August 5 and August 12, 2013 Milagres (Miracles)

Brazilian family baptism

August 12, 2013

Training is going well.  My companion is super awesome!  I love her :) 

There are 9 full time sisters here (with one who was called for six weeks and just got her actual mission call to Santos, Brasil .... and so nine sisters here with nine more coming in.  Which means the sisters who just barely got here will train even before they finish training! And... since I´m the sister leader trainer, I´ll be there to help them and train the trainers... haha.  But I really hope that he calls at least one more sister leader! 

August 5, 2013

I am doing GREAT. If I had remembered, about two weeks ago, I would have written something to the effect of : "Tonight we´re gonna teach a pastor!!"  And so... let me fill you in on the story.  Sunday - A member brought a family to church - mom dad and three kids.  That was the first miracle.  And so we marked to go back and visit them Monday night - and someone told us that he was a pastor in another church. We went there Monday night with the bishop a little nervous, but it went over perfectly.  It was a perfect lesson and they accepted everything easily - including the baptismal date for this Sunday the fourth.  We left super excited and happy.  Tuesday night we went back - and thank goodness that we took a family to go and teach with us!  Everything was off when we got there and we quickly discovered that they had been fighting and well... they continued their fight in front of us.  But yeah, the family that we brought helped them to resolve these conflicts that they had been having and we left them with the spirit.  We kept teaching them during the week, but when we went there Saturday night, A didn´t even want to receive us.  She pretended that she was sleeping and we just talked to T on the front porch.  And so Sunday, only T went to church.  Needless to say, we were bummed and not sure of what happened - I think it was just problems such as the church that she had been going to was a lot closer and easier and stuff like that and also another member that may have set a bad example, BUT  the members in our ward are PERFECT.  They went to visit them on their own and talked with her and helped her to see the blessings of the restored gospel.  We could see a HUGE change when we went there next.  We left a message with her and re-invited her to be baptized which she accepted with more conviction.  It was awesome.  So we continued teaching them and preparing them to be baptized.  We also discovered some past problems that T had, but he also has a HUGE desire to change his life.  Saturday.... the day of the baptismal interview...... was a funny day.  Fist of all, pretty much everything went wrong for us and then when we finally go there with the elders, Elder S started interviewing them and well.... Then a group of women from the Pentecostal Church arrived - the church that T used to go to. And well... it was a funny sight.  Four missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ and these four women (this moment definitely strengthened my testimony as to the authority that we have as Christ´s true representatives).  They conversed with T during the other interviews and then the elders left and we decided that it would be better if we stayed until the ladies left.  And so... we stayed there and listened to their message.  It was a good thing that we did.  They made a lot of side remarks that were meant for us and to deter them from being baptized.  The most interesting part was whenever they prayed.  They had the family kneel down and the four of them prayed at once, talking in loud voices and citing scriptures and praying, putting their hands on the family´s heads and such - it was a huge difference from the quiet manner that we´re used to praying.  It was funny because in the middle of this, the youngest daughter - A - ran out from the middle of it and came and clung to us.  She definitely noticed the difference in the spirit.  And then they left and we stayed.  We sang with them and then bore our testimonies, trying to help them notice the large difference in the spirit.  A and the kids were firm in their choice to be baptized, but T started to remember the way that he had done things in the past and what he was used to and was a little less firm.  Sunday came and T got there first and said that the others were on their way, but we started to worry a little bit when they arrived late to church - but it was just because there was a water outage and it took a little longer for her to get all of the kids ready.  T  wasn´t baptized on Sunday, but he´ll have another interview this week and we´ll help him to prepare so that he can enter into the waters  of baptism.  But I, A and Y were all baptized yesterday. Their baptism was beautiful :) The spirit was strong and they felt it as well.  I love them SO much!!!  But yes, a lot of fervant prayer and fasting went into it.  I could definitely see the Lord protecting them, but also the other side trying to mess everything up. 

July 29, 2013 Extending one more transfer!!!

Mary Ann and Sister C at Baptism

Things are going good here. workin hard and lovin it.  This week has been good.  My companion is great!! 

 

Also, I get to stay one more transfer on the mission!!!!!!!!! If that´s alright with you that is :)  That´s until the 12th of November!!! So I´ll get home at the perfect time :) right before all the holidays.

 

Oh and the second picture is S and R together.  S was a reference to a member and R a reference from S :)  Another picture of her baptism is here with Sister C.

Mary Ann with S and R

 

July 22, 2013 Training!

