June 25, 2012

How are alllllll of you?!

This week was a really good week! We had Zone Conference Tuesday. It was really fun to be with President and Sister Tavares and the assistants and things like that. We learned a whole lot this week to put in practice in our work. We learned about the story in the bible about that one king or army leader that had leprosy and he wanted a prophet to come heal him and instead the servant came and told him to take 7 baths in the river. Anyways it was really cool learning about that. And then we put that in the mission work and that we have ideas of 7 things that we need to do to have success in our missions. One of these that has been our focus is lesson with members present. Its sometimes hard to have members in our lessons. So we have been thinking really hard on how we can have more members. So we are going to have members do the work with us...walk with us, do lessons and all that kind of stuff. Anyways also...we are trying to do more FHEs. And have investigators, less actives, and members in all of these FHEs to help them be more strong in the gospel and have friends at church too. So we are excited to see what will happen this week in our area.

We had lunch with a family saturday. And it was really cool because I talked to the son that is 18 years old for quite a while. In Brazil, young men can serve when they are 18. But he wants to wait until after he does some college before he goes on a mission. And I talked to him for quite a while about how he should go on a mission now and not wait and stuff. I think I FINALLY convinced him! Haha in Portuguese!!! I was super happy. He walked up to me at church and said that he is thinking about starting his papers in about a month so that he can leave soon. How exciting! Anyways I was proud of myself about that :D

Anyways...we had an FHE this week with a family. They have 3 boys. The mom is strong in the church and the dad isnt a member (yet of course). But shes a little weak right now because she feels like she is raising her boys alone in the church (logical because the dad isnt a member). Anyways...it was an AWESOME FHE. It was a good lesson (it was about choices and choosing the right). We had a fun game. And everyone was laughing and having a good time. We left away really positive and good about that. And we thought FOR sure the dad would go to church sunday....but he didnt. But thats ok....NEXT WEEK!

Anyways why is my hour taken up always soooo fast?! Its time to go for the week. Sorry...a little lame I know! Next week I will concentrate on doing better. I promise!!!! :D

Love you all and wish you all a fabulous week!

-Sister Empey

"Showing off my new look for the winter time here...haha a little ugly eh? But what can I do?!!! :)"

(Sister Empey is having to wear her running shoes because of minor back issues)

June 18, 2012

Hello family!

Well this week was really interesting believe it or not! We got a phone call from President Tavares at 10:15. He said that Sister Brooks (who was living in the house with us) was getting transfered...the next day! (It was Friday night we got the phone call). And she was leaving at like 6 the next morning. So she had to pack everything up. The house was in a complete wreck and us four didnt get to sleep until like 1 oclock because we were helping her get packed up. And Sister Dos Santos...my companion traveled with her to pick up her ner companion. So I have a new companion for 3 weeks! Sister Neves. She is actually doing a mission that is like a mission before her mission. They do this in Brazil. So she is 20yrs old and she is from a city within the Londrina Mission. And a president of the mission (in this case Pres Tavares) calls a young woman or young man that have more or less the age of a missionary that is thinking strongly about serving a mission. And they are come and help out the missionary. So they do everything that normal missionaries do, but they havent gone through the temple and they dont have an official calling and they didnt go through the CTM. But they are set apart and everything. So anyways, President Tavares said that after this transfer (that will end in 3 weeks) she will go home to start preparing to put in her papers. Anyways pretty cool. And shes a really good missionary so Im excited to work with her for 3 weeks.

This week we made a fancy birthday cake. It was chocolate with like a filling in the middle and a huge chocolate layer on top. Actually it didnt turn out really good.....BUT now I know how to make it better :) It was the birthday of an elder in our district. Anyways...it turned out pretty good. I have a picture with us and our cake that I will send you guys :)

Also...yesterday we had a lot of investigators in the church. It was really exciting to see. And a couple of inactive members were there tooo! And we are seeing a lot of good things happening in this area. We have 2 investigators right now that can be baptized this Sunday. So we are exciting about that. We will see what will happen! We need to do all we can to help them to get things moving. And its intersting because you can really see the hand of God in our work. Because really we are doing almost NOTHING. But its Heavenly Father that is actually really helping us a lot. Anyways. This week looks really promising and exciting. We have some really good investigators that want to learn and go to church and want to study more. Thats always a really good sign! We have Zone Conference tomorrow. Its going to be really good. The food is always soooo good! Anyways...I dont have any more time! Ill send that picture!

Love you all! Hope everything is going well for all of you! Brazil is doing great and little chilly too :) Great for walking a lot! Haha anyways...until next week!

 

-Sister Empey



We made a birthday cake for an Elder in our District...it didn't turn out as good as we hoped, but it got eaten!

 

June 11th, 2012

Hello family!

