Two weeks of letters

Sept. 7, 2015

Hey!

Well I am not really sure what to write this week. So I will write something interesting that President Castro told us this week. He was just talking and then he said, "The time of the gentiles is finishing, and soon will be the time of the Jews.”

 I was like what? So you and dad can think a little about that and know that the Lord is guiding His work. It is fast and furious ;) take the time to share your testimony with someone this week, in the store or whatever place you are at. Make a goal to share a part of your testimony with one person this week!

Well this week was full of surprise conferences and preparing food for Sister Castro the way she likes it and working in the area of the Elders because they went to do splits ten hours away by boat and then working in the area of the sisters because Sister Eisele was sick so I took care of her and let Sister Teixeira take my companion to help them with their area.

This week has already started off well. This week I have thought about how grateful I am for the way you and dad raised me; that I can do things by myself and not need anyone. The new American sister is the complete opposite.  It has been interesting to live with the other sisters. It is funny to watch people, but it is not fun when I am involved. haha but let’s just say I keep the peace ;) and soon I will need to teach the other American how to clean and cook and do things for herself. But besides that all is calm and good. So the computer I am using today isn’t letting me send pictures. So next week I will send more haha. Yep, well until next week :) keep it up! 

I Love you,

Love Sister Post

Sept. 14, 2015

Hey!

No one knows the name of a drill rig here in Brazil.. haha but I showed everyone what dad does for a living :)

So this week has been interesting. Last Wednesday I went to Manaus because Sister Castro ordered me to see someone about my hair. Let me explain; so like for the past three to five months I have been losing a lot of hair, a lot. Like now I have half of the hair I came to Brazil with haha and so I went and they took some blood and then they will get the tests results next Friday. haha funny story this is but all is good. It has to do with stress but Sister Castro likes us to be pretty missionaries ;) anyways the trip was fast and we returned on Friday but I will probably return next week thanks to transfers.. haha yeah I don’t know where I will go but I know I won’t be staying here. 

So while I was in the Mission home I asked President Castro what the difference was between dreams and something more, and he was like dreams or visions and I was like uh yeah haha and then he told me that it has to do with the feeling. That makes sense because we dream of anything and everything, but if we feel the peace, love, calmness, and all things testified by the spirit we should take heed. I think back to Lehi's dream of the tree of life and how he had such a strong feeling with it. Anyways that was something new I learned this week.

Transfers are next week, so I will probably be writing you from a different area.. haha 

Another thing I learned. When we are in preparation for a big event with the Lord, the adversary will try everything he can to keep up from that. For example for the last two weeks we have been preparing to do a new thing called a blessing. I don’t know if this is new but we got the news that we as sisters can now give blessings to people, not like men with the hands laid on the head and with the priesthood but through prayer, calling upon the power of the priesthood by our calling as missionaries of the Lord. Because we have been called of the Prophet we can call upon the powers of Heaven and give blessings in the name of the Lord. We have been preparing for this for about two weeks  now and it has been so amazing! We leave blessings in every house that is opened to us! To the members and investigators! We ask them what they would ask of Christ if he were in the room with us and then we ask the Lord for those things for them in a blessing! It is amazing! So these two weeks we have been preparing to do this with our companions and these two weeks have been so hard! Wow. haha but this week we will be able to do it and I am so excited!  Because when we pray we do it in a special way and while we are talking we are searching for the words the Lord would have us say and wow it is quite the experience! Priesthood holders are so lucky to be able to do this whenever the need arises! But us as women only have this ability when called as missionaries but it has been so amazing!

I know that all is well and that the Lord is always with us! I love you!

Love,

Sister Post 

Why is the name of the church so long?

August 31, 2015

Mãe!

Sister Sunaga came with Sister Santos to do splits! It was so fun to teach with her again! Now that I can speak Portuguese... hahahaha it is so much fun! We work so well together and the spirit was huge and strong! We talked so much! Man it would be a day really good if we were companions again, even if it were for just one transfer. She is so cute! She told me, "Filha, estou tão orgulho da missionaria que você tornou!" haha (which is daughter, I am so proud of the missionary you have become!) She is so cute! 

