Mission Week 73: April 23, 2018

April 23, 2018

My week was wild!! i spent the whole week- Sunday to Saturday in Foz and then in Londrina to do divisions with the Sisters! I did a division with Sister Bott, which was awesome! It was such a crazy week and I'm exhausted but I'm happy and doing well! In our area here in Maringa we have divisions planned with Sister Alston and her companion! SISTER ALSTON IS GOING TO HAVE 9 MONTHS IN THE MISSION NEXT WEEK! I TRAINED HER WHEN I HAD 8 MONTHS AND SO I'M GETTING OLD! BUT IT WILL BE GOOD TO SPEND TIME WITH HER THIS WEEK! We have lots of baptisms marked this week! Such a blessing!

(Sister Tyson was able to visit Foz do Iguaçu this week. It is a world famous waterfall.)

It was so cool because at the waterfalls, I was speaking to people in English, Portuguese and Spanish from all parts of the world! It was soooo fun!!!! It was such a great reminder that Heavenly Father loves and really does create beautiful things!

I am sooo glad that you guys are well...I'm sorry I am writing less and less details every week it's just soooo busy and I don't have much time, but I'm doing well too and am trying to help the sisters and the people in my area to progress towards baptism. 

The members are soooo wonderful here in my ward. They have a weekly box full of treats, shampoo, household products, and cards from the Relief Society sisters every single week for me and my companion and have asked us to make a list of things we want and need for them so that they can help us out every week! What a dream! One of the men in the ward is bringing us pizza tonight just because! Soooo kind and have such a desire to serve here with us and to find and teach their own friends about the gospel! Such a great area and companion to have to finish my mission! I am sooo blessed!

Today Presidente Pereira, in Zone Conference, talked about the importance of receiving revelation in our lives and in our areas to have more success. he talked about the Book of Mormon and about the importance of prayer, obedience, and hard work! I loved that he used Presidente Nelson's conference talk to teach us to be better disciples of Christ! I LOVE MY SAVIOR SO MUCH AND KNOW THAT HE IS GUIDING THIS WORK THROUGH REVELATION!

The area president of Brazil did a Facebook broadcast about the Book of Mormon inviting all of the members in Brazil to read the Book of Mormon daily in families and to send their testimonies written to the church headquarters in Sao Paulo to be documented for future generations here in Brazil!! So cool!! I love the Book of Mormon and have learned sooo much- I never want to stop reading it in Portuguese!

Mission Week 72: April 16, 2018

April 16, 2018

I AM DOING GREAT! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY NEW AREA IN PARIS MARINGÁ! SOOOO MUCH FUN!! THE HOUSE IS GORGEOUS AND THE MEMBERS ARE SO GREAT! THEY HELP SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!! My new area is such a blessing! The zone is awesome and I am sooooo beyond happy!!!!!! The members are amazing!!!

We are in Foz today to do divisions and to go to the famous waterfalls today!!!! I am soooo excited!!!!

Last night we stayed in Cascavel and I was able to do a family night with K. and S. and all of our (mine and Sister Teixeira's) recent converts-- J., E., T., etc!!! It was sooooo wonderful to see everyone and to share my testimony with them again for the last time in the mission field!! It was such a blessing and rare opportunity to go back to my old area with the same companion!!!! 

My heart hurts and my stomach aches just thinking about leaving this behind... I feel like I'm not strong enough to leave here...but I'm trying to be calm and accept that I'm doing the best I can and that I will never stop being a missionary... my tag is engraved on my heart!!!! I am soooo excited to see you guys though! Thank you for all that you guys are doing to make my transition easier! I love these people and love the Lord sooo much for sending me here!!! I'm soooo grateful for your support and love through all of this!!! I have so many stories to tell!!!

