Letter #20- SPOOKY!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!! Yahoo! I hope everyone has fun and will be safe! We had a few pumpkins on our table to celebrate! Eat lots of candy for us!

I cant believe it... we have transfers tomorrow! AH! We´ll find out later today where we go, if we stay, what to do. Wow, transfer 2, tchau! Crazy crazy crazy how time flies. But... this also means my ´12 week in field training´ is done... weird. It makes me realize that everything really does have an end... I dont want the mission to end! Its too fantastic! I´m happy that I have the time I do to serve! Its amazing! Grateful that I have this opportunity to serve... its amazing!

Witnessed more miracles this week! They happen everyday in our lives! We just have to look out for them, whether its bumping into someone who you haven~t seen for a long time and had a chance to catch up, to seeing the miracle of a testimony being planted in someones heart... miracles happen! One of them this week was defending Joseph Smith. I LOVE defending and testifying of Joseph Smith, that he REALLY saw Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father and that he REALLY was called of God to restore the Gospel and establish the Church of Jesus Christ back on the earth... especially to study the bible and see all the prophesies about the latter days come true... the prophesies are happening!!!! Because God really truly exists, he has called living Prophets, and we are witnessing the signs of the second coming of our Savior... I LOVE defending truth! Because truth is truth... there is no ifs, ands or buts... it is what it is!

I love you all so much and hope you have a SPOOKILISHESS Halloween! Do send pictures of all the fun Costumes!!!

Com MUITO Amor,

Sister Waite

Pictures:

Pumpkin! And in the background, Manjaca!!!! Mmmmm one of my favorite Brazilian food. Its a root!!!! So good!

Letter #19- Have To Be Fast

HI FAMILY! HI FRIENDS!

 

Sorry the email didnt go through last week! I sent it again...

 

This week was great! The days are getting hotter, and with each hot day, comes RAIN!!!!!! a lot of it too! its fantastic! Today is Sis Reis Birthday and it was fun! surprised her with French Toast, and syrup! Mmmm... foi muito mutio bom! Gostoso!

 

Thought a lot about the challenges we go through, and how it relates to obedience. In Hebrews... (forgot the reference, i think 12...) Theres a great scripture that says `God chastens those he loves, that they can learn obedience and diligence.´ I definitly paraphrased, but remember... every choice has a consequence. and when tough times come... we have the ability to choose HOW we will react... and from there, we can build our obiedience and diligence, or let the adversary get us down.

 

I love you all so much! have a fantastic week!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATALIE!!!!! YOU ARE ONE OF THE GREATEST SISTERS IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Letter #18- October 15, 2012

Hi Family!!!! Hi Friends!!!

Wow! We had a baptism in our Area! we are working with this family, they are elite! Its fantastic! Yesterday, Jefferson was baptized, and his Mom and Step-dad are preparing to be baptized too! It was a great experience... he´s a bright kid! Its was such a neat experience to sit and just look at this family... and really see the potential each member has... Especially picutring them going to the temple all together to be sealed... it was a FANTASTIC experience! Families are FOREVER!!!! :D So amazing! we sang `Quando Eu For Batizado´... (I like to look for rainbows, whenever there is rain.... That one) oh primary songs, LOVE them! Love working with the kids!

Oh Brazil! Love love LOVE Brazil!

This week we had a training with President Ferrin, and last night a devotional with him too... they were great! All about working with the members! During the training he was telling a story from his mission, when he was in Rio, and he had a companion with a lot of energy, always  talking to everyone and smiling... then he said ´I think we have one of these type of missionaries here too... Energy like Sister Waite´ oh man... embarassing... haha but funny. I learned a lot during this training... He said that words are important, words can help build, or break down. This was just a phrase he said as part of the training but it really made me think... Once you say something, you cant take back your words... the stone is cast... and are our words building each other? Words can make such a difference! A simple `Bom Dia!´ down the street, a kind compliment... Small and Simple things.

