Goals

Things I learned

Check to see if the gate is closed before knocking a door that has dogs. Almost died.

When you step on something, don´t take it off with your hand. Gross.

When you pray for something with good intentions, you´ll get it :) It was hilarious. One morning we prayed for contacts where we could be direct and testify. And we got exactly that. Probably the worst day for contacts . Lot´s of people, well not the nicest people i´m gonna say ;) But we were direct and testified like no other. And we learned and that is what´s importante ;)

Goals are wonderful. How are you supposed to measure your progress without goals? Impossible. I love goals. And I love being na organization freak. I love a mission. It´s incredible how much you change. This week I made a list of everything that i´ve learned from all my experiences here. And it´s amazing the things that you had a sense of before the mission turn into truths for you. You Always have a sense that everything is going to be for your well being. But you don´t know. But every single miniscule thing is exactly for your well being. Everything is to help make you a better person. You know that God loves you but you don´t realize how much of a truth that is. You know what Christ did for you but don´t realize exactly what that meant. You understand that Christ wanted us to serve others, but you didn´t know exactly what that mean for you. I love a mission. We had our stake conference this week and it was a tear jerker, let me tell you. Almost cried. Guess how they started out the conference? Yup. With a sister that returned 2 weeks ago. All I thought of was myself standing up there. Never gonna sit in the same capella, never going to have the priveledge of wearing the name of christ over my heart. It was rough. How many times in your life do you get the chance to testify of Christ everyday? Like, never. Probably have learned more in these 11 months than the past 20 years. I know that we´re supposed to be helping others to come unto Christ, but something really hit me when we had interviews. That the biggest convert is yourself. I´m grateful for this time to become more like Jesus Christ. Í´m grateful that He trusts me enough to do this work that is so wonderful and importante.

People

A. S. L, & A are wonderful! Gosh I love little L. He is crazy excited. A man from our Ward gave him a suit and he´s being freaking out about going to church. He wants to go every night. He´s 12 and he Always asks when we´re going to come again. He was so excited that his mom even bought church shoes for him. The Family minus the dad went to church this sunday and they loved it :) Hahaha it was hilarious. L. ran up to us after the meeting and said he wanted to show his mom the baptismal font. He is one excited kid :) I love them so much. It´s so wonderful to see diferences in their lives. Every time we go there. A. (mom) Says she feels so much Peace and things have been way diferente in her house. Her kids used to swear like crazy and it was a house of yelling and that she was just feeling stressed. But I looked at them at church this sunday and it was wonderful seeing A. there hugging both of her children and listening and gah. the difference is so huge. I love families :)

Gah. the Bird is biting my shoe.

Anyways. I love you all SO MUCH. I hope you guys are wonderful and loving every single minute of your lives! Be amazing never change and love who you are! :) <3

Love ya guys,

Sister Parco

The Lord is Merciful

The Lord is so merciful. Did you guys know that? I love my Heavenly Father. He really knows what´s best. We had a rough week last week and it was a little hard to get excited again, but the Lord really is merciful and gives us miracles to help us to be excited again. He really knows the best timing and will do things according to what is best for us and is of the will of him. For this, I think that i´ll start with allthe miracles that happened this week <3

Miracles

We met a Family this week that was a reference that is absolutely golden <3 A, S, L and A. We met with them about 1 month ago and A didn´t react that well when we asked if we could share a message, so we didn´t return there, but decided this week to try again. Well. Turns out that her aunt died 2 days earlier and was really down, and decided to let us in. Then, she felt the spirit so strong during the lesson and they are progressing sooo well! And the husband that slammed the door in the face of other missionaries accepted us and was actually the first one to kneel and ask about the truthfulness of our message. Story short. The mom (she has 2 kids) wanted us to sew her dress to make it appropriate for church. The mom wants to stop drinking (we haven´t even taught WOW yet... :o). And L has already been to church and absolutely loved it and is participating in the choir this week for stake conference and invited all of his friends <3 :)

We met aman named J this week when we were doing contacts. Turns out he´s been going to church for 6 months in São Paulo and had to move right before his baptism in são paulo and wants to go to church again and be baptized. WHAT. This never happens.

