March 3, 2010

I can´t believe it, Love you guys! Thanks for all your prayers, love and support!! Love, Sister Davidson

February 17, 2010

So the Zone Conference was great. Our president spoke about the life long process of forming Christ inside of us. It was great to hear His words. He is truly an inspired man of God. I am going to miss hearing his powerful words of counsel and encouragement. I love my mission. These past three months have been hard. But all is being resolved. I am happy to be a missionary and each day put on my name tag and preach the gospel. We are teaching a family and will have two baptsims this Sunday of a mother and daughter. They were truly prepared to receive the gospel. It´s hard sometimes teaching them because they were Catholics forever and they recently were receiving visits of a Jehova´s Witness so when teaching them it's a long process of answering questions and telling them which doctrine is right and which is wrong. We are working and melting in the hot hot sun. The rain has stopped and it´s just hot. I take cold showers that don´t seem cold enough at times. hahaha.S o I have been thinking about not telling you guys when I am coming home and to just call when I am at the airport to go pick me up but then I thought that would be cruel. So my last day is..... ??????????? 8th of March!! I'll be on an airplane Monday night until Tuesday. I don´t know all the details but I am excited and anxious to see you all again. Love you guys,Have a great WEEK!!Rachel

February 10, 2010

SO I am still here in Campo Limpo climbing the mountianious neghborhoods in search of the Lord´s elect. My Spirit is willing but my body is weak. It´s so interesting how we have total control over our body and its carnal appetites and desires like laziness, pain, hunger. We can control these desires as our spirit develops strength with patience, determination, love, etc. So tomorrow I will know when I am coming home. Tomorrow we have a mission conference in Campinas. At the last mission conference of every missionary the President calls them up to bear testimony. So if my name is called I'll know that I am coming home the 9th of March but if not it´s April!! I am hoping it´s April. I recieved a letter from my companion in the MTC. She is released the 9th of April. So let´s wait and see. Tomorrow is coming too soon!! I can´t wait to see everyone again but at the same time I like it here. I am learning so much this transfer with my companion the attributes of Christ. The Lord has a lot to teach me and I have a lot to learn before I come home.So last week we found 3 families. They are desperately in need of the gospel. I don´t know how people survive in this world without the Gospel. I am happy to here Nate´s in the hospital and now recuperating. I hope I can help him when i come hjome. I am excited to see what kinds of blessings will come in my life because I chose to serve a mission. I am happy and excited to put everything I've learned here in practice, fighting for what is right and teaching by example and inviting others to folow our Savior. I love my mission. I love my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. He lives and is walking beside me teaching me and helping bring souls unto Him. He is everything, the foundation of our lives. He is the Only Begotten Son of God who descended below all things to save us and show us the way back into the presence of Our Father in Heaven. I know that my Redeemer lives and loves us. He desires our happiness and wants to help us. But it´s our decision to allow Him into our lives and lift us up and cure our problems and weaknesses. He is my confidence and the light and life of this World. He invites all to come unto Him and be baptized to enter into the Kingdom of God. Jesus is the Christ, the one who carried the world on His shoulders the one who saved all mankind with His prescious blood and rose again to live. He is the Bread of Life and the Living water. We need to learn of Him and be as He is. This is our charge and challenge in life. He want to know our hearts and we show our love to Him through obedience and our choices. I love my Savior Jesus Christ, my master, my brother, my friend.

February 3, 2010

WEIRD! I sent an email last week it must not have gotten through. I am safe and sound- our house is NOT built on a muddy slant like others. We are in a safe area and are fine. But there is a lot of people suffering. I wasn't transferred. Sister Lira and I are still here together in Campo Limpo. I am doing great and working hard and wanting to baptize everyone I am going to need those english lessons. I love it here. I love the people and the way of life here. I am going to need a lot of help when I get home to get reaccustomed to life again. Love you and confide in God. He is the caretaker of all of us. Your daughter, Rachel

January 20, 2010

Mom and Dad,
The mission is going good. I continue to learn and grow each day. We are working and learning a lot. Sister Lira and I. This Tuesday is a Transfer but feel like we will be staying put. Dad, I don´t know my realease date but when I know I'll be sure to tell you. I don´t even know if this is my last transfer or not. It´s amazing how a mission has changed my life and has blessed our family. Thanks for the picture and the update. We are going to the tmple tonight to show a family of investigators. I hope their hearts will be touched and they´ll decide to be baptized.I forgot to say how happy I was to hear you found my call letter, that´s great!!I can´t even imagine what it´s like at home with only Emily! Love you guys!! I don´t know if the Ensign is the same in English but this months letter by Elder Uchdorff was great!! Rachel

