more creatures....

actually August 12 e-mail

Hello Family and friends! Tudo bem?

another great week in Capanema! It was a week full of both challenges and miracles. I firmly believe that challenges are followed by miracles.

 

first example...

Monday night during a lesson my head started pounding and my stomach was really hurting. I brushed it off and continued the day. Then Tuesday morning it was much worse and I had a fever. I felt like my body was burning and the ice cold shower felt hot, but I wanted to keep working, so we did. Then wednesday it was still bad. The fever was gone, but my head and stomach were awful and I couldn't eat anything without feeling sick. We had a lesson at a members house that evening. I have become really close to this Family (then were baptized into the church 1 year ago and are incredible!) and told the mom about my problems. I told them about the "dor" (pain) and other symptoms. It turned out to be a stomach infection from the food. The mom quickly made me some cereal (baby grits) and gave me some magic medicine. Afterwards we taught our lesson and before we left I asked her husband (Douglas) and another member (Hanny) to give me a blessing. Thursday morning I woke up and felt great! Miracle! Stomach infection gone! My challenge turned into a miracle :)

 

second example...

 

We travel to Castanhal every Wednesday morning (2 hr bus ride) for a district meeting. This past week was a zone meeting. It went a little long so we arrived in Capanema late for an appointment with a member and less active member. We did not have his phone number so I thought let's go ask Hanny (owner of a computer school where we email). Hanny wasn't there, but an 18 year old Vinicius walked in. There was a Book of Mormon on the front desk and he started asking the other owner questions. Sister De Lima and I jumped in and ended up teaching a full lesson and set a baptism date. Challenges proceed miracles.

 

I think about the challenged we all face and yes, they are hard and we want to give up, but perserverance is so importante. Portuguese is a huge challenge for me and sometimes I want to just scream and sit down and cry, but that will not solve any problem. I have to work hard through this challenge and then the miracles will come. I will speak fluente portugese, but need to be patient and endure to the end. We all have diferente hardships and challenges in life, but the Lord gives us challenges to help us reach our full potentical. Remember to rely on the Lord. Through Christ all things are possible. He knows each of us. He has experienced our challenges. Turn to Him, Lean on Him, and He will carry us to the miracles.

 

"Behold, I am the law, and the light, Look unto me, and endure to the end and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life."

 3 Nephi 15:9

 

Have a marvelous week!

 

Love Always,

Sister Haley Sender

Family and Friends

Dear Friends and Family,

Crazy to think this coming week is full of landmarks!! On Wednesday I will turn 20!!! ahhhh haha No longer a teenager... I am not sure if I am ready, but the day is here. Then on Thursday I reach my one month mark in Brazil! Muito Legal! (very cool)

 

This past week was a whirl wind! Way too fast! I feel like a wrote you all yesterday. This week was a challenging yet good one. We taught lots of people and are moving forward. I think the hardest part is getting people to church. Church is at 9am and people here love love love to sleep, and will not wake up a sleeping person. So that is a little tough. We have been teaching a 15 yr old boy named Khonatan and he is incredible. We met him at church last week and he wanted to learn more. In a lesson with him, we were talking about the doctrine of Christ and the five principles the savior taught. 1) faith 2) repentance 3)baptism 4) receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost 5) enduring to the end. We talked a lot about faith. What is faith? The answer is found in the Book of Mormon. Alma 32:21 "faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." Faith is a belief/knowledge of things you cannot physically see, but are true. We used the example of wind. You cannot see it, but you can feel it is real and truly there. We have never personally seen God, but I know He is there. Faith is a wonderful thing and when we have faith, everything falls into place. Faith leads to action. I rely on faith everyday on my mission and through faith, I am able to become closer to my Savior Jesus Christ, and also help others turn to our Savior.

 

I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week, and remember to tem fé (have faith)!!!

 

Love always,

Sister Sender

 

 

 

First Pictures from Brazil

 

 

the kids were playing with a lizard at church!!

my companion and yes me in a very natural daily state :)

 

First 2 weeks in Brazil!!

