New companions, new members!

Hello Everyone!!!

I don't have a whole lot of time to write today, but I just wanted to say that I'm doing great, and life here in Boa Vista is going well!

We had transfers last week, and it's been kind of crazy getting back into the hang of things. My new companion is Sister Cordoba, and she's so great!! She's from mato Grosso do Sul, here in Brasil. We were in the CTM together, so it's been fun to catch up, and to start working together!

Also, Sister Batista, one of the other sisters I live with, got a new companion! And she's training! Her new companion is Sister Meli, and she's from Hawaii. It's been fun to get to know her, and help her with her Portuguese. It's crazy to see just how much I've grown and learned, and to see that I actually do know how to speak Portuguese! She's super great though, and it's been a fun week!

The other big thing from this week is the baptism of Cauã! He's a super great 12 year old that we've been teaching the past several weeks. He was super excited to be baptized, and it was so great to see him be baptized! He's a super sweet kid, and is going to be a great missionary one day!

I hope you all have a great week!! Sorry I haven't been sending pictures lately- I'm still trying to figure out how to fix the problem with my camera.

Love,

Sister Shelton

Mosiah 5:2 "...We know of their surety and truth, because of the spirit of the Lord omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually."

Tanajura!!!

Hello Everyone! Happy Monday!

This week literally flew by! After getting back from Recife on Tuesday, I had to wait for my companion to get back on Wednesday, and then we worked until Thursday night, but then my companion twisted her ankle, and we stayed at home all of Friday. But lucklily she was feeling better by Saturday, and we were able to work for a day. But then she left for Recife again Sunday afternoon, and now I'm in a trio with the other sisters in Boa Vista. It's been kind of a crazy week!

But first things first, we had transfers!! My dear companion Sister Diaz is currently making her way back to Argentina, and I'm waiting to receive my new companion, Sister Cordoba! Sister Cordoba was with me in the CTM, and she's super great! I'm way excited to be companions with her! I'll let you all know more next week about all of the changes!

As for the subject line, I finally ate something SUPER strange here in Brasil!!! Tanajura is basically a giant ant! You fry it, then put it in farinha (a food kind of like flour that you eat with basically everything here) and then eat it!! I was way nervous to try it, but I figured that if I didn't eat it, I would probably way regret it. One of our investigators, Polyana, bought it especially for us to try, so I figured that I had to at least try it. :) But to be honest, it actually wasn't all that bad. The taste was actually pretty good! But just knowing that I was eating a giant ant, was super strange, and I don't think I'll ever eat it again. hahahaha! but it made for a good memory and a memorable experience. :)

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Stay happy, healthy, and safe!

Love,

Sister Shelton

3 Néfi 15:12 "Ye are my disciples; and ye are a light unto this people..."

One more week of miracles!

Hello everyone!!!

This week has FLOWN BY! I honestly can't even believe that it's Monday again! I don't even really remember what all happened this week! 

I do remember one really great thing happening though! We marked two people for baptism this week! Laís and Cauã. Lais is a 21 year old woman, and she has the cutest baby! The members just adored her baby at church yesterday, and they were all super great, and made Lais feel super welcome! She's really progressing, and really loving church. I'm so excited for her, and I just feel so happy to see her growth!

The other guy is Cauã. Cauã is a 12 year old boy, and he is just super great. He is so smart, and so excited to learn! He also loves the United States, and it's his greatest dream to visit one day. :) I can't wait to see the progress in him!

And lastly, the other crazy thing from this week, is my Sister Training Leader almost died while we were in divisão. (not really, but it was kind of scary.) She touched the rabbit of a member, and then touched her eye, but little did she know that she's allergic to rabbit, and her eye began to swell up, and became super red. Then large bumps started to form on her back, and we had to run to a pharmacy to buy an anti-allergy medicine. After buying some medicine, we ran to a member’s house, and she washed her body with soap and water, and we said a prayer, and after a little bit, she started to return to normal. It was super crazy, and we were both super scared. But luckily, it all worked out, and she was okay. It was definitely a divisao to remember!

Well, I guess that's all for this week. Sorry I don't have pictures to send today. I forgot to bring my cord with me to Recife. (I get to go to the airport tomorrow morning to renew my visa!)

Have a wonderful week!!!

Love,

Sister Shelton

(Also, sorry I don't have a scripture today. I don't have my English book of Mormon with me...)

An Apostle of the Lord

Happy Monday everyone!!!

I hope I can write quickly and still make sense today, because I have so much I want to tell you about from one of the best experiences of my mission so far!

On Saturday we had the opportunity to gather as a mission, and listen to Elder Bednar speak to us. Elder Bednar and his wife, Elder Bassett and his wife (in the area presidency here) and one of the Presidents of the seventy whose name I can't remember at the moment, were all here to speak to us. Also, President Grahl, who was the president of the CTM while I was there, was there translating for Elder Bednar. It was a very spirit filled meeting!

We woke up at 1:45 on Saturday morning to leave the apartment at 3:00, so we could catch the van at 3:45, that took us the 5 hours to Recife. It was super early, and I was super tired, but it was definitely worth it! When we got there we were escorted into the building, and sat silently waiting for Elder Bednar to get there. It was a little hard to sit silently, because it was the first time we've had a conference with the entire mission, and everyone was excited to see each other, but it went good. The meeting was so incredible. It wasn't just a sit and listen to talks kind of meeting. It was a "Elder Bednar asks questions, and we respond, and then we ask questions and the general authorities respond". We talked a lot about the spirit, and how it can work in our lives. One thing I really like that was taught, is that the act of taking the sacrament isn't what forgives our sins. It's what renews our covenant to have the spirit with us, and the spirit is what forgives our sins. 

At the end of the meeting, we all got to shake Elder Bednar's hand, and then we took a picture all together. But even more important than all of that, is that while Elder Bednar was sharing his testimony, he gave an apostolic blessing on us. He blessed us with life-long revelation as long as we seek for it. He also told us that he, as a special witness of Christ, knows that Christ lives. The spirit was incredibly strong, and it was a meeting I will never forget. I am incredibly grateful to have participated in this meeting, and to have learned from one of the Lord's special servants.

I hope you all have a great week, and remember how much we are blessed!

Love,

Sister Shelton

Alma 5:26 "...if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"