Week 8- In Teresina!

 Hi everybody!

I am officially in the field! I didn’t have p-day last week because I was traveling. I'm here now though!!

My last week in the CTM was a blast. On Saturday, we celebrated two of the Elders' birthdays. Brewer's bday was on Sunday, and Young's bday was just a couple of days ago. On Monday, we made sure to get a lot of pictures because Sis Ruchti and Sis Egbert were leaving a day early. We also asked the Elders for blessings of comfort. I felt the spirit so strongly,  and I'm grateful for their willingness to serve. The Priesthood is such a blessing and a gift in my life. Tuesday was really chill. I finished the Book of Mormon!! I was actually kind of sad to be done with it.  It is so incredible.  I am glad that I was able to read it and learn from it. The wisdom in its pages is definitely relevant to our times and our lives. I'd encourage you all to read it, or re read it. Im almost done with the Pearl of Great Price. Also a very cool book.

Alright! Now for the field. Wednesday was a travel day. My district all left really early in the AM. I woke up around 3 am, but I didn't leave until 0830. My comp left at 0500, and I was alone for the first time in 6 weeks. It was so weird! At 0830, I headed off to the airport with some other Teresina-bound missionaries. Our flight left at 1240 and landed at 1550. We got off the plane, met President and Sister Tonini and headed to the mission office. It was a long day. They gave us a lot of information,  none of it in English. A sweet American sister was kind enough to translate for me. We then did interviews with Pres and got our areas and companions.

My area is Uruguai,  which is only about 20 minutes away from the mission home. I was very relieved. My mission didn't look very big on the portal map, but it's about the size of Texas! The furthest area from the home is 16 hours by bus. I was grateful I didn't have to make that trip just yet. My comp is Sister Maciel and she is so sweet! She is from São Paulo but she speaks English as well. It's been a real blessing. She is very patient with my lack of Portuguese skills.

We had to spend Wednesday night in the mission home because we couldn’t access our own apartment. We had the keys, but they forgot to add our faces to the front gate. Thursday morning we were all set though! We went and got me legalized and then President took us to lunch at McDonald's.  I'm pretty sure it was my first time eating at McD's since May. We then went to our apartment.  I'm not going to lie... I cried a little once President left. It doesn't have AC, so it's very hot. And there are spiders and other bugs everywhere, no matter how much we clean. It definitely opened my eyes to how privileged my life has been. 

We started tracking on Thursday. Friday we met with a father and daughter who had bern receiving lessons from the previous missionaries in the area, and we extended a baptismal invite which they accepted. Evelyn, the daughter, has such a strong testimony.  We also ate at a members house. I ate beets covered in warm mayonnaise.  The lasagna was good though! We've been blessed to have lunch with members every day since we've been here. The food here is wayyy better than the CTM.

I am not going to lie, it has been a really hard week. My mission has got some pretty strict rules. I can only communicate with friends through email, and I can only send one email per friend per week. So no mkre communicating back and forth.  It's like living in the dark ages with writing letters and not getting an instant response. So I promise i'm not ignoring yall, I can still read every email you guys send. 

Not speaking or understanding Portuguese has been pretty isolating. I have cried every single day since coming here out of frustration,  loneliness or just plain exhaustion.  Saturday was particularly rough for me. Saturday was the 12 year "anniversary" of when my brother died. It was the first time that I have ever been away from my family on this day, and I really struggled. I held it together during the day and then burst into tears once I made it back to our apartment at the end of the day. It was very lonely.

But, I know that I am never alone. I have felt my familys love with me this week, and the love of my Savior. John 14:18 says "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." When the Savior died, He left us with the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is our comforter,  and our constant companion. I am so grateful for this gift in my life. I know that the Savior is using this time to teach me to lean on Him and to trust His will and His plan over my own. 

I love you all so much and I am so grateful for all of the words of encouragement I've received from you guys. My p-day is always going to be Monday now, so see you guys next week!

Anyways, love you all!! I'm thinking about you and praying for you. 

Picture Descriptions:

1- Birthday Party!

2- Last day with the whole District!

3- Translation: CURSED NEIGHBORHOOD. Thanks for the heads up...

4- My sleeping set up: the bedroom with bunkbeds doesnt have a fan or great ventilation,  so sleeping on the floor it is!! 

5- The kitchen

6- Hang drying my clothes

7- Bugs. Bugs everywhere!!

8- Karate night at the church

9- Ice cream with a neighbor that was nice enough to come proselytizing with us

10- Sis Maciel and me

11- A bar! This is for you dad!