Week 37 - Gravatá

Oi minha familia!

Thank you for the pictures!!!!! I’m so happy too :) Rae is so dang pretty! I LOVE your outfit and shoes! What the heck! I need to get skinny so I can use all your clothes. I feel like I was just in high school doing all the homecoming things. Fun times!

This week was good again! Yesterday we had 6 investigators in church!! It was weird because it was like all the people that we weren’t expecting but I can’t complain! Have I told you guys that I teach the Gospel Principles class? It was packed yesterday; we were so excited! One man who is a friend of the bishop came to church with two of his little kids. They were to Stake Conference last week too! We didn’t see him there or even know him yet but we are going to start teaching his family this week! Also a 20 year old named Braule came. He is the cousin of a member. He works here in Gravata but lives in Recife. He’s here most of the time though so we teach him when we can. He is awesome! He has sooooo many questions which I love people who seriously are interested and want to learn, not just sit there and nod their heads.

Carla and Rodrigues are doing great. They are super busy so we only can pass by their house once a week. They are still asking a lot of questions and they read a little of the Book of Mormon together! He has a lot of questions about the Bible and if the Book of Mormon is biblical. It’s been fun studying a lot to be able to answer all his questions. I’ve been learning a lot especially about the Bible here on my mission.

This part is kinda sad. Remember Ivete the really old lady that was literally waiting for us?! So we taught her twice this week and both times her daughter who is like 55 was there. And we asked her if she wanted to join in on the lessons and she was pretty cold with us. She would be cleaning in the other room but still listening and making comments to everything we were saying.  Anyways Ivete loves having us there and cries of happiness every time! So we had everything all set up for a member to stop by her house and drive her to church and then on Saturday her daughter called us and said that they were going out of town and her mom won’t be going to church with us. We go back this week and see what happened. Hopefully everything is alright!!

Today I bought this horse stuff to put in my shampoo and supposedly it makes your hair grow fast! Also I bought this diet shake stuff that makes you not feel hungry! I’m so excited!! And everything is so cheap here. I bought Rae and Jess shirts last week for $5 for both! I love Brazil!! Ok but I don’t know what else to write. Thanks for the emails!!! Love you guys!

Love,

Sister Bedke

Week 36 - Gravatá

Dear family,

Thank you for the emails and the pictures! I’m excited for Rae and homecoming. I want a lot of pictures next week por favor!!!

Before I forget I’ll write about that box that has given me a lot of stress. So I gave money to the sisters that I live with to give to an elder that works in the office and he said he would go get it for me. So he went there and he calls me and says that they won’t let him get it without my identification! I signed this paper and everything saying he could get it. But then he called again and said actually my box is in Sao Paulo and hasn’t arrived yet and then he called again and said ok seriously this time it went back to your house. So you guys should be getting the box here in a few weeks. I was actually a little relieved haha. That box gave me so much stress! Oh and then after all this his companion called me and asked me about that identification because I didn’t know what it was. Apparently I got this piece of paper that I’m supposed to have with me at all times or else I could go to jail! And I have no idea where it’s at and I don’t remember ever getting one. I think now I have to go to Recife and get another one!

This week we had such a miracle! We were knocking on doors and we went to this one house and a really, really old lady comes to the door and invites us in. At first I thought she wouldn’t understand much and just talk about her church to us. But she listened so intently to everything! We gave her a pamphlet and she got quiet and flipped through it not saying anything for it seemed like forever! We asked her questions and she just stayed silent. And then she started to cry and asked us if we are Mormons. We said yes! Do you know our church? She said that elders went to her house before but then they stopped and she didn’t know why and she missed them a lot. This was like 5 years ago when elders were in this area. Anyways she said one time she went to the church but then she got shy and didn’t go in but she has been waiting and praying for them to come back. isn’t that so cool?? She wanted to go to church with us yesterday, but it was Stake Conference in Caruaru so she couldn’t, but she said this Sunday she will! We are going to go by there with one of our members that have a car. She is really old and can’t walk very well. We went there again on Saturday and had a really good lesson with her. Her name is Ivete and we are so excited!!

I think I wrote about Carla and Rodrigues in my last letter. We taught them again this week! They are so great. They have so many good questions and their hearts are so open to learning. They just want to know the truth. We read 3 Nefi 11 with them. I love that chapter and they loved it too. He said he wanted to read it again later that night by himself! I especially like them because they always compliment my Portuguese :)

Remember the two women, Erica and Hiade, I wrote about a few weeks ago and we marked them to be baptized on the 28th? Well they still haven’t gone to church yet so their baptism has to be moved back. We are trying to think of things we can do to help them come. On Wednesday we are doing a church tour with them and we asked members to stop by their house next Sunday and invite them. Hopefully it will help!

Sister Fortes was transferred and Sister Dana went home this transfer! Her family came and got her and they came to visit Gravata for a day. It was a lot of fun! Her family is really nice. But anyways now its Sister Melo who is on her last transfer and she is training Sister H. Santos who is on her first transfer. And they are both Brazilians. I don’t ever speak English!! I actually feel a little awkward speaking English and I still feel a little awkward speaking Portuguese so I just can’t speak anything right!

