On This Week´s Episode of Teen Mom

Sometimes I think I am funny so I try and think of witty subject lines. So last week was transfers! Once again it was a HUGE surprise. We were at a member´s home when we got the call and Elder Bangerter called and said I was being transferred to Vila Prudente (capital! Yesss!) and I was training. WHAT. So I am opening an area and training. I had only been in Cumbica for one transfer so I was not expecting that. Or training. In the mission, you call your trainer your ``mom`` so I am referring to myself as a teen mom because I only have 3 transfers under my belt. My new companion is Sister Barbosa, soon to be Falcão because she is changing her name. She is from João Pessoa, and she is so cute! I love her heaps already. She has tons of MTC spirit and is just great. I love her. It really does feel like a mother daughter relationship. Vila Prudente is a dream. When Sister Waite and I came to São Paulo to renew her visa we had stayed in Vila Prudente and I had written in my journal that something about being in a big city made me feel alive. And now I am here! It is totally like New York City a little bit and we all know how I feel about New York. (Meags+Ash) This ward though. OH MY GOSH. I have never seen a ward like this. I haven´t even been here a week and they help so much. So my suitcases are broken, and a member came to pick them up for me. The ward mission leader has this idea of giving everyone in the ward the Christmas pass along cards with our (the missionaries) numbers on it, and then we get a reference and get to take the Nativity DVD to them. He did that. All on his own. The members give references here and they are more than willing to help with ANYTHING we need. Shoot, the Relief Society has a basket set up for the sisters and each member puts like a bag of sugar or whatever we ask. President can forget I exist and leave me here for a while. So aside from all this newness, this week was AMAZING! Seriously. So the previous sisters had taught a guy named Ramon 2 lessons and had his baptism marked for next Saturday. He was a reference from this solid solid member named Aderaldo. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and I just kept feeling the Spirit so strongly that he should be baptized this week. I didn´t know if there was a reason though for next week so I didn´t say anything. As soon as we left though I called Irmão Aderaldo and asked him why next week and he said there wasn´t a reason. So the next day I invited him to be baptized this Sunday and he accepted! I was soooooo happy. I love when you can recognize the Spirit and act upon it. It is a great feeling. I have a firm testimony that the Spirit is the most important thing in missionary work. Without the Spirit, or if you ignore the Spirit, you will miss out on huge miracles. But Ramon. Wow. This guy is amazing. His girlfriend broke up with him because he was being baptized but he didn´t even care. He has already said he is going on a mission because he wants to share the gospel with others now that he has found it. True conversion! AHHHH. Ramon has such a tender spirit, he is just pure. He had a questions about black and the preisthood, and we showed him 2 Nephi  26:33, and he goes ´´Perfect, I get it now´´. The scriptures. Man oh man are they powerful! The scriptures+The Spirit in missionary work is everything. Amazing thigs will always ensue. I feel like I am starting to actually ´´get´´ things you know? It is kind of awesome. I still have SO much to improve on and learn though. I am in love with my companions and Vila Prudente. So on Friday President called, (scary, I look at the phone and puff, President Ferrin is calling) and he asked how I felt about being in a trio. Sister Oborn is having some health problems and might have to go serve stateside and he wanted her to go to Vila Prudente and be in a trio with Sister Falcão and I. So now we are a trio. I love her lots, she reminds me of my BFFS back home. Especially Emily and Meagan. It is awesome. I really hope she gets to stay!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray lots for her. So yesterday, Sister Aledo(ahhhhh I miss her, I love her so much!) called and I learned lots. In Cumbica, it seemed like we would work and work and nothing would really happen. I knew people have their agency, and was fully aware of that, but still. So she called and told me that Karol was baptized! YESSSSSSS! I knew she would after last week and I was so happy. Her whole family came, (she is Tayná´s older sister) and Tayná bore her testimony so strongly. It brought me so much joy! Another couple we had taught also accepted baptism. FAMILIAS!!! So I am freaking out in this member´s living room because I am so excited about it. I learned that not everything is in our time. It is the Lord´s time. All we have to do as missionaries is our part. We may not always understand, but the Lord knows His children. He knows what is best for them, and when it is their time. So now I am just happy. Then she told me to brace myself, she had news about Kely (our friend from açai). I was spazzing out and was like what has she accepted to be baptized? Nope. She is pregnant and is naming her daughter after me.I screamed. I literally screamed in a member´s home and started to cry and they came to make sure I was okay. Hahaha. I am a spaz. Yesterday though, something changed. I was just beaming with happiness. It all started with Ramon´s baptism, I just kept thinking, wow I am so grateful I am a missionary. I love being a missionary. I love this. Then with Sister Aledo´s call, it just shot it through the roof. I love this work so much. I have always loved being a missionary, but just something is different. I am so in love with this. I am grateful I get to bring others unto Christ. I know He lives! This is the greatest work ever, and I love it. I love this gospel, and I know without a shadow of a doubt it is true. 

