tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34064413690781907482024-03-06T00:42:25.783-08:00Sister Hannah Joy MooreMoore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-63123439436424940892015-01-13T15:41:00.000-08:002015-01-13T15:41:35.629-08:00Monday, January 12, 2014, Last Email from Brazil!FAMÌLIA!!<br />
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I can´t believe I´m going to see you all in a week. It just doesn´t seem right still, but I really am sooo excited to see you. </div>
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<div>
I
am such a believer in end of the mission miracles. First the miracle
of the lost keys. So we lost our keys and we were all thinking for a
minute that we´d be locked out all night and sleep in the woods. We
asked around to know where we could find a locksmith and everyone was
telling us we wouldn´t be able to get anyone at that hour. But we went
over to the locksmith´s shop and the guy in the dog food shop next to it
was closing up. He told us the locksmith was closed but he knew where
he lived so he went on his motorcycle to get him. They came back and
while the locksmith was getting his stuff from the shop we invited the
other guy, Tony, to go to church and marked to teach him the next day.
Well, we got back into our house, we have new locks and keys, and Tony
brought his two brothers to church with him and they´re ALL THREE
getting baptized on the 18th! They had already been taught before and
were just waiting for others to find them. They live in a place where
we never would have found them, so the disappearing keys brought a huge
miracle.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Before Sunday the rest of the week
was going super rough, lots of problems with less actives and just sad
things. And we never found Ronaldo that whole week who still needed to
be confirmed. I cried on Saturday when we passed by and he wasn´t there
again. It was just a rotten Saturday. But Sunday rolled around and
Tony and his brothers, Neto and Augosto were there. Then, in the middle
of Gospel Principles, RONALDO showed up! And was confirmed :) He is
so crazy but I love him. It was such a miracle. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Paula
yesterday asked me if I had to go back to the US and I told her yes,
even if I wanted to stay, I can´t because of my visa. So then she´s like
´´But you can marry Jonathan and stay!´´ haha.. I dunno, maybe you
won´t be seeing me next week ;) </div>
<div>
I think she was joking... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It´s
gonna be an amazing week. Today we´re gonna go on a hike with some of
our recent converts. I hope Sister Bunch gets to stay here, but with 18
Sisters leaving and 4 arriving, a lot´s gonna change. A lot of wards
are gonna get angry next week, everyone likes sisters more than elders
:p </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have no regrets at all about serving a
mission. I was never a perfect missionary and I´m still not, but I´ve
learned so much about trusting the Lord and I´ve gained an unshakeable
testimony of the Savior and the Book of Mormon. I love this gospel so
much and I´m excited to apply it to the real world. I want to always
live up to the way my converts see me now. I´ll miss Brazil so much.
Maybe someday we can all come back here. Have an awesome week. I love
you all so much.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
com todo o meu coração,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-626544024348899542015-01-07T19:34:00.002-08:002015-01-07T19:34:47.030-08:00January 5, 2014Querida família,<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
After this, you´ll only get one more
email from me, then I can tell you everything in person. I´m excited
to be coming home but it just doesn´t even seem like a reality yet. I
feel like an old lady with hip and knee pain and I get really really
cold in air conditioned buildings. I would love to live by Eric until
school starts and work at Wallaby´s, and Sister Sciammarella (I guess I
have to start calling her Emily) wants to look at places to live with
me as soon as I get out to Utah. I feel like I can pretty much live in
any conditions after the mission. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Things are
going so good, my companion is learning way faster than I did and is
gonna do so many miracles in this mission. Jonathan bore his testimony
Sunday and it was really funny because he sings in a band and he got up
and tested the microphone then just laid down the best, straight to the
point testimony ever. Like a pro. I´m so proud. Paula wants me to
help her play Zelda Majora´s Mask and it´s probably the biggest
temptation of my whole mission. They are the coolest people ever.
Juliana isn´t showing any interest anymore in baptism and I think it has
a lot to do with her 1 year old daughter, so she doesn´t want to go to
church with her and she doesn´t pay attention in our lessons because of
her. Her kids are great, but they really need her to have a testimony
as well. Jonathan and Paula help a ton with them. For now we need a
new teaching group and we need referrals really badly. Also pray for
Ronaldo to get confirmed. Things keep happening every week and he
doesn´t go to church and it´s really making me crazy worried.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Today
I was reading in the Book of Mormon about the people who started
leaving the church only a few years after the signs of Christ´s birth
and I thought about the missionaries who leave the church after being
faithful missionaries. If we don´t continue to be spiritual fed and
progress, Satan can make our spiritual experiences in the past seem to
us like just emotion and convince us to go astray even after seeing
miracles, like the Nephites when the doctrine of Christ seemed like
foolishness to them. I just want everyone to know that the church is
true, families can be together forever, God has called a prophet in our
day and Christ has always been, still is and always will be our Savior
and only perfect example to emulate in this life. Sure, our bodies need
rest but if we think for a second that our spirituality can be put on
the shelf to save for later, we´ve entered where the enemy will have us
to sift us as wheat. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I´m so glad we can all
be returned missionaries together. I´m already thinking about the
missionary work that needs to be done at home, baptizing and
reactivating. I´ll put some thought and prayer into my homecoming talk,
and lot of thought and prayer about where I want to eat when I get
home. Not rice and beans. I´m not sure what´ll make me super sick so
probably not Cheesecake Factory.. haha</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much!! So SOOO much! The church is true. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Com carinho,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-69350019404556940892015-01-03T17:55:00.002-08:002015-01-03T17:55:37.654-08:00December 29, 2014Querida família,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I hope you all are enjoying being
home and reflecting on the memories and lesson learned on the mission.
There really is a different kind of love you feel for people on the
mission, and it´s because of the work and sacrifice you do for them.
When I get home we can all cry together about sucky normal person life.
Our Christmas Conference was basically all about how after the mission
you have to continue to progress spiritually, bringing all you´ve
learned into real life. There´s no such thing as a break, you haven´t
paid your dues to the church or the Savior. Mission is a boot camp for
the real challenges ahead. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It was great to
see you guys, even though I was in a house full of really loud Brazilians. It was better when my companion was talking to her family.
She´s doing a great job adjusting and is really helpful. It seems she
always remembers the things I forget and always has insights about the
work and lots of motivation to keep working hard. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Jonathan
was baptized Sunday and he looked sooo happy coming out of the water.
He really opened up a lot more during the week and is super funny and
wants to serve a mission. I love his sister too, Paula, who we
reactivated. She´s the only person I´ve met in Brazil who plays Zelda
Majora´s Mask. They are so cool, like I would best friends with them
outside the mission. I know they´re gonna help so much with references
and teaching with us. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Did I tell you already
about Deleon and Juliana? Well, they broke up and Deleon moved to
Mamanguape, which means he won´t be there to argue with us in our
lessons and we can baptize Juliana and her kids!! It was seriously a
miracle. He took the Book of Mormon in English and Portuguese with him
so hopefully he´ll read and gain a testimony someday. Juliana is good
friends with Paula and Jonathan, so they´ll help her a lot. Right now
she´s a little hesitant about baptism but she keeps the commandments and
all we need is one really good spiritual lesson with her. Pray for her
and her kids, Ikaro and Isaac. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Funny story.
We cleaned out our house and threw out a ton of books that no one will
ever use and left them on the corner where they collect the trash. So
Felipe, who lives close by, saw Preach my Gospel on the ground and saw
that it was from the church and took it home to start reading. He just
asked us ´´Do you guys have like a guidebook?´´ and then pulls out PMG.
We marked a part for him to read about Eternal Marriage and challenged
him to ask Paula on a date because they´re perfect for each other. I
think we´re allowed to do that? Either way he accepted our challenge.
hehehe.. We told the Branch President we´d help get everyone in the
branch married. Trunky. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My AP´s are Elder Morais and Elder Alves. What´s the name of the missionary who knows one of them?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Everything´s
going great in the Cidade Enoque. I don´t want to say goodbye, but I´m
excited to see you all, especially Lucy. Show her pictures of me so she
doesn´t forget who I am. I love you all so much! Have a great 2015!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Um abraço,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-41601925819810821472014-12-26T18:23:00.000-08:002014-12-26T18:23:01.480-08:00December 15, 2014Linda família,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This has been quite a week, but so far
I haven´t lost my mind yet and the Lord keeps sending angels of every
kind to help me this week. Training is definitely hard, but Sister
Bunch is so great and has such a desire to learn fast. She had a little
moment of feeling overwhelmed by the culture shock but got over it
fast. We´ve been running in between appointments on the two farthest
sides of the two areas that are now all ours, I have to remember
everything all by myself for the first time without a senior companion or
two other sisters in the house, and all the while explain everything to
my companion and make sure she´s doing okay. But like I said, a lot of
angels were on my side this week, and I´d like to name a few:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Fabio,
a less active who gave us Laércio´s reference. He´s been teaching with
us and doing an amazing job of it, also following up with Laércio when
we couldn´t this week. He even asked what tomorrow´s lesson would be so
he could study. Laércio was baptized at the District Conference on
Sunday, and was so happy. He has so much faith. He has been a smoker
since age eight and just decided to stop because he had the desire to be
baptized. At the baptism he was all smiles and he said he almost cried
from happiness. He´s so awesome and humble. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Felipe,
my recent convert. Thursday, it wasn´t even in our plans but I felt
like we should visit him. He answered the door with the saddest face
I´d ever seen and had started growing a beard and just looked
depressed. He told us he had been feeling bad about his life and he had
no desire to even leave his house or pray or read the scriptures. I
got so worried about him, he said he hadn´t felt that way in two years
and the feeling lasted 6 months. In that moment I told him he had ten
minutes to get ready to go teaching with us and Larissa. So he got up,
came back all dressed and shaved and smiling, and we went to visit other
recent converts. He helped so much in teaching and bore testimony of
the Book of Mormon. He said he didn´t even know if he would be alive
right now if we hadn´t shown up in his hour of need. I just wanted to
cry it was so spiritual seeing him teach for the first time and gain a
desire to help everyone. He´s such a great guy. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nino,
a recent covert from my new area. He and his best friend David who was
baptized with him call each other Elder and help a lot in that area.
