I swear the hour for email goes by the fastest out of any during the week.

FIRST OFF!!!! IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

My call packet lied. There is only ONE address for letters AND packages:
Sister Ashley Alaina Wilkinson
Missão Brasil Recife
R. Sao Francisco 110/102
Paissandu
52010-020
Recife PE
BRASIL

For those of you who have sent packages, do not fear. It´s the address of the old mission office, which is around the corner from the new one, and they save any packages they get, and the APs go around every once and a while and get them. I let them know im expecting packages, so they´re on the look out. But from now on, JUST that address!!!!

Moving on, This week was kinda a dead one, not gonna lie. We do all we can, but then our investigators don´t show up to church or dont pray or dont read, and we can´t progress without them doing their part, sabe? Porque, como missionárias, estamos aqui pra ensinar e ajudar as pessoas, mas não podemos se eles não fazem as coisas eles precisam fazer!!!!and i definitely didnt mean to slip into portugese right there. My mind is right at the point when English and Portuguese are getting mixed into one and the same thing in my mind. This morning I was writing a bunch of letters to some of my Elder friends in Portuguese, then I started writing one to my friend in the US in English, and it was hard. But when I speak POrtuguese, I keep thinking in English... Gah. Give me another transfer or two and English will be out the window.

I realized yesterday how well I do know Portuguese. For the first few weeks here, I understood NO ONE. But I realized, at a lesson yesterday (a couple that is a reference from a member and is AWESOME and totally loves the church already and wants to learn more and its just great. The Lord ALWAYS gives blessings), that I understood almost everything they were saying. And the other day we were teaching this guy who was kinda bible bashing with us, and I just kinda laid it on him, in Portuguese, that we´re here to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the same gospel in the Bible. The book of Mormon testifies that Jesus is the Christ, and we as missionaries are here to share that message: that Christ lives! And if he really wants to know, no amount of scriptures we share will prove it to him, he just has to pray. In PORTUGUESE! I´m sure half of it was wrong, though Sis Jacobs said I actually spoke really well. I understand 99% of what I read in Portuguese... Really about 100%, except for random words I run across that I dont know, but then I guess them from context. It´s the Isaiah parts in 2 Nephi that are giving me a run for my money ;)

Speaking of which, I read 2 Nefi 2 this week, where Lehi explains the doctrine of the Fall of Adam. It´s fascinating HOW PERFECT the plan of our heavenly father is. He´s God, he knows all. Its amazing how little we comprehend it all. I feel like I´m learning and realizing so much here. And Its more of a feeling like "Oh yeah, I knew that. I forgot, but now I remember!" because i DID know all of this before! Its amazing what the spirit can reveal =] READ YOUR SCRIPTURES!!! Seriously, right now. Go. Leia! (read!)

Good news though! The son of Luciana and Ronaldo, the family we´ve been working with, is going to be baptised on Friday, and their other son probably next Sunday (after he goes to church the second time). I love this little family. Luciana is so ótimo (awesome). She really wants the best for her and her family and knows that this church, this gospel, is the way to get it. She´s so excited for us to teach her family and loves church and her 'husband", ronaldo, does too. They´re excited to get married and be baptised, and the divorce of her with her first husband is almost done =] I´m excited because a year from now, I´ll be able to go with them to the temple when they get sealed. How amazing is that?

Other things... The river flooded again, BIG TIME. It was so louco. So we have to take the long way around every day. It´s finally winter here, raining every day. And I mean, when it rains, it POURS. Evertime we have our rainsoats, it stops, but as soon as we leave them in the house because it looks like its warm and sunny... CHUVA! (rain) Moral of the story: Always have your raincoat and you´ll never have rain.

Also, Caruaru should have a subtitle: The city of wild cats. Seriously, I´ve never seen soooo many wild cats running around. Mom would have had a hay-day trying to save all the little kittens. Sis Jacobs rolls her eyes everytime I go "Awww, gatinho!!!"SPEAKING of which, sis Jacobs said THE funniest thing last night. When I pray, I kneel on my bed and hunch over so my head is resting on my pillow, and last night she was like "Did you always pray like taht or only after you lived in a muslim country?" Hahahahahahaha, oh man, i laughed for a LONG time.

Anyway, life is good, we´re teaching and contacting and having a good time, despite the little bumps the devil throws our way. I love being here, and I´m grateful for your support. I pray for all of you! Let me know
how life is going!~Sis Wilkinson