Week 69 - May 28, 2018

So, the apocalypse in Brazil has begun.

Photo taken from internet.

Not really, but it feels like it. All the truckers in the country have gone on strike, which may not sound like such a big deal, but it turns out modern society is super reliant on things that are transported by trucks. Like, food and gas and stuff. So there's not more gas at the gas stations. Most people have stopped using their cars. Most of the buses have cut down their hours or have just stopped running all together. Taxi and Uber drivers stopped working. Grocery stores are also running out of bread, milk, and eggs. 

So yeah, things are kinda crazy. But we're fine, we stocked up on extra food, and we just use our legs to go almost everywhere, but it's becoming kind of difficult to get all our investigators to church since a lot of them need rides. And the bus we take to district meetings, which normally passes by every half hour, is now passing by only every hour, so the buses are getting a lot fuller. And for those of you who've never ridden a completely people-packed bus (to the point where you can hardly move your arms), I don't suggest it. But it's kinda good for contacting people, they can't walk away from you.

Oh yeah, and it randomly got crazy cold this week. Which actually makes since, because it's winter, but just last week was still super hot, and then out of nowhere I had to pull out my boots and winter coat and gloves. Sister Coon and I have fallen in the habit of singing Christmas songs, but then we remember that the cold here does not mean Christmas is close, so then we get kind of sad. 

Also, I don't know if any of you remember me talking about Alex and Márcia, a couple from Areal (my last area). We helped them get married and then baptized Márcia, but Alex was still working through some difficulties. Well, I found out that he finally got baptized! About two weeks after I was transferred from the area. I was so happy to hear it, that family is crazy special to me.

I also discovered the name of that language that the people of Native American descent speak hear: Kaigang. Apparently it's spoken by some of the tribes in southern Brazil, but mostly in Rio Grande do Sul. They taught me how to say a few words in Kaigang, but I don't remember any of them.

Well, love you all! Enjoy your available food and gas for me!

Sister Coleman

Week 68 - May 21, 2018

This week was amazing- super hard, but super rewarding. We were having a few difficulties with the ward, trying to involve the members more with our investigators and recent converts and encouraging them to participate more in the missionary work. There were some confusions and complaints from the leadership about some of the people we were teaching, which kinda made us feel like crap for a few days. But Sister Coon and I prayed a lot to figure out how to resolve the problem and gain the trust of the leaders, and we ended up writing a letter to the Bishop, which sounds like something kinda pathetic and not very helpful, but we felt like it was what we should do. As soon as we left the letter at his house, miracles happened. Several members started apologizing for not working with us more and suggested ways that they could help us. The Relief Society President (Carla, one of the best human beings I've ever met) stopped by our apartment to give us cookies and tell us we're loved, and the Bishop called us to say he was sorry for any misunderstanding and that he was very grateful for our work. Then, on Sunday, he gave a talk in sacrament meeting about missionary work, encouraging the members to participate more. I felt so grateful and humble for these leaders and members and the opportunity I have to work with them. They remind me that this really is the church of Christ, and that the more we try to be like Him, the more miracles we'll witness. It was also a very spiritual experience for me, seeing how God is really in the details, inspiring us to write just a simple letter. This work is so wonderful.

Kauã, Junior, and Victoria´s baptism 

Also! I finally got to go to the temple this week...for the first time in more than a year! All my other areas were too far away from the temple, so I was never able to go, but now that I'm finally in Porto Alegre, we get to go once per transfer. It was great, the temple always brings we so much peace. I was surprised to discover that the POA temple is basically identical to the NC Raleigh temple, inside and out. So that was kinda cool, and weird, because it felt like just another youth temple trip.

Porto Alegre Brazil Temple

Pure Joy!

There's this little village/neighborhood in our area with only people of Native American descent that I went to for the first time this week. It was super cool to see, one of the people we were teaching makes and sells baskets and dream catchers for a living. As we were teaching her and her family, her husband walks in and they start arguing in a language that was definitely not Portuguese. (I don't know what tribe they're descended from, so I have no idea what language it was). After the lesson, I said to Sister Coon, "That was so cool! I wish I spoke two languages!" She just kinda looked at me for a minute....

