:)

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

Pictures tooo!

Hey everyone!

So according to the new President we CAN accept emails from other people other than our family, but we CAN`T send them. So that is cool :)

I can also listen to the music you sent me now Sydney. :)

So today I am going to the chocolate factory. I am more than a little bit excited! Hopefully this letter isn`t toooo scattered.

This week was wonderfuL! I don´t even know where I could begin.

Paulo passed the Sacrament. He looked so cute in his white shirt and tie. I don`t think I have ever been prouder. No, I take that back. Yesterday, when he went out with us and took us to one of his friends house. That was was my proudest moment. He taught all about the Book of Mormon, and testified in Christ and how his testimony has grown. Then at the end he looked at him and said that he would be coming to get him for church that next week. He is so awesome and is already talking about a mission!

I decided this week that I wanted an army of missionaries, thus my contacts have been aimed at any young man under the age of 26. It has created quite a few laughs in the process (I even got a somewhat tempting marriage proposal from a very attractive rapaz), but it has also helped find some wonderful investigators. One in particular is my favorite...if I was allowed to have them...Eptilo (who knows how his name is spelled). I saw him sitting in the park, and walked up to him and asked this question, "Why do you think there are so many churches today?" He looked at me like I was crazy, but really thought about a response. We talked for awhile, and he told us we could come and teach him later that week. When we taught him at his house, he was full of questions, but the cool thing was, they were all questions that had answers. I love that about the gospel. We have questions, but we can find the answers. Maybe not in that moment, but with time, we can find them. He wasn`t at his house when we came to teach him for the return appointment. That was frustrating. But as we were walking, I decided to say a prayer that we would see him... And just as I finished, there he was! We talked to him for a while, and I felt like we should give him a Book of Mormon even though we hadn`t taught about it yet. His eyes lit up so much while we talked. I am convinced he will be an Elder. Just ya`ll wait and see :)

I learned quite a few lessons about prayer this week, now that I think about it. Rafeal is having some major difficulties with giving up cigarettes. I have been praying that he would be able to overcome it, but the other night I thought about praying that he would get sick the next time he smoked. The next day, we showed up at his house and he was sick as a dog. Sister Nicascio asked him what was wrong, and he responded that he was fine until he smoked a cigarrette. He swears he will never touch another cigarrette. haha.

Well, I love you all. Thank you for being so wonderful. I am so happy :)

LOVE,

SISTER POWELL!

July 4, 2011

I just wrote my new president in Portuguese...about gave me a heart attack. So this might be short due to my time limit.

I am tired.

So tired.

Paulo was baptized this week. If he was the last person that I help be baptized on my mission, I would still go home happy. He is already talking about his mission and I know he will work miracles. I felt it the first day that I met him...he has a future so important, and I feel so blessed to have had a part in helping it happen. I sang at his baptism and felt like aunt Carie at my farewell...I didn`t get pass the first line without starting to cry. What an amazing thing this whole mission thing is. What an amazing thing it is to help people come unto Christ, and then to watch them reach a potential that they didn`t even know they had.

We are teaching so many amazing people. They are exahausting at times, but they are amazing. I love them so much, but goodness can they be frustrating. Must be what it feels to be a parent at times, huh? They are teaching me patience.

Another thing I am learning (I should find another starter phrase, huh?) is to speak simply and to the point. I have no choice but to speak simply when speaking this ridiculously difficult language, but I am learning that when we speak simply it actually goes a lot better. Funny story--(I found it comical at least). We were teaching an investigator the law of Chasity. I let Sister Nicascio take the lead and invite him to live the law. His face was so funny as he struggled to wrap his head around what we were asking him to do (he is like this with every law we teach...he tries to make it so much more difficult than it is). So I asked him this, "Are you having sex with your girlfriend Rafeal?" His face gave the answer..."In order to live this law, you will have to stop having sex ." His response, "I don`t know if I can do that. I love her" "Then you can marry her. The law is simple...you can`t have sex. If you want to be baptized and live with our Heavenly Father again you will love this woman and marry her or love her and stop having sex with her."

He will be baptized this week...

Sister Nicascio´s face made the whole thing that much better.

I love ya`ll.

if that was entirely inappropriate, you don`t have to put it in my blog.

Love,

Sister POwell