Oi familia e amigos!
Funny story from the week! We learned the word "que droga" which means oh darn or what drugs in Portuguese, but most people use it as oh darn in Brazil! So, we have been saying it a lot this week! Oops, we were told by a teacher that it's a SWEAR WORD in Brazil! Now, I don't know why somebody didn't tell us before then, but we have learned our lesson that you do not say words you don't know :)
Como vai? How are all of you doing? You know that I really only hear from one or two of you, so if you ever have time to drop a note it would be greatly appreciated! Just so you know I am already four weeks into the MTC! I will be either getting my visa or my reassignment in the next two weeks, so I will let you all know once I know! This week has been more difficult than other weeks for me because I truly have very little personal time, but I love love love spending my extra time working with the other sisters in our zone! I just love them so much with all of my heart! The Spirit has worked through me in so many ways, so that I would know what to say to help these girls when they are in need. Also, my district was split up this last week. It was probably the saddest thing ever! I have only been with my district for three weeks, but I already feel like they are my brothers and sisters. I just love them so much and cannot imagine leaving them! I was not expecting to be this close to them! Anyways, some things have been happening here. Our district was split in half and five of us were put with an older district and two new teachers which was just terrifying because the older district is two weeks ahead of us and they have much better Portuguese! The Lord obviously has an idea about these things though :) So, I now have a new district with 20 people and 2 new teachers! But, 3/4 of our new district is leaving on Tuesday since they got their reassignments today! So, we will be a district of five people and I have no idea how that is going to work out! Our old district may be put in with us again?? We have no idea!
Last week we also got to do TRC for the first time and it was SO MUCH FUN! We just talk to random members who speak Portuguese and we basically do like a visiting teaching message and share an experience that we have had that might help them. It was so neat because there was no stress of teaching someone new, we just got to talk about normal things in Portuguese and I loved it! Also, on Sunday I had three meetings which took up all of my extra time when I wasn't at mission conference and Sacrament meeting. It was the first of the month, so we had fast sunday! We didn't eat for 24 hours which I normally do, but to do it with everyone in the MTC and then to have a huge MTC conference with the MTC President, Lon B. Nally speaking to us was just so amazing! I felt the spirit so strongly and I am always so rejuvenated on Sundays! I can just really think about my purpose for serving a mission and why I am here!
We started teaching two new investigators this week, Jaime and Junior. Both are super different. One already knows everything about the gospel and pretty much shut us down about everything that we said! It was so frustrating to try and defend my religion, but I didn't have the words to tell him what he needed to hear. All I could do in the end was bear my testimony. I was pretty upset after that meeting, but I also realized that this was a learning experience and that the Lord was trying to teach me something. I won't always have the answers and sometimes all I can do is testify. Jaime is what we call a golden investigator, he knows something is wrong in his life, but he doesn't know what. He wants to change and he really believes the gospel is true. We had an amazing lesson with him and really felt the spirit with what we were teaching. \
Another neat experience happened this week, we are studying the third lesson in Preach My Gospel about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and my teachers decided for some ridiculous reason that I would be the role play investigator while they taught me the lesson and how to teach the third lesson IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE CLASS! I mean I have only been speaking and listening to Portuguese for three weeks! I could not believe that they wanted me to go up there! I ended up telling everybody I was from Canada and that I had only lived there for twenty minutes! Everybody was laughing and I was beet red! From there, the lesson did go better, but it was so nerve-wracking and I was so nervous the whole time! It made me realize how little Portuguese I know and how much I need to study so hard!
Tuesday night we had David F. Evans speak to us at devotional and it was phenomenal! My mind was seriously blown topsy turvey! He just talked about the revelation that has been received in the last year for missionaries and how the work is hastening and the Lord has his hand in everything! We are already at 85,000 missionaries in the field, is that not amazing! When a few short months ago we were only at 58,000! Oh, you should all go and read Jacob 5 and apply the last twenty verses to the Latter days because you will be amazed at the symbolism. The servant of the vineyard asks not for more time, but FOR MORE SERVANTS! HELLO! Thomas S. Monson lowering the age and calling for more servants which are the MISSIONARIES! Just think about it okay :) The church is so true and I am so grateful for it! I have to say that my Portuguese is doing alright, I am super worried about being reassigned state side and losing all my language, but I am trying my best to work hard and retain Portuguese!
I am just so grateful for this amazing opportunity that I have to serve a mission and share the gospel with people! I know this church is true and I know that it can and does change lives if you let it. Love you all and thanks for your support!
Sister Brotherson
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