"I thought we became missionaries so we didn`t HAVE to burn in hell." - Sister Call

IT IS BLAZING HOT. And no one believes in Air Conditioning here, so it`s just blazing hot every where you go and there is no escaping it. I mean, don`t get me wrong...it`s better than the cold, but it`s so hot that we can`t sleep at night and well...that makes things hard. That and we`re so sweaty that no one wants to talk to us. I can actually smell myself. It`s bad. Hahah, but hey! It makes for really really easy conversation with be. `Esta com calor?` `Sim, sim.` `Eu acho que todos nos vamos morrer.` Yeah...I tell people I think we`re all going to die all the time, and they don`t really get it, because the Portuguese don`t joke and then I`m just laughing at myself in the street and they`re looking at me like I`m crazy and I just keep laughing. Hahahah who am i? 

`I have to drink my water plugging my nose.` --Sister Stokes doesn`t like water either! Hahahha but President is requiring us to drink like a bajillion liters a day, so....yeah. It`s a struggle. Maybe I was kidding about having plenty of Crystal Light. Oops. 

So, I really don`t remember everything that happened this week, because well...it`s really really really hot and it makes it hard to think about anything else ahhaah. BUT, I know we actually had a lot of miracles!! Last monday, we went on this crazy hiking adventure with this man from the other ward and all the missionaries and a couple of the youth from both wards. It was SO funny, and the man who took us, Miguel, is actually the world`s funniest human being. It was so fun! (I know, I know...I just said hiking was fun). Except that I fell about 400 times, because we were literally running through the forest and apparently I am the world`s clumsiest human and it was just really funny. And then, when we got all the way back to the car, I realized I didn`t have my camera. So....the Elders ran back to look for it for me. Yes, I`m that Sister. And then we said a little prayer, and then I thought to myself, `Heavenly Father...it`s okay if I lose the camera, but I REALLY don`t want to lose the SD card....` WELL! The Elders came back, and THEY FOUND IT! Except.....it was in the River... BUT! Even though the camera doesn`t work, the SD card DOES!! hahah The Lord actually might have answered the prayer a bit too specifically that time. But, I really am SO grateful for that little miracle. 

Training--You know I like being told exactly what to do, so I don`t do anything wrong? Yeah, well that makes being a trainer hard, because a lot of the time I have NO idea what to do, and I have no one to tell me what to do. So... we just pray a lot to see what Heavenly Father wants us to do haha. But my companion is just the happiest, sweetest thing in the world, and the coolest things are happening! Like, we met this one 16 year old girl who is actually the coolest. She was just spilling to us about her love life, and I was just dying of laughter, because hahaha. It`s just so funny. And I think it`s funnier to hear these stories in Portuguese too. BUT, she came to church with us last week, and we hadn`t taught her yet, but we gave her a Book of Mormon, and then when we went over to teach her, she had already read the introduction and prayed to ask God if it`s true!! She`s SO incredible!! Seriously. I love her so much! AND THEN! There`s this other lady named Maria (They`re actually ALL named Maria....and then I think...How do you solve a problem like Maria? Hahah anywayssss.) and she is SO incredible!!! We met with her again last night, and she told us how people in the world are putting the things of the world in front of God, and she wants to remember what`s most important and have God in her life everyday, so we promised her that if she`d read the Book of Mormon and pray every day, then He would be! And then she said that she wants to come to church with us and become friends with the people there, so she can have other people to talk about God with!! SHE`S SO INCREDIBLE!! AND! When we were leaving last night, she told us she loves us!!! And I know that doesn`t seem like a big deal at all, BUT IT IS! Because, the Portuguese actually NEVER say I love you. Even when they are talking about their spouses, they just say, `Eu gosto dele.` Which is like I like him. And I always tell people I love them and they all look at me like I`m crazy and I hardly know them and how can that be possible, but I really do! Anyways, it was just the best little miracle last night! 

AND WE`RE HAVING THE WEDDING AND BAPTISM OF SOFIA AND ARMANDO ON FRIDAY!!! I actually could not be more excited!! They are so incredible and I love them so much! I tell them all the time that I think I am more excited than they are, and they just laugh at me. But, I got really sad last night, because I realized that when they go through the Temple I won`t be there and then I got sad. But it`s okay, because they`re going to go to the Temple!! And we get to have a festa on Friday!! And I`m just PRAYING that everything goes as planned. Also, I have no idea how the Portuguese do weddings, so...I hope they don`t mind that it`s going to be all American-ized. Heheheh. I love love!!! 

Ps.---I know I swore I`d never be that missionary that just writes about all these people that you guys don`t know or care about, but I realize now that that`s actually impossible and I`m sorry, but I`m not that sorry. hehehe

Also, Funny story...my companion was the Sister Coordinating leader in the MTC over Tess! Crazy small world eh?

So glad you all had the greatest time in HH! You`re the greatest and I love you all the most!! 

BEIJINHOS!!

I LOVE YOU!!

xoxox
Sister B