Love,

Sister Carvalho

PS I am in the mission office´s zone now, so I go there each week for zone meetings. Letters would be greatly appreciated. Peace and blessings.

Sister Barbosa! Minha filha! Eu amo ela muito!!!!

I have titled our house VP Mansh. It is huge. It has four rooms and really
cute stairs so I took a picture.

Halloween! Didn´t have black and orange so I did black and yellow. (black
and yellow black and yellow black and yellow) I also bought myself a
snickers bar because it is American. A member saw us walking home so she
offereed us a ride and her daughter named Laura was dressed up. Laura is 8
and resembles my little sister Laura. It is weird.

RAMON`S BAPTISM!!!!! YAYYYYY! President also walked in at the end of
sacrement meeting and stayed for the baptism!

One of our investigators(Marcos and Erika) lives in this apartment complex
and you can see the whole city from their balcony.

Erika and Marco´s baby. This is so creepy, but I want a baby just like her.
SHe is smiling like this the WHOLE time. She is the smilest cutest baby
ever. Her name is Camila, just like my sweet little cousin:)

My Thanksgiving banner is up and ready for business! Autumn!!!

AH AH AH AH BOO.

That was the first line of Laurie´s email to wish me a Happy Halloween and it brought me joy so I decided to make that the subject line for this week. I hope everyone has the best Halloween. I am buying myself candy for sure. We have transfers tomorrow! Have no idea what is happening, we will see next week:) I was reading in Alma this morning and I really enjoyed Alma 4:10. The members of the church were being a stumbling block to the non-members around them. What are we doing personally? A thought I had was, are we being a stumbling block to those around us, or a building block? Are we being good examples and loving so people notice that we have the greatest message ever to share with them? I would like to be a building block to help bring others unto Christ. In verse 13 it talks about helping others for Christ´s sake. We are representatives of Christ, and we should be acting as He would. Yahoo! Miracles happened this week,obviously. Miracles happen all the days, we just need to look for them! I had a break through this week. I was really thinking about why miracles like R and M happen,but then nothing after. WHY? Like is it something I did wrong personally? Am I not going after it, or just why do these people kind of puff dissapear? I think I have an answer. Because although it was in fact a miracle, not all miracles that happen around us are just for us. Maybe that was that person´s chance to hear the gospel, and they didn´t take it. Maybe it was to increase our faith if we are running on low, or Heavenly Father just wants to bless us. With all that happened this week I think that that is proof. We had a miracle with one of our investigators,K, and she chose not to follow. WHEN SHE HAD A MIRACLE HAPPEN INSTANTLY. This entire transfer we have worked with her. It is interesting because we had all these reasons to cut her, but Sister Aledo and I both feel that she will be baptized. We have been praying for her and thinking about her and her whole family heaps. On Friday night I prayed and the immeadiate answer I got was to testify with the Spirit. So then my prayers turned into having the Spirit present and having a miracle happen. We got there on Saturday and just told her we knew it was true. The Spirit was so so strong. My prayer was answered! I prayed throughout the lesson and I got a distinct answer that it was on the Lord´s time too. Heavenly Father is so aware of us though.  The miracle came. We all said a prayer on our knees and K ust started crying because she felt the Spirit, and so did Sister Aledo.  I felt the Spirit working through us as we taught. It was a miracle. K´s prayer was answered instantly, as soon as she was done praying! However, K decided not to be baptized yet(we set a goal for this week). People have their agency. Her decision makes me sad, but agency is one of the most priceless gifts we have. I am so grateful for agency. I am so grateful Heavenly Father is so aware of us.I knowthe thing He wants most is for all of us to be happy and follow Him. I want to do my very best at doing my part to make Heavenly Father proud of me. Sometimes I think of Him and Christ smiling at me and being proud of me, and just thinking about that brings me joy. I want that thought I have to come true, and it all starts with me and my choices! Yes! Have an awesome week you lovely, people!

Love love love,

Sister Carvalho

Great Things From This Week:

Sister Aledo and I have bruised arms because everytime we see a vw bug, we punch each other.

We had sister conference last week. Alll the sisters in the mission got
together. So guess who was there? MINHA MAE! Sister Waite!!!!!!! I snuck up
on her and ran speedy quick to her and then we started screaming out of
joy. I love her so so so so much! Also we matched and we didn´t even plan
it. Both wore pink shirts and black skirts. If that isn´t best friend status, I don´t know what is.

