Brazil Bound: November 10, 2014- Happy Birthday to ME!

Hi family!

So, first and formost I would like to thank all of you who helped make this birthday week of mine incredible and memorable. I am a very happy girl and let me tell you why...

First, my leg is healing just fine. It will be the ugliest of scars but at least maybe I can claim some bragging rights? As planned I went back to the hospital one more time for my rabbie shot. Let´s just say that the hospitals here in Cotia are the WOST. We ended up waiting for about 3 hours. But don´t you worry... It made for an excellent opportunity to make lots of friends and invite everyoneee to open house! If we don´t have at least one doctor/nurse/patient there I will be quite disappointed.

Paulinho came by to make sure I was okay and even dropped of a few packages. SOO I had presents straight from home to open on my birthday! Victoria put together a taste of heaven.... cinnamon donuts, pumpkin chocolate chip bread and apple cider. mmmm. I lit a pumpkin candle, closed my eyes and and imagined myself in a cable-knit sweater with that ever so pleasant crisp fall air while enjoying some of the best masterpieces pinterest has to offer and it made for a few excellent pre-birthday mornings.

November 8th I woke up to the sisters singing PARABÉNS! Followed by ``I don´t know about you but I´m feeling 22!´´ They even had a cake and all!!

Thennn we studied a little, and took off for a wonderful sushi lunch. Miraculously we found one more or less close by!

After, we began our day. But let my tell you, birthday blessings were in the air! We left our investigators sobbing in every lesson! First we taught Luiz, a son of a recent convert. He actually has a daughter of his own who is about 15 and he was instantly impressed with the light and dignity he saw in us. He said that these are two qualities that are not easy to find in the world today. At the beginning he had lots of doubts and uncertainties, but we taught. Actually, I am pretty sure the spirit taught through us because at times I felt so sure about what to say that it was as if I was reading a script. To see a grown man bawling simply from being touched by our words and the spirit is a very gratifying thing.

THEN, we met a very special woman named Selma and she invited us back later that day. As we got to know her before the lesson I asked one of my favorite ice breakers... ``If Jesus Christ were in your living room with us right now, what would you ask from him?´´ She told us that she felt like she has been lost for some time and would only like to be closer to him again. I told her ``good, because that is exactly why we are here. We are God´s servants called to represent His son Jesus Christ and He has put us in your life with a very special pupose.´´ And just like that she began to cry. And cry. We had a very special lesson. With a spirit so so strong. She agreed to be baptized and she came to church with us and loved it!

I can not even explain all the reasons this birthday will go down in history as one of my favorites. Maybe it was because my companion made sure to remind every contact, every lesson, every member we found that day about my special day so I recieved lots of lovin´ even from unknown strangers! Maybe it was because of the thoughtful letters and little gifts I recieved from Sister Farfal, my companions mom, the other sisters in the house. Or the birthday visit from the fossils last sunday. Maybe the little details made the difference. Like the fact that we did not have to wait even 5 minutes for the bus or that I was not bitten or yelled at for my beliefs the whole day! (people took our invites with poise and tact) Or maybe it was that the blessings did not stop as the sun went down, but Sunday we surprisingly had a chapel FULL or the less actives and investigators we are working with.

But just know, that it was wonderful. And undeserved. But then again are any of our many blessings throughout life deserved? I learned this weekend something that I have already learned basically every day since I began this 18-month journey that I have a loving Heavenly Father that cares about me enough to even make sure that I had a very special birthday away from home.

So in closing I would just like to use a few words of inspiration from our favorite, President Uchtorf. ``God sees [us] not only as mortal beings on a small planet who live for a brief season. He sees [us] as the being we are capable and designed to become and He wants us to know that we are important to Him. ´´

Have a wonderful week and don´t forget to recognize the tender mercies along the way! xoxo

Sister Lauren

p.s. So I got a rabies shot and it actually was not that bad. I was up and working soon after. Basically now I just have a really ugly leg but I feel fine! And thank you thank you for both of my packages. I actually opened the fall and birthday packages the same day and loved them both!! We lit the pumpkin candle right up and it was great to have a piece of home. I miss fall soo much. Looks like my birthday party at home was a hit! Always can count on the Blackwelders! My birthday was incredible!! I will talk alot about it in the big email but I am happy!!

Unfortunately my companion was transfered! So sad but at least I will stay here a while longer. We have lots of elders. Most of them are Brazilian. We have a few americans but honestly, we kind of keep our distance. We did have a gift exchange with them this week and I got some weird statue to ´´enlighten my personal study´´.