They used to be punks, and still kind of look like it but a I gave Nino
the pamphlets of tithing and the law of chastity. They are changing a lot.
They´ve been the only way I´ve been able to keep up with the two areas.
I could not find Ariano, who was supposed to be baptized Domingo. He ended up not going to church,
but they´ve been taking care of everyone when I can´t.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Anderson,
our ward mission leader who is super young and has been really going
the extra mile to help me. He´s the only one in his family who works
which makes it hard for him to go on a mission, but he still finds time
to help us. Because of him the investigators and recent converts from
the vila went to church Sunday.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Larissa, who´s
come a really long way in her testimony from teaching with us a lot in
the last transfer. She´s 13 and has a tough family situation and stays
with us because it´s better than her house or any other thing she could
be getting into. Sunday morning my companion woke up super sick so
Larissa passed in everyone´s house who we couldn´t. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There
are a lot more, like our Zone Leaders, the Branch President and his
wife and the Sister Training Leaders but everyone´s been helping a ton
and it´s been amazing. Pray for Ariano, Danilo and Douglas, our
possible baptisms who have been to church several times. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I
love you all so much! Make the last weeks count! Remember how much
God loves you and wants to help and just wants you to be happy.
Training has made me understand God´s love so much in just one week and I
can´t even imagine the love I´ll have one day for my actual children.
Can´t wait to talk to guys and can´t believe how fast time flies. Have
an awesome week! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Beijos,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-839239708151000132014-12-10T14:57:00.001-08:002014-12-10T14:57:54.115-08:00December 10, 2014<br />
<br />
Querida família,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I´m training the first American
Sister to arrive in this mission since MY group arrived!! Her name is
Sister Bunch, she´s from Parker Colorado and served for 6 weeks in
Oregon, so she´s still very new. It´s really different not having
someone who already knows how to speak Portuguese, but she´s awesome and
has a lot of desire to learn fast. I already love her like my own
daughter. She´s very deer in the headlights still, who wouldn´t be, but
I know she´s gonna help me a lot. I knew right away I would train her
when I saw her :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So it was a perfect day, I
was so excited for this transfer, then a bomb got dropped on us: Rio
Tinto II closed, Sister Cameron´s leaving and I have to take care of
both areas and the whole branch ALONE. I have never had to do so many
things I don´t feel prepared to do at the same time. Our areas are very
far away from each other and I still don´t know how I´m gonna do it and
teach with someone who can´t speak the language yet.. Just pray for me
a lot. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ronaldo was baptized!! He is totally
crazy but he has the ten commandments memorized,keeps all his
commitments, comes to church by himself and is always early. Sunday was
such a miracle. 11 investigators were at church! A lot of them have
to get married, aren´t old enough to be baptized the next week or don´t
want to get baptized, but we have one solid investigator who wants to be
baptized Sunday, Laércio! He was a referral from Fabio, a less active
who was also a miracle. The sisters that were here before just found
him by chance one day and he was baptized a long time ago in Natal. Now
he´s returning and helping us teach and everything. We´re also
teaching his niece Grazi. Pray for Laércio to be able to completely
stop smoking, he´s already cut down A LOT. He´s so elect!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Raul
went to church with his friend Lucas, and just doesn´t want to get
baptized still. His day will come.. like so many others. We have a
really great family as well who came to church, Juliana and her sons
Ikaro and Isaac. Her husband studies theology and is a tough nut to
crack, but Juliana loved church on Sunday so he at least needs to marry
her legally for her sake and for their kids. Isaac already asked his
mom to buy church clothes for him and wants to keep going every Sunday.
So cute! :) </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This transfer will for sure be a
challenge, but I just need to rely more than I ever have in my life on
the Lord and my leaders and the members. Also my companion, she read to
me last night the scripture in D&C that says ´´look to me in every
thought, doubt not, fear not´´ that Sciammarella always read to people.
She´s so full of that new missionary spirit and I know it´ll help me a
lot. My priority is just to help her do all the things I wish I had
done better and for her to have the best mission ever. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I
love you all so much and am excited to see you again, but very sad that
this is the last transfer. Have an
awesome week!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Um abraço bem forte,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
<br />Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-47908141400178629202014-12-07T15:08:00.001-08:002014-12-07T15:11:28.450-08:00December 1, 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Querida Família!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
WOAH.. That´s so awesome that your
mission baptized 100!!! Especially because it was because everyone was
doing it the way of the Lord, not just to baptize. That´s so
inspiring... and I feel a little lame now... haha</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I
tried to send pictures and I hope you can open them and that they don´t
infect the computers you´re using.. The first is Iasmmy from Santa
Rita then Leandro and then me and Vitória. Felipe got baptized
yesterday and I´m sending his picture in this email.. he is so awesome.
He likes to read the Book of Mormon just opening to random pages and he
marks everything he likes.. even when it doesn´t make sense like
circling the Zoramite prayer in Alma 31... he knows that´s not how you
pray haha.. He´s 28 but gets along more with the youth. One big
miracle in this branch is how suddenly we have young men. They´re all
investigators, recent converts and less actives that are returning, but
there were basically 0 and now there´s a classroom full. Felipe can be
the new YM pres :) He came to the activity on Tuesday and participated
more than anyone! We played the newspaper game, charades and mafia and
everyone loved it. Best by far. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The other
visitor at the activity that was a huge miracle was Jean, who´s visiting
from São Paulo to get some things his recently deceased father left
him. His little cousin, Bianca, 10, has been coming to church every
week and brought him with her. We talked to him afterwards and he had
gone to the Mormon church for 3 years as a teenager but was never
baptized. 10 years later he has a family and has changed a lot and
basically asked to be baptized. We wanted to just baptize him here, but
he´s not quite ready yet so we´re sending him to the missionaries where
he lives to teach his whole family. Sister Marschall will keep in
contact with him when she goes home and he knows where the church is.
Some lucky missionaries have been fasting A LOT... :) I can´t wait to
see what happens. He leaves Tuesday.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It´s hard
to not be trunky in a house where everyone is ending their mission..
but I´m trying to take advantage of the time I still have and the things
I´ve learned in these 16 months. Miracles are going to happen still!!
It´s Christmas time! Right now our possible baptism is Ronaldo, an old
man who we did not expect to come to church.. haha he likes to burst into song when we teach.. pray for him. Every
child of God needs to be baptized! Vitórias doing great, she wants to
be baptized so bad. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Doing everything the
Lord´s way is worth it. He knows where the families are in this area
who want to be baptized. I´m so grateful for His love in my life and
for being able to do a little to help His children feel that love. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I
love you all so much and I hope December brings even bigger miracles!
Remember that gratitude breaks the pride cycle. Keep working! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Beijos!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-86380333600357181722014-11-28T16:29:00.000-08:002014-11-28T16:29:06.178-08:00November 24, 2014Querida Família,<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That is amazing that your mission
is baptizing so much. We have the same number of missionaries and only
29 baptisms until now.. I think we´ve been adjusting to a new way of
working and new rules that make it harder to baptize fast but will have
more retention. But if we baptize families and have faith, we should
still be baptizing a lot! I loved dad as Noah.. I want to hear more
about what that training was about!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
João is a
tough cookie. He wants to go to the temple, wants to pay tithing, would
even be confirmed a member if he could, but he just does not want to
get baptized. There´s something in his head that, every time he agrees
with what we´re saying, just takes him back to the same thing: ``but
I´ve already been baptized´´.. He even went to the interview and when
we got to the chapel, our investigator Vitória was there CLEANING THE
CHAPEL with just the branch President and one other young woman. She
wants to be baptized so bad.. and the only investigator who can´t be
baptized. Isn´t that just life? She awesome though.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We
found a lot of really awesome people last week, none of which came to
church except for Raul who we´ve been teaching together with his uncle
and his friend who know EVERYTHING about the church. He came to one of
our lessons and just pulls out the teachings of Brigham Young manual..
what the heck?? It´s a little frustrating because he´s a little
misinformed and isn´t as interested or open as Raul, so he´s kind of
there just to get the lesson off track talking about random things from
the church´s history.. But Raul went to church and didn´t seem to love
it.. but he needs to pray about the Book of Mormon still. Pray for him!
