We got the bug!

Oí my peeps!!!

So this week has been really long, we got whatever sickness is going around the entire world. And 2 sisters got sick. so things have been really slow, but still really good! 

 

Sister Bandeira and Sister Velasco have been sick almost all week. I've tried helping but she doesn't seem to want my help. I don't know what else to do for her. So yesterday I started a special fast for her. Hopefully that helps! But she's amazing! I love teaching along-side her! The language seems to be getting a little easier. I study every day!!! We get home at 9 or 9:30 every night, I shower and study until it's time for bed. I'm really trying to learn more and be more helpful during lessons.

Not a whole lot has happened but what did happen was really sweet. And at the same time really complicated! so we had a baptism set up for this week but it fell through. Which was really tough. She's so ready, but says she doesn't want to be baptized right now because she doesn't want to give up the things of the world. guys, shes 12. what kinds of things of the world could be too hard to give up?? I don't understand, but we pushed the baptism back and are hoping it happens soon. Its really devastating to see people who know without a doubt that this is true turn away from it. But we planted a seed, and she is nourishing it more and more everyday. I hope she realizes the importance of the gospel and the need for baptism before its too late. 

also we got to help with a really cool mutual activity for the YW (young women ages 12-17). we acted as Sister Training Leaders and kind of taught them about missions and how cool they are. I didn't do a whole lot for the activity to teach them because I am the newest missionary, but I got to bear my testimony. It was really cool, I also discovered that most of these girls are already such great missionaries, and I hope most if not all of them decide to serve the Lord. It was really cool! I'll get pictures this week and send them next week! 

lessons are going well, people kind of keep cutting themselves from our list of investigators which sucks. but we keep working. trying to find more people willing and ready to hear our message! 

other than that though not much has really happened!! 

eu sei que este igreja é única caminho para nós a retorner e viver com Deus depois desta vida. sei que o livro de mórmon e palavra de Deus, e que um rapaz traduziu este livro pelo poder de Deus. sei que o dom de linquas é real. com todos meu coracão, sei que Deus ama todo mundo e querer que nós tentamos cada dia por melhor nossa vidas. sei que JesusCristo é meu salvador e redentor. que ele sofreu por cada onde nós! e que ele vive! Eu amo Jesus Cristo e estou muito honorado estar representante dele. Eu amo vocês muito muito!!

Tchau família! 

Com todos meu amor,

Síster Moss!

 

Questions and Answers

 

Does anything cool happen when you girls are walking? No not really, haha! sometimes there are street performers which is pretty cool. 

 

How far do you walk in a day (approx)? I'm not sure, maybe a good 8-12 miles a day, depending on the day. 

 

What is the walking like? Is it "city" walking, where there's constantly someone to try to talk to or is it like "country" walking where you have a lot of open space? It's kind of a bit of both. again depends on the day. sometimes there's soo many people that we can't talk to everyone, or theres literally no one. 

 

Do you play games to pass the time or do you talk the whole way? Honestly we barely talk.  

 

Did you have a baptism last week? No baptism this week, she told us that she didnt want to be baptized anymore. which sucks because she continues to go to YW activities, reads and studies the BOM and loves church. 

 

Are you still doing baptisms in Brad's pool? Haha yes, they are still fixing the baptismal font at the church. hopefully they finish soon. 

 

Did you get the second package we sent? no not yet. hopefully today.  

 

Do you exercise every day or is your walking what you use for exercise? I exercise every once in a while but generally walking is our exercise. 

 

What are you studying right now? Right now I am studying in 2 Nephi, which is really hard in Portuguese because a lot of it is compared to Isaiah. but I'm slowly getting through it. oh and also this week I've been studying a lot on the Atonement. what an amazing gift that is!! 

 

When are transfers? Transfers are in 2 weeks I think. Maybe 3 haha. Everybody says there is a 90% chance of me getting transfered. Really sad about that.. 

 

How often do you see Elder Alves? I see Elder Alves maybe once a week, twice if there's like a devotional or something. I saw him last night and will see him again today! Love Elder Alves, he's such a sweetheart and so fun!

Heavenly Father knows our needs before we do!

