I started thinking of all the prophets, Abinadi, Ammon, Amoron, and and how they were missionaries.. I was thinking, ya know, if the church is true then prophets in the book of Mormon are real because they had the power of God. God called them to teach the Gospel. They had the power and authority to accomplish all that God had commanded them too. And if the gospel is true and I am a missionary called of God then I have the same power and authority to accomplish all that God has commanded me too as well. They were missionaries that blessed and taught many people, and they had toooonnnnnsss of faith never doubting. They also gave everything. I remember the scripture 1 Nephi 3:7 The Lord won’t give his children a commandment unless there is a way to accomplish it. Well the best way is the Lords way! Keeping the commandments is a great start. In Alma chapter 8 he teaches so many people and many are baptized; then he goes to the next city and the people reject him and kick him out of the city. Alma is sad and goes on the next city, but when he prays to God, God says. Lift up your head and rejoice! Because you have kept the commandments! And then he commands him to go back. And so he does :)
So 2 weeks ago we had Pday for the sisters! All the sisters in the mission, 14 at that time. All got together in Joao Pessoa and went fishing! It was sooo fun and Sister Dias caught a five pounder. I caught nothing! I would sit there with my sweet bamboo pole and we put some fruit thing on the hook and cast it into the water. Then those freaky fish would swim up steal the food and get away! Without me even realizing it! Then I almost caught one and I was fighting with it but it got away... with the fruit too. Darn fish. It was really cool though to fish in the amazon and then we ate them afterwords. We hiked up the hill it was gorgeous. The next day we had to take the bus home. We started our journey at 1:30. We basically had the whole bus to ourselves. 5 people I think. So sis Dias and I each got our own bench and took a nice nap. I woke up about halfway through and looked out the window it was beautiful. You could see so far and it was so green and tropical. Amazon and fields with the sun setting. I reminded me of the movie the Testaments when Jesus Christ comes to visit the Americas. During the movie the prophet Amoron is preaching by the waters of Mormon and they are in the forest. That is what it reminded me of.
A lot has happened the past few weeks. First thing is we had another baptism! Wiliane is her name and she was golden! I meet her 3 weeks ago and she was sooo excited to meet with us. She found out that we were teaching English classes and wanted to learn. Well we showed up to her house to teach her a little more :) She has been researching religions all her life and was soo thrilled to learn about The Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day saints. We taught her about the Book of Mormon and that she could read it and pray to God and ask him if it was true. So she did! She got her answer and was thrilled when we asked her to be baptized. She loves the scriptures and is reading the book of Mormon in Portuguese and in English too as well as Gospel principle manual. She can’t get enough of it! Last Sunday she was confirmed in church with the gift of the Holy Ghost and it was so neat she is so happy to be a member of the church.
The day before her baptism was really neat too, we were walking from her house to the church and she was continuing asking questions, she doesn’t know everything about the gospel, but she got an answer from God so she was going to do what he wanted. I think of Abraham, when God asked him to sacrifice Jacob, he didn’t know why and it didn’t even make sense, but he obeyed and had so much faith. Wiliane hadn’t even seen a picture of the prophet Thomas S. Monson, but she had a testimony that he is real prophet. That night after the interview we had to fill the baptismal font by hand with buckets cuz the piping wasn’t working. What a work out! I can’t imagine all the people that have to get their water from a well! It took about an hour and a half to fill it half way but it was so worth it the next day seeing the smile on wilianes face and the joy she had.
The day before her baptism was really neat too, we were walking from her house to the church and she was continuing asking questions, she doesn’t know everything about the gospel, but she got an answer from God so she was going to do what he wanted. I think of Abraham, when God asked him to sacrifice Jacob, he didn’t know why and it didn’t even make sense, but he obeyed and had so much faith. Wiliane hadn’t even seen a picture of the prophet Thomas S. Monson, but she had a testimony that he is real prophet. That night after the interview we had to fill the baptismal font by hand with buckets cuz the piping wasn’t working. What a work out! I can’t imagine all the people that have to get their water from a well! It took about an hour and a half to fill it half way but it was so worth it the next day seeing the smile on wilianes face and the joy she had.
They have soccer fields everywhere, and we are working so I cant play! :( We were in front of Caroles house and, no joke, the ball comes sailing to me. i think it was a blessing :) I kicked it back and dang it felt so good to just touch it even for a moment. It is the raining season now and so we are learning we have to bring our umbrella quite often. We got caught in the rain twice in the past week (after we had straightened our hair... sad) but we did have some fun out there but its pretty hot so it feels good. Had to use the bathroom by candlelight once this week. Went to "the Centro" for shopping and was fun but the bus ride back I didn't feel so good. Luckily we got back before I felt to sick. We did get to see the beach on the way though. AND sooooo gorgeous!!!!!!! There is nothing like it! We drove over a huger bridge overlooking the ocean and the city it was so pretty.
