Package/EQUATOR!

3 February 2014
Mission Week 34, Brazil Week 28
Camera is at the mission home 
Hey Mom, thanks for the email!  I'm glad that you're doing well!

   Thank you for helping the missionaries, I know they really appreciate it.

   This week was good, but it ended really tough.  We had two investigators preparing to be baptized this Saturday. They were doing super well! A mom and her daughter. The mom was keeping the Word of Wisdom, reading the Book of Mormon, studying the pamphlets, had received various answers, etc.. The daughter had received an answer as well.

  Sunday we went to look for them to come to church with us, and the daughter was sleeping and the Mom was at her other church. We had no one at church yesterday. I felt so beat down. People accept baptismal dates, say they want to know, say they'll come to church and then it seems like everyone bails out on us....

   We went to go talk to them that afternoon and she (the Mom) had changed completely. She said she got her answer, and that she feels that she should stay in her church. She gave us back the Book of Mormon, etc., said it was nice to learn with us, but that she didn't want to continue. Yesterday was probably the hardest day of my mission. I cried so much. I don't know what we/I did wrong....I guess that's the hard part about agency..... When does God's influence end and individual agency begin? How can you pray for God to soften people's hearts, if they have to choose to do so? Maybe if you could research some talks on that that would be helpful. I got a blessing from my LD (District Leader-slk) and that helped. It's just frustrating that we're not having any baptisms or investigators progressing. I try my best to talk to everyone, teach contacts in the moment, be animated, bear testimony, but nothing seems to be clicking.  Pois é (it is, as it is, yeah-slk). I thought Agulha was tough, but this area seems to be tougher. All part of "missionary work and the Atonement". Heavenly Father must cry a lot for us when we choose not to follow.

     Anyway done ranting. There's nothing else to do but to keep working.

     Sorry no photos. the internet is terrible here and won't let me. Try to get a member to send some.

The food is better here! All our almoços (lunch appointments-slk) are in the Elder's area practically though, so they're pretty far away.  The ward is a lot bigger. almost 200 I think, one Ward, Elders and Sisters.  Sister C. (her companion-slk) tem 20 tambem, but I'm older :P

Looking foward to the package!

Love,

 Sarah

Packages are the BEST!!!  Thank you ZL's and Mission Office!

With Sis. C. my companion from Ecuador!

Cooking with Sis. C.!

The final result!  YUMM!  Sisters can COOK!