N went to church and has gone 3 times already and wants to buy new skirts that are longer and is already loving all the members in church:) I love her:) She's wonderful :)

Other experiences

We met a lady who has a schizophrenic daughter and we prayed with her at her gate because her story is crazy. It was a really wonderful experience:)

We met A who has a kid who was involved in drugs but got beat up and now has a mental problem.We thought he didn´t understand anything. But her son started crying after we recited the first vision. Wow. It was crazy.

We met another lady when we were knocking on a door and when she came to the gate, we could tell that she had some mental problems, but she invited us in and i didn´tknow how to say no haha so we entered and the experience was maravilhoso. I think half of the time I looked straight into her eyes just wondering what she was feeling and feeling SO MUCH love for her.I just sat there bearing my testimony and feeling so much of God´s love for her that I started crying as I testified of God's love for her. It was amazing. It´s so incredible how much love our Heavenly Father has for us.

The members here love us. The washing of the dishes and the post it notes we left in their bathroom work wonders. Everytime we arrive at church, the irmãs run over to us just to give us a hug. And they'd do anything to help us. I think that's the best thing. Having the trust of the members. I always thought that missionary work was just loving your pesquisadors, but it´s edifying EVERYONE. Members included. I love that.<3 

Things I learned

Don't pray for patience, because your patience will be tested.. ;)We decided to pick a christ like attribute for every week and make goals during the week to try and be better with that characteristic. This week is patience! Wish me luck!:)

I love being tested here. I love seeing myself change. I love my savior. I love the fact that I have this time to become more like him. I love you all and you all mean so much tome <3 Take care!:)

Sister Parco

Inverted Jackets

This week

This week was great! We met a lot of people, talked to a lot of people and just had a great time! We also went to the temple which was wonderful <3 And people are awesome! Not anything big happened this week, except for the fact that my companion speaks sign language a little! :) Cool huh? This week we met a man the was deaf and dumb. And man I was so proud of my companion when she was talking to him :) <3 It was sooo cool :)

People

N.  is awesome! She went to church the second time and loved it. She told us that she wants to buy a skirt that is long enough to go to church with a modest skirt. She is already changing and it is amazing! :) I love seeing people change and be happy.

R. is a pesquisador that we have that knows the bible inside and out. WHICH I LOVE. Becuase if you know that the bible is true, you have to know that the plan of salvation is true and that the restoration is true. I love that. <3 But she is great and says she feels something different when we go there :)

Inverted jackets

Ya guys remember those jackets that have a fluffy side of the coat and the other side that is like a wind breaker? Well, I think this week I discovered the fluffy side of the coat.  We went to the temple this week and it was the absolutely awesomest wonderfulest thing ever. It´s so crazy how much peace you feel. But after the temple, all of the missionaries were scattered around in the room, each one of us reading scriptures or sitting and thinking silently. And it was so interesting because we went with the missionaries that are going home, and as I looked at every single one of them, I realized that they were all asking the same thing. ´´ Is my mission accepted of thee? Did I do enough?´´ And it´s so interesting. I think heading on a mission, I had a more egoistic perspective. It wasn´t about am I doing enough, but look at what i´m doing. I´m not saying that i´m here to be a rule breaker, but the fact that, this mission, is the least I owe to Him. It´s the least I could do to pay back all that he has done for me. So yeah, this time is my time, but at the same time it isn´t. But it´s wonderful! I love having this time here :) <3 Its so wonderful being so focused on trying to do what He asks. Because that is when we find the true happiness. I love flipping to the fluffy side of the coat and  seeing the mission from an entirely new perspective and feeling the wonderfulness that comes with it :) I love you guys so much and apologize for the bad comparason. Point is I´m glad i have the opportunity to repay my Heavenly Father. Keep being awesome and love your life! :) 

