Holy Smokes. Well folks...visas do come!!! As of Monday, June 17th, I will be leaving for Recife, Brazil! I can't even describe how it feels...oh my gosh. Ok, here goes.
So mom, I got your letter right before the time ran out so I found out that my visa was ready, and then I totally freaked out and started bawling and oh my goodness, it was ridiculous. Then I got a call from President Topham a few days later telling me that I would be leaving Pittsburgh on the 17th and flying to Detroit, then Sao Paolo, then Recife! It'll be a 24 hour journey, and I...don't even know what to think. I really don't.
My time here in Pittsburgh has been SO PRECIOUS to me, and although I am excited to go to Brazil, I can't help but feel a little heartbroken having to leave the people that I have watched grow and progress so much. Thank you for your prayers, btw. I've really seen them bless the lives of my investigators and people we teach! I can't even describe the miracles that I have seen here, and how I have gained a deeper appreciation for the Atonement and the true power that is found in this gospel. For a while, I thought that as a missionary, I had such a huge responsibility! All of these people keep coming to me and telling me about their problems and expecting me to fix them! What the HECK, I'm only 19! I'm a college drop-out for Pete's sake! But then I totally had this epiphany and I felt like I should have the word "stupid" stamped across my forehead. The answer is the same for every single problem. Prayer, scriptures, and church. What the heck. Having an addiction? Pray, read, and go to church. Want true conversion? Study about it. Communicate with your Heavenly Father. Put yourself in a place to receive revelation. I can't believe how easy it all really is! Honestly...I feel so dumb.
That was a tangent...yep. But anyway, I feel like I had to come here to learn that and that I wouldn't have gone through half of the changes that I have if I hadn't been in Pittsburgh! I have turned to my Savior in ways I didn't know I could and established a really personal relationship with Him. It is so cool. Also, I've been lucky enough to remember all of the Portuguese that I learned in the MTC. That isn't a lot, but it is still amazing because I was terrified that I'd forget all of it before I got to Brazil! But I can testify that the gift of tongues is real!! Well...it better be, because I'm pretty much banking on it to help me survive! But I have faith :)
So apparently not everyone's visas are coming. My beloved MTC companion, Sister Butler, will be staying in PA for a little while longer. It was SO HARD to say goodbye to her! We have been through so much together, and she's really become one of my best friends. But she is doing awesome work here, and I know she'll stay as long as the Lord needs her.
Ummm here's something amazing that happened. Have I mentioned that we had a full mission conference with Elder Bednar this weekend? Heck yes we did! Our whole mission met in a chapel over in Harrisburg and had an amazing meeting with him, Elder Rasband, Elder Hamilton, and Elder Smith. We learned so much and I had one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. He totally revolutionized the way I teach, making it more personal and focused on our investigators. We had a Q&A sesh, and I had the opportunity to ask an apostle of the Lord a question! Yeah it was unreal. I asked him how I could more fully give my heart over to the Lord, because I have such a desire to serve and do my best, but some of the worries and concerns that I had before my mission prevent me from focusing all of my attention on my service. He told me that the key was to turn outward...just like the poem that I wrote when I was first in the MTC... and then gave me a challenge to take a fresh Book of Mormon and go through it from start to finish and mark every time it talks about "hearts" and "ordinances". Talk about amazing...you'd better believe that I will! He said a lot of other things that I had already been thinking about, and it was amazing to have Elder Bednar confirm things that the Spirit had told me.
Everyone got to shake our guests' hands after the meeting, and Elder Bednar thanked me for my question, and then Elder Hamilton looked at me and said, "Sister Dana, you are very special." Holy cow it was so cool!!
As if that wasn't enough, we had an amazing meeting with Lisa yesterday. She is making incredible progress...everyday there is a new challenge that she has overcome. I am so proud of her!! She met with the bishop, which was a big step in the right direction, and then we went to her house to talk about what she was going to do. We were able to share our testimonies and work through a lot of her problems. I have never met anyone like her before. She is the most humble, faithful, and pure person...If I were to come home from my mission today, I
would be a different person purely because I met Lisa.
Mom: I got your package! Thank you!! The garments are wayyyy too big...so I shall be sending them back! Haha so be expecting a package soon with all of my clothes and lots of love in it:) I will get to talk to you soon!!
Dad: Happy Father's day! I hope that you guys get the letter that I sent! I love you very much...I'm going to Brazil! Hooray!
Cooper: What's up, I hear that you're turning into quite a stud! Please beat away the girls and I hope you remember how to smell nice. Boys can really stink when they get growthspurts. But I hope football is going well and that you guys have an awesome team!
Mima and Papa: Thank you so much for the package! I love the books and they are super helpful! I hope you get my letters soon!
I love you all so so much...and I won't be able to write next week...I don't think. So be safe and know that you are in my prayers and HOLY CRAP I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO BRAZIL!
