Email home: Monday, June 20, 2022

From: Kaitlyn.garcia@missionary.org
Date: Monday, June 20, 2022
Subject: Almost the last one...

Hello hello! 

How are you guys?? I feel like the weeks go by way faster when pday gets moved, it's one less day that's for sure! This week went by super quick and had a lot going on so here we go :) 

Tuesday was such a good pday holy cow! We left bright and early to get to the temple in time for our session at 9:30am. I seriously love the temple and it was very much needed this time around too :) We had such a good session and as always so loved sitting in the Celestial Room! As we were getting ready to go and change some of the workers snagged us and asked us if we were willing to participate in a sealing session to be the kids. DUH! We spent the next hour doing sealings and it was THE coolest thing ever! I can't wait to do more :) We took all our pictures too and then we headed to lunch at the mall that's next door. I got a super yummy Poke bowl too! Hawaii still is way better but this was still pretty good :) We made a quick trip back to the temple too to go to the store that's next to it. I ended up snagging a few things and then we made our way back to Camaragibe.Pday was ending so soon but I was able to talk to my mom for a minute and respond to a few people buy not too many haha! We did play some spikeball at the capela to wrap up our pday with the Elders too. We also had a ward baptism on Tuesday night! She's the cutest little girl and wanted us to come, we were able to help set up a little bit and be there for her. I also got to see a few members from Torreão too! It was a cousin that got baptized so I got to see some of my favorite people :) 

Okay so I can't lie, I'm very behind on writing this because this week was full of stuff but I'll try my best to out everything in here :) Wednesday we had a good time doing some street contacts and getting our lunch. We had money so we decided to go get lunch from a little restaurant and while we were walking this guy looked at us and then yelled 'WOW' really loud and literally the whole street stopped to look at us. Que vergonha but whatever. We were also able to meet up with Henrique! Hea a referência from a mission wayyyy in the South of Brasil but he lives here in Camaragibe. We planned to meet up with him and give him a Book of Mormon and it all worked out! He now has his own Book of Mormon and he said that he would read it :) We had the coolest miracle too! While we were talking to Henrique this guy came up to us and asked us if we had a Book of Mormon for him. We chatted with him super quick, gave him a Book of Mormon and then he just walked off. I was sad we didn't get us contact but we did invite him to church so I guess that's something! We had some more street contacting and the weather decided to take a turn, it's seriously so bipolar haha! It was super hot and sunny but then out of nowhere it started to rain. We decided to book it to get covered when this guy stopped us and asked us if we could share a message with him. We were soaking wet but we got his contact and his address. It was a serious benção from the Lord! We were also able to finish up the night with a video call so we could talk to Diogo. We even had irmão Marcos join us and it was a huge blessing and helped a lot! It was a good day and full of so many tender mercies :) 

Thursday rolled around so quick! Thursday was also such a good day! For starters we had DC in person in São Lourenço woot woot! This area has a district that's super spread out so that means everything is online, including DC so it was nice to have something in person:) We had some really solid trainings and teachings too and it was something I didn't know I was needing. We did have a little bit of a struggle to get to São Lourenço though haha! We planned to take the bus with the Elders but we learned that you need a bus card to get on and none of us have bus cards haha! This resulted in us just getting and Uber and it was actually cheaper than the bus! After DC we were able to start our exchange exchange the Sisters in Carpina! Sister Feitosa and I stated here in Camaragibe with cute Sister Araruna while Sister Bradford and Sister Cattron stayed in Carpina. It was a good exchange and Sister Araruna is so funny haha! Her and Sister Feitosa were I the same CTM so they were sharing memories and little moments the whole day and it was fun to watch:) When it came time to make goals Sister Araruna actually cried and told me that she's never had anyone that actually cares about how she's doing other than her family and that she's happy to know that ad STL's we're here to help and support. We had some lessons and a few contacts on the street but of course we had more rain haha! It was good though and we were still able to work and contact people. I also learned that Sister Araruna has a huge sweet tooth! Haha! She literally wanted to just eat sweets all day, I thought I developed a little bit of a sweet tooth but boy was I wrong! Anywho, we did have a lesson lesson Diogo but it was kind of sad one, he told us that he drank coffee. Yikes scoob! We talked with him again about the Word of Wisdom and he told us that he would try even harder and that he would buy cervada too. I'm hopeful that it helps so that he can start living the Word of Wisdom:) 