January 6, 2010

Well I am doing great here in Campo Limpo. I am getting to know better and better the members of the ward. It is great. I love serving a mission. Precious moments of serving, speaking portugues and searching for the Lords elect. I am tanner than ever and my legs are about to give out. Faith is keeping me walking and working. Yesterday was really hot 40* C!! Melting and when we made it home last night we walked in the door and a super rain fell down. It was like the Lord was waiting for us to get home before it fell. Hahaha. It was funny. This tropical weather is GREAT. It’s amazing how when we put the Lord first in everything we not only grow spiritually but physically and mentally and socially. I remember when Dad always teaches us about making goals in these 4 areas of life. I have learned the secret… By putting our spiritual goals first in priority all other goals will be accomplished too. I am growing to understand more the Atonement of Christ. If we but search to understand the meaning of Christ’s life and atonement in our lives we will gain more truth and light and strength. I love my Savior and know that He lives. I am taking advantage of each day and each moment to share the gospel and magnifying my calling as a missionary! So Bryce is off to Hawaii. That’s cool. He is going to be a beach bum. I can see it already. Hope he likes the college life. What’s not to like, it’s Hawaii. I can’t wait to hear where Taylor will be called! I love my mission and am seeing great miracles occur in my life as I help others keep God’s commandments and come to know of the truth. Love you all and be happy and smiley because God loves you and I love you!Rachel

December 30, 2009

I hope you all have a Happy New Year. I'll be thinking of you all this Friday. Hahah Emily is left in the nest! Don´t worry I ll be coming home soon to tease her. I can´t believe we are entering in 2010! That´s crazy.. Everyone is talking about the Aztec calaender and how they predicted time to end in 2012??? Crazy. So I am growing and learning a lot. We had a baptism Sunday. It was our huge Christmas present!! He is a 28 year old son of a member, yeah for Preisthood holders!! So I am enjoying each moment here on the mission. I just want to help everyone with their problems and batpize everyone. I hope you all are making goals to become a better members of the Church and I can´t wait to meet the recent converted family of our ward. That´s cool; BLESSINGS!! I can´t wait to come home and continue helping the Lord in His work. That´s great that you are helping the missionaries and participating in the missionary work. It brings the most happiness and you see the most miracles. I am learning the power of our faith and the power of the member. If everyone had stronger faith and lived more the commandments of the Lord the Church would be tons bigger!! So we need to help other members and strengthen those who are weak so that more children of God can be baptized and take part of the fruit. It´s amazing. I am reading a book called the Powers of Heaven!! It´s a small and great read!! The president gave it to me during the Christmas conference for reciting a scripture!! Love you all Rachel

December 23, 2009

Well before I forget here´s the info in calling me Christmas Day!! Number: 0011-55-11-4812-6200 It´s going to be a 40 minute phone call this time. I want to talk to everyone but the president of the mission said to talk mostly to my parents. So I will be waiting by the phone at 7 pm for your phone call. I forget the time difference. So hope you can figure it out there. I know I am going to cry a lot when I hear your voices so warning ahead of time to prepare you.So thanks for the money. Yesterday was the Christmas conference of the mission. I realized how many friends I have made here on the mission and how many people love me. A recent convert and some members of my old ward in Campinas came to visit and say hi to me it was great seeing them again. Ying!! Sister Santos was there and we had a conversation that I needed a lot. My mission has changed my life forever. I am more determined to do what´s right and to fight for it too. I am so grateful for my mission. My Presidente is really inspiring and is a man of God. It is always amazing to hear his inspiring words and feel the love he has for us.I am surviving here and I have some great news, I will be coming home the beginning of March. So 2 more months practically. AHHHH!!! Thanks for all of your prayers and support, I love you Mom and Dad and miss you guys a ton!!Love you all and have a very Merry Christmas!!HUGS and Kisses!!!Rachel

