Blessings

Oh my precious mother and dear sister, it stinks to be away from you two right now, it truly sinks, but the Lord is kind and has comforted me a lot, it's been really difficult to be away at this time, but I know there's a purpose and a reason for everything and this week was actually pretty busy so I didn't focus on it to much. I love you two both so much and I hope you are doing well. I guess D&C 58 is really good for right now. I am so glad to hear all is well and that he is doing so much better and breathing on his own what a great relief to my poor little soul. The Lord is blessing me though and I feel His love and just I'm grateful for how blessed he is, also D&C 31 helped, the part where it says and your family shall live ^^ I just love the scriptures. Well have a great turkey day and I'll try not to be thinking about being away from home. You know you're in my prayers I love you both sooo much. Have a wonderful week.

Braga-ed Out! :D

I basically spent all of last week on a bus-good times and great oldies, not really I’ve been to Braga like 4 times in the past 6 days, I’m all Bragaed out, but wait there’s more, we’re going to celebrate Thanksgiving together as a zone with food, football, and a program of some sort I don’t know. Anywho we had Zone Conference on Tuesday and that was a lot of fun and really good too. We had Elder Wander or something like that, he’s from Austria, anywho he talked about goal setting and expectations and as always zone conferences are a good pump up and a good time to re-evaluate what my purpose and role is here on a mission.

Irma Evans, The Planter

This week was actually really good and I was able to go back to Braga on a division and see the progress of investigators that my comp and I found and started teaching back in May. Also I like the Irmã I was with Irmã Souza she’s from Brazil and learned English on the mission but I was able to speak more of my tragic Portuguese with her so it was great practice. She’s awesome though and we had a great night, it’s so weird continually going back to Braga, its good it’s nice being able to watch the seeds that I planted grow. I’m so a planter, I have less than 8 months to work on being something else. Wow how it humbles you speaking in a different tongue, that’s all I have to say on that subject.

A Change.

This week was also kind of hard because there has been a change in the weather and sickness has struck, but not so horrible that it has deterred the work. We went to Vizela on Thursday and taught a man the Plan of Salvation in the park out in the cold, so that was fun, we really need to get members involved with his teaching so we can do it inside in the warmth. Really this past week was good, last Monday was hard, with the news of Matty, but I felt the Lord comforting me telling me it will all be okay, especially when I read mom and Carrie’s letter I felt a great peace, and that little one is in my prayers and I’m praying with all my heart that he’ll be okay and get out of the hospital and be healthy. Oh speaking of prayer we had a neat experience.

I Believe in Miracles!

On Saturday we went to Braga for a street meeting, I was able to draw the Plan of Salvation with side walk chalk again, that made me feel good I feel I can better contribute that way and using my talents is always great. Anyway we had a sack of things that the other Irmã left at our casa, and I had a sweater and a book in there too. Well the Irmãs de Braga were sick and so they didn’t come and my companion spaced bringing the sack back, I thought the Elders de Braga knew about it but they didn’t and we called them and they had no idea where it was and they even checked back. Well of course my comp felt awful, for forgetting it, and losing other peoples things. So we both prayed about it and I did have faith that it would turn up. Well the next day we get a call, the Elders did another street meeting there on Sunday and the man that cleans up the park are whatever it is gave it to the Elders and was like they left this here can you give it to them. So yay a little miracle I do believe in miracles yes I do.

Great Work.

Oh I love this church, I love the scriptures and just lately I’ve been pondering on how true it is and just how important it is to let others know that. I’m grateful to be a part of this great work and to help Portugal grow; being here only makes me incredibly grateful for what I have back at home. I hope Matthew is doing better I hope you all are okay. I love you all so much. So have a Happy Thanksgiving to one and all. I know Joseph Smith was and is a prophet I know Jesus Christ is our Savior, King, Redeemer, friend and older brother. He loves us and has given us everything. Again I love you all, enjoy your Thanksgiving such a fixe holiday.

Sweet is the Work!

Well I’m definitely being blessed because this past week has been different than most of my time here in Guimarães, dinner appointments and investigators and investigators that come to church. Hmm where to start where to start, how about from the beginning.Monday-everything fell through and I was like oh snap-but it was good we went to visit the less actives in our ward. We went to Gloria, I don’t know if I’ve told you about her but she has much pride and was offended and basically her way of thinking is wacked, anywho she has much pride and we didn’t leave her off very well last time when I. Svedin was still here, anyway she let us in and you could just feel the animosity and hate it was gross and awkward, but we sang her a hymn and left a little message and that brought the spirit back, I like those experiences because you can really tell the difference and taste the sweetness the spirit brings.

