GENTE...("folks")...I left Catú. I am now in Dias D'Avila, about 30 minutes of busdrive away from Catú. I've been here for about an hour, so I can't tell you much about it. I am very happy. A chapter in my life...a little chapter, being Catú...is closing, and another opening.
I learned SO MUCH with Sisters Tiburcio and Santos...As Tres Nefitas. I loved them absolutely to pieces and learned more from them than I ever imagined I could. We saw the ward grow, we saw lives change, we saw testimonies blossom. My experience in Catú was beautiful. Now, I am very excited to bring what I learned in Catú to Dias D'Avila.
My whole experience of missionary work was Catú. I loved it there. I had three wonderful companions, four wonderful months. It was very hard to say goodbye to the ward that I had seen grow so much, through a few baptisms and LOTS of reactivation. This last transfer I truly gained a testimony of reactivation...that is, visiting and strengthening members of the ward who are not coming to church, or who are less active.
I haven't heard much about this area, but I do know that it was once the "best" in the mission. Now, it seems that things have slowed down and become a little "bleh." I'm seeing a lack of enthusiasm among the sisters that have served here. My goal: ANIMATE THIS ALA! (ala = ward = group of LDS members that attend church together, based on geographical boundaries). I will love the members with all my heart, strengthen them as much as I can, and get them excited about missionary work.
My advice of the month: love love love your companion. On your mission, in your marriage, in your work, tudo. This makes all the difference.
I am learning to open my mouth, my friends. I have stopped using the excuse "I'm American" to avoid leading, teaching, asking for addresses. I am learning to sit down in a little Bahian living room, look around at the family and friends who are there, gather the household, pray for inspiration to know what to teach them, and lead out in teaching the lesson. I am learning to love people I don't know, very quickly. I am learning to teach from the heart. I am learning to forget myself...although this is still a work in progress.
I love the mission. I love Bahia. Family, I love you all so much--the post finally started working again, and I got a bunch of letters today that made me so happy.Thank you SO much to all those who wrote. Family, I got your letter as well! WOO HOO!
The Gospel is true, Jesus lives, and Dias D'Avila will know it!
Com carinho,
Sis. Petty
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Oi oi família!!
Hello dearest family! This is for you and for the blog as well. I love you, family, very very much.
In two days, believe it or not...........*drumroll*.............I will hit SEIS MESES NA MISSÃO!! Six months, folks! Like my companion always says (and I picked up quickly), QUE É ISSO? I just don't believe it.
It's almost certain that I will be transfered. I've been here in Catú for 4 and a half months. I've never been transfered. I've been getting excited about a new area, and a change in my life (changes help me grow and set new goals), but I will be extremely sad to get a new companion. I've been with these two (Sisters Santos and Tiburcio) for two transfers, and I love them to pieces. I will miss their energy, leadership, and incredible examples. I will also miss the simple fact of a trio. It's such a bundle of fun to have three. Two will be very...quiet.
We have an investigator right now that is just wonderful. Her name is Simone, she's about 50 years old and has smoked for more than 30 of those years. We've been working with her for many weeks, and though she progressed slowly, she progressed! Now, she's gone almost TWO WEEKS without one cigar! Every time I think about her, and about this sincere and real change in her life, I want to leap for joy. The Gospel changes lives!
I'd like to publicly thank my home bishop, Bishop Tracy, for his idea in my ward in Raleigh, North Carolina. I snatched his idea and used it in a talk in church a couple Sundays ago: Invite! As members, there is such great power in simply opening our mouths and inviting. You're not gonna offend anyone, and you really have nothing to lose--why not just invite? Invite a friend to an activity, to hear the missionaries, to church. For those of you readers who are members, I have the same challenge for you way up there in the Northern Hemisphere. Open your mouth and the Lord will help you. Invite! Invite! Invite!
For those of you readers who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, consider yourselves invited now! To church, or to hear from the missionaries. This church is based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and can truly change your life. I know this because it's changing mine.
Sei que Jesus Cristo vive. Essa é a Igreja Dele. Joseph Smith é um profeta de Deus. O Livro de Mórmon é verdadeiro. Jesus Cristo viveu, sofreu, e morreu para que nós pudéssemos viver...para que nós pudéssemos desfrutar esta vida maravilhosa. Eu amo Jesus Cristo, eu amo ser uma missionária, e eu amo essa obra.
