Monday, December 29, 2014

Best Christmas Ever

Guys, I just had the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!

So this week was just fabulous. So here in Brazil its tradition that everyone stays up till 12:00 on Christmas Eve, and at midnight everybody feasts we call this véspera de Natal And guess what?! President Canuto let us stay out till 12:30am!!! FESTA! So we went and spent Christmas Eve at one of our favorite members houses and we had a Churrasco (BBQ) It was so much fun! And then we came back to our house and opened up presents (because here normally people open presents after the feast on Christmas Eve/ Christmas Day)
Woohoo Christmas Presents

And then Christmas was just awesome, we started out with our District meeting, everybody brought desserts and we basically just pigged out, and then we went to lunch and pigged out some more, gosh the food here is so good. You know its a really good thing that there are a bunch of hills here because if there weren't I would be gaining a ton of weight.
The District

After Lunch we ran to another members house and talked to our families. 
It is so refreshing to talk to your mom, you have no idea. Gosh my brothers are growing up..what the heck...I am going to look so short when I get home.

And then we ended Christmas in the best way possible......
With a BATISMO!!!!!

Thayna was baptized Christmas night. We had marked this baptism on Friday but her parents are super super against the church and did not want her to be baptized, and basically they ground her from going to church and so this whole week we were praying and hoping that everything would go well so that she could be baptized. We had no way to communicate with her at all this week, but guys miracles happen. She showed up with her boyfriends family (who is in the other ward) and was baptized. I am so HAPPY. We have been working so hard with her for the past couple of months and I have never seen someone so prepared to be baptized..
.Batismo de Thayna!

I just love my life :)

I love you all I hope you all had a Good Christmas too. Thanks for all the letters and the packages haha my companion really likes American food.

com amor,
Sister Roberts
Presidente and Sister Canuto
Future Roommates? quem sabe :)
Me and one of my Favorite investigators, Beth
 È Nois!



Monday, December 22, 2014

♫ Christmas Christmas Time is HERE ♫



Ahhh!! I am so excited for Christmas!! Like for real is going to be awesome! This week we had our Christmas dinner with the ward. It was fun we did secret santa and we ended up buying a pitcher and filling it with treats for our family it was cool. And the ward sang songs and everything it was cool. Also we had our Christmas Conference with President and the North half of the mission. It was awesome and so powerful and it was cool because I got to see alot of people that I haven't seen in a really long time. 

President talked alot about the true meaning of Christmas and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And how that is the best Christmas Gift that we can receive.
It was fabulous.

I am so grateful for the atonement in my life and for all the blessings that I have received because of it. I know that life is difficult..gosh life is so hard, but I know that Christ is always right here → on our side, walking with us, helping us along the way. He has done so much for me. I Love Him,

We have been sharing alot of Christmas messages with people.We have also seen some miracles this week. We are working really hard with thayna one of our investigators. She is one of the most prepared people I have ever met. We have been working with her for the past couple of months. this week she told us that she is thinking about baptism. Who knows maybe with a miracle we can help her make this step.

Things are looking good here in Poços de Caldas.
This is going to be a great Christmas probably the best one yet. :)


Love you all
Have a Merry Christmas!!
Com Amor,
Sister Roberts

Monday, December 15, 2014

Rain Rain Go Away!!


Basically this week it just poured. Actually the rain as been a huge blessing. São Paulo has been in drought for the past couple of months. Actually it got so bad here that a few weeks ago the area presidency here asked all the members to fast for rain.. Well Prayers have been answered because it didn't stop raining this week!!

But its okay, because today the sun is shining and I am happy.

So this week was kinda hard, actually it was another emotional roller coaster, we had to cut Hellen and Erika, gosh dangit, I love them so much, it was really really hard to tell them that we had to stop visiting them. I don't know why they don't want to get baptized, they go to church every week, they read the scriptures, they pray, they are keeping the commandments but just at this moment they don't have the desire to be baptized. And I think that maybe they just need some time. 

But it was hard, it was like Nephi when he says in the end of chapter 33

"For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith..."

yep thats pretty much how the past three days have gone down.

