Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Awesome members, devil plant, chicken at midnight
Goodness the weeks just fly by! Tomorrow I will have officially been a missionary for 5 months! Can you believe it?! Somedays it feels like I said goodbye to you only a few weeks ago! Things are going great here in Potengi/Natal. The ward is AWESOME! We have a big chapel and a piano that plays all the hymns by itself—cool huh?! And behind the chapel there is a spare lot that the church owns that has goiaba and caja trees---so we are never hungry during church. The only bad thing is that there is a plant that also lives back there that I call—a planta do diabo. IF you brush up against it it feels like you´ve been stung by a couple wasps! It is so painful! Red boils immediately appeared on my legs when I walked through one of these plants but luckily they went away after a day. Unfortunately my comp. walked through one the same day and is still suffering the effects! Devil plant! The members here are awesome, Awesome, AWESOME! Yesterday at lunch we listened to a member tell stories about the violence in Rio de Janiero and it was so interesting, but I~m glad I~m not serving a mission there. After lunch we had a dessert made from a special fruit, cupuaça, that only grows in the Amazon. It was heavenly! I may be a little biased, but I think Brasil officially has the best fruit in the world!So if I return from the mission and cant find anyone to marry in the U.S. I can return to Brasil and get married without even trying. Yesterday a guy ran up to me in church and told me his friend liked me and decided he was going to wait for me until I finished my mission. Ummm…thanks? 5 months ago if a person said that I would have really been weirded out, but now it is just normal. This week our investigator was saying the prayer at the end of one of our lessons and asked Heavenly Father to ´´please let Sister Wood come back and teach me many more times.´´ Talk about awkward/hilarious! Im not sure what my companion though about that prayer! So yesterday in church we had an elder who was traveling around the mission with his dad visit our sacrament meeting. His dad didn’t speak Portuguese so I decided to speak English with him. Oh goodness gracious what a disaster! I officially can't speak English anymore. My companion just laughed and laughed as I struggled to communicate in my own language. So this week I was talking with some people about Easter and asked them what traditions they had here in Brazil. One guys said oh just the normal ones—the easter bunny, the chicken at midnight, Judas in the street.. O que?! Chicken at midnight? Judas in the street? They have a tradition here that during Easter at midnight you steal your neighbors chicken and the next day you eat it.. Im not really sure what that symbolizes, but to each their own. Also people dress up scarecrow type of people to look like Judas Iscariot and place him in their yards and in the streets. Judas is a little modernized and usually just looks like a drunk with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. Again…not exactly sure why they do it, but I find it hilarious. O.K. enough about the funny things in my life….now for the spiritual things. Lots of things have happened in these pasts months that have made me realize that the little choice everyday make people who they are. The little choices seem to make more difference than the big ones at times. I see so many people missing out on the blessings God has for them because they refuse to do the small things—like reading the scriptures everyday or saying your daily prayers or going to church. These little choices we make everyday, every hour make up who we are in the end. It is amazing the negative consequences of not saying a prayer in the morning…when a person does this they are choosing to forego the opportunity to thank God for their blessings, to ask for the things they really need in their lives, and worst of all they are distancing themselves from God without really knowing it. On the other hand the choice to say your morning prayers (even if it is 1 minute long) has infinite blessings. If I say my prayers I show many things to God—(1) that I am making time for Him, (2) that I am grateful for the blessings I have, (3) my reliance on the Lord, (4)my faith that the Lord will bless me, etc. The consequences of this small choice, to say a prayer everyday are overwhelming. When a person pray—he shows humility and reliance on the Lord. As a person prays for others anger, hatred, selfishness are replaced by love and a desire to serve and bless the lives of others. The most important thing people will learn when they make this small choice is that they have a loving Father in Heaven who wants to bless them. Anyway I am thoroughly convinced that the big things really are the small things. I see people making these small choices between the good and the bad every day and as a result I see many people finding a happiness that they never realized existed and others unfortunately finding an unhappiness and sorrow that cannot be conforted. The scripture in Alma—wickedness never was happiness—is a thing I see first hand everyday. Watching people make these small choices are where my greatest happiness and sadness come from. It breaks my heart when I hear a person say they don’t want to pray to know the Book of Mormon is true, or when a person says they know the things we have taught are true, but don’t want to be baptized. However my heart rejoices everytime I hear a person say they prayed to know Joseph Smith was a prophet or everytime a person decides to forego the beach or soccer game and go to church. A lot of times people focus more on the big choices in life than the little ones and forget that only through the little choices will eventually make up who we are. Anyway Im not exactly sure why Im writing this... Just woke up this morning and felt like I needed to write about this today. Just remember to always be examining your lives and think about what little choices you are making everyday and where these choices are taking you. Love you,Sister Wood
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Transferred again...
