Week 2!! OCTOBER 12TH-19TH

city of  Sao Paulo

 Sao Paulo LDS Temple

Oi from Brazil!!

I cant even express the love i felt this week as i checked my email. I am so lucky to have such beautiful people in my life. also i need to apologize in advance for any mistakes in this email because this keyboard IS THE WORST. Also im typing fast because i have no time!! For all you you who sent me emails i am so sorry if i dont respond right away but please know that i am getting them and crying because i love you all so much. 

Let me tell you all whats new around these parts!!

There are cockroaches everywhere. They are massive and the best part is they can fly! So its super fun. Im trying to be ok with the bug situation but lets be honest i will never be ok with it. 

Every day my district has actividade fisica (physical activity) and we always play volleyball. Everyone is always so shocked and impressed with my skills and i dont understand why because why wouldnt a small white girl whos super emotional and talks about bunny rabbits be a straight baller on the court 

Humidity is not my friend! Its so dang hot and its supoosed to be even hotter in Salvador. But you know what cold showers might actually be a blessing in the field!

 An elder in my district who was also going to Salvador went home last week. My heart is so sad for him. It was really hard for our whole district but especially the elders. We have gotten super close as a district though and im thankful for that.

Portugeuse is still pretty rough. Im usually confused but more things are stciking in my brain then i realize because sometime sill be writing in my journal and ill write a word in portugeuse instead of english haha. Sometimes i wonder why God sent me portugeuse speaking. I know that i would be a better teacher if i could speak english. But i am always reminded that God wouldnt have called me here if he didnt think i could learn portugeuse or if he didnt have some purpose for me here. So im trying to find faith and hope in that. 

None of the Brazilians can say Lytle so they eiether say Little or Leetlay. I just kind of go with it and i stopped correcting them after week 1 haha. 

The days are pretty exhausting here and the schedule is pretty much the same every day and i can tell its gonna get old REAL fast. But its crazy to me that its already week 3 so i think ill be out of here before i know it. On tuesday and sunday nights we have devotionals and they are always SO GOOD. We always sing a hymn in portugeuse before and it just gets me every time. We heard from bednar this week and wow he is such a powerful smart speaker. 

I saw this huge bird the other day that actually might have been a small dragon or a pteradactyl. 

Today we went to the Sao Paulo temple and it is so tiny and so beautiful! 

I have focused alot on faith since being a missionary. I am a worrier and I think about things too much but i ahve learned that through faith i can put all of my worries into Gods hands and he will strengthen me and help me to focus on the moment and be happy and not afraid. Alma 32 26-27 is a really good scripture about that and it always helps me to feel comforted when i am worried or anxious. 

I am so happy that i get to be a missionary. I am so happy that i get to wear a name tag with the three most important things in my life written on it. The name of my family, the name of my church, and the name of my savior. I am doing this for my savior and im doing it because he has done everything for me. I want to serve him and i wnat to bring his children back to his gospel because this gospel makes me happy and strong and confident and everything i want to be. Prayer works and it only works if you are faithful and diligent and thats something i didnt know for a long time. I am so so so blessed and so excited to serve and be here in Brazil as a missionary of God. 

I want to bear a very very simple testimony in portugeuse for you all...

Eu sei que Jesus Cristo e nosso salvador. Eu sei que ele vive. Eu sei que o livro de mormon e verdedairo. Eu sou grato pelo evangelho e meu pai celestial. Eu amo Jesus Cristo. Eu amo missionario trabalho. Em nome de jesus cristo amem. 

I love you all so much. Tchau tchau!!