Depois das tribulações vem as bênçãos!! 8/8/16

First off, this week we had transfers! And I'll be staying here in Providência com minha filha Sister Lima! Whoo-hoo!! I love Sister Lima--every day is a party with her. :)

This week was a bit of a roller coaster! It started out great on Monday with a zone p-day! We all went to a member's house that is literally in the middle of the jungle. :) We explored a bit, had churrasco, played uno... it was a good time. Except that I was swinging in a hammock that one of the elderes had brought and the cord broke (whoops! I fell pretty hard, but it was pretty funny as well). And that night we had a family home evening in the house of a member and she invited all of her friends! (None live in our area, but it was super neat! We taught about our divine nature, being children of God :) ).

The rest of the week was pretty difficult. We got a lot of doors in our faces, met a lot of crazy people and atheists, and saw a lot of our investigators not willing to keep commitments (chatooooooo). HOWEVER, after the trials come the blessings!! Lília and Gleyson fasted for the time on Sunday, Fernanda is reading the Book of Mormon and praying every day, and the Lord blessed us SOOOO MUCH with new families to teach!! (I LOVE TEACHING FAMILIES). We found two that are legally married (WHAT???) Cris and Cleberson, and Amanda and Wendeson.

Teaching Amanda was one of the most beautiful experiences on my mission. She has two daughters--Sofia, who is seven and has Down's Syndrome, and Lívia, that is 18 months old and a little firecracker. We had just sat down and started to talk with Amanda when Sofia entered, gave me the sweetest kiss on the cheek and started to hug me and wouldn't let me go. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I felt so much love for that pure, beautiful little girl. Amanda was very surprised, saying that she usually doesn't take to strangers so quickly. The Spirit filled the room; I knew that the Lord had told that little girl, His daughter, that we were there to help her family. We taught Amanda the message of the Restoration and left feeling that we had truly been instruments in the Lord's hands.

We also started teaching a young man, Flávio, that was taught about five years ago. And remembers nearly everything. That doesn't happen! He recently lost his mother and it seemed that he was waiting for us to come. He was sitting just inside the door, and when we knocked he imediately welcomed us in. We taught him about the Plan of Salvation, and once again, it was wonderful!

This is what I love most about being a missionary and about the gospel--seeing the Lord bless the lives of His children and being the means by which He does it! This gospel is so wonderful. It really is the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ!!

Love you all so much! Praying for you daily. :)

Sister Dickerson