Embrace the grind

August 31st 2015

What do frogs eat with their hamburgers? 

French "flies".

I haven't taught Sister De Jesus much English, but this last week I taught her how to say Sponge bob. unfortunately she had no idea what I was talking about. I had to go to desperate measures- draw a picture of spongebob. Thankfully she was able to figured it out from my poor attempt at drawing, Apparently in Portuguese its; Bob Sponge. I bet you didn't know that! 

I don't even know where to start with this week. We have done sooo much! We beat our record of lessons in a week! We have been teaching so much. I have been blessed with a chance to watch people change, and it is all because of The Book of Mormon! 

One of the lessons we had this week was at the recreational center, our investigator was running late, which gave us some time to explore a little bit. We just happen to find a PET CEMETERY! This would only happen in Florida, everyone has a pet! I mean everyone! It is insane, so I guess it makes sense that they would have a cemetery for all the billions and billions of pets in Florida. I found the definition of a cat lady, well in this case a cat man. There was a guy buried with all 6 of his cats! Yes, you read that right. It was quite the adventure. Oh Florida.....

Well folks I am sad to say I am getting transferred. This would be the reason for my caption of the week; Embrace the grind. Thanks you dad for giving it to me!  I would be lying if I said I wasn't slightly mad! I am not done in this area!! I am sorry to end on a sad note, but I wont lie weekly emails aren't my favorite to write! So I will send more pictures, because pictures are worth a thousand words. 

I love you all! 

Ps. If you are writing me a letter hold off, until I can  send my new address. 

1. the pet cemetery

2. We surprised a family with a delivery from the bishop storehouse. it was one of the most humbling experiences ever.

3. Nail party

4. Cat Man

I wish I was a Brazilian.

August 26th 2015:

What kind of cookies do trolls eat? 

Goat-meal raisin. 

That wasn't the best one...sorry. 

  There are a lot of Brazilian families in my ward, and they had a huge birthday party this last week. Lets just say it is a good thing that missionaries aren't aloud to dance, because I would have looked like a fool dancing next to them. Brazilians know how to shake it. I thought I was somewhat good at dancing, but then I went to the birthday party. My hopes and dreams were crushed Saturday evening. When I get home from my mission I will be moving to Brazil ASAP, so I can learn how to dance the right way. Then I will show you all up!! 

I think my emails are really starting to get repetitive with me talking about how crazy the weeks are. But, when I say it, I mean it! It was another crazy busy week this week. We met with Jarrod and he told us he is over 50% sure the book of Mormon is true. That will change real fast. He reads everything we give him, in fact he has called us for more things to read! He knows its true! We have been teaching Jarrod for about three weeks now, and he has changed. The Book of Mormon is changing him! Never underestimate the Book of Mormon. If you don't have a testimony- read it. If you feel alone- read it. If you need direction- read it. If you have questions- read it. I think you get the idea now, but I am serious. I have watched that book change lives! It can change yours!

You know on the Grinch how he just hates everyone and wants everyone to have a horrible Christmas, and then he has a heart attack because Cindy-Luho made his heart grow. Well that is what the people in Tampa Florida are doing to me! They are changing my life, missionaries aren't kidding when they talk about how you really grow to love the people. you do! No matter where you are! 

Well friends I want you all to know that I love it here. I love serving my Lord! There is a lot that I am missing at home, and a lot that I wish I could be home for. But after knowing what the gospel can do for you, and watching it really change peoples lives, there is no way I could stay home. There is no where else I would rather be ( Whenever I say that I think of the Shaniah Twain song.)! If you are debating on going or not, please take my word for it! It is the best decision you could ever make! It is so hard, I wont lie to you. Some days you just want to throw in the towel. But, then the Lord reminds you of the great work you are doing, and he reminds you of what he did for us so that we can be with our families for eternity, and that is exactly what gets me through the days I want to come home. We all have the knowledge of eternal families. Some people don't know that. I love my family so much! They mean the world to me! I cant imagine thinking that after this life I would never see them again. and that is why I am out here. 

Have a good week! 

1. my poor attempt at a scared face. 

2. My sister Training leaders 

Sister J

Families that pray together stay together!

August 17th 2015

What do you call someone who designs dog houses? 

A bark-itect. 

Haha I know what a knee slapper! 

Ola! In case you were wondering that is hello in Portuguese. I can not believe everybody is starting school this week, it blows my mind! I hope you all have a splendid time sitting in class all day. :) Been there, done that! A mission is so much better. 

 

So much has happen this last week, and I don't remember any of it! Your days and weeks just turn into a giant blob! I do remember that this last week was full of miracles though. We were able to set 4 dates IN ONE DAY!! I couldn't believe it, this doesn't happen everyday in the mission field, let alone four in one day! There are so many prepared people in this area, and I am so lucky that I have the opportunity to bring the gospel to them. I truly have an amazing calling! If you are debating on going on a mission, DO IT! It will be hard, but it is so worth it. Missions are hard, but not impossible! 