But the good news is that we are finding lots of new investigators, Antonio has been going to church for the past 2 weeks he is really cool and really funny. but he uses alot of slang when he talks so its kinda hard for me to understand him, but I think he has got alot of potential. I guess we will see how it goes :)

I love you all!! Have a good week!
♥ Sister Roberts

Monday, December 8, 2014

Sup

We had a pretty good week this week. I am happy. Sister Pontes and I are pretty much just rocking it up here in Poços de Caldas. We are still working really hard with Erika and Hellen we had some pretty powerful expereinces with them this week about the expiação. The spirit was so strong we are hoping that this week we can mark a baptism with them for the end of this month. We are also working really hard with Thanya. Gosh she is awesome. She is the most prepared person I have ever met. She has been going to church for the past 2 years with her boyfriend, and She has been reading O Livro de Mormon and is in 3 Néfi! She is awesome we have a baptism marked for the 20th of this month. I am praying that everything will work out.

We are seeing alot of miracles this week. Gosh, God has blessed us so much.

Also I am SOOO EXCITED for NATAL!!!!! Ahhh guys I love Christmas. The city here in Poços is stunning, they have put up trees and lights and santa and its awesome. 
But I love the way that people are reaching out and serving one another. Its so cool. Its like people are actually remembering the true meaning of Christmas.

Basically the church is true, God lives, and I am happy :)

Here are some pictures love you all!

♥ Sister Roberts
 Aww we are just so cute together
 It was Sister Pontes Birthday I threw a party for her
It rained like crazy here and we soaked

Monday, December 1, 2014

Pie?

WOOoooHoooOO!!!
Guys guess what I did this week. Ahh I'm just so excited about it haha I made a PUMPKIN PIE!!!!!


isn't beautiful? Da para casar?

You know its been a long time since I've really missed america but this week knowing that it was Thanksgiving and that you all were going to feast on delicionsness I just got really trunky for american food. and so I got talking to Sister Padilla and I was like "I think we need to make a pie" So we called our dear friend Debbie (Debbie is our american friend that is a member of the church and teaches english here in Poços with her husband..They are awesome) and I was like "hey debbie do you have a pumpkin pie recipe? 

It took us three days to make, because we had to make it out from a real pumpkin, and had to ground up  but is was one of the best and most american things that I've eaten here. 
     I    a m     H a p p y.

This week was good, I got a new Companion, Sister Pontes, she is Brazilian so I'm hoping that my português is going to get better this transfer. I really like her, she is a really good missionary. It was her birthday this week, so we through her a little surprise party with some of the members..haha it was funny because we were "on our way to an appointment" when I was like "Sister I feel really strongly we need to knock on this door" haha and SURPRISE! it was good.

I am so excited for this month. Things are looking up, we are for sure going to have a "White Christmas" and When I say White Christmas, i mean everyone dressed up in white to get baptized! Its going to be fabulous.

I love you all. Thanks for your support. You all are awesome!
Love,
Sister Roberts

Monday, November 24, 2014

I want to punch Satan in the face



Gahh... this week.. I don't even know. Well if we are going to be honest this week was not my favorite.
We have been working so hard with these girls, and all of the sudden out of know where all of these road blocks came up..ugh.

One of the girls want so bad to be baptized and originally her mom gave her permission, but when we went to go sign the papers her mom was like "Well I think we need to wait a little bit more" 

One of the other ones is so ready to be baptized but she wants to wait till her boyfriend can baptize her, so I've been a little annoyed at that.

Hellen and Erika are our prime investigators were going to get baptized this weekend and then freaking satan was like hey let me put a bunch of doubts and fears into your head to scare you away from baptism... dumb

So all that went down but we still had hope for this one last girl, she was going to church, going to all the activites, loving everything about it, wants to get baptized and then BOOM she tells us that her girlfriend doesn't want her to get baptised. I can not tell you how hard it was teaching the Law of Chasity to her. I'm pretty sure that was the Hardest lesson that I have ever given in my entire life. I was so emotionally drained after that lesson..man..

