Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Me and My Viking Hair!

Well fam, time has never flown by quicker than it has this week! I completely forgot to tell you guys that one Sunday the translator wasn’t there for the Sacrament meeting so me and Sister Covey were asked by a family to try. Sister Covey battled about 2 of the 3 speakers then I tried. It was pretty funny to see her look at me and for us to just keep whispering "sorry" in the head set haha. I have so much respect for translators.

Multi-zone conference

Anyway....this week went by fast cause each day there was something to do. We had multi-zona where we sang I am Child of God as a zone and I got to play the piano :) Heard some great things from President and Sister Del Guerso as well as from Sister Costa (wife of President Costa from the presidency of the seventy) and she talked about the priesthood and mothers etc. I was so happy to be able to have heard my mother’s (Sister Rodrigues) testimony. She said something interesting about how someone asked her if she would be leaving her mission happy. I thought the same thing, will I leave my mission happy? I hope so because I have had some of the happiest memories and moments on the mission. Some other thoughts I had were "Children of the covenant are asked to do difficult things, it didn’t stop with Abraham" "seek and pray for new truths" "Edify others" "everything has a purpose because God is everything" and I will end with what my President always says"Always be by God’s side. Be close to Him". The special thing was afterwards going through a session with everyone and seeing Pres. and Sister in the Celestial room. It was such a blessing to be able to be in the house of the Lord and thank these two wonderful people for all they have done for me.

Pres and Sister Del Guerso

Something funny on another day this week was that in a lesson, the Lord had blessed us with 4 new investigators but unfortunately one of them kept insisting on giving us an ice cold glass of Coca-Cola...and being here in Brasil hasn’t changed my taste or tolerance for coke one bit...so of course my comp handed the more full glass to me and it was my great opportunity so slowly sip that burning blackness down. Phew! I didn’t make it all the way through but I drank quite a bit....I called it the Coke Choke haha.



So the Viking hair thing was hilarious. We were walking in the street and this guy comes running behind us and says, "I just had to stop you and say how much I love your hair! I study about Vikings and it’s my goal to have my hair like that, but your hair color is perfect and everything!" Haha! It was one of the oddest things anyone has ever said to me in the street, especially cause he stopped us. Usually we stop them in the street to talk.

This week I also went on a split with a sister and stayed in my area. I’m loving the opportunity to get to know the other sisters and helping them meet their goals. I’ve talked a lot more on the phone than I ever have but it’s been a great learning experience.

Today we had the good bye party for President and Sister Del Guerso. We sang them the mission hymn, which I love! It brings the spirit so quickly! We had them share some things and played a question game with them. And then we skyped our new president! It was crazy! But I know they are both called of God and that this is where I need to be.

Thank you for your prayers and your love. I’m doing so well and loving every minute. Tchau for now.

Loves,

Sis Oldroyd
(The post it note user- when she wants to mark a part in the Book of Mormon for someone or leave them an invite.)



Tuesday, May 24, 2016

A Ten Cent Difference

Well this week has been quite different!! To start it off I would like to explain my title for this week. We had been coming back from a division and I was just short 10 cents on my bus fair and didn’t want to try and buy one with my emergency 50....(they don’t like it when we do that cause it’s a ton of change to try and give back for a 3.80 bus fair) so I was scrambling around to find enough with me and my comp (comps have always got your back on change :) and as we were doing so, my eyes met back with a man I had smiled at earlier when I had gotten on the bus and his hand immediately shot to his pocket, dug around a bit and handed me what he had left. In his hand was about 2 reais in change but I just grabbed a 50 cent piece and said " this will do, thank you so much!" I was able to pay my fare and give him the 40 cents back because it really was only a 10 cent difference and I tried to explain to him how much I appreciated that. I sat a bit behind him and thought really hard that day about how he had so quickly responded to my little moment of distress. In his face I could feel of his concern and I didn’t even know him. But through that little act I knew a little bit better of what the Savior does, who He is and exactly how we can be living examples. That man didn’t care how much change I needed but gave what he had. His heart was at the ready :) and certainly the Savior's is like that constantly. I was so grateful for this little moment of love where a stranger brought the love of the Savior through a difference of ten cents. It was interesting that for the rest of the ride I could look back at him and feel a certain trust in him, and at the point of when we needed to get off, I gave a little wave and "tchau" and he gave a wave back and watched us walk by from inside the bus. Until today I still remember his sweet facial expression of "will this suffice?" as his hand reached out to me. I know this seems like a simple story but to me, he brought the Savior’s love and helped me understand how truly the little things bring the biggest waves of love. The little things usually require the biggest heart and largest consciousness of seeing who’s in need. Would I have been at the ready? I hope so. You can bet I’m going to try! Well that was a long explanation (haha) sorry.

this building was the old mission home a couple years back and it is really close to our church building!  whuh? red?


