Feliz Abril!

Hello Everyone! I cannot believe that tomorrow is Abril! Where do all the months go?! This week was pretty quite, nothing super amazing happened, but me and my companion were able to watch the Women´s Broadcast for General Conference this week which was so nice! It was in Português, but I actually understood more than I thought I would. They talk slowly which is nice. I am SO excited for the Saturday and Sunday sessions for General Conference this week!! Sister Castro and I are still teaching a bunch of people. We had an amazing lesson last Sunday with a woman and her daughter. The Spirit was so strong, but this past week she told us that she recieved her answer that the church isn´t true. It was so hard to hear because Sister Castro and I both know that she felt the Spirit and she even told us that she feels something different with us than at anyother church or anywhere else. We are going to keep working with her though and bring members to help and maybe she will realized this is the true church.  I never knew how much my talent would be used on my mission. I played the piano again is sacarament meeting and I led the music at various meetings at church as well as every district and zone meeting. People think if you play the piano you can lead music too... well anyway, I am happy to serve and use the talents the Lord has given me.  In the ward I am serving in right now there was a missionary who returned from his mission this past week and he bore this testimony yesterday in church and it was so amazing to hear. It is so funny to watch him because he is really excited and happy, but he also looks a little lost, like he doesn´t know where he fits anymore... I will probably feel the same way, but for now I am happy that I get to wear this tag that bears the name of our Savior everywhere I go.  That´s all for this week.. Maybe I will have better stories for you all next week... I know that this gospel is true. I know that Joseph Smith was called by God to help restore this gospel to the earth. I know that this is the only true church that has the authority and power of God. I know that we have a prophet who lives and guides us today. He speaks with Heavevnly Father and tells us exactly what we need to know to help us in our lives. I love this gospel! I hope you all have a great week!! I love you!! Com Amor, Sister Chilson

Happy Spring/Fall!

Hello Everyone!

Depending on what side of the equator you live on, Happy Spring or Fall! :) The first day of fall here is exactly what the first day of winter and everyday in between- hot with lots of sun :) It is beautiful here though and I love the people. 

This week was kind of crazy. We have exchanges so I went to Edwardo do Gomes for one day and night and it was fun to have a new companion and see a different area. It was intestering though because I was sleeping in a house with people from Brasil, Peru and Chile and me the American. It is weird to think of, but it is so normal to me now. :)

I was able to play the piano for New Beginnings for the Young Women in the ward so that was fun and it was so nice to play the piano. I also played the piano for sacarament meeting and I thought about how in the MIssionary White Handbook it says you should only sit on the stand if you are apart of the program and I was thinking about how I probably have sat on the stand for half of my mission because I have been playing the piano... I love it though and am so happy to be able to share my testimony through musical because word still fail me at times with Português. 

We had a sad moment this week when Sister Castro and I were looking through the recent convert and member lists for our ward and we found out that one of our investigators is actually a member. Well, we cannot baptized him, but we can try to get him to come back to church. It was a little bit of a heartbreak for me and Sister Castro, but we are still making it through :)

We have a beautiful lessons yesterday though with a woman and her daughter. The daughter is a friend of a member and we taught The Restoration and at the end of the lesson the mom started crying because she knew what we were teaching was true and because she felf the Spirit. The Spirit was SO strong and it was such a special moment. If we follow the Spirit, Heavenly Father will lead us to the people we need to meet. 

I love this gospel so much and am so grateful for the oppotrunity I have to share it with Heavenly Father´s children here in Brasil. This gospel is so beautiful and Heavenly Father´s plan for us is perfect. I know that the gospel is the way to happiness and to return to live with Heavenly Father, Christ and our families para eternidade. 

I hope you all have a great week!! I love you!

Com Amor,

Sister Chilson

Happy St. Patrick´s Day!

Oì Tudo Mundo!

I hope you all had a fabulous week and are doing well! Happy St. Patrick´s Day! They do not celebrate it here in Brasil obviously, but it´s all good. I am not really a fan of traditional Irish food anyway :) It is also a holiday here in Aracaju tambêm. The celebration of the city or something. I don´t really know, but no one has to work and almost everything is closed, but thankfully not this Lan House or the grocery store! :) 

I don´t have any amazing stories to tell this week, but we are still teaching some people. Two people have baptismal dates. This week Sister Castro and I are going to work from the recent convert and less active lists that we got yesterday at church to find novos para ensinar. 

The ward here is SO amazing! They are always looking out for us and offer to help in anyway they can. This ward is really focues on missionary work which is great. We had Family Home Evening with a family in the ward a week ago today and it was funny because we sang, prayed and a message, but after we didn´t just have a treat, we had a whole meal complete with a dessert as well. It was basically just another meal. Brasilians love their holidays and food :)

I also had my first district meeting with my new district this week and I have attached a picture. Please ignore my awful tan line. I love that shirt, but the sleves are higher than my other shirts... You don´t have to wonder if I am working here :) In the picture it is me, Sister Barrett, Sister Caripuna (they are companions) and Sister Castro (my companion). They we have Elder Sampaio and Elder Godoy (he is my district leader). 

I also had Reunião de Zona esta semana which is will a bunch of elders and sisters in my Zona. I have also attached a picture of that. My LZ are both Brasilian. I got to see Sister Pew though (my comp from the CTM) because she is in my zona. It was so nice to see her and talk about everything that has happened in the past 3 monthes. 

