I don´t have much time to write today, and I can´t actually think of much to write about! This week was just another week of work, and it went really well this week. We taught a lot of lessons, found some new people, and worked with some different menos-ativos também. We had an event with the Stake where leaders came together one night to do divisions to make visits. It was really good, except that only 2 people from our ward came! Que vergonha! But still, a lot of good work was done.

On Sunday the other ward that shares our capela had a baptism after church, and we attended with a pesquisador. Every baptism is so special! Baptism truly is the gate to the pathway of eternal life (i love 2 Néfi 31!) and it is always a miracle to watch someone pass through that gate. We have a pesquisador that will be baptized this Saturday, and it is so amazing to see the excitement that he has in embracing the Book of Mormon and o evangelho. Truly we are so blessed to be have this knowledge and to make this covenant.

I am out of time, but I love you all! Hope this week is awesome

This week was interesting, and contained many surprises! On Monday, our p-day, Irmã Howard and I made a cake for a member that we work with a lot (it was her birthday). We went over to her house and had dinner with her. Lídia is from Cabo Verde, and cooks really well! She made a sweet curry that had apples in it...yum! It was good to get to spend the time with her, because she is amazing and works with us multiples times a week, so we were happy to get to help her celebrate her birthday.

On Tuesday we had a surpise Zone Conference! We found out at 11h in the morning that we had a conference in Setúbal, and needed to arrive ASAP. So we traveled by metro e high-speed trains to get there. The meeting was good, but it took up our whole day (we returned to Almada at 20h), which was sad to miss the time and lessons that we had planned. But, we learned more about diligencia and obediencia. It´s interesting (at least it was to me) that we can go along thinking that we´re doing a good job, but when you take the time to step back and evaluate, you see all the things that you need to improve! So, I was grateful that I had the chance to re-evaluate my work and habits and to see what needs to chance. Every day is about changing and improving! There are Always things that we need to change, but that is the great news about repentance- that we CAN! I was thinking about repentance yesterday, and how sometimes we (at least I) have the impression of repentance as a thing of condemnation (you need to repent!). But really, repentance is all about having a change of heart, and this changes our minds and perspectives of how we view everything- God, ourselves, the world and people around us. Repentance is more than just stopping from doing bad things, but changing and filling our lives with good things and habits that help us to become more like Heavenly Father! Sorry if I went off a bit, but really repentance is such an amazing gift that we have been given.

More surprises came this week...on Wednesday we received a call from President Torgan and he told Irmã Howard ´´O Senhor está a mandar-te ás Açores´´, in other words, my companion was transferred to the Açores Islands! Some irmãs went home in the middle of transfers, so things got mixed up a bit and now I have a new companion! Irmã Holtzclaw arrived on Thursday, and she is muito fixe. She has 6 weeks left in the mission, and she is determined to make the most of the time she has, so I´m really excited to work with her. She is my 5th companion already! And for sure I´ll have a new companion next transfer because she will leave in the middle. So there are always changes here, but life is good and the work continues! It has been rainy and I´ve been a little sick, but nothing can stop the work of the Lord! We just need to seek His will and follow His guidance, and everything will work out to the best.

Last p-day was a BEAUTIFUL day here; the sun was shining with a clear blue sky...amazing. My companion and I decided to take advantage of the first pday of the month and go visit a castle in Palmelo. We took the metro, then a highspeed train through the countryside (it was so nice to see lots of grass and open spaces! Although I like it in Almada, I am not a city person). There is a bus that goes up to the castle, but we didn´t know the schedule, and since it was such a beautiful day we decided to walk to the castle. We didn´t really know the way, but it was at the top of a hill that we could see, so how hard could it be? Well...we ended up taking the scenic route walking there and it took about an hour to arrive! But, it was so nice to walk around and see the area that is was totally worth it and really neat. Portugal is a beautiful country! The castle was really neat as well, but the best part was the view...you could see for a long ways to the ocean on one side, and the cities on the other side. It was really neat to see some of the history of Portugal.

The week since we basically didn´t have any progressing investigators, we did lots of procura! And we found lots of people. We decided that we need to search diligently to find families, becuase families are what will help the ward here the most. And yesterday we found three potential families that I am really excited about! We just need to teach more lessons, find more people, and help them to progress! (just this!) But really, I´m grateful for the opportunity to be here and to be doing this work.

