Chuch-wide missionary fireside; Wet and cold, winter has arrived; Pres. Tavares' last week

Wasn't the fireside last night AMAZING???  I LOVED the MUSIC, the VIDEOS, the TALKS, the SPIRIT!  The choir of missionaries from the MTC was so inspiring to see!  A SEA of missionaries...and you're right, it's looking more and more like a colorful flower bed all the time.  :)  I just love seeing how much missionary work is expanding, all throughout the world.  It really is an incredible work and it is changing and growing and it is so exciting to be a part of it!  Now I'm just wondering if I'll stick around long enough to do proselyting via Facebook!  ;)  And I loved how much the emphasis was on the role of the MEMBERS...it makes such a huge difference when the members are working alongside the full-time missionaries, and it is the BEST way to do missionary work.  Sister Saldanha and I have been planning to give a fireside on missionary work this Saturday, so all of the talks and videos from last night were definitely inspiration for us.  Not too many of the members from our ward were able to make it yesterday, so we're going to pass on the excitement and enthusiasm in our own fireside on Saturday! It's going to be good.  

Well, this week was pretty great!  It has been super cold, wet and rainy this week - I think winter has officially arrived.  I never thought that it could get this cold in Brazil!  We've had to bundle up quite a bit to make it through the week, especially Sister Saldanha - she's from Manaus, one of the hottest parts of Brazil.  I don't think she'd ever felt this kind of cold in her life!  :)  One of my companions said that as the weather gets colder, the people do too....and I'm thinking that just might be true.  It's getting hard to get people to listen to us on the streets - they're all rushing home to get out of the rain!  And bringing people to church at 9 am... well, with the Lord EVERYTHING is possible, but that doesn't mean it's easy.  :)  We had a "multirão" in our area on Wednesday, so all the missionaries in our district worked in our area for a day, helping us contact references and find new investigators.  That was exciting, and it has helped a lot.  Our district leader found one awesome couple, Rosilda and Tiago.  We haven't had the chance to teach them yet, but they accepted our invitation to come to church on Sunday, and while all of our other investigators chickened out because of the cold and rain, they got up and got dressed and CAME TO CHURCH!  I love it when that happens. :)   They are married, LEGALLY, and have an adorable three year old daughter.  :)  We're hoping that they felt the Spirit during the church meetings enough to want to come back next week...and the next and the next and the next (etc.)  :)

Oh, and have you guys heard about all the crazy stuff going on here in Brazil?  This week has been FULL of protests in just about every corner of the country.  There hasn't been too much going on here in Maringá, but on Friday night we were on our way home after a day of work, and the main road was completely packed with cars...a group of protesters were stopping traffic.  Fortunately they were only blocking the other direction, so we managed to make it home without any problems.  :)  But the protests are pretty much all that people are talking about here ... and I was just wondering, what have you guys heard about all that? 

Anyways, that's about all the news from me!  This is President Tavares' last week....crazy!  Hope you guys are enjoying the summer weather there!  Love you ALL so much!  I hope the fireside yesterday left you all as excited about missionary work as I am...I know that it isn't always easy to find missionary opportunities, but I know that everybody has a role to play in this work, regardless of location, position, age, or whatever else.  "Our greatest responsibility, independent of our position or calling, is TO PREACH THE GOSPEL!"  "EVERY ONE is called and commissioned to invite others to come unto Christ!"  It's something we've ALL been called to do!  "THIS IS THE GREAT WORK OF THE LATTER DAYS!"  :D

Love you all oh so much,

Sister Gee