Hello! Happy New year...almost ;-)

Hello Everyone,

Well Christmas was a blast! It was very different from any other year. On Christmas during the day I was on a division with one of the sisters in my area. It was really fun to spend time with her and to get to know her. Her name is Sister Benavidez, shes from Bolivia. She is a great example of a dedicated missionary, she talked to EVERYONE we came in contact with and talked to them about he Church and about Jesus Christ. She was also very humble and sought for ways to be better and to improve. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to serve as a sister training leader and to learn from all these wonderful sisters. When I got back from the division we went to one of our recent converts houses and we sang Christmas Hymns for him and shared our testimonies about Christ then we gave him presents to give to his grandchildren for Christmas. I loved that. The gift of giving is the best gift there is because what you receive is the assurance of Gods love for you and for the person you are serving. I know I will never forget this Christmas. Christmas eve night we went to a members house who wanted to make Christmas dinner for us. It was so great! The sister is such a good cook! she made us turkey, pork, fruit salad, rice and salad. it was so good! then she made us a peach tart desert thing that was perfect! It also rained like crazy! not really snow but it works for me :) The next day we just kind of relaxed and got to skype our families! which was the best Christmas present there could ever be. I loved talking to them and seeing their beautiful faces! It was a little hard to say goodbye but we get to see each other in just six more months :)

Well with Christmas and new years this week was kind of slow in the aspect of missionary work and the next week will kind of be slow too because everyone is out of town. Today we get to do another division with another set of sisters, so that should be fun. But sister Barrett and I will be back together for New Years :) yay :) Well I love you all and I miss you! Thank you so much!
 Love,
 Shelby

Shelby & her companion Sister Barrett from Texas :-) and two other Sisters

Missionary Training Leaders Conference in Cuiaba with President & Sister Reber

Lunch!

Shelby's Christmas in Brazil! Feliz Natal!

Feliz Natal!!

Hello Everyone! Feliz Natal!

I hope you all realize how much I love you all... Sister Barrett and I had to hike through a tempest just to get to the computer place! It is raining and super windy... and my umbrella broke.... but all is well, I have my rain boots and a warm feeling in my heart because its CHRISTMAS!! I know Heavenly Father is answering his prayers in his own way (I've been praying for snow). 

This last week went by so so fast! I guess when your having fun and enjoying yourself the time goes by super quickly. We had our Christmas conference last week with President and Sister Reber. I gave my training on exact obedience and it went pretty well! I only stumbled over a few words. The conference was a blast. A sister from our ward made lunch for everyone and it was delicious. She even made turkey! We also did skits and were able to just talk to one another and relax. directly after the conference Sister Barrett and I had a division with Sister Oliveira and Sister Zea. Sister Olivera went with me back to my area and Sister Barrett went with Sister Zea to her area. Divisions are only for 48 hours but it sure was fun to be with Sister Oliveira for a little bit (she was one of the sisters that I lived with while I was serving in Lucas) I learned so much from her and had a lot of fun with her. She has such a wonderful sweet spirit and I love being near her. You can tell her only desire is to please Heavenly Father and no one else. She is a very valiant missionary. Today we have another division to go on and this time ill be leaving my area to go stay with another sister in her area, I hope that everything goes well and that I learn more and that I'm able to help out :) This week for Christmas we are going to dinner at one of our members houses for Christmas eve. She has a lot of things planned and we are all very excited. Then the 25th we get a day off, and get to skype our families :) wow I cant believe its that time again! Its such a pleasure to be on my mission during this time of year,  I feel the savior and his nearness as we help his children. I'm so thankful for all the blessings that I have in my life, especially the opportunity to serve this mission. I have learned so much. Well I love you all and I miss you! I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas!
Love,

 Shelby

Busy Bee!

Hello Everyone,

Well this week went by so so fast! When your busy (and believe me when your a leader you are so busy!) the time just flies. Sister Barrett and I had tons of meetings and a division with another set of sisters (because were sister training leaders, we divide with the other sisters to help them with any difficulties they may have). First we had our leadership meeting with president Reber and that was pretty cool. We were able to learn a lot from him and others who participated. We also participated in two zone meetings and gave trainings in them. One training we talked about our responsibility to help the people in our area feel Heavenly Fathers love. In the other we talked about the importance of being friends with your companion and working in unity so you can invite the spirit into your work. It was a little nerve racking but it was fun when it was over :). Sister Barrett and I also get to give a training in the Christmas conference, in which I will be talking about obedience. On missions Exact obedience is a pretty big deal, I had never really thought about it that much before my mission but I know that its so important, we have to do what Heavenly Father has asked us to do if we want his help. A lot of missionaries think that some rules really aren't that important because they don't hurt anyone if they break them. I admit that I had those thoughts before and that's when I found a talk called temple standard. It talks about how temples are built to perfection and even if there is something wrong that is seemingly undetectable it is replaced, or fixed. The speaker asked why these seemingly undetectable flaws were so important? then he said the temples or in my case my mission is for us to help us but ultimately the temple is the house of God, my mission is Gods time and God is perfect. When we are obedient, even with the seemingly unimportant things we are showing our love and respect for God.

Also this week We did a division with the two sisters that live in the house with us, Sister Andrade (from Sao Paulo) and Sister Haullpa (from Peru). Sister Barrett went with Sister Haullpa and I went with Sister Andrade. Its really neat because when I received this calling I started to feel more love for the other sisters and started to know how to help them but in the division I felt such a love for sister Andrade and Heavenly Father helped me and guided me to know what to say to help her. We became such good friends and really connected. I'm so happy to be able to be back in a house with four Sisters and to be such great friends with all of them. Sister Barrett haven't really had that much time to be able to work in our own area but Heavenly Father has been blessing our area because were giving our all to help the sisters and give trainings. We are working with a couple that are absolutely amazing, the wife Tania is a member but her husband, marcio is inactive, but because someone cared enough to be interested in him and figure out what he loves to do, he's coming back into activity. They discovered that he loves to sing, so through the ward choir he has formed friendships in the church and is letting us teach him. We taught them about Eternal marriage and it was so wonderful! Tania bore such a powerful testimony of her desires to go to the temple with marcio and expressed such a love for him, we all ended up crying, and the result, Marcio came to Church the next day! Another man were working with is named Valmir. He is a recent convert and is honestly one of my favorite people. His wife doesn't like the Church and has stopped listening to the lessons but valmir has continued to learn and grow despite the difficulties with his wife. One thing I love about Tania and about Valmir is that they are so so patient and so happy even when things are so difficult around them. I know that Heavenly Father is walking beside them taking them by the hand, just like he does with all of us. I know he knows us perfectly and he loves us. Well I'm going to have to go now but I love you all! Thank you for the prayers :)

Love,

Shelby

PS. Lina was baptized yesterday! Sister Chile and Sister Pence (the sister who replaced me in coopahradio) worked with her to quite smoking and now she's a member of the Church! :)

Hello all!

Hello everyone :)

So im doing great! My new area is called Jardim Irma, it means sister garden, and its wonderful :) Im doing so well with sister Barrett! She is such a great missionary and im learning so much from her. We have alot of fun but work really hard. We have a baptismal date for the 20th of December. His name is Cloudinea, he is 26 years old and has a two year old son. He was taught by the sisters who were here before but then he started to work and they wernt able to see him anymore, but he kept his book of mormon and has been reading it every moment he can ever since. We started to teach him again this past week and he accepted a baptism date! I love being able to be a tool in Heavenly Father hands to help his children feel of his love and come unto him. Sister Barrett and I  have seen so many little miracles this week becuase of our hard work and planning. I love being a missionary. I love wearing the name of Jesus Christ over my heart, for all to see, it sure brings alot of condemnation but at the same time many recognize its significance. This week we have put together a christmas message to share with families. The chruch has put out a really cool 2 min video thats called He is the Gift. If you havnt watched it go look it up on youtube. it brings such a special spirit into your heart and you really recognize the real reason for the season during christmas. Im so thankful that Heavenly Father is aware of each one of us. He knows us better than we know ourselves and his purpose and plan is to bring us all back to live in his presence. This is what we preach everyday, Christs love is what we proclaim to all those wandering in confusing and dark paths. His invitation is simple, come unto him and you will find peace in your heart and soul. Jesus is the Christ, he lived. and he died for us. Im honored to be his missionary. I love you all and Thank you so much for your prayers and support! 

