Hope

Hello everyone :)

This email I want to focus on what I studied this week. But let me give you a run-down of the other activities first.

We got to make lunch two times this week cause a member forgot and another couldn’t be there to make it so they gave us money and we decided what we wanted and made it (because obviously we are amazing chefs). The first was just meat and rice etc. but the second one was hamburgers!!! How joyful....they were a bit different but still a hamburger to me :) and we had 3 desserts....that’s what happens when we are in charge.

I also got to battle a pretty big cockroach for Sis Harris, ‘cause he ran under her bed. I immediately grabbed the broom, handed her a stick and told her to try and scare him out to the side of the bed where I was ready to pounce. In the end I won. There were a few marks on the floor as a result but one dead cockroach and a more comfortable Sister in the house.

Also I had my first interview with President Del Guerso. He is fabulous everyone, so open and funny and wise. In the interview he said it was all me, and said I could start talking.....um, ok. I just talked about how I was, my area, my Portuguese etc. then he would respond. I asked questions. It was so peaceful to just talk with him, and not feel like I had to give a bunch of answers to a bunch of questions. Lovin the Del Guerso's! Sister Del Guerso is fabulous as well :) 

In the training we had with her, she used a bunch of different words for us to explain our thoughts. I had the word Miracles. Such a great word right? Basically everything is a miracle. My mission, my family, friends, this plan, my Savior and the comment I ended with was that I have realized that I want to be a miracle in the lives of others and for my Savior, not a burden; Make others feel of His love, and have them feel as if your presence isn’t a hassle or problem but something they want to continue to enjoy.

I’ve studied a lot about Hope as well, some great scriptures are 2 Cor 4:18 and Rom 8:24-25. What are our hopes? Do we Hope in Him? He is Hopeful. Do I hope for others to have success or happiness? How can I help them have hope? Oh and be happy in Him!! (I love using words that start with the same letter. I think there is an English term for that....anyway.)

It’s been a great week as you can tell (or at least I hope you can) because this work is glorious. It’s weird to think three months have already passed and I only have a year and 3 months left but I’m still here! I’m still a missionary. It’s not over yet and it actually doesn’t really end when I return home, a new mission begins. Life after the mission! A completely different mission that I can always experience with my Savior, Father in Heaven, Family, friends etc.

Continue to "perseverar ate o fim" or endure to the end (for you English folk) and use all the amazing tools Christ has given us to enjoy this life, and create something beautiful and heaven worthy. Love you all! Even you strangers who are so interested by my blog that you are reading my emails every week (haha the jokes are starting to come which means I need to end this emai). I know these things are true. I am so happy because of these truths. At times it’s difficult to explain my emotions in words. That’s why I love Alma 26:16 so much. I know my Father in Heaven knows my heart which is the most important thing. I hope and pray that you all continue to stay firm in Faith and hope in Him because He never fails. He is the Son of God, our Savior.

Sister Oldroyd

(The Atonement Seeker)

Life is like a child’s playpen

What a great week eh?

I’m doing amazing if you guys didn’t know :) I want to explain a little bit of what our schedule is like and forgive the typos...this keyboard has some seriously stuck letters. Maybe by the end you’ll figure out which ones.  I’ll punch really hard!

We get up at 6:30, get ready....eat toast etc. Study from 8-12 (I absolutely love personal study time! A time I can just read the Book of Mormon and PME) I study with Sis R after personal. We practice lessons etc. and practice language also....we have started to read together from the Liahona, mine is Portuguese and hers is English. It’s going well. After we either walk for about 30-45 minutes or ride the bus to the members house for lunch (another one of my favorite things of the day) This past week we had the hugest lunch ever ....I had two huge helpings of meat, rice, beans, salad, nhoque, fries, guarana, and then after had a cup of ice cream, 5 mini churros, and 2 pao de queijos. Let’s just say she kept saying "come meninas!' (eat more) and I listened. After lunch we start talking and walking and hoping that people will let us in to hear our message or that our investigators are in and available. Sometimes we have family nights with members and investigators which are awesome as well. You can tell I basically love every part of the day. The rough part is knowing that I’m a shiny, sweaty, missionary but who cares right?!

