October 31, 2016

Hey Fam!

Happy Halloween!! And happy birthday to my dear sister Ashley!!

It is getting hooooooooooottttt here in Nova Petrópolis. The sun just beats on you all day and no matter how much water I drink, I feel like I just cannot get enough! yes, I will admit everyday I get a few more freckle friends......ahhh.

Here are some highlights of this week:

-Met an increadible family: Jefferson, Valquiria and their son Edwardo. Jefferson has an uncle who is a bishop is caixias and he said that he already went to church a few times before. But his wife and son knew absolutely nothing about the church. When we taught the restoration they just beamed. What an increadible message that us missionaries bring to the world. The marvelous notice that God once again called a prophet and 12 apostles on the earth. There is no greater news than that. At the end of the lesson we asked if we could do anything to help them. They immediantly responded, YES keep coming back.

-My favorite part of teaching is definantly stating joseph smiths words when heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in the sacred grove. When we state the first vision, we like to show the picture of joseph praying. we do a nice little trick where we cover up heavenly father and jesus christ untill we get to that part. You know if a person is really interested or not by the look on their faces when we reveal that and God appeared to josph smtih and called him as a prophet.

We had one lady this week who had the most hilarious facial expression. Her jaw completely dropped, her eyes got super big, and she leaned in closer to get a better view of the picture. Her reaction totally threw me off and I could not stopping giggling. Love our messeage. I love that the restoration is a message of happiness, light, inspiration, love, comfort, and peace.

-Our leader of missionary work is just wonderful! But at times...he just makes my companion and i  laugh. Especially when in lessons he starts talking about deep doctrine (a missionaries nighmare), and when we ask investigators questions, he likes to answer them for himself. hahahha But he helps us so much and people really admire his testimony.

Something I learned this week is that God is a god of high epectations because he knows our devine potential. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan that transforms us to become what our heavenly father wants us to be. I feel so blessed to help his children to the truth. I love bringing the message of the atonment that in our trails, we can be strengthened and healed.

Something else that I learned is that we can either let our trails purify us, or destroy us. It is our choice. I know that we have trails and weakness so that we learn to rely on the Lord. In his strength we can do all things. I love my father in heaven, and I love my brother and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Time is passing too fast! loving life!

Love,

Sister Hannah

October 24, 2016

Hey Fam!

This week was just a recharge of motivation and faith. Sister Campos is just amazing and she is all about working, teaching by the spirit, and loving the people we are teaching.

Few updades about the week:
-it rained like cats and dogs for 5 straight days. appartently the highway to Caixias crumbled into pieces because of it. It will be 10 more months until it is fixed up.
Our branch presdient wasn´t even able to make it to church because he is stuck in Caixias.....

-We met a family man named Mauro. He is catholic and when we taught the restoration you could really see the spirit working though him. He finally blurted out, "wait a minute, I was born into the catholic church and I never actually looked for the truth for myself!!"
Yes. that was a powerful moment. What is really cool about being a missionary is that I get to see people discover their testimonies. To see people change for the better, and to follow the prompings of the Holy Ghost.

- MIRACLE was that we finally met a family that the Lord has been preparing for us. Funny thing is that they were a reference from a 11 year old boy. But a GOLDEN reference. We taught the restoration and they just just glowing with tears streaming down their faces. They told us that they have been waiting for so long to hear our message. To hear the grand, marvelous news that Christ´s church is again on the earth with a prophet and 12 apostles. What an increadible opportunity to show the path of truth, and to lead this beautiful, family back home to their father in Heaven. They felt so blessed that the Lord chose them to recieve the restored gospel. I know that the Lord is doing His part in preparing his children. Just our part to find them!!

Other miracle. Claudio (boyfriend of a member) finally went to church for the first time! they are both like 40 years old and have just been living together. We visited them after church and while we were there, he got on 1 knee and proposed!! They wil be getting married in hopefuly less than 30 days so he can be baptized!

Miracles are happening right infront of my very eyes. It is increadible how the Lord is blessing us. I know that if we just continue on with faith and trust in him, he will pour upon us the most wonderful blessings. I love being a missionary. I love helping others come unto Christ.

Hope you all have an amazing week, I know I will!! :)

Sister Hannah

October 17, 2016

Hey Family!

Well transers were this week and sister berry is off to zona Passo Fundo! It has been such a privlage to be her companion. She is so hard working, inspirational, and always looking to improve.

