A little bribery goes a long ways....

Well this week flew by! Goodness the weeks are flying by faster and faster! This week we worked SOOOOO HARD! I slept like a rock every night, which was actually really nice. The weather alternated between hot and sunny, to pouring rain the entire week. After it rains the air gets so thick and the humidity just kills me. The other day I was walking in the street and waves of heat just started to hit me. I felt like I was in a sauna. I looked around for something like a car or a machine that was putting off all this heat, but there wasn´t anything. It was just that hot. I couldn´t believe that I could feel like I was honestly in a sauna while walking in the open air. I really can´t complain about the heat though. The missionaries in Manaus have it was worse. I talked to a member who served in Manaus and he said the temperature up there in the Amazon is just unreal. As he talked about the weather, my desire to go there one day withered and died. Sometimes I think that walking in the heat all day is miserable, but a lot of other missionaries have it worse! In attempt to bribe people to go to church this week I made 5 batches of chocolate chip cookies and little laminated cards with the scripture from D&C 59:9-10 about the importance of going to church. We took them to at least 35 less active or inactive members and it was quite a task. We went to all of the neighborhoods in Guarabira and walked so much that we had to almost crawl up the stairs to our apartment. Our apartment is on the 3rd floor and the climb at night up those stairs almost seems impossible at times. I´m trying to give 1000% of myself in these last months of my mission and am pushing the limits of my physical endurance. The Lord definitely blesses His missionaries with strength. At times I feel like I don´t have the energy to go on. We walk up and down these huge hills everyday that zap our physical strength, and teach lessons by the spirit which zaps even more energy out of us. At times I am comforted by the fact that Lehi, after having had a vision (a great spiritual experience), fell upon his bed from exhaustion. I feel like that sometimes, but like I said...the Lord strengthens us! I´m sure I´ve had angels help me up these hills a few times! The branch is doing well here in Guarabira. I love everyone here so much! And luckily they love us! Everything is going great for us. I love the area, I love the branch, I love our investigators, I love my companion. I love everything, and therefore am worried that things will change in the next transfer! Either way I´m going to enjoy these last 9 weeks I have in Brazil. I never again will have these types of experiences. I will never again be able to serve a mission in this way. I´m so grateful that I was able to serve! It has been one of the biggest blessing of my life! The things I´ve learned here in Brazil are difficult to explain. I´ve never felt closer to the Savior. I never realized how merciful He is and how infinite His love is for us. The church is definitely true. Heavenly Father´s desire is to bless us, but we have to do our part to deserve these blessings. I am more convinced than ever that there is no experience that compares to a mission. I will be a better mother and wife because of the things I learned here in Brazil. This week was filled with many other activities and experiences but my time is ending and I need to end this. I hope you are all doing great and staying firm in the gospel.