Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Walk a mile in your shoes.
So, this week was a whirlwind of amazing!!! Being companions with
sister Turner is like BLOWING my mind. I am really afraid that
President Hart is going to take her away from me. I don`t know what I
would do if he did that, we are teaching sooo well and we are helping
sooo many people but I am afraid that we are going to recieve new
sisters and she is going to have to train. We will see.
Speaking of President Hart, I wrote in my email today asking a little about my date to come home. Now that I have motivation ( a new neice or nephew, and maybe a wedding?...still confused on that one... ) I kind of want to know what the church has in mind for me. But I won`t know til next week. And I figure it isn`t a huge hurry or emergency since neither of these things are going to happen today :)
I was sooo happy to talk to and see everyone I am just sorry that I didn`t get to see meghan. Sorry babe but I lov eyou too and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I hope everyone remembered their savior on sunday! I thought of a few tings that I wanted to ask from you guys if you send packages. Perfume (whatever one doesn`t smell like a bottle of rubbing alcohol or a big ol garden of granny flowers is fine) is all I want because I have almost used up all of mine. I use it a lot more here because my clothes always smell just a little musty....it is gross.
So in reference to the subject line....yesterday I left our house in my own sandals and came home with a complete strangers......so what happened? So I have to start WAY WAY in the past before I even returned to Catú. There was a trio of sisters here the transfer before and they helped a random srunk girl carry a mattress to her house and she was super greatful. They invited her to chuch and blaa blah blah right they are missionaries it is what they do. Well, when I got here she always stopped us in the street to tell us she wanted to go to church and all that jazz. So one sunday we marked with her to go pick her up. Sara is her name. Anyways she wan`t at the bar like she had promissed.....weird right? ha ha so we still see her in the street all the time and she is always saying how she needs to go to church and it is pretty funny because I don`t know when this girls sleeps. she is ALWAYS at the bar. andyways, ha ha so yesterday I was walking along and all of a sudden I tripped over a lump of sidewalk. My sandal broke and my toe was hurting. I couldn`t walk with just one sandal and I couldn`t make the broken one work so I just took them both off....if you recal this is NOT the first time I have done this.
So sister Turner is laughing so hard she about to have a hernea I am limping a little and just counting the seconds that I die from some random broken beer bottle that I will step on. AND out of nowhere appears Sara, well it isn`t out of nowhere, it is out of the Bar that we were passing. Ha ha she gave sister Turner a HUGE hug and kiss and then me too........her kisses are more like raspberries....I don`t really know why. But then she saw taht I was carrying my shoes and said OH NO!!! you broke your sandal!!! Let me help. SHe askes her other drunk buddies if I can have thier shoes and as I am saying oh no don`t worry about it she is like OH!!! my friend lives right down here I have a pair of shoes at her house......yea well Sara is about 5 foot tall...If you remember I am about 5 foot 7 and not exactly model thin....I have some pretty good sized feet I am just imagining the size of sandal that Sara wears but She takes off and tells me to follow her before I can protest. ha ha So we get to this house which is filled with a strange green light and the smell of coffee and random people. Some dog tried to eat me and I got a little scarred but he was actually pretty chill ha ha Sara starts searching around for a pair of flip flops and telling everyone that I can`t go to church without shoes. ha ha she thought I was headed to church at 9:15 last night....she is a crazy person.
After a little searching she finds a pair of sandals and explains to me that they aren`t hers but that I can use them for the day. ha ha she grabbed my broken sandals and runs off. She kinda left us stranded in this random house and went back to the bar. ha ha needless to say sister turner started walking home. me in my borrowed sandals and we just started laughing. I asked her what just happened and neither of us could say.
We decided that nothing happens as a coincidence or accident so we decided we would go back and take a church dvd as a thankyou gift and try to teach them. It will be great. ha ha what a joke.
So this is my life in Brasil. It is insane but I love it. I am sooo ahppy to be here.
So like I said on the phone I am doing really really great we ahd a baptism on sunday and we will probably have lots more. I am really really excited!!! I love you all tell everyone that I am doing well and missing them!!!
XOXOXOXOX
Stay Awesome!!!
Sister Ottley
Speaking of President Hart, I wrote in my email today asking a little about my date to come home. Now that I have motivation ( a new neice or nephew, and maybe a wedding?...still confused on that one... ) I kind of want to know what the church has in mind for me. But I won`t know til next week. And I figure it isn`t a huge hurry or emergency since neither of these things are going to happen today :)
I was sooo happy to talk to and see everyone I am just sorry that I didn`t get to see meghan. Sorry babe but I lov eyou too and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I hope everyone remembered their savior on sunday! I thought of a few tings that I wanted to ask from you guys if you send packages. Perfume (whatever one doesn`t smell like a bottle of rubbing alcohol or a big ol garden of granny flowers is fine) is all I want because I have almost used up all of mine. I use it a lot more here because my clothes always smell just a little musty....it is gross.
So in reference to the subject line....yesterday I left our house in my own sandals and came home with a complete strangers......so what happened? So I have to start WAY WAY in the past before I even returned to Catú. There was a trio of sisters here the transfer before and they helped a random srunk girl carry a mattress to her house and she was super greatful. They invited her to chuch and blaa blah blah right they are missionaries it is what they do. Well, when I got here she always stopped us in the street to tell us she wanted to go to church and all that jazz. So one sunday we marked with her to go pick her up. Sara is her name. Anyways she wan`t at the bar like she had promissed.....weird right? ha ha so we still see her in the street all the time and she is always saying how she needs to go to church and it is pretty funny because I don`t know when this girls sleeps. she is ALWAYS at the bar. andyways, ha ha so yesterday I was walking along and all of a sudden I tripped over a lump of sidewalk. My sandal broke and my toe was hurting. I couldn`t walk with just one sandal and I couldn`t make the broken one work so I just took them both off....if you recal this is NOT the first time I have done this.
So sister Turner is laughing so hard she about to have a hernea I am limping a little and just counting the seconds that I die from some random broken beer bottle that I will step on. AND out of nowhere appears Sara, well it isn`t out of nowhere, it is out of the Bar that we were passing. Ha ha she gave sister Turner a HUGE hug and kiss and then me too........her kisses are more like raspberries....I don`t really know why. But then she saw taht I was carrying my shoes and said OH NO!!! you broke your sandal!!! Let me help. SHe askes her other drunk buddies if I can have thier shoes and as I am saying oh no don`t worry about it she is like OH!!! my friend lives right down here I have a pair of shoes at her house......yea well Sara is about 5 foot tall...If you remember I am about 5 foot 7 and not exactly model thin....I have some pretty good sized feet I am just imagining the size of sandal that Sara wears but She takes off and tells me to follow her before I can protest. ha ha So we get to this house which is filled with a strange green light and the smell of coffee and random people. Some dog tried to eat me and I got a little scarred but he was actually pretty chill ha ha Sara starts searching around for a pair of flip flops and telling everyone that I can`t go to church without shoes. ha ha she thought I was headed to church at 9:15 last night....she is a crazy person.
After a little searching she finds a pair of sandals and explains to me that they aren`t hers but that I can use them for the day. ha ha she grabbed my broken sandals and runs off. She kinda left us stranded in this random house and went back to the bar. ha ha needless to say sister turner started walking home. me in my borrowed sandals and we just started laughing. I asked her what just happened and neither of us could say.
We decided that nothing happens as a coincidence or accident so we decided we would go back and take a church dvd as a thankyou gift and try to teach them. It will be great. ha ha what a joke.
So this is my life in Brasil. It is insane but I love it. I am sooo ahppy to be here.
So like I said on the phone I am doing really really great we ahd a baptism on sunday and we will probably have lots more. I am really really excited!!! I love you all tell everyone that I am doing well and missing them!!!
XOXOXOXOX
Stay Awesome!!!
Sister Ottley
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
CHRISTMAS!!!
Natal no Brasil é muito estranho. Não tem neve e não tem pessoas
cantando nas ruas. Mas eu estou amando. Vou ter a oportunidade de
falar com a minha família no natal e vai ser bom de mais. Eu acho que
as vezes a gente esquece o proposito de natal porque nos comemoramos
todo ano.....Eu sou tão grata por meu salvador Jesus Cristo e o
sacrifício que ele fez para mim. eu preciso esquecer de mim mesmo e
pensar mais nele. Lembrar que meu Pai Celestial mandou ele á terra
para morrer. Só atravez ele eu posso voltar um dia e viver com meu pai
celestial. Como eu sou grata por essas coisas.
Espero que cada um de vocês lembram do real
significado de Natal e faz alguma coise para lembrar de Cristo entre
toda a família e todas as festas. Eu amo vocês estou com saudades!!!
BEIJOS!!!
Merry Christmas my friends and
family!!! I love you alll sooo much. I am not as home sick as I
thought I would be around Christmas time. I think it is because it
honestly doesn`t feel like Christmas.....at all. There is NO snow. The
decorations are completely different. there are only a few houses that
have lights on them and I will be honest I find a few of them very
tacky, but I will be honest I think that is why I love it!!! ha
ha it is so amazing. But there isn`t Christmas music in every street,
every house, every radio station. It is SUPER weird....like for reals.
So I just feel like there are some people who just forgot to take their
Christmas Decrations down from last year and are celebrating Christmas
in July.
The weather is getting hotter and hotter. It is fun
but I am told it will only get worse. Ha ha Summer officially starts
tomorrow and I am really worried because I am basically a brown
brazilean already. so this should be fun :)
We had a really awesome baptism on saturday. Her
name is Zene....well I call her Zene. It turns out that when sister
Bezerra and I found her we were told her name was vionade and I guess
Sister Bezerra couldn`t say her name or something and gave her the
nickname of Zene. I had NO IDEA!!! ha ha so I have been calling the
poor lady by the wrong name for MONTHS!!! ha ha oh well.. SOOOO she was
baptised and it was perfect. I don`t think she will EVER forget her
baptism. She wanted a guy from the ward to baptise her but he had to
work and so Bishop decided that a youth in the ward would baptise
her.....k, great bishop, you do that. ha ha it took FIVE tries!!!! ha
ha FIVE!!!! Rediculous. I wanted to get in the water and baptise her
myself!!! But there is only ONE little itsy bitsy flaw with that......I
don`t have the preisthood power.
