week 32 . both sides of the spectrum: hardships and blessings

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This week in Caicó. . . 

We witnessed what I'm pretty sure were the plagues of Egypt. Last Monday it rained. A ton. We were literally wading through the streets with our groceries.

Sister Baker and Sister Hernandez 

Sister Rios

And then afterwards there were about 5 million mosquitoes in our house that ate us alive. Then to top it all off the next day there was a city-wide blackout for almost 24 hours.

We had to stop working early for safety and we were walking around our apartment with head lamps (and maybe making a lot of "its-the-end-of-the-world-and-we're-out-of-rations videos haha). It was frustrating on the work side of things because it was impossible to do anything, but at the same time the sisters and I had a lot of fun together. [mom note: heres a glimpse into what Megan's "its-the-end-of-the-world-and-we're-out-of-rations' videos look like. She seems to have embraced this genre haha. Can't wait to see the mission version. These clips are from a trip we took to Santa Barbara/Solvang right before she left on her mission]

Speaking of having fun with the Sisters, we did a FHE [mom note: Family Home Evening] with the four of us at home after we had all got home one day. We had snacks, and drank soda, and Sister Ríos gave the message (about eternal marriage hahaha trunky) [mom note: Trunky is a slang term used amongst Mormon missionaries, describing a missionary who is thinking about and/or excited to go home. Trunky as in he or she has already packed their trunk] then we played some games (that one where you have a name on your forehead and have to figure out who you are. I was Jesus Christ, and then Dilma the President of Brasil. Feeling distinguished over here haha). It was really fun to remember that missionary work doesn't have to be just stress, but that we can have a good time too. Love the sisters in my house. 

As for the work itself, even though the ward here is struggling, I am loving it here. It's hard. It's tiring. But I feel like there's a work here for me to do. And our Zone is AMAZING. Our Zone Leaders are fantastic, and they've really got the Zone excited. All the missionaries here seem really cool and like they're ready to hit the ground running here in Caicó. It's going to be a great transfer.

Caicó Zone

This week we witnessed both sides of the spectrum with hardships and blessings. . . 

the hardest part about being a missionary ::

We met a young man (18 yrs old) named Wesley this week. He had met the missionaries as a kid, but never was baptized. He had a lot of questions that he wanted answered, not just about the church, but about God, prayer, the Bible. Everything. We were teaching him, answering questions, and the spirit was so strong. I walked out of that lesson, so excited to continue teaching him. Already imagining him as a future leader in the church. But when we went back he was really different. He just kept shutting us out. There are a lot of people that reject us. A lot. But this time was different. I had felt that he was ready to recieve the Gospel and then he changed out of nowhere. I'm positive something happened to change his perspective. He flat out refused to read the Book of Mormon and ask about it. I was dying. I kept trying to ask questions, figure out the problem, but nothing. When I said the closing prayer I just started to cry and I couldn't stop. I hate the feeling of knowing that this person needs the Gospel and is unwilling to even read a verse or say a prayer asking God. It breaks my heart. 

the best part about being a missionary ::

Last week we met a man named Francisco (not the Francisco who was baptized, a different one. there's a lot of them here haha). When we met him he was really really drunk. With a beard and long hair and nothing he said was making sense. We were talking to his sister who has some kids who are inactive members of the church. But when we went back to talk to her again a couple days ago, only he was home. And he was really different. He had cut his hair, and shaved, and we taught him. Wow. The spirit was so strong and he has so much desire to change. He said that he had decided (by himself before we got there) that he wanted to stop drinking, smoking, and drinking coffee. Looks like he found the Word of Wisdom pamphlet somewhere on the ground haha. But we taught him and he is so excited to start a new life and accepted baptism. He went to church on Sunday and loved it, and the first thing he said afterward was, next week I'll be here again. So sweet. I'm so excited to teach him and help him make changes in his life. 

Also we had lunch at a members house this week and her mom has alzheimers. She barely remembers anything (who her daughter is, how old she is). BUT she remembers that she's "mormon" and how to pray. She said a prayer and all four of us sisters were just crying crying crying, it was so sweet. 

scripture study ::

Still reading the Old Testament (surprise surprise), but I was reading in Ezra (that I didn't know existed until now), and it's amazing! It's all about the people of God rebuilding the temple and the challenges that they had to face (stop construction because of people who didn't want them to build or things like that). But it shows these people's faith! And there was a part where all the elderly people who had seen the old temple before it was destroyed saw the foundation of the new temple and started to cry. And maybe I started to cry reading this part. But it made me so grateful for the temple (ah I miss it). 

#minhavida 

+ We were with the sisters and elders and the elders walked away and Sister Hernandez had a cake that a member had made for them. And I was calling the cake beautiful and Sister Hernandez thought I was saying that I thought the elder was beautiful hahahahaha. awk.

+ During the blackout I was sitting in my hammock filming Sister Moraes and I and maybe I fell flat on my back. In the video. Classic. 

I love you guys so much and I'm "mandando um cheiro" (sending a smell, doesn't really make sense, but here in the northeast they give kisses on the cheek but also smell your neck. it's a thing.)

Have a great week!

tchau tchau!

Sister Baker

Megan doesn't send descriptions with her pictures but after some google searching I think this is Castle Engady. Leave it to the wanna-be Londoner to find a castle in Caicó, Brazil

Sister Rios and Sister Baker. Se Deus quiser = If God wants it

Treats from home

Sister Rios and Sister Baker