ACABOU!

Matthew 16: 25-26

 

 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

My time in Brazil has come to an end. I have loved every second of my mission and have grown and learned so much.

I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and I know that it has to power to change lives- no matter how hurt, lost, or far away the person is. The gospel has the power to bring every soul back to our Celestial home. 

I am forever grateful for the people I have met and the chance I had to get to know the Savior a little better. 

Thanks for all your support and love!! I love you all. 

See you all soon. 

-Sis Lloyd

MOTHERS DAY!

Happy Mother´s Day to all the lovely moms out there!!! (Especially to my mom, who is the best.) 

This week I´m going to share something I studied this week that I liked a lot. It´s out of the Teachings of Presidents of the Church David O. Mckay. In one of the chapters he tells this story: 

``There is an old story... which told of the experience of a great artist who was engaged to paint a mural for the cathedral in a Sicilian town. The subject was the life of Christ. For many years the artist labored diligently, and finally the painting was finished except for the two most important figures, the Christ Child and Judas Iscariot. He searched far and wide for models for those two figures. 

 One day while walkng in an old part of the city he came upon some children playing in the street. Among them was a twelve-year-old boy whose face stirred the painter´s heart. It was the face of an angel - a very dirty one, perhaps, but the face he needed. 

The artist took the child home with him, and day after day the boy sat patiently until the face of the Christ Child was finished. 

But the painted failed to find a model for Judas. For years, haunted by the fear that his masterpiece would remain unfinished, he continued his search. 

One afternood, in a tavern, the painter saw a gaunt and tattered figure stagger across the threshold and fall to the floor, begging for a glass of wine. The painted lifted him up and looked into a face that startled him. It seemed to bear the marks of every sin of mankind. 

´Come with me,` the painter said, ´I will give you wine, food, and clothing.´ 

Here at last was his model for Judas. For many days and parts of many nights the painter worked feverishly to complete his masterpiece. 

As the work went on, a change came over the model. A strange tension replaced the stuporous languor, and his bloodshot eyes were fixed with horror on the painted likeness of himself. One day, perceiving his subject´s agitation, the painter paused in his work, saying ´My son, I´d like to help you. What troubles you so?´ 

The model sobbed and burried his face in his hands. After a long moment he lifted pleading eyes to the old painter´s face. 

`Do you not then remember me? Years ago I was your model for the Christ Child!``

President Mckay then goes on to explain that ``man has a natural body and a spiritual body`` He talks about the importance to nuture our spiritual body and not our natural one. At the end of the chapter he goes on to state, ``The true end of life is not mere existence, not pleasure, not fame, not weath. The true purpose of life is the perfection of humanity through individual effort, under the guidance of God´s inspiration. 

I am so very grateful to my mother for teaching me about God and to always seek His guidance and counsel so that He can make more of me than I ever could alone. Abraham Lincoln said it perfectly exactly how I feel about my mom, 

``All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.``

Love you all!!! 

Have a great week! 

-Sis Lloyd

Letícia was baptized!!!

Little Letícia was baptized on saturday!! 

It was super special. She was scared because this week it cooled off a ton and the church doesnt have a water heater, so she was baptized in cold water. After her baptism, her sister asked if she was happy and without missing a beat, wrapped up in her blanket, she said ``NO!`` but yesterday as she was being confirmed a member, her smile from ear to ear told a different story. During sacrament, she asked me for a Book of Mormon to give to her cousin and started marking all of her favorite parts for him to read. She asked me what part to mark and I told her ``let him read this part and when he finishes you can mark another one```and she said ``but he lives far away! So we have to mark a lot for him to read!!`` It was so cute. She also has a piggy bank that shes started to save up her money to go on a mission. I love her to death!! 

Also, my companion Sister Lopes, was sick last week and this week too. She has a virus that is transmitted through misquitos, called Chikungunya. The virus causes a ton of pain in the joints and aches in the whole body. The virus also stays in your body for a year or a year and a half, and every month has some kind of symptom that attacks. The worst part is the sickness is new so the doctors don´t know exactly what to do to treat it. But we´re doing everything we can to treat it!  

