Happy Happy Day!!

OI FAMÍLIA!!!! 

Courtney and Sis Curcino at the Temple

How's it goin? Hope you all are happy happy happy because I sure am! I am loving Parque Bristol and the people here more and more each day. And this week was just fantastic! We started off by going to the temple Tuesday! Ah I love the temple! Sister Curcino and I were so super excited to be able to go this week to charge our spiritual battery. You feel so peaceful inside the templo and it seems like everything is peaches and cream. Nothing is on your mind, worrying you but you get to just sit there, listen, and feel the spirit so strongly.....it's the best place in the world! We saw old companions and what a sweet reunion that was! There were a few tears shed but they were happy tears so it's all good! Man I am so grateful for all the people I have met, all the companions I have had that have now become such a huge part in my life. It's amazing. 

Later this week, we visited Reneane. I don't know if I've already talked about her so I will now. Before I got here, the sisters had already taught her a number of times. She has about 22 years and lives with her "husband" and two kids--Michael (3 years) e Julia (1.5 years)--and was literally waiting to hear the gospel. The sisters found her while trying to find someone else and has been history ever since. She is at church every Sunday and when he isn't working, is there too. And they are going to get married in about a month!!!!!!! They have already started the process with the help of the bishop and are planning this grand festa at the church. We are so excited for them! But anyways, this week we passed by and talked with Reneane to see how things were going. She said that they are starting to read the Book of Mórmon as a family and have family prayer. She said that due to this, she and Anderson (her husband) have become a lot closer. She even can't remember the last time they fought. They have also already stopped drinking café (which was huge) and said that now they have more energy to play with the kids and feel more awake and alive! It was awesome to hear all this and to know that the gospel of Jesus Cristo is really changing their lives. Bringing more happiness and peace in their lives. I know that the gospel of Jesus Cristo changes lives just like it's changing the lives of Reneane and her family. You will see miracles take place as you live it fully. The gospel is really for families. I know this to be true. To help families become mais unidas (more united) in this world that is so difficult. I am so grateful for the gospel in my life and that now I have the oportunidade to share it with everyone!!! 

And Friday we picked up Sister Curcino's visa!!!!!!!! Ah we are both so super excited for her to serve in temple square. I don't want her to leave but I know that the Lord called her there and she will have tons of work to do. Once we picked it up, we couldn't stop looking at it. I think maybe we still couldn't believe that it had been approved. Ahhh it's so exciting!!! 

This week I have been reading in Ether and read chapter 12 that talks a whole bunch about fé.(faith) Wow did I learn a lot. I learned that the Lord is always there ready and willing to help with anything and everything but first we need to believe that it can happen. We need to really act in our faith. Believe that all things are possible with the Lord's help. If we doubt, the help or answer we are searching will not come. Faith will help us go far in life. Faith will help us overcome obstacles we never thought were possible. Faith will help us see light in the darkness. Faith gives us hope. We just need to believe and go for it. I am learning and practicing this a lot here in the mission, and just strengthens my testimony every time that I truly have someone all powerful, my Heavenly Father, who is really looking out for me and there to help me every step of the way. 

You all are awesome! Thanks for all your support and love! Love you all so much!! Until next week! 

Love, Sister Hilchie :)

p.s. this Friday I will complete ONE YEAR in the mission!!!! CRAZY!   

Templo

E AÍ FAMÍLIA?!!

Espero que vocês estão super bem e tiverem uma semana da hora!! This week was super corrido with everything. We started off the week super bem and ready to work then Sister Curcino got the long awaited call that she would be doing some government stuff to finalize her visa. So Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we spent the day in São Paulo hopping from government building to government building. Friday was the big day when she had to do an interview at the American Consulate center for her visa to be approved. I was not able to go in with her so had to wait outside at the exit. As I was waiting there, there was a lot of talk that a lot of people were not being approved and I witnessed this as people walked out all sad or irritated. But when Sister Curcino came around the corner, she was all bright and happy with the biggest smile! SHE PASSED! Now she is officially going to the States on the 9th of Agosto!!!! WOOHOO! You could say we got pretty excited as we danced and sang down the street. I am so excited for her! After all this, we worked and worked with a lot of our investigators. Today I would you guys to get to know a few: 

Greyce. She has 13 years and super excited that she was introduced to the church. She comes to church with us every Sunday and always participating in the young woman activities and reading the Book of Mórmon every day. She is a stellar young woman and we love her so much. She always asks when we are going to visit her so we usually go every other day. She has the strongest desire to be baptized and the only thing stopping her is her parent's permission. We told her to talk to her dad about being baptized and all. She did the other day and said that he is supportive of her decision. So this week we are going to visit her and talk with her dad about it because he has to sign the ficha (don't know what the word is in English but it's one of those church record papers with all your information on it so that the church knows you're member and all. Like a church membership paper...não sei). We are super excited for her and cannot wait for her be become a part of Christ's church. 

