it would work out; the next day we got there, to the church house he had it signed by his godfather. He was baptized this past Sunday by one of the youth. The smile I saw on his face as he looked back at me after his baptism is something that I will never forget! Eduardo wasn't baptized but we were able to see lots of miracles this past two  weeks.

President M. Russll Ballard, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve came to visit the mission just over two months ago. When he spoke to us as a mission he promised us if we talked with ten new people each day we would double our baptisms and we did - we doubled our baptisms this past transfer!  I am doing well and am happy! This last week was great; we are talking with and working with upwards of thirty-three investigators in the Vargas area of which seventeen are progressing! I am learning and the work is progressing tons. My new companion Sister Ferres. She is really,really great! We both were able to relax Christmas Eve during the day which is pretty new for us haha and spent Christmas Eve night with a family in our ward, Claudio and Eneida - they are an awesome family. Christmas will be spent in the house of another family where we will be calling my family via Skype.   Merry Christmas to each of you! I send my love to you all. 

Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign—Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14; 2 Nephi 17:14).

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6; 2 Nephi 19:6).

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (St. Luke 2:10,11).

The Nativity

The Christmas season is a time to celebrate the priceless gift of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His birth is more than the symbol of a holiday. He is the Son of God and the Redeemer of all mankind.

(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. © 2012 by Intellectual Reserve. Inc. All Rights Reserved. www.mormon.org/Christmas)

Christmas Zone Conference.

This past Tuesday we had a family night with Rafael, one of our recent converts and Sandro, our eternal investigator haha. We went to the house of two members Claudio and Eneida. They have to be the cutest family I have ever seen. They both helped give the lesson and all felt the Spirit of Heavenly Father during the lesson. We had to leave because it was almost nine o'clock at night. We got up to leave and Rafael was still sitting in a chair. We didn't know what to do because he didn't want to leave. Claudio said that he could stay and come to find out he stayed till 10:30 talking with Claudio and Eneida. On Sunday when Rafael was confirmed, Eneida gave him a big hug. He said before baptism he didn't like suits and wasn't going to wear one to Church. We said that wasn't a problem. Needless to say he was in a suit on Sunday at church with the Book of Mormon we gave him in his hand! What a neat thing to see.

This past Saturday we checked on a referral given to us from one of the youth in one of the wards here in Vargas. He said that this young man had been to church once before, yet felt like he needed another visit. We went to the address given to us. A woman that came out said that nobody lived there with that name. In the distance I saw a young man coming up the side of the road and had a thought come to me that it was the young man we were trying to visit. We stopped him and sure enough it was him. We challenged him to come to church this coming Sunday. We hope he will be able to attend.

Recently, we found a young man named Luis. He had recently lost his mom. He invited us to enter his house so that we could leave a message. He lives with only his sister that is seventeen years old. He is very mature for being only sixteen. He is looking for the peace that comes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We were both giving the Restoration as our lesson. A moment later, Sister Melo noticed he wasn't paying attention. She stopped the lesson and began to share her testimony and talk about how she lost her father when she was young. We then said, "Will you go to church with us this coming Sunday?" Earlier he had some doubt but after she shared her testimony he said "yes" without doubt or hesitation. He went to Church this past Sunday with us! I have never seen a teenager gain friendship with the youth so fast. We are hoping to baptize him this week!

The past zone conference was the best! Also, we had a talent show and ate a bunch of wonderful food (too much). The best part was visiting with the other missionaries, my friends that I love! The mission office secretaries made a video of all of the missionaries families saying Merry Christmas that was shown at the zone conference! Thanks to my family for sending one. I loved it and cried a little haha - I know you all hate to be in videos! I got a nice Christmas package from my family. I have already opened everything early haha, I couldn't help it. I loved every bit of it, especially the cards and notes from many back home. It means more than you all will ever know and gives me a lot of strength!

(L to R) Sister Arruda, Sister Melo, Sister Smart at a mission zone conference.

We stayed in trio for only three days with Sister Arruda. She then went to stay with another sister but it was good for the three days. We are still doing the Christmas choir going around to the stakes to sing. Yesterday we were in Piratininga, Brazil - northwest of São Paulo. Here in the near future, the mission office staff is helping create a new Christmas video - watch for me singing in that one. I can not wait to here from my family on Christmas day via a Skype call.  My English should be a ton of fun to try and understand. Merry Christmas!

Temple Blessings and Singing Hallelujah to the Most High.

This week went by super fast. It seems like time is flying by especially since this week I will be on the mission for nine months! Merry Christmas to all of you! On Christmas day I will be able to have a Skype call with my family! Hopefully my English will come out okay because  I can't remember many words in English...so that should be fun to try and speak English 😄.

This week we had the opportunity to go to the São Paulo Temple on Tuesday, December 4th. My companion and I woke up super early in the morning at five am, and took the metro to the temple. It was nice to be in the Temple and feel so close to the Savior, it has made me realize how lucky we are to have temples so close to where we live in the states. Sister Melo, my companion often talks about how when she was in Brasilia, Brazil the members would do a caravan once a year to go to the temple. She would have to save money the entire year just to go. We are so lucky to be able to go to the temple weekly and feel so close to Heavenly Father, something I miss doing. It was also great to see a bunch of my old companions, and my friends that are missionaries that I rarely see. Also, more recently at some multi-zone mission conferences-it was great to see them!

Brazil São Paulo Temple.

Kaue is doing well and progressing; he knows he needs to be baptized but works on the weekends. Every potential convert has to go to church two times before baptism. For Kaue, this doesn't work to well when he works a ton of weekends. It's interesting how the adversary uses the smallest things to try and stop many from coming unto Christ and doing the right thing.

Cezar is doing well. Unfortunately he will most likely move and live with his sister who lives in Jardins area - (Jardims Miriam) which is not part of our area. Currently, he doesn't have a cell phone but we helped him get one and he promised that he would get in contact with the missionaries there using the church website. We will follow-up with the missionaries in that area.  We are praying, hoping he does. I know that God will provide a way for him even if it isn't with us to be baptized.

Rafael was able to baptized this week! He was in a lot of doubt and almost resisted but we helped him understand it will all be okay and that he is ready. He said after he was baptized that he felt "lighter" and very happy and that he is now on the path of God!

Sandro is doing well! I helped him to understand that now is the day he is to be baptized because we don't know if we have tomorrow and that I want to see him next to the God in the end. He promised me that he would be baptized. Also, Sister Melo and I are going to have a family night with an awesome member. We pray that this will help him.

The past two to three weeks, many missionaries/multi-zones have been singing Christmas hymns at various church buildings. It is a lot of fun! This week we might be in trio with another Sister. This past week God answered a lot of my prayers. I am very grateful for that!  Merry Christmas to all of you. Thanks for your love, support, and prayers!

Missionary Christmas Choir - Dec. 2018

Christmas Message by President Russell M. Nelson,
" [...] my deepest desires are for all of Heavenly Father’s children to have the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and to heed His teachings and for Israel to be gathered as promised in these latter days. And I desire that we will believe and receive the love the Savior has for each of us. His infinite and perfect love moved Him to atone for you and me. That gift—His Atonement—allows all of His other gifts to become ours.

In a coming day—in that Millennium for which we are now preparing—'every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess' that Jesus is the Christ. And it won’t just be this magnificent Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square singing 'Hallelujah.' Every person who has chosen to follow Jesus Christ will sing and shout: 'Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.'  'The kingdoms of this world are to become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever,' 'King of kings, and Lord of lords.' ”

(2018 First Presidency Christmas Devotional, " Four Gifts That Jesus Christ Offers to You" By President Russell M. Nelson)