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.