Whitening Toothpaste

Awesome moments

I saw S! I left Derosso and didn´t even get to say bye to her :( BUT. She is in the stake and I got to see her! She gave her first talk in front of everyone at sacrament meeting andwas so nervous.. we helped her prepare for it, but she did it, and i didn´t get to see her, but I was so proud of her! :)

Remember A?!? So she Always went on splits with us and she just got the perfect atitude to be a missionary :) But she was against it while I was serving there and we talkedabout it, but I just recieved News that she´s going on a mission! She´ll make a great missionary! :)

C. Remember her too? Well I left early knowing she was going to get baptized, and yup, you guessed it- she´s going tobe baptized. I don´t know the details yet, but I heard that she´s gonna be baptized! :) Isn´t that awesome?!

People

So our LMA has 2 children that arent members and we had a noite familiar with them and my gosh the spirit was so Strong there. We talked about the plan of salvation and how everything Works together so that we need the gospel:)t was soo spiritual. You could feel the spirit like crazy :)

A is good. We´re meeting with her tomorrow. She has been Reading and praying and has already felt Peace when she prayed about the Book of Mormon :) She´s aweomse!

We met M this week and he is one of the pesquisadors that went to the party! He´s awesome! The first lesson, he said he was looking for that strength from Heavenly father and the connection with him, and man was that perfect. because the gospel is just awesome! :)

We met a Part member Family this week that also went to the party! It´s a Family of 5 kids and a mom and dad! 3 of the kids are baptized but the mom and dad and one of the filhos isn´t. They are so wonderful! We taughth them about the restoration and they liked it! :) Their Family is amazing! And they are so open! The spirit was so strong in the first lesson!

We met E. too that lives alone. The first things she said was that she knows she needs to be baptized and that she wants to get baptized but she says she has so many regrets from the past that she doesn't think she can forget. So wesat thereand talked with her and we´re going back this week! Sorry theseare really short.. I only have 2 minutes hahaha

A. is the same situation. He said he´s been looking for Peace because he was going through some rough times and told us at the end thatwe broughta Peace that was diferente and the Peace that he wanted :)

Some firsts

So this is the first time I´ve ever heard Sisters giving training here in Brazil but it happened! Me and Sister Hermes gave a training together about how to work with members this week! And it went awesome! We gave a training and after we brain stormed about things that hinder the members. I was abit nervous because it usually doesnt happen here, but the zone leader came up to us afterwards and said that our training was awesome and that he absolutely loved it! :)

So we had a pioneer party as a stake this week! It was absoultey awesome! We made a missionary table for the membros that brought their friends, and it was the best thing! We set out everything andhad 17 miracles playing in the backround! AND it was great. But I felt like a mom. Because the 3 families that we invited that went didn´t have any friends so we´d frantically introduce all of them to the membros and it was crazy. I´m gonna be a mess when I have kids ;) But the party was awesome, the food was awesome and the members are awesome! AndI gotto see some people from Derosso! :)

Funny moments

So this may be funny to me, I guess it is more ironic, but I was looking at our map of Ala 5 and I took a double take and realized, yup. I can see all 3 áreas that ive passed through on the same map. Ironic but yet funny :) almost a year in áreas that are 5 minutes or so from each other. So hilarious ;)

I love dogs. we found a dog that started following us so I named it Frederico. It was funny until this like gang, and I say gang because they were like a people gang, hanging out together and attacking all the other dogs that came near them together. Well. Frederico was one of those other dogs. So those 3 dogs came charging at us attacking the other dog. Bahahahaha and of course the first reaction of me and sister Hermes. We just look at eachother and started hugging. Hahahahaha. First reaction. So after the dogs stopped we paused for a while and realized that we were hugging eachother so dang tight. It was just one of those moments where it was funny.. after...;) Bahahaha it was just afunny sight ;)

Things that I love

You know what I love. Relief Society. When I was 18 I never liked it that much because it was moms and no one my age. BUT. It´s the awesomest thing ever. You can justvsay one question in the room, and the whole room explodes with comments, and I love hearing the diferente opinions of the diferente moms of different ages :) And hearing the sass in some of the comments, experiences with others, and  the testemunhos in others and gah. It´s just so awesome. I can´t wait for relief society at home :)