ANYWAYS she was finally baptised and I told her she
was EXTRA clean and she just laughed. SHe is super excited to go to the
temple. We went to her house yesterdaya nd showed her pictures of all
the temples. She LOVED it!!!! she make the church website her
homepage. ha ha it was a great experience!!!
Anyways things with an American companion are super
interesting. I love it sooo much because I am learning loads of stuff
about myself with Sister Turner. It is soo weird. I can speak
Portuguese. I can express what I want to say and I can teach all the
principles of the Gospel. I understand everything that people say to me
and I don`t feel like I have to ask people to repeat themselves very
much. BUT when I am talking to Sister Turner at our house in English I
feel like I can just express myself SOOOO much better. My stories are
funnier, my feelings have more meaning. I don`t know what that means.
But someday I am sure I will have the same feelings about
Portuguese...well that is my goal at least.
As two americans we get quite a bit of attention in
the street. I kind of hate it. Sometimes I just want to walk around
with a sign that says "yes, I am american stop starring" but I have to
be a representative of Christ.....always and so I just say Good Day and
keep walking. But one day I had had just about enough......ha ha It was
just soooo much and I was getting irritated. and we were walking past
this guy who was washing his car and so he was bent over and we saw
about half of him bottom......this was not exactly what I would call a
good moment. But as we were passing He got up and checked us out and
said something to the effect of well hello there.....We walked away and
under my breath to my companion I said "I just saw half your butt sir,
please don`t hit on me" Sister Turner and I got a good laugh from that
one. ha ha It really is funny how we become celebrities just because we
aren`t from this country. So if you ever want to feel popular I
suggest coming to Brasil. ha ha It is super great!
ANYWAYS....I love you all I am sooo excited for
Christmas. It is a lot easier to remeber the meaning of Christmas here
because there isn`t a whole crap ton of parties and music and
distractions. I love it. I cvan really just focus my studies and mind
on Christ and the fact that we was sent to this earth to save all of us.
I hope you all can remember Christ this reay too!!! I love you all!!
Christmas Call: So we can
use skype but I am in Brasil and the internet is not super reliable and
it is Sunday so I have to find a member who has internet in their
house......I found one who is willing to let us use thier computer but I
don`know what time still. ha ha so I am thinking at like 7:30ish my
time which would be more or less 3:30ish your time in Washington ( I
think) so what ya`ll can do is call our phone here in Catú 71-9978-5344. It is the same phone that you called for mother´s day. and from there we can get on skype and talk face to face.
If worse comes to worse we will just talk on the
cell phone. No problem. I am really excited to talk to you guys...I am
not sure why, I don`t really have anything to say. but maybe I will
think of something. ha ha
I love you all soooo much!!! I miss you!!! I am
happy healthy and doing soo great. No need to worry about me. I am
praying for all of you. Let me know how you all are!!! Have an awesome
week and an awesome christmas!!!!
LOVE YA!!!
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
Sister Ottley
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Are you twins?
Oi!!! Esta semana foi legal. A sister turner e eu estamos trabalhando de mais como sempre. É bom por que nos estamos ajudando alguns familias encontrar a verdade. Eu amo ver as pessoas encontrar mais fé e mais felicidade por meio do evangelho. Como eu sou grata por essas coisas. Você pode apreder MUITO na missão, eu estou aprendendo agora como ser uma mulher com valor e poder. É muito importante lembrar que sou eu. As vezes parece que esquecemos que somos filhos de um Deus.
Domingo foi conferência e foi bom DE MAIS!!!! Como eu amo de aprender com os lideres da igreja, eles são tão bons e tão inteligentes. eu amo vocês e não vejo a hora de ver vocês de novo!!! Beijos!!!
Hola amigos e família!!!! how was your week?!?! It sounds like everyone is running around tryingto get everything ready for Christmas. That is way exciting!! We also got ready for Christmas this week. Sister Turner and I found some horrid mauve relief society pink butcher paper and made a Christmas tree......we didn`t know what we sould decorate it with until I remembered that I still have a million pictures of the last third of our trio from the MTC....SISTER DAVIS!!! we cut out all the pictures of Sister Davis that we had and now the tree is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I love it sooo much. ha ha we even put empty boxes under it to make it feel like we had presents and everything. I love it
I DID recieve one package finally. It was from Meghan, for Thanksgiving I think. But the others I have not recieved yet I will keep you all as best posted as I can. Thank you all soooo much for all your love and support I really do appreciate it sooo much. I don`t need any more peanut butter because there is a store in the neighboring city that sells Wal*Mart brand Peanut Butter. It is a little expensive but at the same time it is worth it.
So we have a really really great baptism this week. I am hoping we will actually have 3 but for sure we will have at least one. Her name is Zene I don`t know if I have ever talked about her before but she is sooo amazing. I found her with Sister Bezerra when I first came to Brasil. Thanks goodness I got sent back to Catú after a little preperation in some other places. Now she is married and can`t wait to be baptised. She is sooo amazing her story is sooo strong and beautiful. She had absolutely no desire to marry the father of her children with whom she was living. She had a boyfriend on the side and was not exactly in any possition to live the law of chastity. But we taught her the first vision and talked about how the gospel blesses families and she completely changed her ideas. THen I got transferred. 6 months later I come back and she has been going to church every week and she is sooo amazing!!!! She married her husband, broke up with her boyfirend and now were gonna dunk her in the waters!!!! Isn`t the gospel great. Her house her coutenance her life is sooo different now. I can feel the spirit when she talks I can feel the spirit when I walk into her house. PEOPLE!!! The church is true!!! I have NO doubts about it!!!
Anyways we are still working with Simone. Last week she said she needed someone to give her a little push to be baptised. So, yesterday I went to her house and said, Simone, I marked your baptism for saturday....she got a little worried and defensive but then I told her she needed to pray about it. She was like alright I will because who knows maybe this is what God wants from me.....DUH!!!! of COURSE it is what God wants from you! ha ha so I hope she will be baptised on saturday too.
This kid went to church with his friend one week and told me he liked it so much he was going to go everyweek. We gave him a book of mormon and asked if he wanted to be baptised. He said yes. Too bad he is NEVER at home so it is rediculously hard to teach him a lesson. BUT one day I will succeed....hopefully this week.....ha ha I am hoping his baptism can be saturday too. We shall see if he is preparred. I don`t know.
Anyways I am suffering in the heat a little bit but I will get over it. I just have a great tan and Vitamin D sufficient for the rest of my life. It is great!!! I love Brasil, I don`t know if I would ever life here; I kind of like being able to drive in the streets with a little comfort. But I will deffinetly do my best to come back and visit some day. I am super healthy and I am loving life. I love you all sooooo much!!! I miss you and I need your prayers for my recent converts and my investigators. I hope you all have a great week and remember to read the scriptures EVERYDAY!!!!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Stay Awesome
Never Regret!!!
Sister Ottley
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Ignorance is bliss and I am ECSTATIC!!!!
Oi familia Brasileira!!! Eu amo vocês D+ O internet esta devagar hoje entâo meu e-mail vai ser curto. Eu queria compartilhar algo que eu aprendi essa semana. È muito importante sempre amar as pessoas que não amam você porque você nunca sabe o que esta acontecendo na vida deles. todo mundo tem problemas. Nos nãp podemos julgar ninguem. As veces voce acredita que uma pessoa é alguem mas voce vai aprendendo que sao uma outra. Ainda é muito importante amar esta pessoa como um filho de deus.
Eu amuuuu voces e quer que vocês sempre lembram quem são...filhos e filhas amados do Pai Celestial!!! Ele coloqou você aqui na situacão que voc^~e esta porque ele sabe que você consegue fazer tudo!!!
HOLA friends and family!!! I love you guys sooo much I am loving hearing about all your thanksgivings and everything. I did not get to eat turkey and potatoes and all that stuff but I was sure to eat a turkey burger because it was about the closest thing I could find! ha ha but It is way cool that everyone is getting ready for christmas. It is sooo weird here to see docorations and I am like sweating from a heat stroke. ha ha way awesome. I feel like everyone forgot to take thier christmas decorations down last year. ha ha But i am going to have an AWESOME christmas....wanna know why?!?!??! Because we had TRANSFERS!!!! and my new companion is......SISTER TURNER!!!! ha ha yes the very same sister turner who was my companion in the MTC!!! I love her to death And she will be staying here in catu with me for christmas and EVERYTHING!!! It is going to be great. I was really sad to see sister Tibúrcio leave but I know that her new area will be amazing for her.
so this week I had a cliche of a brazilean experience. ha ha we were teaching at the house of a family and the little boy came up to me out of nowhere with a parrot on his sholder and was like here hold him.....uh, okay....I asked if he was going t poop on me and the boy said no.....LIAR!!! ha ha he TOTALLY pooped on my dress but not before biting me....repeatedly.....I don`t think this bird likes me very much......whatever it is SUPER funny I did not laugh at first but it is soooo classic brazil ha ha now I can laugh at it.
