Mon, 07 Dec 2009 : Entao

So, familia, this has been quite a week. First I will share some fun things:

Sunday we were walking with the Elders and we passed one of the many drunk parties people have on the street. These men were playing their usual horrible music, and I stopped and did a little dance. Unbeknownst to me, they were all watching, and at my performance they all began cheering and shouting "Americana!!! Dança de novo americana!" Oh my, I about died of embarrassment. THEN, we were walking down the wrong street, so we had to turn around and pass them AGAIN. Once again, the catcalls came. Me mata.

Ive been sensing a fault of certain American things, namely: drinking fountains, carpet, dryers, cold, sidewalks that are actually intact, and driving... And peanut butter, haha.

I forget if I mentioned, but I got my Rubiks cube in the mail about 3 weeks ago (Thanks Anita!), and have been practicing. I'm down to two minutes now. I need to get about 1 minute faster to beat the Elder that taught me, hahaha. Dad, better start practicing for when I get home!!!!!

Our area is amazing. We have 6 baptisms marked--two for this week and 4 for the week that comes (is that correct english?). We hope to be marking the baptisms of a few more. Its amazing how people really are just sooo ready to follow the gospel here =]

And!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the coolest part, so every one pay attention!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PRESIDENT EYRING and ELDER SCOTT are coming to OUR MISSION and ONLY our mission THIS SATURDAY. Theyre going to have a private conference with JUST OUR MISSION. And guess who gets to lead the music? Yep, thats me! Oh man, I am SOOOO excited! I get to shake their hands! Hahaha. Our mission is sooo priviledged. Of 27 missions here in Brasil, they chose ours. I dont know why, but Im happy for it. You'll all be sure to get a full report next week.

As for the companionship...... Well, theres been a lot of drama. The highlight was when i wouldnt let her call her mom on the cell phone Saturday night, so when i was in the shower (i had the phone with me), she took the keys and left, locking me in the apartment building. When i got out, I noticed she was gone, so i knocked on every neighbors door, but no one was home, and then I couldnt call presidente because we have this weird block on our phone after 10:30 to call people of our mission, and we dont have any more minutes. I managed to call collect to the guy who does the maitence stuff for the mission, and he called the assisstents, who called us at 11:30, a few minutes after Sis Abrantes came back. She had gone to use the payphone on the street. We had an interview with Presidente today. She basically has one more chance, then shes going home. We're staying together until the end of this transfer, and then one of us is leaving this area.

Good fun, ne? Itll be a great story to tell my grandkids, haha. Im not gonna talk a lot about her and other stuff going on because shes a bummer to talk about, and i dont want to bring you all down or have you worry about me. Just pray for me, please. And her too.

But I am so excited for pres Eyring =] I love this work, and I know that this transfer, as annoying as it is, will be for my good and i will grow from it.

Christ lives, His gospel is fully upon the earth again, and in light of that, nothing else really matters. Everything else is trivial and will last but a moment in the eternities.

I love you all, thank you for your love and support. It really means a lot to me to know you want me to be here and are helping me. It helps me get through tough times when I know I have my family and friends behind me.

Ate mais, eu amo voces!

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 : It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

Orrrrr not. Its definitely summer here, as its getting hotter every day. woohoo.

Thanksgiving was great--We actually had a turkey! It was fun to see some Elder friends again too and joke around with them in English, haha. I did miss the stuffing and the pumpkin pie, but hey, theres always next year, ne?

Well familia, its been a week. We switched apartments with the elders because we had the bigger apartment and less people. When we arrived at our new humble abode... well, lets just say that elders have been living there for about 3 years... and i dont think its been cleaned in that whole time. It was quite the cleaning spree. I dont think i've ever seen so many cobwebs and dust bunnies and just other dirty things. But its good because now i have a real bed with a much better mattress (I was sleeping on the floor on a mattress that basically was totally wrn out in the middle). Welcome to the mission/Brasil, ne?