 

This last week we got a couple of our investigators to say the closing prayer! Can I just tell you an investigator praying for the first time, IS MY FAVORITE THING ON THIS EARTH! The spirit is so strong, and you can just feel Heavenly Fathers love for them. Their prayers are so sweet and sincere, and they have truly touched my life for the better. In Ramece's (one of our date sets)  prayer, he talked about how he thinks we read his mind, because whenever we teach him something, it just so happen to be exactly what he had been thinking/ wondering before we came over. The spirit is real. 

Well folks I love you all! Thank you for all the emails, letters, and prayers! They are felt, and I can feel every prayer! Good luck with school and all that fun stuff. 

Can I tell you how happy I am to have her back in my ward?!

Nothing better than a free hair cut.

Real missionary work.

My week=Dr. appointments for Sister Huber.

Sister J

I'm all prayed up.

August 10th 2015

Who in the world is all "Prayed up"?! Yes, that is an excuse we got this week. People can be a little ridiculous. This is when I like to say, excuses are like arm pits, everyone has them and they ALL STINK!

  

Before I get started: What is sweet, round, and deadly?

A tae-kwon do-nut.

  

This week was busy and crazy, just like every week in the mission field. I am almost half way through this transfer, time goes by way to fast here. There is so much that I want to do in this area. Transfers are great motivation in making every day count.

  

This last week we knocked on a guy’s door that met with missionaries and was given a book of Mormon a couple years ago. We are really excited to teach him, he has a true desire to learn more, and those are my favorite people to teach. One thing that can be kind of hard with missionary work is that a lot of the time you don’t see the fruit of your labor. You plant a lot of seeds in hopes that one day they will get in contact with missionaries again. This is a perfect example of someone planting a good seed! The missionaries that taught him a couple of years ago, will probably never find out he is taking the lessons again. They might not even know that they planted a really good seed. Sometimes I have to remind myself this! That even if they don't want to hear the gospel, or they are all prayed up, we planted a seed. And they will always remember the Mormon missionaries. The missionaries in my last area keep telling me that Sister Sutton and I planted a lot of seeds, everyone they talked to says, " Oh we talked to the two blonde missionaries and we watched "Because He Lives"." And they were able to get a couple of lessons out of them! When I heard this it made me really happy!

This last week I followed my father’s advice and thought about my testimony and how it started and how it has grown. This last week I focused on The Book of Mormon, and how I grew to know that it is true. I can't think of an exact time where I had angels come down from heaven and proclaim the truth of The Book of Mormon. As a matter of fact I don't think many of you have had that experience either. As I think back, I have always known it was true. I know it is true from the feelings that I get when I read. The B of M truly is a powerful book; it has brought me so much peace and comfort in my life. There have been plenty of times where I have read it and didn’t understand any of it, or it went in one ear and out the other. But, it is the effort. If you put that effort in, you will get something out of it. Maybe you won’t realize a difference right away, but it will come over time. You will notice the spirit more in your life. And who doesn’t want the spirit? The spirit it was carries the message into your heart, and when you read the book of Mormon the spirit comes. I know the Book of Mormon is true! I love that book so much! Sometimes I just want to stand on a bench and proclaim the love I have for the book of Mormon, but I don't so I just do it at the doorstep instead. :)

 Well friend I love you all.

Sister J

Go big or go home!

August 3rd 2015

What game do fish like to play?

Salmon Says. Haha I know that was a good one. 

Last week I sang the national anthem. So this week I decided I wanted to convert a WWE wrestler. 

 Yes, you read that right. Now you are probably wondering how in the world I am going to do this. Well there is this thing called a referral. We received a media referral this last week for the one and only, John Cena. A media referral is where you go to mormon.org and request a missionary visit. So we received an email saying that John Cena wanted the missionaries to come over and see how The Lord could help him wrestling. When we got this email the other sisters didn't really believe it, because media referrals never really work, I had a little glimmer of hope though!  We called the number and it didn't work, we deiced to just go to the address. Well the address takes us to this hidden gated community. How did we get in? Well as soon as a car pulled up and drove off, we booked it to the gate. If you are having a hard time picturing it i will help you; Three sister missionaries knocking on doors waiting for the gate to open, and as soon it is opens we start running like we are being chased by a cheetah in skirts. We walk up to this house and it is HUGE! It looked like no one was home, so we decided to knock on his neighbors door to make sure it really was John Cena. Sure enough that is his house! We talked to the construction workers outside and verified his number, and got some more information. He is currently in Europe for two weeks, with a broken nose. D​on't you even fret, we are most definitely going back in two weeks. I will keep you all updated.

This week has been pretty crazy, it has been raining all week! The weather has been perfect! If Florida was like this everyday I would never leave. But its not so I will be coming home after my mission. There is so much work in this area, we have a lot to do! We have a coupe of people we are teaching, and hopefully we will be setting a baptismal date with them this next week. 

Well folks I know this Gospel is true! I love and miss you all! 

I didn't really take pictures this week, so enjoy these random pictures of me. 

1. I am on a hunt for an alligator

2. Ted the turtle

Sister J