Hey everyone!!! Hope all is well for everyone. Happy Father's day to all the Dads out there!! To my dad, uncles, grandpas, cousins and brother; Super special Happy Fathers Day to all of you. I'm so grateful for all of you in my life and for the influence you all have had on my life. I love you all more than you know and miss you tons!!! Thank you for always showing me how to love and serve others and for always being such amazing examples of true Christ-like love! Hope you all had an amazing Father's Day!! *Virtual hug for all of you*

Okay, so this week has been real difficult for me. Lately I've been feeling like I'm kind of at a stand still in the language and some days that I'm going backwards in progress. I've also really been struggling with thoughts of doubt and failure on my part.. It's been really hard. All of our lessons have been falling through and people turning away from the gospel, and for a while I couldn't help but think that it was because of me. I've been focused more on myself rather than my investigators and their needs. 

Then on Friday we had a 1 day division. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Sister Hansen again!! Man, she's literally my lifesaver and angel here. Before the division I hadn't really thought much about the feelings I was having and the struggles I was having, but after talking with Sister Hansen, I know that these feelings are not of God. That these are feelings of the devil, and he's trying to stop me from doing what I have been called here to do. (Sister Hansen always knows what to say to me). So glad that she is so in tune with the spirit and follows its promptings, she helps me more than she will ever know!!! I didn't even know I needed to have this talk with her, but I am so glad that Heavenly Father knows me better than I do and knows exactly what I need. 

On the upside, we have a baptism this week as long as everything works out! Her name is E and she's 12. She's so worried that she isn't ready for baptism, and that she has too much to repent of to be baptized.. We're really working to assure her that as long as she is working and striving every day to better herself and her life, and if she truly has that desire to follow the Savior that He has promised us forgiveness for literally everything. What a wonderful gift!! To know that whatever we do, if only we repent, and strive to be better and have that mighty change of heart in our lives we can and will be forgiven for anything and everything. 

Oh and again with the subject, Heavenly Father knows our needs before we do. I had a tough week and received an angel. And then yesterday after church, I was really discouraged about my language again and needed some guidance. I opened my scriptures to a random page and read this in Alma 29--

9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me.

It really hit me. I have been too focused on myself and my struggles rather than the needs of my investigators, and that is why I've been feeling so down on myself. I know that this mission is not about me, I have been called here by the Savior himself, to serve and love these people as He does. Not to focus on myself. I know that I shouldn't be focused on myself, and that I need to trust in the Lord in everything. The glory is not mine so I shouldn't care how good my Portuguese, I need to focus on the needs of my investigators and love them with everything that I am. I know with all my heart that this is my calling of the Lord, to assist in bringing even just one soul home. That my difficulties and burdens will be lightened if I put all my trust in the Lord and do my very very best to fulfill his work. 

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and that we can receive answers from this marvelous book if we just seek them and study the teachings and doctrines of the Savior. I'm so blessed to here and serve as a servant of the Lord, I promise all of you (so you can all hold me accountable), that I will do better to focus on the purpose of my calling rather than myself. I know this is the restored gospel of Christ, and that this is the only way for us to return home to our Father in Heaven again after this life. I love this gospel with everything that I am, and will defend my faith every single day!!! 

I love you all so much and so grateful for my chance to serve the beautiful of Brazil! Wish you all a fanflippingtastic week!!!

Sister Moss

Questions and Answers 

How was your week? My week has been really rough.. literally every lesson I was supposed to be apart of fell through. 

How is the work going? It's alright, a little slow right now. 

Do you have any baptisms scheduled? We have one baptism set up for this Sunday after church if everything works out. Her name is E and she's 12. She's so concerned that she's not prepared for baptism. We have one lesson left to teach her and I hope that she'll start to feel ready for this next step. We're teaching her mom too, but can't be baptized because she's not married but lives with her boyfriend. Which is very common here. No one sees the importance of marriage. It makes baptizing couples much more difficult. 

How's the teaching? Teaching is good. I don't really talk much. I probably teach one part of each lesson and bear my testimony at the end. Kind of frustrating.. 

How's your Portuguese coming along? I don't feel like I'm progressing but people say I get better everyday, I feel like understanding is getting worse but I guess I don't really know. It's been really tough lately momma. 

