June 27, 2011

Òla!

Well I have a new companion. Sister Felipe. Im not really sure what happened but it was an emergency transfer. We found out on Wednesday I think and Friday morning everything was different. We have two companionships again. Sister Dos Santos and Sister da Silva and me and Sister Felipe. I think all of my training periods are going to be 1 week short because I left the MTC one week early, my trainer abandoned me one week early! But it is great I LOVE Sister Felipe, like seriously she is great!

Its cold again. The weather here is as bipolar as it is there. Yesterday it was freezing. We were knocking doors yesterday and no one was coming out because it was so cold. And Sister Felipe kept saying they are in their beds sleeping like normal people not out in the streets knocking on doors like CRAZY people. But it was good and we talked with a lot of great people.

I really dont have much to report on this week not a lot out of the ordinary happened. BUT we had a baptism. Mateus, he is 8 years old and is the greatest little kid ever. He has wanted to be baptized for about 7 or 8 months because his cousin was baptized then but his mom wouldnt give permission because they were moving to São Palo and she didnt think that he would have a way to get to church every week so she didnt allow it. I respect her for that. But then they had some issues in São Palo and came back and YAY he was allowed to be baptized. I love Mateus a lot, he is the sweetest little boy. I think I met him my first day here and everytime he sees us he comes RUNNING up to us and walks with us and talks with us. He is awesome! When I think of him and his cousin, Rafaela, I think this scripture Alma 32:23. It is so true! Rafael´s mom wants to be baptized but she is having a little problem with smoking. And Mateus´s mom came with him to his baptismal interview and she came to church and his baptism and was taking lots of pictures so Sister Felipe and I are definitely going to go teach her this week!

Oh Im not sure what day it was but Sister Felipe was here and we went to Orlando´s house, I think I talked about him before but you probably dont remember. I never remember who is who when missionaries talk about their investigators but it really isnt important. Anyway. We went to his house (him and his family) and we were talking about our names and they asked what our real names were and they couldnt understand what I was saying but everyone here knows who Britney Spears is and so I said Brittany, like Britney Spears. And the mom was like OH!!! Ok! It was funny. And they all have kind of a hard time with ´Sister´ and so later she was trying to get my attention and she said TITI (pronounced chee-chee) Brooks. And so that is now my name!

Oh! I had to give a talk in chruch this week. I think it was more so that the people in the branch know that I can speak portuguese but who knows. I dont think anyone heard anything I said because they were all shocked that I was speaking. Whatever. But this week I read Helaman and Im pretty sure it changed my life. I took a good long look at my heart and where my heart is and the importance of our hearts and our desires. Go ahead....read it!

I had my camera with me a lot this week so I have some pictures to share with you all! I hope you had a wonderful week! I love you all! I am learning a lot and growing a lot. And this week I have been focusing on my faith because I NEED more faith. I need faith that I can see miracles in the mission. But I think we all need to have a little more faith and all of us can learn more and understand more about the importance of Jesus Christ in our lives. And so I challenge you all the study a little about faith and have a little more faith this week!

Tchau! Até logo!
Titi Brooks :)

Most the roads we walk on do not look like this but this one happened to,

it was so beautiful! I loved it.

June 13, 2011

Hello All!
I hope you all had a fabulous week! Mine was great, as always! :) And I hope you all remember the very special day that is this Friday, the day of my birth! Please celebrate for me! Thanks!

I made a list this week of thing I wanted to write because I couldnt remember anything last week. Ok so first of all we have this girl who is 14 and her dad wont let her get baptized but she knows the church is true...really its tragic, this is the second time this has happened. She had missionaries about 3 or 4 years ago also. Anyway we were teaching her and I invited her to be baptized and she said no because I dont know some lame excuse. And then we talked about following the example of Christ...all that good stuff. And she says and I quote (but I also translate): I dont want to follow Christs example. I think my jaw literally dropped. And I repeat a lot of what people say to me because I cant understand but this I was just floored and I asked if I heard her right and she said YEP! (kind of like a snotty 14 year old...lol) Anyway, then her mom explain that that wasnt true but that her dad wouldnt let her get baptized but it was really funny, I was so shocked!

Anyway, Ibiporã is having this festival of some sorta, Im not really sure what it is but its been going on for quite some time now and it is beautiful, we walked through it the other day and they have lights and these paper cut out banner things, I dont know what they are but everything is so colorful and it was really cool when we walked through at night during the day its not THAT great. Anyway the other day when we walked through we stopped and got a pastel, which was DELICIOUS..just meat and cheese in a fried bread thing, oh man! So Sister de Oliveira and I are walking down the street enjoying our delicous food and this guy stops us and starts talking about the church and some other old sister and Im not really sure but then he starts talking about marriage and he was looking at me. And I dont speak Português and so I didnt understand much but he thought we were both American and Sis. de Oliveira was laughing so I laughed too. But then when he went to leave put his arms out and tried to hug me, oh my goodness it was the funniest thing Ive ever seen. I screamed, ran backwards, Sister de Oliveira grapped me, shouted NOOOOO! and pulled me away. Ok Im not explaining this week and its probably not that funny but we laughed about it for days which was a blessing!