Then, in the devotional, he had all the missionaries that were there come to the front, introduce themselves, where they´re from and where they are serving right now. This devotional was to help the work through the members grow... a question/answer type devotional.  Well, he was talking about preparing future missionaries, what they need to do financially, physically, this type of thing. He brought up emotional preparedness and asked, `What do missionaries need to be like emotionally on the mission?´ silence... Then he said ´Happy!´ then some of the missionaries with me whispered ´like sister waite.. yea sister waite´ then President had me come to the podium with him and he explained that enthusiasm is important in missionary work, and its important that missionaries smile! Haha it was really funny! I was nervous he was going to ask me to say something... luckily... nope!
But this devotional was really great! to hear the questions from the members and hear President Respond. He has 3 months brazil right now, trying to remember portuguese, and is SO humble about it! For example, he asked, ´what do missionaries need to do to help the work progress in your ward, what are some characteristics they need to have?´ and one of the coments was `like the people´ and he responded `impossível! gosta de gente!´ (Impossible! Like the People!) But what he meant to say was ´Incrível! Gosta de gente!´ (Incredible! Like the people!) hahaha everyone laughed... and he was SO incredibly humble about it... he is amazing! Love President Ferrin! It made me realize that we are really called of God, at times we dont feel qualified in the callings that we are in, but ALWAYS Heavenly Father prepares a way for us to accomplish the work we´ve been asked to do... I know he hears and answers our prayers and wants us to be happy! Always! Every single day... so be happy!

Mission is Great!

Hope all is well back at home! Have a FANTASTIC week!!!!

Com Amor,

Sister Waite

p.s. Recieved lots of mail last week and at the training! Yahoo! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

-Joy Prior, you have a way with words! Always have! LOVED reading about your Timp adventure! Thank you!
-Brother Bliss... wow... SO amazing to hear your advice! thank you SO MUCH!
-Sis Soulberg! LOVED the card! Thank you! Hope family is doing well!
-SIS HIRST!!!!! You are incredible Sis Hirst. I love you, Love your family, and it was fun hearing about the peaches! Love you!
-Wow Austin! Thanks for the Package!!!! All fantastic American goodies... thank you thank you thank you!!!
-Jenny Lowe Woolley... you are a babe! Loved your letter! thanks for the update! I love you!

Thank you so much for your love and support!


1. Me and Jefferson

2. MCDONALDS!!!!!! haha last week we went to a park for P-Day, and woah... there was a McDonalds! Haha so I got a `McLanche Feliz´ haha... but HOLY COW!!!!! McDonalds here is EXPENSIVE!!!! a double mac was R$ 21.00!!!!!! holy cow! Its gold here, EVERYONE likes McDonalds.. haha SO funny. I had my nuggets, fries, and toy... it was fun! With Maracujá! Mmmmm Passionfruit Juice. Oh yea!

Letter #17-De Boa na Lagoa!

Oi Família!!!! Oi Amigos!!!!

I hope everyone is doing well! Happy October! Brazil doesn~t celebrate Halloween like we do... not at all actually... so enjoy the festivities up north! all the decorations and such... next P-day, WE are going to celebrate halloween! and carve pumpkins! or watermelons... we´ll see! this week, I think Friday, is `Dia de Crianças`... oh yea... kids day! Like mothers day, fathers day... theyhave a kids day where all the kids get gifts. how cool is that?! I think United States should adopt this day too! haha

Well, everyone voted yesterday, polotics are done! Phew! everyday, in the streets there was loud music to vote for this person, vote for that person, flags, papers, people marching for the candidates... now... the streets are quiet... kinda weird. Oh Brazil, Love it here!

Yesterday watched the inbetween session of conference about `Sweet Beginnings`.... man, I hope you all get a chance to watch this clip about this company a woman in Chicago started... so amazing! Try looking it up... its a great story! I want to have honey bees some day... `sweet beginnings´ about helping ex-convicts enter into society again and this company of producing HONEY helps them get hired into other jobs... transition company... man... SO inspiring! This company helps people have a ´sweet beginning´ for a new life.

Wasnt Conference fantastic! Here, the sessions started at 1-3 and then 5-7 we watched both of Sunday´s sessions. it was fantastic! LOVED Elder Holland´s talk... It really made me think... How do we show our love for the Savior? If he were to ask us individually that question he asked Peder... `Peter, do you love me?` how would we respond? I know that the Savior lives, and that he loves us UNCONDITIONALY! And how do we show our love for Him? Love others unconditionally too! I absolutely LOVE being a missionary! Its amazing to sit and talk about the Love the Savior has for every single one of us, and helping people understand that... WOW! I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of my Savior... He loves me, and died for me, and wants me to be happy! His gospel has been restored to the Earth and is here to help US be happy!