Its also good because now my companion cant run off to the neighbors without me. Huzzah.

We had our interviews with President last Wednesday. I LOVE Presidente! I talked to him for about an hour--a lot about my companion but also about other, more spiritual things. Lifes a lot more fun when you can speak the language, haha. Then Sister Abrantes talked with him for another hour, then we talked to him tgether for about an hour. He basically told me that im here because im the most patient sister and he thinks i can handle her best. I was telling him im frustrated because our area is AMAZING and i want to WORK and she doesnt.... But its been better this week. The work is just taking off.

The first few weeks it was kinda slow... So we changed tactics and now we're inviting everyone to be baptised the first lesson. And amazingly, it works. We now have three baptisms marked for the 12th and all three of them have only been to church once and only had the first lesson. The Lord does amazing things when you're bold. Sis Lemos (my comp from Caruaru) and I were talking and we agreed that our job as a missionary is to "cry repentence and baptism". So thats what we're doing.

Went to the temple on Tuesday. First time all in Portuguese, but I understood everything. Hows that for being fluent??? It was sooooo amazing. And the best was being there with Sis Lemos too, who is my BEST friend here on the mission, and I think one of the better friends ive ever had. We just laugh and talk about such deep spiritual things together, its awesomse. Definitely a blessingthe Lord gave me to make up for this trying time...

We had 16 investigators in church yesterday... and we didnt bring a single one. The members are inviting everyone to church, to activities, to hear the lessons, its amazing! Thats the only way to do missionary work.

Moral of the story: INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO HEAR THE MISSIONARIES. Even if you dont think they want to, or even if you dont want to feel like your being overbearing. Do it. You have the truth. Now make it known.

I know that this is the true gospel of Christ restored on the earth. I know we have a living prophet today, and that this church is guided by Jesus the Christ, our ressurrected Lord and Saviour. I know that it is only through Him that we really truly can become clean of sin and return to live with our Fahter in Heaven, and our families, forever. This is what makes me happy, even admist trials and hardships. i know that i can be better every day, and become more like Him. I love Him and I know He lives.

~Sis Wilkinson

Fotos:

1) View of Recife from our area

2) Our District at the temple: Sis Hernandes, Sis Abrantes, Sis Lemos, Eu, Elder Santos, Elder Shulze. Notice how I tower over everyone.

3) The Temple =]

4) Eu e Sis Lemos

5) I let a little girl play "hair dresser" with my hair at lunch one day--she was sooo excited because I have such straight hair, haha.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 : Então.

Familia

My new area is great!!! Its still in Recife, actually still pretty close to the temple. Its all these little winding alleys and SOOO many stairs going all over the place on this one hill. Its TINY. And the members are SO excited to have sisters after having some slacker Elders. Theyre just giving a tons of references and the bishop is way excited, and even when we knock on doors, I'll be like "hi, we're missionaries and we have a message we want to share with you. Can we?" and theyre like "alright" and just let us in.

My comp is... difficult. It hasnt even been a week, and she has had a couple hissy fits, she doesnt want to keep the rules, and she says its none of my buisness if she doesnt, and then she turns around and calls me a hypocrite if I try and tell her otherwise. Shes yelled at me, stamped her feet, called me names--and in front of other elders and our neighbors. Everyone is like "Sister, just go, youre being ridiculous"... Presidente knows allll about her problems, and that shes very disobedent. Ive been learning a lot this week about choosing your battles to win the war, ya know? There have been a few things when shes had her little fits that ive just let slide or made a compromise while still being firm. I just have to remember that I AM in the right, that I AM doing the right thing, and that im her companion for a reason. Im definitely going to have a long talk with President too.

I love my president, he is a WONDERFUL man. I know he really trusts me (he said that to E Whiting back at the beginning of the last transfer). Hes letting me spend Thanksgiving at the house of a member in Madalena, because he trusts me that much. I just dont want to let him down.