Have you taught any more English classes? Nope, just the one. 

How's your companion? My companion is amazing! I love her so much. The spirit is so strong when she teaches and testifies. She's such an amazing missionary, I feel very blessed to be working with her. 

When are transfers? Transfers are on July 4 I think or around that.

How was church? Church was good from what I could understand, which was not a whole lot. Yesterday was really tough on understanding. 

What cool things did you do last week? I went on another division with Sister Hansen, have I told you how much I love her?? Because I really do, she's my angel here. No joke. She knows exactly what I need to hear even if I don't know I need it. Again, all the lessons we had in  place for the division fell through but it was nice to get to talk to her and get to know her a little bit more. 

Stake Conference

Hey y'all!!! So this week was kind of special, we had stake conference and President Collioni spoke, and Sister Velasco and I got to help Brad (ward mission leader) teach an English class (he teaches English to basically everyone). Plus all the usual stuff with teaching and working with our members. Really good week! Some difficulties and bumps but that's normal... unfortunately...

Okay so first, stake conference. Not gonna lie, I got a little homesick this week. For some reason for stake conference I got all excited that I'd get to see all of you guys haha! Then I showed up and remembered none of you are in Brazil with me. Kind of really devastating... but stake conference was good nonetheless. At least from what I understood it was good haha. It was really difficult to pay attention, we had C and her little brother A with us and it was very noisy!!! It made it really difficult to pay attention, but I did my best. If I understood correctly each speaker touched on the importance of prayer and that we need to have that connection and relationship with our Father in Heaven. He may already know what's going on in our life, but he wants to hear from us every day. 

Second, teaching English! So it was kind of nice to speak English even though I couldn't think of anything to say in English haha. But we taught a class full of 12-18 year olds who have been studying and learning English anywhere from 2 days to 2 years. We really just got to know them and asked real simple questions but it was really fun. 

Teaching was a little different this week, we did a lot more searching for people than anything else. We got a list a couple weeks ago with people who were baptized but never confirmed, so we've been searching for those people and trying to get them back on track for confirmation or baptism again. We found one who was really interested in going back to church but when we went and picked him up for church he was like he was a totally different person. Super sad to see him turn away from the chance to become more like our Savior... Then just a regular investigator, a mother and daughter. V and E, we taught on Friday night, and V had some questions about why good people suffer so much and feel so much pain. So we taught her the plan of salvation and explained that all people struggle, as much as that sucks everyone suffer with their own difficulties. And that through the endless undying love and mercy of our Savior we can overcome these trials. All we need to do is take that first step of faith and ask for help with our struggles. I know it's difficult to ask for help sometimes because we don't want to feel like a burden, but if we humble ourselves and ask for help, Jesus Christ will help us, and he will lighten our burdens. It's been promised to us, if only we act first and ask. We felt the spirit so strong during this lesson. V was crying and Sister Velasco was on the verge of tears. It was such a good lesson. We committed E to baptism next week and are still working with V for baptism. But I am very optimistic about it. 

You guys, I know with all my heart, that if we just ask for our Savior's help, he will lighten our burdens. He is with us every step of the way. He atoned for our sins and felt every pain and struggle we will ever feel. He knows every bit of pain we have, and with a small act of faith on our part He will without a doubt be there to help us and support us through our struggles. I've seen the blessings of this tiny act of faith, I know that without Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost I would be unable to fulfill my calling as a missionary and representative of Christ. I know that if we just ask, Heavenly Father, our merciful Father in Heaven will bless us with the most amazing help. The help, love, and support of our perfect, loving brother Jesus. 

I love you all, and am so grateful to have you all in my life. Each of you has blessed my life in some way or another and I can't thank you all enough. Have an awesome week, até próximo semana!!!!

com todo o meu amor,

Sister Moss

 

Questions and Answers

 

What did you do? This week we did a lot of searching for people. we got a list of people in our area who were baptized but not confirmed so we were trying to find them and figure out why they never finished the ordinence. 

 

What are you studying in the scriptures right now? Right now I'm studying in 2 Nephi. All in Portuguese so it's a really slow process. But it's really really good. I've decided my favorite thing to do is read about our Savior and his work here on earth and his words to us.