More about this week. There was a really cool service activity/opportunity because recently there was a big fire in a neighborhood where the Elders work and 300 people lost their homes so we got to go help in the school with sorting donated clothes. We spent Wednesday from 2-5 sorting and folding them into piles of women, men, children etc. Then on Saturday we went back because lots of people asked about the church after our service on Wednesday so President had us go back :) We did more sorting clothes and less folding cause it didn’t really matter in the end if they were folded and I actually got to help in the kitchen with preparing their lunch. They needed a ton of help chopping veggies. Let’s just say I got really good at using a small knife and do the twiddling stuff. Mom, you’d be proud :)

so this is the crazy clothes area where we served on Wednesday for 3 hours and then Saturday morning from 8-12. I actually helped on Saturday in the kitchen as well cause my allergies were getting bad from all the dusty clothes. I went and cut veggies instead :)


This week we had a great lesson with P and N. They’re the people we visit who work in an office and have a ton of questions. This last time we tried explaining to them the difference between our church and the others because P is pure Catholic and N is evangelical. Our focus was the Book of Mormon cause it is one of the biggest differences. After a lots of question answering etc. P asked me how I knew God existed. I started talking about the proof I have in front of my eyes, the earth, nature, sunsets etc. but I also shared about the spiritual witnesses He has given me through reading the scriptures and feeling that He is real. I ended with telling Him that you can’t tell me God doesn’t exist when I have my family in front of my eyes. And obviously the topic of family just brought tears to my eyes because its true. Only God, the All-powerful, All knowing being could have given me this amazing family and put me on earth in this loving home. Only God is capable of doing such a thing. You can’t tell me this all came from coincidence. I only teared up a little and was able to finish my testimony but the spirit was so strong I could see P slowly nod in agreement and they both got teary eyed. It was a great reminder from the Lord of how powerful the family is and that the spirit only testifies of truth. To me it was such a breath of fresh air to feel of His presence through some simple words on the family:)

Mom, I gave Aparecido one of your knives! He was so excited and is going to put it to great use. he is a handy man, fixes everything and saves everything like grandpa :)


 It’s been a wonderful week with service, a small division with Sister C. Silva and feeling the spirit. I love teaching about this gospel and seeing this move my life. The more I talk, the more I feel of its truth. The more I study, the better prepared I am to testify with power. The more I walk, the closer I am to finding those in need. The more I serve, the better I know my Savior. Thanks to Him, I am here. Thanks to you, I make it through. Thanks to the spirit, I am reminded constantly of the truth. You need to know I’m grateful. I’m happy and I’m a sister missionary serving in Brasil. I know we are all important to Him. We can all walk in the rain, get wet and still be happy in our hearts cause that’s what I get to do every day! The Lord is our sunlight in whatever kind of weather! I love getting splashed by cars driving really close to the sidewalk and running right through the huge puddle because He fills my heart with laughter, not grudges. He manages to widen my stomach so I can actually eat two servings of Feijoada, farinha, and juice because usually I’m only capable of one. These things make me happy, and you should all be happy too! The Savior didn’t suffer for your sins and saddnesses for you to stay inside them! Let’s be happy together ok?

wore tights!

Love you guys, until next time!
Loves,
Sis Oldroyd - a happy helper and sometimes trinket hoarder

Monday, May 16, 2016

Answer our Prayers

Is anyone else feeling like I just took my 9 month picture??? I cannot even believe it’s in the double digits now...it’s been a wonderful week! I don’t have much time but we had a great miracle. We had made a goal one day to do 20 contacts and find someone to go to church with us the next day. And after all of our tries it got to 9:30 and we were getting down in the dumps when sister did a contact and the lady said "Awesome, tomorrow, 9:00 o’clock? I’ve been looking for a religion for me and my kids!" As we left the contact we almost cried with joy! The Lord had answered our prayers and that confirmed to me that once we do all we can, he completes the rest. We also got to do a division for 2 days and I went there to stay :) Packed my bag and worked with some great sisters in Maria Rosa. It was a fabulous week!

