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Monday, June 30, 2014

Yay for Montana!

Yay for Montana!!! I am only a little sad that I am not there with everyone, but not too sad because I know that I will be there next year:) I hope that you all have a fantastic time. I hope that you guys get to enjoy yet again that wonderful band, Feddy Pink, in Big Sky. Oh what luck you would have. 
Anyways, my week was pretty dang busy. First off, the world cup. OH MY GOSH DO I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so incredibly fun watching the last 2 games. I was dying form happiness. We watched Monday´s game at a member´s house. There was a ton of people there and everyone was shouting and laughing. Plus, Irmão Joaquim (the guy whose house we were at) made tapioca. It´s like this white crunch crepe like thing that is so good you want to die. Overall, it was an amazing day:) 
On Wednesday we went to do a split with the other sisters in our district. They don´t live to far so it wasn´t very stressful traveling there. I had a blast working with them. I was with Sister R. Santos and she was a riot. Most of our visits fell through, but I had a great time making contacts with her. That night was a bit of an adventure because they didn´t have extra mattresses for us to sleep on. Thankfully they had two couches in their house. Unfortunately, they were the crappiest sofas in the world and it wasn´t a super restful night. One was almost long enough for Sister Sargent, but had jutting poles that poked her back all night. Mine was a love seat, but there was definitely NO love in my heart for that couch. I slept kneeling the whole night. ADVENTURE!! But we suffered through it and had a good laugh afterwords. 
Saturday was our next big day. We watched the next game at another member´s house and everyone almost died with how close it was. Sister Gomes was seriously crying when Brasil won. Futebol is a big deal here. I ended up biting all my nails off, but I have no regrets because that game was so awesome.
Then we had this cool traditional party with our ward call the Festa Junina. Everyone dresses up like hicks and all the food has to do with corn. It was a blast!!! Plus there was a ton of non members there and we were able to talk to them about the church. Awesome!!!! It was a crazy night and everyone was happy and dancing. It was kind of like a Hoe Down, but a Brasil version. I loved it:) 
Now today, we have to go to Piracicaba for another leadership meeting. I freaking out a little bit because they asked me to give some training for like 10 minutes. HOLY COW! I hope that it goes well:) 
Overall, this was one of the happiest weeks in my mission. And, we are teaching a really awesome girls named Vanessa that maybe will be baptized this Sunday. Woot!!! We´ll see how it goes!
I love you all so much and I hope that you have a fantastic time together!!! 
Sister Whitney

The lovely couchs we "slept" on.

This was after our couch experience. I was freezing cold but only had a grandma sweater and socks as extra clothing. I´ll probably start a new fashion with this look.

Just some dancing going on. It was really a fun night:)

This is Sister R. Santos.

This is a member who i love dearly. Her name is Jucerema. Herr face really isn´t like that though, it´s just the makeup she used to look like a hick.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Just keep knocking... just keep knocking... don't worry....be happy!

Hello Family and Friends!!!!!
So this week was incredible busy, but so awesome!!! So basically, we had 2 and a half days to work in our area because of our leadership meeting in Piracicaba, the world cup, our p-day, and our first split as Sister Trainer Leaders. But it was still an amazing week and we had a boatload of stuff to do. I love it when that happens. 
Our first split was with Sister Keeler and Sister Gomes, the sisters that live with us. It was kind of a weird split because I was with SIster Keeler in my old area from last transfer. She has only been in Poços for like 2 weeks, so I was the one that knew the area better. That was weird, but it was still fun. She is an incredibly happy person and even though almost all of our appointments fell through, she was happy through it all. I really admire that quality in a missionary, because sometimes it just sucks when no one is at home and you want to be sad about it. But not Sister Keeler:) She just kept pluggin away. I loved it.
Can I just say that I feel a little unqualified to be a Sister Trainer Leader? I am so grateful for the calling, and I am going to do my best with it for sure, but who the heck am I to tell other sister what they can do better. I still feel like I just got out of the MTC sometimes. Oh well, it´s a work in progress. I am so lucky that I have Sister Sargent as my companion and that we are figuring this out together. It´s definitely and adventure. 
Also this week we got an amazing referral from a member. Her name is Vanessa and we have only taught her once, but it was pretty awesome. We taught her the Restauração with the member there and Vsanessa was super interested. Then the next day she came to church. Booo Ya!! I am so excited to keep teaching her. We´ll see how it goes.
Church was great too because Bruno received the Holy Ghost. (It´s so weird to say  "Holy Ghost" and not "Espirito Santo". Weird) I was about to burst I was so happy. He is such and amazing guy and I feel soooo blessed to have had the opportunity to teach him and be his friend. 
So, other than that our week has been pretty normal. OH!!! President Canuto said we can now watch the Brasil games in the world cup, so today we are heading to a member´s house to watch the game! WOOT!! Vai Brasil!!!! Beat them soundly in the scrimmage!
Love you guys tons!!!
Sister Whitney
p.s. Happy Late Birthday Dad!!! Love You!!!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

