07/08/2013

Mom, 

Here are 2 photos from our zone meeting which we had on Thursday (4th of July).

As a treat, I brought one of the packages of oreos that you sent me in the last package. They were well received. I can't upload photos, but since our zone leader sent these photos, I can forward them, and thought you might like to see them :)

I received your package and the package from Katrina this week when we went to Londrina. I loved them!! They were both amazing packages!! I'ḿ wearing the new black shoes that you sent me too. And I'm loving them. We wanted to make apple pie on the 4th of July, but time didn't happen, nor the next day, so yesterday we made it really fast and were able to eat apple pie with ice cream with the 4th of July plates, etc that Katrina sent. It was fun and yummy.

Sounds like everyone is starting to arrive in Pasco, I hope you all have a great time!!
(and don't worry I'm going to send another email, just wanted to send this for you with the photos to start).. 

Love you all!!

I sent an email to Sister Butlerś family for her.  She's going to Londrina to pick up a new sister who will arrive in the Mission - she's going to be a trainer.  Sister Huinao and I will stay together working here in Campo Mourâo.  We're excited to continue working together and see the miracles that will happen.  It was a really good week and we're excited to keep working.

We had our leadership meeting in Londrina this week and it was so neat to get to meet President and Sister Genaro.  They are so different than President and Sister Tavares, but I know they will bless the mission and teach us so much.  They are young and have 2 kids, their girl is 12 and their son a little older. One of the things that was really neat is he talked about the difference in Faith and Testimony.  How sometimes we have faith in something but we don't have a testimony of that thing.   Sometimes we have faith that tithing is a commandment, but we don't have a testimony.  How faith and obedience helps us to gain a testimony.  A testimony is something that we gain from obedience and trust in the Lord.  We live our testimony and demonstrate it through our actions.  I loved thinking about this this week and seeing how we always need to strengthen our testimonies.  President Genaro also talked about how the Lord wants us to be obedient, not to sacrifice.  Doesn't mean that we won't be expected to make sacrifices sometimes, but that the Lord expects us to be obedient to the commandments.

We went on splits with the sisters here in Campo Mourão this week.  I worked with Sister Butler in our area.  It was neat and we had some really neat experiences.  One, we encountered an elderly woman who invited us in to give a lesson.  She talked about her doubts and how she knows there are things wrong with the church that she attends.  But she doesn't want to find another church.  She said that she's going to die in the same church that she grew up in (her words not mine).  Itś sad, but it was a moment that was so spiritual for me.  I was able to testify that when Christ was here on the Earth he established one church that was perfect. He restored the same church through a prophet of God.  I know with all of my heart that we have the Church of Christ here on the Earth and that it is perfect.  There are no mistakes or errors with the Gospel of Christ.  It is directed from revelation from God and led by him.  His servants are imperfect normal people. So it doesn't mean the people that go to church are perfect . I am so grateful for the invite that we all have to look to God for an answer that we receive through the Holy Spirit. 

But love you all! Have a great week!!

Sister Bullen