Love,
Sister Dana
So mom, I got your letter right before the time ran out so I found out that my visa was ready, and then I totally freaked out and started bawling and oh my goodness, it was ridiculous. Then I got a call from President Topham a few days later telling me that I would be leaving Pittsburgh on the 17th and flying to Detroit, then Sao Paolo, then Recife! It'll be a 24 hour journey, and I...don't even know what to think. I really don't.
My time here in Pittsburgh has been SO PRECIOUS to me, and although I am excited to go to Brazil, I can't help but feel a little heartbroken having to leave the people that I have watched grow and progress so much. Thank you for your prayers, btw. I've really seen them bless the lives of my investigators and people we teach! I can't even describe the miracles that I have seen here, and how I have gained a deeper appreciation for the Atonement and the true power that is found in this gospel. For a while, I thought that as a missionary, I had such a huge responsibility! All of these people keep coming to me and telling me about their problems and expecting me to fix them! What the HECK, I'm only 19! I'm a college drop-out for Pete's sake! But then I totally had this epiphany and I felt like I should have the word "stupid" stamped across my forehead. The answer is the same for every single problem. Prayer, scriptures, and church. What the heck. Having an addiction? Pray, read, and go to church. Want true conversion? Study about it. Communicate with your Heavenly Father. Put yourself in a place to receive revelation. I can't believe how easy it all really is! Honestly...I feel so dumb.
That was a tangent...yep. But anyway, I feel like I had to come here to learn that and that I wouldn't have gone through half of the changes that I have if I hadn't been in Pittsburgh! I have turned to my Savior in ways I didn't know I could and established a really personal relationship with Him. It is so cool. Also, I've been lucky enough to remember all of the Portuguese that I learned in the MTC. That isn't a lot, but it is still amazing because I was terrified that I'd forget all of it before I got to Brazil! But I can testify that the gift of tongues is real!! Well...it better be, because I'm pretty much banking on it to help me survive! But I have faith :)
So apparently not everyone's visas are coming. My beloved MTC companion, Sister Butler, will be staying in PA for a little while longer. It was SO HARD to say goodbye to her! We have been through so much together, and she's really become one of my best friends. But she is doing awesome work here, and I know she'll stay as long as the Lord needs her.
Ummm here's something amazing that happened. Have I mentioned that we had a full mission conference with Elder Bednar this weekend? Heck yes we did! Our whole mission met in a chapel over in Harrisburg and had an amazing meeting with him, Elder Rasband, Elder Hamilton, and Elder Smith. We learned so much and I had one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. He totally revolutionized the way I teach, making it more personal and focused on our investigators. We had a Q&A sesh, and I had the opportunity to ask an apostle of the Lord a question! Yeah it was unreal. I asked him how I could more fully give my heart over to the Lord, because I have such a desire to serve and do my best, but some of the worries and concerns that I had before my mission prevent me from focusing all of my attention on my service. He told me that the key was to turn outward...just like the poem that I wrote when I was first in the MTC... and then gave me a challenge to take a fresh Book of Mormon and go through it from start to finish and mark every time it talks about "hearts" and "ordinances". Talk about amazing...you'd better believe that I will! He said a lot of other things that I had already been thinking about, and it was amazing to have Elder Bednar confirm things that the Spirit had told me.
Everyone got to shake our guests' hands after the meeting, and Elder Bednar thanked me for my question, and then Elder Hamilton looked at me and said, "Sister Dana, you are very special." Holy cow it was so cool!!
As if that wasn't enough, we had an amazing meeting with Lisa yesterday. She is making incredible progress...everyday there is a new challenge that she has overcome. I am so proud of her!! She met with the bishop, which was a big step in the right direction, and then we went to her house to talk about what she was going to do. We were able to share our testimonies and work through a lot of her problems. I have never met anyone like her before. She is the most humble, faithful, and pure person...If I were to come home from my mission today, I
would be a different person purely because I met Lisa.
Mom: I got your package! Thank you!! The garments are wayyyy too big...so I shall be sending them back! Haha so be expecting a package soon with all of my clothes and lots of love in it:) I will get to talk to you soon!!
Dad: Happy Father's day! I hope that you guys get the letter that I sent! I love you very much...I'm going to Brazil! Hooray!
Cooper: What's up, I hear that you're turning into quite a stud! Please beat away the girls and I hope you remember how to smell nice. Boys can really stink when they get growthspurts. But I hope football is going well and that you guys have an awesome team!
Mima and Papa: Thank you so much for the package! I love the books and they are super helpful! I hope you get my letters soon!
I love you all so so much...and I won't be able to write next week...I don't think. So be safe and know that you are in my prayers and HOLY CRAP I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO BRAZIL!
Love,
Sister Dana
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| Lisa - an investigator? Shelby and her comps have been working with |
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| Full rainbow after a rainy day |
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| Sister Romero (middle) with her "children" she has trained |
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| Sister Hill, Sister Dana, Sister Romero and... |
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| with Sister Butler holding Shelby's visa |