So my new companion was a bit of suprise. We got a call from Presdient Campos yesterday night wondering when we would arrive back to our appartment. He told sister berry that she would be transfered out and that he personally would bring me my new companion....his daughter!!! She has already put her mission papers in and wanted to do a "short term mission" while she is waiting to to hear back where she will be serving. Let´s just say I was more than excited about this! she is truely amazing and has such a desire to serve. So I guess that means I am training again? What is hard about short term missionaries is that they just go directly to the field (no CTM training). So looks like we are starting from scratch here, but I know that she has just a huge potential!  I am really really excited to get the work rolling. 

This past transfer had been really hard. I feel like I had worked harder than I ever had on the mission, and yet we had no baptisms. I couldn´t help but doubt myself and always wonder what I was doing wrong. I felt stressed all the time and at times not good enough. But wow did that change. I prayed and prayed for guidence, and an answer to know what I should do. I know that God answers our prayers and he loves us. There was one moring that truely made me feel like a special daughter of my heavenly father. I was reading in mosiah and the first few chapters are just amazing. The speech of King Benjamin. I felt such an overwhelming feeling that I just need to have peace in my heart, Have  trust in the Lord and do not faulter. I know that this is the Lord's work, it is on his time, and in his hands. I feel so blessed to be lead and guided by the most powerful, but loving person that exisits. Do we realize how incredibly special we are to our heavenly father? He always wants to help us. When we try our hardest to do his will, he will grant upon us the most wonderful blessings.

Remember to pray as if it all depends on the Lord. Then get on your feet and work as if it all depends on you. Life isn't hard, because it isn´t supposed to be. Learn to be greatful for your enjoyable experiences, but also the most difficult ones.

This week we met so many amazing people and I know that the blessings are comig! Two families that are legally married and looking for a church. I feel the spirit working within me, and I feel honored to be a tool in the Lord's hands. I honestly feel such a love and such a need to help God's lost sheep. The children that want to find the way back to him, but know not where to find it. 

Something I was also thinking about this week: Can the lord trust me to the an angel in another persons life? Will I obey the promptings of the spirit when they come upon me? Yes, I am one person, but I can do so much because of the power I am recieving from my Heavenly Father.

I love my family. Remember to always put the lord fist. because we will not faulter with him at our side.

Have an amazing week, love you!!

Sister Hannah

October 10, 2016-

Hey Fam!

So start off, a big happy birthday to Dad, Adam, Eli and Alex!!

This week was amazing, we had so many increadible experiences that strengthened my testimony.

First off, remember that I said that I lost my coat with my last name tag on it? Well, so I basically figured that there was no way that I would ever see it again. I was supper bummed, but I thought "why get upset about it if I won´t get it back!" That bus was going all the way to porto alegre will tons of brazilians who were anxious for a new red coat.

But later in the week, such a strong feeling came over me, one that I cannot forget. And powerful words echoed in my mind that said "Why do you doubt me? Don´t you know that I have the power to do anything?". Man in that moment I dropped to my knees and began to ask forgiveness. I poured out my heart to him, that I know for certainty that he is capabile of anything. In this moment I felt my faith begin to strengthen. I had such a perfect faith and knowlege of who my Heavenly Father is. I prayed with a perfect knowlege that I would get my coat (and missionary name tag) back. I put all of my trust in him, and I knew that it would be done. I felt his overpowering love for me, and his concern.

So a few days later what happend? We boarded a bus and what was there, my coat and my Sister Hannah name tag. Wow was that moment so powerful for me.

I know that the Lord is capable of all, it is US who need to put our complete faith and trust in him. (Ask and ye shall Recieve.) Because when we do, miracles happen. And we see the tender mercies of the lord in our life.
I know that losing a "little coat" seems silly to pray about, but even the little things matter so much to our heavenly father.
Remember to strengthen your faith each day in prayer, because he has many miracle waiting at your door.

Taiwani came to church again but this time she bore her TESTIRMONY!! No one even told her to, she just hopped right on up there. She shared a really sweet story about when we believe in God, there will be more than just bread and water on the table. We will recieve many blessings and many "delicious" foods. She is increadible. She told us this week that she prayed if she should be baptized or not and that Heavenly Father responded "pode!" (you can!)

