From Alex

What a week! It was a good week as well :) SO many miracles happen everyday!

Funny Stories: Have you ever wondered what it is like to walk miles and miles in a desert? Well wonder no more! For sister powell knows :) It is an adventure full of heat, fun, lots of bugs, and sand twisters. We had a lunch appt a good bit away this week. I was on exchanges with sister castro again (she is brazilian and doesnt speak english and she is awesome!) So we walked and walked. I felt like moses walking to the promise land beacuse the food we had was by far the best Ive had the whole time here. haha So the walk was worth it for sure. On the way back though we got stuck in a sand twister. hahaha There were things flying all around and all we could do was just laugh and laugh and laugh.

2nd story: we have a pet. Dont worry we are purposely breaking the rules. He lives in our bathroom. I walked into the bathroom when I heard something huge running around and of course I screamed. haha and all the sisters ran in. It ended up being this HUGE lizard. He is harmless... I think. He only comes out sometimes so we let him stay.

3rd story:  So we have a lot of flies here. THey have become my friends. haha however the littles ones bug. Do ya`ll remember that deer randy shot last year that had the fly larvae in his nose cavity? Well I remembered about him in a middle of a lesson. Sometimes I have problems concentrating when people talk a lot and fast and Danao talks. He is awesome and has awesome stories and is so ready for the gospel. but while we were teaching him I happened to be sitting in the middle of a huge amount of these little flies and the kept on flying around my nose. And I kept on picturing the deer... I kept on praying and praying to focus. haha I am proud to say I made it through the lesson.

Spiritual: Oh how I love the people here! They let you in to their homes. THey are such a humble people and so ready for the Gospel. We had some good lessons this week. We are teaching quite a few people as well. We have a 13 year old named Riani. She is so sweet. I love her so much. I had a cool prompting to give here my hymn book during sacrement meeting this week. She just said I can keep it? And she was so excited! Sister VIllaroman asked if me if Riani had asked for it and I told her no. She said riani had been asking for one for months! Im so glad I followed that prompting.

We are also teaching this old old women. I love her. She cant read or write so we read to her. I asked her how she felt as we were with her and she just said so good!

I had my first lesson this week were I understood pretty much everything. It was such a miracle.

Im am learning a lot here in brazil. A lot about myself. I have learned that being 100 percent obedient is the only way. Even when it is hard to be. Ive learned that I should probably be a little more humble. I have learned that without a doubt that we should always follow the prophet. I have learned that I need to be a little more bold. But I think the most important thing I have learned is my first source of support is my God. I have learned a lot of times in life we are going to be alone. But we always have God with us. Who loves us so much that he wants us to become like him! He loves so much that he lets us have trials. He loves us so much that He sent His son to this earth to die for us. Jesus Christ knows everything about us. He knows our life, our struggles, our desire, and He will help us. He knows we fall short but He lets us get up and keep going. He knows our heart when no one else does. I am so thankful to have Him as my best friend. Im so thankful taht I have the knowledge that He knows and loves me. And with that I know when I follow him I am never really alone.

God loves you. Keep on going forward and always reamember you guys are never alone as well. We have angels rooting for us. We have God and His son as well.

Love Sister Powell