08.26.13 Oi!

Hey family so I have some news about my VISA nothing great so don't get too excited! Well, my mission president came down to have me sign some criminal papers so they can start processing my visa papers but I swear I already did that. He told me that there are a million people waiting for their VISA's because of the world cup. He doesn't sound to positive about it because there are some VISA waiters that have been here for 6 months and so I have no clue if I will ever make it to Brazil especially since we did my papers through Los Angeles which is the slowest place right now. However, on the other hand two sisters from my district in the MTC got there VISA's this week so I really have no clue... I am not sure if I will ever go to Brazil but I can only just wait. 

The members here are wonderful though they all said they would help me out with winter clothes because they know I do not have any. It is still pretty hot here but I just have a feeling I will be here for a long time so I will need winter clothes. I am not going to lie it is making me a little sad that it is taking so long and that I probably won't ever get my VISA. But its when I am busy and working that I don't worry about it. 

This week was great it rained really hard one day that we had a flood warning. We also had bible study at the church and only us missionaries showed up haha it was sad, we need people to start going. Anyways, transfer calls were Friday. My trainer is leaving :( but we are getting a new sister she is wonderful too! I don't think I will be getting transferred for awhile. I like it here though so its good.

I can't believe how big the kids are getting and about all the changes back home. I am grateful for a lot of things, I wen to a podiatrist this week just so you know, it was worthless I should have known he just told me to get better shoes. I did order the sandals that I have been looking for though a member helped me with that. The sandals are for brazil because it rains so much there, but I got permission to wear them here by my mission president because my feet suck Which is good since I probably won't ever be in Brazil but the Lord knows better then me and so He knows I have a purpose here in Michigan. We have been doing a lot of door knocking this week and have been given so many sweets, I 'm FAT! haha so much food!! We are spoiled here. I love how us and the Elders can work together because we always get close to their investigators haha but we are all just one big family in my opinion. There is this family here who the elders have been teaching two of the girls got baptized last week I sent you the pictures one of them reminds me of me because she has an attitude haha but she is great they all are. There 7 year old daughter is probably more hyper than Marcel which is saying a lot! She probably beats Marcel really, yesterday I was trying to take a picture of them and my trainer who is leaving and she comes up and rips my name tag off and is scratching everyone with these pocky balls haha I put the name tag on her and said do not take it off bcz I knew she wouldn't give it back. She didn't take it off but then when her dad walked out she comes up to me and gives it back haha. 

The people here are great! Its wonderful! I hope you are all doing well... I am learning so much, this truly is life changing. 

Mom that is so neat that you got that letter. I will just bear my testimony to you all and maybe you can share it with them I don't really know. 

Well the mission is definitely different than what I thought it would be. Waiting for my VISA I can honestly say I have more patience than I ever had before. It has taught me to put full trust in the Lord. I had a moment of doubt when I realized that my VISA may not come through and I wondered why would Heavenly Father make me wait so long. But I realized then, that He wasn't mad at me or disappointed but that He was hurting with me. He knows my pains and He is always willing to comfort me in my time of need. As a missionary others come first, but sometimes you yourself need the comfort of the Lord and He is always willing and ready to wrap His arms around you. I never told you guys this but in the MTC there was one night I felt very alone. I didn't have anything in common with my companions I hadn't gotten any letters for a week and I felt low. I cried to the Lord that night for comfort and I instantly felt a light and warm feeling overcome me. It felt like angels were hugging me and I was re-assured that I am never alone. The Lord is with me as long as I leave my heart open for Him. His work cannot be done without His hand guiding me. I often like to close people off when I am upset or frustrated but I cannot do that with the Lord because without Him there is no reason to be on a mission. He is apart of every aspect of my life and I am grateful to know how caring He is. The Book of Mormon is true, I know this because I pray about it everytime I read it and the Spirit testifys to me that it is true. Some people want me to question my beliefs and they try to tell me there is no God. I may not know every scripture reference or every lesson in the scriptures, but I do know with full confidence that there is a God, and nobody can ever make me doubt that. I have realized that the world is a sad place because people make it that way, people use their agency poorly. But through the Savior we can experience hope and joy. I am grateful for this gospel it is my life! I love minha familia! And I am honored to be the Lord's servant. 

