August 26, 2009

Hello My Family,
My Birthday week was great we had a party at Francyne´s house with a delisious cake I will send a picture. Neide our recent convert made us lunch with filet mignon, the really good steak… brasil definitely knows about the good food and the meat, YUM< And we also had a little party with the Zone yesterday, the Elders all made fun of us sisters being a little older than they. I am so loved here in the ward. We are having some success with two baptisms last week and 5 possibles for this week we are running after the goals of the mission. I feel really happy and reaping the blessings right now. After much tribulation and trial and test of faith comes the blessings of the Lord. It´s amazing seeing and learning how the Lord works with us and uses us to do his work. I am loving the mission and Brasil. I am finally well adjusted to the customs and language and can´t imagine leaving this place. I am thinking about living here after the mission or studying here or something. Brasil is an amazing and diverse place. You guys would love it!
We are laughing a lot more these days. Sister Santos always is laughing at my portugues and my airheadedness, spaciness. Time is flying when you learn to have fun and enjoy the moments. The baptism Sunday was a behind-the-scene disaster. As the Baptismal font overflowed into the girls bathroom and the members were being unsupportive. The Ward mission leader never works with us and on the day of the baptism he took control of everything and we planned a special musical number and His comment was, ís the musical number planned because the last sisters did a horrible job singing.´ I just looked at him like you´ve got to be kidding me, how rude! And we when we were done singing the musical number and everyone was crying he came up to us at the end to apologize, yea that´s right! Hahaha… So many things happened that day I will never forget. We are making some crazy memories as we have been heating pots of water on the stove to take a shower because our shower head is electric and was burning up the wires… We fixed it today as we asked several elders and men to help but they never came through. So us girls just took it into our own hands and turned off the power to the apartment cut the wire and taped them up. And the shower is as good as new now. Hahaha… Well I love you all and have a huge sad achy part of my heart longing to see all of you again. Love you!!!Rachel