Sisteres Airline flight crew

Wow! What a crazy week! it´s a bit ridiculous really. So much happened! I don´t know where to start!

My companion planned a bomb activity with our ward! We set it up like an airplane. (Sisteres Airline)...the whole shebang and then there was turbulence and the plane was going to crash and they had to write their final words in one minute! Then we ripped them up and everyone was heartbroken. My companion compared this to what we do when we choose not to read the scriptures, when we choose to ignore the words that prophets gave their lives for. This is what we are doing. They aren´t just there in case we get bored and have nothing better to read. They are there, because God wants us to have them, because He knows what we´re up against in this world and knows how best to help us. 

<3 My Valentines Day was great! I opened presents from my Mom! Thank you! You are the sweetest Mumma ever! When I have my own family (when I add to the awesomeness we already  have), we are going to love to love the way you taught us to love to love! IL OVE YOU!!! HAPPY BELATED VALENTINES DAY!!!

Sister Chadwick and I explained that in the US Valentines Day isn´t just for people you´re in love with, but Brazil has a different day for people who are in love and I think it´s in June... But then Sister Chadwick and Sister Gonzaga had a surprise for Sister Farias and me! They made some Brazilin dessert and  danced around singing to "Can you feel the love tonight!" It was so sweet of them and funny too!

It RAINED finally!!!  And then it rained and rained and rained and we had a blast and we got soaked and we weren´t hot and we ran through the streets laughing and waded through water and were happy! The sun is back, but it´s all good, because...it does rain...sometimes!

Our friends who were baptized!  This week they were confirmed and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost. They are two AMAZING young women! I am so happy for them!

OKAY! That´s all I have time for this week! Stay awesome everyone! I LOVE YOU!

Love,

Sister Arthur

Why doesn't everyone know about IT? 
Why Isn't IT in the Media? Why isn't IT everywhere?

Zone Meeting

Wow! What a week of miracles! Crazy, crazy awesomeness! This week, the two girls we´ve been teaching got baptised! They are very excited, and I have a picture, but I don´t want to put it up without asking them, so hopefully next week you will see. I made american chocolate chip cookies for their baptism (with some variation, because the ingredients are different here) and everyone loved them. They were literally gone in three minutes and a bunch of people asked for the recipe. I was worried they wouldn´t like them, because they´re so different.

Our friend from Africa is still meeting with us and just loving everything we teach him. Oh my gosh! He´s so cool I don´t even know how to explain it. We were discussing the Book of Mormon the other day and he said "I just don´t understand. If all the answers are here, why doesn´t everyone know about it? Why isn´t it in the media? Why isn´t it everywhere? Why are there so few Mormons?" So, he´s starting to get it! I explained to him that that´s why we´re here, because so many people have questions that have gone unanswered for years, like his and we know where they can find the answers!

I sent this picture of a peach, because
even the fruit that is the same is just not
quite the same. I don't know if you can
tell, but it has a...tail? Haha.
I just find this interesting!

An old convent that I and whichever other sister feels
she can make it, run to in the morning.
It's AWESOME! It sits on top of a big hill and has a
steep cobblestone pathway, so if the other missionary
doesn't think she can make it, I just run up and down the
first half of the pathway until it's time to go back home.
I love running in the morning, because our apartment
likes to keep the heat and it's much cooler outside
than inside, plus, who doesn't like to run?
Haha! LOTS of people I know...all three sisters included.

Also, It´s much harder to send letters from here (it includes a long...long...P day consuming wait in line at the post office....), so I really appreciate everyone´s letters, and I will try to respond, but it may take a long time. I LOVE YOU ALL! GOD BLESS!

Love, 

Sister Arthur

P.S. If you are going on a mission to Brazil and people tell you you will be able to wear sandals, don´t believe it unless your mission president specifically says it´s okay. At least in my mission, it´s not okay, because your feet get dirty and you could get...I don´t even know...some kind of nasty parasite or sickness. How´s that for motivation to wear shoes?!?! Haha. It´s all good. Staying healthy here.

I always wanted to serve in Africa...but guess what? 
...He sent Africa to me! 

On my way to the Mission Office to leave for Brazil
~The Camerons. The host family I lived with in California

So there are lots of cool, crazy, different things about Brazil, but what I~m really excited about are the people we~re teaching. I love them so much, and they are so exciting!

Cool story; The other day a man came up to my companion and I and said "hey, you~re the Mormons! you~re the mormons, right?" We were trying to catch the bus, so we were in a rush, but we stopped to talk to him. My first thought "when someone comes looking for the missionaries it~s either really  good or really bad...." So I was prepared for either one. And guess what? I always wanted to serve in Africa, but was determined to love wherever God chose to send me, but guess what? He sent Africa to me! Meca is from Nigeria, and he is amazing! He is searching for peace and God and greener pastures, and he said "ignorance will never be an excuse for me." He wants to know everything. He said he~s seen our church buildings a few times, but always thought "forget it. I won~t  go in." But when he saw us, he said to himself "this time I will not let the opportunity pass me by," so he came running after us, and we are teaching him now. We haven~t taught him much, but he is so sincere and really wants to know the truth. Also...English is his native language, so my companion gets to experience my life when we teach him. It~s hard to understand another language when there are so many accents and people speak fast. We help each other out though, and Meca does too. OH man! He~´s awesome!

Silly Sisters
Sister Gonzagas ~Brazil, Sister Chadwick ~Utah/ Alaska (also dying like me,)
Sister Farias my companion from Brasilia, and me.

Language: Portuguese is hard, but I~m glad I~ve already had the experience of being thrown into a language without first being fluent. Sister Farias was very surprised at my lack of frustration with myself. Of course I want to be better, but I know that it takes time and that being excited about the progress I am making is important. She was like " that~s what I told my last companion, but she just didn~t get it" I told her it wasn~t my first time, but I did know a lot more German when I got to Germany. All the members are nice, and patient and the people we teach are too.

ITANHAE'M ~The area I am in now.

Some other people we~re teaching are these three girls. They first were really excited to set up an appointment with us so they could get a picture with an American. Well, we did that and then we taught and they are excited about the gospel and being involved in activities. It~s awesome how there really are people who have been prepared to receive the gospel. They are so sweet and funny!

...they asked if I wanted to meet Dane.

Everyone asks to know my first name, but no one can say it. I am Seester Ah r toor on the mission. My companions~getting close on the correct pronunciation.

Quick story for the Lamberts:

The single dollars that they gave me are no longer in use. they have coins for those now; I tried to use them on the bus, but the driver wouldn~t take them. After I gave him other money, a guy on the bus paid me a functional 2 real for two of the old ones. he thought it was so cool! Also, tell them that the money they gave me saved my butt the first few days I was here. My bag got lost among the missionaries and in it was my money and pretty much everything else important. Thankfully, I got it all back, but it took a little while, so I lived off the money they gave me in the meantime. Tell them thank you to the max!

Oh my gosh! There is so much excitingness going on and so little time to write!

I hope everyone is doing well and staying happy! When I arrived, my mission president asked if I had a special testimony that this is where God wants me to be and I was like ^"ummm....nah." But I really know NOW that this is where I~m meant to be. I love the people and it~s hard physically and mentally, but I know I can do it. 

Be strong my friends"

Hey, I might have some family connections here
through my Portuguese uncle, Mario Alves:)

Love,
Sister Arthur

p.s. Mumma, I don't expect you to mail packages to Brazil, but if you do...I need as much Gatorade Powder as I can get! (Water is not enough to keep one hydrated in this heat.)

There's a strange orange...They eat them green here...and they~re not that good, but whatever.