Love

Sister Parco

Choice

People

Remember V, the one who read the book of mórmon in the library? Well, her mom stopped us from visiting her. It makes me so dang sad. She was seriously perfect and loved everything we taught. We´d go over there and she´d have the book of mórmon waiting for us open waiting to tell us what she read. And she told us that going to church was a little bit of what she thought heaven would be like. She said she felt so good there and Always stayed all 3 hours and sometimes 4 if there was a baptism. It makes me so sad and frustrated that the mom can´t see how this is changing her. But, I know one day in the future, she´ll be able to have a second chance. The time just isn´t now :/

Remember A? hahah so the last lesson was a little strange that was about a week and a half ago, and we were thinking about it and we came to the conclusion that he was actually a pastor of a church. So we went there again this week. And I think he totally knew that we knew. Turns out that he wanted to hear our lessons to teach to his congregation. But the last lesson was awesome. We testified to him like a boss, told him what choice he was making, and left it there with an invite in the end. And he felt and understood everything. It was sad to see that knowing that it was true he still would continue, but we plan to go over there to see how he is. 

G is a menos ativo, she´s great! We had a noite familiar com ela!

Man, I want to tell you about everything, but unfortunately I only have 5 minutes. SO. Just want to tell you guys that I love you alls oooooo much! And I´m so glad that I have this wonderful opportunity to be here sharing this gosple that is sooo perfect <3 I love my savior and am completely amazed for the love he has for me. It´s real. And it´s wonderful. Love you all! Love your life!

Sister Parco

Sisters of Power

The week

This week was full of awesomeness and love and hapiness and everything. We had a great week with the members and they are starting to trust us. One member brought us to 7 of her friends. And get this. She made a cake for almost every single one of them. When she brought us to her friends, she giggled and said that when they see that she brought a cake, they have to let us in and that we should just go right at it and teach about the restoration with everyone of her friends. She is so amazing. I love her so much. This week she left with us about 3 times to help devliver the cakes. And she called us ´´Sisters of Power´´ I´m just so glad that she trusts us enough with her friends <3 And we shall go on loveing all the members here! Also, we had our ward conference, and guess what? 3 members brought their friends to church! Without any warning, promise or anything! Did I tell you that I love this ward? I do.

The members

The members here love us so much. And we love them. It´s such a perfect love. The irmas of the ward have come up to us saying that they weren´t on the list for lunches this month and that they were super bummed. And another said that she just had to pass by where we were at the end of church just because she wanted to hug us. Another offered a noite familiar. Another wanted us to move our house to the same apartment as her. And another brought us to 5 references this week! I just love this ward so much! It´s just a big love fest on sunday and the irmas adore us. I love working with members. We go there and offer service and try to help them in any way possible and then we pray with them kneeling. I love it. Hehe me and Sister T have a goal of knowing exactly where every single dish goes in the houses of the irmas because we made a goal to wash the dishes in every house ;) And today we´re making personalized post it´s ´´from the sisters´´ so that we can put it in their bathroom to thank them for all the help. They are getting so comfortable with us, and they are so willing to help us with people, or friends, or introducing the gosple! The members here are absolutely wonderful! :) <3 Ala 5 is where it´s at. <3

Me and Sister T

I love working with sister T. Everytime during companionship study we just go at it. We say ´´alright, we have this problem this problem, and that problem, so how are we going to fix it?´´ I think i have grown and learned so much more in this transfer than any other transfer. We´re really getting down to the nit and gritty to be better and better every single day. And I just love it.

The people

A is good. We´ve taught everything and she´s feeling great. She´s reading the scriptures and praying. Still undecisive because she wants to experience other churches, but she is an amazing young woman. I feel so priveledged to teach her the Gosple :)

We met R, E, and their grandma this week! they are our neighbors and they were a reference from that irma. They are so cool. E is trying out for the handicapp olympics! He´s already recieved 3 medals and is hoping to get into the olympics! He´s so cool! And R and her Grandma are super interested! They have so many questions and doubts, and we explained the book of mormon to them and all of them said they would read it without a doubt! :)

We met N and her family this week! I know I already said this, but I love teaching families :) I love teaching the restoration to kids because when you break it down into smaller simpler words, you realize that the restoration is pretty simple and that even children can understand it :) 

