Então, a vida aqui em Catu é interessante Eu amo as pessoas aqui. A
ala ajuda de mais, em muitas maneiras. Já engordei de mais aqui
porque TODO mundo nos da comida......sempre. Minha companheira nova e
eu estamos dizendo para todo mundo que estamos de dieta. Quase
ninguém acredita na gente MAS faz o que? Fala que meu Português está
melhor agora que estou com uma Brasileira, por isto estou feliz. De
verdade senti o português piorando com Sister Turner só porque a gente
ficou falando Ingles o tempo todo. Mas agora nâo tem Jeito, falo
Português só. Estou FELIZ!!!! Amo esta idioma e minha companheira.
Ainda que ela é de Marte.
Alright so I love you all soooo much!!! I keep making myself homesick
because I think about everyone getting older and doing cool stuff with
your lives. Ha ha it is really weird to think that life actually goes
on without me there. Apperently everyone is getting married, already
married, with child or with infant.....ha ha oh well I guess that is
the way life goes.
So this week was really great with Sister MArciano here in Catú. She
is getting to know the area and all the people. I am really excited
to have her her and I know that she will be able to close quite a few
baptisms here in Cat[u with me. We are going to have all sorts of
success. She is a really really great missionary. She is from
Riberão Preto, I think that this was Aaron`s mission but I don`t
remember for sure. Anyways, she is super fun. We get along great and
I am getting Way better at Portuguese. With Sister Turner I ended up
digressing a little bit because we always ended up speaking in
English. But now I am back to the routine of always speaking
Portuguese and I love it.
We have a ton of people that we are teaching and I am sooo excited. I
don`t know when we are going to have a baptism but it should be
soon!!!!
My mom wanted to hear my testimony about the book of mormon. I also
talked about it on the 7th and 14 of February but here goes. With
stories included!
So President Hart has made a goal with each of us to read the Book of
Mormon everyday. Starting on the mission and continuing for the rest
of our lives. I didn`t really see what the big deal was until I
really started studying this wonderful book. I love it. It is a
beautiful story. Like the prophet Joseph Smith said, this book can
bring us closer to god than ANY other book. I love reading it. My
Livro de Mórmon is painted all different colors because I can`t just
read it with out marking every other verse. I have a notebook full of
notes and quotes and all sorts of things that I love about the Book of
Mormon. The book os great. And now I shall share why. I have known
my whole life that the Book of Mormon is true. I didn´t even know
that you were supposed to read pray and ask to know if it was true
until I got on my mission. I´m serious, I didn`t have any idea that
you should or could do that. I just thought you were supposed to go
to primary and learn aboaut it in songs and coloring pictures...just
kidding but seriously, I am kind of a dummy and had never read the
introduction; I had always started in 1 Nephi. SO, in the MTC I asked
to know if the book was true. And you know what.... no angels came
down, I didn´t dream anything. I just knew. ha ha I have always
known. Every day that I read the book of mormon I feel closer to my
heavenly father. Now when I read the book it is a different feeling.
I know that the words are true. The Book of Mormon was writen for us
in our day. I can feel the love that Heavenly Father has for me.
When I read the book of mormon I have more desire to pray and I have
more desire to do the right thing. I have more desire to be worthy of
the blessings promised to the righteous. I understand the Plan of
redemptino SOOOO much better because I have read the Book of Mormon.
So we were teaching a man who had been a smoker most of his
life....we`re talking from age 13 to now in his mid 30´s and it was
like a pack or two a day. We gave him a book of Mormon and told him
that if he felt the need to smoke a cigaret he could read a little of
the Book of Mormon and then he wouldn`t want to smoke anymore. He
laughed in our faces. "sister I have been trying for 10 years to quit
smoking and you think reading a book will help me?" we promissed him
blessings and explained the Love that God has for him and the
expectations he has as well. He said he would try and we left a
little doubtful but with hope in our hearts. Well he took it
seriously. He really did Try. the first couple days it was rough but
when we went back a few days later he said, "sister I haven`t smoked
in 2 days." he was reading the book of Mormon. He didn`t have
cravings when he was reading. He only wanted to do the right things.
This book is more than just words on paper. It is the word of God
which was written FOR us!!!
This little blue book can change lives. Joseph Smith gave his life
for this book and it was not in vain. Because of this registry we
have the whole truth. I know my Father in Heaven loves me I know
that Jesus Christ lives and he is my savior. I know that Joseph Smith
was a prophet because a false prophet can`t have a true book of
scripture. and I know that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints is the Church of God here on earth and it is the ONLY true
church on the face of the planet.
So I challenge each and everyone of you to make a goal. If you have
time to brush your teeth, if you have time to watch the news, if you
have time to call a friend, if you have time to go to the store...You
have time to read the Book fo Mormon. All you need is at least 5
minutes everyday. It isn`t enough but it is a start. I promise you
that you will want more and more as you read with an open heart. I
love you all sooo much and I thank you for your prayers. I hope all
is well and will see you all in about 6 months!
I love you all I hope you have an awesome week!!!! Be awesome always
and don`t forget that you are a Child of God. Never regret!!!
XOXOXOXOXOXo
Sister Ottley!!