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Also... his uncle, Ronoldo, really really wants me to make pumpkin pie so could you send me a recipe? haha thanks</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The
biggest miracle for last.. Felipe!! He lives so close to our house and
we found an unfinished... Í don´t remember the english word for ficha..
the paperwork you fill out to baptize someone.... but we found that
paper in our house and we went over to his house. Turns our he´d been
taught twice already, once in Natal, found the missionaries here again,
but never was baptized. We talked to him and taught the first lesson
and he said he wasn´t ready before but this time his heart is open and he
wants to be baptized.. Sunday!! WOOHOO!! He is so solid and so great! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It
was a great week and the next will be better! A lot more happened but I
think I covered the most important.. The Book of Mormon is true! I
know the Savior loves me and all of us. I love you all so much!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Com carinho,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-16982295452453807542014-11-20T04:48:00.000-08:002014-11-20T04:48:46.302-08:00November 17, 2014Oi família!!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Everything is going good in Rio Tinto..
we´ve got some good investigators and the Lord will always bless our
best efforts. I´ve been learning a lot about how to trust the spirit to
know how to say the right thing at the right time, with investigators
and companions. We have authority from God, but it can only be
exersized if we are obedient, if we know the scriptures and if we love
the Lord and other people. I´ve been reading the 12 week training to
get ready to teach, and there´s a lot of things I wish I had known when I
had started my mission. I feel like if I can successfully teach my
filha these things, everything I´ve learned on my mission is worth it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It´s
awesome to hear that your mission is doing so well! Wow. How many
companionships are there in your mission? I´ve been praying for your
investigators and goals. Our mission is hitting kind of a low, so you
can know that your mission is surpassing what was one of the highest
baptizing missions in the world. Pray for Missão João Pessoa and
President Nogueira. He is a very inspired man that as a temple
President really has a vision of bringing every convert to the temple
and helping the missionaries stay active. I know this calling has been
incredibly stressful for him as someone who has never served a full time
mission, but I know he really cares about us a lot, and his wife too. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The
miracle yesterday was a man, João, who has been to church a few times
and came again yesterday by himself. He was already baptized in his
church and his family is really against it, but he loves the church and
knows he wants to stay there. Have you guys ever read ´´Member
Missionary Work and Finding the Elect of God´´? It´s really awesome and
talks about helping people who think they don´t need to be baptized
again. It´s all just talking about prayer and not doctrine. We were
miraculously able to teach him without his family spoiling the lesson
and marked his baptism for this Sunday and gave him the Book of Mormon,
which before his family had rejected, but this time didn´t say
anything. Pray for João!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The other miracle is
Vitória, who really wants to get baptized, but the area rule is that she
has to wait 3 months because she´s only fourteen. Or she has to be
baptized with her mom, so we´re going to try to teach her but we already
know she´s very catholic and doesn´t want to go to church.. But her
brother, Reginaldo, is a less active member and is 19, so MAYBE we can
reactivate him and get permission from Pres to baptize her before my
mission ends.. She´s so cute and wants to bring everyone to church next
week and go to the activities. Isn´t that just life? She´ll for sure
be baptized though. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well, the church is still
true and the book is blue. I hope you all have an awesome week. Does
anyone have ideas for simple games to play at a branch family night?
Most of the people who go are the recent converts. We need ideas. Also,
does anyone have any requests of what they want me to bring home from
Brazil with me? Havaianas? Chocolate? Cuscuzeiro? Does cuscuz exist
in the united states? It´s a staple of life here. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Beijos,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-18147959771813419272014-11-11T10:15:00.001-08:002014-11-11T10:15:52.781-08:00November 10, 2014, "It's A Girl"Querida família,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Let´s start with the crazy news! So
last night we get a random phone call from President, who NEVER calls Sunday night for anything, and he told us that I had been moved to
senior companion to prepare me to TRAIN in my last transfer! Generally
you only find that out the day before transfers, but for whatever reason
President was inspired to tell me now. I didn´t really talk about
this, but Sister Cavalcanti received the phone call last transfer that
she would train and I was happy for her but really heart broken because
training is 12 weeks and I thought it was my last chance. I was really
tempted to doubt my abilities and just hang back, but I´ve been praying
more than ever for the Lord to help me find my purpose and progress
while still being junior. The phone call from president just came in
exactly the right moment and was really a moment of my knowing that the
Lord does everything in His timing and He´s aware of our desires and
what´s best for us. I thought of Elder Bednar´s talk on tender mercies,
that nothing is coincidence and His timing helps us recognize His
tender mercies. I´m so excited to end my mission with my own little
filhinha :) </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We are still in search of the
super elect people here in Rio Tinto, but I know they´re out there. We
have one couple, G and G, who want to get married and get
baptized so it´s just organizing all the complicated details with that,
and helping G gain a stronger testimony. He used to be a pastor
and he was a little drunk in one of our lesson just trying to show how
much he knew about the Bible.. but it´s my dream to marry and baptize a
family so of course it´s gonna happen :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
I do love your emails, mom, I love
emails from EVERYONE (hint) and love hearing how everyone´s doing.
Being a missionary´s the best, our house is really funny and everyone
knows how to sing Adele.. Miracles are gonna happen this week, I know
it! Love you all! The church is true! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Beijos,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-89402962564611392752014-11-04T18:28:00.001-08:002014-11-04T18:28:20.162-08:00November 3, 2014Querida família,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The transfer did start out with a
baptism. I kind of just arrived to baptize but he is a very cool guy
named Leandro. Rio Tinto is a very small branch so it´s awesome to
baptize a future priesthood holder, who owns his own business and has a
lot of potential to be a leader. He was a reference from the District
President who just had to open his mouth and share his testimony with a
man he saw all the time at work. Leandro already studies conference
talks on <a href="http://lds.org/" target="_blank">lds.org</a> and has
great questions. The only problem is his wife, who can´t understand
still why he wants to leave the catholic church and they´ve been having
some issues, but she´ll come around when she sees the blessings of her
husband having the gospel. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Last night we went
to a fireside by President Carbone, who directs the institutes in all
northeast Brazil and is one of President Nogueira´s counselors. He
literally knows everything about the scriptures and it was an awesome
fireside. He talked about how there can´t be iniquity in a branch or it
won´t grow. Members who don´t understand the doctrine keep the church
from growing. It was pretty much calling the district to repentance but
afterwards he did question and answer. What I got out of it was really
that there exists a big connection between the temple and missionary
work. The key to success is just to keep and honor your covenants. I
read a talk this morning by Elder Nelson called ´´covenants´´ and he say
the best compliment you can receive is to be called a covenant keeper.
When the Lord talks about covenants, he is usually reminding his people
to lift up their heads and rejoice, because he always remembers his
promises. That´s the source of our strength that binds us to God and no
other church has authority to make these covenants. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My
companion is very different from any other I´ve had but she is super
dedicated. She´s from Florianopolis, in the south. It´s been a little
hard finding my niche in our relationship; we´re both ending our
missions and have a lot of ideas that are very different. But she´s a
great missionary and I know we need each other and the Lord will help
us. The other Sisters we live with are from Argentina and Australia.
Yep, the first Austalian to serve in Brasil. We´re trying to teach our
companions English, both already know a lot, but it´s always a fight
between the two accents.. Speaking English is really hard these days
haha.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Our house has horses, cats and
monkeys. It´s everything I´ve ever dreamed. Someday you´ll see
pictures... but it is not this day.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The church is true! I love you all a lot. I´m praying for your goals! Make it rain!!! :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Com amor e carinho,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-41910170325837106932014-11-04T18:23:00.001-08:002014-11-04T18:23:20.112-08:00October 29, 2014, Rock n Roll in Rio Tinto!Família minha!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well it looks like I´ll be dying in
the area with the same name as the stadium where I saw Paul McCartney,
Rio Tinto. It was destiny. It´s beautiful here, out in the middle of
the jungle. People baptize like crazy in this zone, Zona Mamanguape.
People call this area the city of Enoch, so I guess it´s gotta be good
haha.. My companion is another Brazilian, Sister Marshall, and this is
her last transfer. She´s from Santa Catarina. I´m sad to leave Santa
Rita but I feel particularly good about the work I did there and feel
the Lord is happy too. <br />
<div>
I´m having trouble sending pictures
again, but I was baptized! She was so happy and excited to do
personal progress, go to seminary and everything. She already wants to
go on a mission. All of our recent converts in that area are doing so
good, being taken care of and giving referrals and growing their
testimonies. We also planted a lot of seeds there. Sister Cavalcanti
got to stay and is training her new filhinha. I knew all week I was
leaving which was the worst thing ever, President told me at interviews.
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
It´s been a great month for
the Moore missionaries! I love Andrea´s story. She´s so brave to go
against everything her family´s taught her to follow the truth. I wish
everyone had that courage. We just have to teach in a way that we add
to the truths they already believe and not take anything away from them.
