From Alex

Well today is my last day as a 21 year old. loco.

Ive come to the conclusion about north brazil. It was made for Grandpa Powell. Let me tell you why. First off you can grow anything here allllll year long. Watermelon is pretty much the best thing ever (besides the Mangos) People mix their food and love to eat, everyone sits outside on rocking chairs. Pretty much everything here reminds me of Grandpa Powell. haha and I love it :) It makes me feel a little more at home. But the bread was made for mom. I try to stay away from the bread. haha because it is the best bread in all the world. Sweets here though... You wouldnt like mom. haha But enough about the food :)

This week was interesting. That is pretty much the only wordI cans say about this week. But of course there are always wonderful moments even when we have to look really hard :)

#1 Wonderful moment- We had a lesson with a famiy this week. The family consists of 1 mom and 2 sons. The mom wasnt really paying attention in the lesson but at the end we had the son pray and she just started to cry. It broke my heart because I could see the pain and the stress in her life but also I could see the joy she had to see and hear her son pray. The gospel really does strengthen and help our families.

#2 Wonderful moment- Sister King. She is the missionary I want to be. She stands up for what is right and loves people. seriously, Ive never met someone with so much love. She is going home this transfer and we talked and talked at zone meeting. It put so much relief in my heart to see someone like her who is still herself but a better self :)

#3 Wonderful moment- Is another family crying moment. I was on an exchange with Sis Castro again this week. We  taught one of her investigators. It is a part member family. The dad ist a member but the kids are and the mom as well. They are less active however. We watched the restoration video with them and then we told our testimonies. The member with us shared his conversion story and how he just got sealed with his family. We had the investigator pray after and he just cried and cried and the whole family as well. It was beautiful. The came to church this week and even though they arent mine. Ive never been so excited.

#4 Wonderful moment- Yall are going to think this is weird... but it made my day so much better. haha I put my finger in a baby goats mouth. haha He was so cute! But when the owner told me too i was like.... ummm???? Okay. haha But I did it.

#5 Wonderful moment- I really talked to people in a fearless. I joked and got to know them. It was so refreshing. I love to talk to people and here fearlessing is required. ( we have to get 200 a week) So sometimes I feel really remote and like Im just doing it bc we have too. In New York I was really good at it so here its been a little sad for me just to go through the motions. So this was a good moment :)

#7 Wonderful moment- I cried. haha Weird wonderful moment. But it was during my message after lunch. I shared the verse in Alme 7 about the atonement and I just cried and cried and I really felt christs love for me. It was embarrassing but its the first time in Brazil that Ive felt the spirit like that as I was testifying. Ive missed it.

You guys. I know this church is true. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored upon the earth. I wouldnt be here if I didnt know it was. I know it and in the words of Joseph Smith I can not deny it. I really questioned why I am in Brazil this week. AllI want to do is to be obedient, to teach, and to love. But this week I felt like I couldnt do any of the 3. I know Im not supposed to be down in my letters and usually Im pretty good at it. But sometimes we have harder weeks then others. Its life and its part of the plan. I read in D&C 58 this week and the verse said
 2 For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that ^akeepeth my commandments, whether in life or in ^bdeath; and he that is ^cfaithful in ^dtribulation, the ^ereward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.
 3 Ye cannot behold with your natural ^aeyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the ^bglorywhich shall follow after much tribulation.
 4 For after much ^atribulation come the ^bblessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be ^ccrowned with much ^dglory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.

It gave me so much comfort. No trial lasts forever. I remember the night before I got my visa was really hard for me and honestly I think the only regret I will have about my mission is worrying about my visa and not trusting in the Lord. But I needed to learn to trust and Ill never question God again, even in the hard times. I am learning to be happy with where I am at. Anyway back to the story. Everyone was telling me I could be permantly reassigned and I just knew I was going to get my visa so I went to and prayed. And the answer I got was I can go if I want but it will be hard in everyway. And I told God that was fine. and the next day I got my visa. So bottom line is I signed up for this. haha And I will carry on singing and laughing and striving to be the best me I can be at this moment. Every please pray for me that I can learn the language. I really want to be able to be a better tool in God`s hands. I love this quotee by Pres Monson. "We live in at a time in the worlds history when there are many difficult challenges but also great opportunities and reasons for rejoicing... There are of course, those times when we experience disappointments, heartaches, and even tragedies in our lives. However, if we will put our trust in the Lord, He will help us through our difficulties, whatever they may be." I know this is true for all of us. Always look for the wonderful moments in life. We have them everyday. They are God`s way of showing His love for us and that He is still there. Because He is :) Know that I am smiling and always praying for you.

Love Sister Powell