Also we have transfers tomorrow, and the queira sister davis is leaving me... :(

Well the good news is that I'm staying here :) Woohoo! So I get at least one more try with these beautiful girls.. gosh I love them so much. And I will get to be here for Christmas!! WOOHOOO
And also I hit one year this week.. holy cow I can't believe that I have been on the mission for more than a year, this is passing by so fast.
So of course because it was my mission birthday we had to celebrate, so I made a cake, dude this cake was so sick, it was a piña colada cake with beijinho on the top and it was just delicious and so the other Sisters sang to me and I blew out my one year candle.. it was pretty fabulous. Also, had a great interview with president this week.. it was just fabulous, love that man.

This week was hard, but I'm so excited that I have another 6 weeks here in Poços! Its going to be great!

Love you All!
♥ Sister Roberts
(okay now that I'm looking at this I feel like a creep..*sigh oh well)

Monday, November 17, 2014

Eu Não Sei




We had another interesting week this week. We are working really hard with our 4 girls trying to help them get baptized this week-end. This will be the miracle of my life if we can get at least one of them baptized. I guess we will see what its in the Lords Plan

Yesterday was a miracle. We got 8 investigators to church. THAT NEVER HAPPENS!! Normally I am satisfied when we get one, but yesterday we got 8. I am so happy. It feels so good to see people making the right choices and coming unto Christ. It makes me Happy :) 

I am so tired. We have been working so hard, we are getting about 40 lessons in every week and gosh climbing up all these hills everyday is just really wearing me out. I feel so physically exhausted. But its all good because I feel like after a long day I can say "Yes Lord, today I did my best" 

We have transfers next week so we will see how that goes. I'm pretty sure that I am going to stay here. I really like it here, and the ward is awesome!

We have interviews with president tomorrow so that should be fun. haha I love Presidente Canuto!
Well I don't really have much else to report. 

Hope you all have a good week!
Love you!
♥ Sister Roberts
Sister Padillia!! I Love this woman! ♥




Monday, November 10, 2014

Knew it!

I know that I like always start my emails like this "This week we saw so many miracles" But its true!
So I was getting a little frustrated because we could not get a date marked with four of our investigators. Finally after a lot of praying I felt like we need to teach them all the Plan of Salvation. Part of us was like well we already taught them all the Plan of Salvation but how can we adapt the lessons to their needs.
So Sister Davis brings up the question "well what do teenage girls think about" haha and I'm like "BOYS" and she was like so how are we going to tie that into the Plan of Salvation. Oh my gosh. We came up with the most incredible lesson of my life. So we asked them 

"What things make you the happiest?"
 And they are all like "my family and my boyfriend"
haha I was just thinking to myself "KNEW IT"
So then I was like "yeah me too"

And Sister Davis and I showed them pictures of our families and our boyfriends and what not and holy cow it really caught them their attention and then we showed them pictures of the temple and how the temple is the only place where families can be sealed together forever. And we found an old temple pamphlet and showed the pictures of the sealing room and what not and the invitation that we made at the end was
"Will you prepare yourself to go to the temple by being baptized November 22nd?" and guess what THEY ALL ACCEPTED!!!

I am so excited. I love these 4 girls so much, they are so beautiful, and I hope that they will continue to be prepare to be baptized so that they can go to the temple. Because lets be honest the Temple is where its at.


This week was a good week. I am loving it here. Thanks for all of your support and prayers you all are awesome!
Com Amor,
Sister Roberts

Monday, November 3, 2014

Do you know who you are?

This week was hard. We are currently working with 5 young women from the ages of 13-19 They are so beautiful, and its so hard working with them because they are so ready to be baptized, and they have the desire to be baptized but all of them just don't feel like that they are good enough to get baptize.
 Part of me wants to be like " Do you not realize who you are?!?! YOU ARE A DAUGHTER OF GOD!!!! Who LOVES you!" I think that has been one of the hardest things for me is seeing the potential that people have. When I look at these girls and hear about their past mistakes and see all of the trials that have been through I just want so bad to help them realize the potential that they have. That we can actually live with our Heavenly Father again. That we can be sealed to our families forever. That no matter how bad our sins are we can be forgiven of everything because we have an older brother who suffered and died for us. I think that the hardest thing as a missionary is that we have this knowledge and we know that its true and its so heartbreaking when others don't come to accept themselves as sons or daughters of God.

