Email Home to Mom, October 25, 2021

From: Kaitlyn.garcia@missionary.org
Date: Monday, October 25, 2021
Subject: One Month in Brasil

Ola! 

How are you? How sad this week? Hopefully everything at the cabin went smoothly and B is feeling better:) The pictures you sent honestly looked so pretty! 

This week was all over the place haha! I feel like every week is honestly. This week started off with lunch at Irmã Robertas house. She's the twin sister to Irmã Renata from last week. It was quite the afternoon adventure too haha! When we got there everything was a mess in the kitchen because it was Juan's birthday and Irmã Renata was making a cake for him. That meant that Sister Da Mata and I made lasagna for our lunch haha! Brazilian lasagna is different too, it has bologna in it. I don't really know how to explain it haha! You'll never guess what happened too, Irmã Renata put even MORE food on my plate than last week. I literally couldn't finish it because of how much she put on my plate. After lunch so many things happened. For starters, we have a new friend!! Her name Elsa and she lives next door. She lost her daughter super young so the Plan of Salvation was literally made for her :) She said she would come to church too so hopefully she really will. We also made brigadero for this birthday celebration that they were going to have haha! And to top it all off, I put braids in two little girls hair because neither Irmã Renata or Roberta know how to. It was quite the lunch/afternoon that's for sure haha! It was good though :) The rest of the day was pretty quite honestly. We found a few new friends and made some calls. I love Sister Da Mata, but her work ethic is very different from mine so it's been a little difficult to just sit for 10 minutes and do nothing. I'm figuring it out though :) 

We also had such a good lesson with our friend Thais! She's so solid! We talked about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon and guess what?! She said that she started to read it and pray about it. How rad is that!? Her daughter has been sick and she ended up taking her to the hospital, but she said that she prayed and now her daughter is (hopefully) back to normal. She really wants to come to church too! I'm super excited for Sunday to see if she can make it :) After our lesson though, things started to go all downhill haha! Sister Da Mata was in a lot of pain so we went straight from our lesson to the dentist. After 2 hours Sister Da Mata had some anesthesia and was feeling good haha! That just meant that all of our lessons landed on me while she was sleeping (and throwing up) whatta good time :) 

The past few days have just consisted of taking care of Sister Da Mata and trying to figure out what's wrong. Her tooth hurts, her ear hurts, and her stomach hurts. She's been sleeping a lot and hasn't really been to for much. That just meant that I had a literal crap ton of time to read and study! 3 Nèfi is too good :) I just love the Book of Mormon ;) We managed to get a few lessons in but Sister Da Mata stayed in bed and I just had to have everything approved. I won't lie, I feel like the worst missionary because I'm not working or really doing much of anything. This week has just felt like that honestly. I've thought a lot about it and I feel like I have so much to do but I literallt cant if my companion can't do anything. Mentally it's not been the best week let's just say that :) I'm hoping that I get to stay here in Carpina and get some work done :) Man have I been trying though! 

Saturday was just a huge blessing from the Lord! Sister Da Mata woke up and was feeling a little better so that was already a huge step! Not only that but we got to take a quick trip to Caramagibe and watch a devotional with our district. Elder Soares was in São Paulo and had a devotional for all the missionaries here in Brasil! I don't even have words to describe it :) I've had so so many thoughts, questions, and doubts in my head since being here in Brasil. This devotional literally gave me answers that I was not expecting. The Spirit is so real. There was a point while he was talking that I could have cried. Don't worry! All happy tears, but none of them fell ;) It was just so good! I love this gospel, that's all :) It was just so so good and I needed it more than I want to admit haha! By the time we got back it was game time because the devotional took up most of the day. It was full of making some contacts and phone calls, nothing too eventful ;) 

Sunday was jam packed with meetings haha! Who would've thought that missionaries would attend literally almost every meeting we have possible? ;) Thais didn't end up coming to church this week :/ que triste! But we're planning on making a visit this week with Irmã Renata. We did have Celia and her family come to church though! They're basically members but they won't get married so they aren't baptized. During sacrament though Sister Da Mata and I literally looked like the primary haha! We had 9 kids sitting with us and chatting. I have no idea what happened but we had a full isle to say the least ;) The rest of the day was literally just meetings with the Bishopric and with the presidencies. We also had to do our weekly planning. It was kinda sad knowing that it's our last one for the transfer. This has flown by! This week it took a little bit longer due to some interruptions from of DL and STL's but we got it all taken care of :) 

I can't wait to talk to you today! I love you forever and for always!