I don’t have a lot of things to write about because I literally forgot everything when I got in here.. haha 

A lot of things happen, but I just don’t remember. This week we hit all our goals we had set really high, so now we will make them our normal and keep stretching our progress. We are teaching lots, but as I watch people I am seeing that it is the small things that really keep people from living on a higher plain of life. In reality it is the small things that the adversary puts in our lives to distract, or to slowly take us away. For example we re-activated a family where the only problem was waking up in the morning for church. The husband was one of the two first missionaries from here to serve and he was having a hard time with some principals of the gospel, but where it all began was not wanting to wake up. So really we should be careful of the small things, because just as small things bring to pass great and marvelous works, small things can take us away from the light we had once held high for the world to see.

Our days are passing by faster and faster, the Lord will bless his saints, but he cannot take away our agency. We need to be more careful every day. Remind ourselves of the small things, say a prayer, read a scripture, and keep our eyes and hearts single to the glory of God, then we can know of a surety that we are on the right path. 

Here is a little thought. Why is the name of the church so long? It is named after Christ to show it is his church, The Church of Jesus Christ. It states that it is the same now as it was in the past, of Later Day; and lastly it states that we are followers of Christ, trying to become holy through the atonement, Saints.  So putting it all together we are just proclaiming to the world that this is the Church of Christ which he had established in the past and we are trying to become like him :) so we are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints :) I know that he is the head of His church! I know that he talks face to face with President Thomas S. Monson and his Apostles. I know that we have the power and authority again on the earth for the benefit and well-being of man! I know the power of the Priesthood is real! I know that Heavenly Father loves us! and that it is through Christ all things are done! 

I love you and miss you!  I know that the next nine and a half-ish months will pass by really fast! I am still very much excited to be here! I can’t believe I will do nine months here in Brazil this month! It has already passed by so fast! But I can look back and see the process the Lord has led me! And without a doubt I have been changed. I know that Heavenly Father doesn’t just exist, because things that exist will one day cease to exist, but Heavenly Father lives! I know that our Savior Lives! One day we can walk into his open arms and hear him say, "well done my beloved daughter, or son." They Love us! They Love me and They Love you! They are literally rooting for us and are so pleased when we choose to make the right choices! To follow Christ! To come unto Him and not only choose but to act! They are in our lives every day! Take a moment to say a little prayer of thanks for all that they have done and you will see how much your life has been blessed!

I have been so blessed! I couldn’t type it all! I am so grateful for my family! For the opportunity to grow up singing I AM A CHILD OF GOD! Because I know it is true! Take a moment to write a friend, or family member and tell them you love them! Remind them that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ loves them too! You will see the smile to confirm that fact!

Funny story:

This new American Sister is really tall haha and bigger than me and she wanted to arm wrestle so I was like okay. Yeah I won haha everyone one was looking at me like what the.. haha Sister Post is really strong haha it was funny. We get a lot of references from an English school. It is fun to go there and watch people try to speak English haha.

I drew faces on my toes to try and make my companion laugh, it worked :) and I thought of you Dad, because you always drew smiley faces on my feet haha :)

I love you!

Love,

Sister Post

This week has been great!

This week has been great! I got to watch the Lord strengthen Shirley in her decision to be baptized. So this week we called her to see how she was and if she was still excited for her baptism  and she said, "look sister, I don't think I will be baptized." my thought"oh no... what happened" she continued on to say her best friend came back into her life and he has been sayng a lot of bad things about the church and that he didnt want her to be baptized. We talked more and we asked her if she remembered the answer she had gotten when she had prayed, she said yes, we told her to hold on to that. She had had a dream that was amazing to confirm the truth and the rest of the week we passed by her work and called her until Saturday that was a glorious day! I got to see this girl full of confidence and at the same time nervous. Her mom didnt come to the baptism because her sister was sick. But I have faith that upon seeing this change in her daughter that she will, in time with the rest of the family, accept this gospel and its truth!

This Sunday I really had a moment of like woooh in church. we were talking about the story of the good samaritan and I got a completely different aspect out of it. Here is my verson, well from the Holy Ghost haha, of the good samariton in our days.

There was a man who was well known in the city. He owned businesses, had the "perfect family", and lots of cars and boats and toys. To many he was known as the rich guy, that no one wanted to be associate with, to others he was a drinker, the guy who didnt always make the best decisions. To all he was someone not to mess will. One day he lost it all. Sitting on the side walk he thought of how he had lost his work, his empire. He had lost his wife who took his kids. He had lost his home in the war of words and had gotten to the point of asking, what is the point of all this? Why am I here in the first place? Why did this happen to me? Sitting alone on the street he litteraly felt alone.

