Wed, 07 Oct 2009: TRANSFERED!

Querida familia,

It finally happened, what we all knew was coming but never seemed like it would actually arrive: I've been transfered. I'm now in Madalena, which is a neighborhood in Recife. So basically I went from small country town to the middle of the city. It is SO different--I almost feel like i'm in a different mission. My Companion is Sis Oliveira from Minas Gerais (a state here near São paulo). I like her thus far =] We also have an awesomely sweet house, so thats exciting.

Sis Lemos was also transferred!!! She is now in Arcoverde, which is WAAAY interior. We're talking 2-3 hours past Caruaru. But, as President said, that area is in desperate need of Sisters, haha. Our area went back into one area, with Elder Stewart and Elder Serra staying. They were really excited to get our apartment, because now they'll actually live in their area and sleep on beds, instead of matresses on the floor. And our apartment was pretty nice as far as missionary apartments go. Good luck to them.

It was quite a last week. We had another wedding, of Janaina, and two baptisms (Janaina and Adriano). Each was so special and made me so happy. We had such a good transfer with so many daily miracles. I hope I can make this transfer the same.

We also had General Conference... In Portuguese. So I understood about half of what everyone was saying. Its still hard for me to understand things through microphones or on TV. I didnt even know they announced a new temple in Fortaleza until I got your email, dad, haha. I'm excited to read the talks in the Liahona, because i'll actually get more out of it. But from I did get, I understood we need to be MUCH better at living the gospel--be more obedient and stregthen our families and have more love. In an age where the hearts of men really are waxing cold, the warmth of Christ-like love is desperately needed to thaw the bitterness of Satan.

It was hard to leave my Beloved Caruaru, and especially all the people there that I love so much. Last night we had a farewell/family home evening with Mercia and Monica and other members, most of whom we taught. I told them how the gospel unites us, and that they are my family, and families are eternal. The Spirit was so strong and everyone was crying. The Elders also made us brownies and brought them to our apartment. Im going to miss them too, quite a bit. Our district was very unique in the friendship we had, and especially with the Elders in our ward.

But i'm excited to learn and grow here in Madalena. It will be quite an adventure too, seeing as I am now Senior companion--eita! But I now the Lord has put me where I need to be, so I'm ready to do my job and help people grow. I know that if I put the Lord and His work first and give it my all, we'll have miracles.

i'll send fotos monday. I'm still getting used to the area and where everything is.

I love you all! Thank you for all your support and prayers =]

~Sister Wilkinson

Mon, 28 Sep 2009: Batismos!

Oi Familia,

So, this week has been.... crazy, to say the least. Oh man... Lets start at the beginning.

-We were robbed, so we have no phone.

-I lost my planner on the bus, which is like my right arm here on the mission. Along with it I lost all my contacts, a bunch of addresses, my ID to be here in Brasil, and bus passes. Not to mention it was my favorite planner that I decorated.

-We had the wedding of Joana and Leandro, which had a LOT of drama with their families and the bishop and a bunch of other things going on, but they got married and will stay married and its great.

-We had the batism of Marian and Joana. That was so awesome. I love baptisms =]

-We have our recent converts, Adeildo, excited about going on a mission.

-Today for P-Day we went to Nova Jerusalem (New Jerusalem), but not the real one because Christ hasn't come yet. Its the largest outdoor theatre in the world and every Easter acts out the Passion of Christ, and it moves around to all these different stages and the audience follows it and it sounds waaay cool. Too bad I cant go. But it was neat to see the stages and things. We had a lot of fun taking pictures.

We have four baptisms next week, Adriano, and Leandro, and a wedding--Janaina and Lula (her husband, its a nickname, but i dont remember his real name).

Adriano is AMAZING. He stopped drinking coffee right off the bat, and then we explained about the Sabbath day, and hes like "Well, usually i pay football on sundays because im the captian of a team, but i'm going to go to church instead. its what God wants". !!!!!!!!!!Wow!!!!!!!! So we're really excited, and he's excited to be baptised, and he got to see the baptism of Joana and was even more excited. His mom says he's already changed so much. (Its funny, here in Brasil, people say things like "You're angels sent from Jesus" a lot, and his mom said this to us, and I was like "well, actually, yeah, we were sent by Him")

General Conference is next week!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, I cant believe its already here, i feel like we just had it yesterday!

