2 Meses!

Oi Everyone! 
 
I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas and is doing well! I cannot belive that 
I have been on the mission for 2 monthes! Where has the time gone?! Anyway, 
stories from this week... 
 
On Christmas Eve me and the other sisters we live with made cookies and caroled 
and sang to the members so that was alot of fun and then on Christmas we had a 
pretty lazy day- or as lazy as you can get with being a missionary :) We woke up 
at 6:30 like normal, but we sat around opened presents that we had and didn´t 
leave the house until 11 for our lunch appointment. It was so nice to just relax 
and enjoy the day. It still didn´t really feel like Christmas though because it 
was sunny and super warm. 
 
A perk from being a missionary this week- so if the members cannot feed us one 
day for some reason they always give us money and that happened twice this week 
and my comp and I went to the little buffet- to- go food place about 2 minutes 
from our apartment. We got there, got our food and then the person who owns the 
places we had tracted into days before and he gave us our meal for free! It was 
super nice and the food was so amazing too, which is also a plus :) 
 
On Saturday we went to a ward activity which reminded me of the Labor Day Picnic 
we have at home except and it was hotter at this activity than at the picnic at 
home, it was for Christmas/New Years and people were swimming... Brasil :) It 
was a good time though. 
 
Another perk this week- I got out of speaking in sacarment meeting because I can 
play the piano. The bishop called at about 7 Sunday morning and asked with I 
would speak for 5 minutes about the Atonment of Cristo and of course I was 
freaking out, but we got to church and were sitting there when the bishop went 
to the piano/keyboard and set it to play prelude. It only played one song and 
then stopped so I thought I would asked if he wanted me to play. Of course he 
said yes so I went and was playing prelude and then he came up to me and asked 
me how many hymns I knew and I knew all of the ones he wanted to sing that day, 
so I played the piano/organ/keyboard for sacarment meeting and he said I didn´t 
have to speak.. yes! I always knew playing the piano was a good idea :) Just 
kidding. It was so awesome to be able to play again and honestly, if I play 
every Sunday for the rest of the mission, I would be perfectly happy :) 
 
Nothing else crazy happend this week. It wasn´t a good week for missionary work 
because everyone was out of town or with the family for the holidays, so we did 
alot of contacting, but I am hopeful that next week will be better :) 
 
I hope you all have a fabulous New Year!! I cannot believe that it is going to 
be 2014! Times goes to fast! 
 
I love you all and miss you everyday!! 
 
Com Amor, Sister Chilson 

 

                     Sarah and her companion Sister Martin 

Feliz Natal!

 Hello Everyone!!

I hope that you are all doing well and are getting ready for Feliz Natal (Christmas) :) I am so excited and cannot believe that it is Christmas already!!

I do not have aton of time today, so I am sorry, but I do have some things to tell you. I am doing well though- I promise :)

First off, I realized that I never told you what area I was in last week! I am in Antares. The ward is split into two areas and I am in one area with my companion and there is another set of sisters in the other area. We do alot of tracting and contacting, which is not very fun, but every moment where I get to testify to people and tell them about this wonderful gospel is so special and makes everything else worth it :)

Yesterday at church the bishop had me and my companion stand up in sacarment meeting so the ward could see us and then in the third hour me and my companion went to talk with the young women. It seems like just yesterday I was in their shoes and the sisters were talking to me. How time flies! 

Sorry, I don´t have much time left today, but I know that Heavenly Father watches out for each one of us. He knows us and gives us the strength to keep going when we think we cannot do anymore. I have learned this lesson many times over since I have been here. The mission is definately stretching me, but I am learning so much and loving every minute. I know that Heavenly Father loves us each so much and hears our every prayer. He wants what is best for us and to become the best we can be. He never gives us anything we cannot handle. 

I love this gospel so much and am so grateful for the opportunity I have to share it with the people here in Maceio. It is so wonderful to watch that light bulb go off in their head when things make sense to them and they understand. It brings a smile to my face! I know that this gospel is true with all of my heart and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father who has blessed me more than I could have ever wanted. 