So I dont have much more to share with you all. But I know that everything happens for a reason and that Heavenly Father is very mindful of all of our needs. He takes care of us in His time, and I know that His timing is perfect. 

Love you all!! 

-Sister Lloyd   

MARRIAGE!!!

Remember Camilla? How she´s amazing? And how she deserves to be sealed to her family in the temple? Well today she got one step closer! 

Her and Roberto got legally married!!! Roberto is from a different country here in South America and last week we got a very happy phone call from Camilla saying that he decided to go to his home country to get his birth certificate to be able to get married! 

It has been so amazing to see the changes that have happened in their lives and their relationship be strengthened. Lots of peole have said that the mission changes you, but really its the Atonement that changes you. Here on the mission, everyday we study, we teach, we learn, we live a little bit more of the Atonement. We literally become closer to Christ every day. These ``changes`` are available to everyone. Everyone has the priviledge to study more, to learn more, to live more of the Atonement, and become closer to Christ every single day. 

I know that Christ loves us all individually and we should all seek to find a little more of that love. When we do, the biggest changes happen. 

love you all!! 

Have a great week! 

-Sis Lloyd 

This week we had an experience that was pretty funny.

So, we were in a neighborhood that?s pretty far away from our house
and we went to our first appointment, and she wasn?t there. So we
started walking to our next appointment and it started raining. Then
it started raining a bit harder. Then a rock entered in Sister Lopes´
shoe and cut her foot. The cut was made on a part SUPER sensitive on
the foot and she was no longer able to walk. So we knocked on the door
of the house that was closest to us. The lady came out to the gate and
Sister Lopes said ``A rock cut my foot and I can?t walk anymore... do
you have a bandaid??`` and the lady looked super scared and said
``look. You need to go to the hospital!! but ill see what I can
find.`` and she went back inside. 5 minutes passed and nothing......
10 minutes, still nothing...15 minutes and finally the ladies husband
comes out to the gate and said ``what happened with your foot?!!``
Sister Lopes explained and he opened the gate and saw that we were
missionaries and asked what church we were from. We told him and then
he said ``wait just a minute`` and went back inside. Then a couple
minutes after the lady poked her head out the door and said ``hey! you
guys can enter!`` All this time passed with us standing there in the
rain. haha but anyway, so we enter, she helped with Sister Lopes´ foot
and sent her husband to buy us food and then afterwards we taught them
the Restoration and gave them a Book of Mormon. It was amazing!! Then
as we were leaving, the lady saw that Sister Lopes was limping a
little and offered to give us a ride back home, so we accepted, and on
the way home she explained to us that she thought we wanted to rob her
and that she wasn?t gonna come back out but saw that we weren?t
leaving so she sent her husband out to talk with us and she said her
husband came back in and said ``look they´re Mormons... i don?t think
they?re gonna do any harm`` and she was still suspicious and said that
she had everything planned to knock us out when we entered. Hahaha it
was super funny.

There could not have been a better way for us to have found and taught
this amazing family.

Everything happens for a reason. Even things as small as a rock in your shoe.

Love you all!

Sis Lloyd

GENERAL CONFERENCE

I love general conference. I have always loved it but there is nothing like being a missionary watching general conference. I literally felt like a sponge soaking up every word, every feeling that when it ended I felt like it had just begun. 

I LOVED all the talks. 

Now for the experience of the week! We went to teach someone that we met on the bus, so we get to his house and before we enter Sister Lopes looks to me and says ``can you share the scripture?`` so I agreed and we entered.... to find out that both of his parents are Pastors from another church, and they both wanted to listen to the message we had. During the opening prayer 2 thoughts went through my mind: Share the cute little scripture we had planned, or do something crazy. As Sister Lopes was ending the prayer I felt that I should do something crazy. SO after her prayer she calmly looked towards me to start the lesson, I calmly smiled, as I pulled out my Book of Mormon. Our lesson was completely lead by the spirit that we don´t even remember very well what we said. It was incredible. As we were explaining, the kid with whom we made the contact, started reading the Book of Mormon. His dad offered the closing prayer and said ``protect this two young ladies, because they have the truth.`` I dont really know if he understood the sincerity of that phrase but oh well. haha it was a super cool lesson and we totally felt like Alma and Amulek. 