Com muito amor,
Sis. Petty
In two days, believe it or not...........*drumroll*.............I will hit SEIS MESES NA MISSÃO!! Six months, folks! Like my companion always says (and I picked up quickly), QUE É ISSO? I just don't believe it.
It's almost certain that I will be transfered. I've been here in Catú for 4 and a half months. I've never been transfered. I've been getting excited about a new area, and a change in my life (changes help me grow and set new goals), but I will be extremely sad to get a new companion. I've been with these two (Sisters Santos and Tiburcio) for two transfers, and I love them to pieces. I will miss their energy, leadership, and incredible examples. I will also miss the simple fact of a trio. It's such a bundle of fun to have three. Two will be very...quiet.
We have an investigator right now that is just wonderful. Her name is Simone, she's about 50 years old and has smoked for more than 30 of those years. We've been working with her for many weeks, and though she progressed slowly, she progressed! Now, she's gone almost TWO WEEKS without one cigar! Every time I think about her, and about this sincere and real change in her life, I want to leap for joy. The Gospel changes lives!
I'd like to publicly thank my home bishop, Bishop Tracy, for his idea in my ward in Raleigh, North Carolina. I snatched his idea and used it in a talk in church a couple Sundays ago: Invite! As members, there is such great power in simply opening our mouths and inviting. You're not gonna offend anyone, and you really have nothing to lose--why not just invite? Invite a friend to an activity, to hear the missionaries, to church. For those of you readers who are members, I have the same challenge for you way up there in the Northern Hemisphere. Open your mouth and the Lord will help you. Invite! Invite! Invite!
For those of you readers who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, consider yourselves invited now! To church, or to hear from the missionaries. This church is based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and can truly change your life. I know this because it's changing mine.
Sei que Jesus Cristo vive. Essa é a Igreja Dele. Joseph Smith é um profeta de Deus. O Livro de Mórmon é verdadeiro. Jesus Cristo viveu, sofreu, e morreu para que nós pudéssemos viver...para que nós pudéssemos desfrutar esta vida maravilhosa. Eu amo Jesus Cristo, eu amo ser uma missionária, e eu amo essa obra.
Com muito amor,
Sis. Petty
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Hello to the family--She didn't have time for a blog today, so we're willing to share! :)
Hello family!
I'm almost done with my third transfer in Catú. This will be 4 and a
half months in one area. I know the members, the neighborhoods
(bairros), the store owners, the internet man, the cracks and bumps in
the streets, the hobos, even the dogs...and they know me! I love Catú
SO much--it was the perfect city for me to start in. About 50,000
residents, I think, small and so very quiant (sp?). Many, many people
here were born and raised here, and their parents as well. Many of
them have been living in the same little house for more than 50 years.
Some grandparents are living in the same house they were born in.
Two of the things most important to a missionary, money and letters
(bank and post offices), are on strike right now. Actually, I think
they went "off strike" today, but boy that was stressful!
I'm about to undergo huge changes in my life, as I will probably be
transferred in less than two weeks. I love the mission and I love the
Gospel!
Enjoy the pictures!
Love,
Anne
I'm almost done with my third transfer in Catú. This will be 4 and a
half months in one area. I know the members, the neighborhoods
(bairros), the store owners, the internet man, the cracks and bumps in
the streets, the hobos, even the dogs...and they know me! I love Catú
SO much--it was the perfect city for me to start in. About 50,000
residents, I think, small and so very quiant (sp?). Many, many people
here were born and raised here, and their parents as well. Many of
them have been living in the same little house for more than 50 years.
Some grandparents are living in the same house they were born in.
Two of the things most important to a missionary, money and letters
(bank and post offices), are on strike right now. Actually, I think
they went "off strike" today, but boy that was stressful!
I'm about to undergo huge changes in my life, as I will probably be
transferred in less than two weeks. I love the mission and I love the
Gospel!
Enjoy the pictures!
Love,
Anne
Pictures! :)
FINALLY I'm getting pictures sent. This is top priority this time,
after my e-mail to president. If you could post some (or all) to the
blog, COOL! If not, that's okay. :-)
I have almost 700 pictures right now....I'll be making a CD to send
home soon, for security purposes. :-)
PICTURE DESCRIPS
-A street dressed up for São Juão
-My first district!
– beautiful children
– a painting in the President’s house. Missionary work in BAHIA!