I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy this wonderful time of year. I pray for you all everyday. I love you!!

Com Amor,

Sister Chilson 

Attached are pictures... I hope they load! Me and my MTC companion- sister Pew and my district at the CTM I promise more pictures next time when I know what I am doing :)

Maceio!

Oi Everyone!

Well, I made it to Maceiò! It was quite the adventure, but I made it. We had to be in the parking lot at 4:20AM last Tuesday, and we were packing the night before, so I got maybe 3 hours of sleep... We had two flights though from São Paulo to Rio and from Rio to Maceiò. The mission president, his wife and some other missionaries were there when we got there. I already love them! Sister Gonzaga is seriously the sweetest person ever! We rode from the airport to the mission home and my goodness it was beautiful! The weather here is so much nicer than I thougt it would be and where I am there is always a breeze and by breeze I mean gusts of wind where you have to make sure your skirt doesn´t fly up, but I love it :)

I met my companion the same day... she is American!! Such a blessing from Heavenly Father! She has been out for 8 monthes and is 21 years old. She is super nice, but we are still getting to know each other.I know that I can learn so much from her.

We live in an apartment with 4 other sisters. There isn´t really room for us there (it is only meant for 4) so we will be moving the beginning of this week to somewhere else,but they are all so nice and patient with me and my Português.

So a normal day for me is wake up, a little devotional with all the sisters (a song, prayer, someone shares a sciprture, and another prayer), exercise, then get ready for the day and eat, an hour of personal study, an hour of companionship study, training (it is just for me in my first 12 weeks here as I get used to missionary life) and langugage study... so lots of study :) Then we have our lunch appointment at a members house. Lunch is the big meal for them here, so that is when we eat with members. We have 2 hours to eat with them and then from 2 in the afternoon until 9 at night we work! We have been doing alot of tracting because they just spilt our area and the area book had pretty much nothing in it.We are working hard though and we will have success with time. Then at 9 we go home, shower, get ready for bed and sleep! Every night I am so exhaused and an grateful that I made it through another day.

This is by far the hardest thing I have ever done, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I know that with time I will come to love it, right now it is all just so new to me that I am taking it all in as it comes.

I want to share one thing I learned this week with all of you.I always knew it before, but since I have been on the mission it has been reafirmed to me that Heavenly Father is always watching over us. He knows us individually and provides us with the strength when we think we cannot do it anymore. I know that whereever you are in your life it where you need to be and every person you meet, every experience you have is what you need. I have felt Heavenly Father´s hand in my life and I know that He is right here with me when I think I cannot take another step and I know He is with all of you as well.

I love this gospel so much and an so grateful for the opportunity I have to share it with these wonderful people of Maceiò. I am so sorry for the lack of pictures... I will get better at this whole thing- I promise :)

I hope that you each have a wonderful week and Christmas approaches! I love and miss you all and pray for you each every day!

Com Amor,

Sister Chilsona

Almost Done!

Oi Everyone!

 

I cannot believe that on Tuesay I will be flying to Maceió! Time has flown by here and I finally feel like I am getting into a routine, which means that it is time for me to go :) I don´t know my flight plans yet, but I will be flying with 3 other Americans, 2 Hispanics and a few Brasilians (at least that is all I know if right now), so I will most definitely not be alone, which is nice :)

 

Nothing too crazy happened this week. I pretty much do the same things everyday, so nothing too exciting, but there are some nice random things that happened, so I will share those with all of you. I promise that when I get out into the field life will become more interesting and I will hopefully have some nice stories to share :)

 

