A few updates from us-
Monday- we worked
all of my documents out in londrina so I will be able to stay in
Brazil!!! yay!!! haha and then afterwards, the Londrina elders heard
that we were in town and went a little wild and 12 of them showed up at
the office to take me and my daughter to get açai/icecream! Hahaha not
sure how the word got out that quick but when I asked them they just all
said, "when you hear that Sister Tyson is in town, you get the elders
together!"....Eyes are rolling but they are great and we had a good rest
of P-day until the elders took us to the bus station to head to Marilia
(another city) to sleep for the night--- another 3 hours on the bus....
Monday
night, we were picked up in Marilia, Sao Paulo by one of my best
friends, Elder Greer from Utah- and some sisters and Sister Alston and I
slept in Marilia instead of traveling two more hours into Bauru because
our Zone Conference was going to be the next day in Marilia with the Presidente.
Tuesday we had a wonderful
conference with Presidente! He shared a beautiful video about a man
named John Tanner who literally consecrated his life and money to help
Joseph Smith and the early saints! It was beautiful! I cried-
truthfully, whenever Presidente Pereira gives a training, I always cry
because it's always so beautiful and so inspired!!! He related the video
to our missions and how we need to be more fully dedicated to the
service of the lord- not just making a contribution, but being
consecrated! Love that man and love the Spirit of the conferences!
At
the Conference Presidente and Sister Pereira gave me a certificate for having a
"casa celestial"--- celestial house award because my mission
apartments/houses are always so organized apparently...then in front of
everyone (3 zones) sister pereira said, "come give your mama a kiss!"
and Presidente said, "Tysinha (little tyson), you cant give your daddy a
kiss but come shake my hand!" OH WOW....as if the zones didnt already
make fun of me...hahahahaha
Then Presidente
played a video- a clip from American Idol in front of the zones just for
me....its this girl singing terribly but it sounds like she was saying,
"Kaleeeeeeee" and presidente prefaced the video saying, "this video is
for my little Sister Tyson"....soooooo funny! The folks were losing
their minds!
Presidente and I talked after
lunch and he was soooo sweet- he got choked up and told me that he loves
all of the missionaries but that I am like a true daughter to him and
sister. I told him about how much I love them and how this week was
harder because of Kade's wedding that I will miss, and then he told me
that he is so grateful that the lord sent me to their mission that God
will always love me for giving up other important things to do His
will. He didn't need to say that, but it made my heart happy
to know that this man who I have so much respect and love for knows that I am here because I love the Lord more than anything else....I AM SO
BLESSED TO NOT JUST HAVE A GREAT MISSION PRESIDENT, BUT MISSION
PARENTS!!!
THIS week was great in our area- the
members are incredible and giving us tons of references- this week an
irma brought take out lunch for us and left three names on top for us to
visit! Soooo rad!
L. is 14 and is one of
the members nephews! He is getting baptized on this Saturday and we are
soooo excited! His mom is not a member but she is the irma's sister and
we were able to get into their house to teach L. and his mom! WE ARE THRILLED! L. IS SO EXCITED TO BE
BAPTIZED and already has tons of youth in the ward who are including
him.
N. is
doing great! She is working on her faith in god award already and as one
of her activities, we will help her teach the Word of Wisdom to her
family for fhe tonight and then I can mark off on her little booklet!
CUTENESS ALERT: remember how this little girl lives in a house with a
ton of family members and how she is so poor? Well,
yesterday, she and her little cousin came to church and N. pulled
out a wrinkled 2 reais and said, "Sister Tyson, where can I pay my
tithing?" MY HEART!!! THE MEMBERS ALL CRIED AS THEY WATCHED ME TEACH
N. HOW TO FILL OUT A TITHING ENVELOPE! SHE IS PRECIOUS!! TRULY MY
LITTLE CONVERT!!! She will be at the primary activity again this week
and she is working on memorizing all of the Articles of Faith! I am in
love!
V. got called to be our ward mission
leader and R. will teach gospel principles to the investigators and
new members! WE ARE SO THRILLED! They have always been our biggest
supporters anyways, just so glad that it is official now!!!!! We love
them sooooo much!
We are still teaching that lady- E.- who we found knocking doors a few weeks back- she
came to church again yesterday and is loving it! she didnt go to the
conference last week and she told us during our visit that she was
feeling a lack of peace during her week without being a church with us! She is praying and reading the Book of Mormon and said a prayer in front
us, thanking the Lord for sending "two angels" to her door. She is
wonderful and is progressing super well!!!
Some
many others and I have so many stories to tell, but really- yesterday Sister Alston and I were surrounded in sacrament meeting with our
reactivated members, recent converts, and investigators and our ward
frequency was the highest it has been all year with 100 people in
sacrament meeting! My heart was so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father
as I looked around that chapel and saw the beauty of it all! I CAN'T BE
ANY HAPPIER AND I NEVER WANT THIS TO END!!!!
