From Alex

Oi Minha Familia! Te amo! Really though. I love you all so so so much.

My week was full of sunshine, laughter, and really all happiness! I loved this week. Of course it had its lows but over all it was full of miracles.

One miracle being "goodbye mosquitos" for weeks I have dreaded going to bed. haha which is a bad thing as a missionary. For some reason everynight for weeks I was attacked by mosquitos and I could not sleep. Monday night I just layed there and told God I need them to go to another room. After I fell asleep and then the next night I didnt wake up once! And now our bathroom as a lot more mosquitos.

We have a couple new investigators too! We have an Irmã who is really excited about missionary work and we went to her neighberhood and she just went around and introduced us to her friends and family. One of them being Abel and Yvonete. They are amazing. Abel is blind and Yvonete is pregnant so they love the Plan of Salvation. I love Abel! He is always asking good questions. I love when people ask good questions it means they are feeling the spirit and really thinking about our lessons. I know they will be baptized :)

We had one sad lesson with Wanda and Antonio. This is a family my other companion and I found. I love them but they dont want to learn. I am the kind of teacher that loves to sit and listen. I dont mind silence and I love when our investigators talk and teach themselves. I love to listen to the spirit and really say what God needs me to say. So at the end of our lesson I just knew I needed to say my testimony simply but bodly and I did. I dont remember what I said but the spirit was there. After Antonio said that he knew it was true but he doesnt want to  change. I just wanted to cry. I hate how satan makes us not want to change. I know they will one day though.

We had a couple lessons will less actives as well. I love working with less actives bc most of the time they have the knowledge we just have to help fix the puzzle. We had one lesson with a mother of a missionary. She has two active daughters in the Gospel. She said she doesnt have a testimony. I just had the strongest feeling to share my testimony about families. I told her that we have our families for very specific reasons and that she has her daughters to help her. Their lives are proof that this gospel is true. And after she said she has faith in that :)

We worked hard this week. I love to work. I love this work. I know it is the work of God. I am and will be forever changed from this time in my life. I can honestly say this. I love so much more, I see God's hand more and more. I am learning so much! More importantly I am seeing why this gospel is so important for others but also why is so important for me. I can see that God has a plan for us and that satan will do all in his power to stop that plan. We will fail sometimes but God is a God of second chances and we can get back on the path that he has always wanted us to walk. I have failed a lot on my ission, excpecially here in brazil but he has forgiven me and I am better bc of my shortcomings. I trust God more and more everyday. OUr lives are not easy, missions are not but we are being molded, this task is worth finishing.

I read a talk by Jeffrey R Holland and he said "The best things are always worth finishing>" He then went on and described how the salt lake temple took 40 yrs to be finished and the he said "Know you not that ye are a temple of God? Most assuredly you are. As long and laborious as the effect may seem, please keep shaping and setting the stones that will make your accomplisment "a grand and impsoing spectacle." Take advantage of every opportunity to learn and to grow. Dream dreams and see visions, work toward their realization. Wait patientl when you have no other choice. Lean on your sword and reast a while, but get up and fight again. Perhaps you will not see the full meaning of your effort in your own lifetime. But your children will, or your childrens children will, until finally you with all of them can give the Hosana Shout." I know we are worth it, we are worth finishing. Because we are children of God. I love you! Trust God, and know I pray for you :)

Sister POwell