The first person to come upon him was the teacher of the Elders Quarm in church. The first thought he had was, "wooh what is he doing here." he had heard the story and for a moment thought it would be good to help him out. then the thought popped in his head saying, "what would others say if they saw me talking with him. they would think i am a groupe who did the same things as him. no one would take me seriously while teaching on sunday. no i cant talk with him because if anyone else saw they would think i am doing things wrong with him. and what if word gets to my family. no. i wont stop.. oh i hope no one notices i paused and looked at him. i will cross to the other side of the street and continue on. I need to go to work, finish helping my son with his project. i have many things to do. someone else will pass by who can help him. yeah." and so he continued on his way.

The second man to come upon him was just a young adult. He had been thinking of his tests he needed to study for, how his boss might fire him and how he has problems with family and friends. When he saw the well known man he paused for a minute and had the thought, "he needs help, he needs something" and upon walking up to him all the thoughts of "I need to study, write a paper for another class, convince my friend not to do the wrong things; no I don't have time for this. Okay I will give him 10 bucks, yeah that will help him." and so he felt better knowing he had done the least he could do. Passing the money to him he continued on him way thinking of the many things he needed to do, to busy to stay and talk to him.

The third guy to pass had just been working all morning, he was on  his way to tell his wife that his boss had cut his wages that he didnt have a way to pay for the bills from the hospital. That he didnt know how he would support their little girl who had a unknown sickness, let alone provide food on the table for them to eat. Walking home he was deep in thought when he saw the man. He knew of him, but didnt know him. Seeing him in distress he had the feeling he should take a moment to talk to him, upon greeting him he saw the helpless look in his eyes and he knew that he needed to help that man the best he could. Talking with the well known man he heard all the story before. Answering his questions of the soul he asked the man to walk with him, walking the rest of the way they made it back to his humble house where he told his wife that they would be hosting the well kown man for the time being. The humble man called the missionaries knowing they could help the well known man. Together they ate a humble meal and talked about the purpose of life, about the atonement and what it could do for him. The humble man then told the well known man that he could stay in his home, that his wife and he would sleep in the room of their daughter, that he could have their bed; giving all he had to help the well known man.What it all comes down to is this: there exists three types of people one who has fear of what others would say if they saw them talking to a person who was labeled as "bad". So they keep walking and listen to their fears. There is the person who is busy, busy who doesn't think they have time to open their mouth and share the gospel. So busy with their own life that there is no time for the work of the Lord. Then there is the one who besides all the things that are going wrong in his life, is still humble enough to listen to the spirit and be an instrument in the hand of the Lord. The reality of life is that we are all busy  others have more problems than us, but we all have time to share the gospel, help someone in need. There is no excuse in the world that should keep us from sharing the gospel with the World. No excuse.

This way of thinking of that parable has inpacted me a lot. I feel so unworthy to be here, but I know that I can start now, start to not make excuses and stop thinking about the past, What I didn't do. We can't change who we were, but we can change who we are. We can start again! We can turn to that intrument in the hand of the Lord! It IS possible! with all the worries of the world, we can be the mirror to reflect the light of the Savior to all who are lost in the dark. :)

I know my Savior lives! I know Heavenly Father knows each one of us! I know he has prepared ways for us to share the gospel! He Loves us! each one of us! I know that Christ loves the worst sinner of the world just as much as he loves the most holy person because he loves us, not our sins. He loves us, not our mistakes. He is kind, gentle, firm, patient and is ever waiting for us to come unto him, to accept what he has done for us and through him, we may become like him.! 

This week we have made goals very high haha and we will reach them :) this will be a busy busy week! all is well is the work of the Lord when you but your shoulder to the wheel and push along ;) 

oh and today we played volleyball! it was amazing! my team won every round! hahahaha I am still covered in sweat :) but so worth it!! anyways keep being an amazing example! I love you!!

love,

Sister Post

Milagres! (Miracles!)

August 17, 2015

OI!

Wow you guys are busy, busy!

Well I don’t know where to start this week. It is like so much happens and I don’t know how to explain it all haha so I will stick with a cool story that happened. 

