SP Barcelona Rio Acima- Letter 7

Dear Family & Friends,

Guess what... I'm training!!! We received our transfer calls last Monday night and I was told that I would be training a brand new missionary here in Rio Acima. And I'm sure you all know my first thoughts... What?! Why?! How?! Stressful! Feeling super inadequate, I prayed and told Heavenly Father that if He wanted me to train, she needed to be Brazilian (according to His will of course) because I need to improve my Portuguese and people here need someone who natively speaks their language. This area has not had a Brazilian missionary for almost a year. Tuesday we traveled to São Paulo and I met my new companion, straight from the MTC: Sister R. Santos, BRAZILIAN!!!!!

Sister R. Santos is incredible! She is from a city near Recife, Brazil and she is 21 years old. She was baptized just 2 years ago and is the only member of her family. She found the church through a friend (see why it's so important to share the gospel with our friends??!). More than anything, she hopes that serving this mission will touch her mom's heart to accept the gospel. Her testimony is inspiring and after a week, she already looks like she has a year of experience in the mission field. I am amazed. Truly, she is training ME. I am so blessed to have her!

I think I have spoken more Portuguese this week than I have in my entire life. And because I am forced to lead and forced to speak more, I am learning more. Sister R. Santos doesn't speak any English, aside from "hi" and "bye" and a few colors. I didn't realize how much I relied on my American companions when I could quickly and easily explain something in English when they couldn't understand me. Now I can't do that! Holy cow, it's tough. This is very good for me. Heavenly Father knew what I needed! I am also teaching Sister R. Santos English. She can already pray! And sing "Happy Birthday"- just preparing her for the upcoming week :)

This week we found an awesome family to teach and they already prayed and feel like this is what God wants for them. Maria, Adilson, and their 17 year old son Gabriel. I am so excited!!! We are still teaching Helena and she will most likely be baptized in September! And Eduardo recieved the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday! (Priesthood is authority from God to act in His name. Worthy men in the church can recieve the Priesthood to bless and pass the Sacrament, baptize, give blessings and perform other ordinances).

Why must we do things that are hard and take us out of our comfort zone? "That they themselves may be prepared, and that my people may be taught more perfectly, and have experience, and know more perfectly concerning their duty and the things which I require at their hands" -Doctrine and Covenants 105:10

As I look at Sister R. Santos, my missionary "daughter", I try to picture myself 11 months ago. I know for a certainty I did not have nearly as much confidence! I am so excited to see where she goes and who she becomes throughout the next few months with her. I know I am having this chance to train so I can be trained. As I am focusing on her and doing all that I can to help her, I am being edified. I am becoming a better missionary. It's not easy and there are many moments where I think to myself "I have no idea what I'm doing". But it's okay, because the Lord knows. Thankfully this is His work and not mine.

Love you all!

Sempre Sorria (Always Smile),

Sister Jorgensen

P.S. Pics of my new sweet little companion!

SP Barcelona- Rio Acima Letter 6

Dear Family & Friends,

First of all, thank you for praying for Eduardo this past week! He was baptized on Saturday! WOOHOO! It could not have gone more perfectly!!!! He told us how he was expecting the day before his baptism to be hard for him, but his desire to be baptized only grew stronger. His fear and nervousness completely disappeared and he was so excited! THIS is a direct blessing from all of your prayers! He bore his testimony at his baptism about how he never imagined this was possible for him, how now he knows that God is always on the other side of the door just waiting for us to open it. The Spirit was so strong at his baptism and several people were there to support him. Certainly a day he will never forget! He was confirmed and received the Gift of the Holy Ghost at church yesterday. I will never forget the smile on his face after the blessing. Moments like this- this is what missionary work is all about :) 

Read Alma 32:27. This has Eduardo's name written all over it!

Other highlights from the week:

Thursday we did a service project with a few of the young women in the ward and taught them how to make American desserts to sell to earn money for a camp like EFY they will be going to. And guess what Sister Lowther found recipes for.... cookies and brownies!!!! Yipee!! The girls loved it! I loved it. They were taking pictures and posting them on Facebook like it was the coolest thing in the world. It was a lot of fun! And super yummy!

Friday we had noite familiar (Family night) with a family in the ward and they invited their neighbors and less-active family members. We prepared a really fun activity using Matthew 7:20 ("by their fruits ye shall know them") and used scriptures to learn about how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the same church Christ established when He was here. We had all the kids pick a "fruit" that said things like "apostles and prophets" or "baptism by immersion" and read verses from the Bible and Book of Mormon about each point. It was a fun activity and they really enjoyed it! Sister Lowther and I love to be creative with our Family night lessons. 