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A lot happened this week.. but after
transfers my mind goes a little blank. The church is still true. One
of my favorite conference talks that´s helped me on my mission is
´´Accepted by the Lord´´ from April 2013, by a seventy who´s name I
never can remember. Always seek the Lord´s acceptance above everything
else. I have been focusing a lot more lately on really what the Lord
expects of me, and I´ve been really grateful to see that a lot of
promises in my patriarchal blessing and my setting apart blessing have
already happened. I don´t always understand the Lord´s mind, but every
experience I´ve had has helped me to be a better peacemaker, be able to
boldly share my testimony, and prepared me for the future things I´ll
face in life. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much! Have an awesome week!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Com amor,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-87320770077314835402014-10-25T17:46:00.000-07:002014-10-25T17:46:02.247-07:00October 20, 2014Querida Família!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This week was a roller coaster, but
all ended really well and we baptized C and her three youngest
kids, R, R and R. Her husband R has some
issue with baptism that we still can´t figure out because he won´t
really talk to us other than to say ´´I don´t want to be baptized. That
church is different than the other ones´´. He even agreed to go to the
interview and talked to our zone leader for two whole hours. He still
just doesn´t want to, even though he read the Book of Mormon, prayed,
got an answer, prayed about the baptism, God told him he was ready.
We´ll just have to figure him out this week and throw him in the water..
But other than that going to the interview with them was a great
experience. While he was in the interview, we stayed outside and kicked
around a soccer ball with C and her kids. When we got tired
we just sat talking with her about her interview and I just felt like a
part of her family in that moment, just having a calm moment in front of
the church. The baptism was great and the ward is receiving them
really well. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On the way back we ran into
A and L AGAIN who had disappeared so we hadn´t even gotten
to talk to them that week. It was a miracle because if we hadn´t run
into them they wouldn´t have gone to church the next day. They loved
the meetings and the baptism and payed attention to everything.
Afterwards we went to answer their questions about church and follow
up. They have actually been reading the scriptures and praying and have
decided to live the law of chastity! They still aren´t super decided
yet but we marked their baptism for this Sunday. I seriously love them, I
feel like they´re a brother and sister to me and one of the only
investigators I´ve had that I just want to stay in their house
chatting. It´s so good to really have trust like that with your
investigators and to see that they´ve been changing. I can see
A as an Elder´s Quorum President and Bishop someday. Pray for
them!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As for I and K, some drama
went down with the youth and K´s mad at everyone and says she
wants to stay in the church she was in before. It´s so sad because she
really did receive an answer that the Book of Mormon is true and was
more excited than I to be baptized, but when you´re 13, you forget
all that really quickly. I at least still wants to be baptized but
there was also some drama there and in the end she wasn´t baptized
yesterday because she was SLEEPING. Kids these days. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Pray
for these people and for us to find some more of the Lord´s elect this
week. But things are going great which means I´ll probably be
transferred. Transfers are indeed next week. Time goes by so fast it
doesn´t make sense. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sounds like you always
get to do really cool things on your mission. I want to hear Elder
Holland talk in the Sacred Grove. I´ve always wanted an apostle to come
to this mission.. Have you guys seen the video the church made about
missionary work in Brazil that has Elder Anderson and Elder Nelson in
it? They´re in Fortaleza which is really similar to here and I think
you can find that video on the church website.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You
knew I sang ´´I Come to Him?´´ in the MTC with two other sisters in my
district right? I love that song. I sang ´´This is the Christ´´ at the
baptism yesterday, which I found in portuguese this week in an old
Liahona. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Have a great week! Make miracles happen! The church is true!! I love you all so much.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Abraços e beijinhos,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-66573061565263297762014-10-15T05:38:00.002-07:002014-10-15T05:38:19.245-07:00October 13, 2014Querida família!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Parabéns for the baptism! That
family looks so happy. I love that you went to lake Winnepesaukee.. I
was actually thinking about that movie this week. A lot of people need
to untie their emotional knots. Did you strap dad to the boat? haha</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The
Lord has been answering our prayers. If we have righteous desires, He
will always grant them to us, in His time and His way. We brought a
family to church, a completely crazy but totally elect family. So
C and R are a married (actually married!) couple who
look like mother and son and go to different churches to visit almost
every day. Just let me tell you about the first lesson with them.. I
finish telling the first vision and I ask them if they believe that
Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ and C responds: I
believe, I saw Jesus once too... then she goes on to explain for 30
minutes (I counted) about her experience when she was completely awake
and had this crazy vision being lifted up in the clouds in an elevator
and seeing Jesus but his face was invisible and all this other stuff.
Here in Brazil, these kinds of things are pretty normal. So the story
of the first vision lost a little effect.. but hey.. she told us she
knows we´re messengers from God and she wants to be baptized.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The
miracle was in church. It was testimony meeting and we had joked about
how she was probably going to get up and tell everyone her 30-minute
overcome-by-the-holy-ghost story. Well, she got up, but it was to say
that in 41 years of being Evangelical she had never felt so good inside
any church. She said she prayed for God to show her that this was the
true church and felt immediately that it was and now knows for certain
that this is Christ´s church. Pray for this family! She, R and
three of their kids can be baptized this Sunday. She is positive she
wants to get baptize, now it´s just helping everyone else be just as
secure. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But it doesn´t stop there; the other
miracle this week was I and K, two sisters who are also
going to be baptized on Sunday! I had already gone to church for a
long time and almost was baptized, but she felt pressured and didn´t
want to anymore. A member gave the referral to us, and instead of her
we found her younger sister, who we taught and afterwards she had a
dream about being baptized. When we finally taught both of them
together, I told us she still wanted to be baptized, and she remembers
EVERYTHING the elders taught her. These girls are so cute and are
already friends with the youth in the ward. They are so solid, they
already picked out what kind of cake they want at the baptism :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We
just need to have patience, and the Lord will bless us and answer our
prayers. I know this isn´t just an answer to mine and my companion´s
prayers, but to everyone´s prayers in this ward and everyone who prays
for the missionaries. Thanks :) The church is true. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
About
A and L, they´re making things a little more complicated
than they are, but still want to get married and get baptized. Keep
praying for them to make the right decisions and just stay in their own
houses at night... sheesh... But they are still our friends and the
spirit is always there so strong when we teach them. Everything is so
much simpler when you just keep the commandments.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much! Have the best week ever! The church is true!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Com amor e carinho,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-55148952412101800712014-10-12T16:10:00.001-07:002014-10-12T16:10:08.701-07:00Monday, October 6, 2014Querida Família,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
General Conference was so great.
I´m definitely going to be in the MoTab at some point in my life. I
made another list of things to do better in the next 6 months after
conference, but left it at our house... basically we all just need to
use the Atonement a little more in our life to help us do the things the
Lord expects of us. It was cool hearing one speaker without a weird
voiceover, and I loved his talk and the question if we´re living so that
the promises in our patriarchal blessing will be fulfilled. We don´t
have excuses to not know what the Lord expects of us and we need to be
prepared to do it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The women´s conference, in
April and this last one, have just made me cry the whole time and I
have no idea why. The mission just makes you so emotional and things
like that just bring an overwhelming spirit. The temple is one of the
things I miss the most. I´ll never forget the feeling of love I had the
last time I went in Campinas, it was literally like a hug from the Lord
sending me out on my mission. His promises are sure. I´m so grateful
for our covenants. When the scriptures tell us to lift up our heads
and rejoice, they are usually talking about our covenants. After this
conference I want to make the sacrament more of a concious act of
keeping covenants and repenting. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Our AP´s
really want us to focus on our personal study and memorizing scriptures,
that went really well with this conference. We need to become familiar
with the scriptures to recognize the shepherd´s voice. I´ve memorized
on my mission all of 2 Nephi 31 and I´m working on all of the scripture
mastery verses. It really is worth it and the Lord helps. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The
Lord´s been blessing us a lot and helping us find complete families to
teach. Right now our progressing investigators are A, 20, and
L,16, a couple who live separate but already have a daughter.
A lives with his parents, who are very interested and want to
get baptized (like, really badly) but aren´t married. They need to
clear up a few things financially but they´ll get married soon... But
man. THIS FAMILY IS ELECT. The Lord wants these people in his church.
We found A in August and he gave us the wrong address so we
dropped him, but ran into him again, then a third time when he talked to
the other sisters in another area and they passed his name as a
referral. So we went and taught him and his family the restoration and
they understood and accepted everything SO well. These are people who
were waiting specifically for me and Sister Cavalcanti to teach them.