Eu te amo!! 

Sister Gonzales

08.19.2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATTEO!  I am sure it was a ton of fun! I am glad he got my letter too! This week we had a baptism! Brenden Vandenboss he is the 9 year old we have been teaching. That day I have never seen him more excited. He was beaming it was neat. We had to go three hrs early because we had to fill the fuant and it takes that long to fill. That was the last day we didn't have a car so on our way walking home we were able to talk to this nice young man who asked some really good questions about the church, hopefully we run into him again, because he said he didn't have a phone.

 Also I was able to meet with the lady from Brazil this week. We talked a little in Portuguese, she said she understood me and I will be fine. I recited to her "our purpose" in Portuguese, it is in Preach my Gospel Marcos and Angela probably know what I am talking about. Anyways it was really cool talking to her and hopefully we can meet with them again. haha of course I want to teach them and get them baptized but I just think it would be so fun to just spend the day with her and the lady we door knocked into they are so fun! Oh the lady we door knocked into her name is Barbara she said she lived in Santa Barbara for awhile too! Well she said the lady that lives across the street is from Sao Paulo, We are going to have to go door knock into her soon, and I said wow I cant believe there are Brazilians in Michigan and she said, there's a Brazilian of them. haha Yay! 

Our ward here had a huge yard sale for the boys scouts we went and helped out for a bit, I got to use my Spanish and talk to this guy from mexico about the church. I thought that was pretty cool, I am getting better at not mixing spanish and Portuguese together anymore. Transfer calls are this Friday, but I don't think I will be getting transferred, And I will also be officially done with training! That will be weird...

So yesterday there were two baptisms, these two daughters from a family that the Elders are teaching, but we talk to them a lot because it is a family full of daughters. They were 15 and 12 we got to stand behind the baptismal font and watch from the stairs because their mom wanted us to stay there so she could watch from the front. It was neat standing there and seeing it from that perspective and being able to congratulate them right after they get out of the font. We also got to perform a musical number. I played the piano of course but we sang when I am baptized. It was a nice baptism. Also  the Elder that found this family and who got really close to them was able to come down and baptize one of the girls. He is an awesome Elder and the members were so excited to see him again. It was pretty cool.

Well it was a great week, we did a ton of door knocking. We door knocked yesterday and this old man said to come in, he had an ash tray next to him and he was smoking. He kept repeating the same thing, we talked to him for a little, I just felt so bad for this man when we left. It was just so sad to see this old man, spending his sunday afternoon alone smoking. It was just a sad sight. 

Well on a more uplifting note, this week with the investigator we practice songs with we are learning a child's prayer. She loved that song. I am getting better at the piano and my companion asked me how long I took piano lessons and I thought about it and really I only took piano lessons for 3 years. She was shocked haha I am too that is not a long time really, I know I would be so much better if I didn't quit but because I can still play I am going to stick with it and practice when I can become better...

Oh yea yesterday our ward mission leader had us all over for dinner and we made waffles, it was fun! It was a busy and good week. Also on thursdays its my fala sua lingua dia! Entonces I get to talk to the other VISA waiters on the phone for 10 mins in portuguese. It was good to talk to them because we can all relate and talk about how we are feeling, something only we understand. One Sister told me how she just was feeling really anxious that her heart started to hurt because she really want to be in Brazil, then she told me she had a powerful prayer and felt much better after. People keep asking me if I am getting anxious, and I am not really, I was anxious on day one haha but I am not worrying about it as much as before because I have no control over it... Anyways thank you familia por tudo! 

Eu te amo! 