Love 

Shelby

Transferred!

Hello Everyone,

Well very big news from me. three things :) Thing number one: I'm being transferred! I'm staying in the big city of Campo Grande but I'll be in another area, I'm not really sure what its called yet but when I figure it out ill let y'all know. Thing number two: Ill be companions with Sister Barrett!!!!! Yay! She was with me in the MTC and we are very good friends, I'm very excited to be able to work with her. Think number Three: I've been called to be a sister Training leader. this means that I along with Sister Barrett will be in charge of taking care of the other sisters in our area and will be going on divisions with them and helping them. I am very nervous to say the very least, but I hope that I will be able to get it down and love it :) I know that who the lord calls he qualifies, and if he feels like I'm ready for this then I will trust in his judgment. Well this last week has been extremely rainy! I would just like to say that I love my rain boots! and I have bought an umbrella. We had two miracles happen! miracle number one Lina came to Church! miracle number two, so did Elidetch! yay! it was so cool. One of the brothers in our ward offered to go and help us pick them up. When we got to Linas house we were about five minuets late and when we got there she was in her best clothes and she started yelling at us telling us how late we were and that she was about ready to go to her cousins sons house on the other side of the city but now that were here shell come with us to Church. I seriously love this woman. I'm so sad to be leaving my investigators here, but I know that their in good hands with sister Chile and her new companion Sister Pence. well that's all for this week, sorry were its short, its always kind of hard to get everything done around transfer time. I love you all and I hope that you have a great week :) Thank you for the prayers :)
Love always,
Shelby

Bit by a Chicken!

Hello Everyone,

Well its been another week here in Coopharàdio! We've had a good week and its been pretty sucsessful. Our Investigator Jaqueline came to chruch with us on Sunday so that was super  neat :) She is very sweet and fun to talk to, I really like her because she just talks and talks and talks and is always happy. I really hope that she will be baptised soon. We gave her a book of Mormon and I actually have her my Bible (dont worry I had two in portugese) and she loved them, she accepted the book of mormon instantly and is excited to read it. The only hard thing is that she has a really tight schedule so its hard to see her and teach her. We also have a baptismal date for the seventh of December! Its a lady named Lina, she is about 55 years old, and she is awesome, she is so excited to be baptised. She is so great and understands everything that we teach her and she usually ends up teaching us by the end of the lessons, I so appreciate her and all that she has shared with us. She lives in a tiny neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. she has TONS of Chickens, dogs and cats. One of her chickens is pretty feroucious, on my first visit there it bit my hand... :) When it bit me Lina grabbed it by the neck and shoved it under a box then told me that it needed a time out, I had to agree. But one of her chickens is my friend and when we come to visit she sits herself at my feet and lets me pet her haha :).  Alll of her chickens also climb trees and at night thats where they sleep is in  a tree by her house. Well today were having a zone p-day and we're going with our zone to a brazilian cabin so  sorry its going to be kind of short but I love you all and miss you! I hope everyone has a great week :) 

Love always, 

Shelby

Hello from Coopharadio :-)

Hello everyone,

Well another week has gone by. Man it went by so fast! It's been a good week. We have found more people to teach! Also this last week we had divisions with the sister training leaders and that was super fun. I got to go with Sister Barrett (She was in my district in the MTC) and it was awesome :) We spoke English, and it was kind of a nice little break. I love Portuguese so much but its just not the same as English. I hope someday I can be her companion because it was so perfect being with her! She really is one of my best friends here. This last week was sister Chile's birthday and we got to celebrate it with one of our recent converts who made her a beautiful cake. She turned 24. We have been teaching a lot of people. One of our investigators name is Jacqueline and she is 18  years old, she has become such a great friend for us and we are praying that she will be able to be baptized. Another investigator of ours, Luis Carlos, had a date to be baptized but he didn't come to Church to we have to put it off for another week. He said he will come this next week for sure. Yesterday we kind of had a weird experience, our apartment has two stories and yesterday night Sister Chile went upstairs to take a shower, I was on the phone with our district leader when she came back down two minuets later and sat in front of me with a face of utter fear. So I hung up with our district leader and she began crying telling me that she saw an evil spirit.... So we called the senior couple missionaries that live down the road from us and they came over and gave sister Chile a blessing then invited us to sleep in their house. So we went and slept in their house. I hope that she will be OK to sleep in our house tonight. but that was our week :) I love you all and I miss you!

 Love ,

Shelby

 

 

Shelby and Sister Chile at their apartment in Coopharadio

 

Here in Campo Grande

Hello everyone,

Well I'm doing geat here in Coopaharádio. Sister Chile and I have found more people to teach and we're doing great :) We found a family that has been taught by the missionaries before and let us in to teach a lesson. They were awesome! and loved the lesson, they even cried:) they also told us that other sisters had come to their home to help them, and they showed us some pictures of them, they were catholic sisters so it was a picture of a bunch of nuns :) kinda cool. We also have a baptismal date this comming saturday, it's the son of one of our recent converts. he came to church Sunday and loved it and told us he will be baptised for sure. Halloween for us was uneventful. Here its called Day of the Witches. It was just a normal working day for us. I only saw one person in costume so I'm still a little confused about how they celebrate it. We also had an interview with the mission president this week, and that was really nice. I love talking to him and I always feel ready to work after I talk to him. He is truely inspired. Well sorry its so short but I have to go :) I love you all and I miss you!

 Love,

Shelby

I made it to Campo Grande!

Well everyone, I made it to Campo Grande! The bus ride was sooo long! On my first bus we got stuck in construction and were at a dead stop on the highway for about two hours so when I finally got to Cuiaba I had missed my second bus, thankfully there was another elder with me and we were able to get the assistance there so they could buy me another bus ticket. I left cuiaba about 11:30 pm and arrived in Campo Grande about 10:00 am On my bus to campo grande I found out that a member was sitting right behind me so I felt alot safer! She offered to buy me breakfast. I'm so thankful that the lord looks out for us and keeps us safe.  In my new area I am in a suburb of the city called Coopharádio (coop-ah-hadio) and my companions name is Sister Chile. She is from Peru and has been on her mission for  7 months now. Shes a great missionary and a very sweet person, we're  getting along great! She also knows a lot of English and so we've made some goals to help her get better, shes planning on taking the English test at the end of her mission, Which I know she will pass because she speaks so well! So now she speaks three languages Spanish, Portuguese and English. She asked if I wanted to learn Spanish and I told her maybe a few things but that I was going to focus on Portuguese still so I can master it.  The ward here is fantastic and very organized I'm so grateful to be here and to have to opportunity to work with these members and people in this city. Campo Grande is WONDERFUL because it doesn't get above 85 degrees! and in the months of April and May they have´´Winter`` where it gets to be about 0 degrees C. I'm not sure what that is in Fahrenheit but it's pretty cold for Brazil. Sister Chile and I have had one baptism. His name is Douglas. He was an investigator of sister Chile and her last companion. He is great :) so  keep him in your prayers as he is making the transition to becoming a strong church member. We also have a few baptisms that we're hoping will come through in the next couple of weeks. I'm so excited to work here! It sure is different than Lucas, its not as organized and clean but I think I love it here even more (and I think that the weather has a lot to do with that, here it actually kind of feels like October and not July!) They celebrate Halloween here but I'm not really sure what they do, we'll have to see when it comes. I know its not the same as the United States. Well everyone, thank you so much for your prayers! I love you! 
Love,
 Shelby 

I'm being transferred!

