Tchau tchau Três Pontas

Opa bom dia, tudo bem?

 

Today is transfers and I am leaving Três Pontas and heading to Ponte Nova. I'm excited to start a new chapter of my mission in a new city, but incredibly sad to leave all the friends that I made here in Três Pontas. When I arrived here 4 1/2 months ago, I hardly spoke any Portuguese and was literally always confused, but the people here welcomed me and made me feel at home. Três Pontas will always have a special place in my heart.

 

On another note I've heard that Ponte Nova is a pretty difficult area and that it is the city with the most hills in the mission. I thought that the hills here in Três Pontas were annoying, but this is the flattest city in the mission so I might die. But I'm looking forward with a positive attitude. 

 

Two weeks ago we moved apartments so I got to enjoy a little bit of our fancy new apartment before I left. But what surprised me most about our move is that we had everything out of our apartment into our other apartment in less then 2 hours. We had some help from the branch members and Brazilians are just built different.

 

This week we had a baptism!! Rafaela, who I talked about in my last email, was baptized on Friday and confirmed yesterday at church! She was so ready and has most definitely been prepared to be baptized at this time! I'm so glad that I got to help her make her first covenant with God!

 

Other than that, the work keeps on moving and I'm enjoying the mission more and more everyday! It's been difficult, especially this last transfer, but I've learned a lot and I've seen the blessings of sincere prayers. Never forget to pray to your Heavenly Father, he wants to hear from you!

 

Here is a few scriptures from 3 Nephi 14 that are also found in the sermon on the mount:

 

7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

 

8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

 

9 Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone?

 

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

 

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

 

I love what this scripture reveals about the nature of our Heavenly Father. God loves us just like our parents here on Earth do, but with a perfect infinite love. He gives us good gifts when we ask for them. Sometimes it difficult to understand why we are in certain situations. We ask for bread and feel like we're given stones. But sooner or later, when you really search and pray for it, you may just find out that those stones are actually sourdough bread with a really tough crust haha. I know that's a really stupid analogy but I think it's funny so I'm leaving it in. And it's a good description of this last transfer haha. 

 

Love y'all!

 

Fotos:

-Awesome people in Três Pontas

- Toucan!! (He was eating another bird, I didn't realize they did that. Now they aren't quite as pretty to me anymore)

- Batismo da Rafaela!!! (Check out Júlio's face. This dude is serious)

- random photo we got sent to us from an old lady, freaking hilarious