Life in Brasil

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all had a fabulous week! I cannot believe that we are reaching the end of August! For some reason September feels really close to the end of the year... Time is going by so fast!

This week Sister Lopez and I were walking down the street and there was a little boy who stopped and pointed at us and said ´Jesus`. Sister Lopez and I just looked at each other and smiled. A few weeks ago too we were sitting on a park bench and two women walked by with a little boy who was probably a year old. He was walking, but he wasn´t walking really well by himself, but anyway, he was walking and then all of the sudden he stopped right in front of us and just smiled and stared. We smiled and waved too and they kept walking, but he kept looking back at us. I got to thinking with these two experiences about how children are pure, they don´t have sins like the rest of us and they are much closer to heaven then we are and how they can see the light of Christ that is in us missionaries. They recongnize that there is something different about us and how we have part of Christ with us as representatives of him. It was a sweet experience to see the meekness and humility of a child.

This week the Relief Society President made pizza that I could eat when we had almoço at their house! It was so sweet of her and was so good! Then later that day Sister Lopez and I tried to make some with the recipe that she had and it turned out pretty well! How I have been missing pizza!

One of the things I am so grateful for about serving a mission is because I am able to see great leaders and learn from their example. As a missionary I work with the branch president, and other leaders more and I have been able to see great leaders who care and who selflessly serve other before themselves. I will work with leaders of the church for the rest of my life so I am greatful now for the time that I have to watch and learn from good (and bad) leaders :)

Well, that is about all for this week. Life just keeps on moving here in Itabaiana :) I cannot believe that in a week it will be September, on Saturday I will hit my 10 month mark and that it is already week 3 of this transfer!

I know that Jesus Cristo is our Savior that he lives and loves each on of us. I know this church is true with all of my heart.

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

Com amor,

Sister Chilson

Time Just Keeps Passing By

Hello Everyone!

I feel like I say every Monday, Ìt is P-Day again already?!´ Time is going by so fast! I was thinking about how August is half over and everyone will be starting school again in a few weeks! I still feel like it is May or something...

Anyway, nothing super amazing happened this week, just teaching, eating and sleeping. It is so funny, there are some days when at night we plan, shower and don´t feel like eating so we go to bed at 9:45 or something... us sisters are getting so old! We are so happy when it comes time to sleep at night, it doesn´t really matter what hour it is! We walk alot though and are constantly doing things, so I guess it makes sense :)

They are getting ready for elections here in a month so that means propaganda! Which means cars with speakers going through the streets and you cannot hear what the person next to you is saying, and the occaional fireworks, and no not just at night, but anytime of the day :) But life is good here :)

This week in the reading class we were talking about people names and sounding them out. Then it came time for my name... She asked, what letter makes the ch in my name which is more of a sh sound here and one of the people said ´X´because x here kind of makes a sh sound. It was so funny, but maybe they will be say my name now... To so many people I am just sister, or her, or something like that. It´s all good though :)

I also thought I would share what I ate for lunch last P-Day. doesn´t it look good? And it was realy good, we just need sour cream and totilla chips which they don´t have here, but we make do.

Well, not much else exciting to share this week... I will try to have better stories next week :) I know this church is true. I know that Jesus Cristo is our Savior and that He loves each one of us. I know that personal revelation is real and that the heavens are not closed; that Heavenly Father talks with His leaders and each on of us. I love this gospel!

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

Com amor,

Sister Chilson

Awkward Moment, Chili, and Transfers!

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all had a great week! We found out about transfers last night and... *drum roll* us 4 will stay here together for another transfer! We are excited! Hardly anyone was transfered. Presidente is still getting to know people, so he didn´t change much. I only have this transfer and 5 more left in my mission... I have already done 7 transfers... What?! Time goes by so quickly!

So the awkward moment this week was went we were teaching a woman and we started talking about the Word of Wisdom and how it talks about things we should and shouldn´t eat and then her neighbor comes out and gives her a cup of coffee! S. Lopez and I just looked at each other and kept going because we couldn´t turn back now. We got to the part about coffee and she was like, Oh, I know it is good for us and she said she would stop!  Woah! There was that moment when S. Lopez and I just looked at each other though and wondered what should be do... I was all good though :)

Also S. Lopez and I made chili this week without a recipe! We were walking home one day and I don´t know exactly how it started, but we decided to make chili. We thought about how we ate it at home and fumbled our way though and estimated things and thought about what things we could substitiue here for what we have at home and it worked! We tried out best and asked each other Does things seem right? multipe times, but it turned out really good, so now we are doing to try some more things. American companions... love it! :)

Well that is about all for this week! I hope you all have a fabulous week! I read a quote from a conference talk this week that I love. It says ´Prayer doesn´t change God. It changes me.`I realized that is so true. That God is not going to change His plan depending on what we ask and pray for, but prayer humbles our heart and turns our will more to God´s.

I love and miss you all so much!!

Com amor,

Sister Chilson

August, 9 Meses and Americans

Hello Everyone!

I hope you had a great week this week! This week went by so fast and I have no idea where the time went. I was talking with out District Leader on the phone last night and he of course asked how our week was and I was just like Élder, I have no idea what happened this week. We worked hard and it just flew by´. Anyway, Happy August! I feel like this year is almost ending! I have no idea where the time goes... Speaking of time passing quickly, I hit the 9 month mark of my mission this week- halfway!! What?! It is so strange to think that I have less time here left than I have already done. I really am no longer one of the young ones! To celebrate, Sister  Lopez and I ate açaí together. We don´t have it in the states, so you are just going to have to google it. It is a type of fruit that get´s mashed up, but it is cold too and kind of has the consistency of ice cream... I had mine with cashews and sweetened condenced milk... my goodness it was so good! It is right across the street from the church so we maybe visiting there again... :) Sister Lopez also made ice cream for me! It is the flavor goiaba (I attached a pictures). I was so good too! Oh, I love my companion! :)

This week we also had the priviledge of living without water and gas for days. Gas is what you use to use the oven and stove. There is a tank filled with gas that sits by the stove and you can turn it on and off. It is expensive so we lived about a week without it, we bought more this morning. We also lived without water for 3 days... The adventures of a mission :)

Sister Lopez and I were walking yesterday in the street and a women asked us Áre you americans?´ in English. We said yes of course and talked with her for a little while. They are building a Baptist temple in our area. She had such a thick southern accent (she is from Mississippi) and Sister Lopez and I tried to speak English with her, but it was SO hard! We were literally transalting things from Português to English... I might actually have to get a translator to talk with my family at Christmas... that or start practicing my English now... :) She said there is a group of people coming from Alabama to help this week and we could stop by if we wanted. Maybe we will to practice our English. It is so weird and funny to hear English!

Well, that is all for this week! Also I attached a picture of our house. We are number 1333. 1333A lives above us and we live in the bottom. I love our house :)

I hope you alll have a great week! I love you and miss you so much!!

Com amor,

Sister Chilson