Week 41 - Goiana

Hello!!!

Sorry this is two days late. We had transfers and p-day was switched to today because right now I’m in Recife about to go to the temple!! Soooo Sister Andrade and I were both transferred!! Holy stressful! We had to write a journal for the new missionaries coming in about all the people we are teaching and how to get to their houses and all that. Hopefully they are finding everything! My new area is Goiana. It’s a 2 hour bus ride from Recife. My companion is Sister Cariola from Chile!! She is awesome! I was really excited to have a Hispanic companion. Last night she said a prayer in Spanish. And guess what..I understood everything!! I was so excited! I want to learn Spanish someday, seriously. I’ll be able to use that more in the US than Portuguese. But anyways I really like my new area so far. It’s a little different than Gravata. Gravata is a tourist city and Goiana is less stores and shopping and more houses! We have a mansion house!! It’s awesome! There are two bathrooms for us 4 sisters that live here. Oh I almost forgot! I live with sisters from Chile, Argentina, and an American that is a Mexican and speaks Spanish in her home. So I better learn some Spanish this transfer! Actually I already am learning lots because my companion only has 4 months as a missionary and speaks a mixture of Portuguese and Spanish haha.  It’s so funny! For the first time ever the people we teach look to me to clarify what she says! It’s always been the other way around! Everybody always looks to my companion like what the heck did she say?! She’s awesome though. Super humble, friendly, and loves to work. I’m excited!

We taught a lot of awesome people yesterday. And we marked a baptism for November 14. I’m really, really excited to be here! I loved Gravata and was really sad to leave, but now that I’m here I feel like it’s exactly where I need to be. It was hard saying bye to the people in Gravata though. We had sooo many people calling us the last night saying bye. A few people stopped by our house to give us hugs. Also I’ll miss Sister Andrade so much! We were like best friends. But for sure we'll be friends after we get home too. 

Thanks for the pictures! Sorry this letter is so short. But idk what else to write about! Next p-day will be normal on Monday. I’m so excited to go to the temple! I have soooooo many pictures, but I’m just gonna choose a few to send to you guys. Love you!! Have a great week.

Love,

Sister Bedke

Week 40 - Gravatá

Hello!

Thank you for all the pictures!!!! Rae’s hair is sooooo long and she is soooooo pretty! I liked the picture of everybody celebrating.

Today is a holiday in Gravata and everything was closed except for one lan house that is not very nice. I had a lot of pictures to send but I’m scared to get a virus on my card, so I’ll send them all next week. Oh also next week is transfers so I’ll probably be in Recife....I’m guessing I’ll be transferred but I wouldn’t mind staying one more here!! :)

This week was awesome. The highlight of the week for sure was Fernando’s baptism!!!!!! We taught him almost every single day of the week and he was so excited for yesterday. He’s just the purest person that wants to do what’s right. In every single one of his prayers he asks for strength to always stay strong in the gospel and that one day his family will be baptized too. Everyone in the ward is talking to him and he’s made a lot of friends even though he is suuuuuper shy. I feel like we hardly had to do anything that’s how prepared he was!! He’s awesome!!

We organized a really cool activity for the ward this week. There were a lot of people there and it was alot of fun. It was based kind of on the 10 virgins but more about preparing yourself for the future. Everyone started with 6 pieces of paper and they had to choose rooms in the chapel to enter in to. Some of the rooms were stuff of the world and others were spiritual. And then in the good rooms you gained a paper, the bad ones you lost one. Idk if that makes sense but everyone liked it. We had 3 investigators there too so that was awesome!

I’ve been teaching piano to one boy and he asked me this week if he can bring two friends because they want to learn too. So this week I’ll teach three!! I feel like I don’t explain things clearly! I don’t even know where to start explaining. I taught him some scales, the notes and how to read music. He brought this little notebook and I wrote things for him to study in his house.

Everyone we are teaching is doing great. Rose and Gilberto are awesome. He told us again how he always feels at peace when we are in his house. Their family is really special. Actually their 12 year old son Gabriel is the one that I’m teaching piano and now his friends too. I really don’t want to leave this area!!! I’m getting sad, but I don’t even know anything for sure. Sorry this email is so bad but I don’t know what else to say. To answer the question about service, we usually don’t do any planned service, but for sure we do random service throughout the day. Love you guys! Good luck Rae in sectionals!!

Love,

Sister Bedke

Week 39 - Gravatá

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for the emails and pictures. I’m so jealous of the sushi it looks so good!! There’s a Japanese restaurant in our area but it is really expensive and doesn’t accept a debit card so we’ve never gone there. But I miss sushi!!

This week was awesome!!! We are teaching the most elect investigator ever. His name is Fernando. I wrote about him last week, the guy who went to conference and wanted to know how he could serve a mission and go to the temple. Anyways we met with him almost every single day this week at the chapel and then he went to seminary afterwards and then institute on Saturday. He's 28 and we told him that it will just be teenagers in seminary but he still wanted to go anyways haha. He has a million awesome questions, is reading the Book of Mormon, and praying about it. He's on-date to be baptized on Sunday!!! He keeps saying how excited he is to be making this covenant with Heavenly Father and to have the priesthood. Everything happened pretty fast but he for sure is ready! All we did was invite him to church and Heavenly Father took care of the rest. Our members are awesome and being good friends to him too!

