letters from missionaries

Saturday, August 20, 2011

I´m not in Terra Vermelha anymore

So I am now in a city. And Oh goodness is it different. I had gotten so used to Terra Vermelha- horses and all. But now I am in the city, and let me tell ya, it was a shock. The cars zoom by. The stores actually have options (I saw cereal for the first time in four months this week). And there are soooo many people to talk to. And I talk to them all, bums and all. Haha I think it was a bit of a shocker for Sister Johnson, but it is just so much fun. I love doing contacts. Speaking of contacts, a bird pooped on my head while I was in the middle of telling a man that we had a prophet today. Haha. That was fun. But it turns out God has a purpose in everything, because I decided I did not want to go the rest of the day walking around with bird gunk in my hair so I knocked on a door and asked her if she wanted to hear our message. Of course the answer was the usual, I am Evangelical (which is never the response to the question I ask to get the conversation going, but is always the response). But luckily, I was able to save the conversation by telling her my situation and she let me in to her house and even let me use some of her very good smelling shampoo. She thought it was so funny that she wants us to come back. We are working with some very different people. The people in Terra Vermelha were very humble, and these people are not so much. But it is fun teaching them, because they ask great questions and really seem to think about what we are teaching. Even better, they remember what we taught. It has made this week very enjoyable. We taught less lessons, but I am convinced that if we pick up the speed in our walking and plan a little better that we will be teaching lessons just like we were before! My favorite investigator (of the week) is Valmar. He is sooooo old and soooo cute. I just love going to his house and talking to him. One day we were talking about who knows what and I told him about my love for chocolate. The next day he had boughten one box for each of us. Made my week. My heart really does hurt for him though. He is very rich, but has no one. He told us that he lost everything because of his obsession for money, and now it was all he has left. He truely is alone, but his experiences have humbled him, and he truely is developing a testimony in this gospel. He is doing all the necessary step for baptism and has a date for next week. I am enjoying training Sister Johnson. It has been fun to see how much I have improved in Portuguese since the first weeks here. I am learning a lot from training her. It was the same with Sister Nicascio. I think when I get put in a responsibility where I have to teach, I always learn more than the people I teach. Speaking of teaching, I have to do a training at our zone conference tommorow. When the Elder called and asked me to do it, I tried to pretend that I didnt understand what he was saying...he didn`t buy it. haha That will be fun. Well I love you all. I love being a missionary. I love how much I am learning. I love the people I am serving. I MISS YA´LL! Sister Powell

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

o goodness I love yall.

From: McKenzie Powell [mailto:mckenzie.powell@myldsmail.net] Sent: Monday, August 08, 2011 10:03 AM To: Mom; Kevin Powell; Sydney; Alex Subject: o goodness I love yall.

Kallie Jade. I loved the pictures my dad sent of your wedding. I am sad that I missed it, but I am so happy that you are happy! Ì love you and Ryan. Ya´ll will make beautiful babies ;)

So another transfer comes to an end. I am getting transferred. And I am going to train an American- Sister Johnson. This whole mission thing can be quite stressful. It is a good thing that I love it! I am really excited. I love transfers. I love change. Who would have thought? I think Sister Nicascio might be coming with us so that will be good. I can understand a great deal of what is being said at this point, so we would get by without her. But, goodness, there are days when I run into a person and I could swear that they are speaking Chinese. I don`t think Sister Nicascio is too thrilled with the prospect of living with someone that is learning Portuguese even more so than I am, but it will be good for her. Maybe not for Sister Johnson...haha. Just Kidding.

I don´t really know what to write. I am going to go to the beach today and I am going to sleep. All day. Well until 6:00. Then I will run to all my investigators´houses and say goodbye. I hate goodbyes. I hate that it is very possible that I will never see these people again. You really learn to love the people you serve in a way that is very special. You worry so much about them when you leave too. I hate not knowing if they are going to church and staying active. I want to stay here forever and be my annoying (but still irresistibly charming) self. Yesterday, I watched Rafael ride his bike all the way to church and then watched as he decided to turn around and head back to his house. I literally threw off my bag, yelled at sister Nicascio to follow suit, and ran after him. Lets just say that I ran so much faster than I ever did in a cross country race. My coach should have used Rafeal to give me a little more motivation. I am sad to leave them, and I am more than a little worried. But God has a purpose in everything, and it is always for our growth. Everything will work out great.

I am so happy. I love being a missionary.

I love ya`ll.

Thank you for everything.

