Querida família!
Hello dear family!! How are you all doing? I am happy and healthy and smiling here in Timbaúva and I hope you are all the same :)
First of all...I´m sorry this email is so late today! Today has been a craaaaazy busy day...I feel like I´ve been running all day long..and today is P-day!! haha...it´s always funny when you´re day off ends up being the most tiring day of the week! :) But it was a wonderful kind of busy... This morning Sister Gibson and I went to the "forum" with Valdemar and Iracema to see if we could find out more about the divorce papers. Valdemar and Iracema are the cutest couple ever....Valdemar is very old and doesn´t walk very well, but Iracema takes such good care of him...always taking his hand and helping him walk and making sure he is comfortable :) It makes me happy to watch. They have been going to church every Sunday for almost 2 months now....even before I got here! Their testimonies are very strong and they always talk about how excited they are to be baptized someday...but first Valdemar needs to be divorced from his ex-wife so they can be married. And it´s been taking a loooong time. But we found out that the papers have already been signed and hopefully it won´t be much longer until they arrive! I hope I´m still here in Timbaúva to see their baptism....I love them so much!
Sister Gibson and I ate lunch at home and quickly cleaned and washed laundary...and then the rest of the day was spent with another friend that I love...Maria Idelina. :) Maria Idelina is pretty much our adopted grandma here...she is a recent convert and LOVES visits from the missionaries... The only problem is that it is hard to leave once we are there...so it is better to plan for P-day when we have more time to stay and talk :) Today she taught us to make bread and rolls....it was so fun. Maria Idelina is so sweet and loving...but she is super lonely and she worries constantly about her 8 sons who live far away... It makes me happy that we can cheer her up with our visits, but it makes we wish we had time to visit her more! It´s important to realize that we can be a blessing to people´s lives...just with a visit and a smile and a hug! I know we´re here on this earth to be the Lord´s hands...He has confidence in us that we will help His children that need comforting or lifting up!
The rest of the semana was wonderful too....we had a Great lesson with Anderson on Saturday! The Spirit was strong and he was participating a lot in the lesson. Éder, a recently returned missionary from the ward, came with us and shared a powerful testimony about his conversion...it was so great! I could tell that Anderson was feeling the Spirit too...and he said he´d definitely visit the church the next day.....but Sunday came and he didn´t show up :( I was pretty disappointed. Oh well....next week!
Oh! Next week will be General Conference! Wahoo....I am very very excited. How was the RS session Mom and Melissa? Are you going home for GC weekend Melissa? I´ll be thinking about all of you!
Simone and Adelar and their family are doing great! We have been reading the Book of Mormon with them every time we visit....and it´s really making a difference! So much that Simone even started reading the Book of Mormon on here own and is already halfway done with 1st Nephi! I´m so excited....I love that family so much and I´m happy that they´re slowly starting to progress. Simone went to church one week...but it´s difficult for the rest of the family because they own a transportation company and always have a looooot of business on the weekends...especially Sunday mornings. They are an amazing family though....I know they´ll be baptized someday :)
Well...I have a lot more to talk about, but no more time....so until next week!
Remember that I love you all so very very much. You are always in my thoughts and my prayers...it is true. Thank you for being the best brothers and sisters and parents and for always loving and helping me want to be better. I know that Heavenly Father loves us so much. He is always with us.
Have a wonderful week family!
Love, Jamie
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Dia do Gaucho!
Hello Family!
This week was a wonderful one in Montenegro! We taught some great lessons and found some new investigators Í´m really excited about. We taught Anderson, a 23 year old, who is really excited about the church! His grandmother, who he lived alone with, passed away last week and now he lives alone. We taught him about the Plan of Salvation and I could tell by his questions that he really loved his grandma and that he already has a lot of faith in God.
