:)

I´ll apologize right now because this email may not be very long because I don´t remember a whole lot of what happened this week but I will do my best,:) 

First off, I´ll start with Eduardo......... This week was a little tough with him. We spent a lot of time going over the restoration because he had a lot of questions and was super confused. So we had a lot of lessons with the members with him which helped him out a lot. But he still had the other pastor visiting him a lot because the other church is literally right in front of his house..... tough to compete with. But Eduardo has a very strong testimony of the BOM. So we are focusing a lot on that. But I´m almost 100% positive that he was baptized in the other church last night. We haven’t had a chance to visit him yet but we are going to continue to visit him because he really wants to know which church really is true. So wish us luck and keep him in your prayers!

This week we didn’t see Raimundo at all. He was working a lot and wasn’t home. But he called us a couple of times during the week so that was good. We visited him yesterday and he is still reading the BOM and everything and still wants to be baptized. He just needs a little bit more time. So we set another goal with him to be baptized on the 29th! So cross your fingers that everything will go right!!! 

This week we tried really hard to find some new investigators but we didn’t have much luck. But, we found a ton of less active members!! We really did see some miracles this week finding these people. My highlight of the week would probably finding Irmã Edina, :) So one day we were just walking down the street trying to find some people to teach and we had made a list of less active members and ex-investigators to try and visit. So as we were searching for a house this man walked by and we decided to make a contact with him and talk to him. So we got talking to him and he started saying, "Ya, I know about your church. The men would pass by my house all the time and my wife used to make lunch for them!" I turned to my comp and kind of gave her the look of well this isn’t normal. So we asked if we could meet his wife. So he took us to his house. On the way he explained to us that his wife has lived here for about a year. He still lives in the other city for work. But she moved here about a year ago because she had a stroke and came here for treatment. So we walked in and introduced ourselves to her and she just started crying. She was so happy to see two missionaries in her house! So she explained her situation to us and that she hasn’t been to church since she moved here because it’s too far for her to walk. So we were instantly like well we can have a sister pass by here on Sunday to give you a ride to church. She agreed to that and was so happy that she started to cry again! But then we got talking a bit and my comp was talking to her husband when she turned to me and was like, "How did you find my husband?" So I just explained to her that we were searching for some people close to her house and met him in the street. Then she turned to me and said, "Well, you found who you were looking for." And I lost it. We were all in tears at that point. We truly found who we were supposed to find. The spirit was so strong in her house. It truly was a miracle for us. Up to this point it has been a little difficult for us here in Guará. It’s a richer area so it’s harder finding people who are open to our message. So we haven’t been having a ton of success and vie been really questioning if I have been doing my part and if I am making a difference here. And in that moment with Edina, I knew that it would be ok. I knew that we were doing our part and the lord will put people into our paths. Just my tender mercy of the week, :)

This week I also got to see some of the members that I met while I was in Cristalina so that was really cool! We also went to the old area of Sister Alves and she got to watch one of her old investigators get baptized so that was also really cool! Well that’s about it for this week! Love you all! Hope you all have an awesome week! Remember to always read your scriptures and say your prayers!

Com Amor, 

Sister Steadman

Team Justic and Mercy

Well what a week it was! Everyone told me that after 9 months in the mish, it all flies by so fast. For me, now is when it really is starting to fly by! I seriously can’t believe where the time is going! But it seems to be Monday before I know it! But, here´s a little bit about our week :) Let’s see how much I remember ha...

Here in the mission we are really trying to strengthen the church here. Strengthen the members and help reactivate the less active. So, this week we tried to really put that into practice and it seemed to work out well :) We have been trying really hard to get the members more involved in our work, and they are slowly helping ha. But it was better this week.

First off we have Raimundo. We taught him in the church this week with a member and it went really well :) I was really surprised with this member because he is a quieter guy but he has such a strong testimony and the spirit was so strong. He was asking him all sorts of questions. It was so perfect! Then another night we taught him about the BOM with another member and once again, it was awesome! He really was progressing! But, unfortunately he wasn’t in church yesterday. So in the middle of sacrament we went to his house to see what was happening and we ended up talking to his mom a bit. Turns out he has been drinking a bit. But he called us later and explained a little more as to why he wasn’t in church. But he is still preparing to be baptized. So we will meet with him tomorrow to really see when the best time for him to be baptized is.

Jerffeson..... Sometimes I just don´t know what else I can do to help him. He made a goal with our District leader to be baptized on Saturday, but he is still smoking. So we are still in the battle of the cigarette. But we have hope, ha. One day it will all work out.

This week we also taught Eduardo in the church with a member. We planned to teach him with one of the sisters but she wanted to practice the piano, so we taught him with her granddaughter who is 9, ha. But it was an awesome lesson! She helped a lot! She has a huge testimony and told him about some Mormon messages that he could watch that would help him, ha. It was super funny! But Eduardo is still having a lot of doubts. He has a date for baptism in our church this Saturday and on Sunday in the other church. And in our lessons he is kind of wanting to teach us. So we are really focusing on helping him understand that there is only one true church.