And I have one week left here..Transfers Wednesday. I can't believe time goes by SO fast!!!! Next time I email, it will be from a new area...Eeek!

Fotos:

1) Sis Lemos with our guide in Nova Jerusalem. He kept touching her shoulder and arm... it was soo funny.

2) Our district on the throne of Herod. This is basically the personality of our district in a nutshell.

3) Elder Halvorsen lost his arm to the lion

4) Joana's baptism (Leandro is next week!)

5) Mirian's baptism

6) Joana and Leandro's wedding. (I look SO BIG. I'm not wearing heels or anything)

7) Freaking AWESOME telephone booths in Nova Jerusalem

8) Getting tortured by our guide, hahaahahahahahahahahaha

Anyway Familia, I hope all is well with you. I love you and think about you and pray for you all.

Until Next week!

~Sis Wilkinson

Mon, 21 Sep, 2009: Another week

So I spent about 20 minutes typing up a ridiculously cool email, and then the computer froze. Its one of those days

We had a baptism! Isaias and Adeildo, two awesome young men who are so solid and ready for the gospel. The baptism was great.

Speaking of baptisms, we have three next week! Joana and Leandro have their marriage on Friday and will be baptised on Saturday, along with Miriam, the sister of a member, who went to the baptism on Saturday and said "hey, i want to be baptised!" and we said "okay!" We call this um batismo que caiu do ceu (a baptism that fell from heaven). How cool is that?

Besides them, we have 5 others marked and hope to mark 3 more this week. Sis Lemos and I have been working HARD this transfer--I get home every night exhausted, plan, and fall into bed. But its paying off! Its truly amazing how the Lord blesses those who make an effort.

We had Zone Conference, with some awesome training by President and our Zone leaders, and had some amazing speakers--Me and sis Lemos, haha. She gave a talk in English!!!!! We were up until midnight practicing. The one thing she kept messing up on (but got right in the talk!) was that she kept saying "its not enough to be good, we have to be better" but instead of "good" she would say "god", hahahahahahaha. She also said "piss" instead of "pass" and a few others that were way funny. But she did great in the talk itself =]

E Lucas got transfered and now we have E Serra. Hes great.

Its weird to think that two weeks from now i'll be leaving Caruaru. I love this place, I love these people. I started crying in Relief Society because I was thinking about it too much. The beautiful thing about the gospel is that one day i will see all these people again---maybe not in this life, but at least I have the hope that it isnt the end.

but enough about that... Can you believe it already makes 7 months for me? How weird is that? The time is passing SOOOOOOOO fast!

No pictures this week because the computer is being stupid. I severly dislike technology sometimes.

I love you all. The gospel is true!

~Sis Wilk

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 : Pensa uma pessoa feliz!

"Think of a happy person!!" It´s me =]

Happy Birthday Linny! (yesterday...) I was thinking of you!

Life's great familia. We have 6 baptisms marked; Isaias and Adeildo for this Saturday, Joana and Leandro for the 26, and Janaina and her husband for the 3rd of October.

Last night we had a little festa with a bunch of our recent converts and Isaias and Adeildo (who are 15 and 20... it seems like most of our recent converts are 15-20) It was way fun. We watched the Joseph Smith: Profet of the Restauration film (which I have a copy of in Portuguese, haha) and after the film... Wow. The Spirit was SOOOOO strong familia. One by one, Sis Lemos, me, And Elders Stewart and Lucas bore our testimonies about Joseph Smith and his role as a prophet. If there's one point about my testimony that is strong, it is that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that through him and the amazing sacrifices he made, including his own life, the gospel and everything we need for salvation were restored to the earth. It was really really good. Adeildo said that he really liked the film and felt something really strong. Woohoo!

We had interviews with President Tuesday in Gravatá, so that was a fun little road trip, with the 6 people in our district crammed into a 4 person car. But the time was spent well--Elder Halvorsen taught me the secrets of The Cube. Aka, how to do a rubik's cube. It´s so simple!!!!! I just need to practice. I can get the first two rows, but finishing it I just need to memorize some moves. But its something thats always been on my list of "Things to do in Life", so huzzah for doing life goals!