And the best part of a wonderful week was that it ended in a baptism!!! Alex was baptized Sunday afternoon after church! It was such a great feeling to be there and to watch him be baptized. The ward was really supporting too, and we had a big group there to watch and to welcome him into the ward. Sister Gibson and I sang "Sim, Eu Te Seguirei" (Lord, I would Follow Thee) afterwards, and Alex had tears in his eyes while we were singing. Alex has such a strong testimony...he´s an amazing example to me! After his baptism he came with us to visit Anderson and teach about the Restoration (haha...he´s already a missionary!) and he bore his testimony about the Book of Mormon and his baptism. Powerful!
Yesterday was Dia do Gaucho here in Rio Grande do Sul....and wow, is it a important holiday for everyone here! It was a lot bigger holiday than Indepence Day was. I was amazed at how much pride everyone here has for their Gaucho culture...it was huge! Parades, dances, music, fairs, Everyone in traditional costume, and churrascos!!!! (my favorite part...:D) It was awesome! We finished the night with a Noite Familiar (Family Night!) with the Bishop and his family and Alex....the Bishop wanted to get to know him better and to welcome him into the ward. We talked about prayer and ate cheesecake that Sister Gibson made.....mmmm. It was great!
Transfers were yesterday......annnnnd...Sister Gibson and I are both staying here in Montenegro in the Timbaúva ward. :) I´m very happy....and not really surprised since this is my first area and Sister Gibson´s last transfer. So..I´ll be her last companion here in Porto Alegre Brasil! It´s strange to hear her talking about going home.....she is getting excited :) But she is a very hard worker too and a very very loving person....it´s amazing how easy it is for her to become immediate friends with the people we meet here! I love her and I´m glad I get to be her companion for 6 more weeks :)
Well family, I only have 30 minutes today because the Internet cafe closes at noon.....everything here closes at noon! From noon until 2 pm everything closes so everyone can eat a huge lunch at home with their families. Lunch is probably the most important time of the day here....haha, it´s a good tradition :) mmmm...
I love you all! Keep doing well in school and in work and having fun!! Remember that Heavenly Father loves you and that He is always there for each one of us.
This week was a wonderful one in Montenegro! We taught some great lessons and found some new investigators Í´m really excited about. We taught Anderson, a 23 year old, who is really excited about the church! His grandmother, who he lived alone with, passed away last week and now he lives alone. We taught him about the Plan of Salvation and I could tell by his questions that he really loved his grandma and that he already has a lot of faith in God.
And the best part of a wonderful week was that it ended in a baptism!!! Alex was baptized Sunday afternoon after church! It was such a great feeling to be there and to watch him be baptized. The ward was really supporting too, and we had a big group there to watch and to welcome him into the ward. Sister Gibson and I sang "Sim, Eu Te Seguirei" (Lord, I would Follow Thee) afterwards, and Alex had tears in his eyes while we were singing. Alex has such a strong testimony...he´s an amazing example to me! After his baptism he came with us to visit Anderson and teach about the Restoration (haha...he´s already a missionary!) and he bore his testimony about the Book of Mormon and his baptism. Powerful!
Yesterday was Dia do Gaucho here in Rio Grande do Sul....and wow, is it a important holiday for everyone here! It was a lot bigger holiday than Indepence Day was. I was amazed at how much pride everyone here has for their Gaucho culture...it was huge! Parades, dances, music, fairs, Everyone in traditional costume, and churrascos!!!! (my favorite part...:D) It was awesome! We finished the night with a Noite Familiar (Family Night!) with the Bishop and his family and Alex....the Bishop wanted to get to know him better and to welcome him into the ward. We talked about prayer and ate cheesecake that Sister Gibson made.....mmmm. It was great!