Other than that, nothing else amazing happened this week, but we will keep working hard this week and teaching the gospel :)

In my personal study this week I read Enos in O Livro de Mórmon and I realized again how amazing it is! If you haven´t read it in a while, you should. Also, I read that conference talk by Elder Holland called `Lord, I Believe`. It is a fantastic talk about faith that definately strengthened my faith. I am getting to excited for General Conference in just a few weeks! It will be in Português, but I am still so excited!

I know this gospel is true with all of my heart. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that He died for you and me. He suffered for each of us so He would know exactly how to help us in our pain and suffering. How selfless and loving! I know that families are forever and that this life is not the end. I love this gospel with all of it´s beautiful truths!

I hope you all have a fabulous week! I miss you and love you!

Com amor,

Sister Chilson

 

 

The Adventure Continues!

Hello Everyone!!

Transfers went well and now I am serving in Sergipe!! I am in the Grageru 1st ward with me, my companion and two other sisters. I was so surprised to get transfered to Sergipe, but I am so happy to know what Sergipe is like as well as Maceiò. We have a 5 hour bus ride though (it is suppose to be 6, but because of Carnaval there was literally no traffic). Once we got to Sergipe I met my companion, Sister Castro. She is Brazilian and is literally the sweetest person ever! She is so patient with my Português and it always willing to repeat things or expain things another way. I am so grateful to have a Brazilian companion because I really want to fully learn Português and having someone who knows no English helps with that :) 

My new area is smaller than my other one and we dont have to walk very far to get to our area (like 2 minutes). It is super cute here though. There are houses and then on the corner there will be a little bakery...  I love it here. It is hotter here than in Maceiò though because here there is not much of a breeze, but you get to a certain point where it is just hot and it´s fine :)

The ward here is super sweet and so focused on missionary work. I spoke yesterday in church and also played the piano in sacrament meeting. The meeting was starting and there was no one there to play, so I offered to one of the counslors in the bishopric and he said yes. It is always so nice to play and it is a way that I can share my testimony because sharing it in Português still isn´t the same as English. 

I know that all the rest of you had daylight savings, but here we don´t change the clocks, so I didn´t have to get used to a different time. I don´t really know why we don´t here, but it´s all good. 

I don´t really have much else to add, but Sister Castro and I taught so many lessons last week and we have some people who we are so excited to teach! We walk out of a lesson as vezes and just turn to each other and smile because we love that invstigator so much! I will keep you all updated though on people we teach who are going to be baptized. 

I hope that you all had a great week and have an even more amazing week this week! I know this gospel is true with all of my heart. I know that we have a prophet who is on the earth today. I know that he recieves revelation from Heavenly Father to guide and direct us and if we listen to his counesl we will be blessed. 

I love you and miss you all!!!

Com amor,

Sister Chilson

Oh, also, people have such a hard time with my name! I never would have thought Chilson would be so hard! They look at my tag and then have to look again because the don´t know how to pronunce it. Good times :)

 

 

 Sarah's new companion Sister Castro.

Sarah's new area Sergipe, Brazil.

Batismo!!

Olá Everyone!

I have no idea where this week went! First off, I am getting transfered! Sister Martin will stay here in Antares and will get a new companion and I will find out tomorrow where I will be serving for my third transfer in the field. We have a big meeting in Farol where all of the missionaries who are being transfered gather and they go through each area and everyone finds out where they will be serving. I am not too nervous about who my next companion will be or where I will be serving. I know that it is in the Lord´s hands and that Presidente Gonzaga will have me serve in the area I need to. Right now I am just worrying about packing and moving, but hopefully that all goes smoothly. 

In other news... We had a baptism this week! His name in Alisson and he is so awesome! His mom and sister even came and they are not members. They don´t live in our area, but we passed their names on to the other sisters. Attached there is a picture of me and him, me, Sister martin and him and me, Sister martin and his family. There is nothing that can descibe the joy I felt when he went under that water and was baptized. Me and the other sisters also sang a special musical number, When I am Baptized, in Português. It was such a good was to end this transfer! 

Also this week started Carnaval here in Brasil. I learned that Carnaval is actually only one day, tomorrow, but people started celebrating over a week again, and these past couple days people didn´t have work and literally everyone was headed to the beach for a vacation. It made missionary work a little hard, but we made it through :) 

I also hit my 4 month mark of my mission this week! Well sort of because February does not have a day 30, but I counted the 28th as my 4 month mark :) We didn´t do anything special, but I cannot believe that I have been here for 4 monthes! 

One last thing, I got to have salmon twice this week which was such a special treat. Once we went to a resturant with a member for almoço and the other time we had it at a members house. Man, I love me some salmon :)

One last thing- I have been trying new foods and there is this fruit that people eat here and I have no way to describe it, so you are just going to have to google it, but it is so good! It is called Jaca. 

Well that is all for my week! You will have to wait another whole week to find out where I will be serving for this next transfer, but I will be sure to let you know! 

I know this church is true with all of my heart. I love this gospel so much and am so grateful that I have to opportunity to help bring souls unto Cristo. 

I love you and miss you all!

Com amor,

Sister Chilson