May 31, 2013

I'M FINALLY A MISSIONARY! Can you believe it!? After wanting to serve since I was three, I can finally serve now! After I got my name tag (SO COOL!) and put my luggage in my room, I went straight to class. The teacher only spoke in Portuguese in the classroom. Well, she spoke a little English to help us follow along. We practiced asking and answering questions in Portuguese! I found out I get two companions and I KNOW BOTH OF THEM! One from EFY, and the other from FB page. We're also rooming with two other girls, and i know one from the same FB page! my comps and i are the only sisters in our district! The other sisters are in another district, but we're in the same zone. We all had a large meeting where Pres. Roach spoke and we all sang hymns and heard a musical number. The cafeteria is HUGE! After lunch we went into a little classroom where there's an investigator. They start out by giving us their background, then two missionaries came in to start off the conversations; then it turned to the whole congregation of missionaries to ask questions and / or answer hers / his.

The second investigator was a woman named Barbra. She had a father, who was a survivor of the holocaust, and was an orphan at age 16, so went through many foster homes, and religions. She expressed how she didn't know what God is. Everyone kept trying to explain; then it turned to the three separate beings, and how she was confused on the whole matter. Everyone kept making it so much more confusing for her. so, I raised my hand and received the mic. They paused the scene for a moment to talk about it all; so I said multiple prayers in my heart that I would be able to say something that would touch her and make sense to her. When the time finally turned to me, I explained how Christ's and HF's purpose are one. They are two separate beings, but both have the same purpose. Christ was born on this earth, but through prayers, he knew the will of the Father, which also became his will. She still looked a little confused; so I tried to relate it to her life. (remember, this isn't a real investigator, but acts like one really well). I told her ( her husband's name was Harvey) that her and Harvey picked a house together.  I related how they are both two different people; but they both had one purpose of buying a house together. She really started to understand as she talked back giving a similar example. Then I expressed  how through prayer Christ knew what God wanted. She then related it to when she was buying the home with Harvey and they figured out what each other wanted talking to each other over the phone and how you don't have to be right next to each other. So I started bringing up how she too could know what God's purpose for her was by praying.

We were then stopped and recognized how she would probably be challenged to pray that night, and how intrigued she was. I felt SO happy!

The next day in class our teacher only spoke Portuguese again. (always does). For a 1/3 of the class I was HIGHLY confused! but I did end up learning a lot. I can now somewhat say a prayer inPortuguese! 

On the 24th, we didn't get to have breakfast because we were already lat to class. (starts at 7:45). class seemed to go by really slow! I was pretty confused for the most part. Finally lunch rolled around; and our district made it a goal to only speak Portuguese at lunch...it was pretty quiet. LOL! 

On the 25th I wrote in my diary, "Today was amazing! between praying for help, only talking in Port at lunch and dinner, and TALL, I was able to really understand Carlos in our second lesson! You can NOT tell me there's no such thing as the power of the spirit! It's only been three days, and we have come SO far in learning our language! 

Sacrament meeting is really cool; especially hearing the Sacrament Prayers in Portuguese). My comps and I went to choir..IT’S.HUGE! FYI, on the 24th, we'll be singing in the Marriot center! Elder Hess got his Via two days after he arrived here at the MTC (Mission training center). The sunday night devotional was amazing! Right after the devotional, we watched the recording of Sis. Monson's (Prophet Thomas S. Monson's wife) funeral. She died on May 17th, 2013. It was really beautiful! you could really see the pain in Pres. Monson's face though. He looks so much older = he lost his best friend!  Their daughter, Anna spoke, and she truly just looked upon all the blessings of her mom, and we could all tell she really looked up to her.

Our role play the next day with Carlos (our investigator)started with my comps and I saying a prayer right before the lesson. I was so nervous. Sis Shaw started talking to Carlos and asked if he went to church, he said he did and enjoyed it and liked the sacrament. I didn't quite understand everything they talked about. Sis. Morrilt talked about the atonement, then it was my turn. I explained a little about the atonement, and explained the story about a boy who almost got a whipping , but his older brother took it for him. Afterwards, Sis Shaw started talking a little, but she looked really nervous (later found out that she got the feeling she shouldn't talk about what she had planned). It kind of went forth between Sis Morril and Sis Shaw. They both were unable to really say anything. During this time, my heart was pounding. It started out small, then started to grow. The pounding got harder and harder. I kept getting the thought to bare my testimony. That was NOT in our lesson plan. Eventually, it just went WHACK! And I felt like I was going to explode! Tears were even forming in my eyes.

 I started (all in port) that I don't know a lot of port, but I do know that this church is true, and that what we were saying is true. The English words were mostly the same words over and over. And he helped me. I then went on about how important this gospel is to me, and that I don’t know where I would be without it. I testified to him that I have prayed to HF and he really helps me; and that I know if he prays about what God wants, and prays to know if this church is true, he will get an answer. I was crying every now and then throughout  my testimony. The gift of tongues is TRUE! IT'S REAL!

Overall, Carlos decided to get baptized, and stop drinking coffee.

Anyways, I'm out of time, 

I get to go to the temple today!!!! SO EXCITED!

i LOVE my district, and my comps!

Hope to talk to all of you soon! Thanks!

~Sis Thomas