Monday, May 18, 2015

Photos from the field






Shelby at her last Zone Conference in Cuiaba

Hi From Sister Whipple :-)

Hello everyone,
Well I have entered into my last transfer I have a new companion named sister Andrezzo. She is from Santa Catarina in the south part of Brazil and she is really sweet and nice. Her dad is a mission president in one of the other missions in Brazil and he is coming home the same time as me. This week was pretty uneventful. for the first part of the week I stayed with Sister Borges until my companion came on Tuesday. Then Sister Borges and I had to travel to Cuiaba together for the leadership conference. then after the leadership conference I had to travel back to Rondonopolis alone. 
The leadership conference was really fun, like it always is. It was kind of weird because I thought I wouldn't be going to another one of those again and here I am again a sister training leader. Sister Andrezzo and I are doing great we have been working really hard these past couple of days to get to know the rest of our investigators and have been trying to find new ones. 
We also live with two other sisters, sister Campos and sister Rocha. both of them are also from Brazil. so its a lot of Brazilians and me :) but its fun :) 
Sister Andrezzo and I are teaching a lady that's really cool. I think I wrote about her last week, Her name is Paula. We have been teaching her all the lessons and she has been reading the book of mormon :) She just needs to come to church with us now :) She also fed us dinner the other night, which was really nice of her. 
Well im so sorry its so short but not a lot happened this week. But im so thankful for the opportunity that I have to be here on my mission. I cant believe that this is my last transfer, but I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for me and has work for me to do still! I know that he is working right beside me and that he loves me. Thank you so much for your prayers and emails. I love you all!
 Love,
 Shelby

Happy Mothers Day!

Hello everyone,
It was so great to skype with everyone yesterday! I loved every minuet of it and am so grateful for the time that was taken out of your day to talk to me :) Well this transfer has been a bit of a shock... I'm not going to have much time to write personal emails so I'm so very sorry in advance. Sister Borges has been called as a sister training leader and is being transferred to Sorriso. I have also been called (again) to be a sister training leader here in Rondonopolis. though this time it will just be me, I will just be covering the sisters that I live with. My new companions name is Sister Andreso, shes from Brazil though I'm not sure where. She was Sister Borges companion in the MTC. I have a lot of mixed feelings but mostly I'm just having a hard time because Sister Borges is leaving me! However, I guess you have to accept Heavenly Fathers will... I'm excited to stay here in Rondonopolis, its such a great little city and our branch is wonderful and supportive. I'm excited to continue on with the people we have been working with. Many are progressing and taking steps to come closer to Christ. This really is the best work and I'm so happy to be doing it. I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father is always by my side and is always carrying me. I know this is His work, I know he could do it with out us but He lets us help because he knows the change that will occur in our hearts. It reminds me of a story I once heard this work is like a father painting his front living room. He knows how and what he needs to do in order for the paint to be smooth and look nice. but then along comes his five year old son, wanting to help. recognizing an opportunity to teach his son, the father hands him a paint brush and teaches him the up and downward strokes then lets the child try for himself. The boy only being five years old of course draws lines and squiggles then quickly becomes board and returns to his toys and the father patiently paints over the lines and squiggles leaving smooth, perfect strokes. 
Our Heavenly Father is exactly like that, He knows were going to mess up, he knows that our work will be very imperfect but he just wants us to try, and when we put forth our best effort he will make up the rest. I'm so thankful for the opportunity that I've had to work with Him and I know that He loves me and has taught me so many things. I love you all and miss you! thank you so much for the prayers and the emails!
 Love,
 Shelby

Monday, May 4, 2015

Hi From Rondonopolis

Hello Everyone!
Well another week has gone by and its been a good but difficult one :) ha ha. I am loving being here in Rondonopolis with Sister Borges! The only hard thing is we are both very new in the city and have been getting lost everyday! We finally got a little bit fed up with it and we went back to our apartment and organized our area into zones and organized the people we visit, we studied our map and now things are better! :) Heavenly Father is blessing us immensely and we can feel his hand in our work every single day! We have been visiting old people that the other sisters before us were visiting and we have been finding new people as well! We received a referral the other day for a lady named Paula. We went to visit her and she is soooo smart! She speaks English and has about a million books stacked up in her apartment that she has read (all about computers and information and stuff... things I don't understand ha ha) She really liked the lesson we taught her and she is so excited to read the Book of Mormon. She lives about two blocks from the church so were hoping that she goes! I'm so sorry that this week really doesn't have a lot to report on! But know that I love you all and am so grateful for the letters, emails and prayers in my behalf, know that I can feel them in my heart. Mothers day is coming up! and I'm so excited to talk to my family... it will be for the last time before I come home. How weird is that! My stomach is already doing flip flops at the thought of leaving Brazil but I still have one more transfer left! and I'm so excited to keep on a working:) I love Sister Borges, we are already best friends :) she is the exact opposite of me but we make a good team :) I love my mission and I know that Heavenly Father has been with me every step of the way. I love Him and I know that this is his church. I know I am his daughter :) Well I love you all! Sorry again that its so short! 
Love,
 Shelby