[ see pictures of Natal at the bottom of this post ]
We walk a ton, I have no idea how much - at the very least 10 miles a day. I eat a ton. I think I get served cake or "bolo" like 2 to 3 times a day, but I'm still a good 57 kilos (125lbs) and staying healthy.
Being a missionary is awesome and so fulfilling too. I did learn something pretty cool this week in Moroni 7:46 it talks about Charity being the pure love of Christ and how Charity "never fails" . The next verse says that whoso possesses this at the last day "it shall be well with him". I read this scripture for a spiritual message to a member after they had served us lunch and I guess being a missionary I understood it different. If it want to be a successful missionary I need to have the pure love of Christ, Charity first, before everything else. Better than knowing all the lessons, scriptures by heart and speaking the language. Charity is the base and everything else should be built upon it, not just for missionaries but for everyone in all the things we do. Because it never fails! How sweet is that!? In the Portuguese scriptures it says tudo estara bem :) for some reason it has a little different meaning in the Portuguese language. It hits more home. Maybe because people use tudo bem every time they greet you. It means "all is well".
Sister Richardson
The city of Natal Brazil. Almost same population as Austin, Texas.
Laurens first area is on the far north of the city - on the far side of this picture.
(see map on blog to see the area of the city she's working in or click here to see a green pinpoint of her area on google maps)
Panorama of the most famous beach in Natal and some say all of Brazil. This is probably the one Lauren was talking about.
These are solid sand - not dirt hills with sand on top. Much of Natal is sitting on solid sand dunes. All the beaches are banked by sand dunes like these.
More of the Natal Beaches. "Morro do Careca" (bald hill) - the dune in the distance that looks like a slide... well it was A SLIDE! A 360 foot SAND slide. People used to slide down it on "skibundas". But naturalists were successful at getting is closed in the late 90's. No more sliding or even walking up there anymore.
The Navarro Bridge in Natal. The biggest suspension bridge in all of Brazil. Two years old, one mile long. Lauren talks about this in her letter. Newton Navarro was a famous artist from Natal. No wonder Lauren likes this bridge so much. They're going to build a round suspending restaurant below the center of the bridge.
(Click here for a cool 360 view)
Natal at sunset.
[ see pictures of Natal at the bottom of this post ]
We walk a ton, I have no idea how much - at the very least 10 miles a day. I eat a ton. I think I get served cake or "bolo" like 2 to 3 times a day, but I'm still a good 57 kilos (125lbs) and staying healthy.
Being a missionary is awesome and so fulfilling too. I did learn something pretty cool this week in Moroni 7:46 it talks about Charity being the pure love of Christ and how Charity "never fails" . The next verse says that whoso possesses this at the last day "it shall be well with him". I read this scripture for a spiritual message to a member after they had served us lunch and I guess being a missionary I understood it different. If it want to be a successful missionary I need to have the pure love of Christ, Charity first, before everything else. Better than knowing all the lessons, scriptures by heart and speaking the language. Charity is the base and everything else should be built upon it, not just for missionaries but for everyone in all the things we do. Because it never fails! How sweet is that!? In the Portuguese scriptures it says tudo estara bem :) for some reason it has a little different meaning in the Portuguese language. It hits more home. Maybe because people use tudo bem every time they greet you. It means "all is well".
Sister Richardson
The city of Natal Brazil. Almost same population as Austin, Texas.
Laurens first area is on the far north of the city - on the far side of this picture.
(see map on blog to see the area of the city she's working in or click here to see a green pinpoint of her area on google maps)
Panorama of the most famous beach in Natal and some say all of Brazil. This is probably the one Lauren was talking about.
These are solid sand - not dirt hills with sand on top. Much of Natal is sitting on solid sand dunes. All the beaches are banked by sand dunes like these.
More of the Natal Beaches. "Morro do Careca" (bald hill) - the dune in the distance that looks like a slide... well it was A SLIDE! A 360 foot SAND slide. People used to slide down it on "skibundas". But naturalists were successful at getting is closed in the late 90's. No more sliding or even walking up there anymore.
The Navarro Bridge in Natal. The biggest suspension bridge in all of Brazil. Two years old, one mile long. Lauren talks about this in her letter. Newton Navarro was a famous artist from Natal. No wonder Lauren likes this bridge so much. They're going to build a round suspending restaurant below the center of the bridge.
(Click here for a cool 360 view)
Natal at sunset.
Lauren's address is now on the blog. Please write her!
NOOOSSSSSSSSAAA! Puxa vida!!!!!!! Cara QUE LEGAL! PRIMERO BATISMO!!!
