I´m sitting here reading all these emails about Easter and laughing because it´s very much not a thing here. Okay I lied. Its a thing. But its more like "we got the whole weekend off so we´re all gonna get wasted" which is basically what happens here in Brazil every other day, so pretty normal. We didn´t do much to celebrate, it felt weird. Church was even different. We still had meetings and we had 3 talks about family, none about why we celebrate Easter. It was quite sad.... the church doctrines here are the same but the culture can be so different at times. But at our Easter lunch, Sister Souza´s parents surprised her at the house we were eating at because she left today. She was so excited but I was the one crying LOL. She was such an amazing trainer and missionary and hope one day in the near future to see her again. I also cried when she left but thats too much info. I apologize.
I´ve officially survived my first transfer(for all my non-mormons a transfer is 6 weeks you spend in a certain area of your mission with a certain companion). Good news! I´m staying here in Conjunto Novo Ceara and Sister Jackson will finish my training. All I know is that she´s American. Funny thing: Sister Mish (the other American I live with) has a new American companion too. So our house will have 4 AMERICANS in it. Which is insane because we really only have 8 or so American sisters here. I´m way excited.
Things I´ve learned during this transfer:
-I´m not very good at sharing but charity is an attribute of Christ that I am working on each day
-As a missionary, you have this inimagineable love for the people you´re teaching
-If someone feeds you something other than rice, beans, chicken, and juice its a good day
-Busy days are the best days
-God will never leave you comfortless
-Miracles DO happen
-Fortaleza: it either feels like a furnace or a wet furnace
Everything is really good here! The past couple weeks were difficult with not very much success but I´m excited to see what this new transfer brings!
Thank you everyone for your support. I´m still amazed with the amount of emails and letters and packages I´ve recieved. It warms my heart to know I have the world´s best cheerleaders.
Ate mais!
Sister Myers

Because I know all of you youngsters posted and Easter selfie, here is the last selfie of Sister Souza and Sister Myers.

This is Irma Socorro. She's an angel here on Earth and we visit her every week.

Happy Easter!

 The one joy of having a thousand dogs jump on you each day, is that some of them are bound to have PUPPIES!!!

Sister Mish, Sister Ferrieria, Sister Souza and Me.

Physically tired, Spiritually Uplifted.

Seriously how does Segunda-feira come so quickly?! This week was a little bit of heartbreaks. I felt like a teenage girl needing Titanic and chocolate ice cream this week. But just because sad things happen does mean you cant be happy!

We´ll start off with happy things. This week we were in the home of this very old, very religious woman. She was blasting this Gospel music concert when we walked in. As we ended our lesson we invited her to day the closing prayer. By this point, we were worn out. Mostly because she preached to us and not the other way around. Before she started her prayer she asked us for our names again and we replied Sister Souza and Sister Myers. She looked at us weird and began to pray. And she said, and I quote "Please bless these servants of God, Lord. I think they´re confused. Both of their names are Sister". Needless to say it was by far the best prayer I´ve heard.
Then this week was Sister Souza´s birthday. She turned 22 a week before she finishes her mission so we made sure it was special. I began the day by jumping on her bed and singing happy birthday in Potrguese, Enlgish and Spanish. Fun fact: her dad is a language professor and knows like 12 different languages so she too knows a bunch of langauages. But these three were the only ones I knew for the happy birthday song. We ate cake for breakfast. We ate cake at lunch at one of the member´s home, and ate cake for dinner. If I didnt have diabetes before the mission I do now. It was a great day and really special for her.
Okay not so happy news. Just about every thing feel apart this week. Our baptism for this week, started a new college course and was never in his home for us to prepare him for Sunday. Then Cristina who has the three girls, told us with her husband leaving she doesn't want anymore change in her life. Then Gustavo, one of the brothers we´re teaching said he´d ask his dad to be baptized for Sister Souzas birthday and when they asked he was very hesitant and never gave them an answer.
So now we´re here. And this is what I have to say:
"Opposition gives us a priceless opportunity to turn to God and rely on Him"
So that´s what I´m doing. I´m a representative of Jesus Christ. I am praying, fasting, and studying to be a better missionary for the people of Fortaleza. I know this trial is a gift. It's a gift that I can be broken down into pieces and have the faith that the sun will rise tomorrow.
Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. I can physically feel them day to day here in Brasil. I am so blessed to have friends and family supporting me all over this world. Thank you to those who have shaped me to be a missionary today. Its the biggest blessing of my life and want these next 15 months to be the best for my Heavenly Father and His children.
Com muito amor,
Sister Myers or in Portuguese, Sister Mi-uurs

Sister Souza making chocolate chips cookies every PDay

 Sister Souza and I with the family of Cristina

 The birthday of Sister Souza

Nobody said it'd be easy.