February 17, 2010
I was transferred today, but I’m still in Natal. I have a new companion, Sister Dias, and she is absolutely awesome! We are going to have a lot of fun together and I’m really looking forward to working with her. My new area is Potengi (before I was in Nova Republica) and my apartment is the cutest thing ever. We live on the second floor and have a big balcony and lots of space. Today I spent the day in the bus station with the majority of the missionaries in Natal. Some were waiting to catch buses to other areas and others were waiting on their new companions to arrive. It was a lot of fun to hang out in the bus station, as weird as that sounds, because I got to talk to and meet a lot of the missionaries in Natal. I’m serving with some awesome people! This last week was interesting. It was Carnival here in Brazil and pretty much everyone partied (except the missionaries) and I have to say it was a very interesting experience. We weren’t able to do a lot of work because of all the partying, but managed to teach some people. Things are going well though. I love being a missionary. This week several people told me I am fluent in Portuguese. Yay! I was talking to some elders in the bus station this morning and they couldn’t believe I only have 2 transfers in the mission field. They also said I will be called to be a senior earlier than most because I am learning the language extremely fast. Hmm I’m trying to think about what else happened this week. A man in our ward died. He was murdered in the street..gunshot to the back of the head. I also saw two motorcycles collide right in front on me. It was unreal....one of the guys flew off and traveled quite a distance. Well I’ve got to go. Love,Sister Wood
I was transferred today, but I’m still in Natal. I have a new companion, Sister Dias, and she is absolutely awesome! We are going to have a lot of fun together and I’m really looking forward to working with her. My new area is Potengi (before I was in Nova Republica) and my apartment is the cutest thing ever. We live on the second floor and have a big balcony and lots of space. Today I spent the day in the bus station with the majority of the missionaries in Natal. Some were waiting to catch buses to other areas and others were waiting on their new companions to arrive. It was a lot of fun to hang out in the bus station, as weird as that sounds, because I got to talk to and meet a lot of the missionaries in Natal. I’m serving with some awesome people! This last week was interesting. It was Carnival here in Brazil and pretty much everyone partied (except the missionaries) and I have to say it was a very interesting experience. We weren’t able to do a lot of work because of all the partying, but managed to teach some people. Things are going well though. I love being a missionary. This week several people told me I am fluent in Portuguese. Yay! I was talking to some elders in the bus station this morning and they couldn’t believe I only have 2 transfers in the mission field. They also said I will be called to be a senior earlier than most because I am learning the language extremely fast. Hmm I’m trying to think about what else happened this week. A man in our ward died. He was murdered in the street..gunshot to the back of the head. I also saw two motorcycles collide right in front on me. It was unreal....one of the guys flew off and traveled quite a distance. Well I’ve got to go. Love,Sister Wood
Monday, February 8, 2010
Welcome to Natal!