I played the piano for a musical number this past Domingo. I never realized I had gotten spoiled with music conductors who knew what they were doing, like Trista until now. The woman who was leading the music, bless her heart, is so sweet, but she knows nothing about music. She knows it too, but there is no one else to do it, so she does. She doesn´t know all the music terms, she speaks in half Português, half English and we practice in a big room so I can´t always hear her and of course if something goes wrong, it is my fault, but honestly it was great. I love playing the piano and I forgot how much I missed accompanying. I am playing two musical numbers this coming Domingo. My distrito is singing Be Still My Soul and then all of the missionaries who leave the CTM this week sing as well and they are singing the EFY Medly, so that will be a good time :)

 

I think my Português is coming along better. I can usually understand when people talk as long as they don´t talk crazy fast or mumble. It is funny because out of me and my companion, I understand Português better, but she speaks Português better, so we work together and make it through. Everyone has said not to worry though because once I get out into the field I will most likely have a Brazilian companion and so of course we will be speaking Português 24/7. I am kind of nervous, but I know that my mission president would not put me with someone mean or patient. At least I hope not... :)

 

I bore my testimony in Português this past domingo. My district leader said that all of us in our district should bear our testimonies and I sat there for a while and then Elder Freeman started giving me looks and I thought why not. It was pretty rough Português, but hopefully people felt the Spirit and understood what I was trying to say. I was pretty proud of myself though :)

 

In my studies this week I read D&C 138 and it is so good. If you have not read it recently, you definately should.

 

Hopefully next week I will be able to attach pictures so you can see what beautiful Brasil looks like and everyone in my district here at the CTM!

 

I know this gospel is true with all of my heart. I know Heavenly Father watches over each one of us and puts people in our path who can help us, guide us and support us. I know He loves each one of you more than you could ever comprehend.

 

I love you all and miss you!! Enjoy the snow for me :)

 

Com amor,

Sister Chilson

1 Month!

Oi Everyone!

 

I cannot believe that tomorrow marks my 1 month mark of being on my mission! It seems like time has gone by so fast, but at the same time, I feel like I have lived here forever.

 

I hope you all had a wonderful week and a fabulous Thanksgiving! Nothing super amazing happened this week, just a bunch of little things, so I will tell you about all of the little amazing things. I was good this week and wrote them all down, but of course I forgot it in my room and I am on a timer on the computer, so I cannot go get it.

 

I said my first prayer in Português this week at the Devotional on Tuesday. It doesn´t seem like that big of a deal, but when you think about that the room is filled with Brazilians and Hispanics as well as Americans who can speak better Português then me, I was quite nervous. I was actually more nervous to give the prayer than to give my farewell talk in Sacrament Meeting.. and that talk was 20 minutes long! Anyway... I did it and the CTM President who was sitting right behind the microphone said I did a great job after.

 

I am playing the piano more now which is so amazing! I am so grateful that I could talk my love of music and ability to play the piano with me to Brasil. Playing the piano is such a destresser and a wonderful way to spend what little spare moments I have. I am playing a musical number accompanying the choir, playing the piano for our Branch Sacrament Meeting on Sunday and accompanying my district on piano for our musical number our last Sunday here at the CTM. I love playing the piano and am so grateful for the talent that I have!

 

Português is coming along okay. I can understand what people say to me as long as they do not talk super fast, mumble or quietly, but my problem is that I can´t respond and with what Português words I do know, my brain throws in German word too so that´s fun... Anyway, we teach two investigators, one every other day, but they are not real investigators, they are our instructors, so teaching them is interesting. They are acting, so they pretend that they don´t know us and such, but sometimes it is hard to forget that moment where we laughed in class for 5 minutes straight because of something someone said... In one of my lessons this week, I was speaking in Portugúês and I don´t know if it was something that I said, but he literally started laughing, which made me and my companion laugh and so we couldn´t talk. For the rest of the lesson I couldn´t look at him because he had this smerk on his face, which makes me laugh. So anyway, that is a good time :)

 