But please, everyone... Pray for me. Pray for me a lot. Pray for me and pray for her too.

Tomorrow I get to go to the temple. Its the first time in 7 months. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED. SO EXCITED!!!!!!! I love the temple. I'll probably cry when I go in and cry during the session and cry in the celestial because ill be so happy.

Thats about it... Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Think of me as your eating turkey and stuffing and watching american football. I miss you all SOOOOO much!!!!!!!!

Lots of Love,

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 : I got transferred....

Just when things were starting to pick up in Madalena, Sis Oliveira and I got a call last night saying BOTH of us were transfered. We were pretty much in shock, since neither of us were expecting me to leave. I really didnt want to, I was really starting to love the area and the people and we have a LOT of things planned and three marked baptisms. But I guess the Lord knows better than I do where he needs me.

I spent all of yesterday in bed with a fever--at the highest 102 degrees. I woke the night before, threw up, and didnt sleep for the next 3 hours. At 6:30 am I called my District Leader, Elder Whiting, and he and his comp came and gave me a blessing, and then I stayed in bed. We thought maybe it is Dengue, which is kinda like Malaria, but a little worse, because I had all the symptoms with an achy body and pressure on my eyes and a fever and throwing up and chills and hot flashes. I learned the Tylonal does nothing for me--I took it twice and my fever kept rising, and the third time I took ibuprofen, and my fever dropped within the hour. But I still feel sooo weak today. I was a little mad I had to get up and pack last night because 1) i hate packing and 2) I didnt want to leave and 3) I had to stop and rest every five minutes. I still have a slight fever today and just feel totally exhausted, plus I'm still a little miffed about being uprooted so suddenly.

So now I'm in Casa Amarela with Sister Abrantes... This is going to be quite the transfer........ She has the custom of breaking quite a few rules... almost all of them. I guess Presidente is trusting me to help her be more obedient........ I need to learn how to be firm and confrontatial while still being tactful.

I dont have much else to report. Our three marked baptisms in Madalena are amazing and I am going to miss them, especially Daniele and Daisy. But we'll see what people I meet here. Like I said, the Lord knows where He needs me, and its my job to do it!

Aunt Angela, I met Elder Bateman, he says hi, and said he knew about me before anything else about the mission, hahaha.

James and Erin, congrats on the new baby!!!!!!! She's beautiful.

I would send pictures, but this internet place is kinda crappy. So next week maybe.... I dont really have pictures of anything super exciting anyway.

Your Sick Amiga

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 : It was a week.

It was a long week, gente. We walked a lo in the hot sun and had most of our appointments fall through along with our baptism (which was moved to the next week). But we did mark the baptism of Daisy and Danielle for the 21!!!! And we have a battle plan to get into the apartment buildings in Madalena, the richer and much harder part. It involves making cookies and inviting all their neighbors to family home evening, which we will be implementing this week.

we also had zone conference, which was seriously sooo uplifting. I also saw a lot of my good Elder friends that I arrived with and havent seen in awhile.

We went to downtown Recife today and saw some of the historic parts and the big touristy market area. Way fun =] I didnt take any pictures because my camera got a virus on it. But luckily Elder Whiting is a computer genius and fixed everything, so now i'm sending some photos.

Unfortunately, we got back late so i dont have much time to write.

pics:

1) me and E Whiting with our pumpkins.

2) E. Goodwin, Wagoner, me, Harris, and Sis Ortolani at Zone conference.

love you all!!!!!!!!! Transfers next weeks, so ill be writing wednesday! Im pretty sure i1ll be staying here in Madalena =] But I think I may be getting a new comp. i1ll let you know!!!!!!!!

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 : I have never sweat so much in my life.

Dear Familia.

It. Is. HOT. And it's not even summer yet!! Gah! I'm drinking about 4 liters of water every day and then sweating most of it out. I sweat more than I ever have, even playing field hockey in August or digging in Jordan. Every time I remove my bag, there is a LOVELY sweat mark right across the front of my chest, and my back always has sweat dripping down it as we walk.

