week 71 . fake pregnant in front of the entire mission

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This week was the MISSION CHRISTMAS CONFERENCE! It was perfect. It's the only time where the entire mission is together so I got to see lots of old friends and companions. We had a fantastic lunch (and nobody got sick like last year hahaha). Sister and President Soares talked to us and the spirit was incredibly strong. I was able to receive a lot of revelation for my life and work as a missionary. Each zone also did a skit which was hilarious. All in all a fantastic experience. 

This week I was able to really recongize that God answers prayers. He listens to me and understands my needs and will always help me. 

(hey momma, the internet café guy is kicking us out. blegh. but we're going to finish up our time after lunch. i promise this time.) LOVE YOU

[mom note: this is the rest of the letter that came later today]

Sorry for the mix-up earlier. The internet café man decided to close early today and kicked us out. #anger

But this last week of the transfer was a great one. I can't believe how fast this transfer flew by. Sister Castilho and I had a great time together and I'll be happy if lightning strikes in the same place again and we stay together here in Potengi. I'm nervous//excited//calm all at once about the transfer. It's fairly likely that i'll be transferred since I've been in the area more time, but it's also possible that I'll stay here. I would honestly love to stay. I love this ward and it would be nice to spend Christmas with members, investigators, recent-converts here. But if i'm transferred I'll accept it gracefully (I think). Sister Brown is in Sousa...the only zone that I haven't passed in on my mission. She keeps saying that I'm going to "die" there with her. It'd be a blast haha. But honestly I'm happy with whatever happens. God's in control. 

On Monday night we had a slumber party with 4 more sisters (V. Lopes, Garcia, Weatherford, and Nunes) so that we could all go to the Christmas Conference together early early early on Tuesday morning. It was way fun. I love spending time with the sisters outside of zone and district meetings, it's great to get to know everyone better. Sister Garcia is new on the mission and pretty quiet because she's learning the language (good times), but I got to talk to her more. Her parents are from Ecuador and Guatemala (Sister Rios shoutout!), but she was born and grew up in New York. She's got great style, even as a sister missionary which makes me jealous haha. And she went to BYU Hawaii for two years so I'm almost positive that we have mutual friends, we just haven't found out who yet haha. 

Tuesday was the mission Christmas Conference and it was perfect. I remember last year I had been on the mission for about 5  months and was a little bit lost, and there was that whole diarrhea dilemma afterwards haha. But this time there was none of that (thank goodness). I got to see lots of old friends and companions since the entire mission was there. And I've got quite a few friends who are going home this week and they all bore their testimonies in the conference. Many tears were shed. But it's so amazing to see what amazing missionaries and disciples of Christ these friends are. I felt so grateful for all the people that I've gotten the chance to know until now on the mission. 

President and Sister Soares spoke to us and it was inspired and many more tears were shed. And Sister Soares asked for one of the elders to speak and he spoke about obedience. Fantastic talk. It's something that's been on my mind a lot this week as I've studied about the Atonement and Jesus Christ. I was thinking about how easy it is for us to shrug off the example of Jesus Christ because He was "perfect." But despite His perfection, it wasn't always easy for Him to be obedient. Before He went through the Atonement for us, He asked God if there was another way to do that, but He knew what needed to be done and ignoring His own desires, He did the will of the Father. That's what we need to do. We need to forget our own wills and desires and do our Father's will. 

Another fun part of the conference is that all of the zones do a skit. Our zone did a skit where three missionaries got their mission calls to "polo nordeste." Like the north pole (but Northeast of Brasil style). It was a riot. I got to be a "classic" mormon mom (aka fake pregnant in front of the entire mission. woot woot). Some other zones had some funny skits as well with imitations of President Soares, etc. It was a great way to have fun with the mission. 

This week we spent a day in the sisters' area (Santarém). We slept over at their house and went and visited their marked baptism for this week, Jessica. She's about 20 and hilarious. She cracked a joke with us saying, "My baptism is tomorrow! I have to sin a ton today." hahaha. She was baptized on Saturday and it was a beautiful meeting. The spirit was so powerful as we sang the hymns, and as the ordinance was realized, everything. It was such a sweet experience and I'm so happy for the sisters. They have been working hard. 

Basilio decided on Saturday that he wants to give up. He has the idea in his head that young people in all of the churches discrimate elderly people. We are trying to help him understand that people make mistakes and that we're all at church to be better, but he's having a hard time accpeting that. It was a hard blow. I know that the gospel would make him so happy, and he's such a sweet man. But I'm keeping him in my prayers, and yesterday he said that he's thinking about going to church next week. Hopefully it all works out for him. 

There was a less-active member who we've been visiting who was at church yesterday after a long time without going. I felt so happy when I saw him sitting on a bench in the back of sacrament meeting. I thought of the scripture where Jesus Christ talks about the joy that is felt in heaven when one sinner is brought to repentance. [mom note: Luke 15:7] I know that God knows and loves each of His children. 

My testimony was strengthened this week about the power of prayer. I prayed asking God for quite a few things this week, and He answered. He always answered. He helped me through feelings and thoughts and the words of other people. I have no doubt that when we pray God is listening and that He always wants to help and bless us. He just waits for us to reach out for Him. 

I know this church is true. I love being a missionary. 

EU AMO VOCÊS 

xoxo

Sister  Baker

[mom note: I found this picture on another sisters blog. It's the only post eye brow debacle picture we've seen. Looks like her eyebrows aren't fairing quite as bad as a few weeks ago. Still waiting on her to send pictures of the aftermath immediately after it happened though. I could use a good laugh]