Time is Flying!!!

Well, here we go.

Monday: Was crazy. We were shopping all day. And mom knows how I feel when we go shopping all day. Needless to say, it was not the most relaxing P-Day. But, Sister Rojas wanted to buy an outfit for going home. Which I don't understand why she wants a new outfit because I want my family to see the tired, worn out looking, hard working missionary that I will be. So I don't think I'll buy anything new. I'll just wear my nicest, used outfit. :P
Then, that night, we had an FHE with Natara and her family. It was fun to teach Fabio again and to play with Matheus. He's definitely my amigo.

Tuesday: We had to be at our stake center for interviews with Presidente Broadbent at 8 in the morning. We got there, had a little training on some of the changes that are going on, and then the interviews started. He wanted time to really get to know each of us personally, so they were longer interviews. We had to leave to get lunch and then come back to finish interviews. He is just so awesome. He reminds me a lot of President Pingee, which is a really good thing. I already have a lot of confidence and trust in him, and I can tell that he has a lot of confidence and trust in us as missionaries too.
When we finally got done, it was 5 o'clock- aka, game time. We waited for the Knight Bus for about forty minutes. We could hear everyone's reactions. They were not very happy. By the time we got back, it was time for the second half to begin. Our mission president gave us permission to watch, and told us that he felt like we should stay inside after for our safety. We heard from people that the score was 5-1. So we got to our street and were going to drop something off for some members that are just a few houses down from us, but they insisted on having us watch the second half with them. My eyes kinda glazed and I kinda zoned out and ate pretzels instead of actually watching. But! All is well!! We ate pizza with them afterwards which was pretty yummy. Then we walked to our house, about 40.6 seconds away.
Our District Leader, Elder Hales, calls about every night to make sure we are doing well and to offer pieces of advice and check up on how we are doing with our goals. So, we answered when he called. He was the last interview with Presidente Broadbent, and they got a ride back home! Why? The Assistentes, who were also helping out with the interviews, started getting calls from missionaries. One set of American elders called and said that they were walking back to their home after the game, and some drunk people in the street starting yelling at them, thinking they were German. "Go back to your country! I'm gonna beat you up! We don't want you here!" and started running after them. But, as Elder Hales assured us, "They're fine. Its not that hard to outrun drunk people." But there were several calls like that, so the Assistentes started calling everyone to make sure things were safe and help out and stuff. And I was just eating pizza.
Don't worry, everyone is fine :)

Wednesday: Well, all of the people who were drunk enough to chase down servants of the Lord on Tuesday probably had lots of headaches and were sleeping and avoiding daylight, so things were pretty calm and normal, and everyone thinks I'm American anyway.
And man, we ate so much food Wednesday. I have never been so full on my mission. I don't think that I even made a snack before bed because I was so full.
We had a lesson with Fabiana where we read from the Book of Mormon, and they fed us a ton of food. That family is so sweet and amazing :)
Then, we taught Bryan with his mom, Irmã Roberta. That was pretty fun. He didn't go to church the Sunday before, so we taught him about the Sabbath day. I remember at one point going, "Do you want to be baptized or not Bryan?" and he said that he wanted to be baptized. So then I said, "Then you have to go to church. If you really want to be baptized, you'll go to church."
By the way, *spoiler alert* Bryan came to church this Sunday.
Then, we went to Irmã Carmen's house so that Sister Rojas and Sister Laura could say goodbye. And we ate pizza. And there may have been a few tears shed. And then, we went home.
And I just kept thinking... man, that was a rough goodbye. I don't want to say goodbye!! I don't want my mission to end!! I'll just say tchau-zinho.

Thursday: Basically, all of our appointments happened!! Booyah! We taught Marcel, and then we taught the grandma of Irmão João, Maria. We taught the Plan of Salvation, and boy, she loved it. She understood everything a lot more, and even basically taught part of it herself. Thats the best thing ever! When investigators teach themselves, and you just testify.
Then, we taught Marco. When we invited him to church, he said he couldn't because he had somewhere to be in the morning. Where? Catholic church. Haha, oh well.
Then, we had a member present with Irmã Adriana teaching Maria Helia that night. We taught part of the Plan of Salvation, up to the Atonement, as its a really long and informative lesson. It was very spiritually powerful, and I loved it. After, Irmão Marcelo (who lives on the same street as her) gave us all a ride home. Booyah!

Friday: We went on exchanges! Sister Carazas was in my area. We helped Natara make some stuff for Matheus' birthday, and got to eat some of it too. YUM. Then, we had an impromptu lesson with Fabio. We shared 1 Néfi 3:7 with him, and talked about how he needs to follow the example of Néfi and go and do! He really liked it, and seemed more motivated to really search and find out for himself, and to stop smoking.
Then, we had a lesson with Vitor about the Sabbath Day. He still hasn't gotten his answer yet, but we aren't gonna give up on him! He understood pretty well, and gave us some peanut butter!!!! FOLKS, peanut butter!! Which is a rare find here in Brasil, folks. Expensive too. I was pretty happy.
Then, we taught Zenaide about the Sabbath day too.
Go to church, people. What can I say more?

Saturday: We taught Vinicius and Gustavo, who are two kids that will be baptized on July 27th!!! They are so cute and excited for their baptisms. Then, we were trying to find a street without our map because we'd left our map at home. And so we stopped a guy in the street. He had no idea where the street was, but goes, "Y'all are Mormons, right?" And we are all like"Yupp, definitely."
"Cool! I ordered some book... Mormon Book? Book of the Mormons? I don't remember, but I ordered it two months ago and it still hasn't shown up. From that mormon website too!" Say whaaaat?
We talked to him for two hours in the street, taught him the Restoration lesson and part of the Plan of Salvation, and invited him to be baptized on the 27th of this month.
It was AWESEOME! He is so prepared, and the Spirit was leading us that whole time.
I'm not even mad that he lives in a different area. I'm really not. I just can't wait to hear about his baptism :)

Sunday: Church was good, but nobody wanted to come this week. We did have Vinicius and Gustavo, and then a member brought Victoria and Kailaine. They are 11 and 12 I believe. We taught them later that day, and man. They are so prepared. For 11 and 12, they sure are very spiritually mature. Kailaine has already investigated about three other churches. She didn't like them because "They just go to eat food" or "They just go there to chat not to pray!" But she likes ours because she feels like she is in God's presence there.
We taught them right through the final game of the World Cup, and they both want to be baptized. The mom of Kailaine, though, has firmly told us that Kailaine cannot be baptized until she is 18 years old. But! Miracles are real, and prayer always works. We will continue praying for her.

Thats basically my week. It was amazing. I'm gonna miss Sister Rojas. And I can tell you all, I want to follow her example. She is working right up to the end of her mission, not slowing down at all.

com amor,
Sister Shell

I forgot to put the subject, the most important thing of all!!!!!
It would have been "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!" because my parents, the best parents in the whole world, have been married for a long time people, as of the 13th of July!