Transfer 2 in Brazil (with pictures)

First, Rachel, Alex sent me pictures of Claire...beautiful. I can`t believe you are a mom. I wish I could just zap on over for one hour and meet her.

Second, holy cow Sydney and Alex, ya`ll graduated! I wish I could zap over for another hour and give ya`ll a hug, but I could do without the graduation ceremony :) Congratulations girls..I love ya`ll.

Ah! Molly jane :) enough said. I can`t email, but send me the best address and I will write you asap.

Enough with all that. So I was transfered to the most beautiful place in the world. Everymorning I wake up and look out our back window and see beautiful mountains and then turn and look out the front to see the most gorgeous of beaches. I currently live on the outskirts of Vila Velha, home of the Garota Chocolate Factory. It is gorgeous here. The area I live in is very very poor-dirt roads, horses roam free, houses without floors-dirt poor, but the people are amazing! People let us in right and left. I have never taught so much in my life, and I am loving it.

My new companions are both Brazilian. Sister Cunha and Nicasico (spelling...?) Both are amazing. Sister Cunha is by far the funnest person I have ever met. I love being with her-she just radiates pure joy. Sister Nicasico is equally amazing. She is a convert of two years, thirty three years old, a chef, and possibly the most awkward person I have ever met. I say that completely out of love, because I wouldn`t have her any other way. Sister Cunha is the trainer of Sister Nicasico, and I`m just kind of the third wheel. Not really, but it is funny to say...even better when I try to explain third wheel in Portuguese. I have learned so much with them both, and have had so much fun doing it. This has by far been my best week in Brazil so far.

So I did an experiment this week. I went a whole transfer saying I couldn`t speak Portuguese. I would apologize to every Brazilian I met, and I always just let Sister Morales do the majority of the teaching and speak when we were at lunch or such. This transfer I made up my mind that I would pretend that I could speak Portuguese. I wouldn`t apologize; i would just talk. And you want to know something amazing, I can speak Portuguese. Instead of stumbling over the little I know, I was able to use it and discover that I know far much more than I give myself credit for. People comment on how well I speak for only having so little time here, rather than what it was in Linhares. Sister Cunha is great at letting me have an equal part in the lessons. And I have learned so much from speaking to them on the street and in our appartment. I have so much to learn and I still talk with the strongest accent known to man, but it has been amazing to see what a change of attitude can do.

We had three baptisms this week. It was by far one of the most amazing baptisms I have been to. Rita and her two oldest children, Joyce and Yuri. They are by far the poorest people I have ever met. I left their apartment crying the first time I met them. Rita is all on her own with 5 children under the age of 10. Joyce is by far the strongest ten year old I have ever met. She takes care of all four of her siblings while her mom works and acts way older than she should. She is so serious, but I love seeing the light that comes to her eyes when we come over and give our lessons or when she goes to church. She loves reading the Book of Mormon and the Bible, and she loves to go to church. In the week I have been with her I have seen what the Gospel truly does for people- it brings light and hope to those that truly have none.

I love being a missionary. I love being here. What a wonderful experience it has been so far. I will be half way done in a couple weeks, and I admit, it makes me really sad. I want to stay like this forever. I miss ya`ll everyday, but I wouldn`t want to be doing anything else.

OH! and I am sending some pictures from our trip to the beach today (one of the perks of being a sister). Our Ramo had an activity there today and it was so much fun! I will send more pictures next week now that I figured out how to do it. :)

LOVE YOU!

SISTER POWELL