December 16, 2009

Hey Mom, It´s good hearing from you. I feel like I neglected some of your questions in the last email about christmas in Brasil. It´s not so big as it is in the US but it´s good. It´s very humble. No one has a real chrsitmas tree. Some houses string up lights and here they don´t have christmas carols. Santa Clause is the same fat old man here. They have a tradition here to spend christmas eve cooking all day a huge feast and when it hits midnight-- they eat and give out presents. It´s cool. Everything is about eating here. Our investigators are progressing towards baptism. One family that is really special to me that has two set of boy twins, one set 11 years old and the other 4. We are planning to take them to the temple and hope they will recongnize an answer to their doubts and be baptized I know they will. We are teaching a couple that are baptists, its´always a long visit with them as the bad talk from their pastor but they are interested in finding the truth. I know they will be baptized too. We are working and sweating a lot. Next week is our Mission Christmas Conference. I can´t wait for packages and cards!! It´ll be great!! My compaion is Brasilian. She is from the northeast like all of my other companions a state called Paraíba. I love you all!!Rachel

December 9, 2009

My dear family, I am doing great here on the mission. It was a suprise transfer last week and fortunately me and my companion weren´t transfered--we stayed put. We have a good group of investigators we are teaching right now and we are fighting with them to stop smoking and drinking coffee and getting married. It´s a stressful job to help people keep the commandments. I really feel like I am in a time warp here on the mission--I don´t remember when it all started and when it is all going to end. It´s hard to remember life before the mission and it´s hard remember all of you. I am in another world, really it is strange. A mission has really helped me see the bigger picture! I understand now what life is all about. I know better than ever before the plan of happiness and the purpose of the atonement--how enormous God´s love is!! Eu sei que Jesus é o Cristo que Ele vive. Ele foi enviado aqui na terra para nos salvar das mortes. Ele tomou sobre si todos os pecados do mundo e Ele ressucitou. Eu sei que é só por causa dele que nós temos esperança para viver de novo com um corpo perfeito sem dores e doenças. Eu sei que Ele nos da a esperança para voltaremos na presença de Deus. Eu sei que Jesus Cristo é o fundamento de nossa vida. Ele é a luz do mundo, nosso Salvador, Redentor, Ele é o Filho de Deus o unico que pode nos regatar. Ele é tudo e poucos sabem isso. Ele cumpriu sua missão para completar o Plano de nosso pai celestial. Sou grata por este conhcecimento. Sou grata pelo grande amor de Deus. This love of God is what brings me here on the mission. The mission really opens our eyes and our ears and gets you on a spiritual level. It puts life in perspective. It´s the little things that matters most. Eternal families, God´s commandments, loving, laughing, living, learning, working, eating beans and rice, doing our part so the Lord can do His. We have the keys, our eternal well-being depends on how we spend our time here on Earth. I want to be better. It´s getting really hard to remember ingles I have to say. It will be really funny trying to talk to all of you at Christmas. Love you all Beijos e abraços!Rachel

December 2, 2009

It´s great to be on the mission. It´s super hot and it´s really sweaty but life could be worse. It´s going to be sweet coming home tan while everyone else is pasty white. Hahaha. So I am pretty much loving the mission right now. The language is getting better and better and I am loving serving here in Campo Limpo. We are teaching some pretty special people right now. I just want them to be baptized. Why people are so scared I do not know. We invited a young guy to be baptized this Sunday and his eyes sparkled as he accepted--it was neat; it´s everything this kid wants. He´s 18 years old and has been through a lot already in his life. His sister will be baptized with him too.It will be a very speical day.Is everyone just counting down the weeks before I am home or what? My companions call me Brasilian that I was born in the wrong country it´s funny. I can´t beleive it´s December already !! Why does the time seem to escape me now that I am on the final lap? Love you tons and tons--I want a hug. OOOOOOORachel

November 18, 2009

So we are running after people to help them keep the commandments and be baptized. I am the tannest I have ever been in my life but doesn’t seem like it because I am always around someone darker. I think I’ll be able to see the difference when I come home. I hope dad’s recuperation is going good. Give him a hug for me. I love you guys. I miss being a part of my family. I know this is where I am supposed to be and that a lot of people depend on me. I am seeing a lot of miracles and blessings that a mission has brought me in my life, family, and my friends and ward family. I am so happy to be able to serve the Lord. I am learning a ton. We had an ex-mission president talk to us that a mission is preparing us to be better husbands and wives and fathers and mothers. It´s all centered on family so we can have an eternal marriage and help to raise children to obtain the same. We learn what the word sacrifice means and God’s plan for us, His children. I am so grateful to be serving a mission. It has definitely helped me put my life in perspective. A life of service is a life fulfilled. Jesus Christ really was the perfect example in all things. He showed us how to obtain true happiness by putting our lives aside to help another. People get so distracted with a fancy car and house, graduating from a fancy university with a fancy degree and having a fancy job. But all this won’t matter in the end. It’s who you help, its how you keep the commandments, it is how you raise your family, and help make a difference in the lives of others. It’s how you magnify your church callings and help others grow in testimony and stay strong and presevering in the way of the Lord. Love, Rachel

