Tuesday, February 23, 2016

The Fruit of Our Labors

Boy was it a great week! Everyone wishes to get the call I did this past Wednesday from a sister in Cotia telling me that the less active and her family who I was teaching got married and were going to have the baptism on Friday! So I figured out how to get there with permission and got to go!!! Andreia, Marcelo and Àlvaro ;) Something special was that their son who has autism got baptized as well with permission from President Del Guerso :) I feel so blessed to have been there and see I really am making a difference. Even though I wasn’t serving in Cotia at the time of the wedding and baptism, I’m counting it as my first baptism :)



Real quick, Renato is great! He is progressing really well!

This week we decided to stop in the nearest McDonalds for a pit stop only to find the bathrooms on the second floor...McDonalds are pretty fancy here....



Also my new district this transfer is a musical one which is new too! Very different to actually hear the bass and tenor parts behind me as I play piano.

Maysa was able to make it to church this week, we need to teach her the word of wisdom but she’s been able to return to work and is reading everything in the Book of Mormon we tell her to!

Some insights from my studies this week; D&C 31:5 we need to be a laborer worth his paycheck, 2 Ne 2:2 I’m so grateful that God turns our afflictions into gain. He is capable of turning anything into a blessing. He just wants the best for us! I love the story about the girl going for the summer to live with her great aunt and learning to enjoy life more. The pioneer painting that says, joy in the journey. I really am enjoying this Brasilian journey that’s filled with the Holy Ghost, love, and blessings. I have tasted the bitter at times, but this only helps me enjoy the taste of sweetness even more. And let me tell you, there is a lot of sugar to go around :) I love you! Know that I have the faith to follow. The faith to act. And the faith to share because it’s all according to our faith. Our willingness to do His will. I don’t know if I’m making sense but this keyboard is making it difficult to type my thoughts in a peaceful smooth manner when every key is stuck. I try..and so should you :)

Happy week to you all!
Loves Sister Oldroyd an almost Brasilian :)



Monday, February 15, 2016

The Basics

Because me and my comp have started quoting movies like crazy, (she says it so well in Portuguese that I know exactly what movie and what phrase in English. Don’t worry we are going to film us switching on and off) I just gotta quote the Incredibles real fast. Imagine Edna Mode.... "I didn’t know the boy’s powers, so I just started with the basics". Anyway, this has a purpose! I’ve been reminded of how important the basics are. Sometimes we don’t know our true faith or "powers" until we start with the basic solid principles God has given us. If we aren’t willing to pray, read our scriptures and attend church, how are we going to see all the other blessings God has placed inside us? All the things He has put to protect and provide for us. Edna mode didn’t know what powers Jack Jack had so she included the basic protection systems, and Egyptian cotton feel into the super suit. Imagine our super suit that God has created! He gave us a body in His exact image, the blessing to feel emotion, feel His presence, to learn and so much more. He has placed the basics for us to follow and act in order to see it truly works its magic. 



Here in Novo Osasco Sister Moraes and I are seeing the blessings of doing the basics, contacts in the street. One contact I almost didn’t stop to do ended up being a tender mercy for me and for the moça, (mosa, young woman) we found. I started the contact normally as I do but as I continued I could see tears in her eyes.  I immediately stopped and asked if she was alright. She responded with a head shake. I invited her to sit down in the park so we could talk a bit more. I told her of our purpose and she asked if we could go to the church that instant. Unfortunately I knew it wasn’t open at the time but we prayed together, left a pamphlet of the gospel of Jesus Christ with her and marked her address down to return. The day we returned to her house (maysa) she gave us such strong hugs of welcome and told her parents, "these are my good friends.” I asked her if she was better and she said "you really helped me the other day.  I feel so much better and read the entire pamphlet already."  The only question she had about it was the phrase "Book of Mormon" at the end and so we got to teach her about it! Moments like these only strengthen my spirit and give me the boost to "keep moving forward" (Meet the Robinsons, Mike?? haha) and the feeling we are making a difference by starting with the basics.



Renato is progressing so well! He always offers us juice and cookies, has played basketball with the members, and started reading the Book of Mormon!

You know I’m becoming a true missionary when you get into a doctrine deep discussion and you just wanna sit for hours with scriptures and resources to learn more! haha We had this experience with a member.

I also had the opportunity this week to play the piano for the other sisters in our ward’s baptism. Felipe, his grandfather invited me to play. I said of course! They even had fancy little programs, and my name was spelled correctly!



Fortunately I chose to weigh myself at one of the drogarias (pharmacies) and I weigh 59 kl! woot woot! I was 61! haha This transition with pounds and kl is really testing me but I think 59 is good....anyway, have a wonderful week! Know that I’m here trying to use more sunscreen, bug repellent and chapstick to appear somewhat presentable as a missionary :)  I’m kidding! I’m doing great health wise and spiritually as well. When you dedicate your life to the Lord and His children, He feeds you well and protects you too :) Who could ask for more than to live and love as the people in Brasil? I couldn’t ask for more :)


Tchau from Sister Oldroyd The Brasilian Born

A picture to go with the pictures from two blogs ago of the spiders!

