Itabaiana

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all had a fabulous 4th of July!! It was hard to be away from home because I LOVE the 4th of July, but Heavenly Father blessed me with an American companion this transfer and we enjoyed the 4th together as well as shared some American traditions with our Brazilian roommates :) I wanted to send pictures, but I don´t know how, so I will try to send them next week... sorry! We made a traditional meal with chesseburgers, watermelon, lemonade, potato chips and smores for dessert. You may be wondering how we managed smores- we just lit the burners on the stove and roasted the marshmellows that way. The creativiy of missionaries :) We also got the hear fireworks because there was a jogo do Brasil the same day and Brasil won (yeah!!) so there were fireworks. Not the same as in the states, but still a great day :)

I met my new mission presdient this week- President and Sister Gomes. They are super sweet and I am excited to get to know them better. President shared his new vision for the mission and I am so excited! I will have an iterview with him in a few weeks and them get to know them better. I still love the Gonzagas, but I know that the Gomes´ are called to serve here for a reason.

I love working in a branch and an interior do Brasil, but that means that things are far away, like we had our District Meeting at the capela where our DL meets and it is an hour away- one way by bus! It is fun though to travel and see different places. I love working in a Branch too. It maybe smaller in size, but it is strong in Spirit and there are wonderful members here and I am so excited and grateful to learn from their example of service and dedication.

Sister Lopez and I also taught a bunch of people this week too. I was thinking this week about how a mission is hard, and at times I wish I could go home because my life would be a whole lot easier that way. I then get to thinking though about all the people I never would have met if I didn´t serve a mission. Not just the other missionaries, but all of the members, the people taught... I start to tear about just thinking about what a blessing it is to know these people. Even if they don´t get baptized, I still am so grateful to have met them and I still remember them. Each person I have met, I will remember. I love the mission and it is hard, but oh so worth it! Our Hevaenly Father is merciful, loving and oh so wonderful! I am so grateful for the experiences I have had thus far on the mission.

I hit my 8 monthes mark this week and now I can say that this month I will be half way done with my mission... How crazy is that?! I think time has been going by so far and these past monthes were the slow ones!

I love this gospel. I know that our Savior lives and loves each one of us.

I hope you all have a great week! And if you live in the Rochester area, please go to Pageant for me! :)

Com amor,

Sister Chilson