First baptism!! Gabriele got baptized this Sunday!! Her mom was baptized a few weeks ago. Gabi is 10 years old and was catholic. Her dad is catholic and mom just got baptized. We have been teaching her for a couple weeks and on Monday we were teaching her the 10 commandments. She stopped us in the middle of the lesson and asked how many lessons till she can get baptized. Then she said "I want to get baptized!" It was such a neat experience because her dad is catholic and mom a member of our church only 3 weeks now. But the mom, Neide wanted Gabbi to choose for herself. For a while she was attending both churches with her mom and the catholic church with uncles aunts friends and dad. It was a big decision in her life but she read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it too. She read the marked passages twice and was so happy to be baptized! But man! it was an hour till the baptism everything was ready only when we went to fill the font, no water!! and no baptismal clothes! Finally we got a hold of the other church building nearby and practically the whole ward, in 3 cars, drove over there. We had 9 of us in a golf; 8 and a baby, but you could count adrenalin for 2 so really 10 people!! haha The service was beautiful. I got lots of pics and they are being sent next week.
Well this week I got stung by a bee! My first time! didn't even know till another sister pointed it out and sister Dias had to pull out the stinger. Tudo bem tudo bem. Had my first sugar cane out in front of Caroles house it was pretty sweet.
First baptism!! Gabriele got baptized this Sunday!! Her mom was baptized a few weeks ago. Gabi is 10 years old and was catholic. Her dad is catholic and mom just got baptized. We have been teaching her for a couple weeks and on Monday we were teaching her the 10 commandments. She stopped us in the middle of the lesson and asked how many lessons till she can get baptized. Then she said "I want to get baptized!" It was such a neat experience because her dad is catholic and mom a member of our church only 3 weeks now. But the mom, Neide wanted Gabbi to choose for herself. For a while she was attending both churches with her mom and the catholic church with uncles aunts friends and dad. It was a big decision in her life but she read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it too. She read the marked passages twice and was so happy to be baptized! But man! it was an hour till the baptism everything was ready only when we went to fill the font, no water!! and no baptismal clothes! Finally we got a hold of the other church building nearby and practically the whole ward, in 3 cars, drove over there. We had 9 of us in a golf; 8 and a baby, but you could count adrenalin for 2 so really 10 people!! haha The service was beautiful. I got lots of pics and they are being sent next week.
Well this week I got stung by a bee! My first time! didn't even know till another sister pointed it out and sister Dias had to pull out the stinger. Tudo bem tudo bem. Had my first sugar cane out in front of Caroles house it was pretty sweet.
We now have Lauren's address. Please write to her!
This address is for BOTH letters and packages:
Sister Lauren Richardson
Missao Brasil / Joao Pessoa
Rua Dep. Jose Mariz, 515
Tambauzinho – CEP 58042-020
Joao Pessoa - Paraibe
IMPORTANT
Mail in Brazil is fairly fast if you send it priority mail. Lauren says "don't send FEDEX, DHL, UPS, etc, (I will have to pay sometimes 100s of dollars to get it out of customs.) The best way to send it is priority mail or international. You can get the envelope at us post office. You have to disguise things if its of value."
This address is for BOTH letters and packages:
Sister Lauren Richardson
Missao Brasil / Joao Pessoa
Rua Dep. Jose Mariz, 515
Tambauzinho – CEP 58042-020
Joao Pessoa - Paraibe
IMPORTANT
Mail in Brazil is fairly fast if you send it priority mail. Lauren says "don't send FEDEX, DHL, UPS, etc, (I will have to pay sometimes 100s of dollars to get it out of customs.) The best way to send it is priority mail or international. You can get the envelope at us post office. You have to disguise things if its of value."
Anderson Ferreira, one of Laurens instructors in Sao Paulo sent some pictures to us of Lauren with her district and while she was making contacts in downtown Sao Paulo on 3/29/2010. (To see more pictures visit her blog.)
Lauren with her district in Sao Paulo.
Another with her District.
She's surrounded
Talking with a lady in downtown.
Lauren with her district in Sao Paulo.
Another with her District.
She's surrounded
Talking with a lady in downtown.
Lauren's now in Natal Brazil!
"I am super excited! My companion is Sister Dias she is here from Sao Paulo and it's been a good week!"
Sister Dias and Sister Richardson
The green pin is POTENGI (her neighborhood area) in the city of Natal Brazil.
View Lauren's Mission in a larger map
Click Here to see Google Map.
Here's how she got there...