Well, that was my week. Hope y'alls was good too (I'm already practicing my Southern for when I get back.)

Love,

Sister Coleman

Cristal - Minha linda e maravilhosa área

Week 67 - May 16, 2018

Note:  We had such a great visit with sister Coleman on Mother’s Day. She is genuinely joyful and focused on her service. She is doing well, and living her mission.   She also got to attend the temple on Monday, which is why her update is late.  LOVE THIS GIRL!!

What a crazy good week!!! First, we had the baptism of Dhyeron (13) and Sofia (8), a brother and sister who are just the darn cutest. Dhyeron was a street contact, and when the sisters went to his house, they found out that he already knew about the Book of Mormon because his dad was a member that had been inactive for a long time. And that very next Sunday, Dhyeron and Sofia showed up at church with their dad and grandma (also an inative member), all because Dhyeron asked them all to go with him. Ahhh, eleito!! 

And this last week when we were going over the baptismal questions with him, we asked him about the law of chastity, and he pulls out a mini "For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet from his pocket (that someone must have given him at church) and turns immediately to the right page to be able to answer. Like, what, this kid is gonna be an amazing member. And future missionary. And probably bishop or mission president or something too. 

Also, on the night of the baptism, we found out that all the child-sized baptismal jumpsuit things (I don't remember what we call them in English) were dirty, so Sofia ended up having to use an adult size and just roll up the pant legs a whole lot. Poor thing. But she just thought it was funny. And after the baptism, both of them were saying, "I feel so light! And clean. What a blessing Baptism is. 

Then, on Sunday, the recent converts and investigators that we went to wake up and take to church took awhile toget ready, so we were gonna be late for church, so we had to call for an emergency ride from a member. Luckily this member is amazing and wonderfully willing to help us, because it was only one car, and like 6 people to bring to church (not including us two). So that was an experience, but we all got to church, which is the important thing :)

Finally, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! I hope all the mothers out there remember how much power and importance and influence you have in the lives of others and in the plan of our Heavenly Father. And I hope the rest of you remembered to thank your moms for everything they do for you. (Speaking of which: thanks Mom! I love you! You're amazing!)

Boa semana por todos vocês! Até mais!

Sister Coleman

Week 66 - May 7, 2018

THIS WEEK WAS AWESOME! Cristal is an awesome area and Sister Coon is an awesome companion and I am just loving it here. A few highlights from this week:

We had 3 baptisms! First, Kauã, 11 yrs old, whose mom never wanted to let him get baptized but we planned a special lesson for her this week and prayed a whole lot and she finally let him. He was so excited, every day during the week when he saw us he goes, "Sisterrrrrsssss, Saturday is my baptism!!!" Then on Sunday morning when we went to walk with him for church, he goes, "When do I get the gift?" We were like, uhh, what gift? "The Holy Ghost! Duhh!!" That kid cracks me up. The other two baptisms were Junior and Vitória, siblings, 15 and 13 yrs old. They're kind of crazy and hilarious, and were gonna get baptized in a few weeks but they already love the church and wanted to get baptized, so yeah, basically a great start to a new transfer.

Also, funny thing this week. Most of our investigators live in two different neighborhoods here, so Sunday morning it would make since to go to one, pick everyone up there, then go with them to the other neighborhood that's closer to the chapel and pick those people up and then we all go to church together, right? Ok, but there's kind of a big drug war going on between these two neighborhoods, so people living in one can't enter in the "territory" of the other or they run a high risk of getting shot. But a lot of the investigators from both are teens or kids, so they can't walk alone to church. So, we literally spent like 30 mins Saturday night trying to strategize how to get everyone to church. We finally came up with what we call our War Plan, because we felt like Captain Moroni or Helaman coming up with all their clever little battle plans. Let's just say the plan involved a lot of walking, getting up super early, and our ward mission leader basically acting as a babysitter for a little while, but it all worked out and we were able to bring a sizeable group of people to church. Totally worth it. The Lord makes things work when we do our part.

Well, that's about it. I LOVE CRISTAL! I LOVE MY MISSION! I love you all too.

Sister Coleman