Transfers were yesterday......annnnnd...Sister Gibson and I are both staying here in Montenegro in the Timbaúva ward. :) I´m very happy....and not really surprised since this is my first area and Sister Gibson´s last transfer. So..I´ll be her last companion here in Porto Alegre Brasil! It´s strange to hear her talking about going home.....she is getting excited :) But she is a very hard worker too and a very very loving person....it´s amazing how easy it is for her to become immediate friends with the people we meet here! I love her and I´m glad I get to be her companion for 6 more weeks :)
Well family, I only have 30 minutes today because the Internet cafe closes at noon.....everything here closes at noon! From noon until 2 pm everything closes so everyone can eat a huge lunch at home with their families. Lunch is probably the most important time of the day here....haha, it´s a good tradition :) mmmm...
I love you all! Keep doing well in school and in work and having fun!! Remember that Heavenly Father loves you and that He is always there for each one of us.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Brasil! Terra Amada....
Another wonderful week in Montenegro! I am really loving being here and being a missionary! It´s such a happy life :) Constantly meeting and teaching wonderful people about Heavenly Father´s love and plan for us, His children!
The most exciting news of the week is.....we´re going to have a baptism!!! :D On Monday we had a Noite Familiar (Family Night) with Alex and Rita (his cousin, who is a member) and watched The Restoration DVD and afterwards we invited him to be baptized, and he said yes! So Sunday September 19 we´ll be having his baptism in the afternoon after church. I´m so excited :) Alex is a great guy and he already has a strong testimony of the gospel...he is going to be a strong priesthood leader for the ward too. It´s good timing too...because the 21st we have transfers! I´m am very sure that Sister Gibson and I will both stay here though....I only have 5 weeks in Montenegro and this will be Sister Gibson´s last transfer, so it´s unlikely that either of us will be transferred.
The ward here is so great...the members are very loving and they are very willing to help the missionaries, with anything we ask! Especially the young women in the ward...there are 2 girls, Rita and Luana, who are constantly helping us.... coming to teach lessons with us, giving us references... They are both the only members in their families and have very strong testimonies....and even though they´re young (17 and 14....yes I know, perfect huh, Jared and Kyle :) They want to meet you...) they are already talking about when they will be "sisters" :) They are such sweet and fun girls! We just started a new "Integration" activity with the ward...every Friday we´re going to have classes in the chapel....crafts (Young Women), carpentry (elders quorum), music (young mens) cooking (relief society), english (us!).......last Friday was the first one, and it was so much fun! It´s also a great opportunity for us to find new investigators and for the investigators that we are already teaching to meet the ward and start making friendships.... I think it is going to help a lot!
We´re still teaching Simone and Adelar and family....they are such a strong, good family and they love having us come over to visit...they always feed us, and perform for us (Felipe and Adelar play Rio Grande do Sul songs for us on the guitar every time we visit...they´re so great!) Simone is like our mother here...she´s always making sure we have warm clothes and full of food before we leave :) They are an amazing family!! ...but it´s been hard to get them to keep commitments to read and come to church. Yesterday Sister Gibson and I made Book of Mormon calendars for them....haha, just like we did as a family last year, remember? :) I hope it helps them start reading as a family every day...I know that they will feel the difference and the Spirit that comes when you read the Book of Mormon daily. I really love this family and I hope that we can help them start progressing more...
I love you all! You´re in my prayers every night :)
Love, Sister Jamie Gee
The most exciting news of the week is.....we´re going to have a baptism!!! :D On Monday we had a Noite Familiar (Family Night) with Alex and Rita (his cousin, who is a member) and watched The Restoration DVD and afterwards we invited him to be baptized, and he said yes! So Sunday September 19 we´ll be having his baptism in the afternoon after church. I´m so excited :) Alex is a great guy and he already has a strong testimony of the gospel...he is going to be a strong priesthood leader for the ward too. It´s good timing too...because the 21st we have transfers! I´m am very sure that Sister Gibson and I will both stay here though....I only have 5 weeks in Montenegro and this will be Sister Gibson´s last transfer, so it´s unlikely that either of us will be transferred.
