May 28, 2013

Family & Friends!!! (:

So this past week was fabulous! Our district has already grown so close and I love it. We finished teaching our first investigator and we got to teach our second one for the first time yesterday! Can I just tell you that it was soooo hard! Our teacher (Brother Chamberlin-who was our first investigator actually- yeah took me a little bit to get used to him not being Vander. Haha) gave us all our own investigater (And they are all investiger's that he had taught on his own mission. So that is pretty cool) But he took a long time to finally decide on one for me and Sister King. He said it had to be a good one. And holy cow it was hard! Haha. The guy we got lives on his own and his whole family are members. But he doesn't get along with his family and he doesn't want to do anything we ask him to do. He wants to feel God's love for him, but he won't pray. We finally got him to say he would think about praying. But it was so hard. We had planned to talk to him about families and the importance of families. But he straight up told us he did NOT want to talk about families. So our whole lesson went out the door and we had to try and go from there with no rehearsed or practiced lines in Portuguese. It was pretty hard. But it was amazing because at one point I felt the spirit and I started to tear up because I was telling him that I know that God loves him and that if he will sincerely pray to God, that He will let him feel of His love. And it was then I felt the spirit enter the room, and after my companion said she felt it too. So I know Nathan (our investigater's name) felt it as well. At least I hope he did, and I don't know how he couldn't have. But I honestly felt so much love towards him and I don't even know him. I thought that was such an amazing testimony builder. And it helps to remind just how much God loves all of his children. No matter where they are in their life. Nathan likes to drink, party, smoke, and just kinda go his own way. But that doesn't even matter. Well, I mean it does. But I had started to love him anyways. Even though he was being very difficult. Haha. It was weird. I don't think I have ever felt like that before. Normally I would have just gotten frusterated and wouldn't want to keep trying. But I felt an urge to help him strengthen his relationship with God and to try and get him to pray and to understand the importance of prayer. As well as the big difference prayer makes in ones life. Even though we didn't get much out of  him. I definitely learned a lot in that first lesson with him. I hope our second lesson will go better and that he will be more willing to try the things we ask him to do so that he will be able to feel for himself the love of God and to feel His spirit. So at gym the past two times we played volleyball. I have decided I actually really like volleyball again. Haha. I felt like I was doing really good. And Elder Lee said I was doing good. So I felt pretty good about myself. ;P Ha. JK. Anyways, I had picked up the volleyball to toss under the net to the other team to serve, and as I tossed it, I hit Sister Dumis (one of the Sister missionaries in my district) right in the back! And she was standing just in front of me! I was so embarrassed! I don't know how that happened! I mean usually it is the case that you missed something, but in this case I had tons of room to miss, and I actually HIT. Everyone laughed. I mean it was funny but I couldn't believe I had just done that. Sister King said Sister Dumis's face was priceless when it happened. Haha. Sister Dumis thought it was the funniest thing! Anyways, so the food here is super good! I don't know why I always heard how the food sucks. I mean I don't know what people are used to eating, or maybe they improved the food. I honestly don't know. But I love it. So I am grateful. Though I am avoiding the chocolate milk. Haha. Though I let myself have it like twice or maybe three times so far. But the past two days I have been trying to only get two glasses of water. Cause I am always dehydrated. And they give us legitamate (I don't know if I spelled that right.) meals. So just having water works perfectly well! So I think I should bring my journal with me when I go to email. Cause honestly I can't remember what I wanted to say. Ha. Honestly some days it feels like something we did that morning happened two days ago. The time here feels so weird! The days are so long and so it feels like they never end, yet at the same time I can't believe I have almost been here for two weeks already! I seriously don't understand it. ha. So I think it is a curse and a blessing at the same time. (: JK. Anyways. We are teaching our 3rd investigater tomorrow. And he will be Brother Taylor (Our teacher from day one), so I am super excited for it. I think it will be fun. (: He went to Brazil so we were learning Brazilian Portuguese. I may have already told you this in my last email. But I really don't remember. But switching over to Portugal Portuguese is really hard. Brazilian Portuguese is a lot easier than Portugal Portuguese! So that first time we switched over we were all overwhelmed. haha. But it is good. I love it because we can understand Brazilians perfectly well, but Brazilians have a harder time understanding us (Well, once I learn the language). So thats kinda cool. It is almost like I will know two languages! Well two languages and a dialect ;P Anyways, I am loving it here. And I still think Sunday's and P-days are my favorite days! But I am so excited to be a part of this work. I can't wait to get to know the people over in Portugal! Heck, I have already started loving our "investigater's" that we have here and technically they aren't even real! So I am so excited! I am so grateful for this opportunity that I have to serve the Lord and my testimony has already grown in the short time that I have been here. It is absolutely amazing how much the Lord blesses us as we prepare to serve His children. I can't wait to make people happy! I love you all! Till next week! (:

<3 Sister Stokes