Sister Shelby Lynn Dana: April 5th email

Well guess what! I am here and sending you my first email! I don't have much time, so please fix any spelling errors before you send this on mother:)

First off, I love the dear elders! thank you so so much for them! They just make my day whenever my district leader delivers them and i have a nice fat stack,..so keep them coming. Also, thank you so much for the Easter package! I love the necklace and stickers and everything:) Also thanks to John and Kathy for the package as well! My district definitely appreciated the food...it was fabulous!

Ok, so my district! I LOVE THEM. All of us, all 12, are going to Recife. That is super rare and so lucky! I have 4 sisters and 7 elders. Well, now only six because one got his visa likeeee 3 days ago so he is now in Brazil! Lucky sonofagun. Actually I don't really envy him all that much because I really love it here.

This place is amazing. I'm kinda glad I didn't go straight to Sao Paulo because I wouldn't want to trade this experience for anything. We had an amazing Easter. Bishop Causse and his wife, from the Presiding Bishopric, spoke to us during sacrament meeting, and then that night we had a devotional by Sheri Dew. It was way cool. I gained a new appreciation for the Atonement this Easter and a new love for my Savior. I was surprised by how different it was, but it was definitely in a good way. Also, we had a devo on Tuesday night by Elder Ringwood and I followed your advice and sang in the choir Mom! It was really cool, plus we got fabulous seats!

Daily life here...it is different, but I really love it. We're in class for a longggg time and I didn't know how much I missed school until I got here and started learning again. I love studying Portuguese. It is coming slowly, and a lot of the sisters in our district are getting frustrated and have little cry sessions every night, but I don't think it's bad at all. I mean, we've been here for a week and a half and I can already bear my testimony, say my prayers, and carry on a semi-interesting conversation in Portuguese. That ain't half bad!

We had an "investigator" our third day in...we had to teach him in Portuguese. Talk about scary! His name is Henrique and I thought of Norma's cousin the whole time:) Sister Butler (minha companeira) and I have very different styles of teaching, so it wasn't easy to work together at first, but by the 4th lesson we were pretty cohesive. it is so cool to feel the Spirit working through you as you teach, even though the investigator is just an actor. I have a veryyyy small vocabulary, but somehow say the right things to convey what I need to, It's just a great experience:)

There have definitely been some mishaps though. So in our 4th lesson, Sis Butler and I challenged Henrique to be baptized and he accepted! I tried to tell him that he would be blessed for the rest of his life for choosing to be baptized. Apparently the Portuguese word for "blessed" and the word for "abused" are very similar, just ask Dad. He busted up laughing and I was SO embarrassed and had no idea what I said until he explained after. Way to go Sister Dana.

So I see all of my friends here! It's great! I saw Chris Cluff the other day in the cafeteria and caused a real scene. Good thing I remembered that we aren't allowed to hug, because I almost broke that rule. I've seen a ton of kids from my highschool and USU too. Oh, and guess who has class a few doors down from me?! Soeur Maddie Hunsaker!! We found each other yesterday and there was much rejoicing in Zion.

Alright, a few things:

Mom- I love your letters and I love you! It is so good to hear about all of the things that happen at home, and I'm glad my poor car is going to a good home. Thanks for taking care of all my financial stuff and I miss you a ton!

Dad: I'm glad the lesson went well! I think about that video a lot and it has changed my perspective on teaching. When people are complaining about this place being hard and stressful, I always just think that it needs to be because "Salvation is not cheap!"

Cooper: Good luck kicking the asthma, and I highly doubt your closet looks better than mine. I miss you a lot and always think about what it will be like when you come here. I can't wait until you can experience this too! I hope school is going well and if it's not...try harder;) You're a real smart kid! Has baseball started up? How is that going? I love you!

We went to the temple this morning as a district and it was lovely. Problem: I forgot my temple recommend at home. I am so ashamed, what kind of missionary am I?! Mom, will you please go through my nightstand and see if you can find it? Also, it would be lovely if you could send some more footie socks and purple Tresemme hairspray...these are the things I lack.

Well, if I didn't know this was a true church before I came, I surely do now. I love it, and I love being here, and I love working hard. The food is questionable at times, so I eat a lot of salad...maybe I shall come back slender after all;) I know that miracles happen in this place, and the gift of tongues is real! I can feel your prayers, no joke. It's great.

I love you!!

Love-

Sister Shelby Dana