Laura's Mission in Brazil

To: Mom

Opening your package! I loved it!

Birthday package from home. Happy birthday on 10-17.

The Sisters decorated her bed while she was showering.

Birthday clothes from Mom and Dad.

Sisters De Moura and Bullen.

Sister Genaro and Sister Bullen.

I loved the fotos sent by Susanna and Paula (wow - I think it's been a while since I've seen Paula - she has bangs & is looking good!!) Janessa is so pretty!! Congrats Susanna and Kevin!!! She looks like an angel and hope everything went really well. I remembered you all several times this week. Wondering if she'd already been born yet.

This week was great and I don't even know where it went.

I will send photos also, but because I had to upload them, time is short, so here are the highlights...

We had zone conference and it was amazing. Great trainings from Pres and Sister Genaro and the Assistants to the Pres. We also had a surprise for beating our record and being the number 3 mission for baptizing - Pres surprised us with the chance to watch 17 Miracles and we had pizza afterwards. You should have seen the response. You'd think we´d won the biggest lottery. But it was amazing and really spiritual.

Yesterday we had Stake Conference and it was amazing. The greatest joy really is helping someone come unto Christ and seeing them stay firm and true in the gospel. I got to see several of my recent converts from Campo Mourão and from here in Maringá. and it was really special.

I had a great birthday and was really surprised and felt a lot of love. The Sisters in the morning surprised me with a little cake and a banner, etc on the bed (when I was showering) and we split the cake for breakfast. It was the night before the conference so we had 4 sisters from Campo Mourao who came to stay the night with us and when I was showering they surprised me with a huge cake and it was a lot of fun. Silvia and Israel (an amazing family in our ward) also surprised me with a box of chocolates for my birthday. It was really fun and I am so grateful for the Sisters that I have the chance to know here.

One of the quotes that I loved from 17 Miracles was from Levi Savage who said `all we can do is carry on`. How great that is. Sometimes things happen that are hard or sad, that we don't understand, but we need to trust in God and remember that he loves us and that all will work out for our good. We just need to keep going and look for the blessings.

I'm so thankful for all of you and love you all! I know that today we have the same Church of Christ here on the earth. I know we have a living prophet and 12 apostles. I know Christ lives. I know he suffered for my sins and for the pain that I pass through. I know that God knows and loves us. Love you all!!!!