So Thanksgiving- it was pretty much the same as anyother day, but for lunch (the big meal of the day here) they had a Thanksgiving dinner. They had turkey, suffing, potatos, corn, ice cream for dessert and rice and beans because let´s be real, we are still in Brasil :) The food was pretty good, but I still had to have some rice and beans. I am literally addicted. The rest of my district sees there is no rice and beans for a meal and think it is a miracle. I see not rice and beans and get so sad.... What is wrong with me? :) We went around the table with our disrict while we were eating and said what we were thankful for as well, so that was nice. Overall a nice day :)

 

I have one scripture that I want to share with all of you- it is Mosiah 5:4. You will have to go look it up, but I love how is says they started with faith on this words and from that they recieved great knowledge. I can be hard to trust and have faith, but so great are the rewards and knowledge for those who put their trust in the Lord. I was reading in Mosiah 5 this week and that verse really jumped out at me.

 

One last thought- so it is kind of a joke in our district that if I eat gluten I wil die. Not get sick, just die. I have told the elders this is not true, but they still say it anyway. So we were sitting for sacarment meeting and we were talking to the elders who were passing the sacarment and we were talking about how our bread needs to be seperate and not touch the others, so they went to get a little cup for it. The elder came back and said `You know, if you die while taking the sacament you go right to the CK (Celestial Kingdom)`. Then my friend who also has celic said `We will get twinkled!` I guess it doesn`t sound that funny, so maybe you had to be there, but it was funny :)

 

Sorry this email is all over the place! I will try to get better and more organzied for next week. I hope you all have a fabulous week and a great start to December!

 

I know this gospel is true and that Jesus Christ is my Savior. He died for me and for you, so that we can all live with our Heavenly Father again someday. I am grateful for the power of prayer that allows us to prayer to our Father in Heaven whenever we want and where ever we maybe. I am so grateful for this knowledge to help guide my life and grateful for the opportunity to share it with others.

 

I love you all!!

 

Com Amor,

Sister Chilson

Temple Visit

Half way there!!

Oi Everyone!!   I can hardly believe that Wednesday was my half way mark of being here in the CTM! 3 weeks down and 3 to go! Time has been flying by here, but if feels like forever since I have been home in New York. This week I had alot of adventures, so I will try to get them all.   Our first real adventure was on Wednesday. We got to go out to the downtown Sao Paulo and give out Book of Mormons like real missionaries! We went with one of our teachers who is super cool. We took a 25 minute bus ride to downtown, spent an hour out in the city talking with people and then we headed back. The way home was the crazy part though. We waited at a bus stop for 15 minutes and the one we needed didn't come, so we went down to what is like a subway, but way nicer than the ones in NYC took a couple of those with some transfers and then got off, and took a bus the rest of the way back. It took about an hour and half to get back. It was so much fun those. It reminded me so much of being in NYC except the transportation is way nicer! If you think the NYC subway system was big, you should try to google and find the Sao Paulo one... it's crazy! Thank goodness we had our teacher with us!   Then yesterday, we went to the police station to turn all of our visa papers in and get registered with in the country. We got there at 8:30 and waited for about 3 hours to get fingerprinted and such. The whole time I was pretty much standing around, but I was hanging out with an elder from Argentina, and elder from Boliva, a girl from Colorado. The life here is so cool! Hanging out with Hispanics and Brazilians and people from all over the United States... I still have to stop myself and remind myself how amazing it is and how blessed I am! Everyone here is so nice- I don't think I have met one person who is not nice. I am so blessed to have this opportunity.   I went to the temple again this morning which was amazing, but it took and hour and 45 minutes to get there... so not the most fun. The driving here... people drive like they do in NYC, except take all of the taxis and make them motorcycles. No one stays in their lane, or stops at the stop signs... I have yet to see an accident though which is amazing. I guess the people know what they are doing, even if I can'e even look out of the windown while I am on the bus :)   Nothing else super amazing happened this week. I am pretty much learning Portuguese, teaching lessons to our "investigators" and eating and sleeping. Life here is so amazing! It still does not feel real to me that I am in Brazil- like in South America! I am beyond blessed to have this opportunity and meet these people.   I don't have alot of time today to write- for which I am sorry, but I just want to say I love all of you! I know this gospel is true and that I am here for a reason. I pray of all of you and hope that you are doing well. I love my Heavenly Father for giving me this opportunity. I know that our Savior Jesus Christ lives and that He will return one day. I am so grateful for the precious gift of prayer that we have. The ability to communicate with our Father in Heaven at anytime and anyplace is an amazing blessing- one that I am coming to realize more and more here with each passing day. I love this gospel and I love each of you! I hope you all have a great week and a Happy Thanksgiving!!   Com Amor, Sister Chilson

Two Weeks!

