encontrado o eleito

Monday, July 25, 2016

Hello my dear friends and family. I hope everything is going great where ever you may be in the world. I love explaining to people here about the process of getting your mission call and how I have friends on almost every continent of the world serving the Lord. And of course, their awesome families back in the states, anxiously settled in front of their iPads and iPhones(first world probs), waiting for emails Monday morning.

I´ve always been a rather realistic person. I like to look at the facts and decide from there. You may blame this on John Myers. But something I´ve learned here, especially with this transfer, is that you absolutely have to look at the tiny positives that you have in life. Focusing on the negatives
and the facts will drive you to the very deepest of pits (just take my word for it). So this week I want to talk about our miracle. His name is Irailson. He has 17 years old, plays the saxaphone and wants to live in Washington DC. Meet our eleito. He was a reference from an in-active here in our area. We´ve tried a million times to find him in this house but he was never there. Until one day, with very little success in sight, he was in his house, ready to hear the restored gospel. He has so many questions about religion and life. I´ve never felt so excited to preach the gospel to a young soul who is so in need. We just started teaching him this week but I see him going so far not only in life but in the gospel.

We had news about transfers this morning and I´ll be staying here in Paracuru with Sister Miranda. Which means more beach pictures for you all!
Sister Myers

When you remind yourself everyday that the first thing you'll do when you get home is get a mani/pedi.
 My Americans
 Tan lines 4 Life
My companion
Acai shakes are the bestest.
 When your recent convert gives you a fish


 When you're the only one who knows how to cook fish.

 Other investigators that brought us corn.
 "Little store: Only has God, nothing more."

Conferencia e cidade

Monday, July 18, 2016

As any missionary knows, email time can be very short. So this week will be a little bit shorter but with pictures. I ask for your forgiveness my dear blog followers.

This week was very different than any other. We had Zone Conference! But when you live in the middle of NO WHERE it becomes a little complicated. Tuesday we took a bus to Fortaleza, spent the night with 12 SISTERS in one apartment (fire hazard if you ask me), went to conference the next day, slept over again, then returned to our area on Thursday by bus. So as you could imagine, it was quite the week. But it was awesome to spend sometime with the other zones and be in a real life city. If theres anything I miss about being in Paracuru is the city. Mother like daughter. Paracuru is BEAUTIFUL and I dont know very many other misionaries that have the oppurtunity like I do to live in this gorgeous beach town. But the first place I went to in the city was McD´s. With conference we had practically no time in our own area which was hard to do but with the last week of transfers we´ll recuperate and do our very best work this week.

Stay tuned next week for changes.

Com muito amor
Sister Myers
Which is Brazilian and which is American?
 AZ gals (P.S. She's the McLaw's neice)
 Sister Miranda and I
 When you no longer have a sense of style so you start wearing Brazilian grandma's dresses.
Good Morning Paracuru!

Planting the seeds.

Monday, July 11, 2016

This hour and a half I have to ponder and contemplate about my past week is always so dear to me. Not just because I get to write my family and friends but because this time is passing so quickly and I´m trying to love every second. But this week I´d love to share a scripture. Sometimes I dont have the words to describe my week, especially because my mind only thinks in Portguese and writing in English is incredibly difficult. The scriptures have become my way to communicate with people here. Sometimes I dont know exactly what to say but I remember scriptures that have touched my life that explain what I want to express.
So lets turn to Jeremiah 32:41 *pages turning*. It reads: "Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul." This week and basically this whole transfer, we´ve realized the hand of God in our work. We have been called to plant the seeds of the gospel in our investigators. As for right now, the majority of them can´t be baptized. The majority of our teaching group are couples, which is awesome. Preach My Gospel teaches we should search to teach couples and families because we know that the ultimate goal of missionary work is to see these families and individuals sealed together for eternity in the temple. But the couples who are being converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, don´t have the oppurtunity to be married. Its very expensive to get married here, about $R 300, which is everything for them. We´re been working with the court house to arrange free marriages for these simple people but is still in the process. So until we can help these couples live all the commandments of God, we are planting seeds. And to be very honest, its been a priviledge to watch these seeds be planted and grow each and everyday. Most of these people have addictions, who´ve completely stopped with the help of the Lord. I know the time will come for these souls to be baptized and feel the fullness of the Gospel. Until then, I am planting seeds, along side Heavenly Father "with my whole heart and with my whole soul".

My "Feliz 6 Meses" from my companion. She knows the way to my heart is Pacoquita. It is this roasted peanut paste with sugar thingy.
 This is as Brazilian as a house gets.
 Sister M (Squared)
 I tell my companion everyday that we're just like Dora exploring the jungle except we're missionaries and we speak portuguese.

Beach and Baptism

Monday, July 4, 2016

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! I would like to note that I´m proudly wearing my Red, White, and Blue here in the little town of Paracuru, Brazil. Everyday there is something happening and I think to myself how blessed I am to be an American and have the privileges that I have. So someone grill some ribs and watch the fireworks for me. I tried to say the pledge this morning and I began to translate it to Portguese. My mind just doesnt do english anymore. But I still do pictures so you´ll receive a bunch of pictures this week.

WE WENT TO THE BEACH(kinda)! So the rule in our mission is we can go to the beach but can´t touch the sand, where the beach starts. Which I think is hilarious because all the streets we walk in are just sand. Sand. Yes, it´s a great workout. Anyways, it was beautiful. We went right before the sunset and watched it from the top of this lighthouse. We´re quite the adventurers. Theres tons of beaches in Paracuru but this is the one you can see from our house and the closest.

This week we had a baptism! I feel so bad because I´ve been horrible about writing about our investigators this area. I´ll be better I promise. Meet Antonio! Hes about 40 years old, he´s my height, and super timid, but by far the cutest little man ever. I met Antonio the first day I arrived. When I arrived, he had gone a week without drinking or using drugs which is a miracle because when the other sisters had met him, he was passed out on the road. And now, a month later, he has completely changed. He´s working everyday, has drank or used drugs, and most importantly, has an incredible testimony of Jesus Christ. He´s amazing, seriously. Him and his family live in the simplest of conditions but have the biggest hearts. He doesnt say much but after his baptism he grinned ear to ear and tried to give me a bear hug. Nothing is better than seeing this change. Someimes I wonder if this is how my leaders, parents, and friends felt about me, when I gained a testimony of my Savior. And its growing with every day passing.

Besides this, it was really a peaceful week. We´re working really hard to find new people to teach. The culture here is more relaxed so not very many people have a desire to have religion or accept our invitations to read the Book of Mormon, visit the church, or pray. Which are the absolutely essentials to receiving a testimony. But I know there are people waiting for Sister Myers and Sister Miranda. We will find them.

Thank you for your love and support. I think the Elder that sorts the mail is getting tired of my name. I feel so much support from emails and letters. I cant express how much I love this gospel and the happiness that it brings. Not just now, but for eternity. Find someone to serve this week everyday. You dont need a name tag to do so. And I promise it will change whatever difficulties you are passing through, always does, always will.
Com muito amor e saudades de Estados Unidos,
Sister Myers









 
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