What to do?

So I don't know what I'm going to do when I get home, I've been praying but I just don't know. I think it's to late to apply for the fall semester at BYU I miss that window of oppritunity-sigh-I don't know can you find out about that stuff for me BYU's ASU NAU I think that's all I have a desire to go to. I don't know I'm thinking I want to come home and earn money-so I can travel some more-some things just don't change-but come home and work and take Painting and drawing classes--I don't know it's really not fun to think about the real world again. Well have a great week, don't spoil those grandchildren of yours too much.

The Weather!

So it’s getting quite warm here, in the day at least which doesn’t help because Coimbra is all uphill, the weather here, is actually a lot like the weather in Arizona, it just rains more here. Now that I got talking about the weather out of the way we can get on to the more serious stuff. Actually talking about the weather is good it helps break the ice a lot—I love contacting because you never know what’s going to happen or what will be said it’s always an adventure, but on the other hand it’s so hard to get started. Anywho I have a story about contacting and talking about the weather. I went up to a lady and was like Tudo Bem –All is well? She immediately said no and I was like all is not well, and she was all I’m not interested. I was ready to move on and then I. Svedin started talking about the weather to her and we basically moved on to talk about a good amount of other subjects but then tied in the Gospel, she’s an atheist and didn’t want a pamphlet but we eventually in the end, ended up giving it to her, so that was our success. We have a goal from our zone leaders to make 8 contacts each day, so we’ve been pretty loyal keeping to that, I know that we’ll be blessed from doing that.

Pedro Miguel

We finally were able to go visit Pedro Miguel again which was nice, we found out he’ll be getting out in November, his mom was like can he be baptized when he gets out?! We were like yeah, well he needs to talk to Priesthood authorities first but yeah, so that was great, he accepts it all and he really is a good decent person just made bad decisions which robbed him of his agency.

The Bugs are Killing Me!

We had a really good lesson with DJC he’s sick of his life right now, he just wants to go to Africa, so it’s a good thing that we had a lesson on the Atonement with him, it was Elder Holland’s talk I stand all Amazed at the Love Jesus Offers me or something like that. It was really good and I was impressed with I. Svedin she was really frank and direct with him, that’s something I’m still striving for. He was baptized and not confirmed so he’s not really a member, and he’s been telling us he has no desire to go to church, which is frustrating, because his wife is a sweetheart that works too much and it’s just not healthy for their family. Other than that we’ve been having adventures getting lost in the woods trying to find less active members-you missionaries with cars I hate you all!! Ha ha just kidding. I’m still being eaten a live by I don’t know what now, but there’s no rest >_> I. Helena said they like American blood here, kill me now.

I Love My Mission! :)

I love it here in Coimbra I love the mission, I am so richly blessed I know this I find great joy in it. I was thinking about my favorite song it says ‘Never can I repay thee Lord but I can Love Thee’ and it’s so true we can’t repay Him for what He did, then the line in I’m a child of God struck me ‘If I but learn to do His will, I will live with Him once more.’ And that’s so true that’s our whole purpose here on earth is to learn how to do/live the will of our Father and that’s how we show our love for Him by doing His will and keeping His commandments. There that’s my little lesson for the day. Carnival is going on right now, it’s like a glorified Halloween that lasts for 5 days little kids go around every where walking around in their costumes-they do other things but I’m not quite sure what, it’s not quite like Halloween though where we focus more on the gory, scary horror ghost, and all things creepy. They just dress up in like nicer random crazy costumes. It’s interesting the different cultures. Well that’s about it for now. I love you all thanks for your support, letters and love you are all examples to me and I hope you have a fantastic week and remember who it is that we put our trust in. Heart the Irmã Evans

Pictures from Coimbra

We got "8" candles for the New Year!

Bowling for Irma Polito's last P-Day. The other girls is Juliana-she is from Brazil.

Josiane & son-hopefully she'll have a desire to be baptized soon. (Also Brazilian)

Irma Evans & Polito

Irma Evans and Irma Polito on Christmas at a ward member's house. They were rich for Portugal.

"I want MORE! I was a good girl this year!" :)

I got in trouble for being on top of a column-stupid Portugal!

This is Conimbriga - the center of Portugal and a lot of ancient ruins.

More ruins

and yet again more ruins in Conimbriga.

Glory to God!

Drownding Sorrows with Chocolate Cake

This week really was not the greatest for numbers and progressing investigators so I felt slightly deflated last night so Irmã Svedin and I drowned our sorrows in chocolate cake, it's really good and easy to make, she cooks it in the microwave, I'm going to have to still her recipes before she leaves, I'm really wondering if I'm going to kill her off, that means I'll have killed off both of my American comps-I don't know we'll see. So even though the week wasn't all that great, we got canceled on and all that other stuff, I was fed, First off we had Zone Conference, which is always good, it was my first time in the south, which is a lot different, there's not that many missionaries in this zone and I only have to take a 15 minute bus ride to get there. Anywho as always it was very good and I learned a lot like about damnation--go to the bible dictionary and read what it says about it, and you'll find out there are varying degrees of damnation like salvation, and President told us it was like a dam, that it's not like all fire and brim stone but daming is cutting off and limiting the flow and progression of things, it's the same as in the scriptures, so when your reading the scriptures now keep that in mind. Then we had Elder Kopishike-I can't spell that of the 70 and his wife they're from Germany and he has an amazing American accent, amazing, anywho she was so cute because she was very excited/nervous and took off not allowing the translator to translate.