Love,

Sister POwell

Saturday, August 6, 2011

the week sister cunha cut my hair

HELLO! So today was crazy. We went all the way to Vitoria to get Book of Mormons and then back. The Brazilians have yet to eat lunch and they are all very cranky... haha. Sister Cunha cut my hair last night. Lets just say that it isn`t the worst hair cut I have had on the mission. I haveN´t seen the back yet, but the Irmas in igreja will for sure let me know if it is bad. Brazilians are brutally honest. I could have gone somewhere to get it it cut, but that would have just taken time. Funny where your priorities go on a mission. I figure...it is just hair and I sure have enough of it. , Rafeal finally was baptized. OH GLORIA (said in brazilian accent while raising my hands in the air...) He was a handful til the moment he walked in the font. First he was super late for his interview. We thought he wouldn`t show, but then we found him and I about hugged him I was so happy. The day of his baptism, I had to literally go into his house, find his pants, hand them to him, and walk him to the baptism. He asked me how much I got paid to do this... haha. Baptism sure can change people though, because the next day he went to church alone. He showed up early (with pants) received the gift of the Holy Ghost and had the biggest grin on his face throughout church. That man has driven me slightly crazy, but luckily we didn`t drop him. I said we would about 10000 times, but every time I went to his house with the intents of calling it quits he would say something that would change my mind. For example in a prayer he would say, "Thank you for sending the Sisters so I can be baptized and have a better life." Or I would find him teaching the plan of Salvation to a neighbor (sure he was telling him that we would like on the sun, but at least he was attempting to share the gospel). Or he would say something like, "You didn`t major in Portuguese before coming? How do you speak like that?" haha. The last was possibly my favorite. Anyway miracles happen, and this week they came in the disguise of Rafeal. But honestly, I love the mission. At times I didn`t like him, but I learned so much with him. He has changed so much. He prays, reads the scriptures, and brings his kids to church. He has a true desire to be better, and he has done what it takes. It is a miracle what happens to people. Sometimes it is hard to notice, but those gradual little changes become a huge change. What else happened this week...Oh I finally found out why I like my ward mission leader so much. He is Uncle Garin but Brazilian. Anyway I love you all. I am so happy. I have never been so tired and so happy. The church is so true. I hope you know how much I love ya`ll. Sister Powell

Monday, August 1, 2011

:)

From: McKenzie Powell [mailto:mckenzie.powell@myldsmail.net] Sent: Monday, July 25, 2011 10:19 AM To: Kevin Powell; Mom; Sydney; Alex Subject: :)

DEAREST FAMILy (and all else who read this), I got mail for the first time in forever (not because ya`ll don`t write, but just because we never get mail). That was fun. It was like reading Star magazine with everyone`s getting married, having babies, breaking up, and then getting back together. Even got a picture of a slightly creepy celebrity. I´m glad ya`ll are all doing well. I promise to be better with writing...haha. So this week was a roller coaster of emotions. Happens. I woke up one morning and Sister Nicascio had literally packed her bags and was ready to leave. First, I was surprised that I had slept through the noise. Second, that she really was seriously wanting to leave for home. I called President and attempted to explain what was happening and he spoke to her and told her to wait for the Sister´s Conference to talk to him. It was a hard week because her mood was one to rival with mom`s mood the day I took her Chanel Sunglasses out for a spin on the boat without permission, but I learned some valuable lessons. I prayed all week to know what to do, and for the first few days decided that we would just work til we passed out to keep her busy and from thinking about leaving. I don`t think I have ever walked so much, and my butt and knee are still more than sore as a result...haha. I don`t think I have ever talked so much either. I`m not a talker. I talk when I have something to say, but goodness did I talk this week...my vocabulary grew an incredible amount as a result. Sadly, working and talking didn`t seem to change her mind. So the last day I went into the bathroom and had myself a good cry, prayed for a bit, and then went back into our room and then it just came to me. I didn`t really know why but I went through all the Christlike attributes in Preach My Gospel and wrote something she had taught me about each. During companion study, I talked about how each of our companions teach us a little bit about Christ. None of us have every attribute, but one thing I have noticed is that each of my companions have helped me develop those attributes that I was lacking. I talked about Sister Stahly and how she taught me patience by example. Sister Bee and her consistent dilligence. Sister Morales and her pure love for all that we taught. Sister Cunha with her never failing smile and knowledge of the Gospel. And then last I talked about Sister Nicascio. I talked about each of the attributes she had helped me with. With two years in the Gospel, she has come on a mission and has touched so many lives with her simple, but yet profound faith, in our Savior. I have never seen someone so dedicated to this gospel, in her drive to understand and share it with others. It was neat talking, because I could truely tell that I was saying those things that she needed to hear. I talked about how we come on missions to help those that we serve, but also so that we can come to be more like our Savior. I talked about how grateful I was for each of my companions, because each left me better than I was when they found me. And it is true, I will forever be grateful for every single one of the companions the Lord has placed in my life. Later she told me that she had been thinking about leaving because she didn`t think she had any Christ-like attributes, but after talking to me she decided to stay. That felt good. I talked to President at the conference (which was about as awesome as Christmas), and he told me that helping her stay would make my whole mission worth it. That was nice to hear, but at the same time a bit heavy. Well, I should go. Plenty of eventhappened this week. - Rafeal talking about the Plan of Salvation with his friend. - Man that I found a month ago but never went to his house to teach because he told me that he wanted to marry me showing up at church with the other sisters. He proceeded to greet me as his blonde (yes I am nearly blonde now) green eye beauty and give me the biggest hug in front of all present at church. Sister Cunha`s face made it all worth it. -Walking in the rain but finding the most wonderful of people. -Graca wanting to be baptized. -A man pulling me over to tell me that one of the other Sister`s had been bit by dog...But what I understood was that one of them had been killed by a dog.

Oh how I love being a missionary. Thank ya`ll for making it possible.

I SURE DO LOVE YA`ll.

Sister Powell

Pages