So if you remember Shirley she is 17 and an ex-girlfriend of a member of the other branch. So we taught her and she just liked to say no, I won’t be baptized, I don’t want to be tied to that church or people to think I am a member. So we talked to her about the importance of being baptized which she completely understood. Then she admitted that she has a problem with praying. She does like to pray. So we like tossed her into an interview for baptism hahaha and she like passed with flying colors right and yet there was something still holding her back. So Sunday we sat down with her and talked again. She said that she prayed Friday, then she had horrible dreams and blamed it on us and she didn’t ever want to pray again. So we explain all things bad are from the adversary and all things good are from the Lord. She understood that and said she would pray again. Saturday she Prayed and dreamed again, only this time she receive an answer that this IS the Church of Jesus Christ. But she didn’t think her parents would let her be baptized and her aunt told her that she had to choose ``the Mormons`` or her and she was really sad. So we listened and helped her come to the conclusion that with faith and acting on it she would see a miracle that day.

Finally came the time of the baptism of the other branch that we were supporting the sisters and we walked in a little late from a meeting with our leader of the Branch and saw her, with her friends from the branch and we were like wow you are here haha So we talked to her a little bit later and she told us that she talked to her mom, and that she couldn’t be baptized that day like planned because her mom wanted to watch and so it will be this Saturday! Her mom signed the paper too! Milagres! (Miracles!) So Saturday will be a great day! and a bigger miracle will be if it be the will of the Lord, we will start to teach her whole family! yay! Anyways! I know that the Lord works miracles every day! Pray for them and then pray that your eyes could be opened to see and witness them! Then you can turn into a testimony for others that the Lord does visit His people! That He is aware of each one of us!

I love this work! I love Brazil! I love Portuguese! I love the Lord! I love you and dad and all my brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews! I am so lucky to have been born into this family! So blessed! We are so blessed to have this knowledge of eternal families, the Atonement and many other things! That we have the Holy Ghost to guide us every day! The Lord is merciful! Our Heavenly Father loves us! Never forget it!

Love,

Sister Post

Baptismo of a little girl who is cuter than cute!

All things are Possible!

August 10,2015

Oi!

Well surprise this week!! (HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!) FELIZ ANIVERSARIO MÃE! quase, (almost) haha :) 

In district meeting we were talking about things others should work on; everyone told me to work on having confidence in myself.. haha that I would trust others more after I learned to trust myself. Then they said that I had a great potential to be a great leader but first I needed to work on my confidence haha which is true. So I am not afraid to admit that is a pretty big weakness of mine. I have had it for a while haha so I will start to work on making it a strength!  Wish me luck! If you would like to pray for my progress I would appreciate that! haha :) 

Wow only 24 hours! Those smarties! Congratulations Ty & Lacy!

Well this month I will do 9 months since entering the MTC the second time and next month I will do 9 months in Brazil haha so I took the classic photo of nine months :) yeah I am awesome haha ;) I think in a lot of years I will make a cute pregnant lady haha :)

(9 months marks the halfway point of the mission) 

I have been working on teaching S. Borges English haha it is funny when I don’t remember words or how to form a sentence or to a say a sentence in the form of Portuguese. The good life.. haha

This week we found Shirley! She is 17, we found her in the church! haha we were wondering what to do and we said to the other, Sister Borges and I; let’s just pass by and see what is going down at the church. She was sitting with a member called Néfi, which is Nephi in Portuguese, and Sister Borges started to talk to another person and I saw Shirley, keeping S. Borges in my sight I started to talk to her after helping her feel a little more comfortable I found out she wasn’t a member, but had lots of questions. The first was why we called God- Heavenly Father. Oh easy haha so I told her why. Then she asked why we stayed in the church and didn’t leave to a different one so I called S. Borges over and together we taught about Joseph Smith and a little of the restoration and about prayer to receive an answer and marked a time to return and talk with her. Then we talked with her in her house Saturday it was really good! I taught her in the way of an analogy. Which I realize now I make a lot of analogies haha Sister Borges made that obvious to me this week haha it is funny but I will share the analogy.

So she has a little brother who had brought out toys and while we were talking I picked up a toy tractor and said this is us imagine the tractor with only one wheel, it couldn’t go very far could it? Because Heavenly Father loves us he has provided a way for us to receive the other three wheels. You see the first wheel is our desire, our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but even that alone is not enough for that little tractor to move. So God gave us three things that would make it possible for us to "reach" our potential and eventually return to him. One wheel is baptism, the second wheel is the gift of the Holy Ghost and the third wheel is the Sacrament. All three are necessary with our faith to move us forward. If we lack in one area we can’t move. For example, if we aren’t taking the sacrament after being baptized and receiving the Holy Ghost, we would be missing a wheel and couldn’t get very far. Those who aren’t baptized by the power of the Priesthood are only left with one wheel, faith or desire to change. It is necessary for all three wheels with our faith. Faith alone can’t make us move, but when we are baptized, receive the gift of the holy ghost and partake of the sacrament every week we are literally moving by the power of God. He has given us tools to move forward in this life, and if we don’t use them we are cut off from the Powers of Heaven. But with them literally the doors of heaven are open to help us with our life, help us change and become more like our Savior, and help us move down the road to eventually make it back to our Heavenly Home with our Heavenly Father. 