Several other churches have told A he needs to get married but
he told us we´re the only people who have actually listened and tried to
help them instead of condemning them. Teaching them has been such a
testimony to me of how the gospel blesses families. They came to
conference and said they will continue to pray to see if they will be
baptized next week. They just need to really understand the law of
chastity and L needs to really have her own solid testimony to not
just get baptized for her boyfriend, but pray for these people!! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Pray
for us to baptize a family this month! I know God hears our prayers
and if our desires are righteous, He´ll grant them to us!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You
guys have some amazing stories, especially Andrea. You are amazing
missionaries and I hope you´re cherishing every minute. Life´s good
here in Santa Rita. We´re gonna go to a members house today and I´m
gonna teach them how to make cookies :) I know how to make them by
memory, and if I can make them in Brazil with our match-lit ovens, I can
cook anything in the US haha.. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I know God is
aware of us and knows us by name. Christ paid for our sins and our
sorrows. I know Joseph Smith saw the father and the son and that Thomas
S. Monson is God´s prophet today. Family is always first in the gospel.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much and hope you have an incredible week! Believe in miracles!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Com amor e carinho,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-32485902605564741322014-09-30T10:42:00.001-07:002014-09-30T10:42:06.524-07:00September 29, 2014Querida família,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This
morning we shared our personal studies with everyone in the house and it
was really spiritual. Sister Sales has been having a hard week, being
sick and also stressed. We all talked about what the Lord expects of us
on our missions and the progress we´ve made and we all hugged in the
end. They´re all amazing missionaries. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I
think a virus is spreading through all of Santa Rita, it didn´t hit me
hard enough to stay home but it hit Sister C and we stayed home
for a couple days. At least we really had some time to talk and laugh
and share a little bit more about our lives. Sister C has
never really had parents and her life has made her seem a little cold to
some people. At the beginning of her mission she thought a companion
was just someone to walk by your side. She´s come so far in every
aspect as a missionary since we lived together in Prossind. I´ve been a
little stressed because sometimes I blame the results of our work on my
companion and feel like it´s just my job to correct her because I
´´should be´´ the senior companion by now. I think we´ve both learned
that your companion is everything and you have to be a team in
absolutely everything. I´ve learned a lot about finding the best in
people. Helping them see the good in themselves and sincerely
appreciating people for who they are makes all the difference. If you
only see the bad, it´s probably a reflection of how you see yourself.
Always hug your companion and tell her you love her before going to bed!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
J
is still dragging his feet a little but says he will get baptized and
will continue to go to church. He has a testimony but there´s something
else going on we feel.. Keep praying for him and for Joyce. Joyce´s
been going to church FOREVER but her mom won´t sign the papers and now
we feel it also be the influence of her aunt, an active member, who´s
keeping her from signing it...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
General
Conference is coming once again!! The General RS meeting won´t be shown
here until Sunday between the two sessions, but thanks for the spoilers
;) I´ve been preparing for this conference by reading the last
conference, especially the prophet´s last talk. President Monson is
indeed a prophet of God and I love that he always chooses to uplift us
and talk about loving each other more. Nothing else we do matters if we
don´t stop to notice the people around us who need our service.
Sometimes it´s not in the way we necessarily want or think we need to
serve, but the Lord is always showing us opportunities to show love
to people every day. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much! Have an awesome week and an awesome General Conference! Follow the prophet!! The church is true! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Com amor e carinho,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-73908558178932917832014-09-22T18:11:00.003-07:002014-09-22T18:11:37.796-07:00Monday, September 22, 2014<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbTfCBUaXF2RM9ZOI6EGFTz_vBkcS0ZFvwrPFec5g7CFJbuhrL-_CDIauf8sZEXeK3NHKAsIiNGoMMi9vyoTLPjDpxoYRSQe3IZC0B4JGNawtEAVsOYlVdIYDZ-wDnl3UswXUK5aSelVb/s1600/IMG_5869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbTfCBUaXF2RM9ZOI6EGFTz_vBkcS0ZFvwrPFec5g7CFJbuhrL-_CDIauf8sZEXeK3NHKAsIiNGoMMi9vyoTLPjDpxoYRSQe3IZC0B4JGNawtEAVsOYlVdIYDZ-wDnl3UswXUK5aSelVb/s1600/IMG_5869.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sister Cavalcani and Sister Moore, Santa Rita, Brazil</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Querida família!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I´m so glad Dad got to
baptize someone. That´s so awesome :) I brag about you guys all the
time you know. Thanks for the emails everyone. I think Elder Holland
said once that we need to be the missionaries that our moms think we
are.. haha. I think you can just google Santa Rita, Paraiba, Brasil and
it should come up. Centro is the coolest part with the fountain and
the parks with mosaiacs and the old catholic church. We already have
another roomate, Sister Alves left and now we have Sister Pinna from
Argentina. Sister Sales is the pequeninha from Fortaleza. My release
date is Jan 21, this month they´ll call me to ask what airport I´ll go
home to. AHH</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So Anderson got baptized, it´s
just his mom we need to catch. Running away from missionaries runs in
that family, but afterwards they become superstar members. Everything
went smoothly and he was really happy to be baptized (even though he
doesn´t really look that happy..) In the picture with him are his
cousins, Alice and Claudio and the bishop´s son who wanted to be in the
picture.</div>
<div>
</div>
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<div>
</div>
<div>
A huge miracle yesterday was J
coming to church. Some stuff happened with his daughter and ex wife
that really threw him off-track and he didn´t want to be baptized with
bitterness in his heart against anyone, and to add to it, he started
smoking again because of the stress. But he really is hanging in there
with his testimony. He´s told us several times he knows it´s all true.
We passed by his house Sunday morning and he wasn´t there so we had
basically given up that he still really has interest. But when we got
to church, there was J, already there. He came to watch the baptism
to see how it is. Pray for him! He just needs a little more faith to
stop smoking!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I´ve been learning a lot about
the importance of gratitude, again. I´ve been feeling lately like I´ll
never be one of those missionaries that all the members remember, or who
baptized a ton or who was a great leader. But I know without a single
doubt that God is aware of me, and always has been. If we trust Him we
will be able to do all things for our own good and the good of others. I
think ever since the Brown family in New York, I´ve had a deep-set
preocupation for the eternal souls of everyone, including my own. But
the Lord tells us to not let our hearts be troubled, neither let it be
afraid, and that in this life we´ll have affliction, but we can still be
of good cheer. He has overcome the world. Above all the little
miracles that have kept me going each day, I´m so grateful for the
atonement of Jesus Christ. I´m grateful that the path isn´t always
easy, mentally, physically or spiritually. Sometimes when we suffer a
little, that can help us to help other people, not because we know how
they feel, but because we know someone else who knows everything about
their sorrows. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Remember to be grateful and trust in the Lord! Remember to love and forgive yourself. Remember to remember! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much and am so grateful for all you´ve done for me in my life. Have an awesome week!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Beijos,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Sister Moore Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-63665226900312501412014-09-18T18:11:00.000-07:002014-09-18T18:11:03.091-07:00Wednesday, September 17, 2014<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgww0_Buvc6iiBwTrggqJ-wYWllPpmb9cm-rnLlp9vwg51Se8wlhxIijho-XuCfP2WEGYypArZfUvbKEFODMsR-uU1rVS5ZZ4rvMhSA9_hx56zRRKjhToz0Z7ER8zEtA6rzSztVZJWQk0tK/s1600/Hannah's+mission+Santa+Rita+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgww0_Buvc6iiBwTrggqJ-wYWllPpmb9cm-rnLlp9vwg51Se8wlhxIijho-XuCfP2WEGYypArZfUvbKEFODMsR-uU1rVS5ZZ4rvMhSA9_hx56zRRKjhToz0Z7ER8zEtA6rzSztVZJWQk0tK/s1600/Hannah's%2Bmission%2BSanta%2BRita%2B2.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sister Cavalcanti and Sister Moore in Santa Rita, Brazil</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7qt2jXesIUw7oIaHuvdXa029bSixsMeXAa-Tmrzu_MaOW6XRigm0oFnF4UfPD4tw6voBmBCsJ53qZhurOt6pECg0KmG8nBjwFE6XlnfdEI3a-d99UIbzP5z1qiY0M50n-L63TmZXK_KO/s1600/Hannah's+mission+Santa+Rita+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7qt2jXesIUw7oIaHuvdXa029bSixsMeXAa-Tmrzu_MaOW6XRigm0oFnF4UfPD4tw6voBmBCsJ53qZhurOt6pECg0KmG8nBjwFE6XlnfdEI3a-d99UIbzP5z1qiY0M50n-L63TmZXK_KO/s1600/Hannah's%2Bmission%2BSanta%2BRita%2B4.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div>
<div>
<div>
Querida família,<br /></div>
I get to stay in Santa Rita with Sister Cavalcanti and the
majority of my companions are going home tomorrow; Sister Seal,
Sciammarella and Sister Johnson. Three awesome missionaries. <br /></div>
The
biggest tender mercy this week was for sure getting to work with Sister
Sciammarella again for one day in her area in her last week. She is so
full of the Spirit and loves beings a missionary. We really became
like actual sisters, and I forgot how great it was to just laugh and
quote movies in English and talk about some normal people things. Being
best friends with your companion is EVERYTHING. I really needed to
remember how that was and realize that I need to learn to relax and have
balance in all things. It was just a great day, talking about
everything and teaching together again!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A
is going to bet baptized on Sunday! We´re still working with his mom
who hasn´t gone to church yet, and it seems a little like she might be
running from us now... just gotta grab my running shoes and baptize
these families. But A is reading the Book of Mormon and circling
things he doesn´t understand. We explained the restoration in terms of
soccer; God is the coach, the prophet is the captain, the players are
the apostles and the ball is the priesthood. It´s working out great and
the analogy is even working for explaining the commandments. <br /></div>
<div>
I
lost my voice this week which was awful and EVERYONE is telling me all
the different things I need to do and medicine I need to take and how I
can´t work in the sun and I need to go home and not to go in the rain.
