Setubal - Week 13

This week was truly wonderful!

Elder Bednar came this week and man... all I can say is I'm blown away. The spirit was incredibly strong and it was more than just being in the presence of an apostle. He did a question and answer and I really feel that I recieved some personal revelation for our investigators and for me :) His sweet wife also spoke and a question was asked about prayer and Elder Bednar gets up and says "if you ever want to make sure a prayer gets to Heaven, just ask my wife." It was adorable and she has such a sweet spirit. Her words touched all of us. At the end, he bore his testimony, and it was as if the pressure just dropped in the room. Everyone was dead silent. The spirit was overwhelming and I know that this is the true church and that we have living prophets and apostles. It was the coolest experience. And it's a blessing to work along with these inspired men to share the gospel. 

 We also had the opportunity to hear from the Bednars yesterday when they spoke to our stake. Elder Bednar focused on the simple truths of the restoration and spoke directly to all of the people who are not members of the church. Even though there was a lot of noise from the children, the spirit was so strong. He talked a little bit about facing trials. He specifically addressed them that they are aware the economy is bad here in Portugal and that it is hard to have a family and find work, but he taught a much needed lesson about not waiting to change our circumstances. That praying to God for help and hoping that he will bless us without us doing anything or that we give up too early. "Do not sit back and wait for God to do what you can do for yourself." As we face difficulties we often turn in (The natural man is an enemy to God), but as we face difficulties, instead of turning in saying "why me? I have done everything I can!", we should turn outward. Helping others and seeing the bigger picture. The auditorium was filled with the spirit at this part. Something that all of these people have felt and an apostle of the Lord telling them that they were aware and that Heavenly Father is truly aware. 

Trio of Power strikes again this week! We taught the family that are adventists and Tiago came with us. We decided to focus a lot on testifying on the simple doctrines and the lesson was so powerful. We can truly see these people starting to open their hearts a little more. It will be slow, but The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is an "only" message. And it is the message that links everything together. 

I love Setúbal! My whole mission I have heard that Setúbal is dirty, that there is nothing there, and it's just an area to pass through. But honestly, the people I have met and the spirit I have felt here just leaves me feeling grateful. I love these people. I love these members, the area, the people we are teaching. God has truly blessed me to be able to serve here. I have seen lives change here... and it has truly been a blessing. 

Com amor, 

Sister Jarnagin 

pictures:

Cristo Rei 

Me, my daughter (Sister de Souza), and my granddaughter (Sister Wanamaker) 

Me and steggy

Rodrigo :) he is wearing his little white shirt to church every sunday now :)

Setubal - Week 12

HELLLOOOOO from the land of Bacalhau!

This week was intresting... a marrige proposal to my companion from this guy in the picture... and then he prayed to God in the moon after we gave him the Book of Mormon.

This week all of our recent converts came to church and it was a very happy day 😀. We had a lesson with one of our investigators this week and we took Rodrigo with us and asked him to bear his testimony and he did a great job and told them that they should pray like Joseph Smith to know if what we were teaching was true... and then went on to talk about specific dates when he died haha I  laughed.

We also made homemade sushi... you could say we are pros (blue hashi right in our own home).

Elder Bednar comes this week and we are all super excited! I hope you all have a wonderful week!
-Sister Jarnagin 

Setubal- Week 11

This week was wonderful being able to talk to my beloved mother and crazy family. Good to know that they are still crazy as ever haha :)

This week was the week of bipolar weather, and I think the one day where it has rained harder than it has my whole mission. Basically... my coat still isn't dry and it's been 4 days. I also ate a blood sausage this week... If you don't know what that is,  it is where they take an intestine, fill it with blood, let it dry and... then make a sausage out of it. And that went into my mouth... I am proud to say I acted normal in front of the member who fed it to us 😏

We are preparing to have a visit from Elder Bednar here in our mission and also in our Stake so we are busy finding less active, investigators, and anybody who wants to go because it is going to be wonderful! We have had some tough lessons this week. We are teaching a couple that are seventh day adventists and we have done alot of studying so that when we teach it doesn't turn into "who can quote the bible better" match. But I am just very very grateful for the simple truths of the restored gospel, and that I can have peace to know that this is the Lord´s church.

Our recent converts are all doing very good. Rodrigo is practicing to be a missionary and reading his scriptures everyday. Corina is happy that she is finally baptized.  Ana is working a lot but will be coming to Elder Bednar´s conference. They are all doing wonderful.
Sister Anaya left today to go home... and it was sad 😥 But we know she will move on to bigger and better things... 💍
I love you all :)
com amor,
Sister Jarnagin

Setubal - Week 10

Olá amigos!!!!!

This last week we had a wonderful p-day on the beach of Troia, the island here in Setúbal. Oh and did I mention my legs look like tomatoes and members keep calling me Patrick, the star from SpongeBob.

This week we were able to do a lot of finding. The baptism of Corina´s grandaughters was supposed to be this next weekend but the parents didn't give permission. one day!!!

We found a lot of new investigators this week and we were dumped by alot of them too haha.  Oh well the chruch is true. I think the best part of this week was the testimony meeting in church, and watching Rodrigo be the only child to get up and bear his testimony. He was so nervous but his testimony was like a pro. We met with him later and we taught him about missionary work and he learned how to do some contacts. He is literally a pro and wanted to stay longer with us to do more "Practicas". He is so cute :) I hope you all have a fabulous week :)

com amor,

Sister Jarnagin 

-Troia
-(our mothers day presents for our ward)
-PORTUGALLLL