2 weeks in the "missão de milagres" (mission of miracles)

I have never been more excited to email in my life! haha 2 weeks and only having 10 mins was tough.

I left the MTC for Brazil on the morning of July 23rd and arrived late afternoon July 24th. I traveled with one other sister and 2 elders but met another elder in Brazil. 3 of us continued on to Belem. we ate in the mission presidents house and then did some office work because they didn´t know i was coming until two days before I came. that even I was interviewed by my mission president and he gave me a blessing (in Portuguese). He doesn't speak much English so most of it I didn't understand. That evening I was given my 1st companion aka my trainer. Sister De Lima. She is wonderful!! (but doesn't speak English. We slept in the house of the president for two nights because of a Zone conference. I played the piano and was asked to share a brief message. so on day 2 of my mission I spoke to the entire mission. I talked about the power of faith and how faith and obedience bring miracles. (in Portuguese of course). Then the next day (July 26th) we started working in our new area Capanema, Castanhal. (3-4 hrs south of Belem) .The people are great and so loving. |These past 2 weeks have been the hardest 2 weeks of my entire life.90+ degrees and humid, walking all day everyday talking and teaching. Honestly that part is simple. The insects, heat, cold showers, no makeup, and new everything is simple. The language is frustrating. I have learned more patience in the last two weeks than ever before. I want to understand everyone and to communicate. I now know what it feels like to be a baby and not be able to communicate with the world you live in. I’m improving everyday, but it takes a ton of work. I know lots of people are praying for me. Thank you!

One miracle this week.... We were finishing a day and it was8pm. We were not sure what to do, so we decided to do contacts. (talk to random people).  we saw this woman and her 18 month old son and started talking to her. All of a sudden in started downpouring rain. I had brought my umbrella with me that morning because I had a little thought to bring it. We were able to share with her and chat about life and a little about the church. Then we walked her to her home and she invited us in. We talked about the plan of salvation and gave her a pamphlet about it. She was super excited. I know that the Lord works in mysterious ways, even through a little rain storm.

Something I was studying this week was in the Book of Mormon 3 Nephi chapter 11. It talks about Christ's visit to the people in the Americas. I can't help but think those people were the ancestors of the people I am now teaching. I am following the example of Christ and now serving the children of the people Christ taught. I am so grateful for my savior Jesus Christ and know that he is standing next to each of us at all times. He is there to raise us up when we fall and when life is difficult. when we feel like we cannot take another step , he will guide us through. I love you all so much! may the Lord bless your families!

love always!

-Sister Sender

I made it!

Date: July 29, 2013, 3:35:10 PM EDT
To: Joan Sender <jsender4@hotmail.com>, Doug Sender <doug.sender@gmail.com>

I made it!

 

I only get ten minutes because I am in the mission office. but usually I will get 1 hr. I will give you more details next week. (I had to go to the police for the third time to get finger printed and registered)

 

first off i love you all so much! The plane ride was great but long. i was traveling for 29+ hrs!! my calling card wouldn’t work in Sao Paulo 

 

My new area is called Capanema in the city of Castanhal. My companion and I (who doesn’t speak any English) are the first sisters to serve there in 15 years!! We are opening a new area and the people are incredible!! 

 

We had our first baptism on Saturday! I was having a rough time because people speak so fast and I can speak but then the spirit I felt at the baptism made me realize that this is why I am here. I have my moments with the cultural shock. 2 ice cold showers a day and lizards in the apt. but I love the people. 

 

I am out of time but I love you and will write a lot more next week!! please pray for me!! 

 

-love always 

 

Sister Sender

 

ps: everyone stares at me... I am the Americano that is tall and white haha with light eyes..... yeah I thought mine were dark.... nope haha 

 

They are building a brand new church building... it looks like a temple!! Gorgeous! It has A/c which is a miracle! It is 100% humidity here and no a/c (I stopped wearing makeup the first day haha)

 

 I play the piano at everything! I played at zone conference for a musical number and then again for church in Capanema. 

 

 

love love love you!!