March 24, 2014 Brazil

Hello from St. Antonio!!

Hello from St. Antonio!! I stayed here J  Sister Felartigus left me for Petrolina L, she is a sister leader out there now! Maybe I will join her next transfer.  That’s the area that is really far from the rest of the mission (ten hours on the bus!).  It’s in another state actually. I’ve heard it’s so so hot there, but luckily we past the hottest months.  It’s becoming fall now, although honestly it seems to only be getting hotter!  Even with sun screen everyday I’ve gotten brown. I’m so grateful that I brought sunscreen because it’s really expensive here and I would seriously be a lobster without it.

I can tell this is going to be such an amazing transfer.  My new companion is awesome!!  I love her so much already.  She’s from the interior of Sao Paulo, like Sister Oliveira.  She is hilarious, we’ve laughed so much this past week.  I am learning so much from her example.  I am so grateful that I’ve had all native companions; it’s really helped with the language.  Most people think I’m from Argentina or Rio Grande do Sul which makes me so happy!  But a lot of Brazilians don’t like Argentina (especially with World Cup approaching) so we’re working on my Southern Brazil accentJ

We have a new American with us!  Sister Grundvig is training her.  She served in the States for one transfer and now she’s with us!  She’s such a cute girl and she’s adapting really well to the culture. Three Americans and one Brazilian, the opposite of when I came!  By my companion knows some English and wants to learn so it’s perfect!  She loves American music, chocolate and people J Yay.  That reminds me I got Grandma’s and Grandpa’s and the Smith’s from our ward Christmas packages.  The Brazilians love American chocolate, we ate a pound of it in about 10 minutes, it was great!  The chocolate is really different here. I prefer American but honestly there’s so much fruit here I never need to buy sweets.

We are teaching so many amazing people!  I wish you guys could meet them all. We meet mostly with teenagers and families, which I love so much. It is truly amazing to see how they have been prepared to hear the gospel, they are an elect people. I know I will probably leave here this next transfer. It’s going to be so hard to leave the ward and all of our investigators. I love them all so much. I feel so at home here. The culture is so inclusive and, even though I’m far from you guys, I don’t feel homesick. They’ve adopted me J

I will be at my 6 month mark pretty soon here! I cannot believe how fast the times has gone, it feels like I was just saying goodbye to you guys and now I’m almost 1/3 of the way to coming back. I am so grateful for the decision I made to serve. I can think of no better thing I could be doing with my time. I’ve learned and grown and seen so many miracles and I can’t imagine what it would have been like had I stayed. It truly is the best 18 months. I know the things I’m learning here are lessons for eternity. Continue to share this amazing gospel! I love you all so much!

OI! the egg telephones are everywhere!!

baby kitten loves me!

saying bye to these cute Americans!

my house in Brazil

Our day trip to get a birth certificate

sister leader fruit festival!

streets :)

Bom dia mundo! (Good morning world!)

Coming into the last week of the transfer, can you believe that?  It’s literally been some of the fastest weeks of my life!  We were just finishing training and now I’m a month away from 6 months ahh. I think I will probably go to a new city this next transfer, but we shall see!

This week was wonderful!  Some highlights were our English class, the ward CTM, going to the market, meeting new people and learning from Sister Felartigus (she is the best!).  It’s so fun to teach our English class Sister Grundvig and I love it so much.  This week we were teaching the verb “to like” (gostar).  She was a little late so I started translating the first hymn, “Hark all ye Nations” when she got there we realized that I had written a bunch of the words wrong L but they couldn’t tell and we just fixed them . Anyways, we started teaching them “This Little Light of Mine”, which went well!  They like to sing!  I told Sister Grundvig that we should draw things they like to do.  She thought I said “ write things with light”, she wrote the word sun first, which worked for both.  Then she wrote the word lamp. I asked Sister Grundvig, “ Do you think a lot of them like lamps?:” and she said no it has light. We are drawing things that have light, right?”.  I said, “Things they like”, I think Portuguese is weakening our English communication skills, haha.  Some things get lost in translation still when I speak Portuguese, but I feel like I can express myself (with a personality YAY!!) and I understand when people talk to me.  I am trying to learn more vocabulary and practice writing, but speaking is going well!  They think I’m from Argentina! J  That’s probably not the best accent to have since a lot of Brazilians don’t like Argentina, (the two biggest countries in South America, so it’s always a competition and with World Cup around the corner its even more so) but I am happy that at least they think I am from south America J.