The ward here is so great...the members are very loving and they are very willing to help the missionaries, with anything we ask! Especially the young women in the ward...there are 2 girls, Rita and Luana, who are constantly helping us.... coming to teach lessons with us, giving us references... They are both the only members in their families and have very strong testimonies....and even though they´re young (17 and 14....yes I know, perfect huh, Jared and Kyle :) They want to meet you...) they are already talking about when they will be "sisters" :) They are such sweet and fun girls! We just started a new "Integration" activity with the ward...every Friday we´re going to have classes in the chapel....crafts (Young Women), carpentry (elders quorum), music (young mens) cooking (relief society), english (us!).......last Friday was the first one, and it was so much fun! It´s also a great opportunity for us to find new investigators and for the investigators that we are already teaching to meet the ward and start making friendships.... I think it is going to help a lot!
We´re still teaching Simone and Adelar and family....they are such a strong, good family and they love having us come over to visit...they always feed us, and perform for us (Felipe and Adelar play Rio Grande do Sul songs for us on the guitar every time we visit...they´re so great!) Simone is like our mother here...she´s always making sure we have warm clothes and full of food before we leave :) They are an amazing family!! ...but it´s been hard to get them to keep commitments to read and come to church. Yesterday Sister Gibson and I made Book of Mormon calendars for them....haha, just like we did as a family last year, remember? :) I hope it helps them start reading as a family every day...I know that they will feel the difference and the Spirit that comes when you read the Book of Mormon daily. I really love this family and I hope that we can help them start progressing more...
I love you all! You´re in my prayers every night :)
Love, Sister Jamie Gee
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Dia de Independencia!
Hola querida família!
Another wonderful week here in Montenegro, Brazil! Sorry I didn´t write yesterday...every internet house was closed because September 7th is Brazil´s Independence Day! :) Sister Gibson and I are teaching some wonderful people right now....I really love them. This week was a veeeery cold one too....it rained every day, all week long. I had to re-wash all of my clothes yesterday that I had washed the week before...because they molded instead of drying :) It´s sunny and beautiful today though!
Alex is really making great progress! He came to church last Sunday (we borrowed a white shirt and tie for him to wear from another member) and really enjoyed it....He even told us afterwards that he was just about to get up and bear his testimony, when the Bishop got up to end the meeting! Oh, and then he called us on Monday and asked us if we could come over that night for a few minutes because he had a "surprise" for us. haha, Sister Gibson and I were very curious....so after our last appointment of the night we went over to his house...and he pulled out a pair of calças socias (slacks) that he had bought to wear to church from now on! Wow...it´s amazing to me how prepared some people are to receive the gospel... I´m very excited for him
Simone also came to church this Sunday! Simone and Adelar are the parents of Felipe and Priscila....and they are a great family that we´re teaching right now! Simone came alone....because Adelar and Felipe had work and Priscila had to stay home with their grandma...but she said she really liked it and that she wants to come again. This Sunday we have Stake Conference in São Leopoldo....which makes it a little difficult for our investigators to come...but hopefully we can get the whole family to come sometime.
Yesterday was especially fun....Dia de Independencia for Brazil! I was very glad that it happened to be on our P-day so that we could celebrate too :) Sister Gibson and I went to watch the desfila (parade) with Simone and Adelar and there family in the morning and then we went to a less-active member´s home for lunch and to learn how to make cuca....de banana! Nuri is 75 years old and has a very strong testimony about the gospel...but I think something happened with some other members years ago that left her very bitter with the church. She is so sweet with us missionaries though....always wanting to feed us and have us visit. She is pretty much our "grandma" here in Montenegro :) Oh, and Nuri is from Uruguay so it´s really fun to practice speaking spanish with her! It is hard to switch back and forth from Portuguese to Spanish! It really makes your brain work....haha
We finished the day with a Noite Familiar (Family Night!) with Alex and Rita and their family. It was so fun...we thought we would just be having a lesson and games, but they surprised us with a churrasco!! My first churrasco in Rio Grande do Sul.....and it was just as good as everyone had said :) Mmmmm....carne de galhina, linguiça, carne de vaca, coração de frango....it was great. I took some pictures that I was hoping to send today...but I left my cable back in the apartment.. I´ll remember next week though, so expect some great pictures of a real Gauchan churrasco!!