Oi! Well this week was Just plain interesting! After emailing you guys last week I partied up my last pday in Sousa—hung out with all the elders in my district, ate açaí, etc—before packing my bags . Our bus headed for Natal didn't leave until 9:30 pm so we had a lot of time to say goodbye to people. About 20-25 members showed up at the bus station to wish us well. It was quite a party. We all laughed, joked around, and took pictures until our bus came. It was really sad to say goodbye to everyone. I really loved serving in Sousa a lot and the members there will always have a special place in my heart. We traveled overnight by bus to Natal and it was horrible. Worst night of sleep on the mission hands down...but I survived it. We arrived in Natal 5:00 am and our district leader picked us up at 8 am to take us to our house. I loved our new house...big and spacious, but of course nothing fancy! The elders took us on a quick tour o four área. It is a lot different than Sousa. A lot more houses, a lot more hills, a lot more rain, BUT we have a SUPERMARKET!!!!!!!!!WHOOOOOOO HOOOO!!! I about died when I saw it. Oh and we have a chapel too!!!! Ok ok...the most exciting thing about my week was this: WE GOT ROBBED!!! On Thursday we had interviews with president Fernandez during the morning and when we returned home a man was waiting outside our house. He turned out to be the first counselor in the ward and said he received a phone call saying our house had been robbed and that the Police caught the thief. We didn't believe him at first because our house hás a cement wall around it, with glass shards on top of it and about 6 or 7 locks that you have to open before you can get into our house....anyway as soon as we entered our house we knew immediately that we had been robbed. Our things were EVERYWHERE!!!! (see the photo attached) Honestly every bag, box, book had been torn open. Goodness gracious it looked like a tornado hit the place. It didn't take long for us to identify things that were missing...money, câmeras, wallets, ipods, etc. BUT luckily the Police caught the thief. The Lord really protected us....because we weren't in our house at the time (a few missionaries have been robbed while they were in the house ), the Police only caught the thief because they were looking for another thief, and the Police returned everything including the Money we lost. It truly was a milagre because the Police here are extremely corrupt! But anyway I~m fine, we are all fine. We are living in another part of the city now with some other sisters. 6 sisters, 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom...it is fun. Anyway...THe work is going well. We are in the top baptizing zone in the mission. We baptized an awesome girl named Willyanne yesterday and the baptism was beautiful! A little 9 yr old boy sang a primary song for her and it was Just the cutest thing ever! Well I~m out of time. Enjoy the pictures and continue to pray for my safety! LOVE YOU ALLL!!!!!love, sister wood
Monday, February 1, 2010
Beach Day + Transfer
OI familia e todo mundo!!!
Goodness gracious....so much news...I don~t know where to start. Well last monday after I emailed us sisters caught a bus for Joao Pessoa. We arrived at about 8:00 at night and stayed in an apartment with all the sisters in the mission. As you can imagine we didn~t get a ton of sleep that night.... but it was SO MUCH FUN...except for the fact that we only had one bathroom!!!! 16 girls and only one bathroom...insanity!! Tuesday morning Sister Fernandes pick us all up and we headed to the beach. holy cow....this beach was hands down the most beautiful beach I have ever seen in my entire life!!! I honestly felt like i was in heaven! Sister Fernandes let us wade in the water....only up to our knees and it was just heavenly. We spent the morning playing capture the flag, taking photos, telling jokes, and picnicing on the beach. IT was just awesome. Around lunchtime we said goodbye to the beautiful beach and headed into Joao Pessoa for almoço. We ate almoço at a niceeeeee chinese restaurant and afterwards headed to Farol--the point in the americas that is closest to Africa. It was cool to look out into the endless ocean and know that somewhere right in front of me was Africa! Afterwards we went to a park that was on the side of a gorgeous river. This park had various stands where you could buy souvenirs and tourist type things. We window shopped until 5:00 when a show began. A man comes down the river every night at 5 to play jazz music for all the people in the park. Goodness gracious it was just wonderful! We all watched the sun go down listening to the sweetest jazz music every. Goodness I wish yall could have been there. It was just one of those things you dont forget. Anyway after the jazz music we headed to the Presidents house for dinner. Dinner was wonderful and Sister and President Fernandes even gave a short fireside for us. It was very nice. I absolutely love Sister and President Fernandes. They are absolutely wonderful in every way! After dinner we headed back to the apartment with all the sisters and went to bed. The next morning we woke up and went to the supermarket before catching a bus back to Sousa. Walking into the supermarket I felt like I was walking into another world. I~m used to buying my things from these little markets in the street....and when I saw all the things they had in this place. I just about went wild. I never knew i could get so excited about a supermarket. Anyway...us sisters had a fun time there. I bought dried apricots and wanted to die of happiness while eating them. Goodness. I have so many things to say, but no time!
