A couple weeks ago my sister loving expressed that I needed to explain more about what Brazil is like. Sometimes I forget that not everyone lives in Brazil and sees what I see everyday. Its so weird to think about the difference because Brazil has become my home and very normal to me. The other day my companion was asking about the States and what it´s like and the only thing I could tell her that was different was that you can flush the toilet paper there (here you cant). Sorry TMI. But i´ll try my best to think of some big differences about living in the beautiful country of Brazil.

We are lunchers here in Brazil. Their big meal here is lunch so this is what happens (its absurb). Everyone works (not everyone because the country has a huge unemployment rate but thats another story) from 7 to about noon and everyone gets off two hours for lunch and returns to work after 2. So its not rare to have a day where we dont enter a house to teach until 4. Why? Because after lunch you have to..... nap. Yep. We dont enter houses until 4 because the whole world is napping. Except me (tears). But you get used to it. It becomes a game of how many people can you wake up to teach.

Another huge difference is the food, but specifically the milk. I dont know where the milk comes from but its not from cows. Here they sells boxes BOXXXESSS of milk, unrefrigerated or milk powder that you mix with water to have the taste of milk. So then naturally, butter, cheese, yogurt are all super different. Someone eat some good gouda for me pls.

I honestly cant think of many more but if there´s one thing I will testify about until the day I die is about the love I have from the Brazilian people. They´re so warm and friendly. Its incredibly how close you become with people who live on a different continent. I really think they´re so different because of their incredible faith in God and Jesus Christ. I dont have the fingers to count how many times someone has said to me "vai com Deus" or prayed for God to bless my mission and my family. I sometimes feel uncomfortable because everyday theres someone thanking me for leaving everything and sharing the word of God, no matter the religion. And its so incredible because I just think that God gave me this oppurtunity and showed to me so clearly that this is what I needed to do. It wasnt "hey lets go live in Brazil and talk to strangers about the Gospel". It was so much more divine for me than that, and is until this day.
Thank you for your love and support. Know that there is a certainty in my heart that this church is true. I love this gospél. I love my Savior and Heavenly Father. Getting to know them has been the greatest blessing in my life.

When you are tanner than your Brazilian companion.

 The son of one of our investigators that drew the baptism of Jesus Christ.

 Rodrigo, Auricelia, Antonio(our recent convert), Sisters

Felicidade

I think one of the most difficult questions to answer as a missionary is "How´s your mission going?". Not because you don´t know, but because you ponder about a million things and dont know exactly what to say. Do you go the easier route and say its all rainbows and sunshine or do you say the truth and say it´s been the most difficult thing you´ve ever done?

With each of these responses, the final words that I would say is "I´m the happiest I´ve ever been and it´s because of my Savior."

There are about a million things that I could complain about in the mission field, in my area, in the branch but none of that fixes anything. The only thing that really changes the way you look at people, the way you think, is my Savior, Jesus Christ. His perfect gospel is why I am the happiest I´ve ever been. His sacrifice is why I have a reason to be happy and the reason why I´m helping others find this chosen path. Strengthening our faith, REPENTING EVERYDAY, partaking of the sacrament and remembering our covenants with God, feeling and acting upon the Holy Ghost, and ENDURING TIL THE END is the only way to have eternal happiness. Just take my word for it. Missionaries cant lie. Sometimes we feel like something is missing in our lives. A better job, a better car, more children, another vacation... but how often do we look in the mirror and ask ourselves WHAT ARE WE MISSING? What are we LACKING individually? Its the most powerful question that we can ask ourselves and to the Lord. He will always show us what we can do, to change our attitude, live the gospel, and have the happiness we all want.

I think I´m getting to the point in life when I just want everyone around me to be happy. You know when you ask your mom what she wants for Christmas or for her birthday and she says crazy things like "a family dinner or a big hug or for everyone to be happy"? I think I´m becoming a soft mom. I just want a family dinner (still have a while for that one), a big hug (preferably from my parentals) but most importantly, for everyone to be happy.

