Mission Life in Recife, Brazil: Week 56

Hello!!

This last week has been different than normal because of the holidays here. Have you guys seen anything on the news about Carnival in Brasil? We have to come home at 5, but President Bigelow gave us a talk to study for every day. I have been learning so much! Mom and Dad I think you guys would really like the talk I read yesterday. It’s called Learn by Faith by Elder Bednar. It’s really good!!

This week we had a zone conference with President. I loved it! He taught us how to be better teachers. He used 1 Nephi 11. I learned so much. That chapter is like a guide of how to teach. He explained how in this chapter the Spirit taught Nephi by asking questions and not just passing all of his knowledge to Nephi. And when Nephi had desire and believed the Spirit showed him all the things that he wanted to know. But there is a big difference in explaining and showing. And we need to show the people we teach and let them discover and learn for themselves so that they can be truly converted. We have been applying everything that we learned and I feel like we are teaching so much better. Sometimes it’s hard to not just talk and explain but seriously no one wants to sit there and just listen to us talk for 30 minutes. President Bigelow is the best! Seriously he is super inspired and I loved loved loved the meeting!

I did my first division with another sister this week. It was so much fun. I loved it and I learned so much!! I went to Carpina. It’s like an hour away from Camaragibe. And I stayed with Sister Venegas from Chile. We had such a great day. We found a family!!! We taught them about the restoration and I know they felt the Spirit. My favorite part of the day was at night when we got to talk about our goals for the mission and life. She told me about things that she wants to change and be better and I got to share some experiences with her. Seriously it was an experience that I’ll never forget. I felt so strongly the love that Heavenly Father has for her and all the potential that she has. I loved it. It made me think that Bishops are lucky because they get to feel that a lot. Next week we'll do a division with Sister Andrade and her companion. I’m excited!!

The 13 year old we've been teaching is going to be baptized this Saturday. He is such a good kid. He is a great example to his family. He comes every Sunday and to all the activities by himself. And he lives really far away too! He is reading the Book of Mormon and loving it. He’s super excited about Saturday! His mom has been coming to church too. She wants to be baptized too, but isn’t quite ready yet. But she will be! She has made so much progress.

Do you guys remember me talking about a lady in Gravata that Sister Dana and Sister Rodgrigues taught, and she was baptized last March? We went there for dinner once a week and tried talking with her husband but he was never really interested. And then Sister Andrade and I tried again to teach him and he started to listen but still wasn’t super interested. Then when we both were transferred he told us that he thinks it was a sign that he needs to step up and help his wife with her spiritual growth and that he was gonna start going to church with her. Anyways I just found out that he was baptized this week. I am so so so happy!!! It made me want to cry. I’m gonna write her today. They are such a good family. And she is coming to the United States next year I think so maybe you guys will get to know them!

I got a package from you guys and a box from Meika. Thank you so much!! I love everything. If you guys see Meika tell her thank you from me! That was so nice of her. I’ve already used the headband. I love it! You guys are the best! Thank you so much for everything. I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Sister Bedke