Our Fall Was Grand

I felt that way this whole week momma. So we were at least fighting together instead of alone! haha This week was tough but it ended really really well. We aren't accomplishing everything I want to be accomplishing but we are working really hard.

I don't know why but we aren't baptising. I have 2 transferências now without a baptism. And the members here are becoming less active more quickly than we are reactivating. Grr. My English is terrible. I don't even know how to speak anymore. haha

We are trying a bunch of new ideas. Activities. Family home evenings for the ward. Everything. But we have a couple areas that are really distant from the church and many members (active and inactive) live there. So they won't go to the activities if we have them in the church. And the people close to the church wont go to the activities if we host them in this area called Ivo Ferronato/Malafaia. So we decided to hold the family home evenings in the church one week and in the Ivo the next week so that everyone can have a chance. 

Emerson (Recent Convert), who's Mom, Rosangela (pesquisadora), offered his Lancheria(Sandwiches and Hot dog Place etc). To tell the truth Rosangela offered it, but said that the people need to understand that we aren't opening a church in her garage! haha 

Rosangela actually starting visiting the church in the last couple weeks for the first time during my time here in Bagé! When I saw her I almost cried with happiness! 

We are really hoping to strengthen this area and the people here, but we are also hoping to reactivate and baptise here because this area, this ward needs people. Needs new members and new ideas. We are hoping and praying and throwing ourselves into the work. 

This week was crazy. Hectic. I tried to take money out of the bank and was rejected! haha I planned a perfect week and had to throw my plans out the window so that I could do division with a Sister Trainer for a couple days and my companion had to go to a different area and then we had to travel to Pelotas (3:30hrs away) and spend a bundle of Reais to visit a surprise conference for trainadoras. It was wonderful. Dont get me wrong, but we lost 3 days of work this week traveling and doing all of this. Last week we were the best Zone of the Mission, This week our fall was grand. 

But, in the end, everything led to one visit. One lesson with one person. T

This week we entered a new area that I never really worked in before. A fraction of the city that is almost in the middle of our area but we always passed by trying to enter the most distant part where our members live. Well, Sister Aranha and I decided, lets start working here a bit more. Ok. 

We went there yesterday with some young women from the ward. Prayed, and divided. I started knocking doors (clapping my hands in the front yard because thats how we do here in Brasil :) ). 

As we were walking I saw a man sitting under a tree, but in the moment I didn't want to invite him. I thought, I need to invite people but he's really far up the other road. I'll invite him when we pass by afterwards. 

Anyways, I starting visiting with a woman, Cleusa, who afterwards sent me to visit exactly with this man. If I had invited him first I wouldn't have met Cleusa, but also, I wouldn't have met Jaqueline.

As we were returning and I don't have time, but she is a less active, who will be moving tomorrow. But her and I cried yesterday feeling the spirit testifying for us that this is the Lord´s church. Please keep her in your prayers so that she can feel your comfort!

Love you all! Thcua

Best Zone in the Mission!

Wow. This week was amazing!

This week we worked super hard so that our zone could be the best of the mission! And guess who was the best Zone on the Mission?? Ours! Woo hooO! 

I dont know if I ever explained, actually I'm certain that I didn't explain, but we have a Pattern of the Week that we have to meet every week. Uma Padrão de Fé, Visão, e Milagres. 

So every week we we have to have:

10 Baptism Dates

20 visits with members present 

10 other visits

10 pesquisadores progressing

10 Referals

10 Referals contacted

15 New Pesquisadores

10 Visits with Members (recent convert or member less active)

140 Conversations/invites with people 

12 Families taught

We have a few other things that we have to do to achieve this pattern but it's a pattern alto, established by the Lord so that we can fortalecer our Wards here and baptise with perference every week. 

This week almost every single number was reached by our Zone! It was amazing. 

We have some things we need to improve still but it was amazing receiving the blessings everyday.

Two times this week our pesquisadores had dreams with me and received the answers they were looking for. Sounds a little strange but its a milagre on the mission :) 

One time we had to walk a super super long road under a sun to bake 2 Sister Missionaries in the street when a pesquisadora and her coworker passed by and offered a car ride a couple miles down the road! 

One Pesquisadora (mom of a RC) arrived at church sunday morning! Woo hoo!! It was amazing to see her this week there for the first time in 3 transfers! In the 4 months I have here, we hadn't visited not even one time! 

One of the families that we are teaching lived super close to our house, which was great, but they had to move. But guess where they are living now?? The SAME ROAD AS THE CHURCH! haha Just a few houses away from the Bishop. Yep. What a blessing.

And so many more blessings that I dont even have time to tell you. So excited. 

These next few weeks will just get better. Were super excited and fasting and praying that everyone that we are teaching will have the desire to live this gospel truth. 

Super grateful this week.

Love you all!

Sister Hemmert

Taking Care of Business

Rua Santo Inácio, 464, Aptº 301 Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90570150

You have to send the package to this address!!!! The taxes are super high when our packages arrive in the mission office so this here is the mission home. The rest of stuff can be sent to the other address. Like letters and stuff. But packages from the USA need to be sent here from now on:) Love you momma! 

