I'm Coming Home

2/09/15

WWWWoooooooWWWWWW... What a crazy mix of emotions I´m feeling right now... I've already left my area and I´m here in Porto Alegre awaiting my fate...

Last week was awesome. Sister Cabrera and I had the chance to go to the temple with the leaving group of missionaries. It was amazing, and spiritual and full of pictures and good times. Unfortunately Sister Cabrera has all of the pics on her camera...

We were blessed with yet another wedding that we put together all day Friday. It was BEAUTIFUL! But talk about trunky... I have to say that planning weddings is just about the worst thing that a soon to be return missionary could do... haha

But it was a beautiful day. Unfortunately Karine had to postpone her baptism one more week because of health problems... But at least I know that she´s going to be taking this important step next week. I'll be sure to keep track on facebook!

I´m getting super excited for my homecoming, but I haven´t been able to sleep for the past 2 weeks, so I think the first thing that I need to do is take a 5 hour nap!

Tomorrow we have interviews with President Wright... :D Then it´s time to head back home.


I love you all, and I´ll see you soon! Whether it be in person, facebook or skype.


Love, Sister Stevens

Tchau Tchau For Now Now

WOOOOOWWWWWW.... I´m freaking out just a little bit. I think that this might be the very last email that I send home.

Next week I´ll be heading to Porto Alegre on Monday and I don´t know if they´ll give us a chance to use the internet...

Well, other than the fact that I´m really nervous, Sister Cabrera and I are working our tails off and seeing we´re seeing the miracles!

Last week we had 2 more amazing baptisms! Remember Pamela, the young woman that we baptized last time? We were blessed to see the baptisms of her Grandmother and her cousin! It was an awesome Sunday afternoon and another special baptism.

This week is full of activities. Today we´re heading to the temple with President and Sister Wright, Friday we have the Wedding of Karine and Rafael and Saturday we have Karine´s baptism. Sunday is my last day here in São Leopoldo...

I´m looking forward to this week. And I´m looking forward to seeing everyone soon.

Love, Sister Stevens


Pics from the baptism... Maria doesn't look all that happy, but I promise she is! haha She doesn't smile in pictures...

Wedding!

1/26/15

Wow, what a week! It was awesome, but also very, very stressful. We had miracles, we had weddings, we had surprise trips to the foot doctor in Porto Alegre, and we even had baptisms! Woohoo!

Unfortunately I don´t have very many pics from Viviane and Jaime´s wedding because the Bishop had them on his camera and didn't have a chance to send them to us... But it was an awesome event. Sister Cabrera and I decorate the cultural hall full of hearts and flowers and it turned out really well. It started out stressful when no one showed up at the church to help us, but then the Elder´s and two of the Relief Society sisters showed up to help us after lunch. Man, I wish I had the pictures to show you. It was a lot of fun, and I even caught the boquet and the end! haha Maybe you've already seen the pics circulating on Facebook! haha

At the courthouse!

The Bride and her Father-in-Law waiting to enter

The Bishop and the couple

The happy family: Viviane, Jaime, and Sofia

After the wedding

 But even better than the wedding on Saturday night were the baptisms that we had on Sunday after church. After an awesome sacrament meeting where we had 7 investigators, we were blessed to see 2 amazing baptisms. The baptism of Viviane Aparacida Quevedo Messer and Pâmela Vitoria Sanches. It was a beautiful baptism full of emotions!

I´m getting excited for my home coming, but it´s coming a little too fast for my liking!

Anyway, I hope you have a perfect week! Oh, and pray that all goes well for Sister Cabrera and I.  We´re planning the baptism of Pamela´s Grandmother and Cousin. Maria and Eduardo.

 

I love you all and see you soon! 

 

Sister Stevens

Mawwiage is What Bwings Us Togeva Today!

1/19/15

Hello family and friends!!

It´s been another great week here in the South. Sister Cabrera and I are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. We have so much to do and so little time! Last week we found an amazing new investigator. Her name is Pamela and she´s 13 years old. She went to church yesterday for the first time, and also a family night at the Gonçalves house in the evening. She´s really special. We taught her a few times this past week and she told us about her experience when she prayed about our message. She said that she prayed after we taught her the first time, and that she didn´t feel anything... But then she decided to pray again the next day to ask the Lord if this really was His church. Pamela told us that when she prayed the second time, she felt something different, and she felt a desire to cry. It was so cool to hear her talk about the experience that she had and recieved because of her faith. It really impressed me, because there are so many people that we encounter throughout the days that are so closed off that they won´t even accept the offer to say a simple prayer... And here we are with a 13 year old that had enough faith to ask God 2 times if our message was true, and if this really is his church. Sister Cabrera and I will visit her again tonight and challenge her to baptism. I pray that everything works out. She´s a great youth!

This week Sister Cabrera and I have our first wedding! The couple will marry on Thurday at the courthouse, and we´re planning their reception for Saturday night. And then the real "big day" will be on Sunday when Viviane gets baptized!!! She´s so excited for her baptism! And you know how it all happened?? Because she was invited by her nephew to watch the primary program at church! Her first Sunday going to church was also our first Sunday here in São Leopoldo. She loved the church so much, and she felt something special that day during the primary program that she wanted to keep coming back over and over again! She´s amazing! It´s also amazing to see how inspired children can be... A simple invite from a child will bless the life of this family...

I´m so excited for this week! I know that it´ll pass by fast because of all the excitement. Unfortunately. My time is getting dangerously close to the end... So close that I got my itinerary in my email today. I´ll be flying in on the 12th. But at least I´ll be ending my mission on a lot of great notes! There can´t be anything better than weddings and baptisms!

Anyway, I love you all and i´m excited to see you all again soon. 

Love,

Sister Stevens