 

Thought from Sister Tyson

 

Mission Week 71: April 9, 2018

April 9, 2018

I WAS TRANSFERRED TO MARINGÁ TO BE THE SISTER TRAINING LEADER THERE! SISTER TEIXEIRA WILL BE MY COMPANION AGAIN!!! AND I WILL SEE THE GREAT WATERFALLS IN FOZ DO IGUAÇU!!!!! PRESIDENTE CALLED ME AND WILL LET ME GO THERE!!! I WILL GET TO DO DIVISIONS WITH SISTER BOTT AND SISTER ALSTON- I'M THEIR STL!!!!

 THIS WEEK WE BAPTIZED A CUTE LADY NAMED B. AND IT WAS SOOOO WONDERFUL!!!! SHE LOST HER HUSBAND 3 WEEKS AGO AND WE WERE ABLE TO FIND HER, TEACH HER, AND BAPTIZE HER THIS WEEK!! SHE IS SOOOOO HAPPY AND WAS BEAMING ON SATURDAY AT HER BAPTISM!!!

After the baptism, we had our activity for the branch and we did a really fun activity with ice cream at the end and it was a blast!! I was so glad it turned out well!

I traveled to do emergency divisions by myself this week to resolve housing contracts and to work with realtors in other areas to help Presidente sign contracts- I was the official representative with all of the paperwork--- it was chaotic and I got way stressed out this week, but it worked out great and I was able to really learn more about how important it is to rely on the Lord- he cares about even the smallest details in our lives and hears even our simplest cries for help! There were soooo many angels in my life this week! I can't wait to tell you lots of the great stories that are too long to write here and that will be much more touching to tell you all in person next month!!! SOOOO GRATEFUL!

I also went to Tupã again to do divisions last minute- i felt strongly that I needed to leave my own area again to go there to help the sisters with the work- it turned out to be a great and much needed division- I was able to learn lots and receive guidance from Heavenly Father. I love these sisters and love the chance that I have to serve them and learn from them.

T.- my recent convert-- shared his testimony yesterday in our sacrament meeting and we all cried- he shared his conversion story and about how 2 sisters changed his life by bringing the gospel to him. He talked about how he had been praying to God just like Joseph Smith prayed in order to find the truth- and God sent Sister Pinheiro and I to his street to knock doors... such a beautiful way to end my time in Planalto--- seeing my recent converts sharing their testimonies at the pulpit!! I am so grateful and sooooo humbled!!! I've been a teary wreck this weekend!

I will go to Londrina today- I'll get there at 4:30 and then meet up with Sister Teixeira- I will stay in Londrina until Wednesday night and then head to Maringá- because we have a leadership council on Wednesday morning with Presidente--- my last leadership council!!!!
 

I AM SO IN LOVE WITH BEING A MISSIONARY!!! I couldn't be more happy!!!

Thank you for your support and for your weekly love! You are both in my prayers and I am so grateful for you both! Thanks for the wonderful updates! Send my love to all!

I know that Christ lives and that He loves us- and that Heavenly Father is in the smallest details of our lives- I am so grateful for these beautiful moments and months here in this beautiful country and for everything I have learned and will learn! I will always be indebted to you both and to my Heavenly Father for giving me courage to do this! This mission is by far the hardest thing I've ever been through but if I could serve 18 more months, I'd start tomorrow!! With that being said, I cant wait to sleep between you both on may 17th!!!! hahahaha love you so much!

Thanks for everything! You are all in my prayers! Have a great week!

xoxoxo

-Sister Tyson

Sister Tyson & Sister Correa

Mission Week 70: Happy Easter & General Conference!

April 2, 2018

HAPPY EASTER AND HAPPY CONFERENCE WEEKEND TO ALL!

Thank you so much for this email and for all of these great updates- so happy to hear that your week and weekend was great! I love the pictures of everyone at Gunner's grave and all of the Easter fun-- Allie's hair is still gorgeous... I need to get to a salon fast!!! hahaha but soooo happy to hear these updates!