Oi from Brasil!!

 

I hope you are all doing well! Thank you for all of the sweet emails! I read everyone one of them and I will try to respond to as many of them as possible. I am going to try to get better at this whole read all these emails and then write back what happened your entire week in 45 minutes... I will try my best and hopefully I will get better at it as the weeks go by. If you ever have any questions about anything in particular, feel free to ask! I get lost in everything that happens in the week, but I am happy to answer any questions.

 

So last Friday and today I got to go to the temple which was amazing! I didn't write much about it last week, so I thought I would share more thoughts today. It is absolutely beautiful inside and out (of course- it's a temple). It looks so different from our little Palmyra Temple, but there Spirit here in Sao Paulo is the same. Everyone is so nice and there is such a peace that you can't find anywhere else. Everyone speaks in Portuguese so that's fun, but because I worked in the temple those few weeks I can remember the words, which is so nice! Last week I was really missing not being able to go to the temple because I had gone every week before I came here, and being able to go was so special. I will probably go every week that I am here, but once I get to Maceio, I probably wont be able to go the rest of my mission, but that's okay. I will enjoy it while I can.

 

Last Friday we also went out on the street of Sao Paulo and shopped around with my district. We went to a couple different stores and I order a leather scripture case from my Portugues triple combinations. It was only 70 realis which is about $35 and I could choose what picture and scripture I wanted on the outside, so I think it is a pretty good deal. I will make sure to take a picture of it once I get it and show it to all of you.

 

The weekend we did pretty much the same as always (it is funny because Sunday doesn't really feel different from any other day besides that we take the sacrament). I forget to mention last week- I did fast, but here in Brasil they fast from lunch to lunch, because lunch is their biggest meal here, and it sounds really hard, but it was way easier than fasting from dinner to dinner. I may just have to keep that tradition after I get home.

 

Monday was a rough day for me overall. I woke up feeling okay, but as the day went on I started feeling sick and had a headache and I took medicine which always helps, but for some reason this time it didn't. I counldn't concentrate on Portuguese or teaching. I was just physically, mentally, spiritually, exhausted so when lanche (snack) came around at 9PM Monday night it was no wonder the elders in my district asked if I was okay. I started explaining to them, but then I was like I don't want to complain to you. They were super sweet and said that was what there are here for, but I still felt bad. Then one of the elders in my district asked if I wanted a blessing, which was echoed by the other elders in my district saying they would be happy to give me one. I thought about it and decided that I wanted a blessing. So after planejar, we went to our classroom, I chose and elder to do the annointing and then I had my district leader, Elder Freeman, give me the blessing with the rest of my elders in my district standing in for he blessing. All I have to say is that the power of the priesthood is amazing. It wasn't instant, but I went to sleep and the next morning I still felt a little sick, but it didn't bother me. I could consentrate to much better on learning and my mind was so much clearer. The only blessings I have recieved in the past have been from my dad or from other priesthood holders who were close to me and knew me. It is so amazing to me that, Elder Freeman, and 18 year old who has know me less than two weeks could give me a beautiful blessing that was exactly what I needed and blessed my life so completly. The power of the priesthood is real and my testimony of the priesthood has grown so much. I am so grateful to those wonderful elders in my district who are worthy to use the priesthood power they hold and willing to use it.

