Hi!
this week
-Nathaliá!!
-4 months
-interviews with president
-baptism date with Luis
I hit four months this week! which means of course we got pizza with chocolate border. Transfers are next week, and this one went so fast. I think I'm staying but we'll see! I'd like one more transfer here In Jaraguá unless they want to send me to the beach. (please) Butttt I feel like there's a couple things I still need to get done here before I'm ready to leave.
baptism of Nathaliá!!
So, we go to fill up the font, and a lizard came out the pipe. A lizard. Everyone was a little too chill about it.
but the baptism was perfect. I've never seen a happier little girl. during the confirmation prayer I opened my eyes and saw her smiling so big. her mom was baptized as a little girl, but they stopped attending church. they weren't open to missionaries. but we found their house by luck (the Spirit) and they let us in. I know it wasn't a coincidence we switched areas with the Elders specifically so this little girl could have Sisters teach her. We spent majority of our time this transfer with her, and it was the best. Next, we're working with her dad. he's opening up to us, and he invited us over for churrasco & futebol last night. (very Brazilian)
teaching
We put Luis on date for baptism. he is from Peru, so he speaks Spanish. he had soo many questions and it was hard to really understand each other because we don't speak Spanish and he doesn't speak Português a ton, he speaks more English. but after a month with us, and more time before with the Elders he said yes to being baptized! November 16th. Happy Birthday, Ethan
president
We had interviews with president and the more I talk with him the more I like him. he's great. the last time we had an interview was in September and it was a really good indicator for me to see how much Português I've learned. I could actually express myself and when he talked, I understood instead of fake laughing on cue.
We had one of the members come work with us a day this week, she's a 19-year-old girl preparing for a mission. it reminded me of when I was always with the Hermanas who served in my ward and taught me so much. I love and miss you, my Hermanas. 😚😚
Christmas coming up is making me so sad. hopefully closer to it we get more Christmas spirit. not being able to listen to Christmas music is terrible. I tried the youth album we have but it honestly just made my day worse. immediately turned that off. I'm accepting that the closest I'll get to hearing Jude Law's British accent in the holiday will be General Conference talks by Elder Kearon.
random
-we were planning the meeting for Nathalia's baptism, and she asked if I wanted to sing, I was trying to find the best way to explain that that is NOT wanted. I remember singing at Ethan's baptism with my cousin Hannah and Jenna and that was a joke. got flashbacks
-I've started to love cooking and look forward to making new things and towards having meals at home. blessings of a mission.
-I feel Brazilian because when buying fruit, I shake it and get excited when it's a good fruit and that makes me kind of feel like an island caveman. it's the little things out here
-after we were at the supermarket we crossed the street, and we looked over and we saw an iguana also crossing the street. they're so advanced to use the crosswalk.
-when finding new people and we either don't remember their name or don't know how to spell it, I started putting "Taylor S" as a stand in. so now the next missionaries here are going to have tons of Taylor S's.
-here it's the culture that every woman we talk to we have to hug and kiss on the cheek. which took a lot of getting used to for me because I don't love touch. but honestly being hugged 90 times a day by little Brazilian grandmas gives me joy.
o dom do espirito santo & o sacerdócio
We know that when Jesus Christ was on the earth, he established his church. he called 12 apostles and established the power of God on earth, the priesthood. John the Baptist had this authority and that's why Jesus Christ was baptized by him. the priesthood was lost from the earth during the apostasy. we believe when the church was restored by Prophet Joseph Smith, the priesthood keys were restored back on the earth as well. we need to have the priesthood to have the authority to act in the Lord's name and perform ordinances. such as baptism. (billions of people died between that time and Joseph Smith and that's why we have work in the temples and the Plan of Salvation). When we are baptized by this authority, we then receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by a priesthood blessing by the laying on of hands on our heads. which means we can have the constant companion of the Holy Ghost. but it's a covenant, which means we still need to do our part and keep our promises. in a lesson this week with an older lady, she said she felt our calm presence and peace when we were in her house. which we can identify as the Spirit.
it's a more in-depth topic but
I am so grateful to have grown up in a home with a father who held the priesthood. every day before the first day of school, as a family we would have a special night where we would receive priesthood blessings by our dad. when I became a missionary, I was set apart as a representative of Jesus Christ through a priesthood blessing. when I get married in the temple, through sacred priesthood keys, I can seal my marriage and my future family for eternity.
what a blessing
what a peaceful truth to know
families can be together forever
it doesn't have to be till death do us apart
Doctrine & Covenants 127: "Whatsoever you bind on earth, may be bound in heaven; whatsoever you loose on earth, may be loosed in heaven;"
I am so grateful for the priesthood. From baptism, to back to school blessings, patriarchal blessings, being set apart as a missionary, temple marriage, eternal families. all the miracles from it.
anyway, that's all
tell me how you're doing!
I love you all
🤍 sister copeland
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