How great shall be your joy!

Dear family!

Hello from Montenegro! The biggest news of the week.....I have a new companion! Sister Inhuma from Recife....well, actually she´s from Bahia, but her family moved to Recife 4 years ago. I had heard a lot before about Bahians. Every one talks about their calm, easy-going way of life....and it´s so true with Sister Inhuma! I could tell after our very first conversation....calm and peaceful and gentle. The way she walks the way she talks.... Haha...it´s almost the exact opposite of Sister Gibson who was always full of energy and loud and fuuuun!! It´s definitely been different....but so good too. Sister Inhuma has a gift for loving people and the members here are already noticing and loving her. I love hearing her bear testimony in her calm, relaxing voice in every lesson....she really brings the Spirit! I can already tell that I´m going to love being her companion.

So, I forgot to tell you before that when we have transfers (every 6 weeks) our P-day is on a Monday instead of a Tuesday....that way the missionaries that are being transferred have time to pack and clean the apartment I suppose. Sorry for forgetting to tell you earlier! But I guess it didn´t really matter...because I wrote 2 long emails last week and couldn´t get either one to send! I´ll have to sum up the last 2 weeks in this email.....:)

I had a wonderful last week in the trio with Sister Gibson and Sister Cidre! Sister Gibson was getting very excited and anxious to be heading home...but she kept working hard right up to the very end. We marked 6 baptisms in her last week! Fernanda (14) and Indiara (15) (sisters of Luana ...we´ve been teaching them for the last few weeks) and Idimir (before I spelled it as Edemir...but I was wrong :) Eleane and their two sons Fladimir (12) and Eduardo (8)! It was a good last week for Sister Gibson to end her mission with. The entire week was filled with farewells and parties. Mmmmm....Saturday we had a churrasco with the bishop as a farewell for Sister Gibson....and it was Ammmmaazing!! I have had many many churrascos here...but none even come close in comparison! It was so great....chicken heart, liver, beef, pork ribs, cow heart, sausage.... Imagine Tucanos, but a million times better! And with soooo much meat. I think Jared should serve his mission here...I´m pretty sure he would like it a lot :)

Fernanda and Indiara were baptized on Sunday and I think it was the most beautiful baptism I had ever seen. We´ve been teaching them for about a month and I love them both so much. Fernanda is quiet and gentle and I´ve never met anyone so pure and good! She has been excited about her baptism every since we challenged her to be baptized......Indiara was a little more hesitant though. Indiara really likes going to church and to the activities (mostly because of the amazing young women that we have in our ward that are so loving! We as members, can make a huuuge difference in missionary work!!) but I could tell that she seemed a little unsure about being baptized. On Friday we were teaching them one last time before being interviewed by the elders.....and I was amazed with the difference in Indiara! She was so happy and she had a light in her eyes....literally glowing! I asked her if she was ready to be baptized...and she burst into a smile when she said yes. Then she bore a sweet and powerful testimony of the answer that she had received to her prayer the night before when she was praying to know if being baptized was the right thing to do. She said that for the first time in her life she felt the Holy Ghost answering...and she felt joy and light and knew that it was an answer from God! :) I think that I felt more happiness in that moment than I have felt during my entire mission....it is so wonderful to know that Heavenly Father loves us and that He hears every prayer! I know He really does!

It was really a beautiful baptism....I could feel Heavenly Father´s love for them so strongly and both Indiara and Fernanda were shining with happiness!! And almost the entire ward was there!....Fernanda and Indiara are very loved by all the members here. Roselei, their mother, came to watch the baptism and I could tell that she was very touched. We´re good friends from all the visits, and as she was leaving she gave me a hug and told me that she had decided she was going to start coming to church on Sundays with her daughters :) :) :)

What a good good week...and this week we´re going to be busy with 6 more baptisms! On Friday two 8 year old girls, Melody (member) and her friend that always goes to church with her, Maria Luisa. And Sunday afternoon will be the baptisms of Idimir´s family....the entire family together!! I´m very excited.

We also started teaching a new family this week....Márcia, the mother, Luana (14), and Bianca (6). Their husband/father died unexpectedly earlier this month from a heart attack. I really love this family...they have so much faith and love. Márcia is always kind and receptive when we visit...but you can see a lot of sadness in her eyes still, even when she´s smiling. It makes me hurt inside to think about how sad and lonely she is. I really want to help them....I know that the love of Jesus Christ can heal all pain and sadness.

Wow....I can´t believe all the fun things that you are doing at home. I am very very happy to hear that you are keep busy and doing so many wonderful things. I miss you all very much, and I am very happy to be serving the Lord here in Brazil. I am learning new things every day....most of all I am gaining a stronger and stronger testimony of the love that Heavenly Father has for each of us. He is so good and kind and He loves us more than we know :) I love seeing the changes in people´s lives and eyes when they being to realize that...

Life is wonderful!
Keep smiling and serving and being an example to everyone you meet!
I love you all!!! Love, Sister Jamie Gee