week 7 . no catchy title

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Another week in Brazil! It is crazy how fast this last week flew by! The days feel long sometimes when it’s around 2 and we're traipsing around in the bajillion degree heat, but I'm almost always surprised by how quickly the hours and days pass. I've got to take advantage of every moment!

So much more happens during the week now that I'm out in the field so I tried to make a list of things I wanted to write you guys about, I know I forgot some things, but I'll do my best to touch on everything.

animals :: I’ve already had a few "I’m not in Kansas (the US) anymore" moments here in Brazil. One of those being seeing just the most random animals wandering through the roads. The other day I saw like 7 cats, 2 dogs, a goat, and a horse just chilling. And I saw 3 donkeys wandering around too! Sister Garcia says it's normal! But I do love that literally the entire area is just covered in cats. It's aMEOWzing!

marquinos :: So you know Albert from 17 miracles? (aka superb!) Well we have an investigator who is like him, He's this little guy and he has the same high little voice as Albert. But he speaks Portuguese so I can never understand him. The first time we taught him the spirit was SO powerful. He just really needs to understand that he is a son of God! He has a lot of confidence issues, and I think he feels pretty unloved since his mom passed away. And he almost got baptized but the last time we went over there he just told us that he doesn't want to go to church, he doesn't want to be baptized. . . heartbreaking. Because he KNOWS it's true. He definitely knows. But he's too afraid to follow through and that just killed me. That moment was harder than not understanding the language, than walking all day in the heat, than everything. To watch someone who knows this is true reject it. . . I hated that. But we're hoping that with some time (and hopefully prayer) he will realize what he needs to do and we can keep teaching him. 

americana:: People, I'm like a superstar here! I've been asked to speak English a billion times, and people call me a Barbie every other day haha. A member even thinks that I'm blonde. What? haha. And there was this 12 year old boy, Thiago, who just loved me. Like wanted to hug me, and kept calling me "querida" (dear) and touching my arm and asking me how many states are in the US? Have I ever met an actor? Am I a model or an actress? Have I ever been to Hollywood? etc. hahahha 

food :: Mostly pretty good! Lot's of rice and beans though! Good thing I like that though. Oh but at one lunch there was a dead fly mixed into my food. I casually picked it out with my fork, moved it to the side of the plate, and kept eating. Brazil! And I LOVE THE AÇAI HERE. Love love love it. I ate literally a half liter of it the other day. Love. [mom note: I'm sure this is a relief to her since she loves a good Bowl of Heaven Seasisder.] Also we're being fed sooo much. We have a "painha" (like a dad) and an "avo" (grandma) who feed us all the time. And painha reminds me of Uncle Jeff haha. Also there is a boy in our ward who literally looks like a Brazillian version of Luke. Glasses and all. I cry every time I see him haha. 

transportation :: There are basically no rules when it comes to driving here, or if there are nobody obeys them. So cars and motos are all over the place. And the other day when we were going to centro (like downtown) for a zone meeting instead of taking a bus there's people who just pick people up for 2 reais [mom note: 84 cents] And I'm fairly certain they're not taxis haha. Just random people. But we have to make sure there are other women in the car before we get in, and it's normal here, so don't worry mom we're being safe! 

feet :: My feet have never been so swollen, dirty, tired, and blistered in my life. I also have about 100 bug bites, I'm a mess. So washing my feet in the cold shower at the end of the day is the best feeling in the world. As I was washing them the other day, I couldn't help but think of when the Savior washed the feet of the apostles.[mom note: John 13] These were men who walked all day in sandals through the dirt and dust. Men who were doing essentially what I am doing every day, only they had been doing that for a lot longer than the few days I have spent here. I cannot imagine what it must've been like for them to have Jesus Christ, the creator of the world, the Savior, the Son of God, wash their weary feet. What a pure act of love and service. I feel like here in the mission field, I am developing so much more love for my Savior than I thought I ever could. He truly is the perfect example for us. In Jesus the Christ it talks about how Christ didn't know that he was the Messiah from the moment he was born, he learned and grew like any other child. He just had more capacity, and more of the spirit. He wasn't perfect because he couldn't be tempted, he was perfect because he was tempted and chose the right. When Christ tells us to be "even as [he] is" it is something that is attainable (with the help of God) because we can follow his example of service and work and worship to develop Christlike attributes in the same exact way He developed them.

scriptures :: Mosiah 2-5. . .KING BENJAMIN'S ADDRESS. It's basically one of Holland or Uchtdorf's General Conference talks, aka the best. King B ("im the King B come get it, no trippin, I got everything you need") [mom note: reference to a song from a commercial]  is an amazing man. he is so hard working and loving and service oriented and I'm just obsessed with these chapters right now. Also speaking of Holland talks: his talk, "I Believe" is very very very very good.

I have to go right now, the place is closing, but I LOVE YOU GUYS AND I LOVE MY MISSION. Truly I love it here.

Sister Baker

No pictures from Megan this week but we did see this one on Facebook. Thank you to the sweet church member that posted this picture of Megan's very first day in her area.