I love you! Have a fantastic week!!!! :D

Sister Waite

Picture Time!

HI family!

 

Pictures!!!

 

1-the invitation for our activity last saturday, I designed it, colored it, and we made copies to give to our investigators!

 

2- missionaries, and next to sis reis is one of our investigators! he is AWESOME! and next to him, is a recent convert, Alex, i thought he was always a member when I came to morumbi, nope, he was baptized 3 weeks before i got here... he is incredible!

 

3- BISPO!!!! this is our bishop, and i am SO grateful for him! he is HILARIOUS!!!! as you can see in the pic, its so fantastic to work with this ward, AMAZING people!

more pictures!

 

1- President Ferrin and Sister Ferrin came, they talked about eternal families and it was perfect! Investigators, less actives, and recent converts were there. The activity was all about family! ate some food, and played games as one big family! :D

 

2- of course we had water games, and some of the members and missionaries ganged up on me... it was quite comical! (President and sister Ferrin were right behind me though... haha they laughed!) it was great! -the kid to the right, his name is Jefferson, and we are working with his family! they accepted the invitation to get married, and be baptaized! its INCREDIBLE seeing the changes in this family, i am so grateful that for the Holy Ghost, and the Book of Mormon really CHANGES the heart... I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!)

 

3- Oh some members in the ward! SO FANTASTIC! we all had a great time!

more pictures!

 

1- this is transfer day few weeks ago! we dropped sis faustino off... sad day. But exciting too! hello COMPLETE portuguese! :D This picutre is at the secritorio (spelling:?) the mission office! yay!

 

2- me and joyce! her parents got married about a month ago... remeber those pics:? we were dancing to to the music, and had a blast! she has sass, its so fun! she says ´sis waite´ with this attitude and snaps her fingers in a z-formation! its hilarious!

 

3- Bispo joined in the group! just before, everyone soaked him with water! we had a lot of fun!

 

love you!

I Love You-Letter #16

Boa Tarde Família!!!!! E Amigos!!!!

 Espero que TUDO estejam bem com vocês! :D

        I love you! This past week was great! Guess what... it SNOWED in Brazil! Not in my area... ;( sadly... but in Rio Grande do Sul! Wednesday! I believe it, becase tuesday-thursday was FREEZING here!!!! oh my goodness!!! So cold! But, today is bright and sunny again! Hello Primevera!!! Love the spring... I think Utah is changing colors! Luckies! Here is changing colors too... more bright flowers and greener green! Its great!                                               

We had two VERY successful activites this week! one with Sociedade Socorro! Relief society, we learned how to make, and decorate cupcakes! Everyone was fascinated on how to make cupcakes... funny huh! muffin pans dont exist down here, and where you can get them its really expensive! But the sisters in the ward had other great ideas! Tin foil and such to make the forms... clever clever! There were SO many people at both the cupcake and family activities! it was a success! the picutres explain more!

 THIS WEEKEND IS GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!! oh yeah! I am so excited! Working with a family right now, and when we told them that they could hear and listen to the prophet they got so excited... `What?! We get to see and hear them!?` Its amazing to see the excitement the gospel brings into our lives! Really! We get to SEE and HEAR from a living prophet! that is SO NEAT! Its great explaing this to people... Wow! theres a prophet in our days?! YES YES YES!!! the hymn... come listen to a prophets voice! is in my head.

 I LOVE you all so much! I am so happy to be here in Brazil! the food is great, the culture is so warm and welcoming... and the language is beautiful. Beautifully difficult.... BUT! I have faith and hope that one day, CLICK!

I love you so so SO SO SO SO SO MUCH! Have a fantastic week! And don´t forget, what an AMAZING opportunity General Conference is. Because we can recieve personal revelation! Yes, we can read it in the Liahona and ensign later... but there is somehting about LISTENING to the words, the Spirit communicates to our hearts differently... I love you so much and am SO grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! I love testifying of my Savior in each lesson, He LIVES! and he guides this church! I am so grateful for this opportunity to be here!

I love you all so much!