Whitening toothpaste

I decided to go against what I´ve Always done in the past and go out on a limb this week and buy whitening toothpaste. I´ve told that it´s a waste, but hey, why not huh?:) But I was thinking a lot. About toothpaste. And scriptures. How are you supposed to know that whitening toothpaste Works if you don´t use it every day? How are you supposed to know that claims of whiter teeth and a brilliant smile in just 15 days are real if ya don´t brush every single day and night? How are we supposed to know that Reading scriptures really does bring Peace or happiness? How are we supposed to even know if all those promises are real that the prophets and the scriptures itself say. The answer? We gotta brush our teeth! And everyday. Becase that is the only way that we will see the results. SO read your scriptures everyday because they are awesome! :)

And about the toothpaste, I really am actually trying to see if they are whiter in 15 days. Just cause I can. I´ll tell you how it goes ;)

I love you guys so much! Never forget how amazing the gospel is. Don´t forget who you are and how wonderful life is! Be awesome! :) Love you guys!

Sister Parco

An Empty Field

This week was awesome! We were blessed to see that baptism of A and it really was something special :) It was so awesome to see him grow :) He started as a boyfriend that was only taking the lessons because his girlfriend made him to a man that is Reading the scriptures and praying and that felt the spirit and that is having a testimony and getting baptized :) He´s so awesome and I love seeing him smile and knowing that he is feeling the spirit :) And, with the baptism, we met some amazing people and had members come up to us to say that they wanted to bring a friend over to be taught in their house! In fact, we´re going to a Family home evening and teaching there :)

Things I learned

Well. First of all. I learned that if it´s late at night, it´s a saturday and you see that the Bishop is calling, you should pass the phone to your companion, because usually all these signs mean that Bishop is going to ask you to give a talk the next day that has to be 10 minutes. Definitely learned my lesson with that ;)

I love hymns. I´ve been trying to think of Christ more than I have been so I decided that évery time that I felt ´´off´´ or just not as excited as I am that I would sings primary songs in my head. And man does that work! I love singing. Even if it is in my head.

The Area

We´ve been trying real hard in every área, and it´s funny because I don´t know why we didn´t listen to the prophet before, because he said that it´s time for missionaries and membros to work together. And Although we Always gave our best in every single one of our áreas, it didn´t work as well because we weren´t following the prophet! :) So me and Sister H are really going at it here with membros and I absolutely love it :) To share some of the joy I have with them really is rewarding :) We pass a message about missionary work, and then together with the Family, we kneel at the end and say a prayer to help us know who they can invite and for missionary work to work Wonders here in this wonderful área. It is the most wonderful feeling kneeling together with families and pleading to Heavenly Father to help us. There was one Family that I absolutely loved. We all sat together talking and we asked if they had anyone in mind. The two parentes looked at eachother and quickly responded no, but then we hear the 9 year old boy say that ´´I have someone´´ I was just like ´´atta boy´´ It´s amazing that even at such a Young age the kids know the importance of the gospel and the fact that it truly does bless families. And he offered the closing prayer and he prayed and very simply asked Heavenly Father to help him be a better missionary. Seriously the cutest thing <3 I love kids. I want some some day :)

Anyways, with all that said, we are recieving a lot of references and the members are on fire here! It´s just great! [[Yes that is a hint for the home Ward ;) ]]

But it´s going great. We thought this was the best way to go about missionary work here, because ala 5 is pretty rich, so we´ve got to think out of the box :)

Something I think you´d like (and I like too ;) ) is our plan during the night. So, me and sister H were thinking about how to be more excited. And we thought about some times at night when everything falls through and that we have nothing to do but knock doors at 7 to 9 at night. Which is a horrible time because everyone get´s back from work, is tired, wants to rest, and is probably eating.. So we decided, hey, let´s make a game out of this. We decided that if all our compromissos fall through, we´d continue knocking doors through the night, and if we were able to enter into a house, we could buy a hot dog :) It´s the best plan ever. Because we are so stinking excited to knock doors after a tiring day and after  being rejected so many times and after everything falling through. AND. We get a hot dog at the end. Which is a true blessing because Hot dogs here are THE BOMB. So depending on how this goes, we could be really big by the end of this transfer or really skinny ;) But eather way, we´re excited to knock doors at night! :)