Last p-day we watched 17 Miracles. Have you guys seen it? You need to if you haven’t!!! It’s soooooo good! I’ve never cried so much in a movie before. 

I don’t have any pictures this week, sorry! Thank you for the emails and pictures! Love you guys!!!

Love,

Sister Bedke

Week 35 - Gravatá

I forgot to tell you guys last week but we had transfers yesterday. But the good news is....I’m staying in Gravata!!!! I’m so happy! Sister Andrade is staying with me. We are the only two that stayed together in our district. I thought for sure I would leave because the Elders called the day before and were asking all these weird questions, but I think they were just trying to scare us and it worked haha. I love the ward here! We were at a member’s house when they called to say who would be transferred and we put it on speaker phone so they could hear too. The whole family was like YESSSSS when they heard that we would stay and gave us hugs. And then a few members called to say are you staying??!! One thing I like about really small wards is that everyone is like a big family.

This week was a little rough because it was raining constantly. It’s either really, really hot or really, really raining and the roads turn into rivers!! But we still had a few really good lessons. The one that sticks out the most to me is with Carla and Rodrigues. We met Carla a few weeks ago just knocking on doors. She lives in a really nice house! Her and her husband got married about two years ago but he wasn’t there the first time. So when we went back we taught them the restoration and it was perfect!! They are educated and understand what we are saying and everything made sense to them. They had a lot of questions at the end but it wasn’t like they are doubting things, they are just sincerely looking for the truth. They told us that they’ve been looking for a church to raise a family! I know that they felt something, especially the husband. We are going back on Wednesday.  I’m so excited!

I think I wrote about Vitor in a different email. We had another lesson with him yesterday. He is the nicest, purest guy ever. Every time we ask him if he’s been reading and praying he always has the perfect answers. So perfect that sometimes I wonder if he’s just saying it to make us happy haha. He’s seriously like a dream person to teach. We talked about baptism with him yesterday and he didn’t agree to a date yet because he hasn’t felt like he’s received an answer from God yet, but he will!!

Kaio hasn’t come to church in 2 weeks and same with Maria and Alana. Every time we visit them they are so strong and talk about how much the gospel has changed them, but they aren’t very firm yet. They let little things keep them from coming. Bishop went to visit them yesterday so I hope that helps having other people besides just us talk to them.

I talked to an elder who was in the office yesterday about that dang box. I felt so annoying, they probably have a million people calling, asking about their boxes and letters but he was really nice. The sisters we live with went to Recife today because one was transferred so I gave them the money and they’ll give it to him and he'll go and get it. I have no idea when it will actually get to me but as long as it not in the mail place anymore where people can take it, its fine.

I have a lot of pictures to send this week. Save them all because a lot of them are from Sister Andrade’s camera. Love you guys! Thanks for the emails!

Love,

Sister Bedke

 Estamos Felizes

 Love those rainy days!

 American Food - Waffles & Nutella!

 Relief Society Sisters

Week 34 - Gravatá

I can’t even believe how fast time flies. As of yesterday I have 10 months left on my mission. What the heck?!! Thank you for all the pictures and emails. Now that Jess has announced her news I just wanted to say that I’M SO EXCITED!!! I hope it’s born on my birthday.  That would be the best birthday present in the world! Ahhh I’m so excited!

We had a great week this week. The first few days were hard....it is so hard to walk in the sun all day and try to stay positive and excited when you are frying! But it motivates us to teach people so we can be under a roof haha. If I had a penny for every time someone says "wow you are red. Are you using sun screen?" I would be rich!!! But don’t worry I am using it! At first I didn’t want to but I’ve decided that I want good skin in the future so I’m using it. My shoulders still have those ugly sun spots though. I hope they go away some day when I’m not always in the sun!

The coolest thing that happened this week, and on my whole mission actually, last p-day at night time we went to go teach Erica and Hiade. I started teaching them way back with Sister Fortes. We taught them everything and they really liked having us in their house but didn’t have a desire to act on anything or go to church so we stopped passing by there. Anyways one day with Sister Andrade we saw them on the street and they were like we miss you guys.  Come visit us sometime! So we went there and we watched the restoration video with them. After the movie we were talking about how the same church that Jesus established when he was on the earth was restored through a prophet and how that same church is on the earth today. And then the coolest thing happened! I just opened my mouth to talk a little bit about the priesthood and authority to baptize and seriously it was like it says is the scriptures to open your mouth and it will be filled. I don’t remember everything exactly that I said but they are on date to be baptized the 28th of September! Ahh it was the coolest experience ever.  I don’t really know how to describe it. Missionaries always talk about these kind of experiences but I didn’t really think it would happen to me or that it was that real! It has really motivated me this week to be exactly obedient and study diligently so that I can always be guided by the spirit so strongly. I know that Erica and Hiade don’t feel prepared to be baptized-they are both really timid and shy- and before I didn’t even think they would ever progress. But now I know that Heavenly Father knows that they are prepared and we just have to do everything we can to help them feel that way too. We taught them three times this week and I can see progress. Just a little but it’s something. I’ve always felt guided on my mission, but never anything that strong. It was the coolest experience ever to truly be an instrument in God’s hands to communicate with His children.