I wish I could say it´s a dream in Brazil everyday. I think when you get called to serve in Brazil you think it´ll be easy because the enire world knows if you serve in Brazil, the work of the Lord is really moving quickly here. Although I do see some truth in that here with our area, I don´t feel the same with that statement this week.
On a positive note, Maria Eduarda recieved the Gift of the Holy Ghost in sacrament yesterday. She has quickly become minha filha(my daughter) and the love that I have for her and her family is so big. She lives with about 13 people, including step-mom, 2 aunts, and 2 sisters. Sos basically a family of girls which I completely understand. They´re all a wee bit crazy and always want to input their opinions. If thats not the Myers family, I dont know what is.
We´re working with two families which is great but each family has a big difficulty. I wrote previously about Cristina, Itelo, Jamile, Ariade, and Lia. This week, Itelo, the father, left the family. SIster Souza and I were in tears to find out yesterday. We´re going to visit the girls today. My heart hurts. I dont know what to say to a family that has gone through something so diffivult. I´ve prayed fervently that I´ll know what to say. I love this family. The girls are like my nieces and I feel like the cool aunt that speaks English. Imagine visiting a family 3 times a week... you´re a part of the family. It´ll be a hard week for them but I cant help but know with a surety that the Savior knows exactly how they feel even when SIster Souza and I dont. He can comfort her in ways we never will.
The other family is Jackson, Zelani, Caio, Gustavo, and Artur. We´ve worked with them since I got here. Theyve met with missionaries for years. The parents are less active members. Zelani(the mom) really loves the church, has a strong testimony, and treats the missionaries with a warm heart. Jackson(the dad) has faltered and has many doubts. Hes a sergant in the Brazilian Army so he´s kind of intimidating. But the three sons are the most faithful group of boys I´ve ever witnessed in my life. They STUDY the Book of Mormon everyday... like we´re talking writes summaries about what they learned and felt. Each of them bore their testimony a couple  weeks ago. We do a Family Home Evening Night with them every week and this week they taught their parents the Restoration. SIster Souza and I even made Elder tags for them. They´ve so strong but their dad wont let them be baptized. Its something I´ve prayed about, fasted for, and studied everyday. I know with time, these three boys can be baptized, recieve the priesthood, and serve missions. I´ve become so close to them and hope that one day, my kids will be as wonderful as them.
Right now Sister Souza and I are in the process of searching for new investigators. It´s really difficult because everyone and their mother here are really firm in their beliefs and dont want to give us the oppurtunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them. At times it can be difficult, but I thank God everyday that Im here. I have faith that the servants of God are blessed to find those children of God to bring them Home. The work of Salvation will never be easy. But I didnt sign up for easy.
Thank you for your support. Every week is a treat to get emails from friends and family. Home feels so far away but really I feel at home. Brazil feels like home. How weird is that? Home is a place with more motorcycles than people, home is an apartment without a shower curtain, hot water, peanut butter, a dryer. Home is here in Brazil because here I´m serving the person that is most important to me in my life, Jesus Cristo.
This church is true. I know because I have prayed and asked many times. Mnay times, I recieved an answer. An answer of the heart. A confrimation that this is the way that I can live with Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and my family para SEMPRE. Happiness comes from following the Gospel of Jesus  Christ. There is no other way.
I love you all and pray daily for you
SIster Myers

 This truck is always parked down our street and I call it my Jesus truck.

3 weeks in the field, 2 months as a missionary and 1 special baptism.

Holy cow family and friends. I can´t believe its Monday again already! Time really does fly when you´re having fun. I´ve officially been in Conjuntos Novo Ceara for 3 weeks. I cannot describe how much I love my area. Most of my mission I´ve learned is city, which is exactly not what you think of when you think of Brazil. But I´m in an outskirt suburb so I really get to experience the Brazil you think of. Congrats Mom, you´ve made it through 2 months of your baby living on a different continent, only 16 more to go!!