November 11, 2009

So this place, Campo Limpo, english Lean Field... haha. The place reminds me kind of home. It´s the greenest place I´ve yet to see here on the mission. I feel like I am back into the Amazon Jungle in Ecuador but of course it´s a lot more modernized. So it is SUPER HOT!! Here it´s a tropical paradise. And it´s all uphill. I feel like a BIG city girl entering the country. It´s funny feeling. The church has a place rented here close to our house. It´s different. The Church has already bought land to start building the chapel, they already have a picture of what it´s going to look like but they are waiting for the ward to have more firmness in members attending church. We found a family really cool last week, Jucilene is her name and she is a woman of power. She has 2 sets of twin boys, one set is 11 years old and the other 4. She has been praying for God to show her the truth and that's when we popped up. She doesn´t have a baptism date yet but I have lots of faith she will soon. The members are cool. A lot of them are great examples of service and dedication to convenants they´ve made in the temple. I am shocked to say I have found someone, the only person I have yet to meet in my life that reminds me of dad, Brother Marcelo. He is an amazing person. He is our leader here in the ward, ward mission leader. So he is fatter than dad. He is really creative and we had our first meeting with him yesterday at his house. We are in charge of a christmas activity we are planning here Dec. 20 in the vacant spot where the chapel will be built. It is going to be Great. I remember an activity similar where dad was a wise man. But this ward mission leader is the faithfulest member I have yet to meet in my life. He has four daughters. 2 have special needs and 2 are healthy. The oldest with special needs died. Which makes Marclo fight to keep his convenants of the temple to be sealed to his family and to see his daughter again. If every member had as much determination to serve and magnify their calling like Bro. Marcel the church would be much bigger!! His family reminds me of ours. Always have a billion things to do and he is always putting the things of the Lord in first place. It´s amazing to see. I already love this place and the people that help us in the Lord´s work. It´s amazing to be a part of a ward family; I am loving my time here as a missionary. There are a ton of people that are waiting for us to hear about the Church. LOVE You all,Rachel

November 4, 2009

HI everyone.So SUPRISE I was transfered. I am now in Judiai, Campo Limpo. A small city. It´s my first day in the area so I am not sure what I think of it. My Companion seems cool, Sister Lira. She has 6 months on the mission and from the Northeast. We are pretty far from the mission office now. So it’s a lot of catching buses and stuff. We arrived in the area yesterday and a Relief society sister picked us up and took us home to feed us. It was a miracle and huge blessing because I have never felt so much hunger in my life!! There´s nothing like a big plate of beans and rice to fill the belly. I am going to miss Sister Santos. And my old area but I felt like it was time. My area is pretty big now and we don´t even have a chapel. The church here is in the starts still in many areas. A HUGE part of the church here in Brasil are converts.. I received a package of cookies and chocolates from home last week, and a package from Bekah too!!! I cried my eyes out when I read my first letter from Nate on the mission. I couldn´t believe it he remembers he has 2 sisters. Hahaha. It´s so cool he´s getting married. I wrote back already.The letter is on it´s way.So I went to the temple today and had a really sacred experience there. It´s so amazing how the temple is a piece of Heaven where we can feel in the presence of God. I Was sitting there in the Celestial room crying because I have never had such a strong desire and determination to want to return to God’s presence. I was thinking about the Fall of Adam and Eve and how they must have felt so alone and lost as they were expelled from the Garden of Eden. I think a mission is very much symbolical of life and God´s Plan. Expelled from home and wandering in Brasil searching for my purpose here. I found my purpose here and am so grateful to be apart of the Lord´s work. Being a missionary is really lonely at times so I have to be worthy of the spirit´s company. Because through him I feel consolo e comfort. I love you all and miss you a ton. Rachel