2 Timothy 1: 7-8 

 ``For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord...``

Don´t be afraid to share your testimony. 

Love you all! Have a great week :) 

-Sis Lloyd

Easter

This week was another good one! Sister Lopes and I have been studying more about the atonment and I found some amazing scriptures; St John 15: 5-14

 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me,and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather thm, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you:continue ye in my love.
 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

We talked about these scriptures during companionship study and we had about 5 minutes where we just sat there, not saying anything because we were amazing at how much the Savior truly loves us. 

This week we didnt really have anything exciting happen.. Roberto (camillas husband) is reading the Book of Mormon!!! He is progressing slowly and it is so great to see the little changes. Other thing that happened this week is that I fell off my bed and bruised my hip. Haha it was funny, our alarm was going off so I tried to get up to turn it off but my arms were still sleeping and I fell off the bed and my companion jumped up and said ``LLOYD!!! WHAT IS GOING ON?!`` and then we both almost died laughing. 

Hope you all had a fantastic Easter!!! Always remember how much our Savior love you, INDIVIDUALLY!! 

love you all! 

tchau tchau

-Sis Lloyd 

Two Important Things

2 things very important happened this week.

First important thing, this week our Stake President and his daughter were doing visits with us and we were going to the furthest neighborhood in our area, BUT president got lost along the way and when he realized where we were he goes ``OH! we´re super close to a family of inactives!! lets visit them!`` so we visited this family and left a super spiritual message then the dad of the family goes ``before you guys got here I was laying here on the hammock thinking. And i decided to pray, i prayed for God to show me how i could protect my family better. then i went inside and not a minute later you guys knocked on the door.`` It was super cool!! President didnt get lost on the roads by accident, the spirit was guiding him to where we needed to go. ALWAYS FOLLOW THE SPIRIT!!!! 

Second important thing, theres a lady in our ward that me and Sister Lopes love, and shes a returned missionary- last week she told us about how one day a man stopped her and her comp in the road and asked if he could be baptized, he was keeping all the commandments and they just need to set up the day for him to be baptized. So i told her, ``when i get home from my mission, we´ll go out to lunch and ill tell you that the same thing happened with me, okay?`` (Note: shes moving to Utah in May so the lunch date is an actual possibility.) and she got all excited and told us that she believes this miracle would happen! Not even joking, the very next day Bishop calls us because a man stopped him as he was leaving the church and asked ``What do i need to do to be baptized?!`` this man is one of our ex-investigators, Antonio. We began teaching him in December but by the end of december he had given back his Book of Mormon and told us he didnt want to know any more. SO what happened from then until now?? After he gave back his Book of Mormon, he decided to check out what the internet said about the Mormons.... he saw everything good and bad about the church and saw on the church website an option of ``chat`` and started chatting with the missionaries from Provo. They set up a time to skype with Antonio and started teaching him via skype. After a time of investigating the church he felt a real desire to be baptized and started going to the ward in the center of the city. The elders there passed our Bishops number to him and told him that he needs to be baptized in the ward closest to his house. So he called bishop but bishop wasnt there, and then BY CHANCE, he passes the church right as the bishop came out the door! SO we reviewed all the lessons with him this week and he was baptized Saturday!! Yesterday at church the lady i was talking about at the first asked me ``hey sister Lloyd, did you like the miracle??`` haha it was super cool!! 

Thats all for now :) 

keep believe in miracles!! they are real! 

love you all! 