At the house of a member we were talking to his mom about how she needed to return to church and it was kind of a spiritual moment....then her grandson started putting onion peels in his grandpas belly buttton.....ha ha I lost it i was laughing sooooo hard I was crying he was like "does that sting?" I died. ha ha all I could think was THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR NOT PUTTING A SHIRT ON WHEN THE SISTER MISSIONARIES COME OVER!!! ha ha sooo funny Lourdes said that he does that with EVERYTHING whatever he can find he shoves it in his grandpas belly button.....sooo awesome. I hope my kids are that lobing with MY DAD!!! ;)
we are also teaching irmã simone. she is amazing!!! she is this little old lady she doesn`t have any teeth and soooo hilarious! I love her to death!!! The other day she was telling me about how the neighbors chicken is always coming into her yard and so she goes into the neighbors lawn and steals the eggs....ha ha but she is careful to leave a few because if she steals tem all the neighbor will kill the chicken for not laying and then she wouldn`t have any eggs......oh my word it was hilarious. ha ha Then we were giving a lesson all about repentance and baptism and it was really really good and I was like "Yea the spirit is gonna tough her heart and she is gonna want to be baptised" Simone was chewing gum....without teeth of course...and all of a sudden she turns around and sticks the gum to the wall....I about lost it. ha ha i tried super hard not to laugh but I did not conquer....ha ha I burst. It was super funny. And she explained that the gum no longer had flavor and that she was making sure the wall wasn`t going to fall down later on.
She is the greatest!!! Anyways I am doing really great, I´m healthy and getting fat with all the heavy food these people shove down my throat but I am fat and happy. I am sorry that this email is a little short but the internet is SUPER SLOW and so it took a long time to read everything. I love you all I miss you But know that heavenly father is blessing each of you. I lvoe you stay awesome!!! Never regret!!!
XOXOXOXOX
Sister Ottley
Three Wise Women
I remembered I was going to send you the "Three Wise Women" for
Christmas. The photo of you three wise women reminded me. Hope it
gives you a laugh.
The Three Wise Women:
If it had bee three wise women in the Christmas story--They would have
asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliever the baby,
cleaned the stable, made a casserole, brought practical gifts, and
there would be peace on earth.
Thanks for being such "wise women" in serving missions. I hope you
have a wonderful Christmas season in the mission field!
Love,
Sister Hart
Sunburned, Smiling and sweating
Então Diz k verão ainda não chegou né....MENTIROSAS!!!! Eu estou queimada D+. Mas tudo Bem, vou sobre viver. A missão ensina uma coisa muito bem...te esquece.. É verdade, você realmente não pode pensar em se mesmo quando você esta servindo O Senhor. Rapaz, eu amo a missão tanto!!! Eu amo aprender falar Português e eu amo conhecer as pessoas aqui no Brasil. Tanto como os Baianos como meus companheiras de outros lugares. O povo do Brasil é muito caloroso, eu amo vocês DE MAIS!!!! Se puder eu ia ficar aqui com vocês para sempre. Eu nunca fiz promessas para voltar porque é muito muito caro viajar pra cá mais eu vou fazer o possivel depois a missao para voltar e visitar todos vocês!!!!! BEIJOS!!!! TUDO de bom para vocês!!!!
AHHHHH, so my mom worte me and said that she drove home from Utah in a blizzard. What´s that like? I miss the snow. Send me some? ha ha it is rediculously hott here but I don`t mind. I am getting an amazing tan ha ha. Today I got super sunburned at our zone BBQ. I will send pictures next week I forgot the cable to my camera at home. but We got in a big water fight and then while trying to dry out I got SUPER lobster red....it´s great.
So, This week was AMAZING!!! I am learning sooooo much here in Catú again. Sister Tibúrcio is soooo amazing she is teaching me soooo many things that I need to do to become the missionary I want to be. Ha ha this week we were talking and we made a goal to focus in all the lessons ALL the time.......why yes, yes she WAS calling me to repentance. Nope, I have not changed. I am still a space cadet. Ha ha but I get easily distracted by the children of our investigators and then I loose focus and just want to play with them to keep them quiet. Which is great and all for who is teaching but that means that I am not teaching. ANYWAYS, my companion got in the habit of forcing me to teach all by myself like ALL the time and I was getting super frusterated because I felt a little alone and abandoned but I got over it when she explained herslef. She said that she liked me to teachi because the people pay better attention. Ha ha they have to because of my terrible ACCENT!!!! it is great but I am making goals and progressing EVERY day as a missionary. which is super right? concidering that I have been a missionary for 10 months.....what is THAT?!?!?!?!!?
After like 2 months without baptism we FINALLY conquered!!! 3 young girls.....2 for the primary and 1 for the YW. I was sooooo happy I about peed. I took a bunch of photos so again, I will send those next week. It was super cute, I went into the girls bathroom to help the girls know what to do and everything and when Erica (the oldest and 1st baptism) left the font she looked at me and said "sister, I am clean!!! I felt like I was flying in the water!!!" I wanted to cry!!! I am soooo happy for her. It is such a beautiful thing to see her with her family and listen to her talk about the changes she has made in her life. Her mom was sooo grateful to us and told us that she saw a complete change in her daughter. The gospel is true people. This is the ONLY way we can have salvation. I see it everyday. I watch people turn it down, I watch people´s lives change before my eyes. It is sooo beautiful there aren`t words. Anyways I wanted to tell you all thankyou for your prayers I know that they were answered.
THis week I will finish Jesus the Christ in my studies!!! That book is a super task but I love it!!! It was super good and I can`t believe I am almost finished. I am kinda proud of myself.
Here in catú there are 2 guys in the ward that are super helpful in the work and always go on teaching appointments with us. Tiago and Remiston. Tiago went on a mission last week and he is going to do awesome!!! It is sooo great!!!! Remiston is the new president of the YM and I am sooo happy for him. These 2 guys are hilarious because I don`t understand a word that they say. They both have a habit to speak really really fast and all the words get tangled in their mouths it is soooo funny. I just laugh and laugh because I sit there "what? what? I didn`t understand you...." ha ha poor guys they have to repeat EVERYTHING!!!! But my companion told me that when I can understand them I have mastered Portuguese.....I am working on it. I will try to keep you guys posted on my progress...ha ha
Anyways Nothing too exciting happened this week but I learned a whole lot and I am sooo happy. There is nothing better than a mission. I love you all sooo much thankyou for ALL that you do for me. All the prayers and thoughts.
Have an awesome week!!!
never Regret!!!
Beijos!!!!
XOXOXOXOXOXO
Sister Ottley
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
UAU!!!!
Esta semana foi bom D+. A gente não teve batismo de novo mas estamos
animadas pelas tres que famos ter esta semana. Eu não sei o que
estava acontecendo todos nossos batismos caindo.....muito triste MAS
tenho fé que tudo vai dar certo essa semana. Ora pra nos!!!
Como esta todo mundo? espero que estejam bem, tenho saudades de todos
vocês. As veses Só quero fugir da missão e ir pra praia. Quem quer
ir comigo?!?!?!?! Vai ser bom de mais!! VAMOS!!! Eu preciso tirar
as marcas da missão antes de embora mesmo e presidente vai me mandar
logo se não esteja trabalhando então.....VAMOS!!!
Logico que estou brincando mas quero planejar um viagem depois da
missão enquanto eu posso encontrar com todos vocês e ´so fubecar!!!
Fiquem firmes!!
Eu Amo Vocês!!!
BOM DIA TODO MUNDO!!!!
SO, this week was a little dissapointing because yet another baptism
fell through BUT we have 3 baptisms this week!!!! I am sooo excited!
tehy are all three young girls and SOOO excited! I can´t wait to see
them all in white, it is going to be awesome. I learned a great
lesson from my companion durring this fiasco of baptism fails. I got
super stressed out and was really upset when we got the phone call
saying that our baptism wasn`t going to happen. It was the mother of
Sibele saying that she was too busy and could it wait one more week?
I was mad and when my companion told me to calm down I about had a
hernea.....it was ugly. Sister Tibúrcio told me it wasn`t the end of
the world....I blew up and said "no, no it`s not the end of the world
for me...I am already baptised!!!" Yea I was a little stressed out.
But she taught me a lesson that I had already learned but needed to
remember; I did my part. Sibele is ready for baptism. She has the
Book of MOrmon and she knows it is true. Heavenly Father is not going
to let anything stop her from being baptised, the fact that it is her
mother getting in the way just means that her mom will not only have
to pay for her own sins but for those of Sibele as well. I hate to
admit it but everyone has free agency and I have to respect that gift.
Darn it all I can`t just shove people into the baptismal font....that
would be wrong.
Anyways, Sibele and her cousin Erika and another young girl, Laura
will all be baptised this week. It is going to be beautiful. Pray
for me and for them! I am loving Catú sooo much and at the same time
hating it. Ha ha it is fun to be back and everyone says that I am a
completely different person now. I don`t know if that is a good or a
bad thing. I think that I am the same person I just talk a little
more now and I get what is going on.....maybe for that they think I
changed. ha ha it is great.
So we had a family night in the house of a recent convert and we were
all reading the Book of Mormon together and I couldn`t help but
remember reading the Book of Mormon as a family when I was younger.
Those are the best momories....thanks mom and dad! I want to
challenge all of you who don`t read daily as a family to start. Even
young children can participate. ha ha Sister Tibúrcio and I would
wisper in the little one`s ears what they should say it is sooo
awesome. they love to feel important and smart. Even if they don`t
get what is going on they will have a small understanding and a good
habit when they are older.
I went to a wedding last week. It was my second wedding on the
mission. and I`ll tell you what, weddings are stupid. The idea
behind them isn`t stupid but the whole procession is ridiculous. All
the fluff and flowers and hair....oh my word the hair. It is just too
much and it is for less than an hour? I don`t get it. Yea yea it
only happens once......its special and sacred....Its all
tradition.....blaa blaa.. KNow what I think? I don`t think that
anybody knows the TRUE origin of all these traditions. Anyways back
to the weddings. BOTH of the brides were more than 2 hours
late.....TWO HOURS!!!!! I think that I just have a deeper
understanding of time now that I am a missionary. Ha ha my time is
sacred and so waiting for a bride to walk down the isle just doesn`t
have that much value for me when I could be doing something more
important.