But I love these girls so we are going to keep working with them.

Yesterday was some kind of holiday like day of the dead or something. So our district went to the city cemetery and did some preaching. At first I was like what cemetery..creepy..but honestly there was nothing like teaching the plan of salvation in a cemetery it was kinda cool.
Cemetery

Thanks everyone for the letters and emails. I'm always so happy to see that I have emails every Monday! You all are the best. LOVE YOU!
Sister Roberts

In front of a river
 What up
waterfall
 Me and Sister Davis

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

What the HILL !!

Oh My Gosh... these hills are killing me. Basically this week I felt like I went hiking in church clothes. haha I'm so tired.
This week was good, it was a little frustrating because it looks like Erika´s baptism is going to fall though for this week. ugh. we have been working so hard with her. Actually we have about 4 solid investigators who are totally ready and prepared for baptism its just that THEY don't recognize that they are ready. Yeah you know the saying "I think I need to learn a little bit more" "I just don't think i'm ready" I am so sick of hearing those words its ridiculous. But I've got faith, by the end of this transfer we are going to baptize all 4 of them :) AGORA VAI PRESIDENTE!!!!
We had Zone conference this week, which was good as always. President knows exactly how to burn us and motivate us all at the same time. I Love president. I had a really funny conversation with him on the phone yesterday. haha I really love that man.
I really don't have anything else to report because I feel like not very much happened this week. except for that I am really loving my mission, I really love my companion, and the sisters that I live with and the ward is great. I like poços de caldas..haha just not the hills.
I hope you all have a good week!
Love, Sister Roberts

Monday, October 20, 2014

Cheguei!!!

Yeah so after a three day trek I finally made it here to Poços de Caldas. So Monday night was kinda emotional we had our last family home evening with Cida and Valdir. We gave a super powerful message about Jesus Christ and His atonement. It was super spiritual and then we all said goodbyes. It was hard. But I can see how far Cida and Valdir have come and it helps me remember that my work in São Carlos wasn't in vain. 

 Last sunset 
São Carlos 

 I'm going to miss these girls

So Tuesday morning I left São Carlos 6:30am and arrived in Piracicaba 9:00 I then took a bus to Leme were I spent the night with 7 other Sisters. (can you say FESTA).  Wednesday morning I left Leme at 8:00 and took a bus to Pissanuga, where it was really hot and where the wheels on my luggage melted (that was just fabulous) after dragging my suitcases across the city I took another bus to São João Boa Vista where I spent the night again with 5 other Sisters  (FESTA de novo)

Açai with the Sister Richardson and Sister Rodriguez in São João Boa Vista 

 and after attending our Zone meeting Thursday and another bus ride I finally arrived here in Poços de Caldas. Oh My GOSH!!! This is by far the most beautiful city on the mission. There are mountains and waterfalls and rivers and it is just beautiful. And the People here are super humble. I LOVE IT!!

My new companion is Sister Davis, She is from Portland Oregon, She has about three months here in Brazil, but she will be ending her mission here in February. I live with Sister Sargent and Sister Padilla, who are both Americans and will also be ending their missions here in February as well. Basically its a non stop festa in our house.

But honestly I'm so tired. Our area it just hills and really these hills are more like mountains..Ive been pretty much hiking mountains all week trying to preach the gospel. After traveling for three days and festa-ing this entire week and hiking all day I am exhausted. But we are already having success.

Day 1 of Poços de Caldas..I haven't died yet of all the hills

We had a super spiritual experience yesterday with one of our investigators, Erika, we taught her the restoration and invited her to be baptized. We marked a baptism for the 1st of November I'm praying that everything will work out so that she can be baptized. I love her. I love my companion, and I love my area!