We had another ward activity this week. I wish I could film how crazy they get and send it to you guys. It’s so funny but a little too crazy. We are always in charge of the game at the end and everyone LOVES the games we teach them. This time we played pictionary kind of. There were two teams and we divided the chalkboard in half and thought of a whole bunch of different things they could draw. So two people would draw something similar like piano and guitar and whichever team guessed first got a point. It got intense. We made rules that everyone has to stay seated but that lasted for like two seconds. Everyone crowded the chalkboard trying to guess what they were drawing hahaha.  I just laughed the whole time. There were shoes, chalk, erasers, bread and I’m sure other things too thrown at people when they drew bad. And then when it was a tie everyone looks at us "Sisters who gets the point?! We guessed first!!!!!" It got crazy!! I remembered the phrase that you guys always said trying to get everyone out the door "it’s like herding cats." This phrase never applied more strongly for a group of people. I love my ward though :)

Ok one more story. Yesterday we had lunch with Suzanna and Israel. They are the cutest couple and they just had their first baby son my first transfer here. I sent a picture a few weeks ago with them and the baby in front of a brick house so you know who I’m talking about. But anyways we were talking about how on the airplane they have such strict rules about what you can and can’t take. And how when I go home I wanted to bring some food from here but I won’t be allowed. But it reminded of that box and I told them how I have to pay 100 reais to get that box. Suzanna went and grabbed 100 reais and comes back and gives me the money! I kept refusing and refusing and I told her that my mom would pay for it. She said that money isn’t everything and that everything she has was given to her by God and that she wanted to help. And she said that she knows if she helps me other people will help her son when he is a missionary and that God will bless her. And she was like 100% willing and wanted to give it to me! It was like 100 reais was just $1 that’s how willing she was. I have never talked to two people before with such an eternal perspective. Sister Andrade and I left their house feeling uplifted. 

A lot of other cool things happened but I don’t have time to type them all out. I have a few pictures to send from Sister Andrade’s camera so be sure to save all these! Thanks for everything. Love you guys!

Love,

Sister Bedke

Week 33 - Gravatá

Hello!!

Thank you for the emails and for all the pics. I love when Rae and Cart don’t have school and can talk to me. It’s so funny! Ok I have good news and bad news... your box got here, so that’s good. The bad news is that I have to pay 100 reis to get it. What the heck did you send haha. I’m not sure what to do. Is it even worth it? I think it is if it has American food!!

Ok I have two lessons this week that stuck out a lot to me. The first one was when we were knocking doors, a lady answered and at first she wasn’t really interested, but one thing that I’ve learned time and time again is if you just keep talking to them and show interest in their life they usually let you in. I don’t even know how many times that has happened when at first they are really cold but then after a couple of minutes they are like come in! Do you want food? Sit down and rest a little! So anyway we go in and it was a great-grandma, a grandma, a daughter and then the daughter had a little son. We taught them a little bit about the restoration but for the most part we just answered questions. The daughter has a friend that is a member and she had a million questions. But she paid really good attention and had a desire to learn more. She is really interested! And she told us that she has been looking and praying for the right church and that she is really open to learning. The great-grandma loved me :) She kept saying she likes the way I talk haha.  It was so cute!

Also last night we taught a 17 year old boy in the house of his aunt who is a member. We taught the restoration and watched the film with him. He loved it! He said that everything made so much more sense to him. He could relate a lot to Joseph Smith wondering which of all the religions is right. We invited him to be baptized and he accepted!! I hope I’ll still be here for his baptism. He is just a really nice and innocent guy that wants to do what’s right. I’m excited for him!

Yesterday went to a different city called Bazerros. It’s part of our area but we never go there because its 20 minutes away on a bus and I would be lost too. But one of the ladies in our ward wanted us to visit less active people there with her. There are only 2 active families in this town. Anyway, so yesterday we went there with her and the Bishop’s wife and we met a lot of the people there. It was so much fun! Most of the people are inactive just because the church is so far away. I know that with sacrifice comes lots of blessings. The Irmãs we were with were the cutest things ever! We gave them those little pass along card and they were stopping and talking with literally everyone on the streets! They are the best missionaries. It was a lot of fun.

To answer your question yes I play the piano for sacrament. It’s a lot of fun! I think I’m getting better at the piano too. When I come home I want to practice a lot more and get a lot better. Bishop is sad that I won’t be here for Christmas because we wanted to have a special sacrament meeting. I’m sad too! 

I hope you all have a great week! Thank you for everything. Love you guys!

Love

Sister Bedke