– a tiny child shelling peas
– typical sight in Bahia—horses and motorcycles
– a thing I made out of dough
– A child eating one of the most delicious things in the world:
homemade maracujá ice-cream
- Me and Bianca
- Three of us, dressed up for a little skit for the elders
-lotsa kitties--(She meant to send another pic but selected this one instead.. oh well!)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Attitude Adjustment
Hello world!
Conference was this week! We got to hear from a living prophet and his
twelve apostles. What a priviledge. Let me share a little miracle in
my life that kind of represents my thoughts and feelings as a
missionary right now.
When I arrived at the chapel in Alogoinhas on Sunday, in a bus full of
Catú ward members, I was super super excited. Conference has always
been a big deal at my house, and I was even more excited now as a
missionary to watch and learn and feel the Spirit. I had prepared
myself emotionally--I thought--to listen in Portuguese, knowing that
finding a place in English would be unlikely. But when I find out that
this was the case, and I really would have to watch in a second
language, I become a bit depressed. I admit that I pouted a little,
deep down inside. The whole first session, I listen and tried to
understand, but felt overwhelmed and helpless. I could only think of
how much BETTER and EASIER it would be in my own language, dang it!
This first session, I understood little.
However, at the end of the first session, my wonderful companion Sis.
Santos sat me down and challenged me to pray sincerely and ask the
Lord to bless me with the gift of tongues. If you do this, you will
understand everything you need to, she told me with the power of a
missionary. Her challenge and the Spirit it brought were powerful, so
I swallowed what I then realized was my pride and followed her
guidance.
I prayed, adjusted my attitude, and went to the second session with my
head in a completely different place. "What a great opportunity this
is to learn," I told myself. "How often will I get to watch conference
in Brazil?" I sat down, pulled out my notebook and pen, and focused
with all my mind and heart on the speakers. With my eyes fixed on the
floor in front of me, sometimes even eyes closed, I listened and felt
and understood. With the Lord's help, I really did understand
everything that I needed to. I felt the Spirit, I received revelation
for myself and for my work as a missionary, and had a completely
opposite experience than the first sesson.
I know the Lord lives. I know that attitude is everything, and with
the Lord's help we can truly have the attitude we need to.
I love you all. I love your letters and support. I can't thank you all
enough for your prayers. Keep 'em coming...this week my comps are
giving me a turn to be "senior" companion. GAh! So I'll need the
Lord's help even more.
Keep praying and reading scriptures every day!
Com carinho,
Sis. Petty
Conference was this week! We got to hear from a living prophet and his
twelve apostles. What a priviledge. Let me share a little miracle in
my life that kind of represents my thoughts and feelings as a
missionary right now.
When I arrived at the chapel in Alogoinhas on Sunday, in a bus full of
Catú ward members, I was super super excited. Conference has always
been a big deal at my house, and I was even more excited now as a
missionary to watch and learn and feel the Spirit. I had prepared
myself emotionally--I thought--to listen in Portuguese, knowing that
finding a place in English would be unlikely. But when I find out that
this was the case, and I really would have to watch in a second
language, I become a bit depressed. I admit that I pouted a little,
deep down inside. The whole first session, I listen and tried to
understand, but felt overwhelmed and helpless. I could only think of
how much BETTER and EASIER it would be in my own language, dang it!
This first session, I understood little.
However, at the end of the first session, my wonderful companion Sis.
Santos sat me down and challenged me to pray sincerely and ask the
Lord to bless me with the gift of tongues. If you do this, you will
understand everything you need to, she told me with the power of a
missionary. Her challenge and the Spirit it brought were powerful, so
I swallowed what I then realized was my pride and followed her
guidance.
I prayed, adjusted my attitude, and went to the second session with my
head in a completely different place. "What a great opportunity this
is to learn," I told myself. "How often will I get to watch conference
in Brazil?" I sat down, pulled out my notebook and pen, and focused
with all my mind and heart on the speakers. With my eyes fixed on the
floor in front of me, sometimes even eyes closed, I listened and felt
and understood. With the Lord's help, I really did understand
everything that I needed to. I felt the Spirit, I received revelation
for myself and for my work as a missionary, and had a completely
opposite experience than the first sesson.
I know the Lord lives. I know that attitude is everything, and with
the Lord's help we can truly have the attitude we need to.
I love you all. I love your letters and support. I can't thank you all
enough for your prayers. Keep 'em coming...this week my comps are
giving me a turn to be "senior" companion. GAh! So I'll need the
Lord's help even more.
Keep praying and reading scriptures every day!
Com carinho,
Sis. Petty
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