Love you all! 

Until next time

Siser Oldroyd - the lady with the CTR ring of a dolphin



Who can I spy Kirst???? haha these are some of the yw  in our ward, we were invited to share the BoMs importance in their class. This girl trips me out every time...Kirst???


We made mandiocha (manjioca) ( i think that's how its spelled) its this root thing you boil and eat with salt and butter. They also make cake with it.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Receive relief

I took a bit more time responding to people so this will be quickly written. This week we had Conselho and lucky me and Sis Covey got to give a training on a mission principle that we have in the MSPO (Missão São Paulo Oeste). We gave it on PMF or Plano de Missão da Família, or how they can make goals and plans as a family to be more like a missionary or just spiritually stronger. We thought about it a lot and totally nailed it with our balloon activity. We had them each keep up a balloon individually until we made one elder try and keep up 5 balloons without them touching the ground. This was to keep the LZ's awake and more in tune to what we wanted to say. We don’t have to work alone as missionaries! We weren’t meant to keep all our investigators afloat anyway! So that was a small activity to stop complicating things and including the members with the PMF.

Messias, a sweet member who let us help her make lunch! it was delicious! fresh pineapple juice

We also got to visit the temple grounds with Paola this weekend and it went really well :) Unfortunately we didn’t get to sit very long in the waiting room because of her daughter screaming but luckily she felt the presence of the spirit so strongly by the few seconds we were there inside. We got to talk with her outside on the grounds a bit and how her goal now is to make it inside the House of the Lord. She is so spiritually strong and ready for more. I love this lady and will miss her dearly when I have to leave.



There was a ward Mother’s day activity that was fun! Of course all the men bought a bunch of pizzas, ha, typical but they had the YM pass the pizzas around and serve so that was nice. Me and Sister Covey are trying really hard to find new people to teach and creating better relationships with the members. We made quick little unplanned visits on some members where we share a brief message or sing a quick song just to let them know they are loved by us and the Lord. It has really helped us build a stronger relationship with them! One even invited us to come back and eat baguettes (those bread with tomato sauce and cheese things) with some other members. It went really well, and a few moments have actually lifted a few spirits of the members.


we got adventurous that day and hucked sticks until this fell 

As we have been teaching some of our recent converts or less actives, I have realized how important some basics are, with church attendance, daily scripture reading and faith builders. One of my hugest desires is to have constant faith. Never doubt again and I am getting to that point slowly! This p-day we got to go to the temple again. Wow I am so blessed. I was able to enter and leave my watch in the locker and just let it out. Give myself some peace. Some breathing time because here on the mission we are running everywhere and have so many things we need to do but inside the Lord’s house we go there to be with Him. We go there and receive relief. It was also really sweet seeing some quite older women but who still had a skip in their steps and a desire to go the temple. They sat in front of me and just had the light of Christ beaming within them. I immediately wanted to be more like them. I want to be firm in faith for eternity. I want what they have, conversion. I’m so glad I got to see them today in the house of the Lord and receive revelation that it is possible for me to have that, as long as I constantly have a prayer in my heart. As long as I put in my efforts of study and participation. God promises us so many blessings, we just need to obey and let them fall upon us. I’m so grateful that I can pay my fast offerings on the mission and after the mission my own tithes. It really is a sign of our faith and obedience because obviously God doesn’t need our money, but our love and faith. He needs our trust and confidence that all will be well if we just follow and act in His way. There’s nothing better than being exhausted but feeling the weight of the many things to do feel lighter. They don’t necessarily go away, but I know He is taking a majority of the weight or heat stroke or exhaustion to himself. I know that through these small tiring trials, I am becoming that much stronger, and taking one more step towards Him. I want them. I know they are for my benefit and I will continue to pray for help, so when these trials continue to come I can take them like a true disciple of Christ. I can take them without any complaint but gratitude knowing that afterwards I’ll be someone better, I know Him better and my life is still on His path. I love all this! The mission is totally making me into some preachy person but it’s all true and it is all coming from the heart. I love my family soo much and it was such a blessing to see them and hear of the good news (wink wink soon to be an aunt! yes that’s me...whoa. . . . aunt syd....auntie syd? aunt syddie? I’ll figure it out :) Hope you all have a great week! I’m doing fabulous here in Brasil. My country. My holy place where the Lord put me. I love Him and I love His plan. Let’s go get it done :)

after the laundry days I sometimes  shove all my clothes in my hoodie

Loves,
Sister Oldroyd - the somewhat preachy person but who cares!

