Week 27: 6 MAISES NA MISSÃO!

So as of tomorrow, I have officially spent 6 months serving as a missionary. In other words, I've already passed the 1/3 mark of the mission and have less than a year before I return home. What a time! Today I thought I'd do a little summary of all the stuff I've done in these six months.

Transfers:
0- Missionary Training Center, with Sister Jones and Sister Miller
1- Riberão Pires, Santista, with Sister Gomes
2- ditto
3- same area, with Sister K. Souza
4- Maua, Pilar, with Sister Melo

Baptisms:
1- Nadir! (love that woman)

Things I've gained:
-weight (not going to say how much, 1) because the scales here are in kilos and I'm not 100% sure how much it is in real units, and 2) because I'm slightly ashamed...)
-a comprehensive Portuguese mission vocabulary (I'm reasonably sure I could be considered fluent now... what a scary thought)
- leg muscles (a gente anda até o pó)
-a cute li'l pink bible (yes I use this while proselyting... it's less heavy than my classy one)
-a tan (sunscreen is for the weak...)
-a stronger testimony and a greater love for the scriptures and the Lord (I'm most proud of this)

Things I've lost:
-several inches of hair (thanks Sister Reis!)
-my wallet (note to self: don't leave bag unattended...)
-vegetarian tendencies (os churrascoes aqui são top)
-timidity (I can talk to pretty much anyone about Christ. It's awesome)
-faith in humanity (kidding.... mostly)

Favorite Part of the Mission:
Sobremesa! No, I really love the lessons where the Spirit is super strong and the people are actually interested and we're teaching and they're understanding and we can feel God near. Every once in a while we meet someone who is humbly yearning for Christ, searching for the knowledge and Spirit that we bring, and it's just so satisfying to be an instrument for God to use to help them. It's a powerful feeling and I love it.

Least Favorite Part of the Mission:
When we return a few days later and these people say, "yeah, the other day was wild, but we're going to stay in the church we already have. Thanks, bye." It hurts when they understand, when you know they understand, that they get that other churches don't have a prophet and the priesthood and temples and the fulness of the gospel, but that they're too scared to leave what they know.

Weird Parts of the Mission:
-One time we passed a ramen stand. It was this cute little stall with a stack of ramen cups and a microwave and they literally just made ramen for people and sold it on the streets. It was official, too, with T-shirts and hats with the logo and everything. Wild
-We were on the train and three guys entered, turned on the beatbox and started rapping about the people in the traincar, including me and my companion. It was like Bert in the beginning of Mary Poppins if he rapped. Anyway it was wild and we had to pretend not to laugh
-They have vending machines for umbrellas every once in a while... it's kinda weird but very convenient
-You know how we have the ice cream man in the USA who drives around, blasting music and selling ice cream? Here there are cars that do the same thing, but they sell eggs, gas, cleaning products, churros, etc.. It's a little ghetto but the churros are really good

So in conclusion, I'm learning a ton and making some awesome memories, and I really hope I'm making a difference here. We've taught a ton of people, we've served, and we've baptized one soul with whom we can rejoice in the kingdom of heaven. My testimony of the church and my love for God has increased so so much while I've been here, and I'm very excited to continue serving Him. I know the church is true. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Russel M. Nelson is God's prophet here on the earth today. I know that the Book of Mormon, along with the Bible, is the word of God and that the Spirit will guide us back to Him, if we are humble enough to follow.

Love you all!
Sister Hannah Hiatt

P.S. Send me an ice cream cone to celebrate 6 months!

Sister Hannah Hiatt
Av Dr. Luís Rocha Miranda, 159
8º Andar
Jabaquara
04344-010 São Paulo - SP
Brazil

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