BoaTarde!

From:	Haley Sender (haley.sender@myldsmail.net)
Sent:	Tue 7/02/13 2:35 PM
To:	Joan Sender (jsender4@hotmail.com)

 

Boa Tarde! Como Voce esta?

This week flew by! I feel like I just wrote yesterday, yet so much has happened that I want to share. I have narrowed it down to two experiences...

1) Each week we do TRC (Teaching Resource Center) where we knock on a random door and teach a principle in Portuguese to a volunteer who is a member of the LDS faith. We taught an older gentleman about the power of prayer in our lives. We taught about the prophet Enos and His faith to overcome personal hardship through praying to our Father in Heaven. We explained that we too can converse with God and feel of His love and guidance in our lives. We committed him to having stronger family prayer. After teaching and testifying in simple Portuguese, he offered the most beautiful prayer. He spoke in complete Portuguese, but I felt and understood every word of the Prayer. I honestly thought he was praying in English! He blessed each of us sisters, he prayed for the missionaries around the world, for our families, our visas to come, and for us to feel peace. I was in tears by the end of his prayer. Not necessarily because of his words, but because I could feel the love and prayers from every person around world praying for my success. The Lord is mindful of us. I can testify of that with all of my heart.

2) As we are learning and practicing we often times role play to practice what we want to express while teaching people. I never understood how incredible role playing can be! We have been teaching a woman named Flavia and she doesn't believe in God or see purpose in religion. She had asked us why God gives us challenges and hard times. As we role played our response, we started teaching about how God gives us challenges so we can grow and progress so that one day we can return to live with God again. We talkd about how through faithful prayer wecan overcome any challenge. She asked "So God won't help me if I don't have faith?" (she was upset) I thought of course He will help you! Then I just started speaking in Portuguese. I was thinking in English and it came out in complete Portuguese. "The Lord can help you by sending people like us into your life. He loves you and now we love you and are here to help you, but most importantly, we want to help you." The calm burning warmth of the Spirit filled my heart and my companions hearts. We stopped the role play and sat in silence until one of them said, "Do you feel that?" I know that through faith and trust in God miracle can happen. I have been studying Portuguese for three weeks and can speak from the heart. I know without a doubt I am not doing this alone. The Lord is working with me. I know He can work with and bless each of you as well if you just turn to Him and ask for help.

Ao orarmos diariamente, Deus nos abençoara com consolo e paz. Eu sei que o Senhor nos abençoa quando n´os o buscamos em oraç~ao.

Eu os amo!

-Sister Sender