We were blessed to find lots of new investigators this past week! Lots of little miracles. We found a lady named Helena who has always wanted to come to church but never had the opportunity. She struggles with smoking and has gone through a lot of hardships in her life, but we are determined to help her! We found a family who, in the exact moment they were grieving about the loss of a loved one, heard our knock (actually we clap at the gates) and invited us in. Silmara, the aunt, looked at us and asked "who sent you? I know God sent you here". We were able to sing a hymn and comfort them with a scripture about how the Lord gives us the strength to carry our burdens (Mosiah 24:13-16).

I want you all to know that I have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know this church is true with all of my heart. As I have had the opporunity to visibly see it change lives, I cannot deny it! Each time we teach someone about the gospel, I feel the Spirit testify to me that it is true. We are so blessed to have this church on the Earth today, the same church Jesus Christ set up when He was here. With the death of Christ and His apostles, this church, with God's authority, was lost. But because our Heavenly Father loves us, He prepared a way for His children to have the fullness of the gospel again.

I am here serving a mission because I know this church was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon is evidence of this and I know it is true. I have prayed about it and through the Spirit, this truth has been confirmed to me again and again.The heavens are open! God speaks to us today! Today, we have His authority on the Earth again, essencial for salvation to baptize and seal families for eternity. I know Jesus Christ lives! He is my Savior and Redeemer. Through following His example, we can and will find true happiness and joy in this life and the life to come.

So thankful to be a missionary today and everyday! I love you all! Have a great week!!!

Sempre Sorria,

Sister Jorgensen

P.S. Pics of the missionaries in my zone and Eduardo's baptism. Brazilians don't like to smile, but I promise you, Eduardo was jumping for joy! Joaquim, our ward mission leader, baptized him.

Sometime today we are supposed to recieve our transfer calls. I was hoping it would be before we left to email so I could tell you all what will happen, but nope! So maybe I'll stay here for another 6 weeks or maybe I'll be off to another area. Maybe i'll have a different companion. We'll see! Gotta love the waiting game.

SP Barcelona- Rio Acima Letter 5

Dear Family & Friends,

Happy Monday! We had our first ever zone activity this morning with all the missionaries in Barcelona (President Farnes allows one zone activity per transfer) and it was really fun! We had "churrasco" (Brazilian BBQ) and played some games. It was good to relax a little bit and get to know the other missionaries better! I love to hear all about how these missionaries sacrificed so much to be here. We really are so blessed to be a part of this great and marvelous work. Anyway, I am super short on time so I have to be brief. But you know me, I have to be detailed so we'll see how this goes.

Exciting news of the week.... EDUARDO WILL BE BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!!! We had a powerful lesson with him early this week and committed him to read the chapter of Enos in the Book of Mormon and pray with real intent, specifically about baptism on August 16. We prayed and prayed all day for him to recognize his answer, trusting that the Lord would in fact answer his prayer. When we returned the next day, he was grinning from ear to ear and practically glowing! He told us how he had prayed like Enos, with all energy of his soul, but still felt really nervous and anxious. Then, when he went to work that night, he had a quiet moment thinking to himself and the thought crossed his mind, "I could actually do this. This could be me. I can do this. I can be baptized!" As he thought about the promised blessings, all his fear was replaced with peace of mind. This was his confirmation from the Lord that he, Eduardo, a man who just a few weeks ago doubted that God even existed, could have this change of heart, and accept the invitation from our Savior Jesus Christ to follow Him and be baptized. The more Eduardo thought about it, the stronger his desire became. 

I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that if we pray with sincerity, the Lord will answer us. For me, it's never a huge, overwhelming, loud confirmation. I feel the Spirit as a calm, quiet, soft feeling that brings peace in my heart and clarity of mind. When Eduardo prayed about baptism, he didn't have a vision or hear a loud, trembling voice. Rather, the Spirit testified to him in a way that Eduardo personally could recognize, when his mind was open and receptive. Now Eduardo is acting on his answer, showing that he has real intent. During this lesson with Eduardo when he told us about his decision, I was SO happy!!! I still am! I wanted to do 50 million cartwheels, but too bad I can't even do one. AHHH WOOOOHOOOO YIPPEEEEE!! Eduardo is going to be baptized!!! He is so firm. He is so ready. He is so excited. I can't wait!

3 Nephi 6:14 When the church be broken up because of pride, there "were among a few of the [people of Rio Acima] who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm and steadfast and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord". THIS IS EDUARDO! This, my dear family and friends, is true conversion. To change your thoughts, desires, and actions, and accept and actively follow the will of God in your life. This is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ can do and will do. Eduardo's heart has changed. He visibly has changed. But even with this transformation, his conversion is not over. Baptism is just the beginning! From here on out, I pray that Eduardo will continue to be firm and immovable. I know that Eduardo will be an incredible member of this church. He is not one to just "get his toe wet". He is diving right on in! 

