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First Week in the Big City

First Week in the Big City

So… I was transferred from Eden, Sorocaba to Engenho Novo, Barueri, a giant city next to the city São Paulo our area shares a chapel with the Elders in the area next to us. Which is new for me. I’ve always served in little isolated cities with no other missionaries to be found, but now I’m in this HUGE place that has favelas and hills and stairs galore. Also, the heat is different here. It´s still hot, but not as hot as Sorocaba. And even so, I got a sunburn. I haven´t been sunburned in like 8 months. What?? But it´s great here. And guess what!! There´s Hattians here too!! I still get to practice my creole!!! Woohoo!!! 

But anyway, my comp is Sister De Paula, and she is super cool. She´s a little older, and was baptized just last year. She´s traveled around the world already, lived in the US for a year and a half, and was an English teacher for little kids. She´s got some great stories, and really knows how to work with people. I feel so blessed to have her as a comp. this is her 3rd transfer and I’m her 2nd comp. but she basically knows everything already. She could be training right now. She´s basically training me. She´s so awesome. 

Anyway, this week was pretty long, but also flew by, if you know what I mean. It was hot for half of the week, and the other half was cold and rainy. I will never understand São Paulo´s weather. 

I learned this week that the way to know if the Lord is pleased with us is if we are being blessed. for example, we didn´t have a baptism this week, which I normally think of as our reward, but we were given a ride home by some members, and our ward mission leader gave us fruits, and we had 7 investigators at church… we only brought 1 with us. It was a miracle. I know that the lord works in mysterious ways, and when we look for the tender mercies in our lives, we can know that we are loved by a Heavenly Father, and He is pleased with us. 

Love you all!! Boa semana!!

Sister Evans

Pizza with chocolate stuffed crust
My first time in the big city- great view!

 

Favellas of our area

 One of the staircases of death in a favela- yes we climbed it!

 Me & sister De Paula

Twas the Hot Day of Christmas

Twas the Hot Day of Christmas

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12-26-16                                      

There we were, walking down the 1 dusty trail that runs through all of Brazil. We were barely alive, vultures circling us overhead, with nothing but a light breeze equivalent to someone´s hot breath on the back of our necks to keep us going. “And so this is Christmas, ´´ I think to myself, as sweat drips down my nose and immediately evaporates into the air. 

Okay I’m only slightly kidding. Next to the dusty trail was a very nicely paved road, but there really were vultures, they were just in a tree on the other side of the road. And I didn´t know that I was scared of them until now. But everything else is true. But on the bright side (or should I say on the less bright side because let´s be real, the sun is way too bright here, and I’m happier in the shade) I HAD MY FIRST BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!!! His NAME IS ABEL and he is pretty great. He´s got quite the past, but he has progressed so far, even without this gospel. But now he can really experience the blessings of the atonement in his life, as he continues down the path of the gospel. I’m so proud of him, and also so excited to bring a soul unto Christ. It was pretty much the best Christmas present ever. Oh also getting to skype the fam was a pretty great present too.

 I really have a testimony of the atonement, as long as we work hard to have faith and do our part, the Lord will do his. EU VOU, DEUS VAI. My motto here really is something that Jaren told me when he got back from his mission: DO YOUR BEST, AND STRIVE TO PROGRESS. This is the formula to life, because when you do your best, and are constantly looking to improve, god will help you along the way, and will help you realize your full potential. 

Anyway, Merry day after Christmas!!! Love you all!! Feliz Natal!!!!!

Sister Evans

Pics:  Abel’s Christmas Day Baptism; Abel’s dog;Skyping on the big screen; Christmas morning; a real CHRISTmas tree; With Darini at the mission Christmas conference; Mango feast- how to really eat a mango; Missionaries of the Brazil Sao Paulo North Mission; Sister Toone & Sister Evans- hard working Idaho missionaries;