Well everyone,

I'm only going to be able to send a mass email this week. I'm being transferred to Campo Grande. its a 24 hour trip on a bus :) whoohoo :) but its a nice bus so don't worry. I'm actually pretty excited to get to know another area. I love Lucas and I'm sad to be leaving but I'm excited for a new adventure. My companions name is Sister Chile and she is from Peru. 9 companions already! wow! I'm thankful for the companions that Ive already had and all that Ive learned from each one of them. Also those of you who are getting ready to send letters or packages or anything like that, wait just a little bit because you'll be sending it to a different office now. This mission is super big so its divided into two parts, the north and the south. The north has its own office and the south has its own office. So I will find out what the address is and send it to you. If you have already sent letters or packages.... all is lost. I'm just kidding :) they will make sure it gets to me, it just will take a little bit longer. Don't fret :) So I leave today at 1:00. I will probably be able to email more when I get to Campo Grande but I'm not sure, we will see. If not, I'm sorry its so short this week but at least there is always next week :) I love you all, thank you so much for the prayers and emails and thoughts :) miss you

Love, Shelby

Hello from Sister Whipple

Well Sister Vilhena and I had a wonderful week :) It went by very fast! We had a few things happen that were pretty neat.

cool thing number one- A member who served here in Lucas on her mission gave us a refferal of a woman that she taught while she was serving her. She didnt remember her address but she remembered the street and said that it was a green wooden house. So we went to the street and guess what!? There were five green wooden houses, so we started a knockin. The woman of course lived in the last green wooden house on the street. We we clapped at her house she took one look at us and a huge smile spread accross her face and she said ``come in come in! wow its been so long since the sister missionaries have been in my house`` We talked to her for a little bit and she rememberes everything the missionaries ever taught her and she told us that she wanted to be baptised so we marked a date and shes going to be baptised this Satruday! whoohoo! She is super cool and funny. Her husband is very VERY catholic but hes ok with her being baptised ( so in all reality weve just got to work with him now :) ) Her husband is from Germany and she has two kids a girl Suellen who is three and a boy Gabrielle who is one. 

cool thing number two-Sister vilhena and I were knocking doors one night and on one street we skipped a house because it was kind of rich looking. When we had finished knocking all the other houses I had a feeling to go back to that house so we did. When we knocked on the door a girl answered and told us to come right in before we even had the chance to say anything. but Sister Vilhena wouldnt go in at first becasue they had a pretty big dog (a chow) and she told me she wouldnt go into a house that had a bear for a pet. haha :) but they put the dog outside and we were able to go in. When we went in they talked to us like we were old friends (I love brazilians:)) and we were able to share a message with them that was very spritual :) we have an appointment to go back this week :) It was kind of cool becasue it was a grandma, a mom and a grandaughter it was cool to be an outsider looking in at their beautiful family. Im so greatful for this work and for this gospel and the chance that I have to share it with the people here. 

Well im doing good here in Lucas. Im thinking that this next week I will probably be transfered to another city. I have been here in Lucas for about six months now so im thinking its time to move on but well have to see what happens. Ill keep yall updated :) Love you all and miss you! have a great week! Love Shelby

New Companion!

Hello Everyone,

Were doing well here in Lucas on this fine P-Day. It was a much needed day. This week has been crazy with the transfer, general conference, the sisters conference and also the sister Training leaders came and did divisions with us. The Sisters Conference was super fun, I got to see some of the other sisters that I haven't seen for a while, like Sister Kleinheinz and Sister Mendes. Then we got to listen to the sister training leaders for a little while. After we all went to lunch in a restaurant (sorry if I'm spelling things wrong, right now I don't speak English or Portuguese, I know, its awkward) I'm loving my new companion, she is from Portugal and is super sweet and humble. Its kind of nice to be with someone with a more calm type of personality. We are getting ready for the baptism of 9 year old Rayane (high-anie) she is super excited to be baptised. She is so smart and each time that we go and teach her she gives us a mini lesson on what she has been studying in the book of Mormon and pamphlets we have given her. He mom doesn't want to be baptized but she said that Rayane can be baptised :) yay! This week we also taught one of our investigators about the plan of salvation. She had a lot of questions, which sometimes is intimidating because sometimes you don't know how to answer the questions that they have but I said a little prayer and I was able to answer all of her questions and at the end she cried and said that she felt so relieved and she said she knew that the plan of salvation really is the plan that God has created for us. I'm so thankful that I get to share these things with other people and watch it change their lives. I know this church is true. I love my savior and I know that through him I can be happy so can everyone else. I love you all and am so grateful for the prayers in my behalf.

Love,

 Shelby

Shelby and her new companion Sister Vilhena 09/2014

Shelby with all the sister missionary's in her area.

Rain and Bugs!!

Hello everyone :)

Well its been a crazy week! I'm getting a new companion tomorrow because sister Mendez is being emergency transferred to Tujical (my first area in Brazil!)  Wow missions are crazy aren't they?! one moment your living one way and your used to it, the next your life is turned upside down but then that becomes the norm... ha ha :) One thing that I'm accustom too now is change :) We have been having A LOT of rain here lately. Its really heavy strong rain and the wind has taken the roof off of some peoples houses. but don't worry were safe and sound, our house is strongly built. So my new companion is from Portugal :) and she has a very thick accent. I hope that we become friends quickly :) and I hope I learn a lot from her like i have from my other companions. 

My investigators are doing great :) I love learning about people and helping them to feel Heavenly Fathers love for them, its the best thing in the world :) I know that what I'm doing is the work of God and I feel his hand in my life every single day. I'm so grateful to work with him and help his children. One thing that I've learned is that its not my responsibility to convert anyone, that's the work of the Holy ghost. My task is to share my beliefs and to not be afraid. to be a friend to all but never compromise my standards. to stand true to my convictions and faith. to stand tall because I'm a daughter of God and he stands with me :) (just so you all know, that's a quote from a conference talk, I didn't make it up :) but every word of it is how I feel) I know this gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ and I'm so thankful for it in my life :) I love you all! miss you tons!

 

Love,

 Shelby

lucas é um lugar abençoado em um dia chove água no outro granizo e no outro chove besouro kk Amamos Lucas do Rio Verde (  Sister Tomaz, Sister Rocha, Sister Mendes e Sister Whipple )

Life as a senior companion with spiders....

Hello Everyone :)

I'm doing great :) Training a new missionary is super fun and I'm loving it :) Sister Mendez is great :) Aside from the fact that she has a phobia of spiders and after she told me that we saw three giant tarantulas in the street within a week. The first one was in the house of a less active member named Jaciara , we were talking about Joseph Smith and I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I looked and stopped mid sentence and said What is that?! There was a GIANT hairy spider walking across the kitchen floor. Jaciara ran and grabbed a broom and whacked it three times till it was dead. Poor sister Mendez couldn't finish the lesson so we just talked for a little while with Jaciara. The next one was in front of an investigators house but they had already killed it but it was even bigger than the first one. Then two days later we were walking down the street, heading for home when sister Mendez Stopped dead in her tracks and ran into the middle of the street. I looked and there was a spider even bigger than the other ones sitting in the middle of the sidewalk. Sister Mendez kept yelling at me to cross over to the other side of the street but I had to get a picture first :) 

Sister Mendez and I are getting along great and were great friends already :) I'm so thankful for her and all that I'm learning from her! We have seen miracles everyday and I know that the Lord is helping us with his work. In our mission conference President Reber gave us an analogy about missionary service that I agree with greatly. He told us about a Father who was painting his living room, and his 5 year old son wanted to help. So of course seeing an opportunity to teach his son he showed him how to dip the paint brush into the paint and paint the wall, after showing him how do to it he left his son to work. of course his son being a small child made a mess of the wall, lost interest and went to play with his toys. and the father smiled and painted over the imperfect painted lines of his son leaving a perfectly painted wall... have we ever stopped to think that that is exactly how our heavenly father is with us? He being perfect has chosen us, his imperfect children to do his work and preach his gospel, its his work and I'm so grateful that he has given me the opportunity to help :) This week Sister Mendez and I have worked to hard! As a result Heavenly Father blessed us with 3 investigators in church! whoohoo! Also this week we have picked up a new investigator that is going to be baptised for sure, her name is Angelica and she has a 5 year old daughter. she has had a rough go with life but she is so upbeat and happy :) well...  I love you all and I love my mission! I hope you have a great week :) Love Shelby

Officially a senior companion!