-Sis Lloyd 

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Peace be unto you

This week was another great one!! Full of more miracles! ?
We´ve been working a lot with member referrals and have met some
great people!! One of them is Robson. He´s super great!! He´s already
been to a lot of different churches but never felt ``good`` in them.
He said that ours is the first church that he feels good in. He is
progressing a ton and has a goal to be baptized on the 26th!!

I would like to share something I studied this week, In Alma 58,
Helaman is writing to Moroni about the war in his part of the land. He
explains how they are without food and how the lamanites´ army is
bigger and he expresses his frustration because no one has sent
reenforcements nor food for them and then he says this;

10 Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would
strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and
also give us strength that we might retain our cities, and our lands,
and our possessions, for the support of our people.

11 Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with
assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak
peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause
us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.

Even in the middle of the war, the Lord sent peace to their souls.
Right now, we´re in the middle of a lot of worldly confusion and a
spiritual war that is getting harder every day. BUT like Helaman, if
we do what is right, trust in God and pray with all our might, He will
speak peace unto our souls and even in the mist of all the craziness
we will feel Heavenly Peace.

That?s all I wanted to share with you all. Keep doin what right and
the Lord will deliver you!!

Love you all!

-Sis Lloyd

(the first photo is with Jessica and Marcio, they?re super cool.
Marcio is a recent-convert, they´re preparing to go the temple!!! and
the second photo is some parrots)

Miracles, Miracles, Miracles

SO Sister Lopes and I decided to do something different. Every day
before we leave our house we pray for miracles. and THEY ARE
HAPPENING!! I´ll share some with you guys.

We were making some contacts and we started talking to one guy and
then his mom came over and started talking to us too and then she
started asking a bunch of questions about the mission and about the
church and while we were explaining she just kept gasping and saying
``WOW you guys are sent from God!!`` and her son asked us ``if I wanna
serve a mission do I have to join your church?? cause I wanna serve
too!!`` and we went back to teach them and the mom started telling us
that she is super worried about her salvation and about the salvation
of her family and that she?s started to see things that don?t match up
in her church and she?s been praying to find the church that´ll bring
salvation to her family. IT WAS SO COOL!!

We had a family night with some members at Camilla´s and her husband
participated and the spirit was super strong and he came to church
yesterday!!!!

We contacted an old lady that told us ``if it?s about religion I don?t
wanna know`` so my companion bore her testimony and then the old lady
started telling us about how hard her life is and that she doesn?t
have time for us to visit her, and my comp goes ``do you want a hug?``
and the old lady jumped back and said ``what?!`` and then everyone
started laughing and the old lady basically told us her whole life
story and cried and then goes ``look. you guys better come back here!!
and sorry that I was so rude at first! but come back for reals, okay?!``

The last miracle that I?ll share is that, yesterday after Ward Counsel
Meeting, there was cake!

MIRACLES HAVE NOT STOPPED HAPPENING!! They´re happening all the time,
everyday, all around us. We just need to pray to have the eyes to
recognize them.

That?s all I got for this week!! love you all!!

tchau tchau

-Sis Lloyd

Cows and happiness.

This week we had a ``mission tour`` with Elder Mervyn B. Arnold of the Seventies!! It was SOOOOO good!! He burned us with love. One of my favorite parts was a story that his wife told us. She told us that as she was growing up she didnt understand why the church has so many rules, she didnt think she could have fun living within the standards of the church. She was born and raised in Idaho on a farm taking care of cows. There was one cow in particular that always stretched her head beyond the fence to eat the grass on the other side. (the grass is always greener on the other side, right?) But for those who dont know, when a cow eats too much, she gets super bloated and often dies. Sister Arnold told us about how she had to always get mad and throw rocks and do everything so that this cow would stay away from the fence and eat the good grass that was contained inside the limits of the fence. Grass of which she could eat freely. She then related this experience to all of our lives. The commandments and the standards of the church are there to show us where the good grass is. Often times we try to stretch out beyond the fence where WE THINK the grass is greener only to find out that it really isnt. The Gospel of Jesus Christ IS happiness. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the grass that we can eat freely of that´ll never do any harm to us. I am so greatful for the standards of the church!!! 