Please pray for Eduardo this week! The adversary will be working hard on him. Satan knows what Eduardo is about to do and he will try everything to keep Eduardo from being baptized. Prayers of faith are powerful! I have seen it again and again! Thanks for your love and support.

I love you all! I hope you all have the best week ever!

Sempre Sorria,

Sister Jorgensen

SP Barcelona - Rio Acima Letter 4

Dear Family & Friends,

Overall this week was great! There were a few tough days were it felt like
all our investigators dropped us, but now I am realizing WHY it's so
important to talk to everyone and keep adding new investigators. It takes
hundreds to find the golden one! And thankfully no more dog bites and the
shots are over. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Yesterday we fasted for Eduardo and for our goal of 3 baptisms this month.
I have no doubt that prayer and fasting go hand in hand to bring about
miracles! Last night we were looking for a less-active member and we ended
up finding a family that Sister Lowther had met several months ago on the
street. We taught them the Restoration and the mom, Elizete, accepted the
invitation to be baptized before I even finished the question!! She is so
excited for us to come back this week and teach her family more. She has
three sons and her mom lives with her too. It turns out that her husband
was baptized several years ago but we don't have his records in our ward.
It wasn't a coincidence that we found this family last night. Direct
blessing from our prayers and fasting!!!

Eduardo is still progressing! Here is another cool miracle. We showed up at
his house to teach him the Word of Wisdom and we noticed he had a black
eye. He told us about a bar fight the night before and then said, before we
even mentioned anything about our lesson, "Eu não vou beber mais" (I will
never drink again)! No it's not a miracle that he got in a fight, but it's
a miracle that he was already prepared to accept living the Word of Wisdom
(The Lord's Law of Health that teachs us to abstain from alcohol, drugs,
coffee, tea, smoking). The Lord works in mysterious ways! This is what
Eduardo needed to wake him up a little bit.

Eduardo is practically a member of the ward. He got up and sang with the
Elders Quorum at church yesterday during sacrament meeting. I was so proud
of him! Little Eduardo is changing right before our very eyes. He still
won't commit to a baptism date but we challenged him to pray about it and
we will help him understand more this week. He's nervous about all the
changes and thinks it's too soon. But really, he needs the Gift of the Holy
Ghost now more than ever. Baptism is how we show the Lord we are ready and
willing to obey Him, and in return, He blesses us with the constant
companion of the Holy Ghost to purify us and give us the direction and
guidance we so desperately need in our every day lives. He has been reading
the Book of Mormon and feeling "assusto" (more or less a feeling of fear
and guilt) that is causing him to have the desire to change and repent.
Truly, the word of God has a "more powerful affect upon the mind... than
anything else" (Alma 31:5, see also Hebrews 4:12). We are helping him
realize what these feelings are. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of
God as it testifies of our Savior Jesus Christ and shows us how to follow
Him and draw closer to our Father in Heaven!

My favorite moment of the week was the baptism of Gabriel, an 8 year old
boy we have been teaching, whose parents are less-actives. His uncle
baptized him and the whole family was there to support him. So special! He
has a strong testimony and is an incredible example to his family.

I tried two interesting Brazilian desserts this week: "coral de milho"
(blended cream corn with milk served like a pudding) and "arroz doce" (cold
creamed rice with a carmel type sauce). Can't say I overly enjoyed either
one, but both were very interesting. It's fun to try new things. I am
loving this opportunity to serve in a foreign country and I would not trade
this experience for anything! Not even cookies and brownies which I am
missing dearly :)

Here is a really neat quote I heard this week: "I bless every Elder and
Sister in this country. I bless that they will be rewarded for their faith.
The growth in Brazil will continue to accelerate. Brazil is a great model
for the whole church. In no other place is the church growing so fast. For
some reason, God loves this country. I bless you all to be His instruments
so that this can be a Latter-day Saint nation." (Elder Jeffery R. Holland)

So blessed to be a missionary here at this time in my life! Brazil is a
special place. Loving each and every minute, whether they be moments with
dog bites and strange desserts, or the pure joy of seeing someone accept
the invitation to be baptized. So happy to be a servant of the Lord!

Thanks for all the love and encouragement! I love and miss you all!!

Sempre Sorria,
Sister Jorgensen

P.S. I got my birthday package from my family this week!!! Better a few
weeks early than 3 months late. I was so excited I opened it on the bus
ride home from district meeting. What a blessing!!! Granola bars, trail
mix, PEANUT BUTTER! And the other pic is Gabriel's baptism. His uncle
Junior baptized him. His aunt Bruna is in the picture too. Such a fun day!

SP Barcelona- Rio Acima Letter 3

Dear Family & Friends,

Hope everyone had a good week! Just got back from the Rio Acima Posto de
Saúde (public health center) to get my third anti-rabies shot. Yup. Let me
explain...