Well hello everyone,

I am officially senior companion and trainer. Its very intimidating and at times scary but im hanging in there! im learning more and more every single day. My Trainee is awesome :) Her name is Sister Mendes and  She is from Sao Paulo and is probably the sweetest Brazilian I have ever met. She has so much faith and wants to learn and teach and im so greatful for her! We had kind of a hard week because we are both learning how to walk a little bit but this next week will be better! Im so greatful that I have a Brazilian companion! There is so much that people say that I still dont understand! but its all good because I understand the majority.

Sister Mendes and I have picked up more investigators! whoohooo! One of them is very catholic (go figure in brazil :) and every lesson she gives us a lecture about people that know the commandments of God but choose to ignore them, our last visit with her she told us that her boyfriend has a wife and then she started lecturing us again about the hypocrites of the world... haha. We also met another lady who is really cool. She talks SO MUCH but she is super sweet and loves our messages. This Sunday Rayane (pronounced Highanie) went to chruch with us, she is a 9 year old girl who looks like shes 12. She loves going to chruch and someday shes going to be baptised.  In all we had a great week. Alot of walking but it was great! and this week will be even better :) today were going to have an activity with the youth so that should be fun :) Sister Tomaz is also training a new missionary. Her name is Sister Rocha and is so great :) Shes 26 years old. its so nice to have mature people around :) is is a great missionary already and loves the work. Im so thankful to Heavnly Father for sending us great missionaries to train! This transfer is going to be great :)Im so thankful for this opprotunity to preach the gospel! I know its true and brings so much happiness to people and their lives.  Well I love you all and I missyou! Love shelby

Shelby Celebrates her 20th Birthday in Cuiaba, Brazil with fellow Missionaries!
Happy Birthday Shelby!!

Lots of rain!

Hello everyone :)

Sorry Im late again, its been raining here and been pretty windy so the internet has been failing alot.  When I went to email on Monday nobody in the intire city had internet connection, and Monday nightwe traveled to Cuiaba for our mission conference. We arrived back here in Lucas at one this morning. Sorry if yall were worried, but its going to happen sometimes, just know that if I dont email you on Monday I will email within the next couple of days :) The conference was super fun. I got to see Sister Barrett and Sister Klienheinz (who were in my district in the MTC) They are companions right now serveing in Cuiaba. Sister Tomaz and I got to sleep at their house the night before the conference, well half the night on the bus the other half in their house :) At the conference Elder Casero (I dont think thats his name, but its something close to it) of the seventy and his wife spoke to us. Its was so great and I was able to learn so much. President and Sister Reber also spoke to us. I love going to conferences, because the speakers always talk about something that helps me or that I need to hear. 

Also THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BIRTDAY WISHES! :) Going to the conference made my birthday even more special, but I kept forgeting it was my birthday! Thankfully my district leader reminded me every 10 minuets by telling me happy birtday in different languages or singing happy birthday. When we got to Cuiaba before the conference it was midnight and the assistants took everyone to a street food vender to get hamburgers (about 40 Missionaries- lets just say that the owner of that little cart never looked so happy) and everyone sang to me at 12:05 :) super fun :) This last week was a good one. Sister Tomaz and I have seen so many miracles and tender mercies from the lord. This will be our last week together so were trying to make it the best we can! Our Investigator Karinie is amazing! She went to church last sunday and told everyone that she is going to be baptised this Saturday! Were so excited for her and are trying to teach her and prepare her. She is 22 years old and has a two year old little girl named Ana Julia. She will be my first convert baptism on my mission :) I used to get discouraged when I would see other missionaries who baptised 10 people in one transfer and there I was 8 months in with no baptisms but it has truely taught me that, baptisms are a gift from God. I know that my purpose here is not just to baptise people but to help them feel christs love for them. I love my savior Jesus Christ and im so thankful for the plan that God has for me. I know this church is the Church of Jesus Christ. Its true, I know it and I cannot deny it. I love my mission :) Its so hard but so worth it. and I love all of you!!! Love Shelby

A big "Hello!" From Sister Whipple!

Hi everyone :)

This has been a TERRIBLE WEEK!!! Just kidding it was good but kinda hard :) We said goodbye to Sister Kimball (she has finished her mission and is going home) and also Sister Helena (shes being transferred to Cuiaba) so now its just Sister Tomaz and I in the house and its super lonely but I'm so grateful that I have Sister Tomaz! She is so great and I love her so much! For the last two weeks of this transfer we will be covering our own area and the area of the other sisters, keeping up with all of our investigators and members along with theirs, it will be crazy but it will go by fast :) At the end of this transfer Two more sisters will come here. The assistants told us that I would be made senior companion.... Which means ill ether be training a new missionary or will be put with a missionary who has less time than I  do. I'm super nervous but it should be fun. but the good news is ill be staying in LUCAS!!! I love this town and this branch, the people here are amazing! When the branch found out that we would be covering the two areas you could kind of tell they were a little nervous but they told us that they have faith in us! and that they are here to help if we need anything! They also offered to go on divisions with us and to show us where certain people live and what they need. How amazing! I love my mission :) 

Sister Tomaz and i had a really cool experience the other day :) yesterday when we said goodbye to the other sisters and they left, we were left alone in the house and it super sad and lonely. We got ready to go out and work knowing that when we would come back that night we would be coming home to an empty house. So feeling discouraged, and sad we said a prayer together asking for comfort and guidance in our work. When we opened our eyes I white dove flew down and landed about 5 feet away from us. Remembering the symbolism of the white dove we felt the love of god and the presence of the spirit in our lives. It was a moment of true peace and comfort :) I love this work and I love this gospel. I know its true :) I know god loves me and wants me to be happy :) Well that's all for this week :) Love you all and thank you for everything! Love Shelby

Hello family!

Well hello everyone,

Its been a great week :) Sister Tomaz and I are having a great time together and working hard! we have seen so many miracles already and i am ever grateful to Heavenly Father and his love for all of us :) This week I went on my last division with Sister Kimball and it was super great. It was our last because shes going home on Sunday! Wow! Time goes by so fast! She is having a hard time with it but shes super excited to see her family! :) Were going to miss her so much and I know that many tears will be shed this week, but such is life, people come and go but we know that well all see each other in heaven! yay :) Isn't Heavenly Fathers Plan perfect?

Anyway my division with sister Kimball was fantastic. We contacted a lady and taught her the restoration. When we finished we asked her to pray and she started crying and told us everything that she is going through in her life. It made me take a step back and look at my life and how good I really have it. My life is a cake walk compared to hers. I'm always amazed at the people I get to meet and talk to and the strength that they have. Its even more amazing to see the gospel and atonement of Jesus Christ work in their lives. As a missionary I have seen people in their darkest hours I have seen the sadness and I'm so grateful to have a front row seat when the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ descends on them and lifts them up. I know this church is true. I know God loves each and every one of us. I know he has a plan for us. I'm so grateful to be doing his work. To be working right along side God is such a humbling experience because you realize that you really are nothing compared to him and that he really doesn't need you at all. but he uses me because he knows how much I need it and how much I'm going to grow and learn. Heavenly Fathers plan really is perfect. There is a quote that I really like and it goes like this, Compare to God we are nothing, But to God we are everything.