It´s a Brasilian thing... But I can talk again, it´s just a little like a
boy going through puberty. Crying repentance is hard on the voice I
guess ;)<br /></div>
<div>
Keep praying for J... we´re not quite sure
what happened yet with him but he didn´t go to church and might not be
telling the truth. His sister is a pastor and lives on the same
street but that didn´t seem to be making a difference. <br /></div>
<div>
But
it´s all good. The church is true. When people choose to stop
progressing, you don´t lose anything, only they do. I know Jesus Christ
is at the center of missionary work. He goes before us and shows us
the way. Just remember Him. I know the atonement is real whether we
accept it fully or not. I love my Savior.<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much! Have a great week!<br /></div>
Com todo meu coração,<br />
Sister MooreMoore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-66100764255717765822014-09-08T07:45:00.002-07:002014-09-08T07:45:35.218-07:00September 8, 2014Querida família,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I´m so glad to hear about the
progress of your investigators. I´ve been praying for them. That´s so
awesome that you are all using your talents to do the Lord´s work. Mom,
the Lord always blesses you with those little things like the piñata.
You´re such an example of faith and gratitude :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The
Lord has really been preparing these people and answering our prayers,
even if the fruits aren´t quite showing yet. I don´t think I´ve ever
heard so many people say they´ve received an answer to prayer that these
things are true in my whole mission than in the past two weeks! Just
one example was AC, who didn´t seem that interested but we
talked to her because her 11-year-old son is going to church (even
though he´s literally running away from us because he´s afraid of
baptism). She´s the sister of a recent convert who´s kids are super
active in the church and seminary and help us a lot. We left the
pamphlet of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for her to read. It turned out
she did read and prayed and that it helped her in a really hard moment
after she fought with her boyfriend. She wants to get baptized! It was
awesome and I know so many more people in that family will follow her,
including her son A. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
José came to
church with us yesterday, and told us after sacrament meeting that he
prayed and got an answer that baptism is the right thing to do :) He
lives with his thirteen year old son and his mom and his niece, and
we´re gonna work with all of them. Pray for his baptism this Sunday!!
This all probably means I´ll get transferred next week :P</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We
have another new rule in our mission that we have to introduce all of
the fifth lesson before baptism. The vision is to really focus on all
aspects of the work of salvation and help people go to the temple and do
work for their ancestors and missionary work. It seems like a lot of
information, but the people here really do seem to connect more to the
idea of baptisms for their relatives who´ve passed on than the idea of
apostasy and authority and prophets etc.. It´s really amazing. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
P
who was baptized last week shared something incredible with us. We
reviewed the plan of salvation with her and talked about baptisms for
the dead. This woman doesn´t know how to read and doesn´t seem to
understand a lot about the restoration, but when we explained this to
her she told us about a dream she had 5 months ago. In the dream, her
son who died 8 years ago at the age of 16 was telling her get on a bus
with him. The bus took them to the most beautiful church she´d ever
seen that had a garden in front. Everyone there was dressed in white
and her son said to her, ´´Mom, this is where I live.´´</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The
church is true. Families are forever. The work is hastening on both
sides of the veil and the Lord is preparing many people to hear who only
need to be invited. Open your mouth and invite them. Remember what it
is you are actually offering them. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love
you all so much and I hope you continue to recognize all the miracles in
missionary work and feel God´s love for all His children. Have an
awesome week!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Com muito amor,</div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-49707672118199118782014-09-04T17:39:00.001-07:002014-11-04T18:25:02.102-08:00September 1, 2014, Hurrah for Israel!Querida família!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This week was a LOT better. The
whole thing with P was just confusion, she left her cell phone at
her sister´s house and was waiting for us at her house to come get her.
Oh well.. she ended up getting baptized on Saturday and worked out
great having a little more time to make it special and introduce her to
the ward better. Quite a few people came to the baptism and they liked
our cake so I´m hoping there´ll be more references. More baptisms, more
baptism cakes! That´s why everyone likes sisters more ;)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
P is just so elect. She has 7 kids, two of them
are inactive members who live here and others live in Rio and are
active in the church! It was cool to hear how she called her kids in
Rio and they´re all so excited for her! With her, all we had to do was
show up and invite her to be baptized and she never had any doubts. It
was an awesome baptism :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We have A LOT of people to work with that it´s hard
to know who to focus on. So many people feel the spirit and have the
desire to change but just won´t keep commitments. But the Lord always
puts the right people in our path. Sometimes if we try too hard to just
be the reapers, we end up running after goals and we miss real
opportunities to help people. The miracles happen if you just trust the
Lord, and all in His own time. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We´ve been really meticulous this week with working
50% with less actives, which seems kind of hard when you have so much to
do and so many less actives are just like investigators who don´t want
ANYTHING. But this week it really did bring some miracles. I felt
personally that the Lord had heard my prayers. I had been praying to be
able to complete the families of the less-actives we planned to visit
and for the Lord to open the hearts of the people scheduled to meet with
us. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
D has a son on a mission but wasn´t interested
at all in baptism because she never had a dream in response to her
prayer and she´s catholic and her neighbors all talk bad about the
church etc etc etc... All she does really is cry and talk about her son.
The first time we visited her she didn´t let us finish ONE sentence
which makes me lose my patience really fast. Later we talked to her
husband J outside of their house and he said he´d go to church so we
marked another appointment, however badly I didn´t want to. But D
told us about an email from her son and a miracle that happened that
helped her feel the spirit and she knows the church is true and that
what he´s doing is right. She wants to wait for her son to return to
get baptized (he´s only been gone two months.. ugh) but the important
thing is she wants to get baptized!! They didn´t come to church in the
end, but it´s progress.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We´re working with a lot of people who have less
active members in the family and the Lord really has opened their hearts
and they are feeling and recognizing the spirit. Even if they don´t
progress super fast, I have a testimony of following the guidance of
your leaders and the worth of souls in the sight of God. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It sounds like you guys are doing great work in
Boston. Living the dream! I tried again to send pictures but all it
did was waste 20 minutes of my internet time... sigh. Someday. I´ll
probably just send you my memory card sometime. We do have two couple
missionaries but we never see them haha.. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Keep planting seeds, believe in miracles and care
for your own testimony! I love you all so much. ´´Never let a problem
to be solved become more important than a person to be loved´´ Thomas S
Monson</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Com muito amor e carinho,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-39974824144596004222014-08-28T18:10:00.002-07:002014-08-28T18:10:50.949-07:00We are Sowing, Daily Sowing...8/25/2014Querida Família,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This has definitely been one of the
hardest weeks of my mission, especially yesterday. But looking back on
really all that happened it could also be the best. Family, the church
is true. Maybe people just simply disappear and leave you waiting for
three hours at their baptism and they never come. Maybe some people who
were super sure about baptism break a commandment and aren´t ready that
week. Maybe some people tell you right after all that, that they won´t
continue to investigate the church because of YOU and only you and
invite YOU to pray and rethink if what you´re doing here is right. And
maybe you strike out again while the time you have left gets smaller and
smaller. Maybe you go to sleep crying and wake up still crying. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But man do I have a testimony of this church, of
what a 14-year-old boy saw in the sacred grove, and of my being called
to preach repentance by a prophet of God. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A
miracle happened this week that was unlike anything on my mission. We
went to talk to a girl who had been to church a few times and set an
appointment with us even though her interest was so-so and her family is very
against the church. We ended up talking to M, her sister who is
also a mom to her own two kids, all her 7 sisters who live there and to
her own mom with serious mental problems. She began by telling us all
of the things she didn´t agree with about our church and said all of the
usual things that usually just make me want to leave the situation. We
calmly explained the things she had doubts about and bore testimony of
the restoration. Then we just listened. After telling us about how the
Elders had turned her off with their straightforwardness, she told us
something that made our jaws drop. She had thought about what the
Elders had said and wanted another chance to hear our message. She had
prayed that very day for us to come, and we came and answered her
questions. We asked her to pray and she said she already knew it was
true. Unfortunately we haven´t been able to find her at home since then
and she also needs to get married. But wow. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
These seeds really matter. We can only know if the
Lord is accepting our work if we ask him. And he will let us know.
