People at Church-Finally!

Hello my people,

I get to Monday and so much has happened but also it feels like I wrote to you guys yesterday!!

Best news: 4 PEOPLE came to church yesterday!! For the first time in 5 weeks!! When I got to this area, we didn't have anyone to teach so these last few weeks have beena little discouraging at times. But yesterday Marisa(the one who had a dream about us) and her husband came to church and loved it!! They said they want to come back every Sunday and even invited their friends already. They also said that they want to be baptized and it will take a while because they aren't legally married but eventually we will get there. It is for the better because neither of them know how to read so we have to teach slower and simpler. But it is so rewarding to see them so happy.

We also brought Carlos to church yesterday and the youth leaders said that he participated in the classes and loved it. We didn't get the chance to converse too much with him after church but are planning on visiting him tonight. We met his whole family this week and I have a really good feeling about them. His parents are legally married, which is a MIRACLE, and they have 4 kids!! Only Carlos came to church but I am really hoping they can all come next week. Teaching families is the best thing.

Also traveled 3 hours to Arapiraca this week and spent the day with Sister Hiddleston and Sister Laredo! Those two are some of my best friend in the mission so it was such a fun day. We feasted on açaí and watched a thunderstorm that night. It was an exhausting 24 hours traveling by train, then van, then taxi, and coming back the same way the next day, but so worth it. Just hoping I can get a nap today... I am mentally and physically spent. But happy.

Love you guys so much,

Sister Lauren Mather


PHOTOS/VIDEOS:
part of our area
friend waiting at our front door
division!!
view of the beach on the way back to Maceio

Sure, You Can Take My Hand...

We ran into this creepy guy at the centro last week that asked to take our hands cause he wanted to draw a temporary tattoo on them. It was just an excuse to hold our hands but makes for a good story. See pictures.

Such a good week, we had 2 divisions so I spent 2 days with other Sisters- Sister Soller and Sister Lora. Sister Lora is from the group that arrived with me so it was SO fun to catch up after 9 months of only talking for a few minutes or so.

Met 2 boys this week that have a ton of potential. Carlos is 16 and Italo is 14 and we invited them to a youth pizza activity at the church and they actually came!! They absolutely loved it and even though they werent able to come to church yesterday, they are already planning on coming next week and I am excited to continue with them. I think they might be the people I am here to meet.

Sorry this is super short but I called my family this morning and MIRANDA WAS THERE so of course we ended up talking for a long time and subsequently I have no time to write emails. So worth it.

Other events of the week included failed attempt at brownies, almost adopting a cat in the street, and finding a shorcut that looks like something out of a fairytale. Still loving it here.

Love,
Sister Lauren Mather

PICS:
temporary tattoos
failed brownies
cutest kitten
division with sister soller
division with sister lora
new shortcut
talking with Miranda for the first time in 9 months!!!!!

OHHHHH, We're Halfway There...

9 months ago today I was on a plane to Sao Paolo wondering what the heck I was doing with my life and in 9 months I will be back at home. Excited, but mostly in denial that the time is going so fast. I am so tired but I love it here.

Yet another crazy week but such is the mission. Carnaval continued to prove almost impossible but thank goodness it only lasted through Wednesday. We spent Monday in the chapel with 6 other missionaries because everything was closed and we had to share the church’s computer.

Tuesday we went to help a pair of sisters that has been arguing… ended up having a really good discussion with them and they are trying to improve. We call them throughout the week to check up on them but I don’t think we will have any more major issues.

Wednesday- zone conference!! I love getting to see everyone, we have the best mission. Had a lot of trainings on teaching by and trusting more in the Spirit than in ourselves which is always something I can improve.

We had a really cool experience with a lady named Marisa this week. We were walking home one night and she was sitting in front of her house so of course we went to talk to her. We ended up sharing a scripture with her and she told us it was exactly what she needed that day, and called us ‘angels from God’ to help her. When we went back yesterday, she told us she had had a dream with us, and that we were all dressed in white. She said she woke up feeling a peace that she hadn’t felt before and that she felt the same thing with us. We explained that we want to help her learn and draw closer to Christ and are going to keep visiting her. She wants to be baptized but isn’t legally married with her husband so it might take a while but I am excited to keep visiting her. It was such a testament to me of how perfectly God leads us and puts people in our paths for reasons we don’t understand sometimes. And that when we do our part, He is capable of doing the rest. He fills in where we fall short. We always say it but I always get more and more amazed at how perfectly everything works out in his plan for our lives.

Love this work, but love my Savior and I know He has more love for us than we can understand.
Love,

Sister Lauren Mather

PS. CONGRATS to Skyler on his call to the Baltic mission, speaking Lithuanian!! So excited for you and everyone already knows what an amazing missionary you will be.

PICS
Visit with Sister Hernandez and Sister Dimande
My cutest companion
Zone conference pics!!
Free ice cream from a random contact on the street
Results of a spontaneous water fight at our bishops house…

Carnaval...

And it is quite the party here in Maceio. In my area, there aren’t too many of those crazy parties that you see in movies with Carnival, but EVERYTHING shuts down this week. Everyone either left town or spends the entire day drinking so it has been impossible to visit anyone. We are emailing from the church today because the entire centro is shut down and will stay that way along with the rest of the city until Thursday. Lets just say I am grateful I am only passing one Carnival in the mission. 

We had a crazy week but it I think that’s how it is going to be from now on. Tuesday we had our leadership council with all of the zone leaders and sister training leaders in the mission. It was a little overwhelming but all in all a good day. Wedesday, Thursday, and Friday, we were in divisions. I got to stay Thursday in the same area where I passed my first day in the mission before we traveled to Arajacu. As soon as we got there, all the memories and feelings from that day came back and I found myself wondering how the heck I am already halfway through the mission:! So much has happened that it feels like years ago but I also feel like I got here last week. 

Friday I stayed in my area with another Sister and my companion found out from the other that they are having issues with their companionship. So, we get to solve that problem this week. Wish us luck. 

Not much too exciting as far as people to teach… Saturday we literally visited every single contact we have and every single one fell through because of Carnival. So we will see how this week goes but hopefully Thursday things will pick up again. 

Still love my area, love my companion so much, and am so happy to be here. 

Love, 

Sister Lauren Mather

Photos and videos:
Acai on pday(of course)
Our cutest house
Djalma, our recent convert and pretty much my favorite person in Brasil
New area with a view of my old one in the back
Divisions with Sister Bonierski in Trapiche
View from her apartment where I stayed my first day in the mission
Division with Sister Hernandez
Valentines from the Christensens <3
leadership of the mission