Time with Elder Bednar

Then I had two great nights of Elder Bednar, where we learned that in the church we like to teach that there were two plans Christ and Satan, but this is wrong, there is one plan Heavenly Fathers and we had two choices and then he went on to explain to us more about agency and really we don't have agency once we make covenants. It's like going to BYU-I and keeping the honor code you sign away your right to choose, but convenants bless us and make us happy, so really people don't have their free agency, it was awesome, he's like you do you think you have a choice on whether you pay your tithing or not-YOUR WRONG-you have to pay your tithing. He's awesome it's interesting hearing it translated, because if you miss it once you get a second chance to hear it again, but it takes a lot longer. Apostles are amazing they have such a way of teaching like he talked all about covenants to be like you need to pay your tithing, and he applied the Atonement on member missionary work--that if you don't open your mouth and share the goodness of the Gospel with your friends and neighbors then you're not really converted. He shared a story about his son, and how when he was little he scrapped himself but they let him and the older brother take care of it, the older brother cleaned his scrape with soap and water and it burned the younger one and he cried then he put ointment and band-aides all up and down his arm, but he said was the funny thing was afterwards when he was healed and felt better he went and took the bandaides and ointment and put it on all his friends to make them feel better and happy, he applied that to the Atonement and sharing the Gospel, the sad thing is I have crappy eye sight--I gave up my seat in the choir--and couldn't really see him, and I never got to shake his hand, stinking Elders-it was all very good and an enjoyable weekend as we got to be with more members from the stake and I saw some of the members from Guimarães ^^ like Domingos and another convert family invited us for sandwitches-Berta and Marlene-I don't know if I talked about them but I. Svedin and E. Mortensen were there so it was like old times. We are so blessed to have apostles and prophets in our days they have the keys of the priesthood and they recieve revelation for us-so you heed the council of your stake presidents and bishops.

Read the Scriptures

I know this is the church of Jesus Christ he is our corner stone and Joseph is our apostolic link to Him. So there's more but I can't remember it. This church is so true, I am so simple I know but that's what it goes down to this church is true, and there is but one truth. You're either apart of it or your not. I want to be a soilder for Christ I want to help and fight for the elect and bring them to the truth 2 Timothy 2 The scriptures are amazing and true--READ THEM--I'm using command form with you--okay that's not so funny in English but don't forget we can't be saved in ignorance. I love you all and hope you had a fabulous holiday. Amo-vos!

Pics from Coimbra

Is this a self portrait?

Missionaries in Coimbra

Abus and Irma Polito

Something is Eating Me! :(

Oh mama I'm being eaten alive here, 76 bites, I'm going insane, I'm washing and everything, I've been waking up every night scratching, I say a prayer and then go back to sleep that has been the routine, it might turn into a habit, who knows. Well sadly I really have nothing to report this week, I'm doing well, I still love Coimbra, I love the people and life, I should have more to report next week so I'm going to send you pictures instead okay.

Ate It Again! :(

So being with the same companion in a different area is completely crazy, but wonderful, because we're already accustomed to one another, and it's great to see the growth we've made from when we last served together. So this last week was much better than the one before that's for sure. Coimbra is great, plenty of work to do, just the way I like it, it's been rainy and cold but the Lord is merciful and every Saturday we've had sun so that we can play soccer with our investigators and member, and this Saturday I ate ball hard, I didn't even see it coming, it was horrible I felt like I just ate pavement that's how hard it was kicked, so my pride and my nose are both bruised.

Humbling Experience

I love the mission it's so humbling, in so many different ways. I've been thinking a lot lately about the will of the Lord, because we know how to recieve answers and blessings from the Lord, keep the commandments, have faith, fast and pray, and recieve Priesthood blessings-that's basically it, and sometimes the Lord does heal and make us whole through that, but sometimes that doesn't work and it's a great trial of faith, learning and patience. The one thing we can count on whatever our trial maybe is that the Lord will give us comfort and that he won't leave us alone. So this week has been interesting, it's crazy how much the feel of an area changes when one person leaves, but I'm growing and talking to people on the phone in Portuguese...sort of...sigh...my language is a lot better than when I was crying about it 2 months ago, but I still have a ways to go.

The Work!