This week was a special one. A young girl that we´ve taught since I got to our area got baptized yesterday! It was so speical to see her progress over the past three weeks and see her so excited to follow Christ. Her name is Maria Eduarda. Everyone and their mom is named Maria here so they always attach another name after. She´s the sweetest and and little sassy. She reminds me of an older version of my niece, Hallie.

It´s hard to think of specific occurances throughout the week because the days melt into one. But something important to me this week is personal study. My companion has buckets of Liahonas (Mormon magaizes written by our Aposotles of the Church) in English so she can practice the language. Its awesome because I happen to know Englsih. I´ve probably read close to 15 whole Liahonas this week. I´ve found that when we´re searching the words of God, we can qquickly recieve answers to questions we never knew we had. One quote about missionary work touched my heart: " Everyday those purposes and goals were clear to them; they knew what they needed to do and that each day´s progress mattered". Everyday I share the most important message, the GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST to other children of God. I am simply a guide to help others come unto Christ. That is my purpose. That is why I´m a missionary.

Thank you to everyone who has emailed me. I am astounded every week with the amount of love and support I have around the world. I send out about 3 or 4 letters every week. It would be awesome to have addresses of those who´d like to recieve a letter, 2 months after I´ve written it. Thank you.
I love you all and pray for you all everyday.

Sister Myers

A huge wasp. Yes. A Wasp. That can kill you. 

 Sister Souza bakes cookies every week and calls me the cookie monster because I eat them all before she can share.

 Maria's baptism.

 Me and Maria.

Week 8

Olaaaaaa! How crazy that it´s been a week already. Time really does fly by on the mish. I´ve been trying to read everyones emails and respond so I apologize if I dont get to them. I didnt know this many people knew I existed! Thank you so much for your love and support. Its crazy to think America is real and people there are cheering me on.
THIS WEEK was one for the records... literally.
So I live with my companion, and another duo. The two senior companions had a meeting with the President since their Sister Training Leaders in town, an hour away. So the whole day, Sister Mish and I took on Conjuntos Ceara. Shes been out for a month and I´d been out for a little more than a week. Seriously imagine two white girls walking down the streets of Brazil trying so hard to speak Portugese and understand people. Fun fact: we did 103 CONTACTS IN ONE DAY. It´s a mission record. Which is crazy when you understand the cirumstances. Also, this week at church we had NINE investigators come with us. NINE. So basically everyone we´re teaching. Which is such a miracle because getting people to go to church is the hardest part of baptism. Sister Souza at the of the day just prayed and thanked God for what had happened sunday.
Also this week we started teaching a FAMILY. A WHOLE FAMILY. Seriously the best thing in the world. We were trying to find the house of this man we contacted earlier in the week and knocked on the door of this family. They invited us in and the Mom expressed all these questions about religion and how shes been studying for ages about what religion is best for her kids. Immediately SIster Souza and I smiled. God really does prepare people where we are called to hear the Gospel. They have three daughters. Kinda reminds me of the Myers family. After a couple lessons they´ve commited to baptism as a family. First the parents have to get married so we´ll be apart of that as well. I just cant describe the feeling of bringing a family the gift of being together forever.
I dont think I explained food in my last email. RICE, BEANS, MEAT, JUICE, AND CAKE. That sums it up. We eat rice and beans (all different kids, we dont judge here in Brazil), and meat (usually carne asada or chicken). JUICE. The juice here has changed my life. My favorite is guava. But everyone drinks Coke (Diet Coke doesnt exist here, tears), and Guanana. Right now Im addicted to this coconut bread they have. Its hard to explain but its basically a pastry with coconut inside. I finally figured out how to convert kilos into pounds for our scale in our apartment and lets just say I probably shouldnt have.