Anyways the moral of THAT story is that if I get married I am not
going to have a big ol festival....just give me some presents and lets
get it over with :) oh, and cake.....I like cake. So, I hope you all
have an awesome week!!! I love you all and can`t wait to share some
stories of baptism next week! stay awesome!!! XoXOXOxoxO
Never Regret!!!
LOVE YA!!!
Sister Ottley
Esta semana foi bom D+. A gente não teve batismo de novo mas estamos
animadas pelas tres que famos ter esta semana. Eu não sei o que
estava acontecendo todos nossos batismos caindo.....muito triste MAS
tenho fé que tudo vai dar certo essa semana. Ora pra nos!!!
Como esta todo mundo? espero que estejam bem, tenho saudades de todos
vocês. As veses Só quero fugir da missão e ir pra praia. Quem quer
ir comigo?!?!?!?! Vai ser bom de mais!! VAMOS!!! Eu preciso tirar
as marcas da missão antes de embora mesmo e presidente vai me mandar
logo se não esteja trabalhando então.....VAMOS!!!
Logico que estou brincando mas quero planejar um viagem depois da
missão enquanto eu posso encontrar com todos vocês e ´so fubecar!!!
Fiquem firmes!!
Eu Amo Vocês!!!
BOM DIA TODO MUNDO!!!!
SO, this week was a little dissapointing because yet another baptism
fell through BUT we have 3 baptisms this week!!!! I am sooo excited!
tehy are all three young girls and SOOO excited! I can´t wait to see
them all in white, it is going to be awesome. I learned a great
lesson from my companion durring this fiasco of baptism fails. I got
super stressed out and was really upset when we got the phone call
saying that our baptism wasn`t going to happen. It was the mother of
Sibele saying that she was too busy and could it wait one more week?
I was mad and when my companion told me to calm down I about had a
hernea.....it was ugly. Sister Tibúrcio told me it wasn`t the end of
the world....I blew up and said "no, no it`s not the end of the world
for me...I am already baptised!!!" Yea I was a little stressed out.
But she taught me a lesson that I had already learned but needed to
remember; I did my part. Sibele is ready for baptism. She has the
Book of MOrmon and she knows it is true. Heavenly Father is not going
to let anything stop her from being baptised, the fact that it is her
mother getting in the way just means that her mom will not only have
to pay for her own sins but for those of Sibele as well. I hate to
admit it but everyone has free agency and I have to respect that gift.
Darn it all I can`t just shove people into the baptismal font....that
would be wrong.
Anyways, Sibele and her cousin Erika and another young girl, Laura
will all be baptised this week. It is going to be beautiful. Pray
for me and for them! I am loving Catú sooo much and at the same time
hating it. Ha ha it is fun to be back and everyone says that I am a
completely different person now. I don`t know if that is a good or a
bad thing. I think that I am the same person I just talk a little
more now and I get what is going on.....maybe for that they think I
changed. ha ha it is great.
So we had a family night in the house of a recent convert and we were
all reading the Book of Mormon together and I couldn`t help but
remember reading the Book of Mormon as a family when I was younger.
Those are the best momories....thanks mom and dad! I want to
challenge all of you who don`t read daily as a family to start. Even
young children can participate. ha ha Sister Tibúrcio and I would
wisper in the little one`s ears what they should say it is sooo
awesome. they love to feel important and smart. Even if they don`t
get what is going on they will have a small understanding and a good
habit when they are older.
I went to a wedding last week. It was my second wedding on the
mission. and I`ll tell you what, weddings are stupid. The idea
behind them isn`t stupid but the whole procession is ridiculous. All
the fluff and flowers and hair....oh my word the hair. It is just too
much and it is for less than an hour? I don`t get it. Yea yea it
only happens once......its special and sacred....Its all
tradition.....blaa blaa.. KNow what I think? I don`t think that
anybody knows the TRUE origin of all these traditions. Anyways back
to the weddings. BOTH of the brides were more than 2 hours
late.....TWO HOURS!!!!! I think that I just have a deeper
understanding of time now that I am a missionary. Ha ha my time is
sacred and so waiting for a bride to walk down the isle just doesn`t
have that much value for me when I could be doing something more
important.
Anyways the moral of THAT story is that if I get married I am not
going to have a big ol festival....just give me some presents and lets
get it over with :) oh, and cake.....I like cake. So, I hope you all
have an awesome week!!! I love you all and can`t wait to share some
stories of baptism next week! stay awesome!!! XoXOXOxoxO
Never Regret!!!
LOVE YA!!!
Sister Ottley
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
ps
P.S. everyone is very worried about christmas packages. I know that it is way expensive to send stuff so don`t worry too much about it I will survive but I am in need of new garments ha ha yea walking all day in the hott sun is hard on cotton and then crappy washing machienes and drying them in the sun is pretty fun too....ha ha I am a 34 on the bottom and a 30 on top. and guess what!!!???!?!? I found peanut butter!!! It is wicked expensive BUT it`s american!!! I love it!!! so don`t stress about the peanut butter.
I love you guys thanks for everything!!!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Sister Ottley
PPS
PPS totally forgot about this one: I just want pictures (it`s been like 9 months.....)!!!! all is super cool when you email them to me but I don`t have a way to print them off. I have pictures of all my neices and nephews but I don`t have any of Meghan with Aaron. Mom and Dad. Adam. Or Matt. and so.......
I LOVE YOU!!!!
SISTERS P-DAY!!!!!
OI!!
Gente, como eu amo ser missionaria!!! Realmente é bom de mais!!! Se puder ficar aqui para sempre eu iria!! Eu estou aprendendo de mais com a sister Tiburcio, ela é doida mas é por isso que eu amo ela. Deus realmente esta tentando me ensinar algo em respeito de amor aqui em Catu. as veses é dificil amar pessoas que nem quer amar si mesmos MAS estou aprendendo.
Eu estou também melhorando reconhecer o espirito. temos muitas promessas que ele sempre estaria conosco mas eu me sinto sozinha as veses. A missão é estranho por isso. Mas Eu amo vocês de mais de mais de mais!!! porfavor nunca deixar de lembrar quem somos. TODOS nós temos a mesma oportunidade e potential de tornar deuses. Nunca diminue seu valor como um filho de deus!!!
BEIJOS!!!
So this week I learned that I really do have the spirit. I guess I always knew but sometimes you just don`t recognise him very well. but he is there!!! Heavenly Fater is trying to teach me this because I am always praying for the spirit to guide me and help me teach. But I am figuring out that he has been guiding me my whole life. ha ha anyways it is awesome. We were sitting in a lesson and we descovered ALL the reasons out investigator wasn`t progressing. It was the coolest thing ever. We just started asking questions...on the mission they are knows as questions of the soul we didn`t stop until he opened up. It was beautiful and now we know how to help him. It turns out it was all his wife`s fault. she is inactive and he is afraid. ANYWAYS we are working on them.
So you know how I am always saying that I don`t want to get married well shoot....I have just about changed my mind. I am not trunky and I am not ready to just jump into a wedding dress the first guy I se. But I am learning that I wouldn`t be happy alone for all eternity...even if I WERE an angel. So maybe I will get married when I get home. ha ha
SPEAKING of get home. I discovered that ya`ll are fighting over who`s kids I am going to nanny when I get home. yea, don`t think that you can fol me with this whole "oh I want YOU to live with ME!!" I speak mom....that really means "I want you to live with MY KIDS" ha ha but seriously I have no idea what I am going to do when I get home I need to go to school and get a degree in something. I don`t know what and I don`t know if any school EVER will accept me with my crappy grades BUT I need to start applying I guess because I am coming home in August....yea...AUGUST can you believe it? that is like practically right now!!! So if someone could look into college applications for me that would be great!! thanks.
Today we have a p-day at president`s house. so basically we just went there and made a big mess. ha ha it was fabulous!!! we got to decorate the mission house for christmas. Yea, don`t worry I totally got homesick and cried. ha ha the mission has totally turned me into a big ol` baby. ha ha THEN sister hart gave us a christmas gift of tissues and a little poem about how she is our mom and blaa blaa blaa I cried a little more longing for my mom. Yep...22 years old and still wants her mom...that`s sister Ottley for you. ha ha
Anyways I just want to leave you all with a few questions to make your mind blow because we have been having some deep doctrine discussions with some members and I love it!!!
Who is Grandfather God?
Why in Mat 5:48 only OGd is perfect and in 3 Nephi 12:48 God AND the son are perfect?
Is God vindictive?
Why does God allow so much hate and hurt in the world?
If God is love how can he hate?
I love the Gospel sooo much there is nothing in the world that can bring the peace and love that the truth can. Jesus Christ is the most simple yet complex idea EVER!!! and we will NEVER understand it fully in this life but we have to try. I love my heavenly Father, I know that I have the potential to be a goddess but I also know that it is not for free. I have to do MY part.
I love all of you soooo much I am so very thankful for all the love and prayers that I have from all of you everyday. Thankyou all sooo much!!! Please remember to read and pray everyday. Even if you think you don´t have time it is sooooo important to try and grow closer to our heavenly father each and every day searching and adquiring more knowledge.
Stay awesome and never regret!!!
XOXOXOXOX
LOVEYA!!!
Sister Ottley
Gente, como eu amo ser missionaria!!! Realmente é bom de mais!!! Se puder ficar aqui para sempre eu iria!! Eu estou aprendendo de mais com a sister Tiburcio, ela é doida mas é por isso que eu amo ela. Deus realmente esta tentando me ensinar algo em respeito de amor aqui em Catu. as veses é dificil amar pessoas que nem quer amar si mesmos MAS estou aprendendo.