Still have clothes problems

This past week I really busted out doing contacts cause we had time in front of the temple this week! This is when we just stand outside the front gate and talk to EVERYONE....even members...even people with headphones in. It was great! People rejected us with a wave of the hand or words that I didn’t completely understand but we had a good experience anyway. Oh and I got a good tan too :) That day really testified of the gift of tongues for me. When we gird up our loins and go for it, the Lord truly helps us through.

I want you all to think about how marvelous this plan is. I have another metaphor for you guys. I thought of it this morning during study time. Life is like a child’s playpen. We are the children, God’s children but He is behind us. We can’t see him but he’s there talking us through what toys to play with and we can feel His presence. This life is full of toys to play with and decisions to make but Heavenly Father isn’t in front of us to show the way. He is with us in Spirit and Love and we have the opportunity to feel of His presence in all things.

Today is Dias das Crianças, where everyone celebrates children whoohoo! I can’t imagine how much our Heavenly Father celebrates when we are one step closer to returning to him. You can bet that I’m going to make sure I have enough money (or have done all I can spiritually) to buy that ticket home. I love you all. Stay firm in Faith and find joy in knowing you are a Child of God.

Loves

Sis Oldroyd

Trust Me

Well everyone,  as I sat in conference I decided that I should just throw in the towel because how am I ever going to write about this past week and about how amazing it was, especially with conference??!!! Well I’m gonna try anyway :)

The week started with a surprise birthday party for an elder in our district with food, cake etc. The next was a training day for us new folk where Sister C. and I traveled to the chapel next to the temple, had training with talks, activities, lunch and giving out a Book of Mormon in front of the temple. I saw some good friends again! It is always great to visit the headquarters every once and a while. I’ve realized once again how competitive I am....for a meeting we did an activity where whoever got the answer correct could smash a plate of whipped cream in the losers face....and let’s just say I did not want to change my clothes and have this happen. Luckily I got the first one right...but then I had to go again! This time we both didn’t know the answer and smashed it in each other’s face at the same time which was not a good idea...some in the hair...most of it fell on my skirt.  Let’s just say I’m remembering how competitiveness is important/fun but don’t let it ruin the fun! Who cares if there’s sticky sugary stuff all over your face and skirt… Get over it! Great lesson for me :)

On a more spiritual note, I’ve learned this past week that it’s not about the numbers. Yes we create goals for every day and week to motivate us to do our best and even raising the bar but how many baptisms did John the Baptist have before he was asked to baptize Christ? 0...a big goose egg yet he was worthy. He was exactly who Christ needed. He wasn’t asked because he had 100 other baptisms or 10000 contacts. It was because of his character, his testimony, his spirituality. This is what I need to focus on. Am I doing my best? Am I prepared to do the Fathers will even without 100 baptisms? Am I focusing on what’s most important? That’s my first food for thought...

Another is The Atonement is like a trail already blazed in the beautiful mountains, all we have to do is walk it! Yes there might be steep parts, or sharp turns but we weren’t the one who had to clear out the trees, boulders and dirt to create the trail. Christ did. He removed every rock. Please enjoy this life like it’s a beautiful hike (wow I’m on a rhyming roll! haha not really)

Lastly, my conference story :) I was at first a bit bitter about having to watch it in Portuguese because I was insecure about how much I would understand and that I wouldn’t get all the answers I needed but immediately I was corrected in my heart and mind. I kept having the thought "Trust me" and "Why are you forgetting the power in the language of the Spirit" "I called you to preach in the Portuguese language" etc. This calmed my heart and made conference amazing. I obviously didn’t understand every word like a native speaker but I understood what I needed. I even had the opportunity to hear the beginning of the English phrases before the translation for a bit of help. In total I watched 3 out of 4 conference sessions in Portuguese (one I got to watch in English cause a member could watch it with me) and women’s conference in Portuguese as well. This conference was such a refreshing time for my spirit and soul. My love for the prophet and apostles is stronger, my testimony and conversion is better all because of two days. I can’t wait to get the Liahona and read them over and over again. I hope you all had just as good a time as I did. Share what you learned with others. I know without a doubt that everyone got something different out of conference, because the language of the spirit speaks to everyone in their own personal way. I hope we respond in our own way back because that’s what God wants; Our personality; Our testimony. We are all different but with our differences, we are united. We are members, disciples, and warriors in this battle of life. This truly is the last dispensation and we need to prepare now! Grab what you can to train, exercise, and support your comrades. I love you all very much. Know that I prepare every day to meet my God. I don’t want to be caught unprepared. I want to be over prepared and it’s my decision to do such.

