Barreiro - Week 10

Semana de Festa!!

This week was sister Swain´s birthday, so we made pancakes for her and then our member had all the missionaries over for dinner for the birthday. She made the cute M&M cake that is in the picture and decorated all fancy.

This week we also found Bruno. Bruno walked into the other elders chapel and the elders were there and started talking to him. He said that he just felt like he should go in. The Elders called us and we were able to meet with him the next day. He is so cool! He wants to be baptized on the 4th of October and told us that right when we sat down. He smokes, but he is so so close to quitting. He came to church on Sunday, and LOVED it! He wanted a gospel principles book, so we gave him one. I am grateful we get to teach him! I'm grateful to see the change to gospel brings!

Everyone is so excited for conference, and basically that is all the missionaries talk about! We are all excited to see who the new apostles will be. I'm so grateful for a prophet to lead and guide us!

Com amor, Sister Jarnagin

Barreiro - Week 9

This week we had our divisions, and Sister Fuertes and I found Rosa, who is elect! We found out the Elders had passed by but had never been able to teach her. She said that she was looking for a path and a way for purpose in her life and a way to bring her family together. We were like, "NO WAY! Everything you just said, the gospel of Jesus Christ can help you with!!" We asked her right there if she would be baptized if she recieved an answer to her prayer, and she said YES. God really does help us to find those people that are prepared. Through all the trials on my mission I find myself looking at the blessings that I have, and it is hard to see them, but I realize I have to much to be grateful for!

This past week Sister Swain and I hit 9 months, our halfway point. I'm feeling a little old haha. Lots of love!
-Sista J

Barreiro - Week 8

Well folks...
This week we really have been just doing the same thing. We walk a lot a lot trying to find new people to teach, addresses, and getting to know the area. It´s a lot of fun, but we are still missing the other side of the street. We have found some people that we are teaching are trying to mark for baptism.

The members have been a wonderful help to us giving us some references of their friends. We have been trying to better our contacts recently by improving the quality and clarity so we can get their address and phone number and find the people who are going to progress.

When we contact the older ladies here, if they dont want it, they will just turn their head up and shake their finger at you!  Haha SO SASSY! The missionaries don't like that very much haha... but anyways. "Everything is Awesome! Everything is cool when your part of the (Lord´s) Team!!!" :)
Love, Sista J

Barreiro - Week 7

This week we adventured a lot getting to know our new area.

There are a lot of little shops in our area and a lot more Portuguese people. We are loving it so far! There are a couple places that we haven't even gone yet because our area is so big. Lots of exploring to do!

We have met a lot of people who are from England in this area. We were looking for a map and we met this guy from England who has a company that produces music videos and plays the cello.

President Tavares has been changing a lot of things in the mission recently, and he wants us to do 10 contacts each missionary every day. So we are having a lot of fun with that, and we have met some amazing people! We have also learned that the more people we contact, the more the God trusts us to give us a person who is prepared to recieve the gospel. It is amazing to see the look of intrest in peoples faces and to know that some are more ready than others.

We also had another amazing experience. There is a member here from Brazil, and she and her husband are staying here for a while. Her husband isn't a member, and when we switched areas with the Elders they left us a little note that her husband would never pray. We went over for the first time last week to meet them all and get to know them. We decided to share the "Because of Him" video from last year. Afterwards we just bore testimony that this was the true chruch and of the Savior´s atonement for us. Afterwards, we invited him to pray. At first he kept saying that he didnt feel prepared. We reassured him and he accepted to pray. He said the closing prayer and it was so powerful. His wife was so happy because she said that he had never prayed since she had joined the church. We went over again later in the week and he has a new light! He accepts to pray and doesn't hesitate. It has been a blessing to already see miracles since we have changed areas. The switch was inspired!

Our dear Conceição was confirmed a member of the church yesterday which was wonderful!

I am loving the new area! We are just trying to get new investigators right now and find their houses. The work is sweet!

It has also been finally cooling down and we are pulling out the cardigans before the rain.
Until next week :)
Sister Jarnagin

Barreiro - Week 6

This week we saw the Hand of the Lord in our work bastante!

Conceição was baptized yesterday. We had originally planned for the baptism to be on Saturday, but then some complicated things started happening. Her family didnt want her to be baptized, and so they came and stayed at her house with her all day. We were so discouraged and so was she. She just wanted to be baptized so bad. She realizes that because she is so old, she needs help with everything, and she said she didnt have enough strength to do what she wanted for herself because her family takes care of her. After some very careful and slightly sneaky planning on her part, she was able to be baptized. She was so so happy.

The sisters who lived with us also had a baptism, so they were able to do one big baptism. There were so many there to support them and Conceição was so happy. She had a fall last week so it was harder for her to walk. She looked so cute in her little white dress. Her friend Louisa was baptied Saturday when we were supposed to have the baptism.

We helped Conceiçao into the font and she was a little nervous. One of the Elders that Serves in our branch baptized her. She was able to watch the Sisters investigator be baptized first so she knew how. She got in the font and bent her knees when it was time but she didnt lean back and people started freaking out a little - one of the zone leaders said "Go for it Bro!" So he just put her in the water. It was so fast and didn't have to be done again. She was so so happy!

After, she was praying the the bathroom and thanking Heavenly Father that she could be baptized in His church. There were so many obstacles that came up, but we never let our faith stop. We kept doing everything that we possibly could, but there came a time where we couldn't do anymore and we just had to put our faith in Him. I am so grateful for His understanding and His perfect knowledge of us. The baptism was beautiful.

Transfers were yesterday and Sister Swainmaster and I are staying together. The AP´s called us and...our area and the Elders' area were switched because ours was too dangerous, so we have a new area and so do the Elders. We are a little nervous but excited. AND.... our awesome house is staying the same! :)
Love you all!
Sister Jarnagin