War Zone

Yesterday and today were holidays here for some kind of catholic saint... no one really knows where the holiday actually came from. But everything is closed and they have a tradition of LOTS of fireworks and bonfires in the street. So walking the streets is pretty interesting and the air is full of smoke and we didn't really sleep last night from all the noise but it is also a really fun time of the year here. On Friday, we had our 'festa junina' at the church with a live band and lots of yummy food and it was so fun. My new area is really rich and it is a little bit more difficult but I love my house and the ward is really big. I think I will really like it here. My companion is SO fun and we are alot alike in a lot of ways and I am really loving working with her so far. We have the same vision and same way of working, if that makes sense and these next few weeks are gonna fly by. I am hoping I can stay 2 transfers with her. It was really hard to say bye to Sister Seumanu but I am happy here. My first 2 lunches here were with people i already knew from my time in Aracaju before! Also got to call a member from Atalaia in our district meeting and the same day we were walking on the street when another lady from my other area passed in her car and yelled "we miss you Sister Mather!!!" It made me so happy and I feel like I really did come back to a kind of home.

We are teaching a few people but none of them were able to come to church... BUT our bishop invited his friend Juliano to church and he loved it! He is married with 15 and 11 year old kids and we will meet them this week.

We are taking care of 14 other sisters, 5 of which just got here this past week. One is an American and she reminds me a lot of where i was a year ago. So grateful to be here and I am amazed sometimes at how much has happened in just a year. AH I love Brazil guys, you have no idea.

Love you all!!

Sister Lauren Mather

Photos and Videos: (not many this week, it has been raining a LOT so I haven't had my camera)
poster that sis dias made for me <3
coconut water- its only 1 real on the street pretty much everywhere here
são joão festivities

Back to My Birthplace (One Year Ago!!!)

Here in the mission, we call your first area the area you were 'born' and found out yesterday that I am being transferred to the area neighboring my 'birthplace!' I am really sad to be leaving Sister Seumanu but we will be coming home together and also will both be in Utah in January so it's more of a see-you-later. But it will be sad not to spend every day together, these 2 transfers went SO fast and I am so grateful for her. I will be companions with Sister Dias, who arrived with me and is Brazilian(yay!!). We have been friends the whole mission and I am sad to leave but also very excited to be companions with her and to have someone to helpp me with Portuguese again. I'm a little nervous but it helps that I already know what to expect, more or less.

This week was such a good one and so many things happened that I am just sending all the pictures in one bunch and hoping you guy will figure out who is who. Wednesday we celebrated ONE YEAR in Brasil!! I wa more excited than I was on my own birthday and we got to celebrate with Elder Swensen and Sister Hiddleston who got here with us too. Cannot believe it has already been a year. Someone make the time slow down!! After our meeting that morning, we had lunch with Nazaré and she even bought us a cake to celebrate. She lives by a huge park and in the middle of lunch those cute little monkeys appeared on her balcony so we got to feed them!! Probably infested with diseases and infections and such but so far, so good and it made for some awesome pictures and videos hahaha.

Last division of the transfer with Sister Dimande- she is from Mozambique and one of the coolest people I know. The best part about being a leader is getting to know and learn from so many great people.

Highlight of the week: Joyce(16) and Jorge(17)!! A few weeks ago, we walked 40 minutes to an appointment we had scheduled to find that the lady had left right before we arrived. As we started walking back in the rain, I felt so strongly to knock on a door we passed. We literally turned around and went back to knock and ended up meeting Jorge and Joyce. They are some of the most prepared people I have met here and every time we visit the Spirit is so strong. They came to church for the first time yesterday and loved it. Usually our ward isn't too proactive in welcoming visitors but yesterday they all made an effort to introduce themselves and make them feel welcome. They loved church and first thing after it ended, asked what time it will start next Sunday because they want to come back. I can't really explain the joy that comes from helping people so perfectly prepared to take the steps to follow Christ but it is pretty amazing how God places certain people at certain times in our paths to help us with exactly what we need if we choose to accept it.

I love my mission and am so grateful for the year I have spent here being the Lord's hands. It's the best thing ever.

Love you all!!

Sister Lauren Mather

Divisions, Zone Conference, Boring Email Titles (sorry)

Started the week in another area for a division with Sister Bonierski and this is the 4th transfer we have spent in the same district. She is an amazing missionary and has become a close friend  in the mission. Love her.

Other division spent in another area with Sister Acevedo who got herewith me! She wasnt part of my group in the Missionary Training Center because she already speaks Spanish and English but we got to Maceio the same day so it was so good to catch up with her. We bonded over our love for Thomas Rhett and mexican food, it was a good day. Divisions are exhausting but I am also so glad I get to know so many amazing people.

Also had zone conference! Always one of the best parts of the transfer. My trainer, Sister Cruz, goes home next week so it was a bittersweet day. The mission definitely wont be the same without her here and I am kind of panicking at how fast the time seems to be going.

As far as the are that is actually mine, things are going much better than last week! We were able to bring Mara to church yesterday, a 26 year old we have been teaching for a few weeks. She was so prepared to hear our message and absolutely loved church yesterday. She has a broken leg and has to walk with crutches but came anyways- talk about faith!! We are hoping to have her baptism the 23 of June.

This area has been quite the adventure as far as the ward and the members and you guys will hear all the stories in a few months but just wanted to say PLEASE take the time to get to know the missionaries in your ward and please help them in any small way that you can! It makes all the difference.