SISTER MYERS IS SO HAPPY. In my study time, I´ve studied alot about the life of Chirst both in Jerusalem and the Americas (Bible and Book of Mormon). In Preach My Gospel we´re promised that when we learn more about our Savior, Jesus Christ, we are blessed with more faith and attributes like Christ. As His servant thats all I want to me. On every missionary´s name tag it says their name and the name of Christ. Theres a reason for that. I am no longer Chandler. I am simply a servant to act as Christ would. That is the mission of a missionary. I love you all and I promise I dont have parasites yet.
PS:I´ve made up this quote about Brazil: You´re either Catholic, Evangelica (idk what this is in America tbh), or if you´re wearing clothes, you´re mormon. 
PS: There are pictures of my sunburn complete with a tan line from my Brazil necklace, a lipstick smiley face on my forehead, courtesy of FHE with a less active family, Isabel (with pink extensions) who recived the gift of the Holy Ghost Sunday, and two young men who are less actives that we went and did FHE with. Sister Souza and I are really close to their family.

O Que e Brasil?

Ola! I don´t have a bunch of time to write this week. I wish I did because this week has been absolutely amazing and insane. I only have a half hour today but usually I´ll have 1.5 hours to email. Our zone is struggling so the President wants us out working. I apologize in advance for my poor spelling and grammar because I´m typing on a Portuguese keyboard. I promise I´m not illiterate yet.

Okay. So last Monday morning I flew from SLC-ATL-SAO PAULO-FORATLEZA. It was SUCH a long trip but I met a lot of cool people on the planes. I almost always had a member sit next to me, even on my Brazilian planes. President and Sister Bonini picked me up at the airport. i was the only on because the other missionaries flew in from the Brazil MTC in the morning. They´re both really nice, but neither of them speak English... at all. So that was fun. When I got to the mission home I met the district I would have been in at Brazil MTC. I learned that there were no Sisters in the district so thats why I was at Provo.

My companion: My companion is Sister Souza. She´s a native from Sao Paulo. But she went to BYU and lived in Utah for a couple years so she also knows English. TOTALLY the best of both worlds. She´s super nice and I love her already. This is her last transfer in the mission before she goes home. We run together every morning which kinda kills because the humidity is so bad. But you cant eat rice and beans every day and not expect to get fat. I love companion study with her because I´ll read the Portuguese Book of Mormon outloud and she´ll read mine in English.

Area: I´m in Ceara. It´s also what the state is called but its like Maricopa. Maricopa is a county and a city. It´s really safe here. I live with my companion and another set of sisters. One is from Brasil and the other is from Maryland and seriously the whitest girl I´ve ever seen. I love them so much too. The american and I joke around and talk in english but then the other sisters do the same. If mom saw where I was serving in, she´d die. It looks similar to Mexico but when you´re in the homes, you really seee the poverty. One night I just cried because this family has 10 people living with them and their house is the size of our living room. It´s so humbling to say the least. Kids here always ask me about my house and if i had a car in America and I have to find ways around tellling them the truth.
The church bldg here is beautiful. It´s the size of a small temple.. seriously. I´m sure you could google earth my area although dont let mom do it without dad next to her. Mom, I promise I´m safe lol.

Sister Myers: I´m so happy. I thought I´d be in a huge culture shock but so far its not too bad. I have moments like I said above but other than that I think going to Mexico really helped me understand that people just have differenet circumstances than we do. The members all call me SIster America. Without FAIL every person we meet asks me if I´m from China. It´s seriously the funniest. The language is difficult to understand but I can speak it well. Sister Souza said I´m the best American to train with the language thus far, but I definitely dont feel that way. I think the people think I´m stupid and I hate feeling like that.

I dont have more time but next week I´ll be able to respond to your emails. Thank you for your love!!

Com muito amor,
Sister Myers

So Brasil is a real thing..

Oi! I´m officially in Brasil and typing on a Brazilian keyboard. All three flights were super long and not very much time to call home unfortunately. But President and Sister Bonini picked me up right at Fortaleza airport and here I am! From the 10 minute car ride I can tell you that I´´m not in culture shock yet. From what I saw, it seems really similar to Mexico except SO GREEN. Flying into Fortaleza was like when you fly over Scottsdale and see all the golf courses except its TREES NOT GOLF COURSES. I´m really doing great,  much better than I thought. But thats probably because I´ve been here for a solid hour. CAN YOU BELEIVE IM IN SOUTH AMERICA?? I´m not sure when my P-Day is yet or anything for that matter so I´ll keep you updated. I love you all so much. Let the adventure begin!!