I am being transferred to Rio Branco, in the state of Acre. It is a 2 hour plane ride from Manaus.... and since I was in Itacoatiara I had to take a 5 hour bus ride first. I am tired, to say the least. I will be training a Sister from Ecuador and opening an area :) I am sooo nervous!! We are going to arrive in our area and not know ANYTHING!! Sometimes I don´t understand why the Lord placed me with another Sister that is learning Portuguese, to open an area, and to train. I will be learning a lot this transfer!
I was really sad to leave Itacoatiara. One transfer was just too short. The sweet family that we helped marry and baptize cried and cried when I had to say goodbye. I have to admit that I cried as well. I think my purpose there was to just help this one family. I have a love for them that is hard to explain. I love serving a mission, because we get a glimpse of how Heavenly Father feels about each of His children. Other than that I don´t have much too much to report, but I just want to share my testimony that I know Christ lives. He knows each us by name and took upon Himself every pain and affliction. Now it is our job everyday to apply the Atonement in our lives through repenting and keeping the commandments. I know that if we do these things, one day we can return to live with our Father and families for all eternity. Stay happy and safe! Keep on going. Sending my love and prayers!!! XOXO, Sister Bailey P.S. The pictures are saying my goodbyes to the beautiful people of Itacoatiara. And I LOVE mail!! And when your morning exercises consist of a run along the Amazon River!!!! I'm so thankful for this once in a lifetime experience!!
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Morgan did not have much time this week to write, but she asked that we share these photos:
Baptism of a sweet little girl. Her uncle brings her to church every week, and she asked that we teach her because she wanted to be baptized. I ate piranha for lunch yesterday :/!!! Wasn't the most tasty fish ever but wasn't bad either. Oh yeah and here is the terrible cake I made for the baptism... haha! It fell apart when we were walking to the chapel. Remember the family in my branch that named their one dalmatian without spots, Bailey, because I am soooo white compared to the Brazilians here?? hahaha!! Well, I took photos with the puppy (Bailey is the one with fewer spots haha)!! This week flew by!! Monday (p-day... when we don´t have lunch appts.) a sweet family from another branch made us lunch because they love helping out the missionaries. Then after conference on Saturday they took us out from ice cream/dinner!! It made my whole week :)
Tuesday we had interviews with President Castro/Zone Training. My zone consists of three cities... Itacoatiara, Maués, and Parintins. There is one set of Elders each in Parintins and Maués and you can only travel by boat to those cities. The Elders from Parintins had to take a 12 hour boat ride just to get here for interviews and the training. Maués was a 10 hour boat ride!!! They both said it was terrible and almost barfed multiple times! Since it was a long trip for them, President and Sister Castro bought us all dinner and after the training and interviews we just played a bunch of games. It was such a refreshing day!! Then Wednesday, our Sister Training Leaders came. Since they have to travel 5 hours by bus from Manaus they stayed until Monday. There are two sets of Sisters here in Itacoatiara so they split the time between us. It was great to have them here because I learned a ton from them!!! Thursday night I taught my first English class at the chapel. I had a great turn out... Let´s just say it is a whole lot harder to teach English than I thought. Conference was really great!!! I got to watch all the sessions at our chapel. It is crazy to think that last conference I was in the CTM listening with headphones in English because I couldn´t understand yet, but just a few months later I was able to listen in another language. I got some answers that were much needed :) I thought about all of you while I was watching too because I knew you all were doing the exact same thing at the same time.... haha!! Funny Story of the week: My companion hates any type of insect or bug. Well we always have lizards in our house!! She sat in our hammock on April fools day and I yelled, ``Sister there is a lizard on you!!!!!!`` She literally did a 180 degree flip out of the hammock and landed straight on the tile!! I don´t think I have ever laughed so hard, but now every time we have a lizard she makes me catch it:/ I am sure you all missed me on April fools....it is my favorite day haha. But don´t worry I did my fair share of pranks here :) I am so grateful for you all!!! Don´t forget to apply all the things you learned in conference:) Amo vocês!! Com amor, Sister Bailey PS. I can now say see y'all in March and not NEXT March!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ahhh this week was so busy! Monday-Thursday we were running around getting everything ready for the wedding of our investigator. When we went to the Registry office to pick up the wedding document, we were told it wouldn't be ready and signed by the judge until the next TUESDAY!!! After throwing a respectful fit and asking to speak to the judge himself, everything turned out fine. On the day of the wedding, I was so nervous that no one would bring food or the bride wouldn't show up, but everything turned out better than I had hoped. There were tons of people, lots of food, and they were so happy! Afterwards they just kept thanking us over and over. It was a really awesome experience.
