Happy, Happy Halloween!!

OI OI OI FAMÍLIA! EU AMO VOCÊS!!!!!

Sorry that I didn't get to send a gigantic email to you guys last week. I forgot that last Monday was yet another holiday so EVERYTHING was shut down for the day--kind of like Georgia when it snows--and then I only had an hour last Tuesday to write. Anyways, I hope you all had a fantastic Halloween and didn1t have too much fun without me! A lot of people here, I discovered, know a little bit about Halloween and think it is muito legal (means cool/awesome)! Então I got a ton of questions about what we do, what it's like but the one thing that grabbed people's attentions was trick-or-treating! We were visiting one family and talking (of course) about Halloween when one of the children said that he was going to visit the U.S. just to go trick-or-treating! Side note: this family has been with us from day one. The mom (Nadiere) and her two sons (Henrique e Lucas) are members while the dad (Wilson) e grandma (Luzinete) are not. So we've been concentrating on them--having FHE, reading the Book of Mormon, and revisiting different principles of the gospel but they are super awesome, and the dad and grandma are very supportive of the church so that is great! 

Also this week we taught a lesson to um irmão named Cosme and his wife Marta. We were talking about baptism and how they needed to be baptized by water and fire (the Holy Ghost). When we told Cosme that he needed not only to be baptized not only by water but also fire, his eyes got real wide and his mouth dropped. He thought he actually had to be baptized by fire! We told him not to worry and that baptism by fire was another way to say "you need to recieve the Holy Ghost" lol. 

I also realized this week that I have yet to tell you guys about Tatiana. We met her na rua about a month ago and when we asked her when we could visit her and share a message, she said "tomorrow!" We visited her the next day and discovered that she is absolutely awesome! She lives with her husband, 3 year old daughter, and numerous pets! She loves animals and is finishing up vet school in the next month or so. Anyways, she doesn't follow one specific religion but has a made up religion in her head (which she discovered is very similar to what Latter-day Saints believe). One day we were visiting her, and she said she had been looking online and reading about the Church. Immediately I thought "oh no what did she find?", but to my surprise everything she found was positive and true! After her search, she said that out of all the religions she has heard, and learned about, she feels most connected with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! She is awesome and the last time we visited her, she told us that she is reading the Book of Mormon with her daughter and teaching her the simpler doctrines that we teach her! Também she wants to be baptized but she has clinicals on Sundays so this puts a block in the road because she can´t switch days....but somehow someway she will be with a lot of guidance and help from Jesus Christ. 

I hope you all have a spectacular week! Eu amo vocês!!!!! 

Love, 

Sister Hilchie :) 

Rain, Rain and more Rain

FAMÍLIA!!!!! TUDO BEM?

Sister Oliveira and I are doing just splendidly fantastic! We were able to find new investigators this week, and our progressing investigators couldn´t be any better! This week we had two activities at the church which brought in a lot of our investigators. We have a hard time getting them to church but through these activities, we were able to get 8 of our investigators to come, take a tour of the church building, and talk with the members and meet the bishop. For the first activity, we watched ``Meet the Mormons´´ (which I found out was only shown in the U.S.) and had all the movie theatre treats to along with it! Then on Saturday we had pizza night! side note--the pizza here (in my opinion) is not as good as the pizza in the U.S. Pizza here doesn´t have any sign of tomato sauce and if you order a pizza with meat, all you get is the dough and meat. No pizza sauce. No cheese. Nada. Só carne which is a bummer because what is a pizza without cheese and tomato sauce? But oh well it´s still good but just not as good. Anyways.....through this experience, I learned that activities are a fantastic way to get investigators to come to church in a more relaxed, non-intimidating way. Então at the next church activity, I encourage you all to invite a friend. Introduce them to the missionaries, other members, give them a quick church tour and who knows what could happen from there?! 

OH MY......it rained so much this week--which is good because we need it--but that means that there aren´t as many people in the street to talk to but one afternoon it got really bad. It was thundering and lightening and just pouring cats and dogs and guess who forgot her rain jacket? Me. Luckily when it started we were almost at the member´s home so I didn´t get too drenched! But it got so bad that our district leader called and told us to stay inside the member´s home until the rain let up a little. As a result, we were able to get to know the member really well! 

I would also like to share a scripture with you guys that I have been pondering this week in 1 Néfi 15:11 which reads: ``Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?--If ye will not harder your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.´´ When studying the Book of Mormon em seminary my senior year, my seminary teacher called this verse ``the formula for life´´ and as I pondered on it this week, I truly came to realize that it is. If we truly want help with our dificuldades or problemas and answers to our questions and prayers, we need to ask with fé. We need to have complete confidence that He will answer. But not only do we need to have fé, confiança, e trust but we also need to do the things that our loving Heavenly Father has asked us to do or in other words, keep the commandments. As we do this, we are exercising our faith in the Lord and as we show that we are willing to do and obey what He quer nos fazemos, we are blessed and receive help with our problems and answers to our prayers por que nosso Pai Celesital é fantástico. Ele é maravilhoso. He wants to help us but first we need to ask Him, believe, and do our part. 

AH! I just realized that this Saturday is HALLOWEEN!!! Here in Brasil, they don´t celebrate Halloween, which is kind of really sad, but that won´t stop me from celebrating with Sister Oliveira. soooooo HAPPY (early) HALLOWEEN!!!! May your day be full of spooks, pranks, and all the other wonderful Halloween stuff! Until this glorious day, have a spooktacluar week!! Love you all!! 

Love, 

Sister Hilchie :)

p.s. I would love to receive Halloween pics from you all!    

OI!!!!

FAMÍLIA!!!!!! I hope you all had a week that was out of this world! 

Courtney and Sis Oliviera at the Temple

This week was a little bit crazy because we had a lot of meetings and weren´t em Jordanópolis half this week, but it was an awesome crazy week! I had the opportunity to go to the temple on Tuesday, and it was fantastic! It was nice to get away from all the problems of the outside world and just really reflect on the Lord and everything He has done for me--which by the way is a ton! Our Savior has a tremendous amount of love for each and every one of us. He came into this world, perfect, not owing any debt but yet He paid the price for our sins. He was mocked and despised by men yet He persevered because He loves us. He wanted us to be able to be clean of our sins and have a perfect example to follow. He wants us to return to live with Him again and because He lived and suffered and died for us, we can. Ah He is wonderful! 

In one of my meetings this week, I learned something that I continue to learn each and every day in the mission, and that is that I can do hard things through faith and trust in the Lord. Through Him all things are possible. Sometimes it is hard for to take that next step up a hill that seems to never end or talk to some stranger on the street, or speak Portuguese but I know that as I have faith in Him, He will help with in all things. I also learned that this world is crazy--well I knew that but now that I have taken a step back, it is even more apparent to me. Because this world is crazy and moving every which direction, we need to stay firm. We need to stay firm in what we know to be true. As we do this, we will be a light for someone. Don´t let the little things distract you from your ultimate goal. 

Tomorrow we have transfers! But I found out yesterday from our district leader that I am staying in Jordanópolis with Sister Oliveira, which is awesome! I love Jordanópolis and the people here and can´t wait to continue to meet new people, teaching our investigators, and grow my relationship with Sister Oliveira! 

I love you all and am so grateful for your support and love! Until next time, have a super awesomely fantastic week! 

Love, 

Sister Hilchie :)