October 28, 2009

Hello family
This week was great we had a baptism of our shingy-lingy, Ying!! Our 19 year old Chinese investigator. I doubted a little about her but in two weeks the Spirit worked through us with spiritual experiences and she was baptized. My companion was a nervous angry wreck sunday because Ying didn´t like going to Relief Society so she was assisting young women and the Relief society president got really mad at us and sent her 2nd counselor to chew us out. I couldn´t believe it when I was standing there in front of this old lady yelling at us how we didn´t warn her about Ying etc.etc. I just walked away in the middle of her rage... I laugh now but geez working with people is not easy. So we are going to a conference tommorrow Elder Jenson is here to talk to us... dundundun. So i am still serving stong here on the mission. We have become really good friends with our Zone leaders One is going home Monday, so wierd!! He is making everyone trunking because everyone will miss him he´s a clown. They had to check out of our apartment and they took my stuffed animal dolpin and hung him from the ceiling by our cell phone charger with a note that said he can't take Sister Davidson anymore Good Bye cruel world. it was hilarious!! So this was my week. There are a ton of miracles that happen everyday and the Lord is leading us. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I know that he lives. His mercy is great and love is abounding. I love serving a mission because it´s the opportunity to walk with Him and learn of Him. It´s going to be sad leaving the mission.The transfer is coming up Monday!! We are hoping to stay together. I only have 2 more transfers after this one it´s crazy!! Love you all Beijos and Abraços!!Rachel

October 21, 2009

I got the flu. My zone leaders gave me a blessing and they´re taking good care of me and Sister Santos also. We are here at the chapel waiting for the elders to arrive we are going to play frisbee and volleyball here in the court they have behind the chapel. I am trying to take advantage of my time here as a missionary. I hold a special and unique power to call people to repentance and invite them to be baptized. I am reading the New Testament and can relate more to the apostles of Christ sharing the same teaching power. It´s amazing, the power of missionaries, and we are all so young and silly and yet God trusts us to do His work. We had a wonderful experience at the temple with an investigator last week. we are teaching Ying a 19 year old chinese girl Taylor would love to imitate!! She didn´t believe in God and so we brought her to the temple and in the visitor´s room we bore testimony that this is God's house and we can feel his presence here and she started crying and she received her answer God exsists!! It was a wonderful experience teaching her and helping her recognize the spirit and god´s hand in everything.She will be baptized this Sunday. Well got to go,Love you all and have a wonderful week. I miss you a ton and give Bekah the biggest hug for me when you see her again!!Rachel

October 14, 2009

Our week was a week of miracles. We had a wedding and three baptisms this Saturday. A family. It was amazing to see the change in their lives and their humility to follow Jesus Christ. The man will be bishop someday he is poderoso. We are teaching a chinese young woman who doesn´t know who Jesus Chrsit is. It is challenging. I am still here with Sister Santos. We have passed a lot of time together. I think this next transfer in November we´ll be transferred. I have passed a lot of time here in this Area. My mission has been here--the ward members and recent converts have become my family.I am having a hard time staying focused here on the mission. I really liked what you were talking about free agency dad. it´s the constant fight against the natural Man and the spirit. Why is it so much easier to do wrong than to do good?? There´s a scripture that talks about this, How quick we are to do iniquity and how slow we are to do good. Every choice we make we are showing who we choose to serve. it all starts with waking up on time and deciding to knee and pray or not. I love you all and hope you are all well and healthy. LoveRachel

October 7, 2009--One Year Mark

We went to the temple today it was great Portugues has become my first language now, I understood everything!! It was amazing and funny too because during one part a sister fell asleep and srarted snoring; sister santos and I tried hard not to laugh... We busted up after. This flu is serious business BE CAREFUL!!!! it hit here during the winter and killed a lot of people but now the heat has killed the virus. It is so HOT!!! I am a constantly sweaty!! It´s good to hear you liked conference I love Elder Holland's talks he knows Jesus Christ and has such an intimate relationship with him. Conference I can´t but feel Grateful to have living apostles and prophet guiding us. Imagine how horrible it must have been to live in the epoch of the great apostasy. I am learning and growing like wildfire here on the mission. Studying and running after people to teach them about the truth!!! It´s an exhausting job but someone´s got to do it!!I can´t beleive it one year is arriving on the mission it doesn´t seem possible I am practically home. A mission is the hardest thing I have done in my life so far it will be the biggest accomplishment too!!! I love you and tips on the meal stuff, get a pressure cooker!! It cooks beans in no time and here in Brasil they eat the basics, beans and rice. Make a lot for lunch and dinner and cook chicken or beef or something with it. I hope I can keep up the eating in the tradition of Brasil. Love you tons and tons,Rachel