GUESS WHAT(also I ate ants)

I AM GOING TO BE COMPANIONS WITH SISTER SEUMANU AGAIN!!! She was my companion in the MTC and we became best friends!!!! President called my companion last night to tell her she would train and asked to talk really quick with me. He told me he doesn't usually call just to give the transfer but since he was already talking with my companion he wanted to tell me. Also I think he wanted to hear my reaction :) But he said something along the lines of "I just wanted to let you know you will be staying in your area and I'm not sure if you know your new companion, you might have talked to her a few times in the mission...." At this point I was getting nervous thinking it would be a problematic person, but after a long pause he said "it´s Sister Seumanu." I screamed and asked if he was lying and he reassured me that he wasn't, that I really would be companions with her!!! I still can't believe it, I am so excited. We always talked about being companions again in the mission and I never thought it would actually happen!!

Other good news: My companion right now, Sister Lisboa, is going to my first area- Atalaia!! There are going to be 4 sisters there now!!!!! I talked with president a few months back about putting another group there and it is finally happening!! That areais my second home and I am sending a million cards with her to Atalaia. And I am already telling all the members there how awesome she is and I know they will just love her. And she might be there for the baptisms of some of the people I was teaching there- couldn't have asked for a better person.  I am sad to say bye to her but she is going to love it there.

As far as the people we are visiting here, we met a lot of promising people this week and Carlos, Marisa, and Messias came to church again yesterday. No one new came because it was pouring rain(see video) but this new week I have high hopes.

Only bad news this week: remember how my other area was literally sinking and everyone was leaving and it was kind of a mess? So turns out that the problem extends to more than just that neighborhood and our chapel will close here inthe next couple weeks because it is also in the danger zone. And since this is a poorer area, it will be near impossible to bring people to church. There is only one person in our ward who owns a car and it is already full every Sunday. But for now, the chapel is open and we will solve that problem when we get to it. Our bishop is really worried that our ward, which is already very fragile, will fall apart. In the beginning of sacrament meeting yesterday there were 12 people and 3 were visitors that we brought. By the end, there were a little more than 20 but the ward here isn't doing so hot. BUT we will take everything as it comes, right? For now the chapel is open and this weekend is general conference anyways. Which I am so excited for. Lots of talk that the time for missions will change...?

Other highlights of the week:
- Edna, from my other area, somehow got our number and called me out of theblue this week!!! SO good to talk to her and we are planning to meet up one of these Mondays.
- The ward talent show we planned worked out perfect!! You know it is a good activity when more people come to the activity than come to church on Sunday :)
- Visited the sisters in Paraiso again and ate pizza, played games, checked up to see how there are. They improved a lot this transfer and it was a fun night.
- I ATE ANTS. HUGE ANTS. Like 5 times bigger than carpenter ants in the USA. They come out when it rains so a member got afew and fryed them for us without telling us what it was. I almost puked when she told me what it was after but to be honest it just tasted like popcorn. See pics :)

Sorry this is so long but I am so excited for this next transfer. I love this area, love my new/old companion, and eventhough this transfer will be wuite the challenge I know it will be a good one. If there is one thing I have learned in the mission, it is that God is capable of working miracles in our lives. Something that seems absolutely impossible can turn into the most faith-building experience.

Love,
Sister Mather

PHOTOS/VIDEOS:
facemasks(we woudnt be 20 year old girls if we didnt have pictures like this...)
views from our area
with the sisters
ants. ew.
when you cant take the heat anymore
the things we do to get people to church
voice recording of a lady 'preaching' to us.. story for another day