I know that this analogy is a little silly but I want you guys to know that Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us! He has given us covenants to open the windows of heaven that blessings and strength can literally rain down upon us! And first of all He has given us Agency to Choose! He loves us more than we know!

 I know that is only through Baptism of water and of fire that we can return to the Kingdom of Heaven, John 5:3-5 “In these lay a great multitude of important folks, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.”

Through this we each have the best of friend to walk the length with us, The Holy Ghost! He is literally the open door to our Father in Heaven! He speaks to our hearts and minds the things of the Father! Through partaking of the sacrament we are committing this next week to be better, and asking for the power of God to help us with our changes!

All things are Possible! If we but 1- Ask the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, 2- believe that we will receive 3- having real intent that you will act on the response that you receive. Literally like the classic example of Moses, he was literally between a rock and a hard place haha he, and his people, were between the people of Egypt who wanted to kill them, and the Red Sea. I know without doubt that whatever response that Heavenly Father gave Moses he would do it. That is why God gave him the answer to walk on dry ground.

So like in D&C 8:1-5 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that assuredly as the Lord Liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge…. Yea, behold I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. Therefore this is thy gift; apply it, and blessed art thou, for it shall deliver you out of the hands of your enemies, when, if it were not so, they would slay you and bring your soul to destruction. Oh, remember these words, and keep my commandments. Remember, this is your gift.”

We need to have the intent of doing whatever we can to full fill the answer that we receive! More than anything in the world Heavenly Father wants each one of us to know the power of heaven is accessible! We can receive heavenly help! I know it is true! I love you!

Love,

Sister Post

photos.

 the wooden walkways are going away and we can walk of the road again! yay haha with my companion.

A family i just love to death! This is after eating lunch with then on Sunday.

Photo of the neighbor on Bewitched (Agnes)! She is a sister of a member and I practically begged her to take a photo with me so that I could show you and mom! haha she is cool but looks just like the lady off of Bewitched! haha good times :)

Semana das milagres! (miracle week)

August 3, 2015

semana das milagres! (miracle week)

Oi Mãe!

Wow you know something I have been thinking about... so much happens that is so like every day to me that I really should be writing to you guys.. but I forget every time I am in the lawn house (internet House) writing.. Yea I should write a lot more about our investigators that are really good! And cool and about our less actives we are bringing back! the truth is that really a lot is happening here, I just forget to write about it all haha and just write my testimony and get tired of typing and not write about the people hahahaha so I will work on writing about people first :) haha

So this week has been good! We saw lots of miracles. First I will write about Wanderson pronounced as Vanderson haha yeah I still don’t understand Portuguese when it is like that.. haha but anyways we (Sister V. and I) tried to teach him the first transfer I was here but all he did was fight with his wife. (who is a member and they helped them get married 7 months ago by another group of sisters.) and little history of this family. Camila and Wanderson have been together for 4 years, they have a little girl named Isabelle who is two years old. All this time Wanderson didn’t want anything to do with the church and it wore down Camilla given she never actually put in the effort to grow a testimony really strong. She just kind of lived it because her aunt took her to church every week. So Camila made some not so good choices of talking with another man.. so now they have a problem, but with this problem it opened up Wanderson to really want to follow the Lord and so two weeks ago we started to teach him again after three months. He progressed really well! At first it was for his wife, that she would stop talking with another man and then it turned into a strong desire to follow the Lord! He told us before that if Camila left him he would stop going to church because he couldn’t bear to see her with another man. We were really sad and then this week he said, no I won’t risk my salvation for her. I will keep going to church and be strong for my little girl. So all of this is really sad, but really like good. I don’t know how to explain all of it in English, but like he is really strong now! and is being so patient with his wife! and she is like going down the deep end and I really don’t know how to help her from doing what she is doing when she is not recognizing that she is committing big mistakes.. but anyways Wanderson was baptized this last Friday! and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday! He came alone to church to get it! He is so amazing! I wouldn’t wish this on anyone but he is being so, so strong with this trial in his life and the Lord with bless him a lot for this! 