Sister Tomaz and I also had another really cool experience. Last Monday a lady came to our house to make sure everything was up to health code and stuff like that and we got to talking to her. she is a really cool lady and when we asked about her religious background she said she is very active in the catholic church. I had the feeling that we should invite her to hear the lessons but I felt uncomfortable because of her religious background and didn't follow the prompting. Yesterday Sister tomaz and I were knocking doors trying to find a guy that we had contacted a couple of days earlier and we knocked a house and who came out to greet us? the same lady! I knew we needed to teach her because what are the chances of meeting her again? So we taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The spirit was so strong and she cried all the way through the lesson. We have an appointment to go back next week. Wow. Heavenly Father knows his Children and he knows what they need and when they need it. Also another thing that was super cool, this lady has a parrot and it talked to us!!! wow! haha :) Well everyone, thank you so much for the prayers and the emails and letters! I love you! love Shelby

Hello Everyone!

Well Hello everyone :)

Another week has flown by... I cant believe how fast its going by! Its so true... the secret to being happy on your mission is hard work! When you give everything to the lord, he gives back so much more. This week has been great :) We had a zone conference in Sorriso and got to ride on a charter bus for six hours and didn't get home until one in the morning. But it was worth it! I love zone meeting because you get to talk to other missionaries and get advise and training from your zone leader! Woohoo! :) Sister Tomaz and I are doing great :) She is still amazing and we add to our collection of inside jokes everyday :) Most of them consist of my failed attempts to speak Portuguese :) But don't worry everyone I understand people and I have the vocabulary of a three year old so its all good :) If were talking about the gospel I can keep up a pretty good conversation :) haha The lord has continued to bless me everyday, in the language and in the work as well :) I'm loving my mission more and more each day. One experience that was kind of cool was yesterday we went to pick up one of our investigators for church and her house was dark and all the windows were shut, but we knocked anyway and nobody answered so we knocked again and still nothing. So Sister Tomaz gestured for us to leave (because neither one of us like breaking down the door) but I got the feeling that we needed to try harder so I knocked again... still nothing. So we knocked again and Sister Tomaz yelled her name... still nothing, by this time Sister Tomaz and I were feeling a little bit embarrassed but I still had the feeling that we needed to keep trying so we knocked again and yelled her name... and guess what She came to the door! and what's even more cool is she didn't yell at us for waking her up but instead she thanked us for being diligent because she was really excited to go to church! (whoohoo!) We were able to take her and her daughter to church with us and they loved it! I know when we follow the promptings of the spirit and try our very hardest the lord will bless us :) We have been so blessed this transfer and have been able to teach so many people :) Another cool thing that happened this week... A member in our branch gave us a referral to visit her friend who lives in our area but she didn't know the address, so she gave us her phone number but at the moment we don't have a phone... so the past week we have been trying to figure out a way to contact her but haven't been able to but then on Sunday the member came up to us and thanked us for visiting her friend and told us that she loves our visits....we were a little confused and told her that we hadn't contacted her friend yet but she insisted that we had... we contained to talk and we figured out her friend is already one of our investigators and we didn't even know it! We figured out that a week earlier sister Tomaz had the feeling to knock on a door and we did, when the woman answered the door she invited us right in and we taught the first lesson and she loved it, it turns out that that woman was the contact that the member gave us. It was so cool to see that the lord helped us with what we needed and even more Sister Tomaz followed the prompting that she had to knock on the door :) Well everyone :) Thank you and I love you all! Love Shelby

I am alive!

Alrighty everyone calm down, no need to be alarmed :)

The good news is I'm alive, the bad news...... haha just kidding ;) Yesterday the Internet cafe place where we always go to email our families lost its Internet connection and had to close so that's why only three of you received an email from me, but its ok you can dry your eyes because... SURPRISE you get one on Tuesday! whoohoo! Well its been another fantastic week in Lucas. I have my new companion and she is FANTASTIC!! She is so patient and loving, she loves to joke around and have fun but she is also a hard worker, what a great combination :) Her name is Sister Tomaz and she is also from the northern part of Brazil, and she has a pretty thick accent and talks about a million miles per hour but its ok because its helping me to learn even more Portuguese! She was baptised into the church when she was 17 in 2010 so she only has about 5 years in the church. (those of you who know Aunt Haley, Sister Tomaz is the Brazilian form of Aunt Haley! I'M SO LUCKY!!!:) :) :) ) We are pretty much opening a new area because the new elders in Lucas took over my old area and now Sister Tomaz and I are taking over a part of the other sisters area. Our area has a lot of rich people in it so we have been searching out the people who will listen to us. We have spent a good part of the week contacting and teaching new people to find new investigators its been hectic but rewarding:) Also this week was the birthday of Lucas do Rio Verde so they have been having a giant fiesta for the past five days two streets down from our house. Its great because we go to sleep to the sound of fireworks, really loud music and screaming people and wake up to a deserted city with trash, shoes and blood littering the streets. (Brazilians tend to party hard ) and so its kind of hard to find people to teach but this week it should settle down a little bit. Tomorrow we are taking a three hour bus ride for Sorriso for zone meeting so that should be fun. The branch here in Lucas is incredible and has best member missionaries Ive ever seen, I want to spend my whole mission here! However what ever situation I'm put in, I know it will be whats best for me. Ive already learned so much and have become even stronger. I know Heavenly Father loves me and loves this people, he helps me everyday. I know this gospel changes lives and brings peace and happiness. I love my mission! Well That's all for this week :) I love you all and I'm so thankful for your emails thoughts and prayers! Love Shelby

Sister missionary's!

Shelby with other sister missionary's and sister Reber.

Hello Everybody!!

Hello everybody

Well we received transfers yesterday! and I'm staying in Lucas! but Sister Ines is going to the south and has a 16 hour bus ride ahead of her. My new companion, Sister Tomaz (I think) (she is Brazilian and from the North ) will arrive in Lucas at about 11:30 tonight. I'm super nervous to meet her but excited as well. We will be kind of opening a new part of Lucas so I'm kinda nervous. But everything will work out ok. Sister Kimball and Sister Helena will be staying together and we are all staying in the same house so that makes me feel better that I get to stay with some of my friends :) Sister Ines and I had a good last week, we finished up a lot of stuff for the new elders who will be taking over our new area and were able to teach our investigators for the last time before we hand them over to the elders. We finally received a kitchen sink for our house today so now we don't have to buy water! yay! In all its been pretty quiet.... ill be starting my new area with my new companion tomorrow so maybe next week ill have some more stories! :) It has been raining a little bit here and I think its going to start raining some more because September starts the rainy season thank heaven for rain boots! We had to teach one of our investigators in the rain because we couldn't go into his house without another woman with us, at first he was mad at us and thought it was because we thought he might try to kill us or something, but when we explained that as missionaries we have certain rules he calmed down haha :) I had a division with sister Kimball this last week also and we had a similar experience with one of the single brothers in our branch. He was about to slam the door in our faces because we told him that we couldn't come inside but then once we explained he was totally fine and let us share a message in the door way. Well I should probably go... sorry its short! I love you all and miss you! thank you for your prayers and emails! love Shelby

Another week has gone by in Lucas....