We also had a married couple come to church, and they adored it! Maria Rosana said that she has never felt such a strong desire in her heart to be baptized in a church. She told us that the next time we have a baptism, she is going to enter in water aswell!

Also another thing that happened, we walked an hour and 40 minutes to get to our "reference from the heavens" butttttttt she was on her way out. So we walked the 2 hours back to our next area. Welllll lets just say my legs were a bit strained, but we had an adventure in the most beautiful parts of Nova Petropolis!

Love you all so much! I feel so privlaged to be a missionary. I am having so many spiritual experiences that confirm that this is the only true church and that God loves us will all her heart. Remember to strengthen your family each and every day. I love my family so much, and i feel muito saudades of you guys!!

Have a really already been gone for 8 months? wow.

Sister Hannah

October 3, 2016-

Hey Fam!

This week was truely amazing and such a testimony builder. I feel like I really came to find my true self. I want to be the person that my heavenly father knows that I can be. I now that I have a lot to improve, but I have so much motivation to be more like my savior!

Highlights about this week

-We have an investigator, Tiwani who has 9 years old. Too bad her parents are totally not very interested because she is AMAZING! She went to church last sunday and this past sunday she watched conference with us. So she so speacial and has such a deside to learn. ALSO she read the whole book of mormon. all of it. in like 3 days. What 9 year old does that?! She said that she brought the book of mormon with her to school, and all activities. Any free time she had she sat down and read away.
She even started reading the topical guide (part at the end of the book of mormon). She stopped at the definition of Quorrom haha. She had so many questions and was so entusiastic.
She is such an example to me because although I bet she hardly understood anything, she kept on reading.
I know that alot of times in our lifes we are confused and don~t have all the answers. But if we just continue on with faith in Christ, we will come to know the truth and gods love for us. Trust that God has a plan for you, and that he will guide and direct you to achieve that marvilous plan,

-So I lost my last missionary name tag... I am currently Sister Berry #2...

-General Conference was so amazing! You know that overwhealming, burning, feeling that you get in your chest from the spirit? That´s how I felt during all 8 hours of conference. And yes I got to watch it in english! I recieved so many answers and personal revelations to my prayers. I know that the lord is mindful of us, especially the little things. keep trying, keep going forward, keep trusting in our Father in heaven. Have hope, joy and love in God and especially believe in the glorious blessings that he has instore for you. Go unto him will a broken heart and contrite spirit and his love will pour upon you.
Do you realize how blessed you are? Do you realize how special and important you are? Do you understand the importance of this increadible restored gospel?

Don't just know OF christ, really really KNOW who He is.

I testify that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the kingdom of God here on the earth, and I feel so privlaged to be apart of it. Love you all, stay strong, stay motivated, and don't give up.

Sister Hannah

2 sister Berrys in the house

Conference breakfast - American style

September 19, 2016-

Hey Family!

This week really was packed full! Highlights:

-So remember in Gramado when I baptized Emilia?I heard word that she is already saving up money so that her 5 year old niece can serve a mission! Ahhh that made me so so happy. I love how this work continutes through generations. It makes me think about mypast  relatives, and because of their choice to be baptized, I am here today. So greatful for their sacrifice so that I could be a member of the true church today. 

-Sister Berry and I were walking on the street middle of the day. I made a contact with a women and said something like we are missionaries of the church of Jesus Christ and we had message that could change her life. 

She responce was quite unusual...she answered by grabbing a huge bottle of tequilla out of her bag and offering us some. no thanks. moving on

Had such a scarring experience....well kinda. We were in a lesson so spiritual and all but there was an issue. The freaking dog in the house would not stop licking my feet!!! Anyone who knows me knows that I cannot stand dogs. And LICKING me....oh my gosh I could't take it. I kept trying to shove the fat fur-ball away from me but the owner kept looking at me at the exact moments that I tried to kick the thing away. So ended up sacfricing my feet for the good of the lesson

-So wednesday I woke up, and did the usual. Pray, and head out of our bed room to get up and ready to work out. But I stepped out of our room anndddddd THE FLOOR WAS FLOODED....like probably 2 inches of water in our apartment. And let me that we live on the third flood. Such a frightening experience. But we got it all cleaned up and good. Looks like we left a rag in the sink where the water drains from the washing mashine....ooops.