The peeps

So we met M and A this week! They are perfect! A has already gone to church and has already read the book of mórmon and fel that she has gotten na answer! And her dad himself said that he would prefer that she joined the mórmon church than any other church! Turns out he loves the church but doesnt love the rules ;) But we can work on that ;)

E is proof that our hot dog plan Works! ;) Hahaha she is the cousin of a menos ativo and she is so ready! She said she felt so good when we were teaching. I just wanted to scream ´´that´s the spirit! Isn´t it awesome?´´ But we´re going back this week :)

Other stuff

So, the talk went really good! The first person only spoke for about 3 minutes, so I had to make it up and talk for 15 minutes :) But it went great! I wasn´t even nervous and the members said that I sounded brazilian and when they were hearing it wasn´t obvious that I was na american! :) It was so awesome! But it went well, and of course it was about missionary work ;) I hope I inspired some of them! ;)

C na 8 year old get baptized this week and I loved it so much. It reminded me about my baptism :) <3 It felt soo good. And looking at her getting baptized just made me so happy that I had the chance to get baptized at 8 :) <3 I love this gospel so much <3 :)

I love you guys so much! I love this área. I love the church. I love difficulties I love life! Be good!

Sister Parco

Sponges

Whaaa???

So, I was transfered! And didn´t even see it coming.. So I didn´t get the chance to say bye to everyone, but it´s okay because I am close! :) I am literally 5 minutes away from Derosso. I think the Lord just loves having me in the city. Because I´ve spent the half of my mission serving in cities that are right next to eachother. Hahah guess it will be easy to visit when I get back!;) But right now i am in Ala 5! And It´s awesome! :) The members here are so awesome and so involved with missionary work. We can do so much here! We have so many ideas to help this ward and i´m so excited to put them all into action :) We´ve visted a few this week and I just can´t wait to see what will happen! :) AND i´m with an awesome companion--Sister H! She´s got 3 months on the mission, and I am so stinking excited to work with her. She´s got fire inher bones and is so excited about everything. I loveit :) We´re excited to work together and conquer the world! ;)

Stuff about the week

So, I kinda celebrated the 4th of July! That day was a game day, so we stayed inside and all 4 of us wore red white and blue. AND there were fireworks after the game, so we´d sing the national anthem as they were going off :) So fun. And we ate. That is celebrating, right? :)

I just love visiting and working and encouraging the members. I´m sure I´m going to love it here. The members here are so wonderful that we don´t have to teach our recent converts, because the members take them under their wing :) <3 I love them. They are great :)

A little 5 year old boy gave me a flower this week. It was a dandelion. Do you think there´s hope? ;)

I´m gonna gush about the members because they did a thing that was really cool. So each week they have a pass-along card. So each week, one person from the relief society has a card. And if you have a card, you have to share the gospel with someone and then share your experience with the Relief society. Aren´t they perfect? <3 It´s like I´m proud of some children or something haha.

I just need to talk about D. She is an older lady that is a widow, but she is the cutest thing. She dresses hip and she´s always smiling and she´s just wonderful. She´s the greeter for our ward and she´s perfect for that. But she talks like crazy, and I can´t help but smile when I talk to her because she is so cute :) I´ll take a picture one day :)

People

A. He´s a boyfriend of a girl in our ward so he was taught about 2 times before I came, and looked like he wasn´t even interested. But something changed this week and he already has a date for this Saturday! :) This is where I say that the Bishop is awesome. He helped in everything. He invited him to his house to be taught and bore his testimony like no other! He really made a difference. But A is awesome. The first lesson it looked like he was just there because his girlfriend was there, but we´ve been asking him to read every day and look for the difference. And Sunday, we decided that we´d all pray together to see if what we were teaching was all true. It was such a heartfelt prayer. It melted my heart. And after we just silently left and left him to think about what he was feeling  and decide for himself what it was after we taught him how to recognize the spirit. And here we are now, with everything marked Saturday. I love how the spirit touches people´s lives :)

