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.

Everything we do affects the future...

July 6, 2015

hey!

Wow what a semana (week)! We finally got back here last Wednesday, and then we went visiting. I found out that in the week of my absence Ai. our strong investigator, stopped progressing. I still haven’t gotten ahold of her which makes me really sad but we will this week! Sunday Eli. and Luc. were confirmed and received the gift of Holy Ghost! Wow they are glowing now! His daughter was at her mom´s house but should get back today! So she will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost this Sunday! Yay!

While we were gone an elder that was here before us was visiting and he talked with an old investigator and made a day to baptize him, but he couldn’t that day so we marked this Friday with him. He is really old and funny :) 

Wow what a change in the ward! while we were gone the elder that was here talked to our Branch President and told him there was a chance of this area closing because of all the missionaries leaving and we aren’t receiving a lot of new ones and when we came back wow he was happy to work with us and we actually went to a ward council meeting and it is nice to be involved, but it was really cool to see that they are working haha they will work with Luc.and Eli. to keep them strong! Yay! I am excited! We will finally start to have more progress with the ward! Really the missionaries need the help of the ward, just as much and wards need the help of missionaries! This is the way of the Lord all of us working together for the salvation of man! This is when we can start to see miracles!

Wow it is so nice to study with Sister B. she is very strong in the church! She was baptized only two years and 4 months ago and now look at her! She is happier than all get out and so excited to bring the Gospel of Christ to others! When i asked her a few questions about her desire and what she wants to achieve she gave almost all the same answers I gave. Crazy! haha we are a lot alike in our desires, and our focus! Yay! This transfer will be good! We have great plans and now we will do all we can to achieve them but of course all in the time and will of the Lord! :)

I know that all that we go through, experience is for our good! when we are in the times of our trials, wow it feels like an eternity haha but when they pass they literally feels like ``it is but a small moment``. It is in these times that we draw closer to our Heavenly Father, and grow how he wants us to! Then he prepares us for the future and future challenges and all of a sudden we realize we are accomplishing things we couldn’t have six or eight months ago. The Lord works in small simple ways to accomplish His great work! He asks such small things of us to do! They are always things that will help us! Pray morning and night for strength, if we do this we are blessed. So why not take the time to do it?

Read the scriptures if not for five minutes every day, you will receive more peace, love and comfort from the pages of the Book of Mormon than eating chocolate and it will last longer!

 Partake of the sacrament, through this simple act not only do we rededicate ourselves to the Lord each Sunday, we receive the amazing blessing of being CLEANSED; completely CLEAN and ready for a new beginning. EVERY SUNDAY! This is not a day of burden! It is a blessed day where we receive strength to continue on! We receive spiritual nourishment, answers to our prayers, love and support from other members, and most of all we show to our Heavenly Father our love and appreciation for all that he has given us. Take the time to go to church; it is a gift to us! To help us in our lives! He knows this life is difficult! That is WHY he gave us Sundays, that WE MAY BE STRENGTHENED. We did not create Sunday to worship God, He gave it to us that we may have a way to return to him, by renewing our covenants of Baptism!

Everything we do affects the future, and where we go. What is your goal in the end? Every week we change

because of the things we learn. If you have the goal of returning back to the presence of God with your family why not take the time to grow closer to our Savior by learning of his Gospel, and learning of His will for us. It will bring us closer to not only Him but to happiness and a greater life! I love this opportunity I have to grow closer to my Savior. It will forever change me. All of us have the opportunities to grow closer to our Savior. All have the opportunity every week TO START AGAIN! Take the time and that time is now! :)  I love you all!

Love,

Sister Post :)