Mission Week 15: Sister's Conference!

March 13, 2017

Before I write details about this week- I want to say that I am so sorry because I wont have much time to write today because Penni and I will be traveling today to do splits with some of the other sisters in another city-- but I will try to write as much as I can!

Also--- the picture of me and the blonde girl- Sister Knoll-- we are the only two blonde girls in the whole mission haha so we had to document it--- we just met and she is already going home after this transfer, but it was fun to meet her at the conference this week. In the big group picture of the sisters, Presidente insisted that she and I stand in the middle- next to each other cause we are the only two blondes... lol!

 

This week Presidente bought me some silicone shoe inserts to try and relieve some of the friction and rubbing for my feet--- the doctor this week said that I should just be wearing tennis shoes and that that would help a lot--- but Sister Penni and I bought some sandals that still have closed toes and heels and I tried them out this week while we were working the streets and I FELT AMAZING-- ABSOLUTELY NO PAIN AND MY FEET WERE FINALLY NOT HOT! I kept trying to explain that I was getting blisters because my feet were hot and always staying wet--- and finally, Sister Penni and I found shoes that will work! They have enough support on the bottoms and my feet feel great! TENDER MERCIES!!!

Also this week-- The sister's conference was awesome!! We went on Monday and were baking at presidents house until 11:30pm!!! Sister Pereira was a great hostess and made us dinner and snacks while we were baking--- it was so exhausting but fun to be at their house again talking to Sister Pereira! Presidente drove us home and we got right into bed.

The conference on Tuesday went super well! Sister Penni gave an amazing workshop about being daughters of God who represent him- super powerful! She is sooooo good! I was asked to share my testimony again in front of everyone and was nervous again! I was emotional as I shared my gratitude for my opportunity to serve and to serve with and be served by Sister Penni and our good President and his wife--- I cried and shared how much I love my Savior-- I told the sisters that I know that the only way I could do this right now is because I know He is by my side!! It was super special for me and I prayed that the sisters would understand my Portuguese enough to feel the spirit--- many sisters had tears in their eyes as well and were so sweet with their compliments afterwards. SUCH A GOOD DAY!! I helped serve juice and desserts with the sister training leaders and Sister Pereira which made me feel special that I could just jump in and help. Talking to all of the sisters was the best part of the day- they are all so special- I could feel Heavenly Father's love so strongly for each one of us. I know that He sees the good things that we are trying to do here, even if He is the only one who does. SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE- loved helping plan it and see it happen! We were exhausted after many days of planning and late nights, but just because the conferene ended didn't mean that we were done with our day......

The conference went all day long and we were helping the sisters get back to their houses and get on buses to head home and so we stayed at the office working until 9pm-- after, we went to the bus stop (Sister PENNI AND I) and waited for the bus to take us to the terminal to head home--- Sister Penni all of the sudden said that she felt like we needed to go get some money at the bank and so we went and she took out money. Then, we got on the bus and went to the terminal-- when we got to the terminal we got a call from one of the sisters and she told us that her companion was feeling super sick during the conference and that she needed to go to the hospital- she explained that they had already called Presidente and that he told them that it would be best for them to call a taxi and go to the hospital because he had already gotten home for the night and had company in town--- but the sisters didn't have money for a taxi so they called us----- Sister Penni turned to me and said, "Tyson- we are not going home right now-" and I smiled and said, "I already know-- lets do this--" and then we got on a different bus and met up with the sick sister and her companion ----- we planned on calling a taxi and paying for it for them-- but then Presidente showed up after all and drove Me, PENNI, and the two other sisters to the emergency room--- he asked Sister Penni and I to stay with them and then use our money to buy a taxi to get home.... LUCKILY SISTER PENNI HAD FELT THE SPIRIT TELL HER TO GET MONEY OUT RIGHT BEFORE OTHERWISE WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE SISTERS!!! HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS US AND LOVES US!!! SO GLAD FOR A COMPANION WHO IS WORTHY AND ALWAYS READY TO RECEIVE GUIDANCE FROM THE SPIRIT!! 

Then Sister Penni and I sat in the emergency room for a few hours until 1:00 am waiting and laughing together about everything and anything as we waited to take the sisters home---- It all turned out okay and those sisters slept in our beds that night-- we had 4 extra sisters at our house and so Sister Penni and I had a slumber party on our tile in the front room! We didn't have mattresses or even pillows to use but we had a fun time taking care of the sweet sisters and just making it fun!!!! HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE ALWAYS--- grateful for a companion who helps me always choose to have fun and serve others even when we are sooooo tired!

This week we were given lots of other assignments-- such a divisions this week until Wednesday and then another zone conference on Thursday so we have literally not and will still not be working in our own area very much which is hard because I am finally completely ready to go and we have a lot of people in our area who are ready to be found and taught but we are just taking it one day at a time! R. and D. have both come to church for 3 weeks in a row since we talked to them that first week and so they are both officially REACTIVATED! THEY BOTH RECEIVED CALLINGS THIS WEEK! THE BISHOP CRIED AND THANKED US FOR HELPING TO REACTIVATE THEM AFTER ONLY VISITING THEM ONCE! such a miracle!

President spoke in our ward yesterday and was powerful as always-- this Wednesday after divisions- we will travel home to host or cake night activity for our ward!! We planned it and are excited--- I am going to teach cruise ship and rock paper scissors games to the members!!! I am excited!

Also- during the one day we were able to work in our area this week- I was actually not with Sister Penni cause she is not feeling super well so I told her to stay home with Sister Riveros who lives with us and was sick-- and Sister Anjos- who I love and was with me in the CTM (MTC)- came out with me to work our area--- We are both still in training so usually we are not supposed to go out alone- but it was authorized and we were super excited to try to work the streets by ourselves!

We went over and visited J.-- the man whose wife sang a capella to us a few weeks ago has come to church twice and Saturday when we visited him and invited him to pray- he did and cried the whole time! I explained how to pray and helped him offer it and he said that he had never prayed out loud before! IT WAS INCREDIBLE! MY HEART COULD EXPLODE- THE SPIRIT WAS SOOOOO STRONG!!! We are hoping that his wife starts keeping her commitments to come to church with his as well....

We visited P and Sister Anjos took his box of cigarettes out of his hands and held the box as she and I explained A Palavra de Sabedoria--- word of wisdom- to him and the Plan of Salvation--- He is a 5 foot little man with a lot of sass!!  He makes fun of my Portuguese and tries to speak broken English to me hahahaha he's a challenge, but we are hoping he will start taking our lessons seriously because we know he wants to learn! We can tell he has faith in God and a desire to know more but he just might not be quite ready right now... we will see! He is in our prayers!

 

I AM DOING GREAT! I AM SOOOOO HAPPY AND LOVING LIFE-- THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING-- SORRY MY EMAILS LATELY HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE BUT i AM JUST DOING SO GREAT AND HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY AND SO LITTLE TIME!!!