Oh so we have this record for someone that was taught in the past, Maurinho, and I have been really concerned with him and I say to Sister de Oliveira everyday that we NEED to find him. We looked for him one day and some lady said he was old and died but the record says that he is 18. So I told Sister de Oliveira that was a lie and we needed to find him. Anyway, on his record it says that his girlfriend, Suelen, is a member but no ones seems to know her. I talked to one member that I was told would know who she is, but the member didnt know. Yesterday we were near the area that he lives waiting for the bus and this girl walks up so we start talking to her and she says her name is Suelen, and I almost died, I was like OMG your name is Suelen, we have been seaching for a Suelen!! (literally I said that). And so I asked her if she knew Maurinho and she said no...BUT she lives on the same street as Maurinho and she has gone to church one time a few years ago in a different city. What are the chance, I think she is why I have been so concerned with Maurinho, but Im still a little concerned with him because we have made no effort to find him. Oh if there were only more hours in the day!

It has been raining all week, it is really hot today...well not really hot but hot. But for two days this week in rained ALL day and not just a little rain, like SOAK you rain. But good thing I have a raincoat! (Thanks mom!) Also we moved, our new apartment is REALLY nice, I love it it is so much bigger and I think nicer than most of the places I lived at BYU. I have heard quite a bit this week that our mission is the nicest in Brasil as far as wordly possessions goes...I dont know though. I havent been to all of the missions in Brasil and Im not really sure how people are judging that but whatev!

We had another investigator that literally did not understand ANYTHING I said, and I said things...PERFECTLY. I have been practicing a baptismal invitation and I finally got it down perfectly with her and she didnt understand a word of what I said. And then Sister de Oliveira repeated the SAME thing and she understood everything. And I mean I teach people all day everyday and this was the first time there was a probelm like this. I felt so bad but Sister de Oliveira assured me it was because of my accent...whatever. Not my favorite moment of the week.

Lastly, we had investigators come to church on their own...this doesnt happen. It was crazy! We showed up and they were already there, it was a miracle! Normally we have to go to their house and wake them up at 8:30 because church starts at 9 and bring them with us. But Ubaldina and Mario came all on their own. They are great but they need to be married! Hopefully more on that next week!

I love love love this work. It is hard and it is WORK but Im learning so much and it is so great. This week I realized how powerful prayer is. The very few investigators that we have that sincerely pray about our message receive an answer, not sometimes, always. It is incredible. I love it. Prayer is so powerful and has the power to change peoples lives, literally. Im so incredibly grateful for this opportunity and for all of your love and support and prayers! Thank you! I finally received some letters this week! It was exciting! And my first birthday card from Auntie Joel! Thank you! I love you all I hope you have a wonderful week and remember the importance of Friday! :)

Sister Brooks
p.s. sorry for the novel email! But the past few have been really short!

June 6, 2011

Hello Everyone!

This week has been really great! We taught...like a million lessons and my portuguese is getting slowly better...SLOWLY! Its kind of killing me. I had a bunch of things I wanted to tell you all but I cant remember them anymore. I get a little stressed when we come email because I only have an hour and I have so much I want to say!

Um...first the other sisters that I live with had a baptism yesterday and it was the first time that the guy baptizing had ever done it and it was literally the most hilarious thing that I have EVER seen. I was laughing so hard I was crying. Some people had to leave the room because they were laughing so hard. It was HILARIOUS! At one point the baptiz-ER and the baptiz-EE (I dont know what the right words are for those people) were holding hands, it was really bizarre and then when he was baptized the person being baptized didnt bend his knees and oh my I really cant explain it, I dont know why I am trying but just know that it was seriously the funniest thing ever! And my compainion and I had two investigators there and they were like...um...and we were like NO...this is not normal please dont be freaked out, but Im pretty sure they were anway.

We found this family this week and they are so great! We taught the first lesson to only the dad and one of his daughters because everyone else was not home. And it was a great lesson. And we went back yesterday to teach the whole family and the dad actually read and prayed about it and it was so great. I think I asked him 5 times...You actually read?!?!? (ok it was only once but 5 times sounds more dramatic) but I was so happy, people never read. Uh! Anyway, it was a great week!

Oh I remember one thing, so people here are always washing their sidewalk...I dont know. Its kinds strange and I always thought it was strange but they all have very clean sidewalks! Anyway so this week we had interviews with the mission president and so we were in Londrina and Sister Bartell (one other sister I live with) wanted something to eat so I walked with her to the bakery and she bought something. And we were walking out and it was like a tile floor and they had just washed it and I was just walking and talking and all the sudden I was slipping across the floor. But there was a step and when I got to it I totally fell and it was SOOO painful and SOOO embarrassing. And I was so irritated that people are always washing their sidewalk! Uh! Whatever!

Ok I dont know the exact days but I know birthday are soon so happy birthday to Stacie, Derek, Uncle Larry, and Jacob! Sorry if I forgot you! But I love you all! Until next week!

And here are some pictures...FINALLY!

Lastly, I know this church is true, I know that it has the power to change peoples lives if they will let it. And that is the trick getting people to open their hearts to hear our message and understand that their lives can be changed but its difficult. I know that if we are all doing the simple things, if we are reading and praying everyday and going to church and following the commandments that God will bless us. So do those things if you arent because as simple as they are they are SOO important!

1. The view from the first apartment I was in for like 5 days, I thought it was way pretty!

2. Me and Sister de Oliveira in our area

3. Me at a ward activity like my second day in Brasil

4 & 5. Our really tiny apartment, this is the whole thing, we are moving because clearly there is not enought space for us and all of our stuff!

6. Me and the other sisters I live with: Sister Dos Santos, Me, Sister de Oliveira, Sister Bartell