Hello everyone :)

Another week here in Lucas has gone by... and were doing great:) We now have all the furniture in our new house put together and and set up. Accept we still don't have a kitchen sink. Its kinda strange here because when you buy a house you have to go and find your self your own kitchen sink and counters and cabinets... it doesn't just come built into the house... kind of strange I think but what ever works. Anyhoo the furniture store people sent us a counter with no place for a sink in it... so we have to figure that out. but other than that everything is just dandy :) Sister Ines and I have been commuting to our area everyday... its a long walk but its worth it. After this transfer, our area will be the area of the new elders. We hope and pray that they will keep up with our investigators there.

Well we had ourselves a miracle this week. Remember the homeless man that we were teaching who lived in an old red car behind the bus stop? WE FOUND HIM AGAIN! Yay! We were in church when one of the brothers came to us and told us that he had seen him at the same bus stop with all of his stuff, so we asked one of the sisters to drive us there so we could bring him to church. When we got there he wasn't there but all of his stuff was so we figured he couldn't have gone very far so we looked around and finally spotted him in front the the assembly of god church talking with the pastor there. and so we marched right up to the front gates of their Church and waited patiently for him to finish his conversation. When he saw us a giant smile spread across his face and when we reached out to shake his hand he pulled us in with all of his strength and gave us a very smelly hug. (yuck :) (we've explained to him that were not supposed to hug men while we are on our missions but it hasn't sunk in yet I guess haha) We were able to bring him to church, a sister from our branch fed him lunch and we were able to share a message with him (on the side of the road under an ant infested tree). I don't know if he will get baptised but it was cool to find him and talk to him again. Later that day we were talking with a group of people including a very drunk man, who marched up to sister Ines and told her that his mother has depression, she told him to bring her to church and he said he will. when we went to leave she went to shake his hand and he grabbed it and kissed it. So Sister Ines has had her share of affection for the month haha :)

Sister Ines and I also taught a great family this week. Sister Ines and sister Helena had contacted the mom and dad during a division we did, then sister ines and I went back to teach them. It was AWESOME :) They were so great and it wasn't even like we were teaching a lesson because they discussed with us about everything we told them, they asked questions and they loved what we shared with them. When we went to share a scripture in the bible with them all the kids told us to wait and they all went and got their own personal bibles and came back and followed along with us each one of them marking the verses we shared. So cool :) In all its been a wonderful and fast week :) I'm so grateful that I have this opportunity to share this marvelous message with the people here and to be able to get to know them and their culture. But even more I'm so grateful that through it all Ive been able to get to know my heavenly father and build my relationship with him. I know he loves me and wants me and my family to be happy.

Also this week was our interviews with the mission president...whoohoo! I loved it so much and it helped me so much! I love President and sister Reber! They are amazing! Well everyone :) I love you all and I'm so grateful for the prayers and emails and thoughts :) Love Shelby

Hello Everyone!

Hello Everyone:)

What a crazy week it has been! Last Tuesday we were informed that they found a new house for us in the more central part of Lucas and that we would be moving on Friday. So all last week we have been cleaning our apartment for the new Elders who are coming in the next transfer, packing up our stuff and buying new furniture for our new house. The new house is a lot bigger but only has one bathroom :( however its brand new! and all of our furniture is brand new too! no more ´´Elder Smith waz here!´´ written across our dressers :) yay :) We were able to move all our stuff over to the new house in about six trips with a very tiny truck :) it was quite the adventure :) but even though we were moving and trying to get things in the house ready, we were able to work a little bit and get some visits in so that was nice! More and more of our investigators keep dropping us but its OK because were working hard and the lord will bless us :) On Sunday we had three of our investigators come to church! They were all out side the apartment complex where they live waiting for us to pick them up and walk with them, and they also came to the branch family night! whoohoo!

This week we have interviews with President Reber! I'm so excited :) he is such a great mission president! He will also be checking out our new house to make sure its secure, safe and fit for sister missionaries :) Also coming up is transfers on the 27th:) and I think I will probably be staying in Lucas but who knows :)

On Sunday I had to give a five minuet talk on family home evening :) it was great and everyone told me that my Portuguese was almost perfect! I'm sure they were just saying that to make me feel good but I'll accept the compliment anyway! :) The world cup ended this week (yay!) so we don't have to spend days in our house anymore :) Even though Germany won, all of Brazil was having a party because they all hate Argentina here, they say that they're ´´dirty players´´ so we were all Germany fans for the day :) Well that was my week :) Sorry its kinda short I love you all! Thank you for your prayers and support :) Love Shelby

Hello fan club!!

Alrighty Fan Club :)

Hows my most favorite people in the world? I'm doing great :) Sill in Brazil if you can believe it :) Just kidding :) The work is going great and I'm loving it here :)

We have a family that were teaching and they are so awesome :) they live in a tiny one room house and we teach them while sitting on the cement floor while they sit on their bed. They are awesome! We have been teaching them about the importance of marriage and also baptism but yesterday we showed them the restoration movie and I felt the spirit so strong! They loved the movie and afterwards they prayed to know if Joseph smith was a prophet and the book of Mormon is the word of god and we felt the spirit so strongly. I felt it testify in my heart so I know they felt it too! :) Well have to see how their doing this next week and see where were going to go from here :) Also this week sister Ines and I met a couple that is less active and they told us that before they had a meeting house here in Lucas the meetings were held in their home. (their pretty wealthy and have a large house) they were very nice and gave us cake and orange soda, which made me like them more :) haha :) They told us that they want to start coming back to church :) so were going to continue to visit them. Also this week I had a division with sister Kimball (one of my most favorite things in the world) and again I learned so much from her! The fourth of July was very uneventful and I actually forgot that it was the fourth of July. I remembered right before it was time to go to bed and quickly told sister Kimball (who is the only other American in our house) happy fourth of July :) The world cup has been exciting. It doesn't get to crazy here because were about 5 hours away from Cuiaba. but when Brazil plays we have to stay in our apartment for most of the day. and we can always tell when Brazil makes a goal because people honk their horns and set of lots of fire works and scream and yell :) its kinda funny :) Well everyone thank you for your love and your support! I love you all :) love Shelby

OI FAMILIA :)

OI FAMILIA :)

This week has been a good one :) and kinda sad at the same time... the guy that lived in the red car behind the bus stop flew the coop and we have no idea where he went. We prayed that he would somehow come to church on Sunday but he didn't... we asked around and his neighbors told us that Tuesday a lady came and picked him up along with all of his stuff so hopefully where ever he is he is going to Church :) We miss him though! Also our other investigators told us they don't want to be baptised and they don't want our visits anymore but they still want us to pick them up for church... I was kinda confused about that one :) but all in all everything is good here in Brazil. We picked up two new investigators who are awesome :) named tiago and Debora :) They really want to be baptised so hopefully everything works out :) Its been pretty cold here again and so we had to break out our sweaters. Its kinda weird but its definitely a blessing from God! I love cold weather! This up coming week we have interviews with President Reber and I'M super excited! :) also people I would just like to say that Portuguese has officially become super easy! (actually that's a lie its still frustrating as ever) but I can understand pretty much everything that people say! SWEET!!! I love Portuguese its a beautiful language :) Yesterday was Sunday, as I'm sure you are all aware... and it was kind of stressful because we walked until the end of the world trying to get people to come to church. Because the more people we get to Church the better chance our little branch has of getting a real meeting house!! so we have been working really had to help out. They had to have at least 95 people in sacrament meeting for four Sundays in a row and they announced yesterday that we reached the goal! woohoo! :) but as a result of the stress I got my first migraine Ive ever had on my mission. So sister Kimball and I went home and rested and It went away :)  The lord has blessed me so much because up until now i have only had small headaches every once in a while. and I believe the lord is going to  continue to bless me with my body :) because honestly I don't know how I walk 10 to 12 miles everyday but somehow I do :) but you would think that I would be loosing weight and I'm not ;) its ok though :) Well everyone I love you all and I miss you! Thank you for your prayers :) Love Shelby

Hello from Lucas!