So now on to what you all have been waiting for—the work—yay so we went to visit Paulo our medical school student, and he had two friends there, so they all got to learn about the Plan of Salvation, it was good, but our member with us, gets a little excited and starts going of f topic, and onto diffent things in the church, so remember if you go out with the missionaries, keep it simple and bear testimony. Anywho, the next day we get a call from a less active asking us to come over, that was shocking because that never happens, turns out she tried killing herself for attention, so we have been paying attention to her this week-it's hard because, I'm new to the area and we only visited her once before, so I felt bad we didn't go back sooner. We got out and about contacting people in the street, that was fun too, also found out doubts of our investigators like Josianne, her husband and two children our members, and we found out the real reason is she doesn't believe in Joseph Smith and that's basically what it all boils down to, people need that simple testimony and belief that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Jessica didn't come to church infelizment, sigh.

Awesome Week Coming

This week should be awesome with Elder Bednar coming I'm so excited, we have Zone Conference tomorrow, and then stake Conference for 2 days.So I'll have more to report next week, sadly none of our investigators are really progressing this week-we're still trying to get to know everyone. It was awesome though last night we went to a members house and our recent convert was there, and it was awesome because she was bluntly telling her you have to pay tithing I have such a testimony of tithing and talking about the blessings, and all, and she was also like you need to come to all of church—I love when the members do our job.

Heart My Mission

I love being on the mission, I'm glad so glad I made the desicion to go on one, it's changed me for the better and I know will keep thank goodness I have 5 months to approvatar minha tempo, and learn the language better. I love the Portuguese people. I love the Gospel, it's just so wonderful, words can not describe my joy. This church is so true, I just can't get over that beautiful fact.

Pics from Guimaraes and Vizela

Hard is Good?

Coimbra is good though, it just got a bit harder, but I still like it here. This week should be better than last. I love you so much and I'm so grateful for all you do and how much the Lord blesses me and our family. Thanks for your last words I need to read that evey once and a while. Keep me posted on Travis and Stephanie.

Baagh Transfers :(

I don't like transfers, they just mess everything up. Life just got a lot harder, but it's good I'm much better at handling it this time. I read this article about trials in an Ensign, Bonnie D. Parken talked about Joseph in Egypt and how he saw the reason for his tribulation, anywho with that story in mind she said with her husband they served a mission in England, he was the mission president anyway, she went deaf in one ear, she said through the experience she was upset, and afraid, and she was more like Josephs brothers when they found the money in there sacks and asked why is this happening to me. She said later on in life she realized how much she was blessed and how much she grew from it, I'm feeling kind of like that now. It's so weird serving with I. Svedin again in a completely different area and me being in charge, the mission is a funny thing.

I Am Growing (not in height)!

I miss I. Polito, this is good though I'm growing in so many different ways, calling people on the phone, making appts. and decisions, yeah I know, it's taken me this long to finally do all that. You all know me I like to rely heavely on people, sigh, it only took me a year. Speaking of that I can't believe I hit my year mark on Friday, it certainly does fly by. So everyone is getting prepared for Elder Bednar, it's exciting, the Portuguese are funny they found out his favorite hymn so we sang it in Relief Society and twice in sacrament meeting. It's amazing how a new companion changes the dynamics of an area, it's good but in some ways I just wasn't ready to loose Irmã Polito yet, my language has gone down a notch--I keep thinking about Ty Hansen but still a year later my language is still very bad, good compared to people who speak it, but for a missionary it is muito mau T_T So the work, Jessica came and played futebol with us on Saturday, the Lord answered my prayer and there was sun. I wasn't on my best game....I miss baseball.

Hard Work

This week was hard on the work, but we had a really good lesson with Jessica and I can see the changes in her, it's fun to see that. We talked about why we love Christ and the spirit was really strong and she said she'd go to church...she didn't go to church...we got on her about that last night and she penciled it in for next Sunday so we shall see. I. Polito got permission to come back to Coimbra for Elder Bednar and so I'll be excited to tell Jessica that she's going to come back. For that weekend. There's this other family, they're all Brazilians they're the Elders investigators but we help out because normally there isn't a man in the house, anywho one is a Less Active and the rest of her family is now investigating, they play soccer with us and we have great lessons with them and they came to church yesterday, I was so happy. It was pretty sad because when it was time for Gospel Principals we had no one, and there were four dejected missionaries, but we were blessed, one of our investigators showed up, then a less active family came and brought a investiagtors, and then the other family came so we were very blessed.

Good-bye to Irma Polito

Oh you can not believe how hard it was to watch I. Polito say good-bye to everyone, everyone here loves her, I can tell you I haven't won my way into there hearts like that yet, it was hard to watch that and them, because she really didn't want to go.It was fun to catch up with I. Svedin and it's crazy being with an American again, I wonder if I'll kill her off, I killed off my last American comp. I don't know all I know is there's a lot of new sisters coming, it's weird that means I'll be training, probably, NOOOO oh well come what may and love it, go forward with faith, I love this Gospel I love all of you and for the examples you have been to me, truly this is happiness and oh I'll just finish it, life eternal to know Thee the one true God and Jesus Christ whom though hast sent, I like that scripture a lot, also the 3 verse in 'How Great thou Art' it's not the same in Portuguese, so tragic. Well that's about it from me this week. I love you all, prayer is wonderful, so do it.