Also at the mission tour I saw Kettlin..... AS A MISSIONARY!!!! I´ve never been so happy to see a Sister Missionary in my life. Haha seriously I love her so much and am so so so greatful for the opprotunity I had to teach and to help her find the gospel. She is amazing!  

Also also, last night I said good bye to little ol´ Sister Rocha! Ill miss that crazy like crazy. But the new transfer news is that I will stay here in the same area, Jd. Imá, with Sister Lopes!!! and Sister Nascimento is gonna train!! (which means i´m already a grandma!!)   

But thats all the exciting news for this week. 

Love you all!! 

-Sis Lloyd 

Night of Goliath

This week we had an activity in our ward called the ``Night of Goliath`` and it was super funny! We did a bunch of little ``wars`` and talked about how life has a lot of ``Goliaths`` and how with the Lord on our side we are able to beat them all. This was our third and our best activitiy we´ve done in the ward! When it ended everyone went ``awwwwwwee man!!!`` and yesterday at church everyone was talking about how fun it was! Activities are an awesome way to make the ward more united and to help the investigators, recent converts, and less actives make friendships. I LOVE IT!! 

Also yesterday Camillas husband came to church!!! (the one Leticia asked to baptize her) He is super awesome! We´re gonna start working with him to be baptized in march so that he can baptize Leticia in April!! Its been so amazing to see the change happening in Camilla´s family. She deserves it all!! I love their family to death!! 

Last week at church, the stake institute teacher gave a talk and he said something that i liked a lot... 

Once there was a young man that went to get his hair cut, while he was there the hairdresser started talking about all the bad stuff in the world and said ``If God really existed, there wouldnt be all this bad in the world`` the young man thought about it and didnt respond the hairdresser right away, as he left he saw a homeless men on the side of the road with a beard super long and out of control, the young man took the homeless guy to the hairdresser and said ``if hairdressers really existed there would be people with beards like this!`` and the hairdresser was shocked and said ``what do you mean??? people have beards like this because they dont come to me to fix it.`` and the young man replied ``exactly. God DOES exist. And theres bad in the world because those people dont seek God to help them fix the bad stuff in their lives. God exists but YOU have to seek HIM.`` 

I love you all! 

have a great week!! 

-Sis Lloyd 

Valentines day!!

Happy Valentines day everyone! 

Not much happened since wednesday... heres everything thats happened: 

1: we went to the pharmacy to buy stuff to freeze off warts and while we were there a man gave us free hammock because ``it was heavy`` and he ``didnt wanna carry it anymore`` and the hammock is now owned my me! 

2: I froze a wart off Sister Lopes´ hand 

3: I made a valentines day card for my companion and she accepted to be my valentine and she doesnt even know what that is/means. 

4: Leticia (Maria Julias little sister) told her step dad that she wants him to baptize her when she turns 8 and for that to happen he has to get baptized soon. She also made us ``doughnuts`` 

And that´s all thats happened!! 

Also heres a cool video that talks about good things to come; 

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/good-things-to-come-1

Love you all!! 

Tchau! 

-Sis Lloyd

Maria Julia was Baptized!

This week little Maria Julia was baptized!! She is so stinkin cute. 

I have loved visiting her and her family. (even if it is 2h away...) Her mom, Camilla is such an amazing person! There house is always full of the spirit, its truly amazing how you can feel the difference when the spirit isnt there. 