I’m really loving it here. The people are so amazing.  They love to share and they are so open to meeting new people.  When it rains (pretty much everyday), even if we never met them before someone always lets us inside.  Actually when it’s sunny they invite us in too, haha. Everything is very calm here, there’s no rush for anything. Stress is not a word to them, they just live each moment and are happy.  I’m learning so much about true happiness here.  We meet people everyday that have little in material things but they are so giving with all they have and are truly a happy people.  What a blessing it is to serve them. I know I’m where I need to be and it is the right time.  We are all becoming who Father needs us to be. Keep smiling, loving, serving and growing! I love you!

Hello Brazil !!!!

Our Chapel

our failed gostar description 

 Bruna, such a sweet girl

our favorite restaurant

it´s raining it´s pouring

Dancing

The Country

So Green

The Neighborhood

Pet Goat

The Sisters

Not Sure What to Call this Weeks Post.

My Family

Another wonderful week here in St. Antonio!  I love it here!  My companion is AMAZING!  I’m learning so much from her.  Ah, I really wish you guys could meet her.  We work so well together, we really have the same mindset and pace of work.  This week was a little slower cause it rained and rained.   It’s summer I don’t know what’s happening! It’s still not even close to being cold, but for Bahia it’s quite chilly.  I’ve used a sweater two times this week!  But by noon it gets hot again, then it starts raining randomly, it’s great!

We almost died this week. Seriously, we were walking down the main road in our area and there’s a sidewalk in the middle of the street. It was night time and we were coming back from an investigators house. Anyways, we were walking and heard this huge crashing sound.  We looked back and a car had flipped onto the sidewalk. We were literally 20 feet away from where it crashed.  Just a few seconds earlier we were walking right there!  We both looked at each other completely shocked.  The protection of a missionary is real!!

We’ve been having really great success using the ward list.  We’ve found a lot of new people to teach using it.  Some are little rude, but most are nice.  We met one man from the list and he is awesome!  He invited us to teach his 4 sons and introduced us to his neighbors.  He came to church yesterday for the first time in 10 years, it was such a happy moment to see him there, and the ward was so awesome in welcoming him.  It’s so wonderful to see someone come back to church. It’s truly like seeing them get baptized again, it’s so beautiful.

I really can’t believe how quickly time is flying by.  Pretty soon it will be 6 months, 1/3 of my mission already!  I love serving here.  I am so grateful I made the decision to come here. I can already see that it was one of the best choices in my life and I know that I will continue to see that with time.  Everyday I learn something new about myself, about others and about my savior.   Everyday is such an opportunity to do something good, to grow and to help others grow.  Our time here is short, it goes by quick and we only get it once. How do we want to remember it?  When we return to the Father we will remember everything, our life before, our life here and our future.  Take every chance learn, even if you don’t remember every little thing you study, study anyway!  Because one day it will all come back to you.  The same goes for serving.  Always look for the good in others, yourself and the world.  Make the best of what you have and continue to leave things more beautiful than when you found them. I love you all so much and I’m so grateful for you!

Bejus from Brazil!

Love Always,

Sister McKenzie

All this fruit was 7 American Dollars

Best Week of The Mission

Fofa Familia

One of my favorite weeks on the mission, so wonderful. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve with Sister Felartigus, she is truly amazing.  I love the way she works with the people and truly shows she cares for them.  There is such a special spirit in every single one of our lessons and each day it gets better and better.  I really don’t want to leave!  I will probably only stay here for this transfer and then head off to a new place next month, ah I don’t want to think of that!  But the reality is next transfer will be 3 transfers almost five months in one area.   I will most likely say goodbye to my beloved St Antonio de Jesus next monthL But onward and upward!  And for now I will enjoy my favorite city in BrazilJ 