Sister Gonzales 

08.12.13

Hola Familia, Como vai? 

Well it sounds like everyone is getting ready to go back to school and work and what not. Sounds fun! This week we got an unexpected call that we are on car rotations and so we have been walking everywhere. It is very rainy today, so it was fun walking in the rain. This is all prepping me for brazil. I have nasty cuts and bug bites on my legs too. Transfer calls will benext Friday! So, I could be getting transferred somewhere else, hopefully Brasil haha but who knows. 

Well this week we met with a referral who is a direct descended of Joseph Smith but is also excommunicated.   She was a nice lady but definitely sad. The whole time I was thinking what can I do, I am just a kid, how can I help this lady with all that she's been through. And later that week our district leader shared two scriptures with us, 1 Cor:1:27 and D&C 35:13 " 13 Wherefore, I call upon the weak things of the world, those who are unlearned and despised, to thresh the nations by the power of my Spirit;" Well I got my answer. I just thought that was amazing. I also got to practice a little bit of street contacting since we are walking and we got to go to a community thing they were holding, with free stuff haha. But it was good. 

Man do people like to talk forever though. But I guess they really just need to get things off their chest. We had to drop an investigator who was suppose to get baptized Saturday. It is like she is a completely different person now. Its sad to see how much Satan got a hold of her. She called us chewing us out, although I was on the phone with her and just saying how we need to stay out and leave her alone. Its just sad because the whole time she was yelling I could not feel the Spirit and I knew it was Satan and it is a shame. But on the other hand we had Zone Conference this week and one of the things we learned I just love, it was about following the example of Nephi and Sam... "Re-double your faith when adversity comes: Re-double effort, try again in faith and succeed." So that was not going to get me discouraged....We do however, have a baptism on Tuesday! And I am looking forward to that. It is going to be great...it is the 9 year old boy we have been teaching and his whole family is going to be there. But I really do see how hard Satan works with those coming closer to baptism. But the Lord is mighyter and we must always put our faith in Him. 

As you have seen from the pictures toto y jeanie came on monday...haha what a surprise! It was nice though we went out for lunch and what not, they are so nice to come and see me. There are some nice people here in michigan. Yesterday this lady we door knocked into saw us walking and offered us some lemonade haha people are all nice...Although the other day we were helping a less-active at her house she lives more in the ghetto, well I was helping her put up signs which I probably shouldn't have been and that is why my leg got cut, but it was not a very comforting neighborhood to walk into, but not the worst either. We did however, get one new investigator there, another latino! yay! haha.. we met some nice people there it was good. 

Members have been nice though, giving us rides when we need them. Especially the veijas haha eu amo! This older lady picked us up from the less-actives house, and took us to a Chinese buffet haha and then gave us pie. She is so sweet, esnerio we are spoiled I love the veijas, also my fortune cookie said, that my dearest wish will come true..which means Brazil! haha who knows but thats what it said. I am happy being here I know that I am spoiled here. 

Well anyways, This week we have a baptism and I should be meeting with that lady from Brazil   it is going to be another great week! Eu espero! Oh on Sunday we taught Sunday school and it went pretty well, we taught about the Holy Ghost.... I have also been studying the questions to the soul that is found in Preach my gospel and one of them is how do I balance my career and family. The answer is in 3 Nephi 13 I love that chapter but the verses that I really like are " 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father, who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." I love this verse because sometimes nobody appreciates what we do or is grateful I am sure mom feels this way, but the Lord is aware of what we do and sees all and he will openly bless us. I also love these verses: 

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

He knows are needs and will take care of us, I know Heavenly Father loves each of us, and I am grateful to be on a mission. It truly is the hardest thing I have ever done but I know it is making me a better person, and I am learning a lot about myself and about how much my Heavenly Father loves me. and how much I appreciate my family! 

Eu amo minha familia! 

Obrigada por tudo! 

Sister Gonzales