After returning to Sousa we worked HARDDDDD the rest of the week. President Fernandes came to Sousa this weekend and before leaving he told us sisters that he was making some chances in the mission and to be prepared for anything. Well last night at about 9:30 we got a call saying we had been transferred to Natal! I have mixed feelings about this because I LOVE Sousa. THe people here are like my family and the members are absolutely wonderful, but at the same time I~´m excited to serve in a larger area and close to that lovely ocean breeze. I~ll probably be in Natal for a least a couple months, but who knows...the actual transfer is in 2 weeks and i could be transferred again. We are leaving today for Natal and will begin work tomorrow when we arrive. I~m excited to see what it will be like! wish me luck and pray for me! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
love,
sister wood
Goodness gracious....so much news...I don~t know where to start. Well last monday after I emailed us sisters caught a bus for Joao Pessoa. We arrived at about 8:00 at night and stayed in an apartment with all the sisters in the mission. As you can imagine we didn~t get a ton of sleep that night.... but it was SO MUCH FUN...except for the fact that we only had one bathroom!!!! 16 girls and only one bathroom...insanity!! Tuesday morning Sister Fernandes pick us all up and we headed to the beach. holy cow....this beach was hands down the most beautiful beach I have ever seen in my entire life!!! I honestly felt like i was in heaven! Sister Fernandes let us wade in the water....only up to our knees and it was just heavenly. We spent the morning playing capture the flag, taking photos, telling jokes, and picnicing on the beach. IT was just awesome. Around lunchtime we said goodbye to the beautiful beach and headed into Joao Pessoa for almoço. We ate almoço at a niceeeeee chinese restaurant and afterwards headed to Farol--the point in the americas that is closest to Africa. It was cool to look out into the endless ocean and know that somewhere right in front of me was Africa! Afterwards we went to a park that was on the side of a gorgeous river. This park had various stands where you could buy souvenirs and tourist type things. We window shopped until 5:00 when a show began. A man comes down the river every night at 5 to play jazz music for all the people in the park. Goodness gracious it was just wonderful! We all watched the sun go down listening to the sweetest jazz music every. Goodness I wish yall could have been there. It was just one of those things you dont forget. Anyway after the jazz music we headed to the Presidents house for dinner. Dinner was wonderful and Sister and President Fernandes even gave a short fireside for us. It was very nice. I absolutely love Sister and President Fernandes. They are absolutely wonderful in every way! After dinner we headed back to the apartment with all the sisters and went to bed. The next morning we woke up and went to the supermarket before catching a bus back to Sousa. Walking into the supermarket I felt like I was walking into another world. I~m used to buying my things from these little markets in the street....and when I saw all the things they had in this place. I just about went wild. I never knew i could get so excited about a supermarket. Anyway...us sisters had a fun time there. I bought dried apricots and wanted to die of happiness while eating them. Goodness. I have so many things to say, but no time!
After returning to Sousa we worked HARDDDDD the rest of the week. President Fernandes came to Sousa this weekend and before leaving he told us sisters that he was making some chances in the mission and to be prepared for anything. Well last night at about 9:30 we got a call saying we had been transferred to Natal! I have mixed feelings about this because I LOVE Sousa. THe people here are like my family and the members are absolutely wonderful, but at the same time I~´m excited to serve in a larger area and close to that lovely ocean breeze. I~ll probably be in Natal for a least a couple months, but who knows...the actual transfer is in 2 weeks and i could be transferred again. We are leaving today for Natal and will begin work tomorrow when we arrive. I~m excited to see what it will be like! wish me luck and pray for me! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
love,
sister wood
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