This week was a little crazy because yesterday was Carnival! so thats also why our P-day is today... But anyway, on monday we had exchanges with Sister Jordan and Sister Sales, so me and Jordan worked in Sister Lopes and Sister Nascimento´s area because Sister Lopes still cant work 100%. BUT we found a lady named Ivanette and we taught her about the Restoration and the lesson was amazing! Ivanette understood super well everything we said and im excited to see how the next lessons go with her :) 

Something that I have been learning about a ton this transfer... to plan. With Sister Rocha getting ready to end her mission and with the days that ive stayed with Sister Lopes I have basically planned out the rest of my mission and the rest of my life. Haha and i found this cool quote by President Monson, ``It is necessary to prepare and to plan so that we don´t fritter away from our lives. Without a goal, there can be no real success.`` ALWAYS have a plan or two in mind because if not where are you gonna end up?? 

Thanks for everything!! 

Love you all! 

Tchau Tchau! 

-Sis Lloyd 

Live what you believe.

This week was another great one :) Sister Lopes was still pretty sick so me and Sister Rocha took turns staying with her, and going to their appointments with Sister Nascimento.

Also last sunday a less-active member came to church, Camilia, and she came up to us and said ``Sisters!! I have a daughter thats 10 and wants to be baptized.`` so on wednesday we went to her house, and remember last week when I we walked forever to visit Arthur?? Well Camilia lives EVEN FARTHER!!!!!!!!! So we took a bus and the ride took an hour and a half. hahaha but anyway, her family is incredible!! Camilia has been inactive for 5 years and said that over these 5 years her two daughters have asked her serveral times when she will take them to church. And Maria Julia (who wants to be baptized) had someone at school ask her what her religion was and she said ``I´m mormon.`` and the other little girl asked ``what is that??`` and Maria Julia thought for a moment and then said ``I dont know. But im mormon.`` So Camilia decided its time to come back to church and to help her daughters. We taught them about the Restauration and WOW those little girls literally knew everything. Even though Camilia wasnt going to church anymore, she didnt stop teaching the principles of the Gospel for her daughters... I was super impressed. 

It showed me that Camilia truly has a testimony and that she never lost it even though she passed 5 years without going to church. 

Also this week we had a little meeting with the leaders in our mission and president talked about the importance of LIVING the Gospel as missionaries and not just teaching about it. He told us that when our missions end and we go home, its super hard to stay strong because we are ``back in the world`` and we dont have all the prayers that we are recieving now. He told us that when we go home is when Satan will tempt us the most. He talked about the importance of our DAILY scripture study and the importance of LIVING what we are learning. And that we need to build this habit of scripture study and always study throughout the rest of our lives. 

TRANSFERS!!

(ps. i still havent taken any photos with the new sisters but heres a photo of a pretty sunset.)

 Transfers happened this week and Sister Nascimento and I stayed in the same area but we both got new companions!!! My companion is Sister Rocha! Shes super hilarious, shes 27 and from the North East of Brazil so she has a different accent. This is her last transfer so we´re ready to work a ton. 

Sister Nascimento is now with Sister Lopes (who also ended Sister Monteiro´s trainging... haha) Sister Lopes is from São Paulo and is really sweet. We all get along super well and are laughing the whole time were all together. 

This week was super good, we WALKED to one of the farthest neighborhoods to visit a recent-convert, Arthur. He´s only 9 and when we got there we were exhausted so he said he would teach us the lesson. He taught us about spiritual strength using waterbottles. The first water bottle was empty and he crushed it up and said that when our spirits are empty Satan has power to hurt us. Then he took the other water bottle and started filling it up with things we could do to ``fill up`` our spirits (ex. read scriptures, pray, go to church, dont drink coffee, etc.) then he tried to smash it up but could and told us that when our spirits are full Satan will try to hurt us but he wont be able to. It was a lesson we gave him awhile ago and he remembered all of it! hahha it was awesome :) 

which kinda reminds me of a cool scripture; Alma 36:17-20 This part is when Alma the Younger is talking to his son Helaman about his conversion with the angel visited him and he passed out for 3 days....

17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming ofone Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

 18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

 19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

 20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

Alma taught his son always about the Savior and about the gospel but Alma the Younger then tried to destroy the church of Christ BUT in the moment he needed it most, he remembered the things his father had taught him. When we share the gospel with others, friends, family members, children, etc. even when it doesnt seem like they´re very interested, ONE DAY they will remember the testimony you bore and the truths you taught... and those things will have the power to change their lives. That is something HUGE that i have learned on my mission. 

thats all for this week!

thanks for all of your love and support!! 