Franciel, I don’t remember if I talked to you about him yet but I started teaching him with Sister V. as well and he is so good! He is already testifying to other people that they should forget all they know or think they know about Mormons because with just three days with us, Sister B. and I, he will completely understand Christ in a fuller way! He is awesome haha anyways he is from the Adventist church which is really ridiculous, but his brother is a firm, firm believer of the church and is like the voice of reason in his house. So we are helping him to understand Joseph Smith better and the Priesthood and how God works through men and the priesthood and stuff. It will be good! This week will be good! 

Alauna! We are reactivating a 20 year old who has two little girls! They are so cute! We have family home evening with her today and lunch tomorrow with her family!  She is progressing really well! and her little girls love us! I will send a picture of us all next week!

Well the work is progressing and the Lord moves on. One thing I was reading I don’t remember where but that the Lord sped up his work and it is up to us to keep up with the new pace or we will be left behind. It is true. haha we are busy everyday looking for the others who are in the moments of acceptance, and then we are waiting for those we have already talked to for them to enter the right moment to be taught haha it is fun :) the normal day life of a missionary, it is good :) I love the Lord and his tender mercies! He really is in our lives every day! Whether it is a small breeze on a really hot day, or a little cloud to give a little shade the Lord prepares moments of peace and comfort for each one of us! He Loves Us! I love you! Keep being amazing mom!

Homemade ice cream!!! :( I want.. haha but....... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I told everyone yesterday that it was your birthday Dad!

Transfers are next week, and I will probably stay here with Sister B. to finish her training. So it will be a total of 6 months here in Itacoatiara before I get transferred to another area! haha strange.. 1/3 of my mission.. haha but it is good!

 Wow this week I have really missed you and mom. but I know I am doing the work of the Lord and then after looking at your pictures I look to my pictures of the Lord :) 

oh and I am burning my old diary.. haha my old notebook that I wrote in.. because I am rewriting everything in the fancy journal mom gave me for my birthday :) it is taking forever haha but it is good and will be good when I finish one day :)

Also I made a little coca cola with your name in Portuguese João e mom Toni with bff best friends for ever :) I love and miss you guys!

love,

Sister Post

photos, 

Baptism of Wanderson! yay! 

The man who baptized him is Pires, our new ward mission leader. He served his mission here and then returned and married his wife and stayed :P funny eh. Everyone teases me saying will do the same haha

A story about prayer and our desires

July 27, 2015

OI!

 Wow I cannot believe I am 20 years old now.. hahaha it is really weird when I meet someone new and when we are introducing ourselves and getting to know each other that I have to say, I’m Sister Post, I’m from the united states, and I am 20 years old. Wait what? haha but it is good. Maybe people will take me more serious because i am old.. hahaha just kidding :)

This week was good. A story about prayer and our desires. So for my birthday I just wanted to family that is so ready and just need to be baptized.... haha yeah big desire, it was rough day. So all I wanted was this! A family! We were eating in the super market and I was looking around and I saw this woman and man together looking at cheese. I thought oh they are a cute couple. The lady looked at me and smiled and I smiled. Then she waved and I waved. Then she talked to what I thought was her husband and they both looked at us and I was feeling happy and then they walked away. I looked back at where they were walking and they were looking at me hahaha but I didn’t feel awkward because everyone looks at me, only not as openly as they were haha five minutes later they were back to looking at cheese so when they looked at me again I smiled and then she said something to the man and walked over to us. She told us that she had talked to me a few weeks back in a hair salon of one of our members. But that she didn’t want to talk to us then but asked if she could have our number. We gave it to her and then we asked their names, because the guy had walked over then and their names are Michal and Mary. It is cool because I can say their names haha they aren’t translated to the Portuguese names but left in English. haha So the next day we went visiting a family and we walked past a field where guys and teenagers play soccer without fail, they are always there. haha So we were walking and I saw Michal and I asked him how he was and then randomly I asked if he and Mary were married.  Usually people here just live together and have kids but no one gets married and he just showed me his wedding ring and it was cool and so they are a family and the Lord answered my prayers. We found a family ready!  They live way far from our area but the elders in that area will teach them very well! They are awesome haha :)

Anyways i know that prayer is real! That we receive answers based on our faith! The faith that Alma had was shown in the fact that an angel of the Lord descended to talk to Alma the younger, son of Alma. That is some strong faith! But it is true! The Lord always answers our prayers! We just need to believe! and trust in his answer!