Anyway, interviews were great. I love President Emerick! Sis Lemos and I made an Apple pie for him and the Elders--it was well recieved

Other adventures... Sis Lemos and I got lost in Salgado (a neighborhood here) again, and where did we end up? Right next to the Elder's house. Again. And what did I have in my bag? A bar of chocolate for Elder Stewart because it was his one year mark, but he hadnt been to lunch because he did a division with the other Elders. So we called them on the pay phone to see if they were nearby (again) but the credit was running out and I was panicking and it was hilarious. I think it was one of those "You had to be there" moments, but we certanly laughed!

Last P-day we went to a pool party with the Youth in the ward. It was way fun! Although it was kinda torturous to not be able to swim or dip my feet in the pool =[ Oh well, thats a sacrifice I can make.

THEN!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!! FAMILIA!!!!!! We watched a movie called "Fireproof" and omg its probably one of the BEST movies I've seen!!!!!!!! Its about a couple who's about to get a divorce, but then the guy who was a real jerk starts doing things to save his marriage, and how you have to have the same love Christ has for us for your spouse and its just amazing. Everyone, go find it and watch it. Its not a Mormon film, but it might as well be. It had sooo may gospel truths. wow. Sis Lemos and I talked about it for three days after. And even the Elders liked it, haha.

Yesterday was Sis Lemos' birthday too, and I made her pancakes =] we had lunch with Mercia and Monica and a bunch of other people, and there was cake and ice cream and it was just good fun =] Its amazing the love the people have for us here. I remember for my birthday, I couldnt understand or speak hardly at all, but still people had a party for me and just showed so much love =D What a great example to me of who I need to be!

Anyway, I think thats about it for the week. I love you all and pray for you every night!!!!! Remember to read your scriptures and pray and that Heavenly Father loves you!

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 : Você não vale nada, mas eu gosto de você....

The subject is a line from a song that everyone is playing over and over here. Translated, it means "You´re worth nothing, but I like you"

So not much to report this week. No baptism for us. Just working hard, teaching, and serving. I get home every night and just fall into bed. Its good though =] I love the members here, and they, surprisingly, love me too! Giselle (our recent baptism) started crying Saturday night because someone mentioned that I would be leaving in 5 weeks. I remember seeing Mercia and Monica feeling the same way about Sis Jacobs, and I remember wondering if I would ever touch anyone's life in such a way that they would feel that strongly about me. Amazingly, I have. I feel soooo blessed to have that love.

Not much else to report... I do have a hilarious story though!

Sis Lemos and I left the apartment Friday and were walking down the street, when a man called to us from the other side and motioned us over. We went, and he introduced himself as Pastor William, and invited us to his church up the street on Thursday. He told us that he would "free" us from our church. We smiled and invited him to church on Sunday. He accepted, and shook Sis Lemos' hand, then mine, and, continuing to hold my hand, he asked "You, you´re from Europe. Are you German?" and I said "No, the United States" and he said "Ah! I knew it!" (..yeah, whatever dude). Then, haha, this is the BEST part. He continued "And your family, they're all there right? God is blessing your family right now. But! I have the Spirit, prophesying to me that your mother... Her health isnt well. She's not well at all" At this, I think I got a surprised/incredulous look on my face, because he gripped my hand tighter and asked "Is it true?".

I grinned and responded "Well, yeah. She's dead."

Oh man, familia. The LOOK of his FACE. Without saying a word, he dropped my hand and turned away. Sis Lemos and I laughed for about 15 minutes straight. I think I will forever remember his expression.

Well, I love the mission, and I love you!!! The gospel is true!

Mon, 31 Aug 2009: Ya poi

Então familia,

Since this letter is only 4 days after the last one, i dont have anything too exciting to report. The work is going great--we're teaching a lot and have a lot of investigators. Our goal is 8 baptisms this transfer. We´ve already got 2 marked (Joana and leandro) and this week we're going to mark 4 more. Oh I love this work =]

I gave a talk in church yesterday about missionary work. I was basically like "My job is to teach. its the responsibility of the members to find people", because really, thats the way the missionary program should be working. I also talked about why i'm a missionary--because i love these people and i want them to have eternal happiness. Because Jesus Christ atoned for our sins and left us His gospel, and unless we follow that path, we cant have exaltation. Its the same way that, unless you follow the course program in a university to be a civil engineer, you can't recieve a diploma to be a civil engineer. You can't study history and get a degree in math. You cant follow any other path and get a celestial degree, entendesse? And this knowledge was restored through a prophet. Its SOOO important to make this known. And people think that if they dont believe it, it means its not true. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) there is a truth, and ignoring it won't make it go away.

