Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Mais Uma!

7 months...hard to believe!
We got transfer calls today and I'm staying in Utinga! Again. This will be my fourth transfer here. It's good because I already know all the members so Christmas should be good but after Christmas I think I'll need a change. Sister Loisotto is staying here too so I'll be able to finish her training. It'll be a good one.

I hit my 7 month mark yesterday woo! Kinda crazy as always. It never feels real. This week we had lots and LOTS of visits and taught a bunch which was great. Jefferson was baptized on Sunday and it was the best baptism I've seen so far. All the support from his family and from the ward was just great and really spiritual.

This week at our last meeting, I made french toast for my zone and let me tell ya' it was not a fast process with a pan that only fits one slice of bread at a time. I made two loaves...I never want french toast again. I also made syrup! (still working on my homemaking skills) None of the Brazilians knew what it was or how to use it and jokes were made that it was hot glue haha. It did kinda look like it though. All was well in the end and very tasty! 


I want to celebrate Thanksgiving soo badly! I'm not sure how yet but I want to. What's a girl gotta do to get some mac n cheese? Doesn't exist here so vamos ver o que vai acontecer. Thursday is a very important day.

Not only is it Thanksgiving but IT'S MY HALF BIRTHDAY! I celebrated last year so why stop now? What a great day!!

Eu vou terminar este blog em Português. Tudo está bem aqui. Estou feliz e eu amo este obra do Senhor! Estou MUITO animada de falar com minha familia em 4 semanas só! Eu amo vocês e aproveite seu feriado! Até mais gente.

Sister Cox  

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Patience Brings Blessings...

Sister Reis, A great missionary and friend
My little buddy - Danilo 6 and already a charmer!
The title pretty much sums up our week. It was amazing! What a turn around from last week. This has definitely been the busiest and best week we've had in a while. So one thing I learned this week is that the Lord always places people in our paths for a reason.

We taught a woman a few weeks ago, Fran, who had already been taught a lot and had been to church a lot with other missionaries here about a year ago and just never decided to get baptized. We left thinking oh we'll never see her again, she doesn't want anything... and that was that.

This week Sister Loisotto and I went to buy chocolate at this store we always go to and we literally ran, into her on the sidewalk but she was yelling "meninas, meninas!" which is"girls, girls"...and she looked a little frantic.

To set up the scene a little better...it was pouring rain so she had an umbrella, her purse, and this big bag with her. She asked us to hold this huge bag because she had to run across the street to pick up her son from the bus and didn't have an extra hand. So we walked to  her front door which was close, handed her the bag, chatted a little bit, and she told us how much we saved her and how she needed us at exactly that moment.

She invited us in (that was a surprise) and we got to share a message with her. Turns out she was getting surgery the next day and was really nervous, so it was just perfect timing that we could be there at that moment to help her out, even if it was just a small thing.
Moral of the story: when you feel the need to buy chocolate...DO IT :)

We had a lot of experiences like that this week where we hadn't been able to contact someone in a long time and Bam!, the person we wanted to see happened to be home or we saw someone on the street we were hoping to teach. What a blessing!

We saw lots of miracles this week. One includes a boy we have been trying to teach, Jefferson. He's 11 years old and his mom and sister and brother are already members. We started teaching him on Thursday and he'll be baptized this Sunday the 17th! We are so excited! Another soul coming unto Christ. It's such a beautiful thing.

A little update on Sister Robinson...She's doing ok. I have fortunately never lost a parent so I can't say I know what she's going through but with our knowledge of where we're going after this life I know she'll be ok. President allowed Sis. Robinson to watch the funeral here in our area this week at Irmão Fábio's house Wednesday night. We watched just the burial and it was so sad but also really cool to see how unified her family is. She's one of 8 and they just all love each other so much so that was the cool part. We spent Pday with her last Monday and will again today. It's so hot today! But we're all going to a park where I will be writing a nice long letter for my dearest friend Janelle. Love you! Keep praying for her...She is one trooper I'll tell ya. 

To end on a happier note I was reading a talk from President Uchtdorf this week titled 'Your Wonderful Journey Home' and here is the link:  http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-young-women-meeting/2013/03/your-wonderful-journey-home?lang=eng I highly encourage all of you to read it.
He talks about how once we were all together living with God before we came to earth and we left His arms with the promise that we would return home to Him. We are all brothers and sister here with the same purpose...to find our way home. We all chose to follow Christ before we came to earth but some of our brothers and sisters here are lost and it's our responsibility to help them find the path again.
Laira & I at ward activity-Festa da Nacoes, she was representing Spain
See others as God does and the way we see people now will be different. I really loved this talk and I know that all things are possible as we try to follow Christ. I wanted to share two of my favorite quotes here....1) "Of one thing you can be certain: every person you see—no matter the race, religion, political beliefs, body type, or appearance—is family. The young woman you look at has the same Heavenly Father as you, and she left His loving presence just as you did, eager to come to this earth and live so that she could one day return to Him." and 2)  Yes, the road has bumps and detours and even some hazards. But don’t focus on them. Look for the happiness your Father in Heaven has prepared for you in every step of your journey. Happiness is the destination, but it’s also the path.

What a beautiful statement. I love this gospel. There is nothing better in the world.

And I love all of you! Boa semana gente!

Updated with photos 11/25/13
PDay with Sister of our District

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Another Wonderful Week...

Hope you all had a happy Halloween...
Extent of my Halloween..:)
This week, I went on a division with one of our Sister Trainer Leaders on Friday, Sister Melo, which means we switched companions for a day. It was a good experience to learn form someone who is about to end her mission. She goes home in February.

We got word that Sister Robinson's Dad passed away today (the sister in my zone from New Zealand) so please keep her and her family in your prayers. It was pretty sudden. She is surprisingly doing really well but we're going over to spend the day with her today and hopefully help out in any way we can...mostly just want to eat chocolate together. But she's so strong and not going home. What a champ.

Happy 18th Birthday on Sunday to the "Best Little Brother in the World!!"  I love you so much but I can't believe it and I'm kind of in denial - sorry I can't be there to celebrate.  I'll be thinking of you bud!

Last thing for the week is that we had to say good-bye to Irmã Cida yesterday. She's traveling to the Northeast and doesn't know when she'll be back which means I'll probably be transferred before she gets back. I'll miss her and her cooking so much. Love that woman! It's people like her that really make me love my mission...sigh..haha anyway love you all! Til next week.  

Updated with photos - 11/25/13
Joao Pedro - the cutest boy you ever did see!