We met J, E, and D this week! J is the sister that has a daughter and E and D have a daughter too. They are perfect. THey first time we taught D this week, we taught the restoration like we usually do, but this time, i decided to wait for a long time after we recited the first vision. We sat there for about 20 seconds. And we waited. And then we waited and asked how she felt, D started saying that she felt that something hit her heart a bit and then started crying, and then her husband when we taught them the second time, put his head down and started crying to. The spirit was soooo strong. It was amazing. I think the most rewarding part was when we asked erisma, the husband to say the closing prayer. There is just something about a family kneeling together to  say a prayer and the father saying the prayer. Because you don´t see that often. It makes me so grateful that I had a father who showed me to kneel down and talk to his Heavenly Father. It really is wonderful <3 (yeah, that´s you pops! ;) )

Anyways, that is pretty much the news. I hope that you guys had a wonderful week and that you are reading your scriptures! I love you guys all so much and every day I think about how I have a wonderful amazing family :) <3 I pray for you guys every day and I am glad to have grown up in a family centered in the Gosple of Jesus Christ <3 Be good. Stay Awesome :)

Love

Sister Parco

Walk

This week was pretty good! Definitely a week to learn, walk, grow, walk, smile, walk, laugh, walk ;) ,  and talk to people! I definitely learned lots this week! Sorry if it´s short this week, but our time got moved back to na hour, so i´ll just put in the more awesome stuff :)

My companion

We are seriously so perfect when we teach together. We switch off like no other, we talk like no other, and we are really trying to get down to the nitty and gritty with everything. When we study together, I just love it, because we think of exactly what people need to hear. The necassary parts. And then we just kill it and follow the spirit like no other. It´s wonderful. I´m so excited every week to work with her :) <3

Things I love

I love families. We found A and A this week and they have 4 kids. All under the age of 10. It was so crazy. I think you have to have a lot of courage to have 4 BOYS under the age of 10 ;) We started out teaching the restoration, but it was so crazy that we decided to switch it to Family prayer. So we taught them about Heavenly Father and how he is Always there to listen, and asked them what they thought about their father. It was wonderful because all the yelling and jumping on each other stopped when we were teaching about prayer <3 And then we bore our testimonies about Heavenly Father and we all knelt down as a Family together to say a prayer. It was so wonderful.

I want kids. But that will just have to wait ;) I seriously think that I said this at least 5 times a week, if not daily.

People

A! This week we went to her house to make chocolate chip cookies! It was wonderful. I ate more than I should. BUT I love A. She has so many questions. She´s Reading the Book of Mormon everyday, and she is trying to stop drinking coffee. All this at 15. She is so wonderful and so very special to us. She really has that desire and I just love seeing her change every time I see her :)

V is awesome! She went to primary again this week and they gave her a Faith in God that she´s going to start this week! She has so many deep questions for na almost 12 year old, and she is Always so willing to learn more! Gosh. I love her too. And it´s so wonderful to see all the primary kids welcome her :) I was so proud of her :) This week she recited the article of Faith for everyone :) She´s just amazing :)

I´m gonna stop here because my time is pretty low.

But I love you guys sooooo much and am so grateful that I have a wonderful Family like you guys :) I love families. AND GUESS WHAT. I decided that we are doing Family home evening every single week when we get home. BE PREPARED. And theyre gonna be the best days ever. I love my purpose here. I love the Lord. I love working. I love learning. I love growing. I know I´m here on the Lord´s errand and don´t want to waste a minute. I love every single one of you guys and I beam knowing that I can be with you guys forever :) Keep being amazing and HELP THE MISSIONARIES! ;) Love you :)

Sister Parco

College

So I kind of forgot to tell you guys that we had transfers. SURPRISE! But they were awesome :) My new companion is SIster T! I LOVE HER. Me and her just click. We teach wonderfully together, we work hard together, we laugh together, it´s just wonderful. We try so hard to go to bed early sometimes because we´ve worked so hard during the day, and we are in our beds by at least 10. But then we sit there and giggle the whole time until it´s 10:30, so it doesn´t even make a difference. ;) But we are crazy pumped to work together and we have so much we want to do together here :)