Sister Myers

PS: Funny story time. So we always see this tiny lady with a wheelbarrel walking up and down this street in our area. This week, it was almost 8 oclock (and everyone was watching the Olympics except for us) and we saw this little senhora walking with this wheelbarrel. I finally got curious enough to ask her what she was doing. Get this. She explain that she used to take care of this really old lady and she had passed away this week. The lady she took care of had left her belongings to her caregiver. She had been moving her stuff into her house. I asked her what she was carrying so late at night and if we could help. She responded that she was going to pick up A QUEEN SIZE MATTRESS AND BOX ON THIS TINY WHEELBARREL BY HERSLEF. Seriously theres something in the water here that makes people crazy(but for reals, you cant drink the water here). So we walked with her to this house, managing to put this queen size mattress and box above the wheelbarrel. Miracle number 1. Miracle number 2? This little senhora´s house is two miles away. And we walked side by side, taking turns pushing this wheelbarrel, PRAYING that it wouldnt fall, in the middle of the night. We finally made it there and walked the rest of the way home, anxious to tell our kids one day of the trek we had just made.

O povo de Brazil

Happy Missionary Monday for all! This is the first email in a while that I´ve had the time to really think out and write due to lack of time the past weeks. As many of you know, the Olympics started here in Brazil! As many of you may not know, Fortaleza is no where close to Rio but I feel the love that these people have for their country. As a missionary I cant watch the Olypics but I like to imagine what the opening ceremonies was like this year. The only cultural thing I could think of about Brazil was all the good food. BUT I want to share a little about what I know about these people beautiful and not just what you see on TV.

Most of you will watch Brazi´s best, fighting for the medallions but I can testify that Brazil´s best, are in Fortaleza. I have been touched but the love these people have. You will never pass anyone on the street without a cheerful greeting, even if you´re a gringa like me. I have entered homes that are literal shacks, with people offereing the best they have, even if its their only meal for the day. Something that I´m most in love with about the people of Brazil? Their love for the Lord. It doesnt matter if you´re Catholic, Jehovah´s Witness, Protestant, Mormon, or even without religion, they are all converted to our Savior. I´m amazed that these people are passing huger, thirst, using battered clothing, burnt from the sun, day after day, and every single one of them is saying their prayers, thanking God for what they have.

I´ve lived with 7 different Brazilian Sisters here on the mission already. Every single one, I´ve grown to love and pray I´ll see them again after the mission. These people LOVE the gospel. Its not wake up and be a mormon for them. Its giving everything they have to helping their neighbors and members of the church. I´m working in a branch, which is possibly one of the most difficult work I´ve seen in the church. These lattter-day saints are giving their lives to help the growth here in Paracuru. And I sit back sometimes and think, how many times did i go to church and everything was already set up? How many times did i walk into seminary, knowing that there was a teacher that prepared for my class? How many times did I fall, knowing i had leaders to help me get back up? Now imagine all of that is gone and youre a member of the church is a tiny town in the middle of nothing and these responsibilty is yours. This is what these saints here are doing and this is why I love the people of Brazil.

Thank you all for your emails and love. 11 months more until I can hug you all personally but until then, Im sending hugs from the humble town of Paracuru.

Chandler was unable to write a letter this week but she sends her love (and some pictures!)

When your asian baby is in the Liahona.

 Sunsets here beat Arizona, sorry.

 I finally found a band aid with my skin tone

7 months!

 Zezinho will be baptized next week. His story will be told the following Monday.

 

Sister Miranda e eu

The week in darkness

Hello my beautiful Americans. I was thinking the other day that it´s gonna be so weird to return home and just hear english. Someone please pray that my english will return because its getting worse and worse everyday.

This week was cray cray. The work has been about the same but we spent 4days without energy in our house and then 3 days without gas to cook... Brazil probs. But I´m alive and happy and healthy. Thats all we can really ask for here in Paracuru. Starting this transfer I´m putting some major goals for myself and this area here. Its been known to be one of the most difficult areas in the mission, one that everyone thinks will close sooner or later. But I´ve meet these saints here and I love them with my whole heart. I will do whatever it takes to keep this branch and this area open. Why? Because I grew up going to church in a huge chapel every Sunday, learning about my Savior. Those teachings that I received are now saving souls here in Brazil and changing lives. Every child of God deserves this. Every single one. Never forget the blessings we have as Latter-day Saints in the States. With a temple 10 minutes from our house, a chapel even closer, with members as neighbors. This is a privilege.These saints would give everything they have(which is so little) to be in our places. Let us stand in holy places and have gratitude to stand where we are. I love this gospel, the Church is true, and I love being a Sister.

Sister Myers