S. We had a miracle with S this week. So apparently this whole transfer, she never let the missionaries in, but this week she let me and sister H in! It was a miracle! Me and Sister H looked at each other like ´´what???´´ But she is doing great! She is a MA and she is starting to go back to church! AND GET THIS. Remember the MA from Gralha Azul-- S? Well turns out S is her mom, and that both of them are going to church now! :) It made me smile so big

G e Tiago. So here we are at the first day of sunday, yeah, and of course I didn´t have my plaqueta because i lost it right before so yup. first sunday and I didn´t have a plaqueta.. how embarrassing ;)  and these two teenagers walk in. One has a ring in his nose, the other one has dreads and more piercings. We had never seen them before and we invited them to sit with us. And we were singing together with them, and I saw G cry when we were singing the hymn. It truly was a miracle. He´s been inactive for about 4 years and I don´t know why he decided to come back or why he walked in, but it was really amazing and seriously touched my heart <3 It just shows you how different everyone is and how precious the gosple is <3

Funny moments

So my ocd kicked in again. And I went all crazy on organizing our area. We separated every street and put an area with every color and just killed it with ocd so that we can bat portas, work with members, find Menos ativos, and atualizar our list of membros at the same time. I hope that I stay here for a long time because I´m stinking proud of my ocd ness ;) But. We made the list and it was beautiful. Until I was standing under a tree and a bird pooped on it. So that was hilarious after it happened ;)

So our house is near an elderly home and we were walking by it one day. But we passed by and there was an old man and two teenager boys smoking cigarrettes. But this man out of no where comes, points to the boy, has this face of a lot of concern then points to the cigarrette, takes it out of the hand of the teenager and carries it to the trash. So hilarious. The teenage boys were so confused, but in my head I was saying ´´you go old man´´ SO FUNNY.

Alright. So we´re walking on the road, and all the sudden this little boy yells out ´´Hey! That dog took my bucket!´´ And we see the dog taking the bucket to his little dog pals that are all together in 3. And well, we´re sitting here like ´´what do we do now.....´´ So we tried to go and get the bucket for the boy. We turned the corner and there the dog was, peeing on it. This is important to remember. So I tried to sneak up on them and grab the bucket, but when I did, the dog started walking near me, so I freaked out like a little girl and dropped it. So we yelled at some random guy to get the bucket for us and he came over and grabbed it and then I took it, hid it under my jacket, and ran over to the other side of the road so the dogs wouldn´t see me, then we ran to the little kid and traded the bucket for some pass along cards. And yes. That was when it sunk in to me that the dog peed on it and I put it under my jacket. Probably was the highlight of my day.  Oh the sacrifices that you make for contacts... ;) 

Sponges

I was thinking a lot about sponges this week. And by this week, I mean last night when I was desperately trying to figure out what to write about. These are getting so ridiculous. BUT I will not give up! :) Anyways. I was thinking about sponges because one. We actually clean pretty good here. I´m talking fridge, floors, everything. I feel like your ocd comes out a lot on a mission. And our casas are proof. And also. Second. I was thinking a lot about charity. I think a lot of the times in our lives, we compare ourselves to others. The miracles. The things they have. Who they are. What they look like. But that just doesn´t work. You can´t sufficiently clean a counter top when the sponge is full of water. First you got to wring that baby out and then start using it to clean and collect all the wonderful particles of dirt. It´s pretty much the need to have to clean...sidenote: It´s actually pretty funny that I figured this out because I think I learnedhow to clean with a sponge on a mission. We just always used towels and scrubber things... Anyways. How are we supposed to do what we are designed to do when we are absorbed (yes, that was a play on words ;) ) in ourselves? I love charity and I love serving. And a clean kitchen is a happy kitchen.