WOOWW! Que inveja haha! I had an interview with my Presidente this week and told him that in this heat I'm really missing the snow back home because my family is sending so many photos of snow haha. He told me not to worry and that, "Your family is just becoming more white and you are becoming "morenona" negra:) hahaha! 

Woowwww Maui! Lucky Alvaro! And you all too! How awesome. Aproveita 

Glad to here that everyone is doing great! :) 

Love you all! 

Ive been trying to think of what i want for my birthday but i literally dont know...Surprise! I loved the little pioneer cards that you gave me!! And my companion and I are starting this week our voice recordings we'll be sending! haha Youll get some stuff in Port-ingles!! 

I don't know if it would be possible because you'll send this week but I dont have money personal. Just on the card and i would really like to buy some stuff from the street artists here. So I was think that maybe I can buy my groceries on my card from home and use the paper money that I'll recieve from the mission. Are you ok with that? 

Also I bought something today on my card because the Presidente's Finance Secretary, Elder R, didn't refund my money after I had to buy tickets for Porto Alegre, so I'm kinda live in poverty. haha This area is a little pricey. I have to call them and ask for my refund! But they never call me back:( hahaha 

Im going to turn 20!!! How can it be?? I was thinking about it the other day and I just couldn't imagine it!  And today whoa. I just remembered that I have 10 months on the mission!! Whoa! how crazy.

Anyways, all is good here. Working hard. doing our best. Missing you all. Love you so much! 

Mission Changes

Today I have 10 months! I climbed the mountain and now I just have to reach the summit! 

So grateful for this New Year. Can hardly believe that we entered 2017. It's so weird to say. 

These days of training are passing so quickly. We had a district meeting this week and our Presidente arrived to interview everyone. We had a bunch of changes in the mission. Actually, the whole mission world changed a little bit. Our nights got a little bit more time to sleep and our mornings lost a little bit of study. Our Pday will officially start 9:00! But it is official, gente, it is now a commandment that we have to excercise! haha At least a Sister and I had already started our workouts and stretch.. Now we just have to start actually running! haha:) 

We'll have a bit of an adjustment period from now on but I'm really excited. It will be nice to have a couple more minutes to rest during the night. It never feels like we have time to eat and plan and prepare and sleep. But now we will have time for everything! Que benção (What a blessing)

I had an interview with my Presidente this week and told him that in this heat I'm really missing the snow back home because my family is sending so many photos of snow haha. He told me not to worry and that, "Uour family is just becoming more white and you are becoming "morenona" negra:) hahaha!

We had an amazing fast meeting this week. I was thinking about my first fast Sunday on the mission with Sister Aranha. The last time she fasted she´d been at home. And here i am, with only 8 more fast Sundays. How time flies.

I feel so blessed during this time and know that this work is real. Real and absolutely blessed.

Love you all.

Sister Hemmert

P.s. I need the email from all the missionaries in our stake that i know :) Thanks!

2017

One week down and a new year began! How amazing is it that we have entered 2017? It sounds so strange! I so grateful to be serving here during this time of changes, new beginnings! How wonderful is the first of the year. 

So my new companion is from Santos. Sister Aranha(Spider) She promises that she doesn't bite! haha She is amazing. We are having a blast here in our area, Bagé. We're working really hard to stay alive here in the hottest part of the world, drinking lots of water, and we're almost drinking Sunblock also. Many people say that during summer they need to use umbrellas for the sun. I thought at the start of my mission, "Wow, I will never ever do that. How crazy." I spoke too soon. This week I used an umbrella for the first time. First it was raining cats and dogs, and the moment it stopped raining, the sun broke through the clouds and.... the world literally almost started on fire. And there was us, still under umbrellas. In the middle of the desert. haha

Anyways, I want to share with you all a letter that i got from a friend of mine that you will recognize. I asked him for some help because I never trained anyone and this is how he responded:

Hey there pal! How are you doing cousin?:)

I have trained and it is an awesome experience! Nothing will compare ever to just being a normal missionary and cruising around with your companion, but training is great! First of all, don't freak out if you are because it will all be ok. Your mission president is led by revelation and therefore he isn't even the one that assigned you to train, but Christ is! Imagine that, the Savior Himself trusting you! He's not going to let you fail so long as you try so you have nothing to worry about! Trust the training model and 12 week. Trust your ability to receive revelation. Keep being obedient and doing your best! Seriously Lauren, you are going to do so well. Don't get discouraged if you feel overwhelmed or like you're failing in any way. No one is perfect and you are going to make mistakes, but you were not called to be flawless, but called to serve. Serve with all your heart and you will be led to know exactly what Heavenly Father needs you to do! You got this!! Don't be afraid, just have faith and trust!! You're the coolest Lauren, it's really good to hear from you! Good luck! Love ya!

Elder Kleinman

I know that this is the Lord's work. I know that I was called to serve. I will never be perfect, which is something i told many of my presquisadores this week, but I know that every day more I have the chance to become more like my Savior in who's service I'm in. I know that He is working with me, at my side. I know that He suffered everything, EVERYTHING that I suffer. I know this. And I know that through Him I never have to suffer again. Through Him I can do anything and EVERYTHING. How grateful I am for friends like this who help me remember this important purpose and opportunity that we all have. 

Love you all and hope that you all will have an incredible start to the year!

Família do Presidente Ortiz