Saturday, August 4, 2012

Way too fast

Okay guys.  I can`t take this anymore.  Where is the hidden camera?  who stole the last 16 months of my life?  HUH?!?!?!?   where are they?  This is all a dream right?  well let`s just face it.  I found it all out guys so don`t be expecting me to come home next week.  I am probably just going to stay here and kick it with President Hart and Sister Hart.  They already said I could, but that mom couldn`t get mad.  :)  ha ha I just laughed.  Anyways, this is probably my last email.  I don`t know why but it really doesn`t feel real.  It is all flying by soooo fast.  I feel sick to my stomach but excited all at the same time.   Sometimes I get really really happy because I won`t be hearing the same excuses all the time.  BUt then I think of how much I am going to miss the same old excusses all the time.   I don`t know how I am going to handle it all but we will see.
So this week was interesting to say the least.  There was a party in the street on saturday that went all the way until sunday morning people dancing and drinking, very cool when your church is in the center of the city.  Okay that was a lie it is really not that cool it kinda sucks actually.  But it is nice to know that all will be made right one day. These people will one day realize the truth and everything will be beautiful.  I am super excited for the millenium.

I learned a really cool lessont his week.  Sometimes we get really frusterated with other people.  Some of the are rude. Some of them think they are always right.  Some people don`t like us because we are mormons.  Some people say mean things to us at school/work/wherever.  Some people play music REAL REAL loud and don`t think about others.  Some people are just plain awful.  This week I decided to remember that ALL of these people are my brothers and sisters.  I feel the love of Heavenly Father soooo strong in my life.  I know I am His daughter.  I know He loves me.  This week I felt the love he has for ALL the other people.  Heavenly father loves each and every one of the people on the earth.  Even that guy who cut you off on the freeway.  Heavenly Father loves them no matter what.  If God can love them why can`t we?  I made this personal goal to always remember the they are my equals.  It makes life soooo much easier.  It makes life go so much smoother to remember that I also am not perfect but God still loves me.

I learned loads and loads as a missionary.  I have made goals that I will take with me into my future life.  I have learned lessons that will help me in my future life.  We will just ahve to see if that life includes a boy and children, ha ha I mean look at Barbara Thompson......just sayin.  But I know that being a missionary has blessed my life more than anyother thing that I have done in my life. There are moments that I think, wow, I didn`t baptise the world.  I didn`t convert all the people I talked to.  But I know that Heavenly FAther is pleased with my work.  He is happy that I decided to serve a mission.  And I am soooo grateful for all the amazing examples that I had growing up to help mold me into the kind of girl that could be worthy andready to serve a mission when I did.  OKay, well scratch the whole "ready" part, there is no one in the world who can prepare themselves for this.  ha ha but seriously. 

I just really want to thank all of you: My parents who have supported me and encouraged me this whole time  My mom for writting every week.  My Dad for always knowing I would go on a mission but forcing me to make my own dicisions. my siblimgs for pictures and stories to keep me informed and laughing each week, my grandparents who also encouraged me to go on a mission Basically thank you to my whole family who loved me unconditionaly and showed me perfect examples of happiness and diligence.  My church leaders from primary to Relief Society who taught me to follow Christs esample.  Seminary teachers who taught me to read the scriptures.  Friends who loved and accepted me always even with my imperfections.  I love you all I am soooo grateful to each and everyone of you.  I don`t know if being a missionary would be possible without you guys.  I will never be able to pay back all the prayers, boxes, letters, emails and love I recieved from you all and just your thoughts being with me.  THANK YOU!!!!  

I am immensly grateful to all of you.

I don`t have that many cool stories this week. But I will be able to tell you all some great stories here in a couple weeks.

I love you!!!!  I miss you!!!