I CRIED WHEN ELDER SOARES WAS SUSTAINED AS AN APOSTLE OF GOD! I BURST INTO TEARS AS WELL AS MANY OF THE OTHERS PRESENT WITH US AT THE STAKE CENTER! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BLESSING AND BEAUTIFUL BRAZILLIAN ACCENT THAT I WILL LOVE TO HEAR FOR YEARS TO COME AS HE SPEAKS TO THE CHURCH!! I LOVE THAT HIS SUSTAINING IS A SIGN THAT THE WORK IS MOVING FORWARD HERE IN MY BELOVED BRAZIL!!!! SOOOO BEAUTIFUL! 

Conference was beautiful! I loved the solemn assembly!!! So incredible!!! I got goosebumps immediately when President Nelson opened his mouth at the pulpit for the first time as the new prophet of God and I loved his talk about revelation! He is truly the mouth piece of God! I was stunned by how fast he walked as he entered into the Conference Center as well!!! wow--- he will live forever! hahaha

I watched all four sessions at the stake center with lots of treats that the members gave us and i watched all in Portuguese this time! It is so weird that I have been serving so long that it was my 3rd General Conference in the mission! haha but I loved it and felt sooooo happy this weekend!

Yesterday we had an Easter lunch with members before the Conference- and they went all out-- rice, beans, lasagna, baked chicken and potatoes, and yummy deserts!!!! And then they made us Easter bags full of candy to eat at the conference! a family super humble but so kind!!!!! All four of us sisters got all done up for the conference! Soooo fun!

This week I was doing my divisions in Bauru Centro again-- and I had to do it alone as the only Sister Training Leader-- but I took Sister Correa with me to divide with the younger sister! We were able to help that companionship baptize on the day of the division! The first baptism of the new sister since she got into the mission!!!! We baptized on a Wednesday night!!! Sooooo incredible to see the Lord work miracles!!!

I was able to visit R.- a less active young adult who I reactivated in Bauru Centro when I was serving and I was able to visit N. and her family for the last time as well and I sobbed as I hugged her and told her that I loved her--- she was sooo sweet as she cried and said, "it's okay Sister Tyson, you are my sister and whenever I get sad, I remember what you taught me to do- I close my eyes, cry a little bit, and say a prayer- and Jesus always brings you back to me." I LOST IT! I LOVE THAT LITTLE 10 YEAR OLD GIRL AND HOPE THAT SHE ALWAYS STAYS TRUE TO THE THINGS THAT WE WERE BLESSED TO TEACH HER.... SUCH A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT!!!

Then RO., V, and other great members in Bauru took us all to a Pizzaria to celebrate my mission and the sisters first baptism!! Soooo great! I love all of these wonderful people!!!!!

Then, on Friday, we went back to my area in Prudente and baptized four people!!!! It was such a miracle!!! We were blessed to baptize MC who is 15 and a friend of the young women in the ward--- a man named M who was so excited to be baptized, D who has been coming to church for a few weeks now and finally made the decision to follow Christ, and A. who is the sister in law of Irma T.  who is my missionary mom who takes care of me here in my area!!!! Soooooo much happiness and so many prayers of gratitude this week!!!!!

Mission Week 69: March 26, 2018

March 26, 2018

We baptized LC this week and he is an older man who was sooo sweet leaving the waters of baptism this week!!!

Sister Anjos was transferred on Friday afternoon and the companion of her new companion is now my companion. Her name is Sister Fanny Correa from Buenos Aires, Argentina. We will be companions for the next two weeks until the regular transfer happens. She was trained by Sister Costa and she has 5 months in the mission. She is soooo sweet!!! She is still learning the language, but she is full of energy! I love her already! We have already marked two baptisms for Friday night and we are so excited!!! 

I was sad that Sister Anjos was transferred after only 1 month together because the same thing happened the last time we were comps in Cascavel- we stayed as comps for just 3 weeks and then I was  transferred to help sisters in Sao Paulo... but at the same time, we were happy to make the change to help these sisters and to help our Presidente. 