Eu estou também melhorando reconhecer o espirito. temos muitas promessas que ele sempre estaria conosco mas eu me sinto sozinha as veses. A missão é estranho por isso. Mas Eu amo vocês de mais de mais de mais!!! porfavor nunca deixar de lembrar quem somos. TODOS nós temos a mesma oportunidade e potential de tornar deuses. Nunca diminue seu valor como um filho de deus!!!
BEIJOS!!!
So this week I learned that I really do have the spirit. I guess I always knew but sometimes you just don`t recognise him very well. but he is there!!! Heavenly Fater is trying to teach me this because I am always praying for the spirit to guide me and help me teach. But I am figuring out that he has been guiding me my whole life. ha ha anyways it is awesome. We were sitting in a lesson and we descovered ALL the reasons out investigator wasn`t progressing. It was the coolest thing ever. We just started asking questions...on the mission they are knows as questions of the soul we didn`t stop until he opened up. It was beautiful and now we know how to help him. It turns out it was all his wife`s fault. she is inactive and he is afraid. ANYWAYS we are working on them.
So you know how I am always saying that I don`t want to get married well shoot....I have just about changed my mind. I am not trunky and I am not ready to just jump into a wedding dress the first guy I se. But I am learning that I wouldn`t be happy alone for all eternity...even if I WERE an angel. So maybe I will get married when I get home. ha ha
SPEAKING of get home. I discovered that ya`ll are fighting over who`s kids I am going to nanny when I get home. yea, don`t think that you can fol me with this whole "oh I want YOU to live with ME!!" I speak mom....that really means "I want you to live with MY KIDS" ha ha but seriously I have no idea what I am going to do when I get home I need to go to school and get a degree in something. I don`t know what and I don`t know if any school EVER will accept me with my crappy grades BUT I need to start applying I guess because I am coming home in August....yea...AUGUST can you believe it? that is like practically right now!!! So if someone could look into college applications for me that would be great!! thanks.
Today we have a p-day at president`s house. so basically we just went there and made a big mess. ha ha it was fabulous!!! we got to decorate the mission house for christmas. Yea, don`t worry I totally got homesick and cried. ha ha the mission has totally turned me into a big ol` baby. ha ha THEN sister hart gave us a christmas gift of tissues and a little poem about how she is our mom and blaa blaa blaa I cried a little more longing for my mom. Yep...22 years old and still wants her mom...that`s sister Ottley for you. ha ha
Anyways I just want to leave you all with a few questions to make your mind blow because we have been having some deep doctrine discussions with some members and I love it!!!
Who is Grandfather God?
Why in Mat 5:48 only OGd is perfect and in 3 Nephi 12:48 God AND the son are perfect?
Is God vindictive?
Why does God allow so much hate and hurt in the world?
If God is love how can he hate?
I love the Gospel sooo much there is nothing in the world that can bring the peace and love that the truth can. Jesus Christ is the most simple yet complex idea EVER!!! and we will NEVER understand it fully in this life but we have to try. I love my heavenly Father, I know that I have the potential to be a goddess but I also know that it is not for free. I have to do MY part.
I love all of you soooo much I am so very thankful for all the love and prayers that I have from all of you everyday. Thankyou all sooo much!!! Please remember to read and pray everyday. Even if you think you don´t have time it is sooooo important to try and grow closer to our heavenly father each and every day searching and adquiring more knowledge.
Stay awesome and never regret!!!
XOXOXOXOX
LOVEYA!!!
Sister Ottley
Mais uma semana!!!
Oi Gente!!! como vai? Essa carta vai ser muito curto, disculpa. Espero que todo mundo esteja bem!!!! Eu amo vocês muito!!! Esta semana eu recibi uma visita de meus amores de Camaçari!!! Eu amo vocês!!!! Foi o melhor dia!!!!!
FELIZ ANIVERSARIO FERNANDA!!!!! Eu amo você!!!! Se sabia a musica eu iria cantar para você....DIsculpa.
BEIJOS!!!!
Hey family and Firiends!!!
How is everything with you all!!! thanks for repenting and writting me this week I LOVE YOU ALL!!!! This week was slightly crazy and we are working SUPER hard and not haveing any results. It is slightly depressing but I will get over it someday. We had a baptism all setr for saturday and so we made this HUGE cake and invited everyone......yea, he decided to wait a little while....thanks....ha ha we just played some games and everyone ate cake. It was awesome.
nothing tooooo exciting happened this week, sorry. I promise I will write more next week. But rest easy knowing that I am happy and healthy!!!!
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
Stay Awesome!!!
Never REGRET!!!
Sister Ottley
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRETCHEN!!!!
Oi! Tudo bem? Esta semana foi muito bom. Eu estou conhecendo minha companeira and amando ela DE MAIS!!! Se vocês conhecem ela vocês sabem q ela é um pouco louca. mais Eu amo ela!!! Essa semana ela encontrou um bebado na rua deitado esperando um carro passar por cima dele.....e além de deixar ele lá, A sister Tibúrcio decidiu a ajudar o louco!!!! ha ha a gente tinha que subir o montanha mais alto em Catú para achar a casa dese homem....Minha companiera É amor gente ela é boa de MAIS!!!
Eu espero q vocês estão bem. Eu estou feliz e muito bem. Eu amo vocês!!!
Beijos!!!
Hey family!!! How the heck are you guys!!??!!?!? No one love me anymore? KIDDING I know you guys love me and if your life is anything like mine it is RUGH to find time to do anything!!!! Here in Catú we have a teaching pool that is overflowing....litteraly. We have ZERO time to visit our people and we will randomly find pesquisadores in the street and they always say "hey, you said you would go to my house. You never showed up!" yea, our life is a little overloaded right now. But it is sooooo good to FINALLY have some people to teach and some interesting stuff going on in my mission!!!
So I got here on wednesday or tuesday I don´t even remeber...I´m pretty sure it was tuesday. ANYWAYS, We were dragging my luggage....my adorable zebra print luggage to our house and guess what....it broke....both of them....ha ha the wheels are all torted and the handles are not exactly in the best condition......the life of a missionary.
I met Simone this week. She is a Crazy old lady and I love her to death. She is nuts. She has a potty mouth. She lives with a grandson. I love her. We are going to try and baptise her this week so PLEASE pray for her. THANKS!!!
Diego and Diogo....twins....Just kill me now becasue they are identical and their names are SUPER similar. What kind of parents do that to their children?!?!?! anyways they are super awesome. We are going to try and baptise them next week. But I just want you all to do me a favor and if you have twins just give them individual names!!! It will hepl them in the future!!! ha ha
My companion, Sister Tibúrcio is amazing. She is EXACTLY what I needed in a companion. I was having a real rough time these last 2 transfers I don`t know if any of you preceived BUT now I am extremely happy and I am learning all sorts of things form her. She is a beautiful example of love and compassion for me. This week we were on our way to Diego and diogo´s house when we ran into a man lying in the street. Obviously drunk and there were plenty of neighbors watching and all that good stuff. I didn`t want to leave him in the street but I didn`t know exactly how to help him either. Without even thinking my companion went over to him and said "Oh my friend, let`s get out of the street alright?" The member that was with us helped her get him up and carry him to a park bench. Right at that moment the cell phone rang, it was our bishop. My companion answered and left our member (thiago) and I to care for the drunkard. I started talking to him because he was yelling and crying and mumbling a pile of things that I was not understanding......Then Thiago explained to me that he wanted to be Internado (admitted...rehab)....I understood enterrado (burried....dead) I couldn`t help myself I told him we couldn`t burry him because I had left my tools at home. ha ha noone thought it was funny......except me. So when Sister Tibúrcio got off the phone she noticed that this drunk guy was still there and practically sitting on Thiago`s lap. ha ha it was quite comical the face she made. she told him we could help him get to his house and we got him up.....yea to bad his house is on the top of the tallest mountain IN THE WORLD!!!!! Anyways, we dragged this guy up a bunch of stairs and muddy hillsides and got him to his house. As we were trying to force him into the house so we could leave he was dragging me into the house at the same time. ha ha, I was not super excited to enter his home but did anyways. ha ha when I tried to leave he told my companion that he liked me and Tibúrcio was like "yea, she is pretty huh?" he got offended....apperently he is quite infatuated with his own wife and did not think I was pretty at all.....it was my voice....ha ha he liked my terrible amercan accent. anyways we finally escaped with a bunch of promisses to return and all those lovely lies.
Here in Catú I am told that there is real milk....I still have not tried any but my companion and I bought some I am kinda excited because it has been about 6 months since I have had milk. I don`t like milk but still.....it is kind of one of those essential things of life. ha ha I am not going to lie I am almost posssitive i`m going to hate it but I am willing to try anything. Tibúrcio says I have to boil the milk before drinking it....it`s in a bottle in the fridge.....I am afraid to touch it so I am waiting for her to do something with it.
There is one thing the I am going to miss alot about this city when I get transferred.....no, it won`t be the cows in the street eatting trash.....or the 2 flights of stairs I have to climb to go to bed. BUT the coconut water. oh my word it is sooo good. We have a recent convert who ALWAYS gives us free coconuts and my comp knows how to open them and we drink the water.
ANyways I am doing really well I am happy heathy and full of energy. I don`t remember what it feels like to sleep in or eat a real breakfast or even take a hot bath BUT I wouldn`t trade my mission for ANYTHING!!!! I love you all!!! Sorry I don`t have a spiritual message this week I promise something profound for nest week (probably from the new relief society book, which is AMAZING BTW) I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
XOXOXOXOX
Sister Ottley
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Catú 2 return of the Sister
Oi meus queridos!!!
