From Alex

I AM SO HAPPY!!! My investigator in New York was baptized! I love my Adalys :) Even though I only got to teach her for 6 weeks I love her so so much!!!

God´s timing is so so perfect. I am so grateful for His plans in our lives. I have been thinking a lot about it since I have gotten to brazil and how important it is to be ready to be a miracle but also to follow his rules and timetable. As missionaries we are so lucky. We have a handbook, 2 actually. Preach My Gospel and the White Handbook. Both tell us everything we need to know to be a successful missionary and to fully prepare our investigators. In life we have commandments and a prophet to help us. We have for strength of youth and so many other tools to help us have a happy life. However, it is up tp us to follow it. How lucky are we to be guided? How lucky are we to have this gospel and this rules. They really do make us free.

This might seem like a random way to start my email. But dont worry it has a reason. haha

This week was pretty good! I really dont know if I have ever prayed more in my life then I have here in brazil. I have really learned to rely on Him. My Bday was good. It really didnt feel like one without syd. But my comp made it really nice! I have been talking about a king cake none stop so she made me one! (for those of you who do not know a king is a mardi gras cake that represents the journey of the wise men trying to find baby Jesus) She even put a plastic baby jesus in it! The funny thing that everything that could go wrong with a missionaries day went wrong. Our lunch fell through, no one was home, and the one place we wanted to eat was closed. But it still was an awesome day!!! But really its the people that made it. Sister De Oliveria called me (my first comp in brazil) and I understood every word she said to me! It was so nice! And Sister Mann called :) I am so grateful she is here with me. She is my best friend and another example of how perfect God´s timing in our lives our. I know one of the reasons I didnt get my visa was because I needed to be comps with her.

So last week we had a man come up to us. His name is Severino. He is the sweetest old man. He has friends in the church and invited us to come teach him. So we have gone over a couple of times. His story is really sad. He got in a horrible accident and his body is really twisted. He has the sweetest spirit though and hasnt let it get in his way. He really wanted to learn about the gospel but baptism scares him. He wants to be really prepared. But this week he told us he doesnt want to be taught anymore :/ it made me sad. I know this gospel can change his life!

We have an awesome investigator! He is 14 years old. His name is Vanicias. His siblings are all members but are less active. He is so excited about the gospel though and to learn. We taught him the first lesson and then we closed is and said we were going. But he said he wanted to learn more! It was awesome. I really think he will be the reason why his family will be active again.

Another investigator we have is elizabet. We talked to her husband (well they arent really married) a couple of weeks ago and then we met her this week at a members home. She wants a better life for her child and she says she feels a light when we teach her.

My favorite member moved from here on valentines day :( She is so amazing! She is so full of love. It was so sad to say goodbye. It made me realize how hard it will be to leave here. The people I love in NYC I will be able to see again but most hereI wont be able too. But then it made me realize how awesome Heaven is going to be. To see everyone I love. It makes me want to teach and teach and find those ready to live the gospel!

Now to the beginning.I recieved a letter this week.It was sent to me a year ago and it has been waiting here. But I recieved it right when I needed it. Apparently I went to efy with this person my junior year. Ill give yall a little part.

"This letter is a thank you letter for something you dont know you did. By the end of my junior year my plans were to enroll into the ROTC at some expensive college in either Texas or somewhere on the East Coast and serve there for 20 years but I really never liked the idea. The one thing I knew was that I would not go to BYU.

But at EFY my junior year my lifed changed I remember I was talking to you and asking you about your future plans I remember you saying that you wanted to go to BYU. Maybe it was the manner in which you said it or the confidence behind it but something het me: You are too. From that point on I decided then I set my sights for the BYU business school and it changed my life. I have direction and I have drive I am doing what I feel is right for me and I am pushing myself. I am exercing a lot more faith.

Now you may not think you did much of anything to cause this big change in me. Thats because you didnt (hahaha) and thats whats so crazy about all of this. ITs the same principle ive seen applied again and again. When you simply do your best to follow Gods will and be the best you can be, God is able to use you ias a tool in numberless ways that we dont recgnize. AAll you did was tell me you future plans but by doing so you unknownly answered a pray. We should never feel like we are doing nothing. When we have the spirit with us, God will use us in numberless of ways and 99 percent of the time we doint even know we did anything."

I dont even know who sent this. But who ever did answered a prayer as well.

Im am so grateful for a letter that I recieved on Gods timing.

I know we are all answers to prayers.

God answers our prayers. He answered mine and he will answer yours.

Keep smiling :)

Sister Powell