And I know i'll miss it when i'm home =]

This week went by SO fast! No one here celebrates Halloween... Sad day, becasue its basically my favorite holiday (and Christmas). But, we helped a lady in our ward decorate her house for Halloween, because every year she has this big party for all the kids in the area and gets references for us from the parents, woo! So we painted the walls of her yard and Elder Whiting and I carved pumpkins, true American style. And I have a totally cute picture of us with our pumpkins, but of course, technology hates me and my camera died. Again. The moment I decided to use it. Such is life. This internet cafe is really slow anyway, so next week, when i'm back at the usual, faster one, I will send lots of fun pictures =]

We have a baptism this Saturday, Poliany, the wife of a less active member, but he's coming back to church now too. They´re a cute little family =] I don't think i've ever taught a more beautiful person--shes gorgeous. We call her barbie becasue she has very bleach blonde hair (not natural, but it works for her). We also have two sisters we're teaching, Daniele e Daisy, who remind me a lot of me and Linny. Way fun to teach them, becasue theyre our age and hilarious. We're going to teeach them again tomorrow. But they watchd The Testaments without us and LOVED it, and then Daisy ready like half of Third Nephi and they lovd church, woohoo! I love it when people are prepared by the Lord, makes my job a lot easier Alexandre is still a work in progress. Sometimes I cant believe how trapped in the world some people are, and how, even when they KNOW what they want, and they KNOW that the gospel is whats right, they dont want to change. Alexandre's problem/excuse is that hes afraid if he's baptised he'll mess up after...but thats exactly why we have REPENTENCE.

Gente... Never let the fear of doing something wrong stop you from doing something right.

I'm sorry this email isnt very exciting. It was a rushed week, we taught, we contacted, we knocked doors, we did that service project, é isso. I arrive home exhausted every night! But it's good to be working hard.

Moral of the story: GIVE REFERENCES TO MISSIONARIES. I have now repented and will be a much better member when I get home daqui 9 meses.

I'm sorry I dont have much to say, more next week! With pictures!

I love you all. Thank you for your prayers and I love hearing news form all you. I always read your emails, even if I dont always respond (and those of you that have sent packages, theyre in the missin office waiting for me to get them Thursday, woohoo!)

tchau!

Mon, 26 Oct 2009: Another week...

It was good. The work is picking up. We've got some good people we're teaching, even though a lot of our afternoons are spent walking around knocking doors. I guess thats how a majority of the missions in the world are, ne? But with a few million people in the city, its hard to find the few people that are prepared. But we have and heck, if i only help one person, its worth it, ne?

I think the most exciting thing this week was when i recieved a phone call from Elder whiting "Hey, sister... Do you know how to cut hair? Because Elder Levesque tried cutting mine... And it didnt turn out too well" Oh, THINK of something that causes laughter. It was this haircut. Ok, it really wasnt too bad, but it was very uneven. Luckily, with my little pair of hair-cut scissors and the very limited experience that I have, all was fixed. I was pretty proud of myself.

Our investigator Alexandre is great. Its truly amazing to see the change in his life. He went from "eh, what is faith?" to truly having it. I dont think he's ever had anyone tell him that he's smart, that he has divine potential and infinite worth, and that he has the right to dream big and reach goals. Last night we were just talking to him about that, doing more with his life than just sitting around, and I was telling him how really, im not just saying it because im a missionary or whatever, but because really, he's our friend, and i really do care about him, and he got all quiet and teary eyed. I can tell he's felt something real and wants to change. I love being here and helping people.

From now on, all of my photos will be at this address:

www.picasaweb.google.com/ashley.wilk

it will be updated every week-ish with a lot mroe photos.

no one celebrates halloween here =[ makes me sad because I LOVE halloween.. send a snickers to me in the package!

i love you all and am always praying for you.

~sister wilk