I’m staying in Cotia for now :) and am overjoyed to be a missionary now. We don’t have to wait until we're grown....the time is now :)

Tchau

Sister Oldroyd

Feast upon the words of Christ

Cotia is the place to Beeya!

I hope you all got my jingle in the title :) Well folks, somehow another week has passed by and I’m going into my sixth week in Cotia! Sis R thinks that I’m going to stay here for another transfer but only transfer day will tell......

A lot happened this week! Last P-day we sacrificed 2 hours for a lesson instead of lounging and it really made me realize that I’m not here for p-days! I’m here to teach lessons and if a member has an interested friend who is only home from work on Monday afternoons, so be it.

We also had a district meeting that went well as usual, this time we had breakfast together :) soda, bread with cheese and ham; simple yet filling :) 

At this district meeting we did a talent show and scavenger hunt with puzzles we had to translate....guess what I did for the talent show???? You guessed it. Played the guitar and sang! Sis R and I wrote different lyrics to Called to Serve and we borrowed a guitar from a member. Then I improv-ed for a sister who had a song she wanted to sing. It was great! Then guess who won the translating scavenger hunt game! US! We were running and writing and the prize was one of the amazing boxes of assorted chocolates. I love my district.

I want to tell you all how much you as members make a difference! Every lunch I have with these people is such a joy; To see how they live, and love, and truly enjoy having this gospel in their lives. What a joy it is to see our investigators walking down the road to meet us for church and then having members talk to them and be their friend!

I had my first division with Sister F this past week and learned a lot from here. It was awesome to experience a new area and new companion and see how it works in other places in the mission. 

Some insights I have gotten for this week are as follows, 1. We can’t do things correctly most of the time and expect ALL of the blessings in return. 2. The time we have to renew our covenants during the sacrament is essential and we need to be reverent but we also need to carry that reverence and respect into the members who are giving talks. They’re important too and are probably a little nervous, so the most we can do is listen and learn. 3.Talk, and people will most likely respond. If not, they probably won’t start the conversation.

Well that’s my insight for this week. I’m still loving it. Cotia truly is the place to be. Continue to feast upon the words of Christ. It’s an exciting time for Brazil because the Bible just got "renewed" (woot woot).  Anyway, I love you all! Take Comfort in Christ :)

Com Amor

Sister Oldroyd

Two for the Price of One

Email #1 (Probably from last week)

Family and Persons of my wonderful life!

This week was crazy and went by really fast! The CTM experience was super cool...took forever to get there and back but was such a joy to see all the missionaries of my mission and be a part of a devotional that they’re going to broadcast to every Brasil stake! I’m going to be famous!!! GAH!  Not really but it was awesome not needing the headphones for translation like the other missionaries of the CTM. After it, we were on our second onibus, and I was pooped,  but the guy next to me asked me a question and I had no idea what he said, turned to my comp, she translated and then he got the pic I wasn’t Brazilian and spoke a bit of English to me! Long story short, I ended up talking to him in my broken Portuguese and he responded in mostly Portuguese but some English. I gave him a Book of Mormon and taught him a bit, and I didn’t get motion sick! So many blessings everyone! He was super kind and receptive. Tender mercy right there:)

I was shredding a root for a member...its going to be tapioca. almost hurt my pinky!

