So we finally moved :) It was such a process this week, because we didnt have a real moving truck, not like we have a lot of stuff but 2 beds, a fridge, stuff like that and our luggage require more than a car. They have like these half trucks here, that are more like el camino´s with a smaller bed ha. So that was stuffed and a guy stood on the side and held on while it drove down the street with our mattreses piled on it :)
The first night in the new apartment was the most miserable sleep we´ve had here. Because the apartment isnt connected to electricity yet. So we couldnt plug in fans and couldnt open windows because we´re on the first floor, and thatd be too dangerous. At 3 am Sis C had had enough and opened the windows and we were eaten by mosquitos. The mosquitos biting woke me up and i closed the window. The next night was a bagillion times better because irmao paulo and irma marta are geniuses :) They brought an extension cord for us and the neighbor let us plug it in so we got to use fans. They also disected a light socket and rewired it to make a homemade lamp for us :)
We had tried to get the energy company to turn on electricity for us but they require a cpn, kinda like social security number but for brazilians n we americans dont have those, so they asked for our passports. Irma Arlete and irmao marcelo took us all the way to the mission office to get passports and when we went back to the energy place there was a different manager on shift and he said nope, without cpn we wont do it. :p SO our district leader who is brazilian went for us today and hooked it up for us. It takes 24 hours so we´ll have light tomorrow :)
A super huge blessing about moving is how God is looking out for us. Its almost hard to tell from that story above, but the timing of the move was necessary. We found out last night that the day after we moved, a man was killed in front of our house, our pesquisador asked us, oh did you hear about that young man?... Sis C and I looked at each other and were like :0 heavenly father got us out of there. He keeps good tabs on us.
So more about the week, This week was sister camacho´s birthday :) She turned 23. To celebrate, all the members gave us cake :) Our bishop had a reference for us and it was planned to meet the family at bishops house. The reference turned out to be a suprise party for sis c :) It was really awesome. And our district made a conference call and sang her happy birthday. This week for our service project we helped a family move, and they live on the 4th floor of an apartment building :) so the stairs helped a little bit with all the cake.
Sunday was a really special day for a couple reasons. 1) Andre went to church, and 2) I gave my first talk in portuguese :)
First Andre. He´s a reference :) We went to his house on saturday to remind him about church and he said if im awake ill go, and we said ok :)
so we went to wake him up on sunday, but he was already awake, but not ready for church, his family was doing house chores, his wife was getting ready to pin laundry. So we told them we can help so itll finish faster and we can all go to church. They had 2 really big jugs of water with clothes soaking. And you know where they pin their clothes? :) on the roof! So we climbed up the winding staircase, and we had to jump over a wall, to get to the ledge where they pin it. In our skirts :) It was my favorite sundaymorning on the mission so far. We gained the wife´s confidence when she saw us helping, and Andre was like ok ok ill go to church, she has to stay and finish but ill go, and the wife said shell get all her stuff done next time and go with the kids too. It was awesome :) after church, Andre remembered that theyre going to their moms house for her birthday next week, but the next week theyll be able to go. We´re gonna hold them to that.
The talk went well, an awesome blessing about the gift of tongues is that sometimes I don´t even feel like I´m speaking a different language. The topic was `serving God; the blessing of sharing the gospel`. Portugues is just one example of how when you trying to serve God, he gives you everything you need to get the job done. I say `trying`to serve God because I mess up all the time, but I really like a quote from President Thomas S. Monson that says sometimes courage is the small voice at the end of the day that says, i can try again tomorrow. Every baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints has the calling of missionary. Each one of us accepted that calling when we were baptized, the take upon us the name of christ and stand as a witness of him, kinda part that they say in the sacrament. As active church members, theres 3 really great ways to fulfill your calling as a missionary. 1 is in your church calling, sharing the gospel with whoever you´re serving, and the other is with your friends, and if youre too shy to spread with your friends, do work in the temple. The first presidency promised that theres nothing more satisfying than missionary work. I know its true because I experience it when I work. When I take my calling seriously and pray, read the scriptures, and bear testimony, its like a recipe for how to feel the spirit stronger in my life. And with the spirit of God brings the miracles and power of God. You know what the spirit and power of God can do? :)
Anything. Whatever your current goal is or thing that you´re working on, worrying about, or situation you´re trying to improve is, work to get the spirit first. Once you have it, your job will be a ton easier and smoother because you´ve got God´s power helping you. Its really awesome. To prove it, try it :) start with a prayer and after you´re done, think about how you saw God´s help. Small example, sis c lost something in the move and asked for help finding it. So we decided to say a prayer to find it. 10 min of searching later sis c was like OH! I know where it is. God will help with anything if we ask for it.
I love you guys, hope you have a good week and make an effort to notice God´s hand in your life each day :)
Sister Miess
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