Then Saturday our investigator was baptized, and we had lots of people come out to support him! It was a great baptismal service! Sunday, he was supposed to be confirmed but it was pouring rain and they live super far from the chapel. It was 9:10 and he hadn't shown up. I called and he said that if the rain stopped he would pay for a motorcycle taxi and come. I sat there in the middle of sacrament meeting praying like I never had before. Time passed and the rain was just getting stronger. It was 9:50, and I lost all hope. Then, as the last speaker was finishing, our newly baptized member walked in soaking wet! I began to cry because the Lord heard me. He didn't stop the rain like I asked, but He provided a way for our newest member to get to church. I learned that many times the Lord hears and answers our prayers but not always in the way we want :) Almost everyday I am drenched because of the rain, but I am so grateful for the gospel that gives me an eternal perspective on life. I know that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me. I am so grateful for this knowledge. I have to run. Thank you for the prayers!!! I love you all with all my heart :) Love, Sister Bailey P.S. Morgan coordinated everything you see in the wedding picture from the dress, cake, hair, makeup, flowers, party favors, etc. She said it was so much fun! HELLLLLOOO!!
So this week was great :) I am feeling a whole lot better and a lot of funny things happened. The big wedding we are planning is this Thursday!!! We are doing the bride's hair and makeup, we found a dress that fits perfectly! A lady in the branch is making a three story cake, and the branch is doing a big dinner for them. I am praying everything turns out :) Then Saturday is the baptism!! I hit my 6th month mark!!! WAHOOO! Weird to think that this time next year I will be home, because I remember what I was doing this time last year and it feels like yesterday. I have already come to love the people here, but there is one family in the branch that I have already become super close to. Their dalmatian dog had 8 puppies a few weeks ago and now all of the puppies have spots except one She is completely white. They named the white one Bailey (because I am super white compared to the people here) and are going to keep only her :) hahaha I will take a picture with the little puppy this week so y'all can see next week. She is sooo cuute!! And my comp is mad because the family didn't name a puppy after her! Funny story of the week: My companion, our ward mission leader and I were walking at night to visit an investigator. We were walking on a dark road that only has forest on either side. I look down and see a snake slither under my foot!!! I screamed ``cobra (snake)`` and ran!!! My companion then screams and runs the opposite direction. I turn around to see our ward mission leader (a bi,g manly man) jumping up and down and screaming like a girl!!! My companion and I were laughing for a good hour after and still haven´t let him live it down. I just wish we could have gotten his reaction on video. I am doing well... it is crazy to see all the ways I have changed in just six short months. I teach Gospel Principles alone every week, and I don´t feel a bit nervous like I used to before my mission. Talking to strangers, eating weird food, and speaking Portuguese are completely normal now :) I am happy here and just trying my best to be better everyday. Love y'all lots!! Have a great Spring Break!!!!!! Love, Sister Bailey This is my favorite fruit here....the Goiaba!! So this week was a bit hard for me. Itacoatiara is only 5 hours from Manaus but REALLY different. My first lunch appointment on Tuesday was at a member´s home... they live in a little house made out of wood and it does not have a back wall. You just look right into the literal Amazon. We ate fish that he caught for us, rice and beans. I didn't know; however, that I was drinking the tap water. I am so used to the members in Manaus that buy giant jugs of Mineral Water, but here NOOOOO! They just drink straight from the tap. Well let´s just say that I have been sick alllll week. I am still getting used to the differences here. I also learned my lesson to bring my own water from now on.
The Branch I am serving in is small (90 people), but all are super friendly!! I just wish y'all could visit for one Sunday because it is really funny the things that happen... these people here want to serve but have never visited a real ward before so a lot of things happen that really shouldn't. Other than that things are good here. We have an investigator and less active that are going to get married on the 24th of March!! We are planning their wedding and baptism!!! I am super excited about that. Moving to a new area is hard because you have to learn everything over again aka EVERYONE'S NAMES!! And the names here are super different but it is all good :) I really can´t complain because we have a great house, great ward mission leader, and we have lunch everyday! I miss you all so much and thought a lot about you guys this week! I hope everything is well at home!! Have a great week :) Love, Sister Bailey This week sooooo many things happened..