World Cup

Ok, so I am sorry I didn´t write on monday. I´ll tell you why later. Anyways, Let´s talk about the world cup. BRASIL is sooooo crazy for futebol. Holy cow do I love this country. Everyone is so happy and there is green and yellow everywhere. It has been so cool to walk down the street and see all the decorations and people. UNfortunately, as missionaries, we have to stay at home on the days of the games. We can leave the house early, make a few street contacts, eat lunch, and then we have to go back home. Actually, I was not sad at all because I got to take a nap. YOu don´t even know how happy I was to take a nap. I almost couldn´t sleep I was so excited to sleep. It was the absolute best. So that´s pretty much what we do on game days. Other than that, the World Cup is pretty chill for us.
So my first week with Sister Sargent was the best. She is an amazing teacher!!! Wow, I am so lucky to have her as a companion. It is so fun teaching with her because we both kind of know what we are doing and I can have complete faith that she won´t say something stupid. Plus, we are teaching so well together. There was no awkward first week companion ajustment. We just got to work and it was so smooth. Blessings.
Also..... WE HAD A BAPTISM!!!!!!! His name is Bruno and seriously he is golden. Sister Sargent started teaching him 2 weeks ago and then we became companions so I got to teach him for a week too. It was the best teaching someone really prepared by the Lord. Bruno just accepted everything without blinking twice. He gave up coffee, cigaretts and beer all in the same day and never had another problem with them. I just love missionary work!!!!!! He was baptized after church on Sunday and he had a ton of surport from the ward. He is going to be an amazing member:)
Almost right after the baptism on Sunday, Sister Sargent had to catch a bus for a leadership meeting in Piracicaba. The bus system here is aweful and I hate bus rides soooo much right now, but I was able to get through it because Sister Sargent is my companion. Anyways, we got to Piracicaba at like 10pm at night and then had a taxi  come and get us and take us to some sisters´ house so we could sleep. We actually eneded up staying with the SIsters in Ala 8, my old area!!!!! IT was soo weird sleeping in my old house. I drilled the sisters there for information about all the ward members and old investigators. Fabio still isn´t baptized. I don´t know what happened to him, but it makes me sad that he still hasn´t accepted the Gospel. Also, Deivid, my first baptism, is doing well, but he isn´t going to church very much. I left a letter for him with the SIsters and I hope it helps him come back to church. Man, I miss that kid.
The actual meeting took forever, but it was amazing. I feel so blessed for this opportunity and I am going to work really hard to magnify my calling. Basically, we just learned how to be better leaders. It was awesome and I also got to see Sister N. Lopes (she is also a ST). Overall, it was an amazing experience and I am so excited to work this transfer.
We got back to Poços yesterday around 4. Luckily it was a game day, so we just came home and took a nap. YES!
I love being a missionary soooo much and I am so grateful for all of your prayers. I really can feel them working and I know that I couldn´t do the Lord´s work without them. So thank you so much:)!!!
Have a great week!! I love you all!!!
SIster Whitney
Bruno and us right before the big step:)


Yay for green!!! Sometimes people think we are sisters


I love her so much!!!