What songs give you peace? I love all hinos!! I really enjoy singing and learning them in Portuguese! 

 

Tell me ALL ABOUT your new companion... So Sister Velasco is amazing!!! I love her!!! She's so fun!! She's from Texas and is a band geek (her words not mine). She did marching band and plays the flute. She's an only child, is 21 and almost 9 months into her mission. She is so direct when teaching, it's awesome! She teaches so well and always by the spirit. I love listening to her teach.

 

What was the hardest thing you had to do this week? The hardest thing this week was probably finding and trying to get in contact with those who were not confirmed. They don't think its important to receive the Holy Ghost... devastating really... 

 

The easiest? The easiest is loving the people, I don't know why it's so easy, but I know these are my brothers and sisters and they need help finding the path home. 

 

Why does every day feel like Christmas in Mossoró? Everyday is like Christmas in Mossoró because there are so many little blessings everyday. Tiny miracles everyday. It's amazing!!!

Package from home

Baptism - Sister Moss and Elder Alves

Sisters Moss and Velasco

My zone

Transfers and an Apostle!!!

Oí Todo Mundo!!!

So this week was definitely a special one! First off, we had transfers, and unfortunately Sister Udagawa was taken from me... She's been called as my STL in Centro with Sister Hansen. So proud of her! She's still in my zone so I'll see her just about every week! Buuuuut, my new companion, Sister Velasco is amazing!!! She's been so helpful with the language already and it's only been like 5 days! She has 8 months on her mission and is from Texas! SHE SPEAKS ENGLISH GUYS!!! Total lifesaver when I don't know how to say things!!! She's super sweet, and plays the flute! We're actually a lot alike. Its kind of really fun!! 

Second, we had the super cool opportunity to go to Natal this week and hear from President Russell M. Nelson!! Really sweet!!! So on Friday night, we stayed the night in the chapel as a zone. Which basically means we sat there all night playing games and hanging out! Really really fun! Then around 3 in the morning we left for Natal! it's a 5 hour bus ride so we basically all slept the whole way. We got to Natal and hung out for maybe an hour before President Nelson got there! I was so happy, I got to see Sister Barney!!!! Man I missed her! 

I really enjoyed what President Nelson talked about but I think what his wife talked about touched me more. She talked a lot about angels and miracles. And how we're not alone in this work, but that we have past ancestors, friends, family on the other side of the veil helping with the gathering of Israel. They're preparing people for ordinances and we're supposed to find their family here on earth to perform those ordinances. That we're supposed to work together with our angels everyday and find the people whose ancestors are pleading and ready for their work to be done. She talked a lot about being exactly obedient too, and that being exactly obedient is what brings the most miracles and allows the spirit to work through us more effectively. Oh also she talked about having the feelings and mind set that every day is Christmas in Natal (Natal means Christmas). She said if we truly want to feel like every day is Christmas we need to focus on the spirit, be exactly obedient and love everyone. Teach and follow the spirit no matter what, and again, with exact obedience these miracles will happen! The whole devotional was really good. 

I know that through exact obedience and being willing to give my everything to serve and love the people here, the Lord will provide miracles. He will help those who are struggling to feel that desire to change and improve. I know that I am not alone in this experience, that I have friends, family, and people I don't know on the other side of the veil watching out for me, protecting me and helping me every step of the way! I know that the Lord is my brother, and is the perfect example for me in everything i do and say. I know that he suffered, lived, and died for all of man kind. So that one day, we will all be able to live with him and our Father in Heaven again. 

 

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and that Joseph Smith translated this wonderful book for us in these Latter-days. I know we have a living prophet on the earth today, and that he has called marvelous men and women to serve along side him. I love this gospel with everything that I am and ever will become. I love the Lord Jesus Christ more than I can put into words and I am so grateful for his sacrifice for me. I am so honored to where his name on my chest everyday, and stand as a witness of his all day everyday! (you don't need a name tag to do that). I love you guys so much and miss you all more than you know!! 

 

Hope everyone has an awesometastical week!! 

Muito amor,

 

Sister Moss