 

After Monday, I had an amazing week. I was filled with the Spirit and although the lanuguage is not coming very fast for me, I am patient and know that Heavenly Father will help me in time- His time. I am so blessed though to have such a loving district. I would read people's emails before my mission and they talked about how they were so close to their district and I never really understood why, but now I do. I love my district! They are like my family here. We laugh together, eat together, learn together, pray together... pretty much we do everything together except the elders sleep in the elders floor and the sisters sleep on the sisters floor. I don't know if I told you about my district last week, but there is me and my companion, Sister Pew, another set of sisters, Sisters Peterson and Dalton and two sets of Elders, Elders Freeman and Bulher (E. Freeman is the DL) and Elders Johnson and Cornando. They are all so amazing and supportive. I love my district and am so glad we have 4 more week together!

 

I should probably finished this email up. I love you all so much!! I pray for you every day and think abou New York all the time. My companion and I were studying faith this week and working on strengthening our faith in each other, ourselves and the Lord and we read some amazing scriptures that I thought I would share with all of you. Hebrews 11 and Ether 12. They are amazing chapters and you should definately read them. One of my favorite verses is verse 25 in Hebrews and the last verse in Heb 11.

 

I love this gospel and am so blessed. I was watching out the window as we drove to the temple this morning and I was wondering how I was so blessed with this amazing life. I was a little diappointed when I found out I wasn't going to Europe on my mission, but not I can't imagine not coming to Brasil. I love the people- they are so happy!! I love this city and am so excited to see where this journey takes me. I know that Heavenly Father loves each on of us and knows each of us by name. If you reach out to Him, He is right there waiting for you- I can promise you that. I have felt His hand in my life and the tender mercies He blesses me with and I am so grateful for each one of them. I love this gospel wih all my heart and I love each of you.

 

Com amor,

Sister Chilson

My First P-Day!

Oi Everyone!!

 

I finally have my first P-day and I am so excited to finally be able to tell you all about what life as been like here in Sao Paulo! I will try to write as much as I can and forgive all of the spelling mistakes because I am probably not going to have time to re read this. First off, the weather is beautiful here! It is a comfortable temperature and the sun shines. We had a couple of days where is was raining, but it wasn't really raining, but more than a drizzle... somewhere in between there. Anyway, beautiful! I miss the snow though already. It does not seem like November at all.

 

So it was crazy getting here. I will start at the beginning of my trravels I got the the airport on Tuesday October 29th, got through security and was waiting for my flight to Detroit. Everything seemed fine, we all got on the plane and were waiting to take off when the piolet said there was a mechanical problem and they didn't know when the team was going to be able to come and fix it, so they got us all of the plane and back to the gate. We waited for a while and finally were told that the fight would not leave earlier than 7 that night, so that would mean I would miss my flight. I asked to see what other flights were available and there were two options, one for me to go on stand by on a flight that would get be to Detroit on time and my second option was the airport would get me a taxi and drive me to the Buffalo airport for a flight that I could 100 percent have a seat on. I decided on the stand by flight and ended up not making the flight. At that point it was about 6 at night, so I called my family and slept my (real) last night at home. The next morning I left Rochester at about 11 for a flight to Altanta and then from Atlanta to Sao Paulo at about 730 that night. getting in to Sao Paulo at about 7 (Sao Paulo time) on October 31st. Those flights worked out great and I called the Church Travel office, so they knew I would be coming later and so there would be someone waiting for me at the airport.

 

I got to the CTM (MTC in Portuguese) and got started right away. Everyone speaks Portugese to you and when you just got off of a 9 hour flight and know no Portugese, it doesn't work so well, but anyway, I made it through, met my companion, Sister Pew (she is American) and my district. There are two other sisters and four other elders in my district. Our whole district is American and our whole Zone is American as well, so that is nice.