But yesterday in church we had some of our less active members there so we were happy about that!

This week we are noticing that sometimes we really have to be very blunt with people and straight up with them. And my comp sometimes has a hard time with that, ha. So she tells everyone that we are team justice and mercy. I’m the justice and she’s the mercy, hahah! But it’s true. And everyone tells me that I look like someone who would be straight up with the investigators, ha. But someone’s got to do it!

Well that’s about it for this week! I hope you all have a marvelous week! Here´s a scripture for you all too read this week Mosiah 2:41. One of my favs. Well always remember to read your scriptures and say your prayers! Love you all!

Com Amor,
Sister Steadman

Update: The Last Two Weeks

Well I've been transferred and so far I'm loving it! But I will go back to my last week in Palmas and go from there :)

Last p-day was our zone activity and it was a lot of fun! We did a talent show and all ate lunch together! In the middle of our email time the assistants called and told us they were headed to our house ha! Sister Alves freaked! We weren't with the other sisters and were far from our house ha. So we quickly got to our house and showed it to President Lundgren. Our house was a mess! Normally we wake up and p-days and clean it and usually it’s a little cleaner then it was today. But we had to wake up pretty early for our activity and didn't have time to clean it and things were everywhere. It was a mess but at the same time it was pretty funny!

On Tuesday we had a training with the assistants and President Lundgren. It was so good and exactly what our zone needed! They talked a lot about just focusing on those who are really interested in the gospel.

We spent a lot of time walking around this week, not finding people in houses but we met some awesome people on the street!

Saturday we got a call at 6:45 in the morning saying we would find out the changes for the transfer in 15 minutes ha. We were all freaking out. But we didn't find out til noon and only I and Sister Alves were in the house at the time so we found out first. I knew I was going to get transferred. In our training on Tuesday, when president was saying goodbye to everyone, he said bye to all the missionaries but when he said bye to me he said see you soon... someday ha. In that moment I knew I was getting transferred. So I spent my last day teaching Jorge and Fransica and it was really good. We were able to answer all of his questions and finish the plan of salvation with them. And as us four sisters, we spent our last night eating pizza and packing together :)

My last Sunday in Palmas was so good! During sacrament meeting I looked out the window because I saw movement in the corner of my eye and saw Eduardo!!! He came to church! I looked back at Sister Alves and instantly teared up! It was a miracle seeing him there! We spent the afternoon saying goodbye to members then caught the bus at 7 that night. The bus ride was a lot better than the first one ha. The ride was 14 hours and we were super late for the meeting with the president. We walked in as they were singing the last hymn ha. But I was able to see Sister Dixon which was awesome! And I am now in Aza Norte or the north wing of Brasilia. My area consists of Aza Norte, Granja do Torto, Varjao and Lago Norte, so my area is huge ha. But the climate is a lot cooler here and it’s a lot more modern. The sisters before us left us with nothing so the work has been a little bit harder but I love it here! Wave spent a lot of time trying to get to know the area and the people. The people here are a little richer so it’s hard to get them to listen to us sometimes, but we were able to come across some awesome people and mark dates to visit them again. We had a couple of lessons and Sister Brito invited every single one of them to baptism ha. I absolutely love working with her! Our areas are really far from our house and in some areas we can’t be there past 5 in the afternoon so we’ve been trying to make a lot of contacts by our house. Which is all apartment buildings so it can be a little difficult but it’s been fun and interesting. Aza Norte is full of apartments, Lago Norte is mainly mansions, and we have yet to travel there ha. Varjao and Granja are more normal homes. It’s been interesting comparing here to Palmas, its soooo different but I'm super excited about it! Last night Sister Brito and I got caught in the rain. It wasn't a strong rain like Palmas, but it was enough to drench us. Luckily we were close to our house so we were able to take cover under the apartment buildings. We were trying to find some people in our area book, so in between apartment’s buildings we would run as fast as week could, clinging on to our purses ha. It was so funny, we were laughing our heads off and splashing each other in the puddles. It was a lot of fun and we were able to finally contact some people!

Church was so good yesterday! I walked in with Sister Cabanilla because the other sisters had to vote. And as soon as I walked in the stake president pulled me aside and started giving me names of people to visit! I'm so excited and am so ready to help this ward get excited about missionary work again!

I'm in an apartment with four sisters and I love it! Sister Brito, my companion is from Fortaleça and has 7 months on the mission, Sister Oliveira is from Sao Paulo and has 8 months, and Sister Cabanilla is from Ecuador and has 3 months. We have so much fun together!

Well that’s it for this week! We are just trying to find some investigators right now and are trying not to get lost ha. Remember to always read your scriptures and now that you’re heavenly father loves you

Sister Steadman