This transfer..... well.... pretty much EVERYTHING got switched up.   Pretty much all of the sisters switched areas - Only I stayed. They split my area and now the assistants to the president will be working on the other half.  And well... I´m training, my companion is Sister F and she´s AWESOME :) She is 22 as well and from Terezina Piaui (not sure how to spell that?)  I am also sister leader trainer - by myself!!!! Usually its the companionship and so this is different as well... And so I am responsible for ALL of the sisters here on the mission - all of which are training for the first time and the ones who just got here will probably start training this next transfer since there are a LOT of sisters coming!!! so yeah.... that´s a lot of responsability to make sure that they are all trained well.  Thank goodness the Lord is here to help!! :)  Tuesday will be the first mission counsel, so that´ll be interesting.  Man.  When I first got the call, I definitely felt the weight of the responsibility, but I know that the Lord is here with me to help me and strengthen me.  And it´ll be a wonderful opportunity.  I´ve already had the opportunity to help some of the sisters adjust to these new changes and so that has been wonderful. 

And as there are so many sisters coming on the mission - I think president needs sisters with more experience to help out - There are a LOT of sisters coming and they´ll probably have to train before they even finish being trained.  So. I´ll be home by Christmas, but that is as much as I know :)  haha. I actually offered to stay and president´s taking me up on it :) 

This week has been rushed with a lot to do, but its been good.  Ri was baptized yesterday.  She is 73 and is in a wheelchair.  She was a reference from our recent convert, S.  She is doing well and her baptism was beautiful.  They had two people in the font to help her be baptized.  It was beautiful! :)

This is right before we found out who our companions would be with President.  Mine ended up being Sister F - the one in the blue skirt :)

July 15, 2013

July 15, 2013

 I am still in a trio - until Tuesday!! and then I´ll probably train.  They´ll call us today and let us know everything.  My companions right now are Sister R and Sister C.  Sister C is 20 and from Rondonia, Brasil and Sister R is 19 and from Curitiba.  and guess what? she has 20 brothers and sisters!!! Beat our family by a ton!  Its funny whenever we meet people because whenever I say however many brothers and sisters I have, they give the usual surprised/ impressed response and then she says how many she has and well.... its just a really funny reaction. 

but yeah.  the mission started with five of us sisters - there are four more coming tomorrow and so everyone will train and someone will be in a trio.  and that´ll make nine sisters on the mission - pretty much doubled! and then the next transfer - president said that there are NINE sisters coming, which means that EVERYONE´ll probably train - even those who will get here tomorrow.  well... at least that´s my guess as to what´ll happen cause I don´t really think he´ll put someone training two.

Hey Mom - what would you think if I decided to stay more time on the mission?  please say yes! :)

Oh... and what is this article that they wrote about me, Laura and Michelle?  I haven´t read it, but its made its way all the way to Brasil.  haha.  I think they sent a copy of it to President Lima, who sent it to our mission.  And well... I think that its passed to everyone except to me! hahaha.  Church on Sunday, one of the members who put his papers in to serve a mission, came up to me and showed me how he had put it on facebook and sent a copy to the bishop.  Although I´m not sure how much they all understand cause it was still in English. haha  but if you have a copy of it, could you send it to me?  I think it must have been written awhile ago cause it said I had ten months on the mission. 

Facts about Juiz de Fora, Brazil

• Juiz de Fora has a population of over 500,000 people.
• Juiz de Fora is between three majors Brazilian cities- Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte.
• Juiz de Fora is located in southeast Brazil.
• Juiz de Fora is a very humid city with an average humidity of 80%.
• Juiz de Fora has temperatures year-round of about 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit.

President and Sister Cascardi-first president of new Juiz de Fora mission

Brazil Juiz de Fora Mission

Luciano Cascardi, 49, and Ines Sangali Cascardi, three children, Vila Prudente Ward, Sao Paulo Brazil Ipiranga Stake.

Brother Cascardi is a stake president, counselor in a stake presidency, high councilor, bishop, and missionary in the Brazil Recife Mission. Franchise co-owner and business administrator. Born in Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Francesco and Ivanete Lopes Cascardi.

Sister Cascardi is a counselor in a stake Relief Society presidency and is a former stake Young Women president, ward Relief Society president and counselor, ward Primary president, and counselor in a ward young Women presidency. Born in Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

July 8, 2013

New Juiz de Fora Mission

Things are going great!

We had a conference with the new mission on Friday and I attached the photo of everyone.  The meeting was super spiritual. President and Sister Cascardi introduced themselves, along with their children, they discussed the new rules (as there are two misisons coming into one, they had to re-establish a couple of the rules that are different in each mission- for example the music we can listen to - now it´ll just be hymns, tabernacle choir, etc and not efy.  but now we can run outside even though we couldn´t before). President also gave a training, which was wonderful!  I loved it and learned a lot!  I know that President Cascardi was called of God.  I love him and Sister Cascardi.  They are in our ward and came to J's baptism yesterday.  First baptism of the new mission! It was super special.  I´ll send you pictures later.