 

Our next transfer will be on April 8th and I think that I will be transferred to my last area!! I haven't heard about travel plans yet but Presidente talked to me this week at our Zone Conference in our interview and got super emotional... he said that he wants me to stay and that he knows that our family is waiting but that he is going to miss me... it was sooo sweet and I was able to tell him how much I love him. He joked with me and told me that he just needs 30 more days-- haha but I explained to him that 2 months ago I was planning on staying an extra transfer but then I realized that I have a mission after my mission and that my family also is important and needs me too. and I told him that I am giving everything I have now so that I never have to look back and wonder, "what if?". he said that he would never make me feel pressured or anything but that he gets sad when he thinks about my flight plans.... (that's why I think he wouldn't let me see them yet)... I felt happy that he was able to express his feelings but I didn't feel differently about my decision to go home in May. It was a very special moment! I am soooo grateful for such a great Presidente...I am seriously going to miss my mission mom and dad soooo much!!

 

I will do divisions in Bauru Centro this week! I travel tomorrow until Friday again-and I will take Sister Correa with me... I am the only sister training leader in Sao Paulo for these few weeks so I have lots to do--- and Presidente wants me in the areas with the sisters--- so... like always I'm running lots but am excited to help and to see the Bauru gang again this week!

 

I miss Conference and Easter with you guys!!! I will be working hard to bring people to the Conference and we will watch it at the church with the members--- I always like to bring treats for the missionaries in between the sessions--- its so weird saying that...that means that I've been in the mission for a long time if i have a "General Conference tradition" hahahahaha this week I will have 1 year and four months already!!! In 50 days I'm there with you!

 

 

Mission Week 68: March 19, 2018

March 19, 2018

This week was a challenging one... I did splits in Tupã again and it was good but challenging--- I am in the hottest part of the mission and it is killing us! I'm not baptizing nearly as well this month as I was baptizing last month, but I am giving it everything I've got and am praying tons. This week I thought a lot about the Nephites who were blessed by the Lord and then started to become prideful and then were warned, suffered, thrown in the refiners fire, repented, and were blessed again. I see this happens a lot in the mission and with me too. sometimes we are so quick to forget the Lord in the good times, and so slow to repent and rely on Him again. I find that even with almost 16 months in the mission, sometimes my prayers are more sincere when I am struggling and then when I'm doing great, I'm slow to remember that HE IS THE ONE THAT IS MAKING ALL OF IT HAPPEN. I am learning so much and this is a growing process. I still struggle and am still being put through the refiners fire- but I'm grateful because like I always say- all diamonds started from dust and rock and had to be melted down, heated up #itssohothere, and molded to become beautiful. So grateful to be here! I love this gospel and my mission and the Lord soooo much more than ever! I am pushing myself to my limits and I get way stressed out--- but I know when I trust in the Lord and let Him strengthen me, I SERIOUSLY HAVE NO LIMITS!!! Soooo grateful for even the difficult moments because they give me the chance to be better and to remember Him!

I will have my Zone Conference tomorrow!! Look for pictures!!

Mission Week 67: March 12, 2018

March 12, 2018

WE HAD A GREAT WEEK IN BAURU WITH TWO COMPANIONSHIPS!!! ITS SO AMAZING TO WORK WITH THESE SISTERS AND TO FEEL THE LOVE THAT THE LORD HAS FOR THEM! I ALWAYS GO IN TO MY SPLITS IN PRAYER AND FAST AND I LOVE THAT THE LORD INSPIRES ME TO HELP THESE SISTERS IN THEIR AREAS AND IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES! SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE!!!

We were able to baptize two men in our area even though we were gone until Friday! The sisters who are in our area serving really listened to us as we talked them through things on the phone during the week and were able to firm up our baptisms!!! We know that God really had His hand in this and we are sooo grateful this week!!! One man who is 23- his name is B. and the other man is in his 50's and is named M! Soooo exciting!