Friday we were able to get our exchange all finished up before it was too late in the afternoon. Carpina is an hour and a half on the bus so it requires some planning to not take away from the day. We had some really solid lessons and were able even to talk to our home Cesar about baptism a little bit :) I have some high hopes for him haha! We also had some fun adventures in Tabatinga! We waited for a fat minute in the sunshine for the bus to pass by but when we did we hoped on. We took the opportunity to contact some people and I ended up talking to the sweetest lady named Sandra. It was a quick lesson of the Plan of Salvation but it was just what she needed too! When we got to Tabatinga we were able to contact some people and visit a few less actives while waiting for a menos ativo to meet us so we can start teaching his family. This is actually such a big miracle! Presidente Silva, the first counselor for the mission, sent us this referência and told us we needed to go and visit. Basically Vitor (21) is a member but super inactive bit he wants to come back to church and bring his family with him. We met up with him and were able to start teaching his wife, mom, and grandpa! How rad is that?! Not only that but he has 2 kids and they're the sweetest little things ever! We snagged a bus back to the capela to make a few phone calls before calling it a night. I can't lie too, I was on lile a spiritual high fromhe soon with Vitor and His family but Sister Bradford made me a little frusturated. She was just treating me like I was in my training too and not just Sister Feitosa. I think she knew it too and tried hard to fix it. When we got to the capela she was a little bit more relaxed and un the end it passed. While we were at the capela we were able to chat a little bit with our new MLA too and update our ward mission plan so that was a total win! We also managed to call Daniel and talk to him a little bit. He made a few comments though thay I didn't love but we made it through the lesson and it was good. The days are just going by quick! 

Saturday was a day to say the least haha! I feel like I didn't do much but at the same time I know we did stuff. I had a really good study and I'm almost done with the Book of Mormon again :) We had lunch in the apartment too so I was able to work some more on my letters. I have a goal to write letters for all the Sisters before I leave and leave them in the mission office for them. The lunch we had did not sit well but I knew we had stuff to do so I said a quick prayer and we were on our way. We decoded to visit our homie Felipe that stopped us in the rain but when we got there he asked if we could go back a little later. We had a referência from the Elders (really a member from their ward) that lives on the same street so we stopped by. She was super busy but when we told her it would be just 10 minutes she let us and we shared a quick message. Her husband's family has a few members so she already heard a little bit of the church but I'm so excited to teach her! Her and husband actually seemed married too and they have the cutest son too :) We tried to visit a few members but we're learning that our records are very out of date and no one lives here anymore. We passed by the praça and there were a ton of people but we actually ran into a RC and he ended up chatting with us for a fat minute and we didn't get to contact anyone because we had to be to the capela for our activity. We planned a huge missionary activity with Carmelo and UR 7 and it was good! I wish there would've been more people but it was good for the members that were there. We talked about families and the temple and the Elders from Carmelo actually got a referência so the activity worked haha! I also got to eat my first corn dish for São João and it wasn't too bad, still miss Mexican corn but what can you do? ;) The activity went a little later than planned so we booked it back to the apartment and called a few people while we still could. It was a busy day and I think we may or may not have killed Sister Feitosa haha! 

Sunday went by super quick and had a lot going on haha! We got up and got going so that we could go to church to meet Diogo and Daniel. They both came so that was a huge blessing :) Church was really good too and we were actually able to have a really good meeting after with some of the leadership in our ward. We headed to our lunch and it was so yummy! It's actually Irmã Angela's Sister sister made us lunch and it was a literal buffet. I've never eaten so much in my life and man was I so full haha! We were able to share a super powerful message with her and we even got a referência woot woot! We finished up there and got into our studies and I officially finished the Book of Mormon again :) Now it's time to start reading at home haha! We scheduled a family home evening with our ward missionary and his family so we prepped real quick and made our way to Vila da Fabrica. It was super good and we learned that his wife and kids are actually super less actives and that he needs help bringing them back to church. It was a super good lesson though and I'm hopeful that we can go back soon :) We got back with just enough time to do our weekly planning and have a quick call with the Sisters. It was a good Sunday and such a quick week! I can't wait to talk to you guys! I love you to the moon and back!