13 March 2012,

Well, hello again. This week has been so jammed packed of crazy things
happening. No, I'm not in Brazil yet. That visa teases me. But things
are still crazy here in Wisconsin.

So last Tuesday night we had to drive to Wauwatosa and spend the night with the
Sisters up there in their apartment so we could get to a training in Osh Kosh on
Wednesday. Wauwatosa is pretty much Milwaukee and I have heard some
crazy stories about Milwaukee. But it was fun. Their apartment was
like a SAUNA! It was sooo hot. Sister Ross and I both slept terribly.
I guess it was good preparation for what Brazil will be like. haha
Then we got up way too early and headed up to Osh Kosh for yet another
training. This time it was a Sisters training so it was fun to get to
meet all the sisters in Wisconsin and catch up with my old companion.
There are 18 sisters in the mission including me and another visa
waiter. It was really fun. They brought out lunch and there were two
pans of lasagna. I was thinking in my head "I could eat half of one of
those pans. There is no way that will feed all of us." haha Needless
to say I didn't get to have seconds but maybe that is what the mission
presidents wife was aiming for. Trying to keep the sisters looking
good. haha She doesn't realize some girls like to eat... a lot. Yes,
rach, stef and mace. I'm a fatty :) haha Anyways that night when
sister Ross and I got home we had a good cookie dough snack anyways so
it was all good. Also, after the training they had a clothing swap. IT
was cool. Almost like going shopping. Except free. And there is only
one store. With only skirts and blouses. But it was still great. Last
week I also heard from one of my MTC companions Sister Barnes! She is
doing great in Brazil and I can't say how great it was to hear from
her!!!

I had a lot of different experiences this week. Let me just say,
little children are hilarious. Here are two examples of how:
1. We are at a family's house for dinner. My companion tells the 5
year old girl, "Tell me your favorite story." The little girl
responds, "Umm... I can tell you about my favorite movie that I don't
actually like so much." I was like, uhh, okay. So I asked, "oh, well
what is it about." She looks at me like it was a dumb question and
says, "I don't know." hahaha yep, I was confused too. But it was
pretty funny.
2. We are reading the BOM with a lady and her 4 year old is doing our
hair and putting jewelry on us. She tell me to take my ring off and I
didn't really want to so I "tried to take it off" but it "wouldn't
come off." I said, "Sorry, it won't come off." She looks at me and
with the most serious face she says, "try harder." So i took it off.
haha

Also, yesterday when we were driving down the road all these cars were
stopped and so we looked and it was because a whole bunch of ducks
were crossing the road. This one lady got out of her car and was
ushering the ducks across the street so they wouldn't get hit. It was
hilarious.

Towards the end of this week we had a lot of cancelled appointments.
Pretty much everyone we work with has been getting sick this week. We
went to see one of our investigators and I am sharing a scripture from
the BOM and I ask her if she has her BOM and she says, "No, I gave it
away." We said, "Oh, do you need another one?" She said no. dang it.
We were really sad. But maybe the friend she gave it to will be
interested. Later she was talking about how much she enjoys us coming
over and we know it's just because she is lonely. She said, "I love
Sister Ross and Sister.... (then she glances at my name tag because
she forgot my name but she reads my tag wrong) Cristo." Yep, she
called me Sister Cristo. I had a hard time not busting up laughing. My
name tag is in portuguese so she read it wrong and thought my name was
Sister Cristo.  My companion started laughing too but covered it up
nicely with the "I have a cough" routine. It was pretty funny. I am
sad she doesn't want the BOM. It's hard to tell people that if they
aren't progressing you can't come over anymore. That is just not our
purpose right now.

We went to track down a former investigator in this really ghetto area
of town. We knock on the door and a guy answers and says that lady
doesn't live there anymore. Then he gives us a strange look and says,
"What is ya'll?" We said we were missionaries for the church and he
goes, "I don't believe in that." We weren't exactly sure what he was
talking about but he closed the door and we left. haha people are
funny.

Also, on March 9th I finished the Book of Mormon! I started reading it
from the beginning in the MTC on Dec. 17th and I just finished! It was
such a great feeling and now I am going to start all over! I love it.
So much. I have also strengthened my testimony of prayer so much this
week. There are so many more attributes I need to be a better
missionary and I can see throughout the day Heavenly Father blessing
me with the things that I asked for that morning. It really is amazing
how much our Father in Heaven loves us and wants to bless us. Whether
or not we utilize His help is up to us. I am so grateful for the
testimony I have of this relationship with God. I felt His guidance
and His help in very real ways. How grateful I am to have this
opportunity to serve Him with everything I have. Because everything I
have still isn't enough. But that is why He is there. To make up the
difference.

I know this gospel is true. Sometimes we forget the power of a
testimony but we should share our testimonies every chance we get.