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