Highlight of the week: one of my favorite people that we have been teaching, Luana got baptized on Sunday!  It was truly a miracle. Saturday I was on splits with an awesome girl from our ward and we went to visit Luana, we started talking about her concerns regarding baptism and the girl I was with, Adriana answered every question so perfectly.  At the end, she said, “ I want to be baptized tomorrow”. I almost cried when I heard that.  The spirit testified so strongly that she was truly prepared and I know that she had finally heard the answer she had been searching for.  We’ve been teaching her over a month now, but she’s been scared of baptism, but everything changed Sunday, ah it was truly a miracle.  I cant remember if I already shared with you how we met her, quickly in case I didn’t, her story is truly miraculous.  I was walking in Rua ds Lina with Sister Oliveria and there was a young girl walking behind us.  I thought we had already talked to her on the street and I found out later that Sister Oliveria thought she was a friend with someone in our ward.  We were both wrong haha, but for some reason she did look very familiar to both of us.  She walked behind us for a while then Sister Oliveria turned around and introduced us.  She told us that Sisters had already taught her and started talking about the Word of Wisdom and the Restoration.  She invited us into her house and we taught her the first lesson, it was amazing.  We kept saying she felt medo (afraid).  It wasn’t until Adriana bore her testimony and answered her questions did she feel ready to be baptized.   What a blessing, the testimony of  a church member!

Her baptism was so beautiful, Sister Grundvig sang a perfect song. And the ordinance itself was so beautiful. It really made me think what my own baptismal covenants that I made.  Seeing her totally clean through baptism, to see her with such a strong desire to follow Christ, it was truly amazing. I feel so blessed to have been a small part in helping her make that decision. I think of the blessings in my life, all the best things trace directly back to the day our family was baptized. I know the covenants that we make in those waters are truly the doors that open the pathway to eternal joy for each one of us.  I feel so blessed to be one called, “to invite others to come into Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost  and enduring till the end”. I could not think of a more wonderful call. To truly be a disciple of Him.  He is directing this work and it is through His power that I see miracles everyday.  This is our message of joy to all: that He lives. I know this to be true. I love you all and I pray for you sempre (always). God be with you.

Love Always,

Sister McKenzie

This is Spider dog. They see this dog every day standing on this fence 

Getting a New Companion

Back at Pday again!  It's been a quiet week here. Most people are at the beach for the holidays so we did lots of walking but not much teaching as we would have liked:( But that's okay!  It's so strange to think tomorrow I will meet my new companion ahh! I am so sad to say goodbye to Sister Oliviera. She has taught me so much and has been truly like my mom here. We were talking last night (final companionship inventory) and I was saying how the very first time we met I knew she would be my trainer. I feel so grateful to have been with her these past 12 weeks. I really cannot believe how fast it has gone!  I feel like she has really prepared me and although I will miss her a lot.  I am excited to meet my new companion. We will know today who it is! Then tomorrow we will both go to Salvador early  in the morning. We will spend most of the day there with a bunch of the Missionaries I'm excited to see my CTM family.

The language is coming right along!  I still have so much to learn but I feel good about where I am with it. They say full immersion is the best way to learn a language and that is certainly true!  If you just try the people help so much in teaching you!  Oh that reminds me sister Grundvig and I are teaching. English every Thursday night! This week will be our first time.  I am really excited!  They all take English in school but they only learn a few words and they pronounce them all in Portuguese so hopefully we can help them learn some conversation vocabulary and grammar.  They think English is so beautiful.  When Sister Grundvig and I talk, the younger kids tell us to talk more, haha. They are also doing a dance class at the church this week. In Brazil most of the churches  have meetings once or twice a day so they think our church is always closed.  We are trying to work with the Ward to have more activities during the week so people can see the inside of the church.  I think it will be really good! 

I got to go lots to do to get ready for tomorrow!  I love you all and I hope all is well.  Keep praying, loving and serving!  Tchau for now!

