The Shift

June 16, 2014

Eeeeentao. This week WAS  much better, thank you all for your prayers and your kinds words of encouragement and love:) This week was much better because I had an epiphany. Thanks to your advice Mom about soaking things in, being humble and learning from my companion, Dad, your advice about letting things roll off of my shoulders and Grandpa, that awesome poem about choosing to enjoy the beautiful things that are always there. Also, thanks to the Book or Mormon and my Heavenly Father:)

My epiphany ( I really hope I'm spelling that right!) I'm a looker forwarder (how's that for offensive grammer?) I always have been. When things aren't going ideally I always am consoled by the next thing I have to look forward to. For example: In the MTC, it was the field. In N.Y it was Brazil. In Sao Paulo, it was Curitiba. All of a sudden I got here and things were HARD, so hard and I had nothing to look forward to except (so I thought) this intense sadness for a whole year. So I started looking forward to the end of the day when we could go home, p-days when I could just thing about me. . . Dang.

And then. I was reading the Book of Mormon during personal study and I realized all of that^^ and realized that I seriously needed a shift in my way of thinking. HELLO SISTER VENTURA, YOU ONLY HAVE 1 YEAR LEFT OF THIS ADVENTURE! I realized that in order to appreciate my time left here I need to appreciate what I'm doing when I'm doing it. Granted, much easier said than done, it's somethig I've wanted to be better at my whole life. But seriously, Heavenly Father is helping me. 

This shift thing. In order to shift your way of thinking you have to start thought by thought. Every time this week I thought about how frustrated I was, how much I missed you guys and everything that is familiar to me, every time I thought I can't wait until it's finally time to sleep, or hear from my family I shifted my thoughts. Woah, how cool is it that I am (semi;) commincating in another language right now: How cool is it that I only associate with Brazillians and somehow convey most of what I want to? How cool is it that I'm with an adorable brazillian family right now? How cool is it that I'm living IN BRAZIL?! Etc; etc; This week was amazing. Sister Dias and I got along pretty darn well and had a fun time doing it. I didn't spend my days wishing them away and I enjoyed being with Brazillians in Brazil! Imagine that!

Dad, on Wednesday, I did get to see Sister Barker and Sister Burte it was SOOO nice and so needed:) It was cool to see how much they have both changed for the better, they are great examples for me and it was like filling up my cantine to be albe to talk with the both:) Hopefully I'll be able to attach pics. Everyone at the Sister's conference was telling my how good my language was for only being here 3 weeks and remembering how it was for them. People have been telling me how good i'm doing I just realized on Saturday that maybe they're not all lying and i'm doing a little better than I think I am (imagine that?;) On saturday we had a lesson with some of our investigators that we hadn't taught since like my 2nd day. Without invitation the lady made a comment about how my language had improved and how she remembered our first lesson. . . yay! It really has improved in just 3 weeks and SOSOSOSO much of that is due to my companion, she has taught me so much about how the culture and the language here are linked and how to best communicate with the people etc. I'm really grateful to her:) I really want to keep improving and learning just as much as I have these 3 weeks every 3 weeks for the rest of my mission and not start thinking that because things are a little better I'm good to go and can relax now. .. NOOO.

Yesterday we had 2 baptisms that were so, so special, I am so grateful to have been a part of them. If I can't attach pictures, sorry. . .The first was Thayara. She's 10 and such a smart pants (reminds me of you kali bear!) and has just soaked up everything we have taught her. She didn't even have a skirt or dress to be baptized in. When I found this out i asked Sis Dias if there was a member we could ask so she could borrow one. One of my favorite families was so glad to help and gave us a whole bag of clothes for Thayara! She ended up looking so adorable and had painted her nails and did her hair and was all ready to go when we got there, it was so cute how excited she was:) It was a beautiful moment and she she is so excited to be a member of this Church! The second was our investigator Francisco who had a seizure last week. He has a lot of mental and physical dissabilities so we were kind of nervous about him. The Elder who baptized him was perfect and it was such a beautiful moment. Our ward mission leader said it was one of the most spiritual baptisms he's ever seen, it was so great:) The rest of the day he (Fran) was so happy and it's so cool to see how much he's changed in just 3 weeks.

Since i'm enjoying anything and everything that's happening to me here let me share the joy a little bit:

The other day we were out after a rainstorm and the roads were even more muddy than usual. There was this spot that was covered in water and like a mini river. Sister Dias. " Hmm sister, I don't know if we'll be able to go there after all. . . " Being the super resourceful, person that I am, I spot a long plank of wood not far off *lightbulb moment* We then spent the next while crossing the muddy river one plank at a time. Imagine 2 sister missionaries squealing as they pass a 8 foot long wooden plank back and forth, it was epic. Last moment: We were in the middle of the first lesson when the lady's neighbor stops by with a bright orange sofa in a wheelbarrow ( sofa delivery, duh?) it soon became apparent that they were going to move it into the house right then so we spent the next 15 minutes manuevering a sofa into a house with 2 old Brazillinas ladies, it rocked my world.  There were and are of course, so many things that happened that i want to tell you guys that I learned and laughed at but alas. . . :( Time! 

We found out about transfers yesterady. All four of us sisters are staying in this areas but we're switching companionships. . . wierdest thing ever right?? umm yeah. So now i'll be with Sister cox who is from Montanha and super awesome buuuuut she's american, dang it! Should be intersting:)

I love you guys so much and want you to know that I also love the Book of Mormon So so much! Please read Alma 58:7-12:)

Until next week my dears;)

Love,

Sister Ventura