Some great musical moments have happened. I’ve helped sis Bezerra translate the song Glorious into Portuguese so she knows what it actually means and while doing so I felt the spirit. She is such a wonderful example and as I helped her learn how to pronounce the English lyrics I felt her desire to learn and grow. Music is awesome! Then we had a family night with some great members who had a guitar! Obviously I asked to play...it was a bit old and out of tune but it worked just the same :) I pulled out my hymn book and played. I sang Families Can Be Together Forever after our plan of salvation lesson. Even though I can’t speak perfect Portuguese, I can bear testimony through music and I think Lucia felt that. She’s a wonderful member with such a strong loving spirit. She gave the closing prayer and started to cry, thanking our Heavenly Father for this wonderful plan, for the great opportunity to feel of his love and have his companionship through the holy ghost. Her hugs are great too :) So caring and as we left she whispered, you better return, neh? It was such a tender mercy to feel of her testimony and love.

A crepe?

This plan truly is wonderful. I don’t know what my purpose would be without it. Who am I without my family? Without knowing where I came from, and why in the world I’m living on a planet called earth, serving a mission in a country called Brasil that has a ton of people, dogs, and houses. Without it, why would I want to do good? To grow and learn after I experience a trial? and how my goodness would I make it back to my Heavenly Father without my Savior who was sent down here to atone for our sins???? my sins?? He is the center of this plan, without Him, we have no purpose...no reason to continue in his life. I have learned so much this week about how I need to use this time wisely, use this earthly experience for my benefit because everything God creates and does is for our benefit. Like a life you don’t want to take a vacation from. (that’s a quote from something I think...don’t quote me on that) I am loving it here. Even when I see little doggies shivering in the corner of an alley as it’s raining, or have investigators who don’t come to church. BUT I still love it because there are people prepared to live this plan. There are people who surprisingly come to church! And are ready to get married and be baptized! Anyway, know that I’m loving every minute.

Tchau for now. love

Sister Oldroyd 

Email #2

People! sorry about the confusion...last week I was trying to do too many things and my time ran up before I could send my weekly email...don’t worry, I have repented and am starting every email session with it first. This week was awesome as usual. The people and sisters in my mission never cease to amaze me with how giving, loving, and serviceable they all are, mainly the sisters in my house, and the members. We had a multi-zona meeting thing that lasted all day on Wednesday which meant breakfast, lunch, and snacktime...and games! And wonderful trainings on how we can be better missionaries and use our time better. I participated in a basketball shooting thing...missed my shot...but so did almost everyone else...basketball isn’t really Brazil’s sport :) fine by me!  It was a great time to really see how awesome my mission president and his wife are. After it, we rode home in the President’s car with him cause he was going to visit Cotia...let’s just say I did my best to let him see how happy I am even though my Portuguese isn’t quite perfect yet. Obviously my companion brought up my weird voice talent thing....did that for him...he practiced a couple English phrases with me...and he bought us food :) what a great day neh?

In the President's car waiting for the food

I’ve really been blessed to have a different perspective during my mission. I find the weirdest things beautiful...like a bunch of broken tiles in a pile that could be used for some cool art piece! or when our lesson goes a little late and the investigator offers to drive us home in their old buggy and it feels like a mini roller coaster ride as we bumpily make our way home, especially over every speed bump (haha) or my goodness, the prettiest sunset that really looked like heaven for a minute.......enough about that...

On the 15th was my 2 month mark! Woo! Happy anniversary to me. My companion was so nice and made me tapioca which is this interesting grain stuff that meshes together with heat and you eat it like a crepe. It’s good just a little different texture. Love her to death!

One blessing of being the tallest is I get to stand on a tiny desk, stand on my tippy toes and use my trusty pocketknife (which I think I’m not supposed to have but its mandatory!) to unscrew the other sisters light cover thing to help them change their light bulb. Boy did it work my arms and calves but we were successful!