Trust in the Lord

Tuesday- We went for our first appointment with our JW and wow, she has much pride too, and is very much a JW, but I know the Lord put her in our path for a reason. Can an ex-communicated JW go back? I don’t know how it works for them. Anyway she’s really nice and has fun open personality, she loves to talk and she loves to learn and she came to church and brought her husband it was wonderful. Anywho it was frustrating because my language is lacking and my comps gospel knowledge is lacking, but it was fun to go home and find scriptures and all that good stuff to show her next time. I know it’s all about showing love, listening and making sure the spirit is present, and trusting in the Lord that is the only way we’ll be able to do this. Because she is so very JW sigh, but she is an investigator none the less. Then we had dinner with our old bishop, they’re Bulgarian and stinking SMART, but they’re fun and they’re a taste of what home is like of course we started talking about America and the humbling process going on with what a second depression coming on, I don’t know is it really all that bad over there, that’s one thing I like about the mission, no focusing on that stuff and worrying. I do love the Gospel though because we know that whatever happens if we put our trust and confidence in the Lord He will see us through and give us comfort and strength.

The Spirit and Change

Wedensday-We went to Antonio Lobo´s he’s African and I love going there because there´s always a good feeling in their home, and he came to church too yay! Thursday we watched Finding Faith in Christ with our Neighbor and the spirit was so strong, but she’s like a 70 year old lady and I know she’s feeling something but she doesn’t want to change—SIGH! That’s what most the sentiment is here in Guimarães, because the old people will talk to you but they’re not going to change. We got fed again by members so that was nice.

It Was a Great Day :-)

Friday-We went to Porto for interviews and that was basically my day, exciting I know. Saturday was awesome we had some one that we contacted in Vizela call us back-that like never happens and he was there where he said he was going to be and we taught him and yay we have another meeting with him. Plus we saw Gracielle, she said she prayed but she didn’t receive and answer yet >.> and Alexandria didn’t ditch out on our appt. her brother was in an accident and so she was at the hospital. We got back and had a magusta with our ward, that’s like a chestnut roasting, chestnuts are really big here. Anywho it was fun kids that came to play soccer came and joined in and they loved don’t eat pete-we were in charge of games. Then we went to Lionilde again and boy can that lady talk wow.

Our Life is Rich

Sunday I gave a talk on prayer and church was good, and we went to Christina it’s so sad they’re family has no money and they’re Romanian, and she just has a really difficult life but she’s a very good person and spunky, she’s 16 it’s going to be hard to teach her because she doesn’t understand gospel vocabulary in Portuguese. She basically learned Portuguese by listening to people talk. All I know is I’m so forever grateful for the home I had how rich I am so rich, I miss that wonderful home like none the other but I wouldn’t trade what I’m experiencing for anything. You are all so wonderful and I thank you all for your support. I know this church is true that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet and that Jesus is the Christ the only way back to our Father.

I Love the Autumn Here!

Missionaries in Guiamares

Hump Day

For those of you who know and love Aubs, you will get a kick out of what she said about her Hump Day package.

The first package was great but that second one completely threw me off I was like what the...did she forget something..but no my hump day YAY I LOVE that camel love it, it's my blanket replacement, I miss my blanket terribly I'll let you know ora bem.

Blessings

So this week seemed to drag on unbelievably long, but we were blessed and my testimony just grows stronger and stronger of this gospel. Monday-we were waiting for a bus to go to a recent converts and a man came up to us and started talking to us, it was a complete shock, that just doesn’t happen, sadness though, our bus came at that moment, but we left him our number and a pamphlet boy do I love those things. We had a good time we watched Finding Faith in Christ with her, and that movie always brings the spirit and makes me think of different things about our Saviors life. Then she showed us a CD she had with the hymns in Portuguese, that’s a hot commodity here, because you can’t get them in Portuguese. One of the missionaries gave it to her; it was Brazilian Portuguese oh well.

Rejection

Tuesday-we won’t talk about Tuesday >.> Nor Wednesday, nor even really Thursday, let’s just say none of our investigators wanted to talk to us this week or keep their appointments. Well actually Wednesday night was awesome, we went to a less active member’s house and watched the Restoration, they’re from Africa, anywho I think it touched him and his mom watched it with us, she’s a sweet lady and said she liked it a lot. The spirit was present and just a warm and happy feeling was there. I love Joseph Smith and I love the Restoration, everything about it, it so true and it makes so much sense.

New Investigator

Friday, we went with the Elders to Domingos, we had to take a bus, when we got there he said he didn’t know if a bus came at the time we were planning on going back so we were like oh great. So we walked there anyway and were waiting when this lady came up to us and started talking with us. She told us she was a JW for 20 years and got excommunicated and that when she was in Maia she went to our church but she moved and didn’t know there was one close by. So yay new investigator, I do believe she has a lot of hang ups, so we’ll see what her story is. I was just thinking earlier that day, because we had a really hard time contacting people were just not nice, and I was thinking about the ram in the thicket, that when we show our faith the Lord will provide He will I have a testimony of that. So another blessing from the Lord she asked us if we wanted a ride back, so we all shoved in the back seat of her car, I got to sit on my companions lap.

