Baptisms and future revelations

KETTLIN WAS BAPTIZED!!!!! she is so awesome! shes had 8 missionaries pass through and teach her, and was finally ready when we got here! we left her a chapter in the book of mormon and some pamphlets to read so she could think of questions for the next lesson and when we got there the next day she was like ``i dont have any questions but heres what i learned`` then taught the lesson to us. haha it was so cool! but wow there is no better feeling in the world than when someone you love comes out of the waters of baptism. the spirit is so strong at that moment!! and we went into the bathroom after to help her with everything and she came in from the font and was just crying. ah its the best. then the next day her less active neighbor, jorge, came to church with her and he was talking to us and then randomly says ``i really wanna go to the temple. theres some things i have to take care of but i really want to go.`` WHAT!!! it was so cool. kettlin will help him so much!! 

also this week we were walking on the road and then this car drives by and yells ``OI GATINHAS!!!`` (basically, ``hi little foxy girls``) but we couldnt see who it was cause the passenger seat had a tree sticking out the window, but then the car turned into the chakara (kinda like a farm but without the animals... just a lot of land...) that one of the members own so we figured it was her (thankfully) and then she called us and told us to come there so we did and her car was full of trees and grass.... so we layed grass.. in our skirts. haha but i went to put down this one piece of grass and there dog was standing right where it needed to go so i said in the gentlist little voice ``excuse me`` and then the members daughter, morgana, yells ``GET OUT OF HERE!!!!`` at the dog and then we all started laughing. hahaha

then we taught this member and her less active husband about how they need to put God first and stuff and we turned from missionaries to marriage counselors in about .5 seconds. they started yelling at each other and she was crying and he was laughing and wow. it was such an awkward situation. but we drew them a cute little picture and told them to talk with love and it got a little tiny bit better. so when we got home sister pence and i started writing down everything we learned and everything we dont want to happen with our future relationships!! but they were both at church yesterday and his arm was around her so thats a good sign :) 

also this week we taught this lady that lives with her sons family and theyre all members, so we taught her about the restauration and she has SO MANY doubts and questions and we were there for 2 hours and then finally it all clicked and she said ``does this mean my church isnt right??`` ah the spirit was so strong and it was such a good lesson!! she told us about when her son joined to church she prayed for his salvation and basically asked that he would be a member of the church that would guarentee his salvation and then she said ``and to this day hes still a member of your church.``

thats all :)

-sis lloyd  

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March 23, 2015

This week I ran into a tree branch and almost had a heart attack. Then
after that we were trying to find Eliane's house and we were on the
right road but WAY too far north, so we walked passed these two guys
cutting tree branches and one of them looks at us and says ``doing
visits?`` and so we just say yeah and keep walking, then we realized
we were too high, so we turned around and walked passed these guys
again and the other one yells out ``are you guys looking for Senhor
João?? he´s right here!!!`` then the one that talked to us the first
time ran over to us and just started preaching super animatedly about
fire and how we are the church and that it doesn't matter our religion
because the church of God is in us. It was super strange.

Also, Sister Pence made a goal to not eat sweets for the rest of her
mission. So naturally this becomes my goal too. BUT as soon as we made
this goal, we visited Taynara and what happens?? her husband, Saulo,
gives us each 4 pieces of chocolate cake and a glass of coke, and
Saulo's mom gave us each two candies. So I think our next goal will be
to eat ONLY sweets. haha kidding BECAUSE- I also weighed myself this
week. Bad, bad, BAD idea......... I've gained 8 kilos... which is 16
pounds.......... so we´ve also taken on a new exercise program. haha

BUT also!!! this week we taught this girl, Ketlin, and we taught her
about baptism and the spirit was so so strong and we asked her to be
baptized and she was like ``um...I'll give you an answer on Sunday``
so Sister Pence asked her what her doubts were and she was like
``okay...... if I get baptized... am I gonna have to serve a
mission?? cause I really don't want to.`` hahaha so we assured her
that she doesn't have to and she's getting baptized this Saturday!!!!!
wahoo!!! but also she was taught by Elder Leao (who also taught
Taynara) when he was in this area about a year and a half ago and now
Taynara and Ketlin and both getting baptized. So really missionary
work is about loving people and helping them build their faith and
testimonies in Christ. It's not about baptizing or how many
investigators we can get to church that week. A lot of the people that
we teach probably won't get baptized while I'm here, but at least I'm
planting seeds :)

