Mady's Missionary Moments: Another crazy week in Brazil!

Oi familia y amigos!

Just another crazy week here in Brazil!

P-days here are pretty chill. We got ice cream and man SO GOOD. The pineapple ice cream has chunks of pineapple and it is so so so good.

I got to go talk to a school, called Wizard last monday in English. We just answered questions about America, what we do as missionaries and a few about our church. They asked us to sing a church song for them. So Sister Crump and I sang I am a Child of God. The Spirit was so strong and it was probably the best singing I have ever done. It was so cool.

This week was difficult in that most of our appointments fell through. Like every day. But I am learning to have more fun and smile through the hard times. And things are good. I sing or whistle a lot as we walk down the street just to keep a smile on my face. We laugh more and talk more, which is nice!

We got to go to a Brazilian restaurant two days in a row. It was a buffet and man was it so so good! I ate probably as much as an elder would the second day. It was ridiculous. I´ll send you the picture haha.

We ended the week with zero progressing investigators, because none of them came to church, and that was kind of rough. But I know that the Lord has something in store for these people and we are working hard to get them ready for baptism.

Duda is really really wanting to get baptized. Her mom wouldn´t let us set a date with her because she thinks she needs to learn more and be totally committed. Her parents are less actives, so that is making things difficult.

Ana Carla we are teaching the word of Wisdom to. She has to give up coffee and tea, so we are hoping she has been able to do that! we´ll find out this week how it went.

Luan we haven´t seen again since that first lesson, except on the street. He´s starting modeling classes at night so we can´t teach him at the same time, so we are going to try to start going to teach him. We ran into him on the street and got his contact info, so that was good.

Bruno, Ana Carla´s bf is awesome. We had taught Ana Carla one night and missed the bus so we were going to have to walk home, which was super far. It was cold, my feet were blistered and hurting, I was hungry, and tired. We started the walk and were going to get home late, and Bruno pulled up five minutes later with ana Carla and Jennifer and we hopped in the back of his work truck and he drove us home! Miracle of the week :) haha

We had a cool three kingdoms of glory activity, and Gabe said you guys had one and it seems to be almost the same thing. Haha. It was super cool, ask him to read the email i sent him about it.

Yesterday was Brazil´s independence day! We got to go to a parade and man, the whole world was there! The parade went on for forever, but it was cool. I took some pics and video to show you when I get back :) the bands were playing american songs, it was great! AND WE HAD SUBWAY FOR LUNCH!!!!! SO GOOD! :)

Our ward here is amazing. I love them so much. There is one couple I particularly love, Jorge and Fran. Fran was a less active member and they were either dating or living together. But they got married so that Jorge could be baptized last october and now we think that his brother might be interested! I am amazed at the sacrifices people make here to have the gospel in their lives.

Well, that´s pretty much it.

I love you all and pray for you constantly!

Have a fantastic week!

Sister Wilkins

Lunch at the Restaurant

Me and my huge plate of food!

Excerpts from emails to her dad and mom:

Things are going well with sister Rosa. She leaves the week of General conference. I don´t know what will happen to me after she leaves. I really hope I get to stay here to finish my training, but not sure if i will or not.

I think I´m gaining weight. I kind of eat like crap and it is not totally my fault. we don´t get dinner. WE snack and it´s usually crackers and cookies. I eat tons of food and I need to slow down. i also need to find some good exercises, so if you have suggestions, that would be great. I have yet to have a bad lunch with a member though, so BLESSINGS!

We are moving because our apartment is old and basically falling apart. We are going to look at another in a few minutes. WE don´t have a move out date anymore, just ASAP.

The sisters in my apartment are great! I love them so much!!! It´s so nice to have sister crump because we get to a point where we can´t do portuguese any more so we can speak with each other.

been really rainy this week and cold. But it´s ok! We saw the prettiest rainbow the other day, it was the brightest and biggest i have ever seen. so pretty!

FAvorite thing to eat is probably the lasagna. Or ice cream. or anything strawberry flavored. strawberry flavor here is 10 times better than the states.

Feet are still a little blistered. I popped them, but they are doing good. My shins hurt more than my legs. My apartment is probably at least a mile from our area. I think that we walk probably 5-10 miles a day depending on how many people we are teaching and the things we have to do, but I am probably overestimating.

BEing in the field best thing is seeing the miracles the gospel has brought to people´s lives, miracles that have happened in the ward with baptisms. It´s amazing what people have done and given up to get baptized and have the gospel in their lives.

Trying to eat more nuts, they´re a little difficult to find. But I like peanuts now haha. The mission is changing me ;)

Things are good with S. Rosa.

I get frustrated sometimes because I can´t speak and she doesn´t always explain things in a way I can understand. And she talks super fast. But she is trying to learn a little English, and that is helping a lot.

We are 3 hours from the mission home. So inland. Not sure where though. Tubarão is the name of our zone. It´s like a county in comparison.

We get mail any time someone in our district visits the mission home. We get mail tomorrow because sis Diniz and Sis Rosa are STLs and have a meeting with pres and so me and Sis Crump are going to be comps for a day and a half. starting this afternoon!

We get to do quite a bit with the other sisters, crump and diniz, so we are all getting pretty close!