Leadership Counsel...Without Light. haha

This week was a good one!

I will write quickly due to the fact that I am out of time here (sorry.)

We had our leadership conference this week, which was awesome. We talked a lot about the importance of putting the Lord's will in front of our own, and how when we make sacrifices, we see miracles. It was wonderful and spiritual and wow. Loved it!

Miracle of the week: We are working a lot with building our teaching group in a few neighborhoods where we haven't worked before, and we ended up meeting um rapaz named Carlos. He is super interested, and we ended up teaching him about the book of mormon. He was really excited as we teached him, and at the end said "wow, it's crazy how you have doubts and questions, and in the same day, God sends you the answers!" and he told us how he knew this was an answer for him. Heavenly Father really does know his children, and what they need, when they need it. I am grateful that we are able to answer people's prayers here, and really touch their lives with this restored gospel.

have a wonderful week!

Sister Hill

1. grasshopper thing the size of my hand...

2. a photo that we took a few weeks ago - there was a ton of lightening striking the bridge. so cool.

3.  fun fact of the day - we live right in front of a military base here in teresina, and every day during our morning studies we listen to them chanting haha. vida é boa.

4-7 leadership conference! about the end of the conference, all of the power went out.. hahaha of course, we took a photo (:

Sleepless Nights and a "Potato Sack Dress"

First week of the transfer down - miracle of the week: we didn't die! This week was so, so rushed. As the sister training leaders of the staff, we are in charge of helping sisters that leave and arrive for transfers, sisters that finish their missions, sisters that come to teresina for medical reasons, etc. Tudo. Everything. And many times, they come and leave at midnight, or around 3 am. We had to help sisters from Monday until Thursday... so yes, we were EXHAUSTED this week. But luckily all went well, everybody was happy and headed off to their areas. Sucesso!

Fact of the week: Sister Lucas finished up her mission and returned home this week :( Let's be completely honest here: I am happy for her, but sad for me! hahaha of course I cried as she left and her taxi pulled away, like any loving daughter would do.

Due to the fact that we only had about 3 days to work, not too much happened this week. But we did see miracles! We are working in a neighborhood that hasn't been very explored by previous missionaries (due to the fact that it's really far away..) and we have met some awesome people! We have already marked some baptism dates for April, and we are excited to keep going with them.

Miracle of the week: Yasmim. Yasmim is the step daughter of a member here in the Teresina ward. She is 14 years old, and has great potential. This Sunday, the young women were so welcoming, and we were able to teach a lesson with her in the front of the batismal font - and she accepted a baptism date. Please pray for Yasmim that she can continue excited with this decision to be baptized and, keep going strong!

boa semana todo mundo!

Sister Hill

1. "sacola de batata" - this was the last day I saw Sis Lucas (aka my mom) for as long as I can remember, she has made fun of this dress calling it my "potato sack dress", and as I was cleaning the house, she appeared wearing this dress, and I just about died XD

2. médico with Sister Lima

3. hammock

4. where you go when you officially have 1 YEAR and 3 MONTHS in the mission...

5. when a sister in the wards gives you free food <3 <3 <3

6. teresina

#eternal sister training leader

Yesterday we received transfers - I will continue here in Teresina as STL of the staff, and my new companion is Sister Pedroso (from São Paulo).

So yes, this is my seventh transfer as a sister training leader #eternal sister training leader, am I right?

But it's good! I love the ward here, especially the leadership - they are awesome. This is Sister Pedroso's first transfer as an stl, so I am excited to show her the ropes (:

This week was super crazy, due to the last week of the transfer, and the fact that we had to go and follow up with Mirella and Milena for their baptism on Saturday. Sidenote: The cutest twins ever (sorry dad). Unfortunately, they live in the farthest away neighborhood at the edge of the planet, São Pedro, which is 1 hour away walking distance at a missionary pace. Long story short, we are exhausted. BUT all went well! Mirella was baptized on Saturday, but Milena got super nervous after 5 unsuccessful attempts, so we will have her baptism again this sunday. Please pray for her! That she can feel the spirit and have courage, and that this time everything will go smoothly!

Super sad to say goodbye to Sister Alves - truly one of my best companions in my mission. We arrived here in the same group in Teresina, and she is incredible. But it's all part of the mission, right?

boa semana!

Sister Hill

1-2 centro artesenato 

also, sister pedroso is my new companion (my baby stl hehe)

3 - teresina

4 - so. much. rain.

5-6 Dalva, one of our investigators

7-8 "ponte estaiada"

9 - our last sunday as companions/ bispo felipe and his wife. They are SO GREAT. The bishop here is awesome, and his wife serves as the primary president - they are seriously both so wonderful

10-12 batismo de mirella and millena

Sacrifice Strengthens our Faith

This week was a good one!

We focused a lot on visiting less actives and recent converts, and it was awesome to see them in our sacrament meeting yesterday. Truly a miracle how the spirit works with and motivates people to make the sacrifice to come to church here.

This has been the main focus of my studying this week - sacrifice.The members here in our mission are a huge example of sacrifice to me. From my previous area, Imperatriz, until the closest temple (Recife) is a 32 hour bus ride. The members spend a week at the temple, and then return. If that isn't sacrifice, I don't know what is. I love how it explains in "True to the Faith", that sacrifice gives us the opportunity to develop our faith - and it's so true!

Miracle of the week: We were working knocking on doors, and met a woman named França. She opened the door with a super tired mean look on her face, and grudgingly let us in... After a few minutes sharing a message with her, she completely changed and opened up. Turns out she was stressed with a family situation, and minutes later we showed up. She just kept on saying how "there are no coincidences!" and how we were sent from God to help her feel better, and more calm. She ended up showing us photos of her family, and her mother, and introducing us to her niece/nephew that live with her. The Spirit is awesome! It's incredible to see how he works with us, and the people we meet.

This week we have the baptism of Millena and Mirella - twins/daughters of a less-active/returning member here in the ward. We had the cutest lesson with them this past week: We talked about the book of mormon (which they read (: yay) and Mirella said the prayer. cutest prayer of my whole life. I love seeing how these two girls have so much faith.

Have a wonderful week everyone! Please pray for Millena and Mirella, that everything can go well with their baptism this week!

Sister Hill

1-2 Rio Parnaíba - heading back from district meeting in Timon

3-4 when it rains, it POURS

5 sunset of the teresina variety

6-7   Splits with the Sister in PARNAIBA