Eu estou feliz de mais, voltou para Catú. Eu sempre me senti que eu não fiz tudo o possível aqui e parece que Deus concordou (ou talvez os assistentes só não tinha um outro lugar para mim ;) ) mais tudo bem, Eu estou aqui com a Tibúrcio e pronta para batizar BASTANTE!!! A missão é muito boa. Realmente eu não tem outras palavras, é a melhor coisa que existe. E eu estou achando que Brasil é o melhor lugar que existe!!! KKKK Talvez eu vou morar aqui :) tem tudo; fruta, pessoas felizes, Português, batismo...que mais eu iria querer? Decidido então, vou ficar aqui mesmo. Eu quero que todos vocês saibam que te amo e que tem um lugar muito especial em meu coração.
Eu estava orando estes dias por um companiera que só queria batizar como eu quero batizar. Eu acho que nosso Pai Celestial ouviu :) estou muito muito feliz, a Sister Tibúrcio e eu , nos vamos destruir essa área!!!! Mas, realmente, Nosso Pai Celestial é muito bom, sabia? Ele nos conhece perfeitamente ele realmente é nosso pai. Digitar em português é dificil de mais....tem bastante acentos e outras coisas chatas.....kaa kaka mais eu amo vocês muito muito muito e quer o melhor por cada um. eu oro todos os dias para vocês e sei que Deus sempre esta respondendo na maneira certa!!!!
So this week was a little crazy. I think a few of you have already decifered from my subject line what happened this transfer. Ha ha, I am back in Catú. I was not super excited when I found out. to be completely honest I lost the little quiet dignity I had and shouted in angry portuguese "No! I won´t return to Catu no! I Don`t want to baptise cows!" ha ha but I honestly feel really good about it now. Also I have a new companion, her name is Sister Tibúrcio...don`t hurt yourselves trying to say it. I can`t figure out how to say it correctly and I have been living this language for 6 months now.
Speaking of time, I will make 9 months tomorrow. Can you believe it? I am getting really really old. It is soooo weird to think that I have been a real life missionary for 9 whole months. I am freaking out a little bit, mainly because I still don`t FEEL like a real life missionary. I don`t know what it is but I can`t seem to see myself in those missionary pictures teaching and baptising and all that stuff....I mean I have those pictures and I AM doing it but I just can`t seem to believe myself....ha ha but I guess you aren`t ever supposed to get used to it.
Anyways, it was a little hard for me to leave Feira 2. Not that I wanted to stay because I really really did want to get transferred but it was quite difficult to leave my little brothers behind. I love them all so much and I want to take them home with me. I can`t bear to think that they might go inactive. it breaks my heart to see names of people on the ward list and the oldest members have never even heard of them. seriously breaks my heart.
Sometimes we will be walking down the street or in the bus and I see all the houses and say to myself, wow there are tons and tons of people in this world how am I going to succeed in baptising all of them? There are seriously soooo many people and I can`t help but think about all the promisses in the scriptures that everyone will hear the gospel because it seems impossible. Anyways, that is my life right now. I am just working on carrying the good word to at least a few of my brothers and sisters.
So I was just talking to my companion and asking her about the area and she started talking about Jonathas.....MY FIRST BAPTISM!!!! He is super firm and his parents are gonna get married in December so they can get baptised too!!! I AM GOING TO BE HERE!!!!! MY FAMILY!!!! Oh, I can`t believe it all the blessings of hard work are really starting to pay off. Sister Tibúrcio also said that they found a man in the street who remembered me and wanted to be taught. ha ha and then after they found out I was returning they were like "she has to baptise him!!" Too bad I don`t remember him. ha ha oh well.
Alright I love love love you all!!! I hope you all have a beautiful week and hope it is full of laughter and candy fr Halloween!!! I am going as a sister Missionary this year, think I can pull it off? we will see how many people believe me ;)
Stay awesome!!!
Remember who you are!!!!
never regret!!!
XOXOXOXOXOX,
Sister Ottley
I don´t think the heat will ever stop
Hello world!!!
So this week has been really really nuts. I can´t even focus on one story to tell you all. I am still working super hard here in Feira de Santana. It is spring here and the heat is arriving. For reals, it is HOTT!!! luckily the banks and the Post Office are no longer on strike. This is a good thing because it means at transfers we will receive LETTERS!!!!!
This week I had an epiphony.....This area is a really difficult one for growth within the church, but as long as you are doing your part you can and WILL succeed. You just need to trust in the lord and follow the council that he sends through his servants. These servants could be anyone!!!!! Members, non-members, companions, enemies, friends, leaders, and most important the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father always blesses the obedient He wants to bless us but we have to give Him a reason to. So, if he sends counsil it is best to follow it. ha ha I love being a missionary.
So this week Brasil experienced the equivelant to daylights saving time. Who said I would understand. at home it is spring ahead and fall back....am I right? well it is fall there and spring here.....What does the time do in this instance? My companion was certain the the time got set an hour back and I figure....heck, the world practically revolves around the united states so probably does the same thing right? okay fall there means fall back......at midnight it will officially be 11 pm......not true. I seriously don´t get it. ha ha we missed sacrament meeting our investigators didn´t got to church because no one went to pick them up.....ha ha life in Brasil is the BEST!!!! bah ha ha ha I´m an idiot.
Anyways all is well I got over that rough patch and we will HOPEFULLY have a baptism this weekend. Pray for my investigator Mayara. please!!! Her mom has been a bit of a hassle but she has a testimony soooo strong and it is so hard to watch her go about her life all sad.
So we are teaching a family super awesome. THe mom is sooo sweet and super great. Their son is 14 and I straightened his hair last week, I am not really sure why. But he thought it was cool. He calls me "Tia" which means aunt because he can´t say Sister Ottley. ha ha it is pretty comical. He will most likely be baptised a week from sunday. And the way things are looking I will not be here still. This week is the last of my 3rd transfer here and the 2nd with this same companion and so MOST likely I will be moving to a different area. Pray that I go somewhere awesome with an awesome companion. ha ha lets face it everywhere is awesome and all the comps are awesome too.
I am really glad to hear that you are all doing well. Thanks for all your prayers, support and love. I love you all and pray for you daily!!!! Stay awesome and never regret!!!
XOXOXOXOXO/
Sister Ottley
So this week has been really really nuts. I can´t even focus on one story to tell you all. I am still working super hard here in Feira de Santana. It is spring here and the heat is arriving. For reals, it is HOTT!!! luckily the banks and the Post Office are no longer on strike. This is a good thing because it means at transfers we will receive LETTERS!!!!!
This week I had an epiphony.....This area is a really difficult one for growth within the church, but as long as you are doing your part you can and WILL succeed. You just need to trust in the lord and follow the council that he sends through his servants. These servants could be anyone!!!!! Members, non-members, companions, enemies, friends, leaders, and most important the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father always blesses the obedient He wants to bless us but we have to give Him a reason to. So, if he sends counsil it is best to follow it. ha ha I love being a missionary.
So this week Brasil experienced the equivelant to daylights saving time. Who said I would understand. at home it is spring ahead and fall back....am I right? well it is fall there and spring here.....What does the time do in this instance? My companion was certain the the time got set an hour back and I figure....heck, the world practically revolves around the united states so probably does the same thing right? okay fall there means fall back......at midnight it will officially be 11 pm......not true. I seriously don´t get it. ha ha we missed sacrament meeting our investigators didn´t got to church because no one went to pick them up.....ha ha life in Brasil is the BEST!!!! bah ha ha ha I´m an idiot.
Anyways all is well I got over that rough patch and we will HOPEFULLY have a baptism this weekend. Pray for my investigator Mayara. please!!! Her mom has been a bit of a hassle but she has a testimony soooo strong and it is so hard to watch her go about her life all sad.
So we are teaching a family super awesome. THe mom is sooo sweet and super great. Their son is 14 and I straightened his hair last week, I am not really sure why. But he thought it was cool. He calls me "Tia" which means aunt because he can´t say Sister Ottley. ha ha it is pretty comical. He will most likely be baptised a week from sunday. And the way things are looking I will not be here still. This week is the last of my 3rd transfer here and the 2nd with this same companion and so MOST likely I will be moving to a different area. Pray that I go somewhere awesome with an awesome companion. ha ha lets face it everywhere is awesome and all the comps are awesome too.
I am really glad to hear that you are all doing well. Thanks for all your prayers, support and love. I love you all and pray for you daily!!!! Stay awesome and never regret!!!
XOXOXOXOXO/
Sister Ottley
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Sorry if this is Way short
Só para começar......Eu fiquei sabendo que tem alguns amigas minhas
lendo meu blog por meio do Google. então eu decidi a escrever um
pouco em Português. Eu não vou prometer que meu Português é melhor do
que a gramatica de Google mas eu vou tentar ;)
Eu amo vocês e quero que vocês soubessem que eu penso em vocês muito.
Essa semana foi bom de mais. Conferência foi perfeito, como sempre.
Eu amo ouvir os Profetas. Tinhamos entrevistas com o Presidente Hart
ontem. For muito legal até Eu começei a chorar. Vocês sabem que eu
não sei chorar mas Presidente Hart é um homem muito inspirado e eu
quebrei :) Ele realmente sabe cuidar da gente. Nossa, sabe que é
dificil escrever em Português?Só este pouco demorou MUITO!!! Espero
que estejam bem. Espero que vocês estejam felizes. Um dia quando eu
voltart para Brasil Depois da missão vou visitar cada um de vocês. só
preciso casar com alguem muito rico antes porque é carro demais viajar
por Brasil. Mas eu vou fazer o maximo possivel para visitar vocês
logo depois. Eu amo vocês fiquem firmes!!! Sempre lembrar de orar,
ler e sorrir!!!
XOXOXOXOXO
BEIJOS!!!
Sister Ottley
Alright, so this week was awesome. Conference is like the coolest
thing EVER!!!!! I hope you were all listening well and took notes I
took like 12 pages.....yea being a missionary does that to a person.