Another fast email week! Sorry! But I did want to tell a couple of things. I only have about 10 minutes left and this keyboard...pain in the butt...anyways!

the Manaus temple was dedicated yesterday! Whoop whoop! We got to go to an extension of the dedication service in our stake building yesterday! How coooooool! It was awesome. I felt such a spirit there :D President Uchdorf dedicated the temple. Man for some reason yesterday, he was funny. Anyways, it was such a good experience. And you could really feel the sacrifice that the people in Manaus and all of Brazil put into that temple. I think sometimes us in the US take for granted that we have temples so close. But it was really cool. This was my favorite dedication that Ive seen so far. Maybe because Im on a mission in Brazil, or Im getting older and I understand a little bit more the significance of a temple, or maybe I could feel the spirit more for some reason or another...haha but in any case...it was really neat. And I miss the temple. One of the first things we are doing as a family when I get home....going to the temple (and Madie...you cant drive anywhere when we are in the session ok?)

Also..we had a ward activity this Saturday that we were in charge. It actually turned out really good. And I dont know if you guys remember or anything, but the game where you are all holding hands with your team in a line and then you sqeeze the persons hand when your other hand gets sqeezed...its called Shock i think. Anyways........ya....haha try explaining that game (that I can barely explain in English) in Portuguese...haha great fun :D Anyways good stuff. It turned out well. And the lesson was given by me and one of my companions. It was really good and I actually looked at people in their eyes (a big improvement for me compared to before my mission :D)

Ok I think thats all I have time for! Wow already 1 hr?! Sorry....more experiences next week!

Love you allllllll!

-Sister Empey

June 4, 2012

How are alllllllll of you?!


So I have some really good news! We had 7 in-active members in church yesterday! Talk about exciting! How awesome! It was super exciting to see all of them there! A couple were miracles for sure. But it was really good. That family I told you about, they were there! So that was good :) I always feel so bad because with these people, inactive members that come to church, we as missionaries dont always have time to talk to EVERYONE and to say hi to all the people that come to church. And we cant say, congrats for being here for everyone that we see. So really...if there is one thing that Ive learned and Ive already said this before...is the importance of MEMBERS! We definitally cant do this work alone! So be a member missionary. Missionary work isnt just about baptizing people. Its about helping those inactive members, or strong members too! So when the adversary is beating against someone, they have a higher probability of succeeding because it wont be fighting against just one person, the adversary will fight against a whole group or ward of people!

Also. we found a less active member this week. Wow he is amazing! He has a testimony, he just forgot. He has parents that are actually really firm in he church right now. He is 19 years old right now. Hes been inactive for more than a year. Anyways we talked to him for a while and he has a desire to go on a mission, just needs to fix a couple of things first. But wow! He is really awesome. Hes really bright and he loves challenges...so we are giving him challenges right and left :) If we can help him return to church so he can serve a mission. Wow...I will be a happy person. But let me tell you what. I saw just a little bit of the love that parents have on this earth for their kids. It was really humbling to watch and listen to his parents talk about him (after he left the house for a dr appt). Man...all parents are like that. Mom and dad, I hope I never put you guys through this kind of pain and hurt. They talked and cried and talked about how they are praying and fasting for him to come back to church. And how they are trying to stay firm in the church to help them. Anyways, it was really good. We talked about the importance of trying to do everything in their power. like going to church, staying firm in the church, and doing those basic things for them. Anyways...it was really good. and we will continue visiting them.

What I have learned these last couple of weeks. I have learned that this mission is not my own. Ive had some good enlightening experiences this week. I have learned that Im am trying my hardest to be the best missionary I can be. And because of this, I am serving with all I have. But at the same time, I have challenges, I have trials. I experience trials every day! Why, why do we have trials...especially on a mission?! Im trying to serve, why are things happening to me like that (dont worry mom, nothing serious)? But I have learned that Im doing the work of the Lord. And really, he could do this work alone. He has all power, he has everything, so why cant he do it alone? But he is giving us this opportunity to have this time to learn and grow and be better people for all of our lives. So at the end of our life, after the end of all the crappy stuff we go through, through the firery furnace, we can be polished, ready to meet our Savior and our Father in Heaven and ready to be like them. So this mission isnt my own. And Im doing....more than ever, I can feel I am doing his will. So all the trials...everything that happens, has a purpose and a reason. And the Lord is in charge of our lives. Especially for me right now serving a mission.

Anyways...just from the thoughts of a Sister Missionary :D And at the same time from a mind that is really confused switching from Portuguese to English all the time! Haha

Anyways I love you all!

Until next week!
-Sister Empey

Note:  I asked her if she could understand people when they talk really fast.  This was her response:
" I can understand people...when they talk fast, I get almost all of what they say...not all, but most of it...and the other part...lets just say Im getting really good at my poker face :D"