I´m so happy that I have the opportunity to serve here and furnish my self so that I can act as the saviorwould. I love the fact that I get to represent His name, share His gosple, and try to act, do, and say, all that he himself would say. I love the Gospel and I am grateful for our Saviour who was the most charitible of all, giving every single drop that he had in himself and then pleading to the Father to forgive everything that was done to Him. That is charity. And that is what makes me want to be better everyday. Love the Lord and Love your life! :) Love you guys! :)

Playdough

So this might be short again too because I spent more time emailing and reading. But I´ll tell you about my week still!

This week we actually didn't work a lot because we had to visit the doctor with sister B a couple times this week but i´ll see what I can think of :) 

People

M is changing little by little! At first we stopped visiting there because her heart was so hardened, but we have been visiting her son which is the cutest little kid with such a big heart and such and intelligent mind. But M is opening up to us a lot more and we´re seeing the little changes in her! AND the house is almost finished! They got the windows up and it is looking fiiiiine :) I´ll remember to take a picture of it so that I can show you guys!

R is changing too! We had dropped her for a bit because she just didn't have the desire, but we went back and started talking to her son who we never talked to before because usually he works, and with the dad! And they all decided together that they are going to church! It was awesome! The dad at the end, which was the first time talking to him too, wanted us to tell him what chapter he should read before our next visit. That never happens! I love that! :) 

C is great :) She´s coming along, just slowly :) But I love her so much. She is seriously so humble. So humble. And everytime we come, she´s like alright let´s sit down and you guys are gonna give me the word. It´s funny how we found her too. We just learned this week that she was praying about needing to go to church when we knocked on the door! I love Heavenly Father. He is awesome :) 

I can´t believe that just happened

So i´ve got some good stories for you guys. So we were just walking one day. And I don´t know why I thought this situation was funny, but there was a 20 year old with a look of worry on his face and he´s running to the bus that was behind us. But what made it absolutely hilarious is that we see this old man doing that old man chuckle when that guy was running to the bus. It would be a lot more funy if I could act it out, but I hope you guys think that that was funny ;)

One day I was doing splits with sister B and we went up and knocked on a door, starting talking, and because of our accent the lady figured out that we were american. So she stopped right in the middle of our conversation, and said "i wanna get you guys lembranças" So she went in and got a uniform shirt thing and just handed them to us. Which was crazy! But we marked another day to go there. It was awesome.

Random moment. So we were talking to a guy on the street, who turns out he lived in New Jersey for a good time, and we talked to him about our purpose and everything else, and he was explaining his name, and he´s like, just think of the word squirrel in english, and then he´s like ´´like this!´´ And he pulls up he shirt and shows us a squirrel tattoo on his stomach. And we were like ´´oh, ummmm...´´ So funny. Such a funny day that day. 

So I was still with sister B and we were waiting for one of her pesquisadors in front of her house. So we sit there waiting and we let the dog out because he was whining. So we let him out, then he did what all dogs do, peeing in every single spot to mark their territory. So I´m just standing there and sister B's like ´´oohhh, he´s sniffing you´´ millisecond later ´´oh.... he´s peeing on you´´ Yup. So the dog peed on my shoe. The only thing I could do was laugh. But it was seriously soooo funny that day. 

Sister N did ballet.. i don´t know how to spell it, but she did it for 12 years, so we had a ballet class for workout this morning. Funnest thing ever. I hope that i'm not sore ;)

I was thinking about what the mission was like and I decided that it is like playdough. Because playdough is ours. And we can create it into anything we want it to be! There´s not a right way. There's not a wrong way. And I was thinking. The mission is mine. It´s not about numbers. Its not about formulas, it´s not about any other thing, but just mine. It´s my time with the Lord. I´m going to do what I know will please the Lord. It´s my own. And I´m here to enjoy every single second of it by serving my loving Heavenly Father. It´s a time to change, a time to enjoy a calling so sacred, and a time to love because it is really a short time. And that´s what we gotta do. We just gotta make the life we have ours. No one else´s. And I really learned a lot from this week with that. 

I´m grateful to have this opportunity to serve. I´m grateful for the moments when I´m tired. I´m grateful for the moments I have joy. I would never trade this time for anything else. This time is so wonderful and I never want to waste a second! I love my Heavenly Father and all that he has given me. I love you all and am grateful for all the things that you do! Love you guys!

Sister Parco