This life is a test. A test to see if we´ll obey no matter what, love
no matter what, be grateful no matter what. This week I fasted
personally for miracles and I came to understand a little more the mind
of God, which we will never understand completely. My mission in this
life has nothing to do with numbers, but with sanctifying myself. I
know now that Christ is the only friend we can always count on. If I
had never had to beg the Lord for comfort until it came, I would never
feel true peace in my heart. If I didn´t have to cry, I would never
understand his love for me completely. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It´s a new week and I hope you take advantage of
every minute of life the Lord gives you. Be a little kinder, hope a
little bigger. V, C and L have a few difficulties but we
are still working with them. Yesterday P was almost baptized and
today we´ll found out why she never came. She is the mom of a
less-active member who is really wonderful and has a lot of desire to be
baptized. She has no problems with the commandments, just with
remembering when she has to be at certain important events... like her
baptism. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I´m so glad you are experiencing the miracles and
frustrations of being a missionary. Write 3 miracles in your journal
every day. The church is true. I love you all so much! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Com muito amor,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-23242861406087753532014-08-18T08:02:00.001-07:002014-08-18T08:06:38.183-07:00August 18, 2014<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
Querida Família,<br />
</div>
It
sounds like you guys are doing great work and living the dream on your
mission! I love your pictures. Sorry I don´t take that many pictures, I
don´t walk around with my camera and I also don´t look that cute when I´m working haha... just sweaty<br />
.</div>
So we´re still going through a little bit of a trial of
patience and faith... but the miracles are going to happen. Arriving in
the area was a whole lot of excitement, and the pool of
´´eternigators´´ in the ward made it look like we had a lot more
progressing investigators than we really did, just because everything´s
new to us. But that doesn´t mean the miracles aren´t going to happen.<br />
</div>
I gave a training on setting goals on Tuesday for the Sisters
in our zone. It was really fun to do and preparing helped me think a
lot about faith and our expectations. I asked them why we lower our
expectations and goals on the mission. In PMG in the part in Chapter 1
´´A successful missionary´´ it says that when we lower our expectations, our
faith will weaken and our effectiveness will diminish.<br />
<br />
The reasons we
lower our expectation usually come from dissapointment, pessimism,
discouragement. I know I´ve done this before: you don´t succeed in your
goals for the month and so you just lower the goal for the next month
so that maybe you´ll reach it. But is that the kind of missionary and
person we want to be? Change the plan, pray for direction, try again
and be patient, but keep hoping for the best results.<br />
</div>
I was feeling pretty cool with our 3 baptisms that were super
solid this week and our other possible baptisms. But, what I gave my
training on was unfortunately tested. V is progressing really
well, reads everything, is super excited about the baptism, but suddenly
her family had to travel on Sunday. L´s grandma yelled at us and
told her her grandson didn´t know anything and wasn´t going to get
baptized when we went to take him to the interview. When he didn´t go,
we thought C was going to give up too, but he told us he´d go on
his bike and meet us at the chapel.<br />
</div>
Sitting in front of the chapel, we were sure he wasn´t
coming. But we just decided to read Hebrews 11 while we waiting, you
know, to keep our faith strong. The second we finished, he arrived on
his bike like he said and passed the interview. That was a miracle.
Sunday, he arrived at church with a towel in hand and everything ready
to be baptized, but then told us he was hungry and left to buy food.
Never came back. Someone assaulted him and took his bike, and he ran
home scared. So.. not exactly a cool ending, and who knows if he was
just running from the baptism. But we marked his baptism for next week
and we´ll have more time to see if he´s really ready.<br />
</div>
People like this are stressful to work with but I also love
it. He is like a little kid, life has never really given him the chance
to succeed, but he is so humble and even though he can´t read, he´s
learned how to pray. In his own way, he understands the things we teach
him. The coolest thing is how L was helping him. These guys are
over 20 years old, but people have only told them their whole lives that
they can´t do anything. We´re going to keep working with them and let
them show that they can make a promise with God, but we´ll see if they
can endure to the end of this week.<br />
</div>
Sunday night we went to a farewell party of a missionary
leaving from the ward and a bunch of returned missionaries bore their
testimonies and shared experiences. I felt a little bit lacking in
experiences of finding and baptizing families like they had, and I left a
little sad. But this morning I was reflecting on my mission and I
wouldn´t regret it if I had to leave today. But like Alma said to
Amuleque, they can´t kill us because we still have work to do. I need
to build my faith and trust a lot still, but I know my mission has been
so far exactly what I need it to be.<br />
</div>
I´ve found that you can´t decide how people will use their
free will, but God put them in your path for a reason. We also have the
agency the choose if our missions and our lives will be successful. If
we´ll work hard or be lazy, if we´ll be happy or discouraged, if we´ll
be agents to act or objects to be acted upon. Don´t ever give up!<br />
</div>
I always pray for all of you and for your missions. Enjoy every second. I love you all so much! </div>
Santa
Rita is still the best area. The church is still true. The Book of
Mormon will help you draw close and stay close to Christ more than any
other book. Have an awesome week!<br />
</div>
Com muito amor,<br />
</div>
Sister MooreMoore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-25833771830510510612014-08-13T18:59:00.001-07:002014-08-13T18:59:31.428-07:00August 11, 2014Querida Família,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This is the best area in the world.
Other than the house, which we call Castelo de Greyskull, the Elders
did some great work here. On Saturday Sister Alves and Sister Sales
baptized 4 people, a family and another mission-age man. We brought ten
people to church yesterday, 6 investigators and 4 less-actives, and we
have about eight people who potentially can be baptized this week. I
don´t even know where to start..</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The first day here, a 14-year-old boy, Jefferson,
who was baptized just a few weeks ago was waiting on our street because
he wanted to meet us and show us around. That day we ended up just
following him and then meeting another member and they just led us to
all these people and we never even had to look at our plans or think
about the time. There are a lot of Young Women in this ward who I
already love so much who are preparing to serve missions and are helping
us so much. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Mili, one of the Young Women, has a mom, Cristina
who has already been to church many times but just won´t commit to be
baptized and live the word of wisdom. When we met her she liked us
right away and I just told her straight up that we were going to baptize
her and she just laughed and said she´s a sinner but set an
appointment. We taught her and Mili and it was very led by the Spirit.
Mili doesn´t want to get her hopes up again but she bore her testimony
and expressed how her mom´s baptism is the thing she wants to see more
than anything. Cristina accepted baptism for the 17th, but didn´t go to
church yesterday because she was sleeping. We are just praying for a
miracle that the spirit can really touch her heart and convert her.
Sometimes you just need Sisters ;)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We met Vanessa, a 16-year-old, while contacting her
less-active friend. She is just super elect, read the pamphlet we gave
her, went to church, loved it and wants to be baptized. We even saw her
later on Sunday during a contact and she told the guy we were
contacting to go to church because it´s awesome. (We marked that guy´s
baptism and he´s bringing his nephew to church too next Sunday :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Carlos, same thing. Super prepared and willing to
keep the commandments, but doesn´t read and understands a little more
slowly. He was very happy at church and went with Luiz, a less active
recent convert. We might have to baptize Luiz again because the Elders
didn´t leave records. Think the Other Side of Heaven when they
tell him none of his work counts. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Other than that we have two other teenagers who have
been going to church, Joyce and Joelington, whose parents won´t sign
their papers. But we already talked with Joelington´s mom who is
hard hearted but became much more open after we talked to her, and
especially after her son said the last prayer. </div>
<div>
A lot of other miracles happened, but those were just a few
highlights. I have so much faith that this is going to be a transfer of
reaping what other missionaries have planted instead of just planting
planting planting. The ward is really good, the bishop has really good
goals for the ward´s growth and wants us to baptize every day. I am
loving it so much here. It´s the hilliest area I´ve ever had, but it´s
very beautiful here. There are a lot of 300+ year-old restored
buildings and we have views of just GREEN. Santa Rita is just a little
more inland than João Pessoa. We walk everywhere and take the bus to
meetings and things outside the area. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Cavalcanti is an amazing companion. She´s
from São Paulo Capital. She was baptized at 15 and was raised just with
her grandma, who is over 80 years old and writes her letters, not
emails. She was the only member in her family until right before her
mission when her grandma, who at first didn´t even want to let her get
baptized, was baptized. It was really hard for her to leave her grandma
alone, and sometimes she doesn´t receive any emails. Her email address
is <a href="mailto:alana.cavalcanti@myldsmail.net">alana.cavalcanti@myldsmail.net</a>
if you want to write her. I think it´d be cool. She is such an
example to me and is an amazing missionary. I lived with her in
Prossind when she was new and now she´s super confident and the Sister
Training Leader of our zone. I love her!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It´s so great to hear such great
things from you guys! I love the ´´Jesus, Others, Yourself´´. Being a
missionary is the best isn´t it? Heavenly Father loves us so much and He
hears our prayers and always answers. If you want answers to your
prayers, read Alma 34. We have to do EVERYTHING we can after praying,
because God won´t do things for us that we can do for ourselves. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore </div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-40617129013820053802014-08-06T18:43:00.002-07:002014-08-06T18:43:58.971-07:00August 6, 2014Lindíssima família!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love your pictures. Haha it