I always have about a million more things i want to write in these emails but so many things happen in a week that it would be impossible to write all of them. Wanted to just close by saying that I am so grateful for my mission and that if there is anyone thinking about a mission reading this email, I promise it is probably one of the best decisions you could make. Not just to serve the Lord but to grow yourself. There are so many people I met here and experiences I have had that have changed my perspective on so many things and strengthened my faith in Christ and His church here on Earth. There are so many people, especially here in Brasil, that go to so many churches that say so many things and they are all good but there is always something missing. It doesn't quite all fit together. I am so grateful for this gospel that answers all of my(many) questions and brings me so much joy. The Spirit testifies of that over and over and it is impossible for me to deny what I have felt so many times. I love my Savior and trust him enough to follow Him as best I can.

Love love love you all so much, wishing you all the best week!!

Photos and videos:
ZONE CONFERENCE with the people I love
divisions! sister bonierski and sister acevedo
vania and family- love love love these people

Sausage and Juice...

Was what we got for lunch on Saturday. The lady left lunch at our house and we were so excited to get home and eat it but it ended up being a tupperware of just cooked sausage... and juice. Not really sure if it was intentional or not but it made for an interesting improvised lunch and a lot of laughs. See video

Not much interesting going on this week, we are still working with the same people but not seeing much progress. Also went to São Miguel 3 days this week and I got to do the last division with my first companion, who trained me. It was so good to be companions again and I will definitely miss her when she goes home in 2 weeks. The sisters there are some of my closest friends in the mission so even though it was exhausting it was a fun few days.

Sorry this is such a short email, but I called home and don't have much time left to write. Still loving my area, loving my companion, and am in a really happy point in my mission. There are always some issues but I really don't have much to complain about. Also, it is starting to get less hot(I don't think I can ever use the word 'cold' here) which is such a relief!!

Love you all!!

Sister Lauren Mather

Pictures and videos:
açai..again...

Miracles Miracle Miracles

This was such a crazy week but it seems like the harder and crazier everthing gets the more of God's hand we see every day. Started off the week with a leadership meeting which is always so good. Sister Seumanu and I stepped out of our comfort zone and sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" with me on guitar and an elder in our zone on violin. For those of you that know me, I was dying of nervousness the entire time but it turned out fine. Forgot to take a video so we will take a new one this week. That night, we brought the zone leaders to our area to talk to Nazare about baptism and if she really is ready. She talked with one of them for almost an hour and even cried the Spirit was so strong. She told him that she still wants a bigger answer but that every time we visit her she feels like she is a little more secure and a litte bit closer. She is SO close and I just keep telling myself that in her own time, we will get there... she really is like our grandma here and I love her so much.

Wednesday: one of the sisters we take care of found out that her dad passed away. We went immediately there and spent the day with her. Her dad got sick a few weeks before her mission and she said that she knew he wouldn´t make it very much longer. I was shocked at how well that she handled the situation but she just kept telling us she was already prepared and knew it would happen. She called a bunch of people fromher family later and we stayed the night with them, ordered acai, pizza, tried to make the day as good as we could considering the situation. It ended up being a good day and that is the hardest news to take but she is handling it so well.

I was pretty worried the whole day Wednesday about Nadejna because we passed by her house but hadn't gotten the opportunity to really talk with her and were planning her baptism for Sunday. Wednesday night, when we were with the other sisters, I said a prayer just asking God to help us make everything work out. That night, I dreamed that we were at her house talking to her and she told us "I haven't doubted the Spirit this whole time, why should I start doubting it now?" For 20 seconds of my dream, we were at her baptism, and then I woke up. But when I woke up, I had that confirming feeling that everything would work out and that she would be baptized on Sunday. And
sure enough, we went to her house first thing Thursday and she was feeling a little nervous but we were able to talk with her and help her feel more prepared. Went Friday too, and Saturday was the interview. Afterwards, she talked to us and told us how grateful she was to have met us.She told us that before she knew us, she cried alot, and that 'now she doesnt cry anymore.' She said she is becoming a different person and that she was finally ready to restart and follow Christ 100 percent. She cried, Sister Seumanu cried(she cries almost as easily as Miranda), and I admit I got a little teary eyed too. I could write a million more things that she said but it was a really special moment.

 Sunday got even better with her baptism. Nazare and her husband drove us early to the chapel Sunday morning and we got everything ready. The only thing that was missing were the white clothes for the baptism, nowhere to be found. The elders had them last, also nowhere to be found. Or contacted, after trying to call them. Baptism was scheduled for 1pm and at 12:55, everyone showed up, including the elders with the clothes. About 30 people ended up coming, which was so rewarding because we spent all Saturday night going to members houses and calling and trying to convince everyone to come out and support. Our ward is only about 40-50 right now, so 30 people is huge!! The Spirit was so strong at the baptism, in the messages shared, and at the end Sister Seumanu and I played the same song with guitar and everyone joined in on the last verse. Nadeja cried 3 times and after her baptism int he bathroom she gave us a big hug and whispered "you guys are so special." AH this woman has my heart and yesterday was such a good day. I know without a doubt that this is truly the church of Jesus Christ and that He has the power to change hearts. He answers prayers, and I feel so so blessed to have been part of the answer to Nadejna's.

I will wrap this up here cause I am so happy I am writing a novel but I hope you all have a great week and Memorial Day :)

Love,

Sister Lauren Mather

PHOTOS:
leadership council!!
"what are your district meetings like?"
pizza and açaí, much needed
nadejna's baptism <3 <3 <3