Alrighty another week in Brazil :)

Things are going great:) Sister Martinez has been transferred to Cuiaba and we sure will miss her! but in her place Sister Kimball came to be sister Helena's companion. YAY! She is also our sister training leader and goes on divisions with us once a week. Which is great! She will be going home at the end of August so this is her last area here in Lucas with us. And we are so happy to have her, she has been teaching us so much and of course has brought her special spirit into our work. I'm so thankful that the lord sent her to us. We did not end up moving because our apartment isn't ready with furniture and the things that we need yet so more than likely we will be moving after this transfer. We will be receiving elders in this area next transfer as well. Our branch is very excited for that and was a little sad to hear that they wouldn't be coming this transfer. Also this week I had quite the traumatic experience. We had a district meeting in Sorriso which is about a two hour bus ride from Lucas. In Sorriso the church is an old two story house, kind of like the one we have in Lucas only a little bit nicer, but anyway... We were waiting for the elders to arrive so that we could begin our meeting and I went upstairs to use the bathroom. When I went to exit the bathroom, the door handle broke off in my hand. At first I thought I could fix it and get out but as I tried the door handle broke even more, making it utterly impossible for me to open the door. So I calmly tried to yell for help (in Portuguese) but after a while it became evident that nobody could hear me and I freaked out a little bit and began yelling (in English) for help and banging on the door. When my Companions finally found me they talked to me through the door and told me that the other side was broken too. Sister Inez tried to calm me down while talking to me through the door while sister Kimball got the door open. When they finally got the door open all I could do was stand there and hold out the piece of broken door knob to them with my shaky hand and cry. They were able to calm me down and later were able to laugh about it :) so that's my experience for this week ha-ha! Something super cool that happened this week is, one day we were walking to our lunch appointment when Sister Inez saw a book of Mormon on the bus stop bench. We stopped and asked the man that was standing at the bus stop if the book was his and he smiled this giant smile and told us it was his along with a bible and another book from another church. We asked him where he got it and he told us a man who passed by everyday had stopped and given it to him (we found out later that this man was the member whose house we were going to for lunch) anyway, we asked his name (Biano) and asked him if we could have his address so that we could pass by and share a message with him. He said You sure can! I live in that red car right there! while pointing to a very dirty broken down old car in a dirt lot behind the bus stop. Sister Inez being as sweet as she is, didn't miss a beat and wrote in my planner... BIANO... Red Car behind the bus stop. We came back the next day to teach him and he made us chairs out of a bucket and a piece of wood and an old broken plastic chair. When we were all situated in our spots he told us the story of his life. When he was younger he was an alcoholic and his family abandoned him, he lost his job and was forced to live in a type of shelter for alcoholics, which is where he found God. He began collecting religious books and quit drinking. He began moving from place to place until he ended up in Lucas living in an old red car and that's where we found him. We have been teaching him for a week and after everyone of our visits he tells us that he wants to be baptized right now! He has a baptismal date for July 5th :) Its so amazing to see people like him. and it makes me thankful for what I have. He has nothing and his family has still abandoned him, he has no house and no money but you could guess that he is the happiest man in the world because he has the scriptures and he has God. I feel so honored to be able to teach him and help him to be baptised.

We also have two great teenage kids who want to be baptised and we have taught them their family's and their friend's the first lesson so many times that they know it by heart. The only thing that is holding them back is they need their parents permission to be baptised, which their parents are not giving them permission. but all is well I have faith that someday as they continue to have faith in Christ they will be blessed and be able to be baptised. Well everyone that's all for this week :) I love you all and I miss you! Thank you for your prayers and your love!

Love Shelby

Another week in Lucas

Hello everyone :)

This week has been actually kind of quiet so thats nice. We recieved transfers yesterday and I will be staying here in Lucas with Sister Silva. Sister Martinez is being transfered to another city close to Cuiaba. She has been here in Lucas for about four months. Last night the branch here threw her a going away party and when we got in the car to leave, the whole branch surrounded the car and cried and begged her to stay. To be perfectly honest it was a little weird but they sure do love her so I guess thats all that matters :) Also yesterday Sister Silva and I tracked down paolo (the kid who had to be baptised again but didnt show up for his confirmation) First we went to his house and banged on the door for about 20 minuets (sister Silva is very dilligent) then we went to his friends house (who happens to be a less active member) and found him there. We convinsed him and his friends to come to church and he was confirmed! Yay! Also this week we found a really cool lady while we were knocking doors. When we contacted her she let us right in and let us teach her the first lesson. Then told us about the problems she is having with her family. We talked to her about the plan of salvation and talked to her about the atonement of Jesus Christ. It was so cool to be able to see a difference in her eyes and to see that she felt better. She wants to be baptised but doesnt know when would be the best time. Were trying to get her to be baptisednext Saturday. However she has to attend chruch twice before she can be baptised and yesterday when we went to pick her up for church she told us she couldnt go becasue she had a hang over as a result of a festa she went to the night before :) Awesome. Another one of our investigators who wants to be baptised is now backing down because she wants to leave her husband first because he wont stop drinking. We went to her house to see how she was doing and she was really upset because she had just had a fight with her husband. She told us that she doesnt want to live with him anymore because she thinks that he will never stop drinking. Weve met her husband before and hes a really nice guy and loves what we have taught them, so well have to see how we can help them. This up comming week, we might be moving to a new house thats closer to the curch, so that will be nice. but we dont know exactly when. Well everyone I love you all and I miss you! Thank you for your prayers and support! Love always, Shelby

Hey there!

Hello everyone :)

I'm doing great here :) I've been sick for a few days but not too bad :) Just a little stomach ache but its gone now so that's good :) We had a baptism this week and boy was it interesting. It was a young man that was already baptized a year and a half ago but he never showed up for his confirmation so he had to be baptized again. He passed the interview and everything and the next day Sister Silva and I went to the church to set up for the service and guess what?? There was no water in the church! ahhhh! So we had to call one of our members to see if we could have the baptism in their swimming pool but then at the last moment, right before the baptism was supposed to start the water was turned back on (god is marvelous isn't he?) but the font usually takes about an hour to fill up because its a cement box outside the Church and gets its water from a tiny pipe in the car port. So  sister Silva and  I and our ward mission leader had to fill it up with buckets of water, it was quite the adventure :) But the baptism was able to happen (an hour and a half late) and everything went well, I even gave the message (in Portuguese) for the service on the Holy ghost. However the next day when this young man was supposed to be confirmed in sacrament meeting... guess what happened... He didn't show up again. So sister Silva and I had to hunt him down and when we finally found him and were able to ask him why he didn't show up for his own confirmation he said he had gone to a festival instead. So we told him that he needs to be there next week in order to be confirmed. crazy :) Also this week was our branches talent show. Sister Silva, Sister Helena and I sang an EFY song for it and it was super fun :) Sister Martinez sang with one of the ward youth in Spanish and that was pretty cool :)

Lately we have been teaching a couple that I'm pretty sure I talked about last week, Vanda and her Husband Edilva. They are super cool and want to be baptized but she needs to get divorced from her first husband first then needs to get married to Edilva:) so its going to be a little bit of a process :) But they have the desire so that's all that matters. We have had to cut a lot of our other investigators because they weren't interested anymore but that's OK, we will be finding new ones this week. This week is the last in this transfer but I think I will probably be staying in Lucas with sister Silva but we´ll have to see what happens :) we find out on Sunday where were all going. For sure though were moving houses because our area is receiving a set of elders who will be living in our apartment and we get to live in a house that's a lot closer to the church so that's super cool :) Well I love you all and I miss you! Thank you for your prayers and love! Love always Shelby

Another week in Brazil!