"I made it! Wahoo! SO great to be here! I left the CTM (in Sao Paulo) yesterday morning (3/31/10) at 5:30 accidentally waking up at 5:20 am! Ahh! but at least I didn't get left behind :) Well I arrived yesterday afternoon with 5 elders and was picked up by the mission president and his wife! Very nice and it was great to get a hug! We had grilled cheese sandwiches and man they were sooooo good. Seriously. especially after cafeteria food for 2 months. We talked about health and the mission rules and got to know the president. He and his wife seem awesome! also we had dinner at their house and geez it was soo good and weird to NOT eat in a cafeteria. haha. They said we should take pictures of where we would live and our house and room so I'm excited to take pictures and send them."
"I also still don't have a companion! tudo bem! I spent the night at the presidents house not in a bunk but in a queen bed and room all to myself. But I will meet my companion in about an hour! Her name is Sister Dias and everybody says she is really cool. Very fun so I'm really excited. Right now (4/1/10) I'm at the bus station waiting for my her to arrive. So far I've walked to the bus station and that's it. So sorry no exciting stories yet, but I'm sure I will have plenty by next week."
"Last week, the elders and I walked over to the post office to mail some stuff. On the way I saw sister Hallman and about 8 other missionaries all huddled around this man trying to understand him. I walked up and we were trying to understand him, but it was a little difficult because he had no teeth. He was asking about the promise that the Prophet Moroni gives in the last book of the Book of Mormon in chapter 10 verses 3-5. I tried to explain but he wasn't satisfied with the answer. Finally we had to continue on and but before he left he asked for a prayer and choose sister Hallman to pray. She did and prayed for him by name. It was so neat because after she was done Something she said touched his heart and he knew and felt it was true He said that He knew God had sent us to him that day and he knew the Book of Mormon was true. I asked him if he wanted to be baptized and he said yes! Because we can't be there to teach him he will meet with the the Elders in that area."
"I am super excited! My companion is Sister Dias she is here from Sao Paulo and it's been a good week!"
Sister Dias and Sister Richardson
The green pin is POTENGI (her neighborhood area) in the city of Natal Brazil.
View Lauren's Mission in a larger map
Click Here to see Google Map.
Here's how she got there...
"I made it! Wahoo! SO great to be here! I left the CTM (in Sao Paulo) yesterday morning (3/31/10) at 5:30 accidentally waking up at 5:20 am! Ahh! but at least I didn't get left behind :) Well I arrived yesterday afternoon with 5 elders and was picked up by the mission president and his wife! Very nice and it was great to get a hug! We had grilled cheese sandwiches and man they were sooooo good. Seriously. especially after cafeteria food for 2 months. We talked about health and the mission rules and got to know the president. He and his wife seem awesome! also we had dinner at their house and geez it was soo good and weird to NOT eat in a cafeteria. haha. They said we should take pictures of where we would live and our house and room so I'm excited to take pictures and send them."
"I also still don't have a companion! tudo bem! I spent the night at the presidents house not in a bunk but in a queen bed and room all to myself. But I will meet my companion in about an hour! Her name is Sister Dias and everybody says she is really cool. Very fun so I'm really excited. Right now (4/1/10) I'm at the bus station waiting for my her to arrive. So far I've walked to the bus station and that's it. So sorry no exciting stories yet, but I'm sure I will have plenty by next week."
"Last week, the elders and I walked over to the post office to mail some stuff. On the way I saw sister Hallman and about 8 other missionaries all huddled around this man trying to understand him. I walked up and we were trying to understand him, but it was a little difficult because he had no teeth. He was asking about the promise that the Prophet Moroni gives in the last book of the Book of Mormon in chapter 10 verses 3-5. I tried to explain but he wasn't satisfied with the answer. Finally we had to continue on and but before he left he asked for a prayer and choose sister Hallman to pray. She did and prayed for him by name. It was so neat because after she was done Something she said touched his heart and he knew and felt it was true He said that He knew God had sent us to him that day and he knew the Book of Mormon was true. I asked him if he wanted to be baptized and he said yes! Because we can't be there to teach him he will meet with the the Elders in that area."
I'm very excited for Easter. This week is so special to remember the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. He blessed so much by giving us the opportunity to repent from our sins and be clean and be like Him. He is the only way that we can return to our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ has suffered all things. He has been lower than any of us and because of that He can always lift us up if we let Him. I hope that we can remember what He did and make a new effort to be more like Him. Maybe better in our prayers and talk with God more sincerely or being slow to anger and quick to forgive. Finding things to be thankful for whenever things are tough.
Sister Richardson
Click here to see more pictures, maps and info on Lauren's Mission Blog.
Sister Richardson
Click here to see more pictures, maps and info on Lauren's Mission Blog.
Lauren sent pictures! Click here to see her pictures. Click on any picture to see larger size. Here's what she sent:
- Her first sister companion - Sister Dias
- Her apartment and with kitchen
- MTC and CTM pictures
- All the sisters in the CTM together
Flag of Brasil
My Family
