FAMILIA!!!! Ahhhhhh. I just have so much to say. Where to start. LOVE LOVE LOVE your letters! Seriously, keeps me going sometimes.
Soooo happy you got the picture of us last night! Let me start out with that family. They are incredible, to say the least. By the way...it was Brother...not sister...that emailed you. Okay so they have a complicated family. Not complicated as in lots of trials...just like some kids are one parent....I don't exactly know who belongs to who. But they are INCREDIBLE!!! They actually have 3 children living in Utah. The parents just got back from visiting the states and their children. So they know english. Which is incredible, because when we visit, they help. Haha. Im just gonna say it...they are rich...way way way rich. One of their daughters that is living here is married, but her husband is not a member which is why we visit them so often. His name is Wesley. And he is hilarious...but he doesn't speak english. Anyways, last night wasn't really considered a lesson or anything. We just did a family night with them. And okay so the food-- it was supposed to be a snack. No joke. We gave the lesson and they said they would prepare a snack...but there was cake, lasagna type thingy, tuna fish casserole (actually really good), sandwiches. haha. So that was interesting. I am gonna get so fat here if that is considered snack. Anyways, so mom don't worry, they will understand your letter back to them.
Speaking of food- Here is a weird fun fact. When we go to members houses for lunch, they don't eat with us. Hahaha....it is not AT ALL like the US. They cook the food, we come they tell us what it is and then we serve, eat by our selves in the kitchen and then after we are done, they come back and talk to us for a little bit...haha. It was strange at first, but not anymore.
Companion Time-- SHE IS INCREDIBLE!! Ahhh i love her so much. She is just the sweetest. She is brazilian, and from brazil...but she is Japanese. Haha...her grandparents moved here. So we get some really funny looks because how rare it is to see an American and Japanese walking down together. Haha. Anyways, she is just incredible. She is an amazing missionary, an amazing trainer. She just knows how to help whoever in every way.
JULIANA! She is my first baptism!!! And my first real investigator. Wooohoooooo. She is getting baptized this Sunday. We found her working and she knew who we were, so we asked if we could visit her at her house. So we went to her house the next day and taught her about the plan of salvation and the gospel. She has 2 kids...who aren't hers. She was with a man, but he left her for another woman, and he left his kids with her. At the end of the lesson, I was testifying of the Holy Ghost, and inviting her to pray. After I finished, she just broke down into tears. Needless to say, she definitely has her trials. No money, 2 kids, no gas to cook food..Her apartment is seriously half of my room total. If that. Once she told us all of this, we told her to pray for help. We invited her to church, and to get baptized. YES TO ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS. Boom. The spirit was so so strong, and the Lord did bless her. She came to church with the youngest daughter and she was just so so excited and happy, and a completely new Juliana. It is incredible to see that all happen. To see that change in people...holy cow. Unimaginable.
We are teaching a man from Africa. He has been living here in Brazil for a while...but prefers the lessons in English. So before I arrived, my comp was worried because her english isn't that good. But now I am here, and hey guess what! I know english! Anyways...name is Brobbey. He is awesome. Seriously EVERY missionary knows him. He is just so awesome. But...he isn't baptized yet. Haha. We are working with him though.
So the title of this letter has two stories.
Stray Dog with 3 Legs-- That pretty much sums up how I feel sometimes. Hahaha. Seriously it is hilarious. We will be out contacting and every person we contact will just stare at me...like what is that foreign thing...haha after they have stared and studied, they will then start to try and help me...like ohhhh. You american...haha...and then I start to talk...and I speak in portuguese...and they are just all, wait a second... you can walk??? haha. My companion and I just laugh and laugh at it.
Baratas. AKA Cockroaches. I HATE COCKROACHES!!!!!! Our apartment has been taken over...seriously everywhere. Clothes, beds, kitchen, laundry room... blah blah! So we have been sleeping at Guara 2 sisters apartment at night, but working in our area. We have boughten bug killer medicine after medicine, after raid, after baking soda..blah blah blah. NOTHING IS WORKING. Hahaha, so we literally spend like 2 minutes, maybe in our apartment. There is one REALLY strong medicine that you clean your house in with but it is in another area, 40 minutes away. And Elder Koeliker wont let us go get it. Haha...I mean really, what good is it to know the Assistant of the President if we don't get things out of it. And I am totally kidding.... but somehow we will deal.
Yesterday was incredible! We got a reference from other missionaries about a lady that lives in our area. We went and visited her yesterday and taught her (celia), her husband (erazmo), her husbands brother(antonio) and her husbands cousin. We taught about the restoration, and ALL of them were just glued to the lesson. Asking questions, and so on. Anyways, Celia started crying, and before we knew it...seriously mid lesson...she was asking us where our Church was and that she wanted to go. INCREDIBLE. They are ready, they were prepared for us to teach them. Ready for baptism, and ready for the gospel.
So with all of our challenges, cause trust me, we had some this week, the Lord blessed us. And I am so so grateful. Every time my comp and I even started to get a little down on ourselves...the Lord would answer our prayers and help us. I know it, I feel his help every day. He loves us, and is blessing us daily. I love this place, and I love being here. Even with cockroaches invading my territory.
Thanks for your prayers, thanks for the love everybody!!! I miss you all so so much, but....I love love love it here!
And also...the food aint too bad...and also...you would all be proud to hear...we have a McDonalds seriously across the street from our apartment...and I have yet to go... talk about self-constraint. (sp?)
LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!
Sister Craig!
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