Deep thoughts

So we were talking with a pesquisador about how we only stay here for a year and a half, and we wre talking and saying the usual stuff, oh yeah, don´t worry, we wear pants, and that we´re gonna marry and that we´ll study and have a Family, but sister Torres said something that really actually stung a little bit. She was talking and she said, ´´so, after this year and a half we can´t  be missionaries.´´ Of course it was casual, but it really made me think.  I never really thought about it that way. The fact that I can´t wear a badge with the name of Jesus Christ. The fact that I can be a literal representative of him. The fact that what i´m doing here probably won´t be repeated. The fact that I won´t spend every day testifying of Him and putting myself completely out of the Picture and seriving others. It´s not possible at home. But it really stunk when I thought of that. I love being on a mission. And I cherish this time here SO much. I am grateful for this opportunity to be a missionary and I hope that I can make the best of this short year and a half.

Do you know what is something interesting? When you stop thinking about yourself and you think about what the Lord wants. You stop thinking of what you look like to everyone else and you just put everything down and think. Alright Heavenly Father, what next. You dropall of your personal selfish feelings and just go at it. That´s what makes this mission totally Worth it. Absolutely positively Worth it. I love being here.

i´m holding a Bird right now. and  petting it. And it´s biting me

I love banana bread. I´ve made a goal to make it for every companion. They love it. It´s famous. Thanks mom! <3

Miracles

Wow. So many things happened this week. There was definitely a miracle everyday. One thing that me and Sister T do is ask ourselves, okay, what was our miracles today? And we Always have one :) <3 But i´ll tell you 3 miracles that were my favorite.

So we were teaching M one day and we were going to presente the book of mórmon. But when we sat down, we noticed that her daughter who usually doesn´t listen to our messages followed us and had a book in her hand. We noticed that it was the book of mórmon so we started out asking her about it. Well, turns out that she found it in the library, and was having a really bad day at school. So, she decided to read it, and she said that she felt na overwhelming feeling of Peace. And when she saw that we had it in our hands, she followed us to learn more. THen, wanting to know more about her story, i asked her her favoirite scripture,and she opened right up to mosias 4 that talks about Christ and when he suffered. WHAT. I almost didn´t know what to teach because I was so surprised at the miracle! She went to church yesterday and stayed for the 3 hourse and the baptism after. Oh yeah, and she´s 12 and she understands everything. MIracle mesmo

Another was when we were looking for na espesquisador. We found the house, but it was a condominium. And we tried hitting the number and nothing happened. But all the sudden 2 people walk by with another person and say- ´´hi sisters!´´ And we´re like, what? And we introduced ourselves and told them that we were missionaries from the área and they asked´´who are you looking for?´´ and we said oh E´´ And the third guy goes, ´´hey, that´s me!´´. Those 2 members were there with E. and he invited us to see his new born baby that only had 5 days. WHAT. So we follow the two members and E to his apartment to see his baby where he invited us to come back wednesday at 7. MIRACLES!

The other happened 50 minutes ago. A lady came up to us in the lan house here and said that she wanted visits from us and that she wanted to go to church and already had visits from the other missionaries. She gave us her address and number and we´re returning there another day! HOW CRAZY IS THAT?!?!

I´m so glad the Lord trusts us with these miracles. I just hope we can keep his trust and act in the way that He wants us to act :) Me and sister Tare really trying to act with the spirit so that we can say what He needs us to say. And it is absolutely amazing during lessons. We´ve been trying to switch off every question so that 1 we ask questions and 2 that we switch off more to say what needs tobe said. Man we´re just gonna be perfect together!

College

For some reason,college was on my mind a lot this week and the whole leaving your Family part. And I was Reading a scripture and I wanted you guys to imagine right along with me about how cool this is. ALright. So, read isaiah 53:10. If you notice. Heavenly Father sent His only begotten son so that he could see  us again. When you think that we´re going to heaven, I only think that, man, it´s gonna be cool to be in his presence, but he is more concerned about seeing his kid again. Just like Chirstmas bread when you see your kid again :) I thought that was so cool :) <3 I love the scriptures :)

Love you all!

Sister Parco