Love you all!
Have a great week!
Love Sister Roberts :)
 Sister Bastos and I
We found a park
 Me and irmã Rosali








Monday, October 13, 2014

Well...

So this week was just fabulous. I'm teaching english to Marcos. This guy is so ready to get baptized its not even funny. He has only been studying english with me for the past 2 weeks and wow he speaks really good. We were having a conversation in English and he was like. "How do I know if I've been saved?" "How can I live with my family again?" and then he was all like "hey I think I need to be baptized" so we are working with him towards baptism :) 

Cida was getting a little stress about her wedding haha she was all like "I have no idea how to plan a wedding" and I was all like "Oh please have you seen my pinterest boards?" So Sister Bastos and I used our talents of pinning, and what not to help cida finalize some things for her wedding. I am so excited for them..Ahh!! They will be getting married the beginning of November when all of their documents and what not are in order. :)

Unfortunately I will not be there at their wedding because I'm being transferred :( The truth is that I knew I was going to be transferred two weeks ago. You know when you get that feeling that you are going to be transferred, and you just know that you are going to leave your area yeah I've been having that feeling for that past couple of weeks. Its kinda bitter sweet because I feel like I have worked so hard here in São Carlos, we have so many people ready to be baptized here, but at they same time I'm excited to have a new area. 

I'm being transferred to Pocos de Caldas it is one of the farthest areas from the mission home and its on the border of the other mission. Sister Davis is my new companion. She is from Oregon..i think..haha I don't really know, She has more time on the mission than I do, but because of Visa Problems She just got here in Brazil a few months ago. I'm excited to meet new people and have new experiences.

♫All is well...♫

Have a good week!
Love, Sister Roberts

Monday, October 6, 2014

Conferenci​a Geral

This week was fabulous we taught alot of lessons and honestly I am just tired. We walked so much this week and now my shoes are starting to get holes. I think I am going to have to do some kind of shoe surgery because these shoes have got to last me 7 more months.

Our focus this week was Cida and Valdir, we are really trying to get everything in order to help them mark a wedding date. We are having a few problems with some of their documents so its making things difficult to get them legally married but hopefully this week we will figure everything out. I'm a little sad because I don't think that I will be here to see them get married or see them get baptized. We have transfers next week and I'm thinking that since I have been here since June I will probably be leaving São Carlos.  :(

So as always General Conference was so Good. I loved that they had General Authorities speaking different languages in the Conference Center. I thought that was awesome. Especially when Elder Godoy gave his talk in Portuguese :)

I watched the Saturday session in Português because the stake leaders didn't have the tv set up for the americans. I was a little disappointed but to my surprise I understood everything that was being said, so its all good. But we got to watch the Sunday session in English. haha I love English. But it was funny because when Elder Godoy came on and started giving his talk and we started listening to the English Voice-over, I looked at all the Americans and we were all like yeah lets watch this in Português so we changed the channel to watch it in Portugues. it was good.

I had a good week. Thanks you for your prayers and support!
Love you all,
Sister Roberts

Monday, September 29, 2014

"Did she say casamento?​"

Oh My Gosh GUESS WHAT!!?!?!?!?!?!

Cida and Valdir are getting MARRIED!! AHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! 

I am so excited you have no idea. Its been really hard containing myself this week.
So What happens last Monday my companion and I go over to Cida and Valdirs and we were a little sad because Valdir wasn't there and we had planned to watch a video with them that explains the Book of Mormon. So we get there ad we were like okay well lets watch it with Cida. So we are sitting on the couches you know ready to watch this video when all of the sudden her son is like "Mom don't you have something exciting news to tell the Sisters?"
My companion and I are like what?
We turn over and my companion and I see the ring and we look at each other and start screaming like 19 and 20 year old girls..

"Cida are you engaged"
"wait what, how did that happen"
"Oh my gosh the ring is so beautiful"
"When are you getting married"

haha 

So Valdir finally proposed to Cida and they are going to get married and baptized this coming month. I am so excited for them you have no idea. Of all the people that I have met and taught here in Brazil, I have the most love for them. And I am so Happy that they have made the decision to get married and be baptized. 
Now I am just praying that the Lord will let me stay here in São Carlos another transfer to see them get married. I guess we will see what happens.
Cida Showing off her ring!

