January 20, 2014

Transferred to the Jungle, Colinas do Sul

Sister Quintanilha from Rio, Sister Sciammarella from Utah, Sister Moore from Colorado and Sister Christensen from Minnesota.

FAMILIA!!!!!!

Okay, so a lot happened this week.  Like, a lot.  After Sister Seal left there was just something wrong and I was still not feeling very well and I was just overcome with stress.  Stress about helping the area, meeting  expectations, staying home sick too much, our zone suffering.  I just got really sad and just had this feeling something was going to change. So I was still home with a cough and just exhausted so I went to sleep at 4 in the afternoon.  9:40 at night the Sisters came and woke me up and said I´m getting an emergency transfer to Torre.  I didn´t even know what to say, so I just kind of silently packed my bags, called Jaqueline, gave Sister Hicks instructions, and the next morning Sister Sciammarella came and picked me up and we switched companions.  

So this was literally inspiration in the moment.  Zona Torre had interviews with the President that day and he told Sister Sciammarella in the interview about the change.  Not only companions, but that we would trade areas with the Elders, so they aren´t in the same ward anymore.  Then she called Sister Hicks with the assistants on the line later that day and even the assistants didn´t know.  No one told anyone, just President Nogueira to Sister Sciammarella.  No one really knows why, but now I´m her companion and we´re opening an area together, living with two other Sisters, Sister Christensen from Minnesota and Sister Quintanilha from Rio.

We live way far away from our area, so it´s literally going to be a hike every day.  But this ward needs us.  It´s the first time they´ve ever had Sisters and they are all so excited!  Whereas Prossind had way too may inactives and they didn´t really help us much, Colinas do Sul wants to grow.  Our goal is to open a new branch, which is the most exciting thing ever!  Miracles are going to happen this transfer.  

Sister Sciammarella is incredible and we already get along unbelievably well.  She´s from Utah and went to beauty school and loves to do church drama, like the Palmyra Pageant.  She knows tons of musicals and is just super super fun.  She was trained by Sister Johnson!  She´s also really good friends with Sister Seal.  It was totally inspiration and I know we´re going to have miracles and awesome stories here.  I´m so grateful.  We have no one to teach yet, but it feels so good to have a new start, in a new ward that already loves you, with a companion I already love.  The Lord is so aware of me and this whole week just felt like a test of faith.  He always provides a way for us to get through anything.  He knows what we need to learn, what we can handle, what we can´t.  This transfer my attribute of Christ that I will work on is hope.  I am hoping for so many more families, so many more miracles, so much more love for the people and the members and the other missionaries.  

Hope in Christ really is the only way to have peace.  I´ve been pondering a lot about how much easier it is to just trust Him and not feel like everything is your responsibility.  Pray every night to know if He accepts your mission.  He wants you to love the journey.  I really get so much more than I deserve here and I am so so so so so grateful and excited for this sudden change!  Bring it on!

I love you all so much!!!!  Pray for me to get better because I still have a pretty icky cough.  I´m taking care of myself but I just want to work with all my energy so badly.  I promise it´s not that bad and I´m not dying, I´m just so sick of being sick.  Just know I´m so thrilled to be here and my companion is an angel.  I know I have more to say but for now that´s it.  

Oh, I want to learn all the scripture masteries so you should send me a card with all of the new ones on it.   

Keep being awesome missionaries and know that the Lord takes good care of His children.  I have never ever been happier in my life than I am serving the Lord 24 hours a day.  Why doesn´t everyone just do that?

Batize multidoes!!!

Sister Moore