9 meses

Zone Paranagua

Sister Councill arrived with me at the CTM and we have been the two loiras ever since.

HALF WAY WHAT

9 meses em Brasil.

I cannot believe that I am already half way done with my mission and I dont know what to think or do or ahh. I love Brasil a whole lot and I really cannot get over how lucky and blessed I am to be here. 

President Russell M. Nelson said, "If we look to the world and follow its formulas for happiness, we will never know joy...Joy is the gift that comes from intentionally trying to live a righteous life, as taught by Jesus Christ."

I have never learned so much as I have these past 9 months, thousands of miles away from home. I know that true joy only comes from our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that God loves his children more than we could ever imagine. So here is to 9 more months learning and growing and becoming the missionary that Heavenly Father needs me to be.

9 things I love the most about my mission:

9. The people. They hug and kiss checks and are the friendless, most loving, people I have ever met. 

8. The food. Rice and beans and bread and goodness.

7. The language. I love Portuguese and being able to talk and understand!

6. The missionaries. I am able to work with the greatest people who are amazing examples to me!

5. The wards. Brazilians are the greatest people and there testimonies are so strong and they are willing to share what they know.

4. The weather. I have definitely had to get use to it, but I love the rain and sun and humidity. 

3. My 4 areas. I have been able to learn something new from each area and I know that I will be able to learn even more! 

2. The culture. I am pretty sure I was met to be brazilian.

1. Being able to learn more about the gospel every single day.

I am so lucky to be doing what I am doing. I love you all and I hope you guys have the greatest week ever!

Sister Albertoni

sempre chuvendo

Família,

Eu amo muito vocês, sabia?! 

It rained a whole whole lot this week. Every day. And not a whole lot of people opened their doors, BUT. Yesterday, after all of this rain we met our golden family. Grandma Estrella with her 4 grandkids! They have already met with the missionaries and they are super open to learning more! So sometimes you just have to keep clapping and walking and doing what you are asked to do.

Cristiano came with us to church again yesterday and he is the happiest camper I have ever met. He is always singing and being funny and helping me learn more about the gospel every time we teach him. Its been two weeks since we started teaching him and he has a baptismal date for the 1 of Abril (April)!! It makes it all worth it when you find people who accept the gospel and are wanting to learn more. 

Elder W. Mark Bassett said, "Faith and trust in the Lord require us to acknowledge that HIs wisdom is superior to our own. We must also acknowledge that His plan provides the greatest potential for spiritual development and learning". I am positive that being here has been the haredest, yet most rewarding thing, I have ever ever done. I am so grateful for my loving father in Heaven. He hears and answers our prayers and I know that HIs timing is perfect. 

Plus my good friend Isadora was baptized this past week!! Dont forget to read your scriptures and say your prayers and be grateful for all that you have! 

Thankful for you all,

Abraço,

Sister Albertoni

Guarani

I love Paranaguá. 

So I lived with Sister Ferreira for 3 months in Fazenda Rio Grande and now we are companions for her last transfer in Guarani! We are basically the same person and I have never laughed so hard before. I am so excited to be able to work and serve with her for the next 5 weeks! Heavenly Father really does hear and answer our prayers and He loves us more than we could ever imagine. 

This week I met 32 year old Cristiano who is a big guy that we marked a baptismal date for dia 1 de April! He is so funny and is always smiling and happy and I have never met anyone so prepared and willing to accept the gospel. He always asks questions and really has a desire to learn and understand what we are teaching. We ot to his house 8:30am yesterday to walk with him to church and he was sleeping..but his roommate answered the door and 5 minutes later he walked out shirtless singing and asking if we could wait for him to take a shower. Normally people would just say that they werent going to come, but not Cristiano! We even got to church 9am spot on! He is literally golden and I am so excited to be here in this area! 

Get this..so normally my hair is pulled up because of how hot it is here. But thye other day as we were finishing a lesson I let my hair down and this 45 year old man (that we were teaching) told me that "Agora você é uma mulher de Deus" (Now you are a woman of God) and I dont think I have ever laughed so hard in my life. So now Sister Ferreira always wants me to have my hair down. Lol. 

I love this gospel and I know that this church is true. I know that the atonement is real and that we were not sent to this earth to suffer. I have never loved people so fast as I have here. Literally it feels like I am meeting my greatest friends and I cant think of anything better. Great things are about to come and the Guarani ward is about to grow! 

I love you all and I am so thankful for the examples you all are to me. 

Abraço, Sister Albertoni

Letters:

Caixa Postal 9501
Água Verde
80613-981 Curitiba - PR
Brazil

Packages:

Recanto Joseph Smith, 15
Portão
80610-210 Curitiba - PR
Brazil

 

They are so great and I don't know how I lucked out with the best areas ever.

We went to the temple a couple weeks ago and little did I know that I was meeting people in the ward that I would be serving in!  So now I am serving the the aula (ward) Guarani and these nice young men are in my ward!!!

Sister Ferreira and I did a division for a solid week when I got to Fazenda and we have been the best of friends ever since.

We sleep on the floor in the main room because of how hot it is in our bed room.  It's like a sleepover every night! 

TRANSFERS

Family and friends that I love more than words,

I am being transfered to Guarani and my companion is SISTER FERREIRA!!

I lived with Sister Ferreira for two transfers in my last area and we are almost the same person. This is her last transfer and then she is going home. So I get to be her last companion! We got a call at 10:30 last night telling us to pack my bags and nothing more. Than this morning at 6:30 they told me about where and who and yay!

Matinhos has been the greatest area and I know for a fact that God loves His children. I have learned how to love people who are completely different than me, and to look for similiarities in everyone. I have learned how to be happy, you know? Genuinely happy with where I am and who I am with and with Gods plan. I love these people more than words can say and I cannot believe that my time here was so so short. But I know that there are even more people for me to meet and love and wow. I am so blessed.

Isadora will be baptized next week, because this week she went to the hospital and had to get surgery. But she is fine and running and being her happy self! Joâo, an investigator made me a picture frame and I dont think I have ever been so happy. And then Yasmin was able to be confirmed yesterday and her less active grandma went too!

Miracles are everywhere, and there are so many blessing to receive. I love Matinhos and I love being a missionary. I am so excited for this next little adventure and the opportunity I have to be doing what I am doing.

I love you all and am so thankful for your support and love! I hope you guys have the greatest week. Dont forget to study the scriptures and talk to your father in Heaven.

A grande abraço,

Sister Albertoni