The womens conference this week was super good. I loved how the focus was on the temple. I love the Temple. 
I especially loved this video presentation of the temple

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2014/10?lang=eng&vid=3810258133001&cid=6
I love everything about the Temple, and I am so excited to help Cida and Valdir go the the temple and become and eternal family.

I love you all,
Have a Wonderful General Conference Week!
com amor,
Sister Roberts
An Elder made us sushi..it was soo good!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Batismo woohoo!

This week was just fabulous. Daniel got baptised this Saturday at it was just beautiful. I've only known him for like 2 weeks but I have learned so much from him. He is such a great example of Faith and love and charity. And all he wants to do is follow Christ, so that he can return to live with God again. I feel so humbled to have met him and showed him the path that leads to God.

I'm really Happy :)
Daniel :)
So Happy
This guy is awesome

This week we felt inspired to bring Daniel to some of our lessons...Well I don't know if inspired is the right word to use more like we were super short on time and needed to teach Daniel and another investigator so we decided to bring Daniel with us to another investigators house to teach them at the same time. BEST IDEA EVER. Daniel is sitting there and is all like "Yeah I am so excited to be baptized! Batismo is awesome" And Our other investigator was like "Really okay cool yeah I want to see your baptism maybe I need to get baptized too" haha Daniel he is our little missionary. He is great.

Also this week President Canuto came and gave a talk in Sacrament meeting..That man is such a boss. He started his talk by quoting all the scriptures that are in the bible that talk about the restoration. About how important it is that we need and understand the bible and then he was all like I can show you everywhere in the bible that proves that our religion is really the church of Jesus Christ. But you will never know if this church is right unless if you humble yourself and Pray and ask God. It was such a good talk. I love President.

I hope your week was as good as mine.
I love you all!
Sister Roberts
I bought a hammock and its pretty sick :)
Sister Bastos and I at our Mission tour

Monday, September 15, 2014

Daniel

This week we had a truly humbling experience.

For the past couple of weeks I have been fervently praying that we could find someone to be baptized. Its been almost 3 transfers since I've had a baptism, and you know its hard when you are working harder that ever to find someone that whats to follow Jesus Christ. But Last Sunday my companion and I are sitting in church, and I'm doing you know the normal scan of the congregation looking around to see who came to church, who didn't, looking for people that I don't recognize. And I saw this Man sitting in the very front row, sitting alone. After the meeting I went up to talk to him, asking his name where he is from and finally I asked him if we could meet with him and talk more about the Gospel.

So what happens, we meet with him the following Thursday night and it turns out that he came to Church alone. Some friend awhile back invited him to come to church and today as he passed by the building he felt like he needed walk in and check it out. 

So my companion and I start teaching the restoration and honestly the lesson was not super good...ugh..but I felt impressed to invite him to be baptized. And he said YES!!! he said "I want to be mormon"  "I want to feel clean of my sins" "I want to Follow Jesus Christ" He asked us if he could share his testimony with us. He is the most humble man that I have ever met. And I am so excited that he has accepted the invitation of the Savior to be baptized this Saturday.

This week was just beautiful. I feel so humbled to be serving the Lord here in Brazil. I know that we are really representatives of Jesus Christ. When I think about the responsibility that comes with this calling I feel so inadequate. Sometimes I think about how can someone like me, who makes so many mistakes, and has little knowledge of Gospel of Jesus Christ could possibly represent the Savior. But with his help we are doing his work.


I love you all,
Sister Roberts

Monday, September 8, 2014

Happy Transfers

Happy Transfers and may the odds be ever in your favor!

This transfer was fabulous, My new companion is Sister Bastos shes from Manaus Brasil! Actually she isn't really from manaus she lives off the river in the Amazons but the nearest city is Manaus. She has 5 months on the mission and she is just fabulous. I love her. I think we are going to have a good transfer together. 