 

Everyday is pretty much the same here. I can usually be found doing three different things- studying, eating and sleeping. That is pretty much all we do everyday, but I have amazing teachers (all Brazilian) and they are all so patient. We starting teacher our first investigator our third (my second) day here all in Portugese. I was a little lost in the beginning, but the Lord really does bless His people. I have been coming along better with Portuguese. I can understand most of what people say (as long as they speak slowly), but speaking it is what is really hard for me. I can read it pretty well (I may not pronounce everything correctly...) but coming up with the works to say on my own right on the spot is really hard. I know that it will take time though. I have to keep reminding myself that I have only known Portuguese for a week and that it will come with time.

 

I love being here in the CTM. It is so cool to have Brazilian teachers, Brazilian roomates and eat meals with people who speak English, Portugese and Spanish. I love being in the culture here and everyday I am so thankful that Heavenly Father allowed me the opportunity to come to the MTC here in Brazil rather than the Provo MTC. I really am forced to learn the lanuguage here and I want so badly to be able to speak with people, so it is a good motivater.

 

The food here is so good! This may sound crazy, but I love the rice and beans! We have them at lunch and dinner and I can't wait to have them. Another thing I am already addicted to- the juice. They have the most amazing juice in the world!! My favorite right now are mango and passion fruit. It is going to be a very sad day when I cannot have the juice here anymore. Also - Tyler, if you are reading this, the juice machines are still in the CTM and holy cow you were right they are so good! I understand why you miss it so much! That is going to be me in 18 months!

 

Being gluten free here is not too bad. Mostly I just have to use my best judgement with what I eat, but you would never guess, the only other person with celiac in the CTM is in my district, so we stick together at meals. I was able to have the sacrament on Sunday. It tasted like a cookie, but it was the only gluten free bread item they could find, so I will deal with it.

 

Going along with the meals, you don't have to worry about my food going to waste here. If I decided that I shouldn't eat something or I don't like something, just mention it to the elders and they will eat it all and they eat it right off of my plate. Some things never change... haha.

 

I was also able to go the the Sao Paulo temple today and it was amazing! If you get a chance, you should google a picture of the temple- it is absolutely gorgeous!!

 

It is so hard to remember the last 10 days and think if I forgot anything. The days really feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. I never really understood, but boy is it true!! Just a few final thoughts- we watched a video in one of my classes about being missionaries and it had some parts of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in it and he was taking about how everything that I want my investigators to do, I need to do to. When I ask them to read the scriptures, He wants me to read the scriptures and when I ask my investigators to pray more, He wants me to pray more. That just really hit me. I know that I am not perfect, but I need to be bettering myself all the time as well.

 

I also had an interview with the branch president (everyone in my zion did, not just me) and he told me that I was called to Brazil for a reason and maybe that reason was that in the premortal life I had friends in heaven and some of them I know now, and live in the in states, but maybe some of my friends that I had there are Brazilian and in Maceio. That thought that I am going to meet some of my old friends makes me so happy and excited to get to Maceio.

 

Well, that it all I pretty much have time for. Thanks to everyone who wrote me emails, wrote me and is praying for me. You are all in my prayers as well.

 

I know this Church is true and that the Savior lives. I am coming to know him more and more and I am loving every minute. I am so excited for the opportunites that await me. I love the people of Brazil already and cannot wait to serve them.

 

Com amor,

Sister Chilson

I Made It!

  The people in the picture are me, my companion, the CTM President and his wife.

Hello Everyone!

This is going to be a short email- but more to come later, I promise. I made it to Brazil the second time around with no problems! I even met a member of the church while I was waiting for my flight to Sao Paulo. Who knew! The 9 hour flight didn't even seem to be that bad. I slept okay on the flight, but today has been the longest day ever! I am adjusting to life here okay. It is pretty crazy when people don't speak your language, but I am learning slowly and everyone is super nice. I love everyone in my district already and my companion is the one that I met on facebook, which is super cool. It really is a small world. I learned how to say trick or treat in Portuguese today, because it is Halloween of course. Remind me to tell you that next time. I hope you are all doing well. I miss and love all of you!!

Com amor,

Sister Chilson

Welcome!

Hello Everyone! Welcome to my mission blog!