Love Always

Sister McKenzie

It's Going to be a Good Year

What an awesome week it has been. I feel like each week here gets better and better. I love my companion she is the best and we are learning so much together I can't believe we only have two more weeks left of training, It has flown by. But I'm really feeling good about the language, teaching and finding my way around I mostly worry about missing Sister Oliveira  she is my other half I can’t  imagine St. Antonio De Jesus without her. But I'm really grateful for the time I've had with her, she is truly an angel in my life. I thank  Heavenly Father every day for her.

Exciting news! One of my favorite girls got baptized this week! Her name is Veronica; I think I told you about her before but just in case I didn't...  She is the girlfriend of a super strong church member.  She has been going to church for the past six months and last week she decided she was ready to get baptized. It was one of the most beautiful baptisms I've ever seen. You could just see the joy she had and the desire to follow Christ. Her Boyfriend gave such a sweet testimony. It was all so perfect!  I wish you could've been there to see it.  I am excited to see what happens with them!  He is sending in his papers in the next few weeks and she is preparing to serve a mission as well. They are such an awesome couple!  It is so good to see how their relationship is strengthened by the gospel and how they are learning and growing together.

Another exciting thing that happened on Saturday is one of our investigators Jonas accepted our invitation to be baptized we met him where we do emails and we have been teaching him the last few weeks. He's been coming to church, reading the book of Mormon and praying He says he's feeling good about all that we talked about. We will keep helping him prepare this week.

Our New Year celebration was wonderful we were at the same family's house that we went to for Christmas we had a big churrasco (BBQ). With a bunch of different types of meats and salad, it was amazing!  Then we got authorization from the president to watch Princess and the Frog. It was such a good night.  When we got home we watched the fireworks from our balcony and listened to the Mormon Tabernacle choir it was quite the party. It's getting hotter and hotter every day, summertime In Bahia!  Luckily there is always a good wind so we don't get too too hot.

I'm so grateful for my ugly shoes they save me every day!  We walk so much! I wish you guys could see this city it's so beautiful. Even more I wish you could meet the people they are so kind and willing to help at any time. I really feel at home here. I love the sisters I live with they are so funny and sweet. Sister Grundvig and I laugh so much together. Mostly about the things we say wrong in Portuguese. She is so awesome and has such an amazing spirit. We said we would go visit President Hart together after the mission because he lives in Salt Lake. I can tell they were going to be friends for a long time she is wonderful!  It is such a blessing to meet people from so many backgrounds.

I've come to realize how universal the gospel message is. It is truly a message of joy, peace and comfort. Every day is a testimony of its truthfulness. I see the difference it makes and those we teach. Yesterday, Railam(The young man that was baptized my first week) bore his testimony in sacrament meeting. He said that because of the gospel he now has peace and he knows that he is a son of a loving father in heaven. He has grown so much in such a short time and it's been such a testimony to me of the converting power of the gospel.

I pray that you will all take this new year to set goals and take action in attaining these goals. It's not too late to become who you might have been.  Don't be scared to try new things. Take every opportunity to learn and serve. Our time here is short and it goes fast. Choose joy today. Never wait until tomorrow   Our Father's plan for us is the plan for happiness. He wants nothing more than our eternal joy. Certainly we will pass through trials, We will have hard times, but the Lord has promised for those who are built upon the rock of salvation, even Jesus Christ, that these trials will not will not have the power to bring us down. The Father has great things in store for us. I know 2014 it's going to be one of the best years of my life so far. I'm so excited to see what it will be like!  I know will truly be unforgettable. If we let him he will shape this year.  2014 is going to be awesome!  I can feel it! I love all of you so much!  You are in my thoughts and prayers

Love Sister McKenzie

PS one of my New Year's goals is to learn to cook Brazilian food and yesterday I made lunch for us! Black beans, rice, fried bananas and Salad. 

The whole group!! The best sisters out there!

Sister Oliveria,Veronica and I before her baptism :) She is such an amazing young woman!

Veronica and Andre, they are are so cute!

5. 3..2..1..HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! (with sparkling strawberry cider)

walking and smiling, our two favorite activities 

Our baby pear! Sister Grundvig loves fruit as much as I do which is so great because we always buy a bunch for our house. 

Trés amigas