Wednesday, June 6, 2012

 

Greetings all,

We've been getting rain for the first time now. So I'll get to break in my Missionary Raincoat! We've had lightning and thunders storms a couple times this week. The first time it knocked out power all over the city. We must have a generator cause power kicked back on, but all the apartment complexes within eyesight were pitch black. You'll have to google it, but I think São Paulo is the 3rd largest city- I've heard there are 17 million people here. There's an apartment complex close by, that they told us it alone, has 8,000 people living right there.

Anyways, This has been an amazingly Spiritual week. I've been thinking a lot about my Testimony lately and the people who have helped it grow and who have helped me to get where I am today. I've been wanting to share it a lot lately. One of our class assignments this week was to imagine the last night we had home, and if we knew we were headed to Brazil, never to come back, what would we write in a note (in 5 lines or less) and I'd like to expound upon that a little bit.

I am in Brazil right now, because I know that this is the gospel of Christ. I left behind my school, work, family, and friends, and all other matters, because I know this Gospel is true. I know it is true because of the witness I have received after praying to know of its truth. I have seen the blessings in my life and the people around me from living this gospel righteously. I know that everyone on earth is a child of God and that He knows us individually. My Heavenly Father knows me and loves me. I know the Book of Mormon is the Word of God. That it was translated by Joseph Smith, who restored the Gospel to the Earth. I know that today, we are still led by a living Prophet, Thomas S Monson. I know that families can be together forever. I love my family and I am so grateful for all that they mean and have done for me. My parents made the choice to be married in the temple and because of that I know we can be together forever. My Mom, as most people know, is an amazing woman. Who as a young adult, already had a testimony in Temples and the blessings she would receive from a Temple Marriage. She didn't have the opportuninty to have her parents there, but she still chose the right. The love that both of my parents have for the Temple, has always been a large influence in my life. I am so grateful to them for their support and love. I love all four of my siblings and my two brothers in law. My three beautiful nieces who are growing into such beautiful people. I would not pass up the opportunity to watch them grow, to play with them, and to see them. Unless I knew without a doubt that I am where I am supposed to be. I am a representative of Christ. My purpose for the next 17 months is to invitite others unto the restored Gospel of Christ.

We have just had an amazing week. Last night, we watched a broadcast from Jeffrey R Holland about being a missionary and what that entails. If I were to have a favorite apostol, he would be one of them. One of my favorite parts was where he said something along the lines of: Be the missionary that Primary Children Expect you to be. That your nieces and nephews believe you to be. All they know is that you are off serving the Lord and that they Pray for you every night as a family.

It was something like that. It was so powerful and motivating. I am trying to be the missionary that my nieces believe I am.

I love my Companions, we grow closer all the time. Irma Kortch, one of our teachers, drew us a picture the other day. Describing us as the "Power Puff Sisters" S. Matiaco is "Docinho" which means something like Sweet. She bites first and then you get the sweetness. S. Bradley got "Florzinha" which is a flower, means kind of delicate, beautiful. I got "Lindinha" which she told me means beautiful" kind of "ahhh" or something. That we are becoming one in unity. We balance each other out really well. This week we also had our first "street contact." Which was just in the class room and all of the companionships had to try and talk to our teacher who was walking to work on his cell phone. It was really intimidating to try and catch his attention and try and stop him. Most of us, just almost ran into him instead. It was really funny, but also a very good lesson. Irmo Teixeira had to leave us this week, because he got a job offer in his profession. Working here is normally only a two year job. So, our new teacher is Irmo Israel, (but the R is pronounced kind of with an H). He is really nice, and we are already learning a lot from him. He is what our class needs right now.

One last thing I also love about our trio. We have a pretty predictable response from most people. S. Bradley has a little American Indian in her, but most people just think she's Brazilian. So people always walk up to her speaking rapid Portuguese. When people here I am from Alaska I either get "ohhh moito frio" or "wow." its pretty funny.

Anyways, Love you all,

Sister Bullen