All is work and play when we are serving the Lord :) but we choose to work first and then play when we have time haha :)

I love you!

Love, 

Sister Post

PHOTOS: 

funny thing is i finally took a photo with "rocky balboa" hahaha its not really obvious in this picture but in real life he looks like a latin rocky haha it is really funny, his name is Irmão frai (fry like french fry)

 haha

and me in the morning opening my birthday card from you guys :) thanks :)

and the sisters made a cake for me, it was really sweet of them :)

What is faith? Alma 32:21

July 20, 2015

Hey Dad and Mom!

My companion speaks a little, very little English but I am helping her learn. 

The work is great!

There are more ugly dogs in the streets then I can describe haha and lots have cats in their houses or a puppy until it is big and will leave to the streets.

Here is a funny story, so this morning I woke up and Sister Borges told me the other sisters will go to the church to play volleyball with us, and I was like really? You talked to them? She said no sister you did. I was like, no I haven’t talked to them for almost two days and she was like, no you called them last night and asked them to play volleyball and I was like no haha I didn’t and she was like yes you did. So I called them and asked if I talked to them last night and she said yeah and then I laughed hard core. I had sleep called them. I talked to them while I was sleeping and I don’t even remember haha so it is good to know I can have a conversation in my sleep and not remember haha anyways, the work is good, I love my companion and Portuguese is become more natural to speak. Actually right now I am trying not to write in Portuguese and am rewriting because of words that escape translation to my hands haha so it is interesting : )

Wow you made it back home! Give Deborah, her mom, Jack an Holly hugs for me! And grandma and papa!

So the sweetest thing happened Saturday to us! We just got done talking with a brother and sister named Vanessa and Marcos, and then were walking to see how Eliane and Lucio were when I saw this cute little grandma. She was walking really slow and cute like and has hair white as snow with her skin tanned from years of living here in the sun. We walked and little to pass her when she stopped looked at us and said, (moças lindas), which is like beautiful young woman but a word stronger than beautiful. We stopped to talk to her and all she could manage to say was that we were beautiful and she gave both of us hugs and the same time squeezing as hard as she could! It was so cute! We walked a little with her and then went on our way but what a cutie she was! 

So here is a surprise to ya.. haha so while I am here in the mission I will also do and complete Personal Progress starting over and just doing it.. haha we are practically doing all of it every day haha but I will purposely do them and earn that cute little medallion.. haha :) surprise :)

First I need to talk about faith.

What is faith? Alma 32:21  “believing in something that you can’t see, but is true!”

Faith starts with a hope, a hope for something better, hope that there can be a change, that something will occur. Our hope grows into faith and we can grow our faith! Grow it to be strong enough to see the hand of God in our lives! Strong enough that we can lift others to their feet! Literally or not literally ``move mountains`` whether this mountain is a change within our hearts, a change of status of living or literally a change in health. Faith is the bases of everything.  If we have faith we have a desire to change, to be better, to live better. Faith alone can’t make miracles happen but the Lord didn’t leave us alone with just faith to walk the way. He gave us ordinances! In other words if we make a promise with God, and keep our end, the power of the heavens is now available to us! But because He is a God of order He doesn’t just let anyone make these promises out of whim. It needs to be through His power and authority with his permission we can have the help from the divine power from above! So what is the key?

The Holy Priesthood! Wow if we think of how much Heavenly Father loves us it is beyond imagination!! Because he restored this opportunity to man again!

 Pela a fé de Joseph Smith quando tinha 14 anos ele viu Deus o Pai e Jesus Cristo. Sem Duvida Eu sei que isso é verdade! Nosso Pai Celestial nós ama! Ele nós deu o oportunidade de vim para esta terra, ter um corpo e aprender nesse plano! Ele já planejo o caminho! É nosso Salvador, Jesus Cristo! Ele pagou as demandas  da justiça, e pediu o que de nós? seguei me, acredita em mim, exercitar fé em mim. Eu Sei que A Igreja de Jesus Cristo Dos Santos Dos Últimos Dias é verdadeira! Jesus é mesmo  o cabeça dessa igreja! Ele dirigi sua igreja pelo profeta Thomas S. Monson! Com total de minha coração sei que isto é verdade!

