October 6, 2014

Dear family and friends,

How was everyone's week? I hope you all had a wonderful general conference weekend! This week was another fast one! We ran around trying to get everything done, but it doesn’t seem to ever get done. We had a baptismal service for Fabio on Saturday between conference sessions, which was wonderful! He was so excited, and loved conference. It truly was the most remarkable moment sitting on a bench filled with recent converts. We had the opportunity to sit with Wyllon, Stephany, Andresa, Jamili, and Fabio yesterday during the conference. It was the most humbling and rewarding experience. They were all beaming! I love all of the talks! Especially D. Todd Christofferson's talk about agency.  

I have grown to really love studying bout agency and the Lord's perfect plan. I found it interesting how he explained that the Lord will support and accept our decisions/ desires if they are just and guided by the spirit. He will not act for us, or make decisions for us. That would take away our agency and corrupt his perfect plan. God wants us to be free to choose. We choose our consequences through our actions. He will guide us as long as we are worthy of his help.  

I also loved Elder Carlos A. Godoy's talk yesterday afternoon. Isn't Portuguese a beautiful language!! The best part was hearing his talk and understanding every word ;) He also talked about our life decisions. I really started to think when he said, " O que Senhor espera de cada um de nós?" (what does the Lord hope (or want) from each of us? I reflected on my life and am still reflecting on this question. The Lord knows our potential, but do we really know our own potential? Makes you think huh! There are so many blessings ahead! We just need to act and be worthy of them. That is why there is repentance! As one of my best friends always says, "Repentance is an eternal principle." 

I love this gospel!! My mission has opened so many doors and changed my vision of what matters most. I am giving my all and know that I can and will always give more. 

Love you all! 

Love Always,

Sister Sender 

 Cultural 

1) I killed another cockroach (haha idk how to spell) last night.....ew 

2) there are 1,000 types of ants here and they get into everything!! Even paper!! and they all bite!! ouch! 

3) I am officially allergic to the mango "milk" that drips out when you pick a mango.

4) it is normal to pick fruit from the backyard and make juice. 

5) Açai and cupuaçu are 2 fruits that are only grown here in pará. Açai is exported all over the world, but we drink it pure here right after it is harvested :) 

6) it is normal to eat off of the same plate/spoon/fork/ cup of any random person. 

 

September 29, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

It is hard to believe that September is already over and that October is here! I bet the leaves are starting to change! I think fall is the most beautiful season back in Ohio. Nothing beats driving out to the church in Hiram and soaking in the beauty of the changing maple trees driving down the big hill. Here in Belém, the seasons do not change very much. There is sunshine with rain and then sunshine with more sunshine. We are currently in "summer" or the hottest part of the year. When it rains the heat just gets worse as it rises from the ground and the sun shining down at the same time. Yesterday was hot... the road was steaming! It looked like the hot air that comes out of the oven when you open it. I think we might just have to try frying an egg on the sidewalk today! I love the sunshine! :)  

This week was full of challenge and spiritual experiences. We have been working with an investigator named Fabio and he is ready to be baptized. He was having a hard time recognizeing his answer but with lots of prayer and discussions, he received his answer. He aid that when he started praying, he felt like he had a debt to be paid and that when he finished or asked for an answer, he felt as though his debt had been paid. He then explained that he feels two types of peace. A peace that he feels in three moments. At church, during our lessons, and when he prays. It was an incredible conversation helping him recognize his answer! The spirit wa incredible. Yes, he still needs to understand more about the importance of baptism and enduring to the end, but he received his answer! Peace!! One of the most powerful fruits of the spirit! 

I love this work!! I know I say that every week, but it is because that love grows each and every week. I love my Savior so much and am so grateful for the power of repentance. I am not a perfect missionary, but through his infinite grace, my best efforts are enough. 

Have a wonderful week!

 

Love Always,

Sister Sender  

 

September 22, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

Another week!!! NOSSA!! Well we are doing great :) I love my companion and we are having a ton of success. It is so wonderful having someone to laugh at my silliness and just have fun while working. I think I have laughed and smiled a lot more this past week, which was wonderful!! 