We had the awesome experience to meet with our whole mission to hear from a seventy.  I love having these representatives of christ and leaders of the church visit to nourish and strengthen our mission. He made us excited to baptize families, and help people understand that families can be eternal!

This week I really understood how we need the Holy Ghost in our lives. Because through him, we recieve answers and help from our Heavenly Father. I also feel so blessed to have the atonement in my life. I love that we can change, and become better people. I know that the gospel is simple, and if we live it we will be able to have eternal happiness with our father in heaven. Life is short, so give all that you got to become more like our Savior. Remember who you are, but also what you want to become. 

I love you family, thank you for all the strength that you give me!

Sister Hannah

My whole mission. Can you find Sister Hannah? 

Sept 12, 2016

Hey Family!

So what a complete difference it is here in Nova Petrópolis! 1.) because basically everyone is wealthy. So weird that I have to ring the gate doorbells to even talk to someone. Really makes the work a bit harder, but we aren~t doubting that people are being prepared for the gospel here!

So something truely amazing happend this week, Elder Anderson came to talk to our mission! I am in a zone far away so I wasn't able to meet him in person, but we had a live feed going of his training. He talked alot about having converted baptisms. The only way that people will continue to live the gospel and say active in the church is when they have a solid tesitmony about our Savior Jesus Christ.

Sister Anderson also asked an interesting question. She said "What do you do with the notes that you take? Do you write them in your notebook, and then close it never to be looked at again? Or do you pray about the things you have written, disscuss them, and apply them?" Really is something to think about especially with General Conference coming up! Don't hide your notes away, ACT on them!

I feel so blessed with all the members that we have here. They are so special and so excited to be apart of the lords work.

This past sunday we have our District Conferse with all 5 banches. I could not help but feel so proud of these Brazilian people. Grandpa Gary wrote me last week that when he served his mission, there was only 1 mission, 19 little branches in all of Brazil, and that the south (this area that I am serving) did not exist yet! Although I am serving in a district, I have seen how much strenth that the people here have. I know that this gospel is true, or else it could not spead like it has. I know that God's plan is perfect, and he knows how we can have success. I feel so proud to be a Brazilian, and to represent my family and most importantly my Savior.

Love you All!

Sister Hannah

p.s- funny little thought, a member here told me that she was so suprised that I don't have any freckles on my face! HAHHA I just started laughing and said no, I have 1! The billions of freckles have just muched into one "tan-looking" blob :)

September 5, 2015

Hey fam!

So BIG news Sister Hannah has been transfered big time!! well.....kinda. I have been tranfered within my same zone, actually same district! So I will only be moving about 30 minutes away from Gramado. Still seeing the same missionaries and such that are in our zone. But I am actually super excited because I hear that Nova Petropolis is just amazing! There are few members, but about 20 and they all meet in a school, but it is really growing. Sure the members are few in numbers, but they are strong and so faithful.
The area opened 6 months ago and only started with 4 members. I am really excited to be apart of the up roar and difference there.  My compnion will be Sister Berry! She is from Kaysvill, Utah (shout out to the hill family) and she just finished being trained. Nova Petroplolis is her first area, so she knows it very well! She is also increadible, so humble, kind, funny, such a hard worker and so devoted to the Lord work.

Other hilights of the week:

Ate a churro filled with chocolate....glorious

We had a going away (zone party) for elder and sister copa. They left for the U.S today! Sister copas favoite lines are : 1.) what is your problem 2.) get educated 3.) always have a rainbow on your plate 4.) when you make a promise, keep it. Commitment people.
She is hilarious, she hilighted this things once again when she bore her testimony on Sunday

Emilia bore her testimony in Relief society! We were talking about the importance of Visiting Teachers and she rose her hand and said "I am a living witness of the importance of visiting others." and then she told her story about how when we first visited her she wanted nothing to do with us, but then we kept going back and back. she said that she felt our genuine love for her, and that is what finally make her open up to accept the gospel.

I love this work, and I love my savior. I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can be made strong, and cleansed from our mistakes. I know that our Heavenly Father spends every second thinking and worry about us. She wants us to make the right choices, but he will never interfear with our agency. She shows his love for us in so many ways, so many tender mercies and blessings that at times we take for granted.
Always remember that Gods devoted purpose is for his children to return to his presence. Remember what your devoted purpose is: To return to his presence with your eternal family;

Love you all! Can~t wait to hear about all your excting weeks!

Sister Hannah