really looks like kind of a vacation, but obviously not because you´re
already doing amazing things! One Sister here who waited for her visa
thinks that the church in the US will start to grow faster than Brasil
because the members
are getting involved. Who can say if that´s true, but it´s so great to
here about so many miracles! It inspires me a lot.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
ANYWAY... the reason I´m writing so late is that I
got TRANSFERRED. Already! It was kind of sad because I felt like I was
just getting to really know and love the members there. But now I´m
here in Santa Rita with Sister Cavalcanti and two other Brasilians. One
is like a foot shorter than me and it´s awesome. I don´t know anything
about this area because we´re opening it and it´s the first time
they´ve ever had sisters. Yes, that means we were left with an elder´s
house. Oh my gosh. It´s horrible. I feel like a homeless person
invading an abandoned factory. But that´s okay, opening areas that have
never had sisters is the best. We´ve spent the day walking around
looking for a place to email.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It was a good, way to short, transfer in Ipes, and
as always, we had a lot of good things happen right before I left. We
were going to mark the date of a wedding and baptism of a super elect
couple, baptize A who´s been investigating the church forever and
now doesn´t have to work on Sundays, and I was just getting to know the
members. It was a really cool week but it´s all left me now and I can´t
think of anything but this new area. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I´m in the same zone as Sister Sciammarella. All of
my companions are dying. It´s her, Sister Seal and Sister Johnson´s last
transfer. I´ll get to see Sister Sciamm every week and that´s just a
blessing for me. Time is flying but now I feel like my mission´s just
started again.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The biggest miracle for me this week was a personal
experience with prayer. I feel like the whole transfer I was just
carrying this stress that I didn´t know the source of or how to get rid
of it. I just never felt like I was at peace with myself or my work,
always doubting if I was doing things right. I had already prayed about
it, but I really just came to the point I had to know if I was trying
enough or too hard. I prayed with that kind of sincerity that you
always tell your investigators to do. The words of scriptures I knew
just came to my head and I asked if I was just trying to comfort myself
or if it was the comforter. It was obvious in my head the answer, but a
feeling of true peace just overcame me. Like I never wanted to move
from that spot. Then I just told Heavenly Father everything I was
worried about, the way I would to my own parents. My answer was just to
trust in the Lord and not in myself, and He will bring out my true best
self. And also that the things I want to change in myself won´t just
change immediately. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The next day was Sunday, when everyone loses their
mind. No one came to church. A was sick and didn´t come to his
baptism. But I just kept thinking about that answer I received and
nothing seemed to bother me. I did all I could and people made their
choices. I just enjoyed taking the sacrament, listening to the
testimonies of the members. Our district sang at the Elder´s baptism
and it was beautiful. Afterward I also got to comfort two different
less actives going through horrible things, people with no peace in
their lives. We sang hymns and listened to them. It seems like it had
been a long time since I´d just enjoyed the spirit like that, without
thinking about what me or my companion is doing wrong, without thinking
about our numbers, or when we have to leave for our next appointment. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Never lose sight of the ´´why´´ of the Gospel, and
your testimony will be that much more powerful, your work will be that
much more efficient. I know my Savior lives and loves me. He died for
me. I don´t have any doubts. If you feel like you´ve wasted time, or
like your best efforts aren´t enough, or you´ve messed up, or you´ll try
when a change happens, just STOP. Right where you are is the perfect
place to begin being the person the Lord wants you to be. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much! I hope you have tons of success and miracles big and small! Make it an awesome week!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Um abraço,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore</div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-24683829910363011072014-08-02T18:20:00.000-07:002014-08-02T18:20:06.506-07:00July 28, 2014, One Year!Querida Família,<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As I complete a year on the mission, I´ve thought a
lot about my mission as a whole. I can´t say I never did things wrong
or that I was exceptional. But what really matters in the end is who
I´ll be when my mission´s over, because it does end like anything else.
I´ve spent a lot of my life comparing myself to others and my mission
as well, but as I´ve really looked at everything, God has given me so
much. These are just a few things I´ve learned and am still learning:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1. God knows where he wants us, more importantly, who he wants us with</div>
<div>
2. How to work and stop making excuses</div>
<div>
3. You need to have faith in the right things</div>
<div>
4. People you think are perfect are not</div>
<div>
5. Everyone has potential to be perfect, look for the good in everyone</div>
<div>
6. It´s not such a sin to be raised in Utah (my awesome companions :)</div>
<div>
7. I do in fact want to get married after the mission<br />
</div>
<div>
8. It´s better to pray for strength than for change</div>
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9. I have an amazing family</div>
<div>
10. I still think too much about what others think</div>
<div>
11. Laziness in the end will probably be the worst sin</div>
<div>
12. You have to love yourself to love others</div>
<div>
13. If you don´t love someone perfectly, you just don´t know them perfectly</div>
<div>
14. The gospel IS in fact the solution to everything</div>
<div>
15. How to study the scriptures</div>
<div>
16. How to listen</div>
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17. Always think about how you say things</div>
<div>
18. Laugh at yourself </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
These
are a lot of things that came directly from the mouths of my companions
or other missionaries, but things I´ll always keep with me. I realized
this week what my life was before the mission. A LOT of hours of doing
absolutely nothing. I´ve never even done anything in my life for a
year and a half without a break or without giving up. The difference a
mission will make for the rest of my life is immeasurable. Not all of
it is fun, but it´s important. I know that the Lord is aware of me when
no one else is. He has provided all I need to become like Him. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much and hope you have a great
week. It sounds like you are doing great things. Be as kind to
yourself as you would be with others. I expect the next 6 months to be
the most life changing! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Com muito amor, </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sister Moore </div>
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3406441369078190748.post-44977716276424433932014-07-21T08:37:00.001-07:002014-07-21T08:37:08.562-07:00July 21, 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiiieuaZRI4_A3P3Pe-dVp6oeJr7eL7WG_mq30ykr5CLv8AE5zVNwFLbWSLd9o2hrcV9qb995lTzX38wSFYr8C_nmLg1ujWrZXHu2VpSYuIXOEHrkBgOokOlaShz7_Kzpe9QPRLkiXCYR/s1600/Hannah's+mission,+Itaina%27s+Baptism.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiiieuaZRI4_A3P3Pe-dVp6oeJr7eL7WG_mq30ykr5CLv8AE5zVNwFLbWSLd9o2hrcV9qb995lTzX38wSFYr8C_nmLg1ujWrZXHu2VpSYuIXOEHrkBgOokOlaShz7_Kzpe9QPRLkiXCYR/s1600/Hannah's+mission,+Itaina's+Baptism.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
Linda família!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Itainá,
the girl who was a referall from the Elders AND members last Sunday,
was baptized! It really was the most smooth baptism of my life.. she is
just that elect. It´s always the youth whoa re like that. When we
followed up with her after teaching the restoration, she just said ´´I
don´t usually like to read a lot, but after reading that pamphlet you
left, I just wanted to read it again and know everything.´´ She´s
pretty shy, but she told us with a big smile she wanted to be baptized.
The spirit was so strong in every lesson and she was just so prepared.
She even went to a YW activity. I think one of the biggest miracles
was that the ward did EVERYTHING at the baptism. The YW sang, someone
made brownies, they had all the talks and messages lined up, usually
things the missionaries have to do themselves. I´m just very grateful
for the whole thing. The church is true! Her mom came to the baptism
and I hope she´ll have the desire to come to church and be taught too,
and her older sister too. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Another miracle this week was finding an elect
less-active, Diego. It turns out a different Diego who was also
baptized used to live in that house, so this Diego was just confused as
to how we found him when he was baptized in another ward.. LONG ago. We
just taught him from the beginning because he didn´t remember anything.
He even asked us if he could be baptized again.. just a reminder that
our success isn´t always in our numbers. Did I mention he´s in a
wheelchair? He was mistaken for someone else and was shot several
times, leaving him without use of his legs. He wheeled himself to
church alone. So cool! The Lord really wanted us to find him.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Miracles happen every day, and looking for them
really is a skill that you have to practice. If you just write the good
things that happen each day and realize God´s hand in all things, it
can change everything. This week, I´m not sure who we´re gonna baptize.
We finally got a hold of A again and marked and appointment
with him 6:00 tonight. Running into him in the street again was a
miracle. He´s still curious about everything but I think he may have
problems with commandments so he´s not really too committed about
baptism. But that´ll change ;)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It´s so fun to hear about your mission, mom and dad.
Mom, you are so enthusiastic in your letters. I bet the Sisters love
spending time with you guys :) I loved the things you said about
companions. You can´t build zion if zion doesn´t exist first in your
home and with your companion! I´m learning a LOT of things about that,
and I hope it at least helps me someday with my future husband.
Something Sister Seal taught me is that ANY problem with your companion
is just a problem with yourself. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That´s so sad to hear about Uncle Lars. I know dad
had a very special relationship with him and I´ll always remember good
things about him. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all so much! The
church is true and Heavenly Father loves us. He wants us to enjoy the
journey, so remember to laugh! If you can only be good at one thing, be
good at smiling :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Abraços,</div>
<div>
Sister Moore </div>
<br />
Moore fun in Colorado!http://www.blogger.com/profile/01642121338973348281noreply@blogger.com0