Thats all :)

tchau tchau

Sis Lloyd

March 16, 2015

TAYNARA WAS BAPTIZED!!!!! It was the greatest day ever. She was so
excited and had us go with her to try on her cute, one size fits all,
baptism jumpsuit and it was super huge and she's super tiny and she
didn't know what to do so Sister Pence rolled up the ends by her feet
and then she asked me to braid her hair and she looked like a little
girl. haha it was so cute. Then during her baptism the spirit was SO
strong and wow, when she came out of the water it felt like the spirit
punched your heart (for lack of a better way to describe it.. hahaha)
and so then we went back into the bathroom to help her change and
everything and she was just sobbing her eyes out and saying she was so
happy. Then later she asked us if this meant we were going to stop
coming to her house to teach her, but I thought she was asking if we
were going to come to her house to eat food so I said ``yeah! I think
so!!`` and her face was horrified so I was like ``wait... what'd you
say??`` hahaha yeah Portuguese is great.....

Also this week we taught one of our investigators, Giselle, and we
talked about faith and baptism and whatnot and then we talked about
cake. and how we made THE BEST cake in the whole entire world but to
know it's the best cake in the world SHE has to try it herself. we
can't force her to eat it, we´re just presenting it to her. Then we
asked her to be baptized and she said ``I don't have enough faith``
and then it was quiet for a minute and I just stopped thinking about
myself and about my Portuguese and I just opened my mouth and started
talking and I'm not really sure what I said but the spirit was super
strong and then Giselle said ``I will eat it`` (talking about the
cake. hahaha) and then we left her house and Sister Pence turned to me
and said ``ummm... WHAT WAS THAT?!!! THAT WAS AMAZING!!`` and so now
I'm never ever going to think of myself ever again. because when I do
nothing makes sense. But wow I learned that I am seriously nothing
here and that the spirit really does do all the work!!!

and our other investigator, Eliane, has two daughters that are recent
converts so every lesson with her is so awesome!! and every time we
leave there Sister Pence and I say that they feel like our family and
we could stay there forever!! ah and Eliane said she always gets so
excited when she knows were coming so she always has food for us
(which is a bonus. also the picture I attached of them, you can see a
spill on my shirt from the food she gave us. hahaha)

Also this week for district meeting, our zone leaders taught and the
night before they called us to bring 3 cups and 3 knives, so in the
morning as we were leaving we shut the door and then I turned to
Sister Pence and whispered ``did you get the knives?`` then we started
laughing because it sounded really creepy like we were going to go
kill someone.

and that's about all I can remember from this week...

TCHAU TCHAU!!!!

-Sis Lloyd

BATISMO!!

Abinádi...

since we are both new in this area, we know basically nothing about anyone or where anyone lives or anything. SO we got a list of all the members and went to one neighborhood and started visiting them all and almost ALL of them are inactive so it was really cool. BUT the first couple people we visited basically laughed at us the whole time so we were feeling pretty bad, BUT we´ve been reading the book of mormon together and we had just read about abinadi so we decided ``enough with the cute little happy messages! lets be bold like abinadi!! THIS IS SALVATION!!!`` so our next lesson we didnt beat around the bush at all and we just told her how it is and wow the spirit was SO strong! it was awesome!! 

andddd i dont really remember anything else exciting happening during the week.. just a lot of walking and a lot of rain..... 

BUT theres this lady in our ward, Carmem, that WE LOVE! shes so hilarious and crazy and she gave us a note to pray about this lady, Vivane, to know if we should visit her so we went to her house and all prayed together and felt really good that we should go there so we marked to go there sunday. 

and now for sunday: we got to church all bright and early and looked all nice, we even joked that this was the most we looked liked women our whole missions (since now the chapel is 5 minutes away instead of an hour) and we were sitting there greeting everyone as they came in and bishop comes in and talks to us for a minute then leaves.... then comes back about 2 minutes later and says ``oh sisters, i need two talks for today`` WHAT!!!!!!!!!! so we go sit on the stand and i was completely calm. not one little nerve in my body. and i dont remember anything i said so i hope it was good. hahah THEN we had lunch with some members, Taisa and Moroni, and moroni´s dad, Mario, joined us, and then after we shared a scripture and whatnot and then Mario said ``you know what meninas.. ive been a member for 40 years and its been a long time since i´ve felt the spirit that strongly during a sacrament meeting as i did today during your talks. and i feel that same feeling now.`` so that was really cool and we high fived! AND THEN. we went with Carmem to Vivanes and her husband came out and was whispering and was like ``my wife doesnt want you to visit right now. sorry`` and so we gave him a little card with our number on it and were like ``ah tudo bem! we´ll mark another day!! Tchau!`` and so we went and taught Giselle, who´s SUPER cool and SUPER ready for baptism but still hasnt accepted, but anyway we taught her about the plan of salvation and it was super awesome and after we parted ways with Carmem and then the phone rang... so i answered and didnt understand anything, so i handed it to sister pence and it was Vivane and she went off! She told us that we are ``NEVER welcome to her home and that she already knows everything were going to tell her and that she knows more about our church than we do and that we can be assured that whatever feeling we had to visit her was NOT from God. Tudo bem? tchau.`` and hung up.............. So we decided it was a bad idea to try to be like Abinadi.. haha 