Our zone!

A tree got stuck on me. Cool. 

So I carved my pumpkin! And I was so happy! Then two seconds after I took
that picture I accidently knocked off my pumpkin from the counter. I
spazzed out, ran to grab it and got a little teary because I thought it was
smashed. Then it wasn´t smashed, and we were cracking up and Sister Aledo
captured the moment.

I love my pumpkin. 

Kely! She works at açai and is so cool. I love her. We are all BFFs.

Hi my name is Sister Carvalho. I am copying Sister Anderson. I´m a Mormon.

This week was an awesome awesome learning experience. So this week I have reflected lots on the Atonement. I have been trying to finish up the part of The Book of Mormon that I missed, I think I got here when we were in Helaman, so I finished it and now am going from Nephi to Helaman. I was in 15-20, and chapter 16 is so powerful. Christ is the light of the world, and in every human being´s life. He has paid for our sins. He loves us, unconditionally. Salvation and redemption is reached only through Christ. Itmade me think of all the people we  pass by every single day. Christ didn´t Atone for my sins alone. Or just my family´s and friend´s, but literally for every single person that has ever ever lived. When I think of that, it makes me so grateful. Heavenly Father has such a perfect plan for us. He only wants us to return to Him, and for that reason is why He sent Christ to us. I have felt the Atonement work in my life so much, and when I feel that comfort and it´s power it just fills me with happiness. A verse I just loved was verse 12, His arms are ALWAYS extended in mercy and they always will be, because Christ has ALREADY paid!!! How many people have no idea of that? Or don´t undertstand the importance of having a Savior. Everyone needs the Atonement in their lives, which just brings us back to our purpose as missionaries, to invite others to come unto Christ, because Christ truly is the light and saving grace. I am just really really grateful for that, and so happy. The gospel makes you happy, and I like being happy. Being happy is the best thing ever and I know that I can show my gratitude by helping all of Heavenly Father´s children come unto Him, because He wants all of His children come unto Him. On a sad note, one of our dear friends named Conçeicão passed away. She and her husband Nanal worked on the corner of the chapel selling spices and produce, and we would pass them almost every day. I still remember the first day we met them! When we got sick two weeks ago, they got so worried about us and gave us tea leaves to make tea and get better.  They were just the most loving people ever. It was always fun to get to talk them for a little. Having her pass away was hard, but it increased my testimony of The Plan of Salvation so much more. I know that I will see her again, and I know that this isn´t the end! Although I cried a lot, I feel peace at the same time, because of the Plan of Salvation. We went to Nanal´s yesterday and he just asked us to stay with him and all his family was there. One of his brother-in-laws said there was no medicine for the soul and I couldn´t help but mumble that there was. Christ is the cure for our souls, I get sad when people don´t know it! Him and all his family are part of the Assemblia de Deus and as they were comforting Nanal, they were like you will see her again dad! We all won´t recognize each other or know each other but we will all be reunited with God again. No!!! I know we will be reunited with our Heavenly Father. I know we will be reunited with our families if we remain faithful, because that is part of His plan! His miraculous plan that was made possible through our Savior!  I have faith that Nanal will accept the gospel soon, because the gospel truly is the medicine and solution to all of life´s sorrows. It made me so sad to see him hurt so much when I know the solution. I don´t know how to quite express my feelings, but I know these things. I know that although we are all missing her, there is so much more. I love this gospel. I know my Savior lives and that one day we will all be reunited with Him. I am so blessed to be here and so grateful that I am a missionary. 

Over and Out,

Sister Carvalho

Good Lines From This Week:

Me: DANG IT!

SIster Aledo: What?

Me: There is a scary teeny spider on my Jesus The Christ!

Sister Aledo: Kill it kill it!

Me: Sister, I can´t hit my Jesus The Christ!!

(Ps. Paul, read Jesus The Christ, I think you´d enjoy it)

Sister Aledo: Kensie!

Sister Aledo: Oh my gosh, I just called you my sister´s name. That means I really love you.

Also last night we were dummies and left our window and door open when we got home because it was hot. A cockaroach FLEW in. FLEW PEOPLE. There was tears in my eyes. Sister Aledo asked me to help, but I could only offer moral support as she tried to get it out. I hate bugs.

Why yes it has been raining a lot. It looks like I have a hunchback with my
backpack underneath my coat. Also notice the pumpkin I bought. I WAS SO
EXCITED TO FIND IT! I am carving that bad boy today. Everyone please go
drink some pumpkin hot chocolate from Starbucks in my honor. Ask for hot
chocolate with two pumps of pumpkin. That is all.