We worked our butts off this week. And it paid off because this weeks we saw miracles. 
So I was looking through the area book of people that we could visit, and I felt impress to call one of the investigators that Sister Cordeiro and I dropped, Neval. He hadn't been coming to church for the last 3 months and hadn't been keeping any other commitments and what not. But his week I called him and he was all like "American! Come to my house I want to talk to you!" So we went there and guess what, he had been reading the Book of Mormon ever day since we dropped him and he is in Alma 22! Who does that? He talked about how its hard for him to go to bed with out reading the Book of Mormon and how he just feels good and peaceful everytime he reads. So now we are focusing on getting him to church and helping him stop with café (I can't remember that word in english).

We also marked a baptism with Natalia one of our investigators, sol coisa, she needs to get married so we will see how that goes.

But the highlight of this week was Elias, he is a less active member and didn't seem like he had really any intrest in returning to church, After visiting him and his family Saturday night, he promised me he would come to church, and I promised him that at church he would feel the desire to know Jesus Christ and God and follow all of his commandments. So what happens, during testimony meeting I look over at him and I see a few tears running down his face, and I'm like what? And after a few minutes he starts to bawling and he gets up with 5 min left of Sacrament meeting and shares his testimony. It was a beautiful testimony.

It was so refreshing, because I've been feeling a little down because we haven't been able to get a baptism for the past couple of months but it was just a reminder to me that I'm not here to baptise. My purpose is to bring others to Christ.

I love this work, 

love,
Sister Roberts

Monday, September 1, 2014

Ser Um Exemplo

Happy Transfers!
I will be staying here in São Carlos for the next six weeks and will be getting a new companion, Sister Bastos? maybe that's here name? Not sure mas vamos ver.

So "Randomly" this week as Sister Cordeiro and I were walking home from one of our appointments we passed a grocery store and we both looked at each other and were like "hey do you need to buy something", and we both said at the same time, "No but I feel like we should go inside" So we walk into the grocery store and My companion is like I'm going to get some milk and I'm like "I think I should go buy some fruit" So I walk over to the fruit stand and start picking out my bananas and guiabas and maças and everything else when all of the sudden the Store manager comes up to me and is like "Hey you are missionary?" and my first thought is "Oh crap what did my companion do this time?" I just smile and I'm like Yes, He is all, "I've seen you two come in many times and you just shine, how can I get that? Do I need to read the Mormon Bible?" 
OH MY GOSH!!! WHAT?!?!
So I start talking to him about the Book of Mormon and he is like yeah I live right next to the Mormon Church You all can come and stop buy and teach me and my family. 
I got so excited until I got his address and found out that he doesn't live in our area.

But hey its all good, because lesson learned that you never know who is watching you and you never know what kind of silent influence you can be in the lives of others. Also It doesn't matter what role we play in the lives of others, some times we are the missionaries that find and don't baptize but that's okay.

I love you, have a great week!

Love, Sister Roberts :D

Monday, August 25, 2014

half way there :)

WOOHOO!! I hit the half way point this week!! 9 months down and 9 months to go! I can't believe that I am already half way done. I feel like the time is passing by so fast. As a celebration of my 9 half way mark a member invited us over for dinner and made pizzas and took pictures. Fabulous.

So this week good. We did alot of inefficient knocking on doors because we pretty much cut all of our investigators that weren't progressing this week. Its hard to cut people, especially when we developed a really good relationship with them. But we need to find people that will read the Book of Mormon, and Will go to church, and Will get baptized. We met some people with some potential so hopefully we will have really good lessons this week. 