but then last night we were reading the book of mormon again and we read Alma 8:11 and sister pence just says ``vivane.`` and so we read the rest of the chapter and then just sat there for a minute and then looked at each other and said ``we need to go back`` but dont worry! were gonna find a full proof, safe, loving way. and we are confident the Lord is going to soften her heart. :) (and hopefully soften the blow of her punches too. haha jk) 

but then this morning we were walking to the market and it was POURING rain and this car turned down the road we were on and then when he was close to us he sped up and splashed water all over us and we looked at each other and said ``i bet it was vivane...`` hahahaha it was really funny. 

ALSO we were trying to make hot chocolate but it tasted really nasty so i grabbed the sugar and asked sister pence how much we should put in and she said ``just a clump`` so i started pouring it and then the bag like folded weird and DUMPED about half the bag in the pot. hahahahaha but it tasted better :) and it looked like rootbeer. hahaha but it was really funny

thats all. 

tchau tchau :) 

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kermintina, chocolate cake, and more miracles

TRANSFERS!! wahoo!! sister Pence and I both got transfered together to Bandeirantes!! (its like 15 minutes away from our old area.. haha) BUT we are the only missionaries in this area so we have nothing to work with. the elders that were here before us didnt even leave us a map... haha 

but our first day here we got calls all day from people in the ward welcoming us and saying they want to do visits with us and everything! (mostly just the young women since they havent had sisters in the ward for over 2 years) and then the rest of the week we basically just walked around lost and miraculously we found our way to every appointment and lunch!! We definitely had some divine help!! 

so, every day we switch off who´s in charge of answering the phone and stuff and so one day when it was my turn we got a call and it was a referal and hahaha i thought the name of the referal was something super weird like ``kermintina`` so i called this lady and made an appointment for the next day. so we go there and whats her name? Elza. hahahahahaha kermintina??? hahhaha this is why i should never be in charge of the phone. BUT elza lives alone because her husband died 7 years ago and shes still super sad and lonely. she has kids and about 25 grandkids but i dont think they visit her a lot. she just waters her plants and said ``i love to bake but i dont ever have anyone to share it with!`` and then she gave us a chocolate cake!! it was awesome! then she came to church yesterday and i bore my testimony (okay, i TRIED to bear my testimony...) and at the beginning i said ``sorry. i dont talk portuguese very well`` and then when i sat down elza hugged me and said ``you talk portuguese very well my child!`` then when church was over and she was leaving she gave me a big hug and said ``I love you!`` and she loved church and it was awesome! I LOVE KERMINTINA!! hahaha also that night when we were praying, i was saying it and i was asking Heavenly Father to bless and help Elza and when i said her name sister pence and i started laughing and i felt bad but i sure Heavenly Father was chuckling too :) 

also the first day we were here we got a call from a girl,ho is going on a mission in april and she said ``im leaving in april so i have nothing to do so i can do visits with you guys everyday. also i have a baptism for you.`` wow. thank you.. haha so the ``baptism`` she had for us was her sister in law, so we made an appointment with her for 9 in the morning becasue she works in the afternoons until late. so we get there at 9 and start clapping and no one comes........ so we call her name and all the other stuff brazilians do and still nothing.... so we decide to visit some less actives in the same neighborhood and we go there and... nothing. so we decided to sit and read the book of mormon since we were missing our study time and there was no point in walking all the way home and then all the way back for lunch. so we sat down and sister pence asked me to say a prayer so i did and i said ``please help us to know what to do. amen.`` DO DA DOO DODADOLADADO (thats our ringtone) LITERALLY THE SECOND I SAID AMEN OUR PHONE RANG!! it was spooky. and it was the

sister in law of the girl going on a misison and she was like ``SORRY! are you guys still close by?? can you come back??`` so we did and we sit down and she starts telling us everything she knows about our church and then she goes ``but i really want to know about baptism.`` so we taught about that and shes going to get baptised on march 13!! haha it was awesome but we literally didnt do anything!! and then she gave us cake! so it was good. i think i might gain a little weight in this area. haha

also we´ve made it a goal to take at least one picture every day so we´ve got a lot of pictures in our house right before we go to bed. hahaha also when we got to our apartment, there was a room just full of all the clothes and shoes and stuff elders have left behind... so naturally that room smelt awesome. 

TCHAU!!!!

sis lloyd

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