Monday, June 9, 2014

Sister Trainer!

Ok , so remember how a few weeks back I talked about how happy I was? Well I honestly thought that that was the peak of my mission. Training a hilarious brasilian, living with Sister Sargent, and working in Poços. It has seriously been the best 6 weeks of my life. Obviously, I was super nervous for transfers. We were just sitting at home, waiting for our district leader to call. He had called earlier that day and fed us a bunch of lies- that we all believed- so I was super skeptical of our transfer outcome. Finally, at about 9:30, he called.
He started with Sister Ferriera and Sister Menezes. Sister Ferreira is staying in Poços with a different companion, and Sister Menezes is headed for my old area in Piracicaba. Then he said where I and Sister Sargent are going. It seriously took me like 15 minutes to believe him and we actually called our zone leader to confirm his story. But it was all true. 
SISTER SARGENT AND I ARE COMPANIONS AND WE HAVE BOTH BEEN CALLED AS SISTER TRAINING LEADERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY COW AM I SOOOO EXCITED, NERVOUS, AND PUMPED!!!! PLUS WE ARE STAYING IN POÇOS!!!!! IS THIS NOT HEAVEN? 
I cannot even believe that I get to be companions with Sister Sargent. This is seriously my best day. The Sister Trainer leader part is a little scary, but with Sister Sargent as my companion, I know it´s going to work out and be a complete adventure. Apparently I didn´t peak out with the last transfer. I am so happy all the time. Words cannot even describe my bliss!!!!! 
That was pretty much the best part of my week. I am staying in the area I love, with the best companion in the world, and I am serving a mission. Wow. I do not know what I did to deserve this, but I really feel like my Heavenly Father loves me. Wow!!
I hope that you all have as an incredible week as I will!!
Hugs and kisses!
Sister Whitney
The girls studying away. Personally I love how she is biting her lip...just like her MOM! hehe (You can run but you can't hide from your genetics!)

My new companion Sister Sargeant!!!

My Relief Society President Sonia!

Monday, June 2, 2014

Bom dia!

Bom dia minha Familia e meus amigos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really can´t start out my emails in any other way other than I had yet another fantastic week!! I love serving in Poços de Caldas!!!
I think my favorite part of the week was wednesday. Sister Sargent´s companion had a foot injury and was told to stay at home for three days. Well that meant that Sister Sargent had to stay at home as well. So I got to thinking that maybe it would be a good idea to have a split with her so they could have some numbers for this week. So on the afternoon of wednesday we became temporary companions. Holy Cow was it so much fun! I forgot what it is like to teach with an experienced and confident missionary. Don´t get me wrong, Sister Ferreira is an amazing missionary, and I love love love teaching with her, but it was so nice to teach with someone that knows what they are doing.
We went and knocked doors for awhile, trying to find some new investigators for Sister Sargent and Sister Menezes, and we ran into some pretty cool people. I don´t really like to brag, but my door knocking skills are amazing. I could totally sell securtiy systems door to door when I get home. We´ll save that as a fall back if the whole college thing doesn´t work out. Anyways, we ended up talking with a guy for like 40 minutes about god realated things. He´s almost an atheist so it was definitely a challenge, but I had the best time talking to him with Sister Sargent. At some points, we just bore our testimonies and defended our beliefs. It was a really awesome experience. I love being a missionary!!
The other great part of this week was Sunday. I don´t know if I already told you guys, but Viviane, the girl Sister Oliveira and I taught and baptized, moved to another City about a month and a half ago. Well, she came back for a visit yesterday and I got to see her and talk with her. She is doing so great!!! During our gospel principles class she was just throwing out answers and sharing experiences. I cannot even describe how happy I am with this. If nothing else good happens in my mission, I can go home happy because I know one seed that I planted took root and is growing strong (sorry for the plant anology, I just studied Alma 32). Argh!!! I love being a missionary!!!!
Well, I hope you all have a great week! Love you bunches!
Sister Whitney
Typical street where we knock on doors.


These are two girls from our ward that we went on splits with. It was a blast:) I love them so much.