Hey Family, & Everyone

 

Hey so just some housekeeping first! Have you guys been checking my facebook? I should be getting some friend requests from my teachers here in CTM. We went to lunch with them today, and they took some pictures they'll add of us!

 

Speaking of lunch you'll never guess what I had for lunch!!..CHICKEN HEARTS!!! and they were pretty good!!! And apparently in Porto Alegre they really like them, so I'm kinda excited about that! For lunch, we had a surprise, Irmao Teixeira (our first CTM instructor that left) came to see us, so Irmao Israel and Irmao Teixeira were there!

 

Some incredible things have happened this week, on Thursday we had a special devotional (usually devotional is on tuesday evening) but President Costa came! He is the area president of Brasil. Then on Sunday Sister and President Tanner came and spoke. For those of you who don't remember Sister Tanner was the General YW President! now they are serving as mission Presidents in Sao Paulo (i think south). They were both amazing! AND I played violin the night they were here!!! It was so scary, because there is not much time to practice, and the song was incredibly hard. I played O My Father, and the CTM President Degn was playing piano. I'm glad he's so good because everytime I'd get lost he'd just go back or change what he played so it sounded right. But Sister Tanner talked about how Nephi when he was commanded to build a ship was not a ship builder. Just like how many things we may be called to do, we are not capable of. But if we rely on the Lord he will make us that thing. Like for us, I may not be a good missionary now, but he will make me a good missionary!

 

On on a learning note. TRC was a blast!!! WE DIDN'T HAVE TO TEACH, WE GOT TAUGHT! Pretending to be investigators was so fun, we were taught by the brand new sister trio! Its weird to think that we are one of the "oldest" companionships here. We also got a roommate today!!!! AND ITS SISTER GEE!!! She and I went to Europe together, last summer and she is serving in my companions mission, Londrina. This was most definetly a tender mercy!

 

This past week has been rough for me. I have been struggling with patience, and just haven't been as happy. Last night was especially rough. When I went to bed I prayed that I would be able to feel and see others as Christ sees them. Because I definently was not! Last night my companions went to bed late, This morning, my companion woke up at 5am an hour earlier than we're supposed to be up for PDay. Alarms were going off until 6:40 and yet no one was getting up. I was slightly frustrated again. I laid in bed and prayed that I would be able to treat my companions with love and that I wouldn't let these little things bother me and damper my day or my learning at the temple. I am so amazed by how quickly prayers are answered here in the mission. I got up started getting ready, and was completely refreshed I was (with by the amount of sleep I got should not be the case) I was the most chipper I'd been in days! It was amazing.

 

One other thing!!! Today we were doing a session at the temple. And the technology in our endowment room always struggles. Somedays we just sit there for about 30 min waiting for techonology and speakers to come back on. Today I guess theycouldn't get it to work so we got to have it read to us. It was a mini live session!!! We didn't get to spend much time in the celestial room because of it, but it was different....and we like different :D

 

Well hope all is well with you guys!! How summer school? Are we getting a little dog anytime soon :P

Well I miss you guys!!! So michale is going to trek? and of course always the cars cause trouble haha

 

Love y'all

Sister Carissa Bradley