Week #3

Hello everyone!

We just got back from the temple and we don't have that much time today but it has been a really great week! Thank you for your emails, letters and packages. I had no idea how much missionaries love feeling like they are not forgotten but it is great to hear from everyone.

This week we did a lot more stuyding. With only three weeks left, the importance of our calls is becoming very real. In the Christmas devotional someone from the crowd asked Elder Bednar the question: Why do I feel so inadequate here? He responded that inadequacy is completely normal in any new stage of life but especially for missionaries as they realize how important the message really is. The gospel has the ability to completely change lives and as a mere 21 year old I am asked to not only to grasp all the concepts, but also be able to modify them for the different needs of those I come in contact with so that the spirit can work, through me, to teach them the truth. Oh yeah, and I get to do this all in Portuguese. Yikes. But I very excited to be able to meet people from all different backgrounds and offer them a gift that can become more important to them than anything else. And the other great thing is, in addition to a cleansing power, the Atonement also contains the power to strengthen and if I am fervently working in God's errand I can do things beyond my normal capabilities.

Last night we watched a pretty amazing devotional that Elder Holland gave at the Provo MTC. This was really powerful as you can imagine. But he talked a lot about the shift from memorized discussions to Preach My Gospel. I gues a big reason for this was the huge inactivity rate among church members these days. They could not imagine how someone could go out and serve for two years expressing doctrine so close to their hearts and asking people to sincerely change and then falling away themselves. Among other things, Holland pleaded with us to be our first converts. As we study, sincerely pray and feel the spirit we are suppossed to create our own testimonies worth sharing.

Today we are going to explore Sao Paulo. Last week I orded a really neat personal scripture case carved out of real leather and I am crossing my fingers that it is done. We went to the temple this morning and it is just such a pretty place. Especially because it is so sunny and bright. At the moment I am completely fine trading out snowy icy utah for warm Brazil.

A bunch of my close CTM friends just left for the field and that was pretty sad. I did not realize how close we had become but I guess spending your first Christmas and New Years away from home together, among all the other things we do here, make for solid friendships. It is especially incredible to see how close I have become to some of the Brazillians and Hispanics as we really can't even communicate that well. I think, when it comes down to it, true friendship does not even have to be based off of verbal communication because we are ultimately so similar. We are children of the same Heavenly Father with similar goals for our lives and our missions. I still have yet to wrap my brain around how for the next 18 months my life will be a series of close friendships and then devastating good byes but maybe it will get easier?

Anyway, drink lots of hot chocolate and do some skiing for me. Oh and have some decent desserts. They are in short supply around these parts. Love you very much!

Sister Lauren

p.s. I am so sad to hear about Sherri. Everyone here at the CTM sings their praises all the time. I put her and grandpa's names on the prayer roll today at the temple. I saw that it was especially fitting as they have both devoted so much of their lives to serving in Brazil.

I got the cookies and we loved them so so much! Honestly, while they don't compete with your chocolate chip cookies they could be some of the best I have ever had. Maybe it's just in comparison to the other desserts we have here which are awful, but they were great! I gave them to my friends, district, roommates, new girls in the zone and the ladies that clean our floor and everyone loved them very much.

I am still sister Neeleman but they know my situation and I'll figure out what is happening next week or something. Here things are pretty safe as we are pretty secluded from the world. Thanks for the updates from home. It is crazy how completely closed off from the world we are here. I feel like I'm living under a rock. Yay for Nichel. I know him decently because they were such good friends in high school and that's really cute! Oh and thank you so so much for my package. The other missionaries all say you put their moms to shame and I loved getting things from home. It is kind of strange how much we crave things from home here. I have slept with my stanford sweater every night because it smells like home.

I'm glad that you are so happy!

1. P day is now. 2. My companion's name is Naomi O'Brien 3. I did not find my black shoes but I have some ideas to where they may be. The last time I wore them, I believe, was to cokeville for the funeral so they could be there. Or possibly under your guys's bed. But I do miss them a lot. 4. The language is good. I'm pretty conversational and can say most things I want if I try but it does take some time to get my words out and my grammar is far from perfect. Long way to go

Love you!