Dearest friends and familia.
Man i love you all. I feel like everyday of my life is an adventure hear in this amazing country. Ive used the verb assaltar quite a bit this past week and we had another close call this morning.
We were waiting at the bus stop to go to a mission activity. I was pretty much oblivious to the whole thing, but a guy was sitting by sister Murbaki and told her where he was going. When his bus passed sister Murbaki became nervous, when the bus passed two more times and ours hadnt arrived we started walking to the other bus stop and he started following us. I didnt really know what was going on until sister Murbaki yelled, Corre! Corre! (run) and started booking it. We ran until we came to this man and woman in a truck. The guy had started walking faster and eventually passed us when we stayed next to these people. They were really nice and guess what, they spoke English! man i miss that language sometimes. The lady lived in Oklahoma for one year. They gave us a ride to our activity and we were safe, but all in all i realize i need to pay attention more often.
Maceio is sunny hot and humid, BUT we get this amazing wind that cools you down when you look and feel like a wet dog. interesting, the sun literally rises at about 4 am so i usually wake up at 5 feeling like im late.
The ward here is awesome. The Bishop and his family live a few houses away and we talk to them almost everyday. They go to a lot of lessons with us and are very involved in the work. I love their kids, Beatrice who is 7 and Thomas who is 3. Bea is so smart she loves learning english so i teach her english and she helps me with portuguese when we visit. Thomas reminds me of connor. He is hilarious and adorable. Makes me miss my sobrinhos at home.
The culture overall is really laid back, humble, and simple. Apparently most of the words i learned in the CTM are words the people rarely use and dont fully understand here. I have to revise my teaching vocabulary daily but sister Murbaki is very helpful.
A lot of the time the people dont understand my accent, but sister murbaki says it is because they dont pay attention. After teaching a lesson i had a really hard time with one of the ladies told me that she liked my accent, it made me smile. I get discouraged when i mess up in lessons, i feel really stupid and realize my pride kills me. I know i am not the only one who struggles learning a language, but sometimes i feel like it. But HF always reminds me of his love and that he is helping me. One day a lady asked me to speak english because her daughter knew a few words and i started saying, Oi! meu nome é. It took me about five seconds to remember how to say hi my name is sister Peterson. I realized that i am improving everyday and that i need to relax and not stress so much.
God has blessed me with this amazing opportunity to see and think in a totally new language. To see the world from a different view point and to be able to understand a people whose culture and ideas are completely foreign to me. Amazing. It is rough sometimes, change always is, but i cannot wait till i can think in Portuguese, what a blessing that will come from this trial. I have to think of that everyday.
There is one member, Irmã Elba who was baptized about 5 months ago and all in all this lady is a ROCK an example and she gives me hope everytime i get to talk to her. Her circumstances are humble, but she pushes herself to learn and grow in the gospel. She is already preparing for the temple. She has given up so much to be a member and is solid. Her faith and her love of the Lord is amazing. She was telling me her conversion story last night, how she tried to ignore the missionaries as much as possible for a long time. But now she is probably one of the strongest members of this ward. It gives me hope that even though we dont have a strong teaching pool if we are consistent and loving we can help someone.
My goal for this transfer is found in section 108 in the doctrine and covenants specifically in verse 7: Therefore, strengthen your brethren in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your exhortations, and in all your doings. this is my goal for my life to leave those that at meet and the areas that i live and serve in better than how i found them.
I know this work is the Lords work. I know that He leads this church today and that through the power of God miracles happen every single day. I am protected by that power, i am sustained by that power, i am working by that power. Now more than every i realize how very real it is. God loves his children, He knows them, and He has sent me to this area of the world to learn this beautiful language so that i can tell them all about it. It is true, i wouldnt be here if it wasnt.
Proud to wear the tag,
Sister Peterson
ps. Grandma i received your letters thank you very much! To my friends i can receive your emails but i cannot respond UNLESS you are on a mission in another part of the world. So if you want a response send me your mailing address and i will write you the best letter of your life. ALSO this is my mailing address i think it was wrong from before:
Sister Jessica Ruth Peterson
Ed Work Center
Rua Dom Antonio Brandão 333
Sala 402 Farol
57021-190 Maceió, AL
BRASIL
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