Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Great start to 2014

Hello hello to everyone one!?

New Years sounds like it was good! Here it just meant that people went to parties till 6 or 8 in the morning. And there were 30 seconds of fireworks at midnight. It was a bigger deal than Christmas, stores were actually closed on new years day.

Thanks for the emails and the kind words of encouragement they mean so much to me. And I am excited for my package whenever it will come. :) Also that is great that the missionaries were over! That is awesome that you guys are helping them. If you meet a sister from Canada who's last name i forget ... I knew her in the mtc! haha I  know that is a far stretch! :)

So the pictures I sent are from Cidade Velha where we went this morning. Our district went and it was way cool! I got to see the church and fort I was studying for my art history class before I came. I loved it. But then it got SO HOT and I was dying. It was a super cute little city there that was so quaint. And part of it was like a jungle.

I want to talk about a woman named Lucia. So I think a week or two ago we were teaching her brother tetoy and she popped her head in the lesson for 1 second. The member with us Eugenio asked her 'Hey when are the sisters going to talk to you?' We marked an appointment for the following week to return to her Mom's house (Sylvania who is a member) to teach her. Well the day came and no one was home and we don't know where Lucia's house is. Lucky for us our area is small and almost everyone knows the other people here. So we just go up the street to a little shop and ask someone where she lives, and they say she lives more up the hill. Okay not super clear directions. Anyway we keep asking people and after about 20 or 30 minutes we find her house and she was home! (Normally she is working at this time) And her mom was there too! Purrrrfect. We teach the first lesson and it was awesome. It was so funny something she said. After we were testifying about the prophet Joseph Smith and the church she asked "you guys are confident your church is true?" Obviously we replied yes. She was just like wow, I have never actually had anyone tell me they believe their church is true! haha  I guess the other missionaries of other faiths who visited her never said that! Anyway jump forward a couple days and we taught her again. And she is sooooo prepared for the gospel. She accepted baptism and wants to get married to the father of her children and have them all be active in the church. YES. And in the lesson she was defending the church when she was arguing with her twin sister about the catholic church. What? okay! But THEN when we invited her to church she said she didn't know because she normally works on Sundays selling bananas. We told her if she comes God will bless her and that she should really try to go. Well on Sunday morning we didn't go to pick her up or anything and she goes to church! And in relief society (which is first for us) they invite her to stand and introduce herself. She talks about how it was her first time at church, and also how it was a miracle because her husband (who we never taught or invited and she said had no desire to go to any church) came too! WHAT?? Me and sister Valenzuela could not believe what we were hearing! She started tearing up with joy and was testifying how God answered her prayers, all the ladies in relief society were cheering and clapping so excited for her!!! Our investigator is 100% pure gold. Oh my goodness it was crazy. And also her brother Tetoy came and their mom Sylvania (who is so sweet and so humble) was just so very happy. It was an awesome Sunday. Hope everyone had a good first Sunday of 2014 too. :)

That was long but was just a few of the many miracles we are receiving. WE ARE SO BLESSED. I have no doubt at all that this is the work of the Lord. He LOVES His children and He just wants to bless us. When we are obedient the blessings will come.

Okay everyone have a good week and remember that I love you guys!! I heard Utah is receiving a ton a snow, so drive safe!

com meu amor,
Sister Turner

ps thanks for the gauze grandma & grandpa. I broke my toenail when I accidentally kicked a piece of tile on the ground. Anywho its all good now, and that gauze came in handy!

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