"There once was this Elder who got three wishes. First he really wanted new clothes and Poof! New Clothes. Second he was really hungry and Poof! He had tons of food. Finally he thought, I really want to baptize a lot of people, and Poof! He turned into a Sister." (The joke was longer in Portugues ha!)
This week has been incredible. One reason is because today is officially month 2! Can you believe it!? Where does the time go!
Second, I went to Pelotas this week for a zone conference and we get to go again this week! Yay! I love to travel! It's such a different city from Arroio Grande. Here you can stop people in the street and start a conversation about the church and they'll thank you for inviting them! In Pelotas I have no idea where you would even begin! Maybe I'll find out if I ever get transfered there!
It was so wonderful to be with other missionaries! It's just Sister K and I here. So when we met the other Sisters it was so awesome! On Sister is from Blackfoot! Sister Marlow! She served in Arroio Grande for 5 months before I got here. Everyone loves her and now I know why! She is hilarious! We all spent the even catching up and laughing about mission experiences so far!
Additionally, I got to talk to my family. I'm truly grateful we were able to get to talk. I was so nervous it wouldn't connect! But it worked and I got to see you for a little bit. The best was that Ashley was on the other end too! The delay when talking to her was hilarious!
I was thinking a lot about families this past week and I think it led me to both miss my family and many things from back home but also to be so grateful for knowledge of this gospel. I truly believe families can be together forever. This is our purpose in fact. Live in a way that we can return to the presence of our God and be able to stand at judgement day with our good works and our faith and be able to recieve eternal life with our families.
This work is not easy. It's not that every day is hard either, but being separated from my family makes me appreciate them more. But I have this incredible chance to share my faith, to share what I know in my bones is true so that other people can have a opportunity to live with their families forever also. In comparison to eternity, 18 months is a blink of the eye. Então, I need to do this work with my whole heart, because it is so short. I have only 16 months to invite people to come unto Christ. I have only 16 months to share my knowledge of eternity. What is 16 months after all?
Another thing I have been concentrating on a lot is the gift of tongues. It's such a strange thing really. I've heard of situations where people have been able to completely communicate their thoughts and feelings in an another language and think, "Wow. That is so cool! How rare and wonderful!"
And then I am reminded every day when I teach lessons of the gospel that I can do this. That I HAVE recieved this extraordinary gift. In 2 months I have not become fluent, but I can communicate what is most important to these people and that is my testimony of Jesus Christ. My testimony of His gospel, His church. Every day as I study my ability to communicate grows. What is even more incredible is that I understand people more. This is where the difficulty lies.
Understanding. I recently starting Our Search For Happiness and it discussing this topic of understanding and misunderstanding. I read a part today about Christ and how when we focus more on Him and His atonement we don't just change our habits or actions, but our entire being changes. We respond differently.
As I struggle and strive to understand these people I find that, though they are not talking slower :), I can understand them more and descern their needs. Truly, it is a gift.
All my love! Sister Hemmert
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