I realised the importance of families in this conference. I think I
will have to have one of my own someday....;) ha ha but seriously
these guys are like way inspired!!!
so I know I told you guys that the P.O. is on strike well now the
banks are too. I decided that as long as I´m not receiving letters I
am on strike too....all I´m going to do is find teach and baptise.
but that´s all!!!!! So President Monson announced a temple in
Wyoming....that kinda blew my mind. But that is seriously WAY cool,
when is it going to be dedicated. If i´m home we should totally go
because I don´t think I´ve ever been to wyoming for reals just drive
past ya know?
So I realized that Heavenly Father really does want us to be happy and
he want us to learn and grow as much as possible in this life. for
this reason he gives us challenges. there are 2 ways we can look at
these challenges. Stumbling blocks or Stair steps. Each and every
weakness can either trip us or help us progress it all just depends on
our atttitude and what we do with the challenges that we face every
day. Portuguese has been a bit of a stumbling block for me but I have
decided to turn it into a stair. Anyways take a look at your life.
Is it full of stairs or stumbles?
So we had interviews with president hart yesterday and he was telling
me that he´d really like to promote me to senior companion but htere
just aren´t enough sisters and we aren´t going to be receiving a whole
lot anytime soon. So he said he was going to promote me and another
sister at the same time and make us Co-seniors. BAH H AH AH A I told
him that was not necessary and that I was VERY comfortable staying
Junior companion for the rest of my mission. He seemed very relieved.
ha ha we´ll see what happens.
So last night my companions Sister Davis and Sister Turner from the
MTC called me to talk a little bit a reminisce (sp) but it´s long
distance so they first had to call the assisstants to make a
conference......bah ha ha I answered the phone while I was making my
bed and started screaming.....poor elder probably has no eardrum left.
THere was a lizard in my bed!!! ha ha ha ha I about peed my pants. I
am not really all that afraid of lizards I just don´t like to be
startled by them.
Silly story....Today we bought some bread. When I went to eat some it
was all burned. yuck. so I just tore it apart and ate the not burnt
parts. ridiculous. But I didn´t want tothrow the rest away but I
didn´t know what to do with it I looked at my compaion and said, we
need a dog. She laughed and said that we should go buy one. then I
remembered passing by the pet sotre and seeing chickens and said I´d
rather have one of those. she laughed and said I should give the
bread to the neighbors shickens. I did. ha ha don´t worry I didn´t
sneak into thier yard or anything......ha ha SOOOO DID. Don´t worry I
was wearing my pirate attire they have no idea who I was ;)
I gotta go I love you all!!!
Have an aWESOME
lendo meu blog por meio do Google. então eu decidi a escrever um
pouco em Português. Eu não vou prometer que meu Português é melhor do
que a gramatica de Google mas eu vou tentar ;)
Eu amo vocês e quero que vocês soubessem que eu penso em vocês muito.
Essa semana foi bom de mais. Conferência foi perfeito, como sempre.
Eu amo ouvir os Profetas. Tinhamos entrevistas com o Presidente Hart
ontem. For muito legal até Eu começei a chorar. Vocês sabem que eu
não sei chorar mas Presidente Hart é um homem muito inspirado e eu
quebrei :) Ele realmente sabe cuidar da gente. Nossa, sabe que é
dificil escrever em Português?Só este pouco demorou MUITO!!! Espero
que estejam bem. Espero que vocês estejam felizes. Um dia quando eu
voltart para Brasil Depois da missão vou visitar cada um de vocês. só
preciso casar com alguem muito rico antes porque é carro demais viajar
por Brasil. Mas eu vou fazer o maximo possivel para visitar vocês
logo depois. Eu amo vocês fiquem firmes!!! Sempre lembrar de orar,
ler e sorrir!!!
XOXOXOXOXO
BEIJOS!!!
Sister Ottley
Alright, so this week was awesome. Conference is like the coolest
thing EVER!!!!! I hope you were all listening well and took notes I
took like 12 pages.....yea being a missionary does that to a person.
I realised the importance of families in this conference. I think I
will have to have one of my own someday....;) ha ha but seriously
these guys are like way inspired!!!
so I know I told you guys that the P.O. is on strike well now the
banks are too. I decided that as long as I´m not receiving letters I
am on strike too....all I´m going to do is find teach and baptise.
but that´s all!!!!! So President Monson announced a temple in
Wyoming....that kinda blew my mind. But that is seriously WAY cool,
when is it going to be dedicated. If i´m home we should totally go
because I don´t think I´ve ever been to wyoming for reals just drive
past ya know?
So I realized that Heavenly Father really does want us to be happy and
he want us to learn and grow as much as possible in this life. for
this reason he gives us challenges. there are 2 ways we can look at
these challenges. Stumbling blocks or Stair steps. Each and every
weakness can either trip us or help us progress it all just depends on
our atttitude and what we do with the challenges that we face every
day. Portuguese has been a bit of a stumbling block for me but I have
decided to turn it into a stair. Anyways take a look at your life.
Is it full of stairs or stumbles?
So we had interviews with president hart yesterday and he was telling
me that he´d really like to promote me to senior companion but htere
just aren´t enough sisters and we aren´t going to be receiving a whole
lot anytime soon. So he said he was going to promote me and another
sister at the same time and make us Co-seniors. BAH H AH AH A I told
him that was not necessary and that I was VERY comfortable staying
Junior companion for the rest of my mission. He seemed very relieved.
ha ha we´ll see what happens.
So last night my companions Sister Davis and Sister Turner from the
MTC called me to talk a little bit a reminisce (sp) but it´s long
distance so they first had to call the assisstants to make a
conference......bah ha ha I answered the phone while I was making my
bed and started screaming.....poor elder probably has no eardrum left.
THere was a lizard in my bed!!! ha ha ha ha I about peed my pants. I
am not really all that afraid of lizards I just don´t like to be
startled by them.
Silly story....Today we bought some bread. When I went to eat some it
was all burned. yuck. so I just tore it apart and ate the not burnt
parts. ridiculous. But I didn´t want tothrow the rest away but I
didn´t know what to do with it I looked at my compaion and said, we
need a dog. She laughed and said that we should go buy one. then I
remembered passing by the pet sotre and seeing chickens and said I´d
rather have one of those. she laughed and said I should give the
bread to the neighbors shickens. I did. ha ha don´t worry I didn´t
sneak into thier yard or anything......ha ha SOOOO DID. Don´t worry I
was wearing my pirate attire they have no idea who I was ;)
I gotta go I love you all!!!
Have an aWESOME
hApPy biRthDAy DAD!!!!
So this week was a little crazy. It rained quite a bit but I am still getting more tan..I don´t really understand these things very well. But hey, what can you do right? Today was a great P-Day Our zone went to some anchient city here in Feira de Santana.....yea....real old...it all looked the same to me. I met padre Francisco....ha ha some random father at some random catholic church...I took a photo with hium. It was cool. ha ha and we went to a "Farm" Now I can´t claim to be a cowgirl all that much seeing as I set foot on my fathers farm all of 3 times.....Maybe ha ha and I have driven a tractor once....which I didn´t even have to shift. Yea, I am not a farmer but i don´t understand how a few cows and some grass count as a farm ha ha but oh well. Everyone has their opinion right? ha ha it was really fun it actually kind of reminded me of being at home a bit. No, don´t worry I am not getting home sick for the farm :) no offence dad but I was not raised as a firm girl....Yes, I grew up on a farm....in a house but I didn´t grow up a farm girl.
Anyways, Mayara is our next baptism. I am kinda upset because the only member in this ward who want to help are the youth and they aren´t all that reliable but I mean lets face it, who IS responsible at 14 years old? Anyways the only people in our teaching pool are children and it is rough to baptise kids because we have to have permision from their parents. We teach them because they are all interested ad they don´t have any pre-concieved notions about the church but it is rough when their parents say SURE do whatever you want but as soon as their neighbor says "IT`S THE MORMONS!!!!" they change their minds. Oh well.....the sin of the child will be on the parents head at that point I think. just let them be.
ANYWAYS back to Mayara she is the best she had a super awesome testimony and is soooo fabby I can´t stand it. She sells avon and is always complimenting my companions BRIGHT red lipstick....uh....to each her own right? ha ha but we still need to talk to her mom because MAyara only has 16 years old. It is complicated but I have faith that it will all work out the way it is supposed to . I learned something a long time ago in North Carolina that Heavenly Father is not EVER going to let something get in the way of someone getting baptised. If the person really is preparred and has the desire the baptism will go down!!!
so life is way good here in Brasil I lov eyou all and am missiong youall soo much BUT only until August!!!! It is sooo wierd...I am heathy and heaLthy too no need to worry about anything I love love youall!!!! stay awesome!!!!!
Have an awesome week gente!!!! xoxoxoxo
Com Amor
Sister Ottley
Anyways, Mayara is our next baptism. I am kinda upset because the only member in this ward who want to help are the youth and they aren´t all that reliable but I mean lets face it, who IS responsible at 14 years old? Anyways the only people in our teaching pool are children and it is rough to baptise kids because we have to have permision from their parents. We teach them because they are all interested ad they don´t have any pre-concieved notions about the church but it is rough when their parents say SURE do whatever you want but as soon as their neighbor says "IT`S THE MORMONS!!!!" they change their minds. Oh well.....the sin of the child will be on the parents head at that point I think. just let them be.
ANYWAYS back to Mayara she is the best she had a super awesome testimony and is soooo fabby I can´t stand it. She sells avon and is always complimenting my companions BRIGHT red lipstick....uh....to each her own right? ha ha but we still need to talk to her mom because MAyara only has 16 years old. It is complicated but I have faith that it will all work out the way it is supposed to . I learned something a long time ago in North Carolina that Heavenly Father is not EVER going to let something get in the way of someone getting baptised. If the person really is preparred and has the desire the baptism will go down!!!
so life is way good here in Brasil I lov eyou all and am missiong youall soo much BUT only until August!!!! It is sooo wierd...I am heathy and heaLthy too no need to worry about anything I love love youall!!!! stay awesome!!!!!