(I (Toni) put the above paragraph in a translator and this is what it translated)

(By the faith of Joseph Smith when he was 14 he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. No Doubt I know this is true! Our Heavenly Father loves us! He gave us the opportunity to come to this land, having a body and learn that plan! He already planned the way! Through our Savior, Jesus Christ! He paid the demands of justice, and asked which of us? (seguei me) , believe me , exercising faith in me. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints is true! Jesus is even the head of that church! He leads his church through the prophet Thomas S. Monson! With all my heart I know this is true!)

I love you! Thanks for everything! Keep being lights to the world! This time that we live in needs people to stand up and be a light! Because there is a lot of darkness! But we have power behind us! Our brother, Jesus Christ! He loves us! And is walking with us! Working and preparing the way for each one of us! I know this a true! I love you! 

Love,

Sister Post

photos: I don't remember what ones I picked.. haha but I think there is one of my comp and I, one of all of our zone for the first time with another pair of sisters from Manaus. 

This week we worked hard, hard, hard!

July 13,2015

oi mãe,

Here is a story, really cool!

So last week I was talking with Sister Sunaga and she told me some really good news! She was updating me about what is going on in Manaus, and she told me that in my last area Ara was baptized! Yay! So you probably don’t know this but Ara was my first contact on the street here in Brazil.. haha funny thing is, I slaughtered all my words in Portuguese, was a nervous wreck, and she had a two year old throwing a ball that she had to watch. So we have three odd working against us haha but with a little help from Sister Sunaga we got her address and she said we could return. All through that transfer we tried but she wasn’t at home when we passed and we couldn’t pass often because of the pain Sister Sunaga had while walking. Ara lives on the edge of our area so in total we only taught a part of the restoration to her. One day we were praying and trying to find out who we should cut from our list of people to visit and I felt really good about her. Sister Sunaga wanted to cut her but I just said that I had a good feeling and we shouldn’t loose her completely. A hop and a skip away and now she is baptized and they are teaching her family too!! It is really cool to hear!

This week we had a baptism! Yay! We baptized Elico of the 86 years of age! He is so stinking cute and very hard of hearing and can’t see very well. But it was the most spiritual baptism I have had! So when we visited him last to see if he would still be baptized he told us he didn’t want to jump into the water because he was afraid. Sister Borges comforted him and said that he didn’t need to jump in. While waiting for the baptism to start I sat listening to Elders Epinoza and Tavares talk to him and try to console him. The baptism was very good!

Then at the end a teenager called Gabi asked me something very interesting after the prayer. She asked me if someone had passed by me during the prayer, I was standing in front of her, she thought someone had passed in between us. I told her no; no one had touched me. So think what you want about that, but that baptism was very spiritual, and I totally believe there were angels in that room with us. Happy as can be that he was baptized!

What a week! This week we worked hard, hard, hard! And the coming weeks will be busy, busy, and busy! Yay! I love this work with all my heart!

Just want to share a bit of my thoughts and testimony about the story of the man with palsy. It took four people to bring that man to Jesus. It wasn’t just one person but four. So let’s look at who those four are and how they can be related to each one of us. One, of course is missionaries, one is the bishop, one is the relief society and the last is the elders’ quorum. Why do you think it takes all four of them to bring a sick man to Christ? To nourish? To guide? To lead? without one of the four the man would fall from the bed and be in a worse condition that he was in the first place. The story is the same for bringing new converts to be solid in the church. If the members aren’t nourishing them, helping them, strengthening them, they will fall and be in a worse state than before baptism. It is so, so important that wards work together for the good of all! If one organization isn’t helping they have a risk of losing people. We are all here to progress and return to our Heavenly Father, but as Prophets has said, the Lord requires us to take his gospel to the entire world! This is our first priority! Secure your hold on the rod and give a hand to help others! This is the way of the Lord :) Anyway i know this gospel is true! I know that together, everyone, we can find, help and keep new converts in the church to stay strong and make it to the temple! The temple is the goal! I am so grateful for a Heavenly Father who prepared this miraculous plan for us! 

I love you! Keep being awesome! And keep dad from eating too many snickers ;)

Love,   Sister Post

 Photos:

a family I love very much!

como dormir: (I like sleeping)  com a palavra de Deus!(with the word of God) My companion took this picture. haha

Festa Junina (June Party). It is like a Hill Billy Party!  I walked up to a couple sitting at a table and I was like what are you doing here? haha he is so familiar. He tried telling me I baptized him in Manaus and I was like no, but I know you and he wouldn’t tell me the truth and eventually I remembered haha he was my first district leader, already married and was visiting.

Here is photos of the festa.