Oh my gosh, we had quite the experience this Sunday during Sacrament meeting. One of our investigators has two little girls ages 4 and 2. These girls are crazy. So while the sacrament is being passed the 4 year old gets up and runs and stands up on the front bench and starts sticking her tongue out to the elderly couple on the first pew. And then she starts shouting to the whole congregation "cala a sua boca" or in english "shut your mouth" So what happens the bishop runs and tries to pick her up and calms her down and guess what she does, she punches the bishop in the face, and runs off and starts punching the dear old lady in the wheel chair. So what do I do I run up to the front and try to pick her up and she lifts up her dress and starts peeing on me! And all of this is happening while the cell phone of another investigator goes off and what does he do, he answers it and starts shouting into his cellphone in the middle of sacrament meeting, and the whole congregation is staring looking at him, looking at these crazy kids looking at me and my companion, and I'm sure they are all thinking "who are these crazy people that you brought to church?" 
Best sacrament meeting of my life..
Oh well, at least I had a good journal entry. 

Our stake had a good fireside this Sunday with President Canuto (our mission president) It was really good, I think it helped motivate members to share the gospel.

Are you sharing the gospel with your friends?

I love you all, have a great week!
Tchau!
Sister Roberts
"Vai la"

Monday, August 18, 2014

Seu Potencial

This week was pretty good. We are continuing to work with Cida and Valdir. They are doing fabulous. We are trying really hard to mark a wedding date with them so that they can get baptized. Hopefully we will make some progress with that this week.

We are also working with alot of Less Active Members. In fact we had 20 lessons with less active members this week and we got 4 families to come to church this week! WooHooo!! It was fabulous.

We are working with one in particular, N. She was baptized when she was 9 but never went to church after. She is 18 years old and has 2 daughters. It is always a humbling experience when we teach her. She lives in a one room house with dirt floors and had only a mattress and a few other things. Its always a little heart aching when we teach her. She doesn't have work, she has two small kinds and an abusive boyfriend. Her life is hard. What is even harder is that she has no idea how much love she has from our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ. 
I see so many people suffering. So many people who don't know where why they are here, or where they are going. There are so many people here who don't realize the potential they have as a son or daughter of God. It makes we so sad.

Life is hard. We all face different challenges, we all have different weaknesses but knowing that I am actually a daughter of God brings me so much happiness and so much peace. 
I know that each of us is a Child of God. I know that Our Heavenly Father loves each of us. Because he loves us he sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for us. 

I am so grateful for the knowledge that we have to know that we can one day be like him. I hope this week that each of us can remember who we are, and what we can become.

love you all!

Sister Roberts
That one time I ate bunny
Walking on a dirt road to one of our appointments.

Sister Cordeiro power washing out windows during our Saturday of Purification.

Hahaha This wonderful child just punched my companion in the face...haha After this lesson I decided that I never want to have kids

So this Irmã told me that I was really delicate and that I need to eat oranges with a fork..então

That one time when we tried chasing a dog out of the church
I know that you can't tell in this picture but I just walked up a big hill..its kinda a big deal..also I cut my hair

Monday, August 11, 2014

O Dia do Senhor

This week was fabulous. This Sunday we had a total of 115 people in our Ward! WooHoo!! That is the most we have had since Sister Cordeiro and I started in this area 10 weeks ago. 
Also we saw so many miracles this week.

We have been working really hard with Cida and Valdir. I love them. They are awesome. We visited them almost everyday this week. We have been talking alot about Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy with them. So here's the story. Cida and Valdir own a restaurant. And they have never ever worked on Sunday before, but all of the sudden last week this guy was like "Hey you should open your restaurant on Sundays because I want to eat here with my company of about 30 people" So Valdir is all like yeah, that is a great opportunity I think I'll open in up on Sundays.. So what happens Sister Cordeiro and I are sitting there and we are like trying our best to teach about the Sabbath Day and testify and you know everything. And at the end of the lesson he was like. "I don't need blessings, I am going to open my restaurant on Sundays"...ugh..
I felt defeated. 

And then guess what. Sister Cordeiro and I walk into Sacrament meeting and guess who is sitting there all by him self? VALDIR!! HE Came to Church! and didn't open his restaurant!! He came up to us and was like, "I was wrong. I do need blessings" It was beautiful.

This week was fabulous. And I am so grateful that Valdir and Cida committed to keeping the Sabbath Day Holy.  

I know that when we do our best to remember our Lord and Savior on Sunday we can have his spirit with us through out the rest of the week. 

I Love you all!
Sister Roberts :D