Olá, it’s me again! This week was fun and full of discovery as we learned more about the area where we are serving and the people here. It was also a very different week with me being in a trio for 2 days and having a surprise dinner with President and Sister Martins. 

Sister Leopoldes received a calling this transfer of LTS (Sister Training Leader) which is basically a Zone Leader but for Sisters. On Monday, we learned that she would be in Recife attending a leadership meeting. Originally we thought this meant a road trip and the two of us would have a 6-hour bus ride to President’s house. But, plans changed at the last minute and I ended up staying with Sister Fuller and Sister Brewer here in Arcoverde. It was really fun being a little trio of Americans who all only have 4 months of experience together for two days. We each had moments where we knew that the gift of tongues was real.  But we also had lessons where afterward we were all like “I have no idea what they were saying, I just kept nodding my head and smiling, occasionally throwing in an ‘exatamente’.” It was all good though and we even found some new friends that accepted a date for baptism! 

On Friday morning, President sent us a message and said that he and Sister Martins would be coming to Arcoverde and eating dinner in our house on Saturday. We were both very concerned wondering, “What did we do? Are we in trouble?” We spent all of Friday night and Saturday morning cleaning everything as best we could and even came home just a few minutes early to shower after a full day of walking in 90° weather. Everything went really well though and I had a lot of fun. It turns out, he was just passing through Arcoverde for a meeting in another area. He bought us pizza and soda and invited the other sisters too. It was one big party! 

Nothing else really exciting happened last week. Just walking, getting lost, burning, and sweating. Tonight we have to leave for Zone Conference which is tomorrow and should be really good. President is going to teach us all how to sing because he wants us to dedicate a part of our teaching hours every day to go caroling Christmas hymns. Sister Leopoldes isn’t too happy about it, she says that’s a strictly “American thing.” But I’ll find some way to make her love it!

One thing that we’ve been doing as a mission is studying a different miracle of Christ every day until Christmas. We started with turning the water into wine. Going into this study I had the mindset that this was one of the “small” or “easy” miracles. But as I studied I realized that it really isn’t. He did something that should not have been possible. There is nothing “small” or “easy” about it. In our lives, we experience many miracles but sometimes we’re just looking too high to see them. We should have just as much gratitude for the “small” miracles in our lives as we have for the “big” ones. I know that this is something I definitely need to work on as a missionary but in everyday life too. I challenge all of you to think of and look for “a miracle of Christ” in your life.

That’s all folks, Tchau tchau for now!

Com amor, 

Sister Alyssa Grace

Arcoverde, Brasil 

Boa tarde! This week was adventure-filled and I loved it. But first I want to thank everyone who thought of me this week and sent me e-mails. I adored reading them all and felt so much love. I hope with the coming Christmas season, we can all feel and participate in sharing the love of Christ more. 

Now, my week. First, all week we were preparing to close the area. We found out that Sister Leopoldes and I would be staying together and opening a new area in Arcoverde. Bom Conselho became an area for Elders so we were trying to correct addresses, get phone numbers, and warn all the people we’re teaching about the change. The ward there was very sweet and threw us a little farewell party with Brazilian Barbeque, Ping Pong, and card games. I taught everyone how to play Slap Jack and then destroyed them all, it was fun.

Friday was transfer day. We woke up at 3:30 am and were supposed to catch a van, then catch a bus, then catch another bus, to end up in Arcoverde at 4 pm. Unfortunately, all of the buses broke down and after a day of prolonged panic and stress, we arrived in Arcoverde at 11 pm. What has added to the fun is that our new phone number hasn’t been set up yet and our area book hasn’t been updated. All of this means that we don’t know where we are, where we are going, who we are teaching, or who to reach out to for help. Luckily there is another set of sisters working here in Arcoverde too, and we were able to follow them around all of Saturday and Sunday. 

On Saturday, we met one family in the ward and they were so welcoming and already had several references for us. The people here are so eager to help the missionaries and expand their ward family. One of the members of this family was an exciting 5-year-old who did not want to learn our names. The first thing she said to all of us was that she was going to give us all new names. Sister Brewer is now Sister Barbie, Sister Fuller is Sister Elsa, Sister Leopoldes is Sister Rapunzel, and I am Sister Cinderella. I don’t know if those names are based on personality, physical resemblance, or the colors of our dresses but whatever the reason, it’s still very sweet.  

On Sunday, we all ate lunch at a member’s house. With 4 missionaries it was a tight fit and half the family had to eat on the couch but it was a fun chaos. Since 3 of the 4 sisters here are new they were asking us lots of questions. Sister Brewer, Sister Fuller, and I are all from the United States. But apparently, compared to the other two, I don’t look American. At least according to this family. When I said “Sou dos Estados Unidos” they looked at me and said you don’t have the face of an American, you look like a Viking. Now I’m officially Sister Viking in the eyes of 4 people here in Arcoverde which is honestly pretty great. 

I love getting new titles and learning how other people see me. I also love creating and learning new names for other people too. One of the best people with the best names is Jesus Christ. I love that he has so many titles. It shows that he is everything for everyone because he did everything for everyone. This coming month is one especially focused on Him and we have this opportunity to learn about Him and try to become a little bit more like Him too.  

2 Nephi 19:6

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

I hope you all cherish this coming Christmas and remember to give yourself the best gift of all: the gift of coming to know Christ.

That’s all folks, Tchau tchau for now!

Com amor, 

Sister Alyssa Grace

Arcoverde, Brasil