week 43 . a brazilian birthday + shout out to the newest sister baker

Links in red [click for more info]

This week in Brasil...

my birthday // Thanks again for all the birthday wishes. Everyone sent cute pics and sweet messages. And the Facebook messages. [mom note: I sent her the Facebook birthday messages people posted on her wall] I love people. Everyone's so sweet. It was great to feel some love from home along with all the love I felt here. And there was lots of love here. I woke up to confetti all over my study table and notes and NUTELLA and a birthday sign! And then breakfast courtesy of Sister Porter. Then at lunch there was pineapple mousse for dessert! And the night of my birthday Sister Morais and I were way in the depths of our area teaching and out of nowhere the elders showed up with a car and one of their investigators and kidnapped us for a birthday party for me! We went to Irmão Rogerio and Irmã Suenia's house (I LOVE this family, they´re from the Caicó Ward) and there was a giant chocolate cake and hot dogs and so so so many missionaries because the next day was the zone conference so a bunch of missionaries from other areas were sleeping over here to be closer to the conference the next day. Everyone sang and we ate and I got a ton of cute and funny presents. And to top it all off I got to take part in the Brazilian birthday tradition of having an egg broken on your head hahaha. Good times.

Egg on the head

Megan and Sister Porter with other missionaries and friends

Megan and Sister Rios

Elder Pimentel and Megan

Whoever gave her this present is very aware of her love affair with açaí

zone conference // The zone conference was wonderful. It is always amazing to hear from Pres. and Sis. Soares and see old friends. I got to see Sister Carvalho and Sister Hernandez and I was in heaven. Love my girls. 

Megan and Sister Hernandez

Sister Carvalho and Megan

And this conference was a little different than normal because Elder Mazzagardi of the Quorum of the Seventy was there and he spoke a lot to us. He helped me to see how I can truly make a difference here. That I need to teach and baptize people who can be future leaders, people who will help the ward to flourish. It was a wonderful conference. And at the end three missionaries from all of interior were chosen to be interviewed by Elder Mazzagardi. And I was one of them. I was panicking hahaha. Elder W. Silva [mom note: Megan's Zone Leader] had joked earlier this week that Elder Mazzagardi was going to interview me and look into my soul and turns out it was true. But it was a wonderful interview and he said a lot of things that I needed to hear. The entire conference experience reminded me that I am a daughter of God with divine nature and that I have more potential than I know and that God knows me personally and recognizes my needs.

Zone Meeting with the interior zones of the Natal Mission

with Elder Mazzagardi

The sisters

Sister Porter and Megan

#minhavida // On Saturday I got sick out of nowhere and was not doing to well after lunch. Sister Morais and I were walking in the street and I was on the phone and out of nowhere I basically threw the phone at Sister Morais and then I threw up (a lot) in the street. Gross. And there was a cow mooing like crazy next to me, I'm pretty sure he was complaining that I chose to throw up next to him. Oops. But I got plenty of rest and I'm back on top! Woo! haha

miracle // We were walking in the street near our home at almost 9 o'clock on Saturday night and nobody nobody nobody that we wanted to teach was home. Then out of nowhere a 20-something year old man called us to talk to him and his mom. They invited us in, gave us a lot of soup to eat and we taught them a little bit. Then they invited us to come back on Sunday for lunch! (backstory :: our Sunday lunch fell through on Saturday morning and we were going to have to figure something out at home, but God blessed us with lunch!). This is a super receptive family and so loving. They also gave us free soap! [mom note: you think she meant soap? or soup?] Basically they're the best and I'm so excited to teach them. 

And last but not least SHOUT-OUT to my beloved sister for her MISSION CALL TO JAMAICA. I am so incredibly happy Pie. [mom note: Emily's nickname] I am struggling to find the words. You will be such a wonderful missionary and representative of Christ in JAMAICA. You're going to rock it sis. I'm so incredibly proud of you. The mission is an amazing experience.

Megan's sister Emily opening her mission call 

Mission boundaries...Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Guantanamo and the Bahamas

President and Sister Brown - Jamaica Kingston Mission President

Mom, I know you're already learning everything about the mission and I want in on the deets. I feel like I'm going to be a smiling/crying mess for the rest of the day (and possibly week). I'm also so excited that you'll have time to work in the temple Emily. I am so grateful for that time I had, it has given me a solid testimony of the importance of the ordinances we do there and an inner peace that stays with me even as I am far away from a temple. Speaking of temples, now that we have an idea when you'll be home from your mission I'll try my hardest to not get married before then, but I'm a catch ;)

Thanks for all the pictures. It was great to feel like I was there. It was fun to see Elise there. How is she? Congrats to Ataya too! Her mission will be wonderful.

I love you all. 

Tem uma boa semana!

Tchau!

Sister M. Baker

[mom note: a sweet friend put together a video for Emily to have and also for us to send to Megan so she could enjoy the moment as well. Christa Chamberlin you are THE. BEST. Thank you for being so kind and doing this. I'm including it here for family and friends to watch if you'd like]

Christa taping all the action

Unfortunately the video was too big to download to the blog unless I lowered the quality. I apologize Christa, your work deserves better haha. Since I had to download a lower quality video I suggest not maximizing your screen as it will take the video quality from bad to worse.