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Gained Something More

Oi família! como vocês estão!? Estou bem, trabalhando bastante e aprendendo como confiar no senhor. Amo minha missão e como todos os dias é um privilegio servir O Senhor. (Hi family! how are you all doing?? I am well, working a lot and learning how to trust in the Lord. I love my mission and how every day is a privilege to serve the Lord). So this week was fabulous! A great start into the new transfer! We got a few referrals that we are hoping to be chosen people who are ready for us :) This week I got to do some contacts in front of the "chapel" not the temple. We have switched it up a bit where we now invite people to take a tour of the church. It was really cool actually, and one was a huge struggle because this guy didn’t speak much Portuguese or English but French and Creole. I hope he was able to feel the spirit :)



Paola is progressing so well! I love our lessons with her because she is so receptive to what we have to say and to what her father says as well. Marcilio has great insights as well even with only 2 years of membership. He gives great metaphors (which I am all for) and we always leave having gained something more. Something Marcilio said was that he knew our parents were so proud of us for our work and dedication. As he kept talking about this I was overcome with a sweet comfort that our work is being accepted by my Father in Heaven and my wonderful earth parents as well. I have been way too lucky to have grown up in the Oldroyd/Glazier home. Thank you so much for all you do :) Marcilio was able to remind me of this profound truth and reality.

I’m overjoyed to start another transfer! I so want to be in all the places the Lord has planned for me to be and do all that is on my to do list. I hope that by my actions and faith, the Lord is able to check off the things He has on Sister Sydney Oldroyd’s list :)

A fun experience was going to Outback for lunch! Something funny here is they drink lots of Chá Matte or tea or something. It’s ok to drink and we got ice cold peach tea! It was awesome! There was also that fried onion bush thing...and I ate a hamburger :) Let’s just say they were impressed when I ate everything and drank two huge mugs of tea haha. It also made me happy to see that I felt great and not even over full afterward. Yay! I still have a decent sized stomach haha.



This Sunday there was a tender mercy of two people showing up to church and it was because two members brought them! Look at how much of a help members are to us! One member brought their son who isn’t a member and another was a visiting member who brought his coworker. It was awesome and such a blessing cause our planned investigators cancelled on us at 8:59 Sunday morning....thank you Lord! It was also a tender mercy seeing a couple of less actives come to church :) They are such wonderful people and just need to come back! I had the great opportunity to bear my testimony. I was a bit nervous cause our ward was pretty full but knew I just had to bear testimony on Love. I can’t deny the Love I have felt and gained on this mission experience. I got up there and obviously just forgot all I had planned and forgot all Portuguese but managed to say a few things until I said "I’m so grateful for my mission and how I feel..... so much love" I teared up a bit and had to compose myself as I felt the love of the Lord wash over me one more time. 



I know I can better my Portuguese. I know others say more profound things but to me, it’s about sincerity, it’s about how the words feel like I said before. I can’t explain everything that goes on during the mission in just a weekly letter but I can repeat over and over that this is the Work of the Lord; That I have been filled with His Love because of this Labor of Love; That He isn’t expecting perfection but my Best. He's expecting my work as Sister Oldroyd in the Brasil São Paulo Oeste missão because He chose this place for me. This is my place. This is my time. This is my year and a half to dedicate everything to Him. Are my actions and decisions making God proud? How can I be filled with Charity? I still have so many questions but I know the act of asking questions shows a sincere desire to learn and I can testify that I want to learn. It’s a promise in D&C 131 (I think) that we take all our knowledge with us to heaven. So it’s my invitation for you all to get going! Don’t let time waste! How are you learning more and retaining that knowledge? Let’s all go to heaven a little wiser and a lot more spiritually strong. Let’s go back true children of God :)

Boa Semana! Te Amo! Beijos!

Sister Oldroyd, the lighter haired big eater sister missionary