Hello There :)

This week has been super fun! We had divisions with the sister training leaders on Tuesday and it was super great! My sister training leaders are two American sisters (so that was a bit of a relief and I got to speak a little English) One of which is my best friend in the mission, Sister Kimball. She also served in New Jersey for a little while and loves it just as much as I do! The others name is sister Puckett, she is from Texas and is super awesome as well. So for the division I went with sister Kimball for the day and Sister Silva went with Sister Puckett. Honestly it was the best day of my mission so far. I got to lead the area and plan out lessons and be totally immersed in the work. Plus Sister Kimball taught me so much and helped me. We had so much fun while we worked and the day passed by so fast. Best Day Ever :) Also during this day I had a hunch that we should go and visit this lady Sister Silva and I contacted one day. So we did and the lady (named Victorina) let us right in and wanted us to share our message. She said she had a dream that two angels would come to her and show her the right path and teach her about Christ. Super cool:) and what's even better she gave us a referral for a friend of hers that lives up the street. She said she would like our message as well. So after our Visit with Victorina we went to see the referral (named Vanda) and at first she didn't really know what to think about us but as we got talking with her and got to know her she opened up about her family situation and began to cry. We were then able to help her and comfort her. We also shared our message about the restoration of the gospel and we gave her a pamphlet about it. She said she couldn't read but that her husband could read it to her. 

Saturday Sister Silva and I went back to see her and her husband and to see if they had read the pamphlet and what they thought about it and to our great surprise they had read every page and even better the husband had memorized a part of the first vision or Joseph Smith. It was so so so COOL!! We invited them to come to church and talked to them about baptism. They want to be baptised but big surprise, they need to get married first (nobody here is married, its kind of discouraging) I think they will be baptised within a month or so :) 

Also this week and last week (more so last week) the temperatures have dropped a little bit and its been around 75 degrees. To me this feels fantastic but everyone else have been walking around with beanies and coats on. Its kind of funny :) But I guess when your used to the Sun practically being your constant companion for your whole life, 75 degrees probably would be a bit uncomfortable. Also this week I've learned that every Brazilian house has one of two kinds of security systems, Rottweiler's and Pit bulls. Its kind of scary when you knock (clap) at houses because usually there's always an angry dog that comes running and barking at you. But such is life :) Thank you so Much for all you emails and prayers and support. I love you all! 

Love, Shelby

Hello from Brazil :)

Hello There :) 

Wow the weeks go by fast, dont they? Sorry about last week, it was kinda crazy! but good :) Its nice to be busy because then you dont feel home sick, right? :) This week has been a good one. Last Monday we went to mail letters and all of Brazil was in the post office so we had to wait until this week to mail them, then on our way home a drunk guy stopped us and wanted to talk about religion, so we got away from that as fast as we could ;) Then went home and made cake to celebrate p-day! The cake here is so good, im not quite sure what they do to it but it is amazing. I think it has something to do with sweetend condenced milk, why we dont use this more in the states, I dont know but its wonderful stuff! Also this week we had to stop teaching Eotildes (an 80 year old man who has cancer and is very catholic). He believes in everything we have taught him but doesnt want to change religions after being catholic his whole life. But we still stop by sometimes and say hello to him. Hes very sweet. I remember the first time we met him was my first day in Lucas and he was sitting in front of his house watching the cars go by and eating leaves off the ground.... haha :) Alot of older people do this, im not really sure why. This week we have still been teaching the family I spoke about in my last email. They love our visits and their little girls (5 and 4) call us Chia (Im pretty sure I spelled it wrong but it means aunt in portugese, you know kids like you when they call you chia because if they dont like you or are not very comfortable or familiar with you they will call you Senhora)  They are a very sweet family. Today the mom (maria Lucia) is going in for surgery on her leg and will have to stay in bed for about a month. They absoulutley love the Book of Mormon and they love going to church. Its kind of funny though becasue thier oldest son Carlos loves religion and attends all the churches in Lucas on Sundays but he wont attend ours :) haha :) Hes really smart and when we were trying to teach Maria Lucia and Joao how to pray he got really excited and helped us teach them. I think if he gives our chruch a chance he would really like it. :) Yesterday was kind of sad though. They have this puppy that Joao (the dad) found at work and brought home but they dont really have money to feed it so it was straving and yesterday while they were at church, it died. Its kind of weird to see the difference in people here than from the states because I know if my dog would have died while I was at curch I would have been pretty upset but when we went to visit them that night, the two little girls ran up to us laughing saying their dog died. I wasnt really sure how to react  :) haha however I was glad that they werent upset. We are also teaching the parents of one of our recent converts. They are neat people, we havnt really gotten to know them that well yet but they seem to enjoy our visits so far :) Also we are teaching a woman named cinech, who we contacted one day and she is very very receptve to hearing the gospel and keeps asking us when were going to come back. She has three teenagers all of whom are very nice and respectful and like hearing the lessons as well, I have a feeling that she is going to be baptised soon :) Well that was my week :) Im doing good and sister silva is still amazing and wonderful :) My portugese is getting better and I can now understand people most of the time and I can teach the first lesson with out getting tounge tied so thats nice :) Well I better go :) I love you all! Thank you so much for your support and prayers :) Love shelby

Short but sweet!

Hello everyone

sorry this is going to be a quick one. I don't have very much time, I guess I need to manage my P-days a little bit better :) This week has been great sister Silva and I found a family that wants to be baptized but first they need to get married and quit smoking (the dad) but they're willing to do because they know its true :) We have been working really hard :) Thanks for the prayers and the emails:) I love you all so much and I'm really sorry its so short :) Love Shelby

P-Day in Brazil

Hello from Lucas!

Hello everyone!

Well this was my first week in Lucas do Rio Verde! and it was AMAZING! I have a new Companion, her name is Sister Inez Da Silva and she is from Brazil (a city close to Salvador) and I love her! She has one transfer in the mission, so we are both pretty new but she is such a hard worker and such a good missionary. Lucas is so beautiful, clean and organized! I love it!

So last Monday I rode a very nice charter bus for about five hours. I didn't really know when my stop was but I was able to ask the man sitting next to me in broken Portuguese which cities were which, and he helped me know when I needed to get off. I arrived in Lucas at about 2:30 in the morning and Sister Inez along with Sister Martinez met me and helped me with my suitcases. The next day we were kind of just in a trio and we pretty much just did contacts the whole day in our area, we found a really cute family who was interested and wanted to go to church with us and also we found a lady named Francesca who is very cool and interested as well. Then that night we had to get up at 2:30 Am in order to pick up Sister Martinezs´ new companion. Her Companions name is sister Oliveria from around the same place that Sister Inez is from. She just barley came from the MTC so sister Marinez is training her. The rest of the week Sister Inez (Her name is sister Inez da Silva so sometimes we call her sister Inez or sister Silva, she kind of responds to both haha) and I worked really hard and walked a ton! I have blisters on my feet and am so thankful for moleskin! Right now we are teaching two girls named Kelly and Kamila and they are trying to decide if they want to be baptised or not, they have been investigating the church for about a year now so we are trying to help them become more excited about it. We are also teaching Francesca, who is awesome. She has a tiny dog and a tiny cat. The dog is kind of an angry little dog but she loves the cat and is like its mother. Its kind of funny because usually when we walk up to Francesca's house the dog comes running out barking up a storm but its hard to be afraid of it because Francesca likes to dress her in these little dog dresses and tutus. Anyhoo We taught Francesca the first lesson and we told her to pray about its truthfulness and she said I don't need too I already know its all true and I want to be baptised. However she wants to be baptized in a few years because she doesn't feel prepared. So were working with her as well to feel prepared and excited :) Well friends and family I love you all! I got to talk with my parents and family yesterday and it was so great! It actually helped me to not feel as homesick and to be more excited about my mission :) I'm so thankful for skype and my mission and you:) I love you and Ill talk to you next Monday!

Love Shelby

Wild life :-)

                                             Shelby's Chick Joanna