-Sis Lloyd 

More Rainy Days

This week was just as rainy, BUT we decided to try something new. We walked around in the storm (when it rains here, it dumps. theres no options of a light sprinkle) and found people that were stranded under whatever shelter they could find and we walked with them under our umbrellas until their destination! it was a super cool experience and we were laughing the whole day. 

Also this week we contacted one of our referrals, Marcia. 3 of her 4 kids are members (inactive) and she wanted to be baptized super bad too but was unable to because she wasnt married and her boyfriend didnt want anything to do with the church. SO we got there and she opened the door and basically ran to open the gate and said ``AHH!! COME IN SISTERS!!!!!!`` and starts talking to us about how much she loved the church and whatnot and just kept saying she doesnt know why they stopped going, then she told us about how much she wanted to be baptized too and that she broke up with her boyfriend!! She even shared with us her favorite scripture, 

Alma 32:28; 

Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, ifye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart,behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not castit out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of theLord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts;and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin tosay within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a goodseed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlargemy soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding,yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

Man, it was like finding gold. 

and thats all for this week!! 

Love you all!! 

-Sis Lloyd   

Rainy days

This week it rained every single day. So it?s been pretty hard because
no one wants to let us in or come out to open the gate, haha.
But we continued on and met some pretty cool people. We taught one
lady named Chirlene, that was SUPER excited when we gave her a Book of
Mormon and she told us at the end of the lesson that she felt like
everything we said was true. Then the other day we were walking down
the road saying ``hi`` to everyone and we passed one guy and as we
said ``hi`` he called after us and said ``what church are you guys
from?!!`` so we told him about the church and gave him the address and
everything and then he said ``I don?t live here but I?ll definitely
visit sometime because you guys are different.`` It is so amazing to
see how the Spirit touches the heart of others.

This week I was studying about the spirit and a read a scripture
mastery verse that everyone knows...

D&C 8:2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart,
by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in
your heart.

And I kept reading....

3 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the
spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red
Sea on dry ground.

And the thought came into my mind that when Moses parted the Red Sea
it was because he thought to do it and the spirit confirmed to thought
in his heart... it wasn?t because a voice came booming from the
heavens or because an angel desended.

then in verse 5;

5 Oh, remember these words, and keep my commandments. Remember, this
is your gift.

As members of Christ´s church we all receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost. The Spirit talks to us in our minds and in our hearts but it
depends on OUR faith if we will act on those impressions or not.
Miracles still exists as they did in the time of Moses. But is our
faith as strong as his to be able to perform these miracles??

It was a WOW moment for me.

Thanks for all the love!!!

Love and pray for you all!

-Sis Lloyd

2016

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

I can?t believe I spent all of 2015 in Brazil.... that?s weird to
think about. Our New Years was super good! We ate dinner at a members
house and then watched fireworks from our window, then on January 1st
it was an added P-day, so we went to the church and an Elder made us
pizza and it was raining (as always) so then we played in the rain and
then we had a water balloon fight! It was super super fun!

Also this week we were knocking doors and the first house we went to
we said the name of the church and the guy said ``hey! That?s
interesting... just this last week we went to a wedding and 2 people
from your church sat by us... they talked a little about their
religion and about a book that you guys use.`` So we asked if we could
explain more about the book and he let us right in, and called for his
wife and mother in law to listen to our message too. They were all
super interested! It was amazing to see how that little conversation
they had at the wedding had sparked their interest.

We should never lose an opportunity to share the gospel. God is
preparing the hearts of many but it is up to every single one of us to
spark their interest to know more.

I love the mission more than anything!!!!!!!!!

i hope you all have a fantastic 2016!!!!

Thanks for everything!!

-Sis Lloyd