Today...Caruaru!

Just another day...ya know....

I hate the area book

We went running!  Miracles.

Hey famdamily!  Today I am in a cute little giant city called Caruarú.  Sister Rodrigues and I are here going shopping...so yes Mom, it is a wayyyy better idea to just put money on my card than send a package. One of my friends told me that he sent me a Christmas package...I still haven´t seen it.  But we went to this GIANT fair that they have here and I got a lot of clothes...so that is very happy!  Some things NEVER change:)

This week was possibly the most stressful of my life.  We had very little teaching time because of Carnavál, so every minute was spent chasing after our 3 ladies marked for baptism,  Yona, Paula, and Lourdinha.  We had some really cool lessons with them, and especially with Yona.  She was soooooo nervous!!!  She called us like, 3 times during the week and told us that she didn´t want to do this whole baptism thing anymore....trust me.  If you ever want to make a missionary freak out do that.  They will love it, promise.  I think that I put new callouses on my knees from so many prayers!  But we had a super cool lesson at her house with her family where she bore her testimony to her friend, and her husband Claudio, who is always pretty closed off from us, taught another friend of their´s how to pray.  It was great.

Yona's Baptism :)

Paula also was kind of apprehensive, but we ended up having a wonderful lesson with her, and she decided that the time really was right too!  So she was all happy and perfect. 

Paula with her mom and son!  She is Pocahontas

Lourdinha on the other hand...she was not so easy.  We went over to her house and she was crying and crying, just wanting to change so badly!  So, we marked the interview for Friday and assured her that baptism would definitely be the way to make this change.  She agreed, but then on Friday when the elders came, she ran away.  She picked up extra hours at work so that she wouldn´t be available and we haven´t been able to get in contact with her since.  When her family went to pick her up for church yesterday, there was a sign on the door that said "I will NOT go to church today."  So....we aren´t really sure what to do yet.  But that is ok, the Lord loves her more than we do, and He will take care of her.

The baptism on Saturday was perfect.  Of course everyone was an hour late and nobody had anything planned very well, but it´s like...this is life.  I will never forget how happy Yoná and Paula were after they came out of the water.  All of the stress, all of the prayers, all of the fasts...totally, totally worth it.  Just for the look on their faces.  

Paula and Yana at their baptism

We also did a division with the sisters of Boa Vista this week!  One of the perks/responsabilities of being a STL I guess.  I went out to her area with Sister Camille Hicken, who lives with us and is from Michigan.  Mom.  You should be friends with her mom.  I have a feeling that you guys would get along very well!  Anyways, she is an awesome missionary and we had a good time together.  Gosh, I just learn so much every time that we go out with them!  Poor thing, her area is ALLLL MOUNTAINS!  I have no idea how her tiny little legs can handle it.
Hats off to Sister Chicken.

Anyway, I am so happy to know that you are doing well!  Well, not really that well.    Because Mom is sick.  Oh well.  But eat some chicken soup and read your scriptures!  D&C 101:37-38.  Cooper is pretty much the coolest volleyballer that I know.  Props to him.  Have a lovely week, and know that I adore you, ok??   

Love,

Sister Dana