MISSION LIFE IS WONDERFULLY HARD

Olá minha família! Foi ótimo falando com vocês ontém!! Brazil continues to be the best mission ever, I'm loving the culture, the food, teaching the gospel, learning Portuguese, and loving this hard, but amazing time in my life. Being a missionary is a dream.

This week was great. It is still hard to understand people, though, and I struggle to communicate every day. But each new day is better and better and I understand more and more. This week was so crazy. So much happens in one day! We are still teaching M. B. and are so excited for her baptism on the 30th. We hope she follows through with her commitment. The neighborhood kids always come over to her house to listen to us teach because they think my accent is funny. It is hilarious! they all come up to me and say, "What language do you speak?....English?....what is English?....speak!!!" (in Portuguese of course) haha but it is so funny because when I speak English they all look at me in amazement. NO ONE speaks another language here. Only Portuguese. They think I'm so strange haha.

We started teaching a man named P. He welcomed us in right off and as we started teaching him about the plan of salvation, he started crying!! The spirit was so strong and he thanked us so sweetly afterwards. We are excited to teach him more.

We also found a woman who was outside listening to music and let us in her house with not much interest. But, when we started talking to her about Gods plan, she listened so intently. It was amazing.

This week I grew so much in the language. I only speak Portuguese with my companion and English in times when I completely don't understand. It has helped so much. 

We were in a lesson with P. and I started to bear my testimony about the Atonement and Christ. The words completely flowed out of my mouth without a stutter. I was amazed. P. looked at me and my companion and simply said,"I completely understood every word you said." ahhh I was dying. The spirit was so strong. I felt so blessed that my prayers were answered and I was able to communicate what he needed to hear in Portuguese. 

On Saturday night we passed by a contacts house. the man opened his door and started to cry. He told us that our coming to visit him was because of God. He bore testimony to us that we are messengers of God and are teaching His word. We were shocked. With tears running down his face, he told us that his wife is in the hospital and that he is so grateful for our service. It was a touching experience. I couldnt really understand him very well, but the spirit was strong.

The mission life is wonderfully hard. I love being a missionary and have learned so much in such a short time. God is real. Christ is our Savior. Every time I feel like this is difficult for me, I rememeber my Saviors sacrifice and love. He knows us and our situations perfectly. He is always there for us. I feel so blessed at this time. Always remember to whom you belong! Eu amo vocês muito! Vá com Deus!!

Sister Porter

SKYPE visit for Mother's Day.