Thanksgiving

Can you believe it's P-day already! Time is truly flying I'm absolutely loving it in Santo Antonio I really couldn't have picked a better place to serve it's beginning to feel like home and the ward like family I wish you could meet everyone in our ward there all so awesome. I am so grateful for their love and support it makes such a big difference in the work.

This week started super strong with contacting and teaching. Then Thanksgiving came. And it rained and not just a little bit of rain it poured.   And Bahia that means everything closes no one is in the streets ( of course )and not too many people answer their door.   So Thursday and Friday was lots of walking in the rain haha. It was actually really great. I sang to my companion songs in English she really loves that and we got some good lesson practice in. It was funny on Thanksgiving I explained to my companion what we usually do to celebrate while we were walking and she said,"I bet you never thought you'd spend Thanksgiving like this" (In Portuguese of course). She's right I never would have thought I would be here just one year ago. So many things have changed but I really could not think of any place I would rather be.  Of course the language is challenging and I miss home and BYU sometimes.  but it is really a blessing to be here. When we got home on Thursday we made popcorn and watched some of the training videos. Then our other sisters came into the room and we went around in a circle and said things we were grateful for.  It was amazing to see how the spirit of Thanksgiving truly touched their hearts.  After that we called President and Sister Hart to wish them a happy Thanksgiving and they all said something they were grateful for to them in English.  I love when they speak English it's so sweet.

Saturday President Hart’s son and his family came to our Stake to perform a Christmas devotional. All of their kids play the violin and sing it was so beautiful. And it was wonderful to see Preident and Sister Hart they are the kindest people you could ever meet. They have such a love for the missionaries and work so hard to help us.  That night we slept at the Sisters apartment who Live next to the stake center because it was too late to take the bus home (it's three hours away by bus) one of the Sisters was in the same group that left with me from the CTM. It was so great to see her.  She's from Africa and she's so sweet and it was great because I could actually talk to her and it helped me recognize my improvement with the language which I needed this week. We left at 4 AM. the next morning so we wouldn't miss church at our ward. We were all so exhausted by the time church was over ha ha. But the Spirit gives you energy when you need it!  I'm learning so much here, of course language and culture but much more than that. truly feel like I'm coming to know Christ. He is with us every step of the way He truly knows all the trials that we face and He is willing to face them with us. I have felt His love here not just for me but for each person I meet He is the savior of the world and He is our brother we have His gospel message and we are joyous remember to choose happiness every day. Walk in His light and love EVERYONE you're in my thoughts and prayers, I love you.

Olhais para o futuro com os olhos da fé

~Alma 5:15

Love Always & Sempre,

Sister McKenzie