More Miracles

So this week we had a miracle and a baptism. It was so great. Miracles always happen after the hard times, and just at the perfect time. We have had a hard time finding people to teach so we are doing way more contacts. Hey I just met you, and this is crazy, but here is my number, can we teach you maybe? So we got sick this week. My stomach started hurting so bad on Tuesday. It felt like I had a towel inside me and someone was squeezing it the tightest they could. Sister Aledo felt the same way, and she got it way worse. I think it lasted until Saturday, whereas on ThursdyI felt fairly better. We think our water might be contaminated because apparently all of Guarlulhos is. So Em and Meag, as my best friends you two should probably start a campaign for People Water to come to Brazil. Thanks. We now have to buy huge jugs of water. Da hora.

                 

 Two of our baptisms fell after having fallen before so it was so sad. It is just like AH! Why don´t you get this? This is the key to being your happiest ever! Tayná´s baptism did go through this week though. She is such a special little girl. She reminds a little bit of my little sister´s. My sisters really are something else, man oh man. Everytime we would visit her she just had scriptures she had read and would show us her favorite verses. She is wise beyond her years. Right after she got dressed in her baptismal clothes she just started crying. And crying because she was so happy. There was the sweetest Spirit at her baptism. After Sister Aledo and I helped her come out of the font she just started crying even more because she was so happy! SHE IS SO SWEET OH MY GOSH. Her mom came in and asked how she felt and all she could say was she couldn´t explain it. I am so happy for her. I feel like amazing things will come out of that little girl, I just know it. And now for the miracle! Wowie. So we pick up all these children who were baptized before I got here to come to church each week. Yesterday we had 9 kids come with us and they aren´t the most reverent always. This week a dog of theirs literally followed us all the way from the favela to the chapel. After being stressed from the kids, we make our way to class when we hear scratching at the door. The dog was not leaving and was making the doors shake, and loud. Sister Aledo and I had to go out and stay by the dog otherwise it would disturb everyone and wouldn´t leave. I will not even lie, I was so so so ticked at that dumb dog yesterday, but now I am so grateful for it. As we were out there, a woman came by and she asked if there was a way she could see the hymns. Her sister was a member who had passed away a few years ago and had a favorite song she always sang. She said she was dreaming about her sister lately and she just felt like she needed to come to the chapel. OH MY MIRACLES. I also now have a love/hate relationship with that dog. We had a really sweet moment and we are going to visit her tomorrow. I have a really really good feeling about this lady. I am seriously so pumped, please pray for Marli! Also Maria, a lady who lives on our street, we are visiting her on Wednesday!

                

Another thing! This week we had interviews with President Ferrin. I love him so much! Seriously. I know he is truly inspired and called of God. Ah he and Sister Ferrin are great. While we waited for interviews, we watched this Mormon Message: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5FxdCgD-qI&list=PL4E784EC0770935C0 

and everything just started click clicking in my brain. This is why families are so sacred. Because our Heavenly Father feels the same way as he does as a normal dad for His kids. He cares about us. Ah this video just depicted it perfectly. Loved it. Mormon Messages are grand. That is all for this week! I love all of you lots! Thank you for the prayers they mean the world. Us missionaries can truly feel them everyday!

Love love love,

Sister Carvalho

Good Quotes from this week:

Sister Aledo: (said something about Christmas)

Me: Oh my gosh I love love love Christmas!

Sister Aledo: Obviously, you sleep with a Santa blanket every night.

Me: Touché.

So our LD busted his knee and might have to go home. So sad. Pray for Elder McKeon please. Tonight, because he finds out if he has to go home tomorow. But every night, Sister Aledo interrogates him on if he is taking care of his knee right. 

Sister Aledo: Are you elevating your knee?

Elder McKeon: Yes

Sister Aledo: Do you have pants on?

I laughed so hard I cried. She was trying to see if had shorts on because it is better circulation but it just came out wrong. oh my. It was too good.

 

I celebrated my most favourite season ever by making brownies with the
autumn themed things my sweet mother sent me.

I now know why all the boys love me. (that was sarcasm, obviously)

Last p-day. This mural is by our house and it scares me. 

I went to my first birthday party! This family is so sweet. The mom (Jeiza)
got baptized the week I got here. They already give references, and asked
for a list of people we are teaching so they can pray for them because they
saw it on conference. LOVE THEM!

I smelled this flower and got orange stuff all over my face. Typical. 

Adriana (Tayná´s mom) and Tayná!

I love her so so much!

Elder Diaz baptized her! He is from Argentina and he really helped Tayná
gain a testimony, he is great!