As I am writing this email I can hear Chicago playing in the streets..."I am the man who will fight for your honor....I´ll be the hero you´re dreaming of!!" haha...it´s reminding me a lot of you Dad and Ryan! :)
I love you all very much, my dear and wonderful family. Thank you so much for your prayers and emails and love....I miss you all, but I´m very happy to be serving the Lord here in Brazil. He loves us so much and He always always answers our prayers :) I know that is true.
Have a good week and be happy!
Love,
Sister Jamie Gee
Another wonderful week here in Montenegro, Brazil! Sorry I didn´t write yesterday...every internet house was closed because September 7th is Brazil´s Independence Day! :) Sister Gibson and I are teaching some wonderful people right now....I really love them. This week was a veeeery cold one too....it rained every day, all week long. I had to re-wash all of my clothes yesterday that I had washed the week before...because they molded instead of drying :) It´s sunny and beautiful today though!
Alex is really making great progress! He came to church last Sunday (we borrowed a white shirt and tie for him to wear from another member) and really enjoyed it....He even told us afterwards that he was just about to get up and bear his testimony, when the Bishop got up to end the meeting! Oh, and then he called us on Monday and asked us if we could come over that night for a few minutes because he had a "surprise" for us. haha, Sister Gibson and I were very curious....so after our last appointment of the night we went over to his house...and he pulled out a pair of calças socias (slacks) that he had bought to wear to church from now on! Wow...it´s amazing to me how prepared some people are to receive the gospel... I´m very excited for him
Simone also came to church this Sunday! Simone and Adelar are the parents of Felipe and Priscila....and they are a great family that we´re teaching right now! Simone came alone....because Adelar and Felipe had work and Priscila had to stay home with their grandma...but she said she really liked it and that she wants to come again. This Sunday we have Stake Conference in São Leopoldo....which makes it a little difficult for our investigators to come...but hopefully we can get the whole family to come sometime.
Yesterday was especially fun....Dia de Independencia for Brazil! I was very glad that it happened to be on our P-day so that we could celebrate too :) Sister Gibson and I went to watch the desfila (parade) with Simone and Adelar and there family in the morning and then we went to a less-active member´s home for lunch and to learn how to make cuca....de banana! Nuri is 75 years old and has a very strong testimony about the gospel...but I think something happened with some other members years ago that left her very bitter with the church. She is so sweet with us missionaries though....always wanting to feed us and have us visit. She is pretty much our "grandma" here in Montenegro :) Oh, and Nuri is from Uruguay so it´s really fun to practice speaking spanish with her! It is hard to switch back and forth from Portuguese to Spanish! It really makes your brain work....haha
We finished the day with a Noite Familiar (Family Night!) with Alex and Rita and their family. It was so fun...we thought we would just be having a lesson and games, but they surprised us with a churrasco!! My first churrasco in Rio Grande do Sul.....and it was just as good as everyone had said :) Mmmmm....carne de galhina, linguiça, carne de vaca, coração de frango....it was great. I took some pictures that I was hoping to send today...but I left my cable back in the apartment.. I´ll remember next week though, so expect some great pictures of a real Gauchan churrasco!!
As I am writing this email I can hear Chicago playing in the streets..."I am the man who will fight for your honor....I´ll be the hero you´re dreaming of!!" haha...it´s reminding me a lot of you Dad and Ryan! :)
I love you all very much, my dear and wonderful family. Thank you so much for your prayers and emails and love....I miss you all, but I´m very happy to be serving the Lord here in Brazil. He loves us so much and He always always answers our prayers :) I know that is true.
Have a good week and be happy!
Love,
Sister Jamie Gee
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