Elisangela, Caio, and Luciano. They're the família that I've been talking about lately and are really enjoying church and everything. We had a noite familiar with them and a member of the bispado(Bishop) and his família. It was great! The presidente of the young men's is really helping with the boys and inviting them to all the activities. The boys are really enjoying it all because now they are not trapped inside all day but have friends to hang out with. They are an awesome family who are really enjoying coming to church with us and being part of this great and loving church family. 

Irene. She's a bit older....has about 60 years and lives with her daughter. She loves it when we visit her and enjoyed going to church with us this past Sunday. Before she lived here in Parque Bristol, she lived close to the templo and so always passed by it. She always talks about how beautiful it is and Sunday in relief society, the lesson was about templos so you could say she got a bit excited. At the end of the lesson, the presidente announced that there would be carpool to the templo this Thursday and Irene was all excited to go. After church when we were walking her home, she kept asking when we would go with her to the templo so we are going to mark a day and take her there. She has lost a lot of loved ones in her lifetime so we talked about what we do inside the temple and the plan of salvation e how she would be able to see them again and she seemed to be happier after we told her this. I imagine it must be hard for her but I am so grateful for the gospel and to know that I can live with my family para eternity through this plan and see those who have already passed away. This small fact has brought so much peace in the lives of a lot of our investigators and especially with Irene. 

Well guys I hope you all are enjoying your summer break and soaking in a lot of sun! Love you all and have an awesome week!

Love, Sister Hilchie :) 

Festa Junina!

OI FAMÍLIA!!!  Whazzzup?! Hope you all had a terrific 4th of July! We didn't do much here to celebrate....just dressed in red, white, and blue and my district said "Congrats! Happy Independence day!" and that was about it. But this Saturday, the elder's ward had a festa junina and we were invited so or course we went! Festa Junina reminds me a lot of home. It's like Old Fashion Day we had in elementary school way back when. Everyone was dressed in cowboy hats, checkered shirts, jeans, and boots. There were a lot of little girls dressed in the pioneerish dresses with French braids or pigtails. They had all the old timey games like toss the ring on the coke bottle, toss the sack in the holes in the wooden board (forgot the name of this game) and even square danced! And had all the good food but brasileiro style. It was awesome! Really brought me back home.  But anyways, we worked a lot with a family that we met the end of last week--Elisangela (mom), Luciano (15 years), e Kaio (12 years). It has only been a little over a week that they have moved here to Parque Bristol so they don't know anyone and hardly know where the supermarket is. This was great for us because we were able to introduce them to the church and the members. So this week we visited them with the presidente of the sociedade de socorro and rapazes(Relief Society President). When we were there with the Relief Society presidente, she found out what all she was needing and invited her to come to an activity Saturday and then church on Sunday. Afterwards, Elisangela got real excited about coming to church because she already had someone she would know there. The next day, we went with Marcelo (presidente of the young men) and man did he get the boys all pumped up. Luciano and Kaio love to play soccer but haven't been able to get out and play yet because they don't know anyone but now they do! So later that week, on Sunday after church, we were walking home with them and asked what they thought. Elisangela said she really liked the activity Saturday and going to church também! The boys said they had a blast getting to know the other young men and playing a little soccer with them. We are working really hard with this family to get them fully involved in the church. And with the help of the members, it makes things a lot better.  OH! A little update on my companion.....HER VISA IS FINALLY READY! She is super excited but has to do a couple of interviews beforehand so her date to leave for Provo is the 9th of Agosto. So we will be together for the rest of this transfer! Ah! I am so excited for her!  That's all for now guys. Have a wonderful week! Love you all so much!  Love,  Sister Hilchie :)