 

It was a challenging, but wonderful week. We taught a ton and walked a ton too. I tried to teach my comp how to do a street contact inside of a city bus full of people, but she chickened out... leaving me alone in the front of the bus full of people.... she was laughing at my craziness, but surprisingly I wasn’t nervous and it was quite fun! I have learned that if we are comfortable in our little comfort zone, we do not progress. How do we progress?? Change! Do something different! Preach the gospel on the city bus again :) haha she laughs at me, but we are having success because we are doing things differently than we have tried in the past. I love this work! 

 

I have loved my time serving the people here in Belém. We are so blessed o have the luxuries that

September 15, 2014

 

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow what a week!!!! I finally have a companion again!!!! Yay!!! Sister C. Cardoso. It is quite funny because I already served with a mini missionary named "Sister G. Cardoso" and now I am serving with Sister C. Cardoso. So many Cardosos!!! 

 

We had a successful week full of teaching and running around our area trying to organize Andressa's baptism. She was so excited. It was great to see her in white :) I am not sure if you all remember Jamilli? Well she is an incredible member missionary!!! Andressa is her best friend, and Jamilli took charge helping us teach her friend. It was the most incredible sight watching your recent convert share her testimony at the baptismal service of her best friend. The spirit was so powerful. I love this work!!! 

 

I have thought a lot about "missionary work" this week. I pondered and reflected about just how incredible it is that 80,000 young men and women voluntarily serve missions! As we taught a preacher of one of our investigators this week, he was full of questions about missionary service and he just couldn’t seem to wrap his mind around the fact that we serve voluntarily. He asked "How do you motivate 80,000 young people to do that?!! We replied, "it is simple! Because we know that our message is true and can change lives". 

 

I know that this work is true and that I am being guided by my father in heaven. I love him! I love this people and I love my mission! 

Have a wonderful week!! Stay Warm!! (that shouldn’t be a problem for me) 

 

Love always,

Sister Sender 

 

Cultural:

It is normal to throw trash out your car window, or even your house window. (I don’t though haha) 

Because it is so hot, it is normal to spend all day walking around in just a towel. 

We eat a lot for lunch but to eat dinner is rare. 

 

September 8, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

What a week!!! It was a week of changes for sure! I was "single" this week which was so weird. My companion was transferred to Belém on Tuesday and I stayed here in a trio/ with members doing splits whenever I could. It was so weird not having a companion. I was a little lost to be honest. I realized that it will be such a hard adjustment when I get back to make decisions and just simply walk in the street alone!! Weird!!!! haha  

With this experience, I also learned the importance of companions. I only have 50% of the inspiration and without the other 50% our work doesn’t run smoothly. I am so grateful that I will have a companion in these next few days :) Today I was studying in Isaiah 41 and wanted to share a bit that I learned. i was really touched by verses 10 and 13.  

10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, i will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 

13 "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, fear not; I will help thee." 

When I read these verses I felt an overwhelming love of my Savior knowing that I am not alone in this work. He is holding my hand and guiding me where I need to go. We don’t need to fear in this life! Fear and faith cannot coexist! Our Savior is with us! He can never forget us because his hands are marked with each of our names. I find so much comfort knowing that my Savior knows how I am feeling and has lived every hardship that we each pass in our lives. I love Him. 

I hope you each have a wonderful week :) Love you all!! 

Love Always,

Sister Sender 

Ps: I will be staying here in Castanhal :) I think I will be finishing my mission here which will be wonderful! I love my district!! We are setting records and seeing miracles :)

PS: yesterday was independence day here :) (They don’t use fireworks... only for soccer games haha) 

love you all!! 

 

September 1, 2014

September 1, 2014 

Dear Family and Friends! 

