September almost over?!? Can't wait for General Conference; New investigator - Ronaldo

Dear Family,

Another week has flown by!!!  Can you believe that September is almost over???  I'm super excited because it's almost October and that meansss....GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!  Best week of the year, I LOVE it!  Sister Rojas and I have been counting down the weeks for a while now, and turning on MoTab whenever we feel like it's still too far away.  :)  

This was not planned, just coincidence that we all wore light blue

This week was good...we are still hunting down new investigators, and found a few great people this week!  

We met a young man while contacting referrals.  His name is Ronaldo, and he lives in the house in front of the one that we were looking for.  So really, we met him by accident, but I know that the Lord was guiding us!  He is...well, not your typical investigator.  He told us that his mom died a few years ago, and right now he's living completely alone in his house.  He doesn't have a job, isn't going to school, and just stays at home all day.  I just feel so sad to see how much he's struggling, and I pray that he will accept the gospel and be able to turn his life around.  He went to church with us on Sunday, and I think he enjoyed it....it's hard to know, because he isn't very talkative. :P Afterwards we visited him with a ward missionary couple, and taught him the Restoration.  When we invited him to pray about our message, he refused at first, saying that he never prays.  We testified of the power of prayer, how our Heavenly Father really loves us so much and wants us to talk with Him through prayer...I think it's still a little bit new for him, and he's slowly strengthening his faith, but at the end of the lesson he said the closing prayer (with a little help and encouragement)!  :)  Anyways, it's going to be interesting to see how he progresses.  I just hope he can feel how much God loves him, even through all the challenges he is facing in his life.  I hope we can help him to realize that!

But that was our week...not a lot of news.  Next week will be transfers.  :(  I don't know what's going to happen!  Aaaahhh!!!  Stay tuned.

Love you guys!  Have a greeeeeeeeaaattt week!

Love, 

Sister Gee

Spectacular Sunday - visit from Pres. Genaro and baptism of Julia! Contacting, contacting, contacting; Not trunky :-)

Hi everyone!

This Sunday we had a special visit in our ward - President Genaro and his family!  Our ward mission leader had invited them to come give talks in Sacrament Meeting, so they drove in from Londrina to visit.  It was great!  President Genaro interviewed a few people from our ward, gave an amazing talk along with Sister Genaro, and stayed to watch the BAPTISM afterwards!!!  It was awesome - Julia, one of the other sisters' investigators was baptized, and Monica as well!  I don't know if I ever talked about Monica in my emails.  She is a friend of our ward mission leader, and we taught her a few times.  Unfortunately she was living in a different ward, so she wasn't ever baptized... but apparently she moved this week to our ward mission leader's house, and she was able to be baptized on Sunday.  It was a beautiful day!  Afterwards we had a huuuuge delicious lunch at our ward mission leader's house, with the four sisters, President Genaro and his family, our ward mission leader's family, and a few other guests.  All in all, a spectacular Sunday.

The rest of the week was just contacting contacting contacting contacting.  We're kind of low on investigators right now, which is a bummer, but we're praying and searching and talking with EVERYONE we see, and trusting that the Lord will guide us to the people who are ready to hear about the gospel!  

I got to do a division with Sister Bullen this week - she is one of the Sister Training Leaders ( I always mess up the title of that calling, but it's something like that).  She is AMAZING!  For those who don't remember, she was my roommate in the CTM, and we lived together for one transfer in Ibiporã.  I love her - she has a radiant and bubbly personality, a strong testimony, and a desire to share the gospel with everyone!  I learned A LOT in the short space of time that I got to work with her.  It was fun.  :)

And that's my life.  It's going pretty good so far.

Oh, and I got the "trunky phone call" this week!!!!!!!!!!  AHHHH.  :P  You know, that phone call where they ask you which airport you want to fly to?  But I remained surprisingly calm, and I promise, I'm not trunky.  I'm not.  I'm not.  :)  SERIOUSLY!  I'm going to keep working my hardest until the very last minute here.  As Sister Bullen said to me this week "I want to arrive in the airport with absolutely nothing more to give to the Lord!"  I thought about that a lot afterwards, and I want that too.  :)

But that's it from me!  Love you guys!!!  Have an amazing week.  I will for sure be keeping Uncle Blaine in my prayers, and I know that the Lord will be close to our family during these weeks.   

Keep the emails coming!  :)

Love, 

Sister Gee

Good week, but not much to tell; Studying the New Testament, it is so wonderful

Querida Familia!!!

It was a goooooood week!  There isn't much to tell today, so I'm afraid this will be a short email.  We've just been contacting references like crazy, trying to find new investigators....it's been kinda rough, but these last few days were a lot better, and we found a few really cool people!  One day knocking on doors, we came to one house, knocked at the gate, and were surprised when the man came running out smiling and holding a Book of Mormon in his hands!  He was really excited to meet us, and told us that he had a few really good friends who are members of the church, who had given him a copy.  Unfortunately we haven't been able to teach him yet, but I'm excited to be able to visit more with him and help him to learn more about the gospel.  :)  

This Sunday, Presidente Genaro will be coming to our ward to give a talk!  Everyone is super excited, especially our ward mission leader.  He wants to have a LOT of baptisms when the president comes, so we're going to be working like crazy this week with all the investigators who have been coming regularly to church but haven't ever committed to baptism.  We're going to see miracles this week, I know it!  

I started studying the New Testament a few weeks ago, and it is soooo wonderful - I love reading the words and teachings and miracles of the Savior.  I can really feel the Spirit testify as I read these chapters, just like Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God!"   I know He lives, and He loves us!  I know that the most important thing we can do is follow His example, every day!  

Anyways, I'm out of time, and out of news too, so that's it for this week.  :)  Hope you guys are all doing great!  I love you so much!