Letter #48- Miracles!

Hi Family and Friends!

Wow! miracles happen!!!! :D they are around us everyday! but just to update on what happened in the month of May... The mission has been a bit up and down with the amount of baptisms that happen in each month, we did a speacial fast at the beginning of the month with all the missionaries in the mission as well as their families... and what a blessing! This last week alone there were 79 baptisms in the mission! WOW!!!! Look at how the Lord blesses the work with the faith of hundreds! :D 

I feel so lucky to be apart of this wonderful work! I know at times I get too comfortable with things, that I lose the grand picture and all the blessings the Lord has given me and my family... this week I want to really show my gratefulness... and I know that will come through actions! :D I absolutley love this work and the Gospel of Jesus Christ... especially repentance... these past weeks I have really seen the power of repentance in my life and the lives of our investigators... its amazing what humility brings to the plate.

Small WORLD!!! so today we went to this great big market place with Sister Ferrin! :D it was fun! Sis Abreu went with us and her companion too! and guess what... we ran into a family from UTAH!!! haha the twins got off their missions 4 months ago and were back with their parents to show them around and meet their mission presidents! both served in different missions! but it was so fun! traditional mormon utah family!! Oh man... flashbacks! :D haha and then... about a half hour later, we ran into more americans! the YALE orchestra is in Sao Paulo to play and tour... and these 4 students, who arent members of the church, were really curious as to what we were doing here... WOW!!!! Missionary mode in English!!!! YES YES YES!!!! it was a highlight of the day! I talked to them why we are here and told them the next time they see missionaries, to say hi! ´We love it when people say hi to us! it makes us feel more at home!´ They said they would... haha it was fun to talk to them!

I LOVE the small things that the Lord puts in our paths to help us realize just how grand and glorious his work is... look around, help those who need it, and smile! :D

have a fantastic week! :D

Love,

Sister Waite

Letter #47- Goodbye and Hellos

Bom Dia Família!!!!! :D Hello Friends! :D

It was FANTASTIC seeing you last week... I love love LOVED it! thanks for making the journy to mom´s house! The best was to see ALL of you... Greg in Finland, and you in Utah... marked my mission! It made me remember just how reall this work is... in every part of the world! :D I love being a missionary!

This week was great! Its starting to really cool off now... brrrr... it reminds of the good old autumn Utah! and... We had transfers this week! Goodbyes to some friends who finished their missions, hellos to the new missionaries from the MTC... and everything inbetween has been changed in the Mission. Its fantastic! Another chapter of the mission closed with Sister Abreu, and a new chapter with Sister de Jesus! My new companion is from Bahia and is really quite funny... we both have the same time on the mission! I remember her in the MTC and all I could say was ´hello sister!´ other than that... haha nothing. and now we are companions! another adventure begins. 

It was a great time of the mission to serve with Sister Abreu... I know that her light and personality is going to be missed by the Mooca ward... but everything has its season. I am excited for the investigators we have, we had quite of few of them at church yesterday! wohoo! :D

And another hello goodby moment is today! Sister Reis!!!! :D She came down from Franca and visited São José dos Campos for the weekend and today, she is going to spend p-day with us!!! :D I think we are going to visit a museum... Yay!!!! I am excited for this brief hello/goodbye pday with a great friend!

I love you all so much and know that I am doing well and glad to be serving my Savior... times come that are tough... times come that are simply amazing... and through thick and thin He is always by our side. :D I am grateful for this brief time in my life to help my friends, my family, understand how important his role is in our lives.

I love you all so much! you are amazing! have a fabulous week! :D

Sister Waite

sorry about pics... will send lots ASAP! :D

FELIZ ANIVERSARIO RHETT!!!!!! :D :D :D Have a great Birthday!!!!! I love you so much!

Letter #46- Marked Memories

Hello again Family!!!!

Man... yesterday was such a great day! to see and talk to you all! I love you so much! It was the perfect boost of excitement to keep me goin... thank you all for the support and love. especially the laughs! I loved laughing with you yesterday!

One of the moments that marked my mission was when I could see ALL of you... seeing Greg was such a highlight... after 11 months of not seeing the Gerber-Man... it was a piece of that feeling of complete joy that I know we will all feel one day... after we say our goodbyes during this life and the re-encounter on the other side will be one that words cannot describe...

 Alma 26: 16 Therefore, let us ^aglory, yea, we will ^bglory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his ^cmercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

Letter #45- Felicidade!

Hey Family! Hi Friends!