This weekend we had stake conference, and the sunday session was actually a broadcast from Salt Lake just for Spain and Protugal. Margaret Lifferth, a couple from the Seventies, and Elder Russell M. Nelson spoke, and it was really good! It´s amazing that they did a whole broadcast just for the two countries here. Elder Nelson spoke a lot about youth, and how they are the future of the church. He addressed the things that we should be teaching and doing with our children. One thing that he emphasized was Family Home Evening. He said to be consistent, flexible, and involve everyone in the process. I whole-heartedly agree, and I am so thankful for Family Home Evening! I know that our families will be more unified and have more love if we take the time to spend time together, and talk about the things that are of the most importance to us- the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Also in his talk, Elder Nelson referenced 3 Néfi 27:27, where Christ asks what manner of men we ought to be- even as He is. This gospel is not just about learning the teachings of Christ, but applying them in our lives and changing who we are to become more like Him. This is something that sometimes people we teach don´t understand right away- we aren´t here just to teach them about Jesus Christ, but to help them APPLY and live the gospel, becuase it is only when we do this that we change and see the blessings of the gospel in our lives. Faith requires action! And when we act on our faith, we will change, grow, and improve in ways that we didn´t know were possible! I know that the atonement of Christ has the power to change our lives. In Stake Conference this weekend, I saw Nicolau (who was baptized last week), sitting in the chapel with a white shirt and tie, waiting to begin, and I was so happy! The gospel has already changed his life, and it is because he is willing to learn and do...seeing those changes in others, and ourselves is so fulfilling, because this gospel is about change, transformation, and progression.

Anyways, I hope that you all have a great week! Remember that I love you, and have family home evening tonight! I know that whatever your situation may be, if you take the time to study the gospel with those around you, you will be blessed with more love and a stronger testimony of the restored gospel!!! :D

Wow, it is February already! Crazy how time flies...
This week was good; on Saturday we had a baptism of Nicolau, who is truly a miracle. About three weeks ago on a Sunday morning he called the missionaries and needed help to find the chapel. They started teaching him about the gospel, and last week we invited him to be baptized. He was baptized and confirmed this weekend, and it was really awesome. I love teaching him and people like him, becuase although they don´t understand or know everything, they are willing and eager to learn. This is the characteristic that is most important- to be teachable and have a desire to learn, change, and grow.
His baptism was really exciting, but also a little sad because when he became a member that meant that we don´t have any pesquisadors that are progressing...we have a lot of finding to do. Last transfer was a white wash here with two new sisters, and not much work was done before they arrived. So essentially we are starting from scratch. It is hard, but I am trying to learn from this experience, especially how to be guided by the spirit. I know that there are people here that are prepared to accept the gospel, but we just can´t find them! But the Lord knows who and where they are, so we just have to trust in Him.
On the metro this week we ran into the same man and talked to him both times- he is probably in his fifties, has had a hard life, and is not happy but wants to be. We talked to him about the gospel and the atonement, and that he could find happiness through Christ. He said ´but I´m not happy now´and I basically told him that he wasn´t happy because he lacks the principles of the gospel and he needs to have faith in christ, repent, be baptized and receive the gift of the holy ghost, and only then will he find true happiness. I was probably the most bold and direct that I´ve ever been, but it was powerful because I felt the spirit speaking through me and he needed to know! I just wish that I could speak that way with everyone....still learning.
Today we are planning to go visit a castle, because we can only leave our area on the first pday of every month. I´m excited to see some history and I´ll send pictures next week!
Sorry if it is hard to understand when I use words in Portugues; I speak only Portuguese with my companion, and so I think of these things in Portugues. Yesterday a irmã who finished her mission stopped by with her family, and it was really weird to speak english with them! To be honest, it is kind of my goal to forget english :P Vamos ver.

It feels like a long time ago since the last time I wrote! This week has been a week of re-orientation. Last Tuesday I got everything all packed up and traveled by train and ferry across the river to Almada, my new area with Irmã Howard. This area opened for irmãs only the previous transfer, so the missionary work here is still beginning. There is potential here, but also a lot of work! This week we mostly did a lot of procura, contacting people from the area book and doing ´´contatos da oracão´´. It was an interesting week and we met lots of people. There is one investigator here, Nicolau, that is pretty much a golden investigator that appeared two weeks ago. After several attempts, we finally had a compromisso with him, and invited him to be baptized this next week. He accepted, and we´re really excited for him- he´s a really good person.
On Sunday I went to church with a member and an investigator while Irmã Howard went to buscar o outro pesquisador. We arrived at the chapel (which I had never been to before!) right on time for sacrament meeting. When the counselor started to conduct the meeting, he announced that Irmã Howard would be the pianist, but she wasn´t there yet! So, I got to play the piano for sacrament meeting- I´m just grateful that I am able to and that I got to practice in Oeiras a lot!
Sunday school was...interesting. The bishop teaches the class, and yesterday went off on lots of tangents that were not related to basic principles of the gospel! It was both a little frustrating and nerve-racking: you don´t feed the carne before the milk!
But, it was interesting being in a smaller ala slash branch. They could use a lot of help.
I was reading this morning in 2 Néfi 2, and I really liked the first three verses(I like them better in Portuguese!). In spite of the afflictions that Jacob passed through, he was blessed because he knew of the greatness of God, and his afflictions were consecrated for his good. I know that we all pass through afflictions, but that these experiences are for our good, and that we always have something to learn. No matter what we go through, when we have faith in Jesus Christ, we have hope because we know that Christ overcame all.