Friday, February 12, 2016

Conversion



Well this is gonna be a quick one (as I always say).  The power went out and our time has been cut quite a bit. This week was great! I think the best part was having 5 people come to church! Maria and her father Manuel, Renato who has a tattooed head and usually wears a hat but came and I’m so happy for the help we received from a member who stayed with him and walked with him to church. Another Manuel who came right as soon as we called to remind him cause he slept in! And finally Richard, who is very versed in all religions but finally made a visit.

It didn’t feel very different with Carnaval going on here in Brasil. Novo Osasco is very chill and the only difference was having to go home at 7 o’clock. 



I’m trying to focus on what are my desires? As it says in D&C 11:17, are they sincere? Of God? When we are desiring as God does, it is more likely to happen and be a part of His will. Our life will feel so much better if our desires are in the right place. 



This week was transfers! I'm proud to announce that I will be a mother of one Sister M. Soares who is from Teresina and is 21. She likes a lot of the same things and likes to play around so that’s gonna be good! I’ve got a lot to do to make sure she enjoys the mission as I did with my trainer. 



Nothing else crazy really happened to be honest...just got sunburned, ate beans and rice and fresh pineapple juice, and felt the spirit very STRONG as I told my "conversion" story to a member who asked how it was growing up in the church. I recounted my story when I went to the women’s conference as a 12 year old in the conference center and didn’t know why everyone was quieting down and standing up until I saw the prophet entering the room. That moment changed everything. I felt in my little body the warmest feeling and knew he was a prophet of God. It was so great to remember how I started learning for myself the truths of this wonderful gospel. 



Know I am still gaining a testimony daily and that my conversion is stronger than ever. When you dedicate your life 24/7, things happen, the spirit speaks and you are never at a loss because He is there. He Always has been and Always will be. Have a great week! Until Monday :)

Sis O    A Proud new mommy :)

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Parks, Puzzles and Pretty Hot Sun

Alright I’m going to test my typing skills this week. Really quick the title is about a few things. This last pday we visited a pretty famous park that has everything; bikes, skates, etc. but unfortunately I carried my batman kite all the way there to find out that my type of kite wasn’t allowed (the battling paper kind haha) so that was a bummer. But I also didn’t bring clothes to change into thinking it was a small park where I could peacefully fly my kite (which is doable in a dress)...so there’s me playing soccer in a dress because obviously a dress doesn’t stop me from enjoying myself.

Also the puzzle thing happened when a family let us in because it was raining like crazy (I think I was the closest to thunder and lightning in this moment) (very loud stuff) and they started talking to us, made us hot chocolate (because we kindly turned down the coffee offer) and then her son pulled out a puzzle. I couldn’t resist and told them about my love of puzzles. We did it together (30 pieces I think) and she thought I was pretty "intelligent" for having completed it without a picture. It was the first time they had seen what it actually was cause no one had been able to complete it ...so of course she took a picture of me and her son with it.

The last point, the Sun.....boy is it starting to feel like summer here. Even the mornings feel like the heat is entering your soul from every direction, not just from the sun above you.



I had some great moments this week. I’m a scripture hugger. I was feeling a bit frustrated and confused and needed some love so I thought; why not hug your quad of scriptures? So I snuck a hug for a good minute or so with them and it felt sooo good. I felt so much love from my Heavenly Father even though it wasn’t him physically; I knew He was hugging me back :) Another was helping a member with Family Search and realizing how lucky I am with all that’s been done so far and how my family is amazing. Getting to watch a members sealing in the temple because my Companion was invited and Presidente authorized us to go! It only reminded me of the wonderful experience I had with Erica and Michael. Way to go all the way to the top :) Sealing for eternity is the only way to go in this life :) Still enduring the bugs and creatures here, some of which I don’t have a problem. Geckos are my buddies still!  And being able to have our investigator watch another’s baptism. She still really wants a big answer from God about being baptized so we are trying to help Maria progress to this point. Please help me remain faithful with this. She’s already felt the spirit but asks for more...it’s been a little tough for me.

A Tarantula in our apartment . . . 

Another experience real fast, after lunch my comp and I went over to a "praça" or park area where there’s usually trees and benches in the middle of the city. This one was new for us and very beautiful compared to how they usually are. After a minute or so we saw a man and we just needed to talk with him. Long story short, his life was tough. Not filled with the loving life he wanted, with a tattooed head and face (his eyebrows were tattoos and whole head red flames but were covered because he wore a hat). He fears to return to church because of this decision and only stays with his "wife" because of his daughter. We taught him and tried to help him out, telling him that there’s always a path back to Christ, and way to live in positivity.


Unfortunately, Mr Tarantula wasn't alone . . .

I hope you all know that we are part of a beautiful bouquet! But it’s not just the flower part that’s necessary. The stem, and leaves are important as well. All complement one another. Each has a part to play. The stem helps it remain in the vase. The leaves give depth and a good green feeling and the flowers bring color and power to it all. Never forget that you are a valued flower and part of Gods bouquet. Whether you are a taller, skinnier flower or a fluffy, squatty one, we are all in His vase of value and He lovingly waters us every day :) (this wonderful metaphor was brought to you by, the bouquet in the São Paulo Temple celestial room)

I'd much rather hold a gecko

Love you all. Have a great week!

Sis Oldroyd the Puzzle putter together