Also, we are teaching another new family!! We found them knocking on doors. They live in a really nice area and have an awesome house. But anyways we taught them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and left that pamphlet with them. And then when we went back for our second lesson she was sitting there waiting for us with the pamphlet, a Bible, and the Book of Mormon. I was thinking wait we didn’t give her a Book of Mormon? She was like "I'm so happy you came back! I remembered that missionaries have been in my house about 3 years ago and left this book. I read it every now and then and I have a lot of questions for you two." AND she read the whole pamphlet and filled out the questions it has in the back! What the?!! Our area is the best! Heavenly Father is preparing sooooooooooo many amazing people for us to teach.

One other family that I think I wrote a little bit about last week, Rosi and Gilberto. We had another lesson with them and dinner too which was delicious. But the lesson was great and they love us. It’s so hard to leave their house because they don’t let us!! haha They literally asked us to come at 6 and stay until 9 when we have to go home! They said they feel better when we are in their house. They couldn’t come to church yesterday, but they said they would this week!

Ok one more about Ivete the really old lady. This one is sad. So we planned with her every week to pick her up in a car for church and she is always really excited. But then every morning before church her daughter calls and gives us some excuse. And then the last time she called she told us that her mom is really old and doesn’t understand anything that we are saying and that we should stop passing by her house. And everything she said is not true. I know she’s really old but her brain is perfectly fine and she knows what she’s doing and she wants to come to church. It’s really sad that her daughter is keeping her from going. We talked to the bishop about it and he happens to know the family and he said he'll stop by and talk to them. So hopefully everything will turn out fine.

I love my mission. Seriously, I’m so happy that I chose to come. Not a single day passes where I don’t think "when would I have learned this if I wasn’t here." I know this is exactly where I need to be. I can feel myself changing to be more of the person that I always wanted to be. I think of how I was at the beginning of my mission and I have changed so much. And I’m only half way!! :) One thing that I've gained a stronger testimony of while I've been here is that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. All of my doubts, concerns, weaknesses, everything he has helped me with every time and all I had to do was just ask and try to do my best. He takes care of the rest. I’m just so grateful!! I hope you all have a great week. Love you guys!

Love,

Sister Bedke

A smaller replica of Cristo Redentor.

Isn't Malyssa's companion so sweet?

Week 38 - Gravatá

Hello!

Wow you guys got the box really fast! Were you surprised? Aren’t those chocolates so good? Which one was your favorite? Has Rae used the shirt yet? I’m so excited it got there already!

We watched conference this weekend too!! Idk why the women’s broadcast was held back a week but everything else was normal. I watched it all in Portuguese which was a little difficult but I managed. All the other American missionaries in my zone got to watch it in English because their church had a special room for people who would rather watch in English. I was so jealous, but it worked out! 

I loved President Monson's talk, I loved the Brazilians, I loved Elder Scott's and of course I loved Elder Bednar’s!!! We had two investigators there and when he said his talk was especially for people who aren’t members I got so excited!! It was perfect! I love love love conference. I heard there is a way to download the talks onto your ipod so I’m going to try to do that after I get done emailing. Did you guys like the Portuguese? He was so much easier to understand than the translators. It’s so hard when you see their mouths speaking English but you only hear Portuguese. I loved how he talked about living now so that you can receive the promised blessings in the future. It made me think a lot about my patriarchal blessing and what I need to do to receive the blessings it talks about.. I also like when he said that each one of us-no matter age, married, single, has something to learn and room to grow until we leave this earth. Ahh I loved all of them!

One of our investigators who was there- Fernando, we met him knocking on doors but we couldn’t go in because it was just him in there but we invited him to church and he came!! And then he came to conference yesterday too and afterwards we talked to him and he was asking us what he needs to do to go to the temple, what he needs to do to go on a mission, and he has been reading and marking the gospel principles book!!!! He is awesome!! We answered a lot of his questions and we are meeting with him again on Wednesday.

Also we started teaching 2 awesome families this week! One is friends with the bishop. This family doesn't know how to read-that always makes it a little bit difficult because they can’t read the Book of Mormon. But they are so humble and just want to do what’s right. They have 3 really cute little kids. The dad brought the kids to church last week and they loved it! The other family was a reference. We went there and we had a great first lesson. They said they’ve always been curious to enter into our church because it is so pretty but didn’t know if they were allowed to haha. But the mom said that they’ve never been to big into religion but she thinks it’s just because she hasn’t found the right one yet. We shared our testimonies with them and there was a really good feeling there. The dad said that he felt a lot better the instant we got there and that their doors are always open for us. We have really been praying for families to teach and to find the people that are prepared to receive the gospel and Heavenly Father sure does answer prayers.

I don’t have much time to write about our other investigators but everyone is doing great. Thank you so much for the emails and the pictures. I’m still laughing at what Carter said, "this ain’t gonnna happen." hahahha He is so cute!

Love you guys! Thanks for everything!!

Sister Bedke

PS How is Livee doing? And also can you believe that tomorrow I have exactly 9 months left?! What the freak?

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