Im still surprised how easily the language is flowing for me. sometimes i have people that are like "i have no idea what you're saying", but thats rare and unusual--i think they just get it in their minds that i have an accent and that they cant understand it, because after 10 minutesx of talking they understand. Or the spirit helps...Probably that one more than anything, haha

Anyway familia, I hope you all know that i love you and pray for all of you specifically. Stay firm in the gospel. Love each other.

~Sister Wilkinson

PS: The foto is a little guest that we found in our apartment. Sis Lemos killed it good.

Wed, 26 Aug 2009: So today was transfers....

And guess where I am now?

CARUARU!!!!!!!!!!! No joke! This will be my 4th transfer here! That means i'll spend about 6 months here total, which is 1/3 of my mission! Oh man, I seriously love this little town. And Sis Lemos is still with me, and Elders Stewart and Lucas are still here, along with Elder Halvorsen in the other ward. Only Elder Flaith got transfered, and we were all sad to see him go. But now he's Zone Leader! Woo! I'm glad I have 6 more weeks here! The next Transfer is 7 Oct. (HOW is it already almost September?! Whoa)

We didnt have any baptisms this week, but this transfer is going to one of amazing miracles, i can already tell. We also have the marriage of our little family, Joana and Leandro. I am SOOOOOO excited I get to be here for that! They are SOOO awesome! Theyre doing family prayer and reading scriptures and oh man, I just love them.

We did have some fun adventures this week. I wanted to do something nice for the Elders, so we decided, for our morning jog, to run to their house and leave something on their door for them. (sis lemos didnt want to, but after a rousing game of rock paper scissors, I was the victor!) So, departing from our house at 6 am, we ran for about 35-40 minutes to literally the other side of town. But when we got there... I forgot the name of the street. After about 20 minutes of searching, Sis Lemos was like "give up! lets go home!" but Sister Wilkinson does not give up! So I called the Elders and asked for their address. They were suspicious but gave it. We finally found their house and left balloons and some chocolate for them on their front door, then left nd called the Elders again. They were panicking because they thought we were calling for their address because Presidente was coming (he sometimes shows up unannounced to see if you're doing what you're supposed to) and they were frantically cleaning their apartment, hahahahahahahahaha. We told them to check their door and hung up. But then, this whole week, they didnt mention anything, and we thought they were planning somethjing, and we didnt want to mention anything until they did. But finally yesterday we told them, and they were like "we checked the door and there wasnt anything!" So apperantly, in the two minutes between us leaving and them checlking the door, someone stole everything. Thats Brasil for ya. But hey! Good story, ne?

Other things this week... We made coxinhas with an investigator, had a couple really fun FHE's with members and investigators, and we found some good new investigators and taught some good lessons and just had a lot of fun doing it. I'm loving life here in Caruaru =] I was talking with Giselle (our recent baptism) last night and I was telling her how I can't believe I feel soooo much love for people that two months I didnt even know existed. It's amazing. I just feel like these people are are my family (well, they are!). But I want so much whats best for them, and When they're happy, i'm happy. And when they're sad, I cry with them. A girl in our ward, Cybelly, who was baptised just before i got here, had her dad die Saturday night... And its really tragic because he shot his brother, then himself. We visited her Monday night and the minute she saw us she started sobbing and my heart was just breaking for her. Sis Lemos taught her family (who arent members) about the plan of salvation. But I remember after mom died, I was sooo sick of people telling me about the plan of salvation, that i'd see her again, etc, because even though I know that and believe it with all my heart, it still hurts and the pain is right there in that moment. I told her its ok to cry, and that the Lord knows exactly what she's feeling because he felt it Himself. That's what helped me the most, and what I needed to hear. She has a LOT of support from the girls in the ward (Mercia and Monica) that are good friends with her... She'll make it through. She has a LOT of faith and is a lot stronger than she realizes. But if any of you want to pray for her, I know she'd appreciate it.

Anyway, I hope all is well with everyone. Thanks for the love and support and especially the emails and letters!!!! They're worth more than gold for missionaries, you have no idea!

Fotos:

1) Our district at our last district meeting yesterday... awwww

2) making coxinhas

3) the surprise we left the Elders!

4) Giselle told Sis Lemos she had ugly shoes, hahahaha, so then giselle tried them on

5) having fun at FHE =]

Love you all!