Golden Opportunity

Saturday-Gracielle hates us T_T we were on the bus and we get a texts saying that the appt. didn’t work, but we were on the bus and I’m like we can do other things in Vizela. When we were ready to leave, we were walking through the park and I found a wallet, and I’m like we need to do something with this, let’s take it to the police, there wasn’t any information in it though, and it was basically chump change, so we were pondering what to do, so we went and asked the bolo shop man, where the police station was, and on the way we looked in another compartment and found a recite with a man´s name and a road, so that’s where it began we asked an old man who tried but had to call a friend over, that friend led us to the police station, the police man told us to go back and ask someone cause the road was back where we were, so we asked a lady and she wasn’t from Vizela so we asked a man who told us, it was a long road so we asked men in a café and they were no help so we knocked on a door to see if they knew him, she didn’t and asked her neighbor and then she led us up to where she thought he lived, no one was home so she knocked on a neighbors door and the lady came out and showed us the real house she knocked but no answer so we went to another neighbor and she went and knocked and finally the owner of the wallet was found. Yay about 12 more people had contact with the church. Seriously though, it’s all about doing little acts of service to open people’s hearts because they are so Catholic here and very very closed off, not open to anything. So that was fun.

This and That From Portugal

Sunday-We had Stake Conference; it was wonderful to be with a bunch of Mormons again, it was fun to see the other missionaries and the members from Braga. We also inherited a new investigator from the Elders so you’ll hear about her more next week. So the scripture that hit me this week was in D&C 58 about Zion’s camp, after much tribulations cometh the blessings. I love you all so very much I know my Savior lives and that the Atonement is real that as we apply it and think about it, it will heal us. I love all of you so much thank you for the support and love you give. You all rock have a wonderful week.

Another 6 Weeks in Guimaraes!

Eu vou ficar em Guimarães por mais 6 semanas. Sigh that’s a lot of time in one city, but the Lord knows best-pois-sigh. I’m both happy and sad, it’s means no packing, I still know who and where everything is, I’m accustomed to my comp, and yeah. Tragedy is it’s the same old stuff, and I’m going to leave a week before Christmas, that’s when the next transfer is ….Anywho obviously I haven’t found who I’m suppose to here, or the Lord is being very kind to me allowing me to stay with my comp who is fluent in both languages, that’s a great blessing. The language, ha ha yeah it’s still taking a while. I keep having disturbing dreams where I’m at home but I really don’t know the language all that well, I keep having them it’s not helping with my psyche or whatever that word is.

Halloween in Guimaraes

So I was able to keep with the tradition of Halloween this year, going door to door ^^ I know that’s why we celebrate that pagan holiday, its good preparation for the mission or at least how the only three trick or treaters I saw here. They don’t really celebrate Halloween here, it’s here but nowhere compared to the USA. Anywho we saw 2 witches and a ghost and we were walking and they came up to us and asked us for candy, we gave them pass a long cards^^ Then an old lady was like “They came here last year asking for candy, I didn’t have any so I gave them cookies and a cake” it was funny but that was it for trick or treaters. They celebrate Dia dos Santos, it’s a flower vender holiday, there were flowers everywhere and everyone goes to the cemetery, it’s to remember your dead day, basically.

I am Irma Beckett for Halloween ! Lame, I know but what can a missionary do?

Silver Linnings!

Okay Saturday was the day of amazement because every other day, was just sad, all our new investigators didn’t want to talk to us, and Linda basically told us not to come back, SIGH I was really sad after that, oh well we will persevere. Anywho finally FINALLY after a month of going to Vizela we caught Gracielle at home and watched the Restoration with her, the spirit was present and we had a good lesson, and it was wonderful, pray for her that she’ll receive an answer-porfavor! We also started talking to this one lady who I thought she was another lady, turned out back in June we knocked her door but we couldn’t go in. So she knew my companions but I didn’t know who she was, she seemed really interested to have us, we were going to show her the Restoration, but her husband started freaking out and yelling, and it was bad, but she said we could come back, she has an adorable little son. Then after getting back from Vizela we helped a lady walk up a mountain with her groceries, we had a good lesson with her while walking and talking, she was very open that’s kind of a rarity here, a happy person she was, that’s a rarity too.So yes another 6 weeks in Guimarães, it will be good.

My Testimony is Growing

I still have much to improve upon that’s for sure. My relationship with the Lord is growing stronger and stronger, I love that about the mission and just learning about life in general and finally growing up in a way ^^ of course I’m still pathetic in a lot of ways oh well. I know more than anything else in this world that this is the only true church on the earth, that’s its Christ church and it’s the only way to everlasting happiness. That it’s good and true and wonderful, I am so grateful that I was born in America, what a blessing. I know that President Monson is the prophet today and what a blessing he is. I know Joseph Smith was and is a prophet that the Book of Mormon is true and the best book on the earth. I know my Father lives that He knows each one of us personally, and that Christ is my Savior Redeemer and King. I’m so grateful that He is my advocate. That is my testimony and it will just keep growing-YAY. I love and miss you all. Read Jesus the Christ, it’s amazing, you just have to get past chpt. 6 and it all flows from there. Again I love you and miss you all.
Random picture that Aubrey sent of Irma Svedin and Irma Evans and friends.