First I was transferred to a smaller city 5 hours outside of Manaus called Itacoatiara. I traveled by bus through the Amazon!!! It was the coolest thing. It was straight forest and rivers... SO PRETTY!!! Itacoatiara is a lot different than Manaus. Only 8 missionaries here and 4 branches. It is not as dangerous as Manaus (thank goodness). The internet is also a lot slower, and it is literally a tiny city on the Amazon River. However... Mom don´t worry they have markets and everything I need :) My new companion is Sister Olortegui from Peru!!! She is so sweet and likes to run wahoooo!!! Finally a companion that will run with me. It was soooo hard to say goodbye to all the people in my previous area. I did not realize how much I really loved the members, recent converts and investigators there until I had to say goodbye. L. Miguel that was baptized a few weeks ago told me that he will serve a mission and that we changed his life completely. K also received the Melchizedek Priesthood yesterday!!! Then our bishop and his family made me a special lasagna and gave me earrings and a few others goodbye gifts. It was really hard to say goodbye, but I am ready to work here in my new area!! I also had the chance to go to the Manaus Temple two times this week!!! We took a family I have been teaching and taught a lesson there at the temple. It was really spiritual, and they loved it!! Sister Benicio left today to return home :( It will be so weird not to have my "mom" here in the mission. She was my STL (sister training leader) last transfer so I was always talking with her and now I can´t just call anytime I want. But I am also super excited for her as well. I need to run because it has been a crazy day with traveling and everything... I haven´t even had enough time to unpack yet. I hope you all have a wonderful week! You all are in my prayers!!! Also I ask that y'all say a special prayer for me here... I am little nervous because the area here was having some trouble and hasn't been baptizing. There are hardly any investigators, so we have to start from ground zero. I am going to be Senior companion, and I feel a lot of responsibility :) Boa Semana!!! I love each of you!! Love, Sister Bailey These past few weeks have been so busy!! I dind´t have time to write last week, so this week I have quite a bit :)
Last Sunday we had the baptism of L. Miguel, the 20 year old that I found while contacting people on the street! He really was sooo prepared to hear the gospel. He studies the manuals of the church, gave up coffee, and wants to serve a mission!!! WHAT?? He already talked to bishop about serving a mission like Sister Bailey and Sister Lira hahaha :) He will start institute this week. Then yesterday we had the baptism of little Em. Her sisters were less actives that we have been working with a ton. Em then started to listen in on our lessons and wanted to be baptized like her sisters. Her mom isn´t a member but fully supports her daughters. It was really sweet when mom pulled us aside privately and thanked us for all we had been doing to help her daughters. She began to cry and tell us that we were an answer to her prayers :) The rainy season in Brazil has definitely arrived!!! It rains every single day!!!! It makes it hard to walk on the roads that are only dirt because it is straight mud. Friday my companion was walking in front on a dirt road and I said, "Sister Lira you are walking too slow... let me lead. It isn´t even muddy." Well, jokes on me, because two steps after I said that I sunk up to my calves in mud/dirt. hahahahahaha!!! See picture below! This week we had a divison with our STLs... one of which is Sister Benicio, my former companion. She goes home on Monday so it was fun to spend a day with her. We made brownies and spent hours talking!! It was a nice change of pace. This Saturday we should get calls about transfers... I think I will stay here and finish the training of Sister Lira. I can´t believe I have already been in this area for 4 months! Time is sure flying. I hope you all have a great week!! I wanted to share two scriptures with you all... Revelations 21:3 - 4 and 1 Corinthians 2:9 :) I know that The Lord is watching out for yáll. Just continue to obey Him. Com amor, Sister Bailey This transfer is flying by!!! I can´t believe it is already halfway through. My filha (companion) and I are finally in the swing of things and are teaching a lot better together. The beginning of this week was Carnival... a holiday here in Brazil that I don´t really understand. Some missionaries in the big cities of Brazil aren´t allowed to work during this time, but here it isn´t too bad. Just a lot of drinking and people in the streets, so it was a little hard to work. However, now everything has returned back to normal.
Yesterday at church something really amazing happened... when I arrived in this Ward in October, the number of people at sacrament meeting was 100 or maybe 110. Yesterday there was 187 people!!!! It was so amazing to see our chapel full. I know it wasn´t just because of our efforts as missionaries, but because our ward has really come together and all worked together to bring non-members and less actives. This week I had a lot of expierences where I knew The Lord was watching out for me. Our investigators are progressing and this Sunday we will have a baptism!!! His name is Miguel and was a contact I made on the street... actually it was a contact with his mom. I felt super impressed to talk to her as we walked by, so I stopped. As I began to talk with her I realized that she wasn´t interested at all in our message, I and was a little bummed since I had felt a really strong impression to talk to her. Just as I was about to leave, her 20 yr old son walked out and began talking to us. He has a friend that is serving a mission and wanted to learn more about our church!! Now this Sunday he is getting baptized :) I learned to always follow the promptings we get. This Wednesday my companion and I are going to make a huge dinner and cake for a less active girl in our ward. It is her 12th Birthday and her family doesn´t have any money to get her anything/make her a cake, so we are going to throw her a party!!! I love serving a mission because I am literally helping people everyday. It is the greatest thing!!! Have a great week :) I love you all so much!!! XOXOXO Sister Bailey |