XOXOXOXOXOX,

Sister Ottley

Missão Brasil Salvador Janeiro 2011-Agusto2012

Sei que O Livro de Mórmon é verdadeiro, sei que atreves a leitura dele nós podemos nos aproximar mais a Deus do que qual quer outro livro.  Lendo Este Livro eu aprendo somente sobre Jesus Cristo.  Eu amo meu Salvador Jesus Cristo, Sei que ele Vive.  Não tenho duvida disso.  Por meio da oração eu sei que Joseph Smith foi um profeta,  sei que ele viu Deus e Jesus Cristo.  Sei que ele traduziu um registro antigo e restaurou a Igreja de Jesus Cristo.  Eu amo meu Pai Celestial.  Eu amo vocês.  Basicamente Eu amo Bahia.  Sou Baiana já e não pretendo mudar NUNCA!!!!  Fiquem firmes.  Nunca desista!!!  Sempre lembram que são filhos amados de Deus.

Com amor e carinho,

Sister Ottley

The power trio!!


you know you are a true missionary when you can sleep in any situation under any circumstances.


Yet another awkward family photos picture


Waiting to pick up the newbies.


Sisters' P-Day





CHUPA uma MEIA!!!!

GUYS!!!!

Okay this week was super super crazy, I recieved a letter from my 3rd companion who I sent home almost a year ago.  Then I got am email from my "mom" a.k.a. treinadora and another from a sister that has been home for a while.  I can`t believe that these people are already home, it is insane to think that in less than 3 weeks I will also be at home........can I stay?  ha ha no, I know that I need to get home to see you all, I miss ya lots and lots;  but for sure I will miss these crazy bahians too.  man, I just got a little sick to my stomach thinking about the whole going home thing, who will be my companion?  who will make me food everyday?  who will I talk to about hte gospel?  GUYS!!!!  I don`t even have a testimony in Inglesh, I`M NOT EVEN SURE IF THE CHURCH IS TRUE IN ENGLISH!!!!!  I know that it must be but seriously.....  Ha ha anyways that is enough, Sister Davis and I don`t talk about going home because we just end up in tears and it is about to happen again right here in this awkward internet cafe.....not cool, not even a little bit.

ANYWAYS!!!!!  fun stories: yesterday we were walking back from our lunch appointment to do weekly planning.  I looked down on the ground and saw 2 little dead things in the street, they looked like pink little gerbil babies.  I let out a little squeel and my companions stopped to check it out too.  I wanted to continue because stuff like that makes me queezy and I end up feeling really really bad and wanting to help them.  Well, apparently Sister Costa has the same problem and She noticed that they were STILL ALIVE!!! SHe was feeling real real bad wanting to take the little creatures out of the sun and give them water..... then a flood of crazy happened, they almost died being stomped on by some guy, we realized they were blind, they were wiggly, we were desperate, what can we do to help these little weird thinggys?, and some guy stopped to look at what we were so distraught over and said, "those are rat babies."  ha ha all three of us "ooohhhhh....just forget it then."  ha ha we learned this week that for EVERY person on the planet there are 10 rats.  10!!!!  TEN!!!!  can you beliveve that?  grody.  well guess what, there are 2 less.  

SO as you all know, this state is not known for its overwhelming amout of weddings and so we invited President Hart to come over and do a fireside about eternal marriage, guys, I know that I have to get married but I just don`t think I will EVER be mature enough.  ha ha He talked about how the best decision in his life was to marry Sister Hart and how they are going to be eternally happy.  It was all very very beautiful and I want that happiness, but Seriousy?  it  has to come with a boy?  ha ha I am sooooo not ready for that step in life, good thing I am on a mission.  

I bore my last testimony......well like this:  at the last zone meeting or training the missionaries that are going home always bare their testimonies and it is called "the last testimony"  I cried, Sister HArt cried, President Hart cried.  People took picctures, thanks guys.

HGa ha I have some cool stories about investigators and stuff but It will have to wait until next week I ran out of time.  I love you all soooooo much!!!  I miss you but not enough to come home early.  I can`t wait to see you all and to hug you.  I love the saviour but he loves you guys more!  k, I don`t  think that translates as well into english as it sounds in Português but oh well you gut the picture!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOX,

Sister Ottley