Transfers!

Today is the last day of my first transfer (transfer? transfaréncia). Can you believe it? The time has really flown by. Today was my first experience of waiting for...the phone call...from President, to tell us if any of us are moving. Luckily the phone call came around noon, so we didn´t have to wait for too long. The News...I am being transferred!!!!
I am moving from Oeiras to Almada, which is across the river. My companion will be Irmã Howard who, interestingly enough, was in my freshman ward at BYU! She has been in Portugal since August, and we are the two newest sisters in the mission. It should be interesting! I know it will be hard, but I am excited because I know that the Lord has a purpose for this, and that there is a lot to learn!
This week was interesting. We worked a lot with our investigator Nito, meeting with him every day to help him feel prepared for baptism and be able to stop smoking. Miracles really do happen! He was baptized on Sunday after church, and he was so excited and happy to be baptized, it was great. Funny detail- after the fiasco last week of not being able to heat the water, we lit the aquecedor a whole day before the baptism to heat the water. Well, when it was time for the baptism, the water was too hot!! So we added a couple panfuls of cold water to make the temperature better...never without adventure here!

Often times things happen that make it so clear that this work is not being done by us, but that we are only instruments in God´s hands. A couple weeks ago we received a reference from church headquarters with a name and endereço of a woman. After a couple tries we finally found the right rua and predio that the reference listed, except a woman by that name does not exist in that predio! We knocked every door in the predio and could not find her. However, at the address that the reference listed, there was a family. We left a pamphlet with them and said we would return later. Yesterday we went back to their apartment, and found the whole family there. They let us in and we talked about God´s plans for families. They are an incredible family! We made an appointment with them to return, and we found a new family to teach!! This is the first complete family that we found, and it is very exciting! They are truly golden. I´m sad that I am leaving before we teach them more...But, we felt that our goal this week for new pesquisadors should be 10 pessoas, and we found the last 5 last night! Heavenly Father truly placed this family in our hands, and now it is up to us to do our part!

This week passed by quickly, but at the same time, it feels like it lasted forever...times moves weirdly.
We had interviews and training on Tuesday this last week. We have them once a transfer, and it was my first experience with them. It was amazing! President Torgan teaches from the scriptures, and the insights and applications that he made were so insightful and clearly inspired. It made me want to be a lot better!
Something that I have learned more, especially in the last week is that when we pray specifically, we get specific answers, although they may not be quite what we imagined. When I was in the MTC, I prayed to have a native companion, because I thought that would help me the most here. What did I end up with?...TWO natives!! Heavenly Father more than answered my prayers, in a way I did not expect. This last week I saw how quickly prayers can be specifically answered as well. We have an investigator, Nito, who has been progressing, and we wanted to invite him to be baptized. I prayed the morning before we taught him that we would know if it was the Lord´s will to invite him to be baptized this next week. During the lesson, we invited him to come to another investigator´s baptism, and were talking about baptism. He said that he wanted to be baptized, and so my companion, Irmã NKutxi invited him to be baptized this next weekend, and he accepted. The Lord answered my specific prayer and Nito showed us his desire! I also have a more...interesting story.
I think last week I mentioned Julia preparing to be baptized. We had her baptism planned for 5pm on Saturday (this is the baptism we invited Nito to attend). I had prayed with my companions for her to have an ´´inesquecivel´´ (unforgettable?) experience at her baptism. We arrived at the chapel a little after 4pm to get everything ready. The baptismal font was all ready and full of water, but the water was bem-frio!! (semelhante to Lake Michigan this summer!) Júlia has health problems and has been sick, so there was no way that she could be baptized in that cold water...and the heater for the font was not working. One idea we had was to heat up water in the kitchen and add it to the font to raise the temperature. We tried this for about an hour, but it wasn´t having any success. Our next solution was to try another chapel that was already having a baptism and would have a font ready...but they had all already emptied the font. So the Elders in our district in Cascais prepared their chapel for us to use...and the font takes 2 hours to fill up! So, a lot of pandemonium occurred, but we finally had a baptism at 8 pm. It was definitely an unforgettable experience!!! We spent 5 hours at the chapel to have one baptism! (and of course this was the night we planned to have a three-way division, but these things happen) I think in the future I will be a little more careful with my prayers, and stick with praying for a spiritually uplifting experience!
But, I really do know that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers, even when the answers may not be what we want or expect. When we have faith and hope, we trust in Him and His plan for us, and recognize that ´´my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.´´(Is. 55) I am grateful that we can always pray to our Father in Heaven to know his ways!