Can I just say... I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!! No matter where you are, what temple you are in, EVERYONE is the same... it is the same, in the US, in Brazil, in Finland! The languages may change, but the covenants are the SAME, the spirit is the SAME, and everyone that visits the temple is the SAME... doesnt matter if you have money or no, black or white, boy or girl, president or servant... EVERYONE IS LOOKED UPON THE SAME in the temple... because we are ALL loved by Heavenly Father as equals. I absolutely loved the temple... the process of getting to the temple was a mess... the adversary does everything in his power to destroy the spirit you have of going to the temple, and tries everything to stop you from going... for example-

1-missed a ride with Sis Ferrin, temple recomend was at the house we went back to pick it up, it was too late to catch a ride with her... so we flew to catch a bus

2-by now, traffic is horendous here in Sao Paulo... the bus was packed, we werent able to get off the bus because there were so many people in front of us...

3-finally got off the bus at the next stop possible and FLEW to the metro where we were 45 min late... the rest of our zone was waiting

4- the metro broke. great... so we all took off to get on a bus

5- TRAFFIC is crazy at this point... finaly got to the temple at 9:45.... our session was scheduled at 9.... we made it to the 10:30 session... so we prepared for that one... only to enter the room and it was already FULL.... only me and Sis Abreu and a few other missionaries stayed out of this session to wait for the 11:30 session....

you have got to be kidding me! haha was what I Thought, but really we were able to stay in the temple longer... yes! we did inititories until the session... but really, we didnt just have bad luck that day... something was trying to keep us from going... and man. I know why he didnt want us to go to the temple... because we recieve personal revelation there, we become more strong spiritually when we go... so do EVERYTHING possible to get to the temple... no matter what it takes... go!

So that was the biggest adventure of the week... I love the temple... we are closest to our Lord and we can really feel the love he has for us when we are there... all the blessings, the covenants, the spirit. Never forget the love that the Savior and our Heavenly Father has for each one of you... for all of us! Families are forever and I am so excited to talk to my family on Sunday!!!! Best day of the year!!!! Last phone call from Brazil... how time flies! Cant believe it!

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true church on the face of the earth that has the power and the AUTHORITY to perform the sacred ordenances we all need to do in order to recieve all that the Father has... I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY and sharing this news, that the power is back! The power of the Priesthood is on the earth! and everyone who has the priesthood... just remember how powerful it is and what a privelege to hold this wonderful power... always stay worthy to use it when it is needed... so many are blessed because of your worthiness!

I love you all have a wonderful week and a Fantastic Mother´s Day!!!!

Com amor,

Sister Waite

p.s. CONGRADULATIONS CELESTIAL STOKES AND FAMILY... got your letter last week! a new baby girl in the family... that is amazing! happy Mother´s day to you! Happy Mothers day to all! :D :D :D

Letter #44- Bringing Forth Good News!

Hello Family!!! Hi Friends!

Sorry last week slipped with the main email... time slipped by too fast... but here are a bunch of pictures! hope it makes up for the lack of the email last week!

Good News! The Priesthood Power is restored!!! Here´s my testimony story about it for the week:

This week went by really fast! contacting, teaching, finding, and getting sick is all part of the process.... Friday I woke up with a fever and couldnt get out of the bed without throwing up... poor sister abreu... we didnt leave the house... oh man! I went this whole time not getting sick sick like this... but hey, I have to take my turn, the flu has been going around like crazy here... I am so grateful for the prayers and the blessing that the Elders gave me with a member... it was really great, another testimony of the power of the priesthood because the next day, I was about 85% better and we went off to work... a few hours later we got a call to do an emergency transfer with the other sisters in our district... Sis Mendonça couldnt even walk! She had so many blisters and cuts on her feet... (Happens to all of us at the beginning of the mission) so She came to our house, I stayed with her to rest up more to get rid of the bug completely while her feet rested too... as much as a day and a half can... man. But I have never seen the comeback from being sick happen so fast! So thank you for all of the prayers and support! And to all of those who hold the special power of the priesthood... please ALWAYS remain worthy to let the power of God help those around you... :)

Good News! WE ARE GOING TO THE TEMPLE TOMORROW MORNING!!!!! YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!! 

Spiritual Reboost! Its been 8 months since the last time I went... definitly need my batteries recharged... but the good news is that WE HAVE TEMPLES!!!! in First Kings, the bible, talks about temples... Solomon´s temple... and I remember teaching an investigator in Morumbi about temples, she had a lot of questions about what happens inside, and that she heard there´s idols in them...I just remember how powerful it was when we shared our testimony of the temple... and how temple work IS the work and reason that we are here... its the reason we exist... to find happiness in our lives, to be prepared to meet Heavenly Father again... its all through the temple! Yes!!! I am SO EXCITED to go to the temple! :D

Good News! Mother´s Day is in less than 2 weeks!!!!!!!! -need I to explain why this is absolutely amazing and fatastic news for the week?... nah. :D I love you mom! Cant wait to see you! talk to you!

I love you all! have a great week! and remember to always smile! It helps when times are gray!

Com Carinho,

Sister Waite :D