But things are going well here.  Things have been crazy lately being in a trio and working in two wards.  We´ve been doing divisions like crazy to keep up the work in both of the wards when we can. 

Saturday I did a division and well.... ha. It was awful - I felt really bad because everything went wrong.  We went to visit some people, but no one was home.  Then we went to a different part of the city further away and once again, we wern´t able to teach anyone.  Sad day!  It made me sad because I wanted her to have a really good experience, especially since she´s preparing to go on a mission.  But then at church on Sunday, she bore her testimony and said that it was one of the best days that she had in her life.  haha.  She said that she could feel a little bit of what a missionary feels and that she was super grateful for the opportunity.  Its funny how the Lord works sometimes.  I felt the spirit really strong in her testimony. 

June 10 and June 18, 2013

June 10, 2013

So I guess I´ll stay in the new mission for sure then?  I was pretty positive I would.  It is exciting, but different as well.  Even our investigators are having dreams about the mission split... hahaha.  We went to visit a family yesterday and he told us how he had read the book of mormon and prayed about it and then had a dream.... he was walking along he street and passed by us, but he passed by pretending that he didn´t know us and hiding himself.  but then he got to the house he was going to and there were more people there teaching about the Messiah.  Then he left and the street was full of people teaching the same thing.  It was funny cause we invited him to be baptized and he tried to get out of it, like he did in his dream, but he´ll look back on this experiecne and know that he already knew.

June 18, 2013

Laura and Michelle! Congratulations!!!!! You´re goin´on a mission!! I am so excited for you both!  Laura, are you going up to Utah early, or just the day before?  Michelle, did you get your passport and everything?  Will you come straight to Brasil?!  I love you both!  Good luck and I am excited for you!  Just one more week, can you believe it?!  And make sure to send me your new emails :)

weell.... the new mission will officially come the first day in July.  President Lima already came and had a little farewell here.  He talked  And I went to Rio the last time yesterday :(  I had to go back to the federal police to get my visa renewed so it was good to see Rio one last time as well as the group that I came with :) so that was cool. My companion will be going back to rio before the division (the 29th) and I will stay in trio until the next transfer.... We´ll be working in my ward and in the neighboring ward and so we´ll probably just try and go on splits everyday to keep the work up in both of the wards.  There´s a lot of changes with the division, but its going to be good.  The Lord´s work is really going to spread!!! I know that there are so many people being prepared to hear the message of the restored gospel!

oh and make sure that anything you send  goes to the new address, or else it´ll probably get stuck in Rio.. 

June 3, 2013 Missão Juiz de Fora

On June 7,2013, we received an e-mail letter from President Lima telling us that Mary Ann will be serving in the new mission of Juiz de Fora. They are forming a new mission because of the increase in missionaries. The new mission will be formed from part of the Rio de Janeiro mission and another Brazil mission. How wonderful to see the growth of the church and the great enthusiasm the young people have in going on missions!

June 3, 2013

So... Things are going well.  Tonight we´ll be traveling back to Rio for the mission counsel tomorrow and then back again to our area. whoop!  But this week has been good.  We´ve been praying to find families to teach and the Lord has been answering our prayers.  It has been wonderful.  

Everyday I learn a little bit more about the gospel of Jesus Christ and His atonement.  I´ve learned that we can never be too low that He can´t lift us back up.  I´ve learned that His gospel is for everyone - literally - it doesn´t matter who we are or where we´ve been, what mistakes we´ve made, we are all children of God and He wants us ALL back in His presence.  I´ve learned that it is our responsibility and privilege to make this known unto others.  I´ve learned that true happiness comes as we live the Gospel, having and exercising faith in Christ, repenting, keeping and renewing the covenants we´ve made with Him, following the Spirit, and never giving up, but keeping His commandments and enduring to the end.  I know that God loves us.  I know that Christ lives.  I know that this is His gospel which will lead us back into His presence.  I know that families can be together through His plan for us.

oh yeah. And below should be attached a picture of  A and G  She´s been super active, and he´s the miracle I talked about whenever He came back to church.  

Pineapple/Mint Juice
2 thick slices fresh pineapple, peeled and cored, in 1 inch chunks
1 tall glass fresh cold water
handful of mint leaves
3/4 ice cubes
sugar to taste (I don't use any, but some might prefer a sweeter drink. Brazilians definitely do!)
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Put everything except sugar into blender. Blend until thoroughly amalgamated. Check sweetness, add sugar if desired, and blend again to dissolve sugar. Serve immedia