For the spiritual part of the week, I want us to realize how it does not matter how long we've been a member of this gospel to have a great strong testimony. There are some members in our ward who have been a part of this gospel for less than a year but it seems like they’ve been a part of it for years! Their testimonies and spirits are amazingly strong, and influential. It really made me think about how I've used my time as a member of this church. I’ve had 19 years and they’ve been in it under a year....let’s think about this for a minute....how well have I used my membership in this church? Our FREE membership to be a disciple of Christ, A latter-day saint today? I hope we have taken advantage of realizing how blessed we are to know our purpose, to know why we go to church every Sunday and sacrifice a mere 3 hours of our week...some churches here have multiple sessions throughout the week but how amazing it is of God to only ask for 3 hours....I could go on forever about this and point out the billion tender mercies and blessings of God but that’s my food for thought this week and I’ll spare you the possible novel. You don’t have to be a member for long to make a difference or decide how much of your time you’re going to spend in strengthening your testimony and reaping the bounteous rewards this gospel membership has to offer. Know that I’m going to try harder to be a more faithful, studious, spiritual, serviceable member of this gospel. I love you all.

Tcau from Sister Oldroyd

A Missionary and Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 

A Picture . . .

We didn't receive an email this week but we did get some pictures where Sydney posted some comments, so we thought we'd post a few.

Noite familiar (family night) I played guitar! They were so great! (r to l) Lucia, Zoraide, Sis Rodriguez, Sis Bezerra, me, and Aldaci. He really wants to learn more so I'm going to write some chords in his hymn book. Lucia has such a sweet spirit! 

My district! I was off on the number of us haha 

When we were traveling to the ctm, We took the metro thing! and lots of buses. Me, Sis Rodriguez, Sis Freitas, Sis Barbosa, Sis Cellurale, and Sis Bezerra

I love homemade pão de queijo!

This is Cotia! Lots of houses and trees too!

I love this Gospel

What’s happening Family and Friends!

I’ve got 15 minutes to explain my whole week...let’s see how that goes!! Really quick, it rained a lot but luckily I had my trusty coat rain thing that made me feel unstoppable!  We had some great lessons where I talked more! I felt the spirit and I hope they did too!

I now know one reason I’m here, and that is to help these people with music. They try so hard and I love it! One sister plays the hymns made easy for sacrament meeting and the rest of the meetings are acapella. It’s amazing how they just love this gospel and a little off key singing still brings the spirit :)

We walked a lot too! For lunch this past week, one time was an hour long walk but who cares! I got to pass by the Sao Paulo soccer team training facility. Cool! I also made some people laugh with my awkward moonwalking and "blender" dance move. I also have a motto "the simple things in life"; when something is super simple but just makes you happy! Ours is food, sleeping, singing, smashing the seed things from the trees which make a cool noise and other stuff :)

One really important thing I learned this week was that this message, this gospel, this blessing in my life is the most important thing. Even when we enter someone’s home, making the father turn off the tv that had a soccer game on, it is more important than that. The whole message was a bit tense for him because I knew he really wanted to be watching his game and I totally understand BUT it reminded me that this way of life is way more important than one soccer game. There will be other soccer games in the future, but what he really needs to know is his purpose in life, why he needs to become more like Christ, why he needs to love and support his family, why he needs to attend church, read the scriptures and pray. All this is not only to prepare us for the future but to help us enjoy the present! My life is an enormous party because I have this gospel. Party is probably not the best word to use but it works, neh?

I hope you all remember that this is the most important thing to participate in at this time.  We really need to strengthen ourselves in what really matters; what will never falter or crumble. I want to build my life, testimony and conversion on the rock of our Redeemer. Don’t you??? Join me in the construction of what really matters; we can enjoy the simple things in life as we participate in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Atonement is there for you! You! He didn’t just do it for me and the people of Brazil, never forget.

I love you. I love this gospel, I love the simple things in life :) Find out what makes you happy! Hopefully attending church, etc. Gotta run! (walk quickly in the rain to the CTM for a conference but I’m ok because I’ve got the gospel) What have you got? A testimony that God exists? I was reminded that I know He exists because of the Holy Ghost testifying, and because I looked for Him.

Loves! Signing off now,

Sister Oldroyd