Have an awesome week gente!!!! xoxoxoxo
Com Amor
Sister Ottley
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
If all of the raindrops were lemon drops and gum drops.
Hello friends and FAMILY!!!!
How is everyone? Everybody healthy? Firme and forte? Espero que sim!!! Eu amo vocês muito!!!! So this week I made a realization......Peanut Butter in Brazil is like ciggeretts in Prison. Yea it is THAT prescious so thank you to my beautiful family for sending me gold in the paste form. I love you guys ;)
I have almost 8 months in the mission and my first name tag broke this week. It is like my soul fell to the ground. I don´t really know what to do.....the new one is a little stif I gotta break ér in still... ha ha its really weird to think that I have been away for 8 months already that is almost half of my mission.....so weird. I don´t feel like I have done everything yet. I don´t feel like I have done suffiecient work for it to be half over. But I have a month still to work hard before its half over.
BAPTISM!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!! Icaro was baptised FINALLY!!!!! it only took a little forcing ;) jokes he is totally ready and totally converted it is just rough because his dad isn´t SUPER excited for him his mom is totally cool with everything but his dad not so much. I have a favor to ask of each and everyone of you. If the Missionaries in your ward have a baptism....GO!!!!! It doesn´t matter if you have NEVER seen the person before you just need to support them. Who knows he might be your bishop someday or relief society president. It is sooooo important to have the support of the ward I didn´t understand this before the mision I just let the missionaries do their job and left it at that but seriously the church doesn´t function without missionaries the church doesn´t progress without missionary work. So, help em out!!!
SO sunday we went to get Icaro and take him to church and as we were walking I about lost an eye. Ha ha I was walking and this wire was sticking out all rude like and stabbed me in the eye. I tried to send a picture but it isn´t workin super well. Anyways I freaked out innicially because I am a dramma queen but I am fine. My eye is super red still and people like to point it out to me I just say "really? is it like really really red? wird....." ha ha I am a brat.
T|here was a fireside for young adult s on sunday and Dalin H. Oaks spoke about Marriage or something like that. ha ha I wasn´t understanding much because the sound was all skrewed up and so they were using the spanish translation. ha ha I still remember quite a bit of spanish and it is really super similar to Portuguese but still I was confused most of the time. Language is a really funny thing. In my mind everything I say makes sense. ha ha I speak a little spanish sometimes and most people understand me But I say everything in the form I would say it in English Apparently we have an odd way of speaking. ha ha so I just explain to people that I am speaking Ottlenese and they just laugh and except it. ha ha.
So everyone sent me questions this week and I don´t have a whole lot of time to respond so you all hafe to share one email.
I am really good I am healthy and loving loving Brasil. I am a little sunburned but its not that horrible. The language gets easier and easier everyday Portuguese is not hte language of my heart but it is a beutiful language and I plan on studying it and keeping it fluent after the mission.
Transfers are every six weeks the next one is October 26ish (the tuesday close to that date at least) I will stay with my current comanion until that date in this area but after that I think I will be transferred. But I am not certain. I might have an american companion some day but I don´t know. It isn´t that common to have 2 americans together but it happens, actually my 2 companions from the mtc are together right now.
I am not still teaching english but the daily dose program is an AWESOME opportunity for those who are wanting to learn english and it´s and even better one for those who want to find eternal happiness at the same time.
if you want to send me a letter i]my address is on my blog meredithsmission.blogspot.com but right now the post office is on strike.
Anyways I love you all I wish you all an amazing week!!!
XOXOXOXOX
Sister Ottley
How is everyone? Everybody healthy? Firme and forte? Espero que sim!!! Eu amo vocês muito!!!! So this week I made a realization......Peanut Butter in Brazil is like ciggeretts in Prison. Yea it is THAT prescious so thank you to my beautiful family for sending me gold in the paste form. I love you guys ;)
I have almost 8 months in the mission and my first name tag broke this week. It is like my soul fell to the ground. I don´t really know what to do.....the new one is a little stif I gotta break ér in still... ha ha its really weird to think that I have been away for 8 months already that is almost half of my mission.....so weird. I don´t feel like I have done everything yet. I don´t feel like I have done suffiecient work for it to be half over. But I have a month still to work hard before its half over.
BAPTISM!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!! Icaro was baptised FINALLY!!!!! it only took a little forcing ;) jokes he is totally ready and totally converted it is just rough because his dad isn´t SUPER excited for him his mom is totally cool with everything but his dad not so much. I have a favor to ask of each and everyone of you. If the Missionaries in your ward have a baptism....GO!!!!! It doesn´t matter if you have NEVER seen the person before you just need to support them. Who knows he might be your bishop someday or relief society president. It is sooooo important to have the support of the ward I didn´t understand this before the mision I just let the missionaries do their job and left it at that but seriously the church doesn´t function without missionaries the church doesn´t progress without missionary work. So, help em out!!!
SO sunday we went to get Icaro and take him to church and as we were walking I about lost an eye. Ha ha I was walking and this wire was sticking out all rude like and stabbed me in the eye. I tried to send a picture but it isn´t workin super well. Anyways I freaked out innicially because I am a dramma queen but I am fine. My eye is super red still and people like to point it out to me I just say "really? is it like really really red? wird....." ha ha I am a brat.
T|here was a fireside for young adult s on sunday and Dalin H. Oaks spoke about Marriage or something like that. ha ha I wasn´t understanding much because the sound was all skrewed up and so they were using the spanish translation. ha ha I still remember quite a bit of spanish and it is really super similar to Portuguese but still I was confused most of the time. Language is a really funny thing. In my mind everything I say makes sense. ha ha I speak a little spanish sometimes and most people understand me But I say everything in the form I would say it in English Apparently we have an odd way of speaking. ha ha so I just explain to people that I am speaking Ottlenese and they just laugh and except it. ha ha.
So everyone sent me questions this week and I don´t have a whole lot of time to respond so you all hafe to share one email.
I am really good I am healthy and loving loving Brasil. I am a little sunburned but its not that horrible. The language gets easier and easier everyday Portuguese is not hte language of my heart but it is a beutiful language and I plan on studying it and keeping it fluent after the mission.
Transfers are every six weeks the next one is October 26ish (the tuesday close to that date at least) I will stay with my current comanion until that date in this area but after that I think I will be transferred. But I am not certain. I might have an american companion some day but I don´t know. It isn´t that common to have 2 americans together but it happens, actually my 2 companions from the mtc are together right now.
I am not still teaching english but the daily dose program is an AWESOME opportunity for those who are wanting to learn english and it´s and even better one for those who want to find eternal happiness at the same time.
if you want to send me a letter i]my address is on my blog meredithsmission.blogspot.com but right now the post office is on strike.
Anyways I love you all I wish you all an amazing week!!!
XOXOXOXOX
Sister Ottley
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Wait, you´re telling me I am a Lamanite!?
AHHH!!!! TRANSFERS!!!!!!
So I have been in this area (Feira II) for 2 transfers and Yesterday I found out that I will be here for at least one more!!!!! I am just about 100% okay with this. You may remeber that about 2 months ago we went through quit a struggle trying to move into the house that we are in right now. Yes well I never want to leave this house it is beautiful....never had elders live here and we have 2 bathrooms. I don´t think there is a better place ont he mission.
I am staying with the same companion (sister Utida) and we are going to figure out how to destroy this area. It was really really difficult this past transfer BUT I have faith that things are going to turn around.
We have a baptism this week. His name is Icaro and as long as his mom is in town it shouldn´t fall through. He is way awesome. We taught him about Patriarchal Blessings and he can´t wait to get baptised so that he can get his.....I didn´t have the heart to tell him that he´ll probably have to wait another year after baptism. ha ha Oh well. He is reading the Book of Mòrmon and LOVING it...but I mean who doesn´t like it. He asked me why the Nephites were killed unless they would deny Christ and I had to rack my brain to figure out what he was talking about.....MORONI!!!!!! you are reading in MORONI!!!!?!?! ha ha ha haha he skipped ahead he really is just reading in 1 nefi still. BUT he read a chapter heading and was really curious anyways, I had to explain to him that the Lamanites were wicked and threatened to Kill the Nephites if they wouldn´t deny Christ. And he said...I am a Lamanite.....uhhh....yea most likely you are from Lamanite descendants.....ha ha it was funny.
Anywasy I really really love teaching this people even if they ARE Lamanites. Ha ha they are all just so cool! Last week we found a man and I can´t say his name....I just avoid it at all costs. ha ha it is eneius. there are just WAY to many vowels in that word. He is super cool.. Has about zero Interest in the gospel BUT that is just because he hasnt prayed yet. He is trying to learn English and so we marked a time in which we go and he and I just speak in English. It is really funny because I try to talk about gospel stull and he tries to talk about other stuff. But we´ll get em...don´t worry.
ANyways, I am glad to hear that everyone is well. I am also doing very well. I am healthy and I am swimming in the blessings. Brasil is a beautiful country full of anazing people. My Portuguese is slowly getting better....sometimes I feel like it is standing still but Everyone tells me that for 5 months in the coutry I am speaking well. I think Portuguese is a very pretty language, we´ll see if I can perfect it in the next year and then not forget it after the mission....I think that is going to be the hardest part. ha ha ha
My Zone leader, Elder Feilds, is goin home today his dad came to get him here in Brazil. It was really really hard to talk to him in English, i think this is a good sign. ha ha Anyways, it was really neatto talk to an american who hasn´t been in Brasil for the past few months. We compared mosquito bites and talked about basketball.....I honestly don´t care...at all about Jimmer but it was cool to hear something about the US.
alright I love you all I am gonna sign off now but As always, stay awesome, stay possitive, never regret!!!!
The Chucj Is True....ad so is the ChurcH!!!!
I LOVE YOU!!!!
Sister Ottley
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