What a week!!! Flew by and was full of miracle after miracle!!!! My district had four baptisms this week!!!!! We baptized Andre and Isabel :) Yes!!!!! It was a beautiful baptism :) Isabel was so excited and adorable in her little white jumpsuit. After 78 years she was finally baptized and has never been happier. I love her!! She calls me her beautiful daughter and never stops hugging me I love it. Watching her being baptized was one of the tenderest moments in my life. It was a promise fulfilled from many years ago and I know the heavens were rejoicing :) Andre was also super excited. He has quite a heavy past life and changed so many things to be baptized. The church saved his life and he is so happy and finally clean.  

I was thinking about that this week. How through baptism we are made clean again. What a promise! The Lord has given us the tools and the commandments, and if we are faithful, we can be clean of every sin that we have ever committed. It is remarkable!! I am so grateful for the mercy God shows to each of his children.  

I know he lives and loves us!! We were sent here to earth to gain the knowledge we need and to do everything we can possibly do in order to return to his presence. I know that charity is and pure love of Christ and that through Christ-like love, miracles happen.  

I love this work and have felt the power of the atonement change me. I am still "Haley", but just with a different sparkle ;)  

love you all! Have a wonderful week :) 

 

Love always, 

Sister Sender 

 

cultural:

I dont know anymore hahaha everything is normal... hmmmmmm American culture will be weird. 

 

tchau!! I will send pictures :) 

August 25, 2014

Dear family and Friends,

Well I made it!!! 21 times around the sun and still kicking hahah wow 21!!!!! ahhhh that is just old.... My birthday was great :) super simple, but full of serving so it was fantastic :) I wanted to share a miracle that happened.it was the best birthday present I could have asked for.  

So I wanted to drink Açai on my birthday, but I wanted to drink it with Isabel our 78 year old investigator. We went over to her house that evening and I bought Açai for us all to drink and share. While we were teaching her, she started sharing an experience. She had told me a few days earlier that she had had a dream about me. She started sharing her dream... 

She said that a few years ago she had this dream... 

she was at home with her husband (he passed away 11 years ago) and walked outside. She started hearing a bunch of noise and became very scared. She thought the world was ending. She ran home and called for her husband. He told her that it wasn’t sounds of the world ending, but of trumpets of angels sounding. She went back outside and found the place where she was hearing the sounds. She entered the place and saw three angels in long robes. The first was a short small angel in blue. Another was in a large angel in a green robe. And the third was a tall thin white angel in a white robe. She said that the angel was whiter that anything she had ever seen. With tears in her eyes (and mine) she looked at me and said "It was you". Isabel continued and said that i was the captain angel guiding the others and that I started talking to her (in the dream) and said "Isabel, do you have faith?" She replied "yes".  

Isable continued to explain that she knows that the Lord sent us to rescue her. He sent us to her house to find her, In that moment she said that she knew she needed to be baptized. I was then crying like a baby. It was like reliving a memory of a past life. I know it wasn’t a dream she was describing. It was a memory. 

 

It was the best possible birthday present I could have received. It was the most powerful spiritual experience that I have had during my mission. More powerful than speaking without an accent with Khalil, silvo praying, deborah receiving her answer, or afternoons with Henriqueita. I have had countless spiritual experiences here in the mission field, but my 21st birthday was the first time I touched the other side of heaven. 

 

I will never forget the day we walked past Isabel's house and the impression and clear voice of the spirit to go back and knock on the door. We are rescuing one of my dearest lifelong friends. Isabel. A friend from long before this life. Her baptism will be beautiful. We finished the evening laughing, drinking açai and looking at old photos of her 7 children. She is an angel. As we left we embraced for awhile. As if two best friends embraced after a distance apart. I couldn’t help but say "I love you Isabel" and she replied "I love you too". 

 

I know that I was called to Belém for a sacred purpose. I know my savior lives and that the Lord knows each of his children. If he could sent a 21yr old sister to a 78 year old widow. He knows us. 

 

I love you all!  

have a wonderful week:)

 

love always,

Sister Sender 

Ps: Wyllon was baptized sat!!!! It was incredible!!!! 

pps: we had 8 investigators at church yesterday and the power went out.... it was an adventure!!!!! :) love you all