Once upon a time we were leaving the house of a lady we had just met on the
street. Her dog just had puppies and was super sensitive to anyone that
walks near her. The dog was chained to the wall, close to the gate we had
to go through to leave. It tried to attack Sister Lowther first and then
the owner calmed it down, so I felt confident enough to walk past it.
Scariest experience of my life... a raging, barking, crazy, angry mother
dog jumping on you. AHHHHH! It bit me behind my right knee, two teeth marks
and a scratch. Not super deep, but enough to bleed and enough to hurt! I
really don't like dogs. Not one bit.

I tried to play it off like nothing happened but my companion had us call
the zone leaders and we ended up having to go to the nearest hospital for
vaccines. It's a rule to get anti-rabies shots after getting bit by a dog,
just to be safe. Anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely, postively
HATE shots (yes, I know "hate" is not a nice word, but in this instance it
is necessary). When we got to the hospital and they said I would need a
series of 5 vaccines, I burst into tears. Memories of passing out for my
pre-mission shots filled my mind and I could not bear the thought of having
to get FIVE. Picture this: just got bit by a dog, scared to death, in the
middle of a foreign country, in a hospital where you can't understand
anything people are saying, having to be injected with foreign dead-rabies
fluid... no thank you! It was horrible. Worst experience of my mission thus
far.

I ended up only getting 2 shots that day (one tetnus (sp?) and one
anti-rabies) and I had to go back this morning for another. I have to get
another one this Friday, and the fifth one is only necessary if the dog
dies or runs away or goes crazy. My companion is a sweetheart and holds my
hand each time. But really, I just want my mommy! Yes I know, I am a 19
year old baby, but it's not a comforting feeling to have to get vaccinated
and not understand what's going on, let alone being bit by a dog! Oh and
guess what, the dog's name was Julie (my mom's name), just to make the
story even better.

Anyway, sorry most of this email is about my dog experience. Other than
this terrible day (which was my 10th month mission anniversary too!), the
rest of the week was really good! We hit our goal of street contacting 100
people. Eduardo (the intelligent man from my email last week) came to
church again yesterday. He won't commit to a baptism date but we are
working with him. Tonight the Bishop is coming with us to teach him how we
can use the Book of Mormon to strengthen our faith and personal
relationship with Jesus Christ. We taught a golden investigator named Maria
this week, a lady who asked US if we could share a message with her. No
doubt she is truly prepared! It's so neat to see how the Lord is laboring
with us, preparing the hearts of people here in Rio Acima. It's so neat to
watch someone being touched by the Spirit, who readily accepts the gospel
and will do anything to know if it's true.

I am in Alma in my Portuguese Book of Mormon reading, about the 2,000
stripling warriors of the Army of Helaman, and these verses really hit me
this week:

"They were exceedingly valiant for courage and also for strength and
activity... [missionaries] who were true at all times in whatsoever thing
they were entrusted" (Alma 53:20).

How grateful I am to be the Lord's missionary, bringing the world His
truth. I will continue to serve faithfully and obediently, always
remembering the things my parents taught me (I love Alma 57:21 too). Onward
to valiance! Hey, now I can say I was bitten by a dog on my mission. Does
that make me a little bit more brave?

I love you and miss you all!
Sempre Sorria,
Sister Jorgensen

SP Barcelona- Rio Acima Letter 2

Dear Family & Friends,

Bom dia! This week was a good one. Our teaching pool is growing and we are
finding more people who are willing and ready to accept the gospel.
Sometimes we have to talk to what seems like a million people before we
find the "one", but the Lord has prepared people for us to meet and I know
they are out there!

Tuesday we had interviews with President Farnes and it was exactly what I
needed to give me that reassurance about my area and how things are going
here. He helped me realize I am doing a lot better than I think I am!
President Farnes talked to me about recognizing God's hand in every hour
and every moment of the mission. The best way I can combat disappointment
and frustration is to count my blessings and continue to look for tender
mercies to "find joy in the journey". I am so grateful for President Farnes
and his family. When I told him how much they remind me of my own, he was
very touched and started to cry. Tender moment! He prayed for me at the end
of our interview, specifically for things I needed, things I didn't even
talk to him about. He is very in tune with the Spirit. I have no doubt that
he was called of God to be our mission president here in São Paulo North!

Thursday we had exchanges with our sister training leaders and I spent the
day in area Votorantim with Sister Vaughn. It was a really good day! Sister
Vaughn is from Pennsylvania and goes home in October. I admire her
Portuguese and I am determined to speak as well as she does. One thing I
learned from her is the importance of teaching PEOPLE, not just lessons. I
feel like I have gotten into a bit of a routine with what I say for each
lesson, mostly because it's Portuguese and I had to memorize phrases to
help me learn. But now that I have more vocabulary, I undertand the
importance of teaching the individual, according to what they specifically
need. Not just teach them how the gospel was restored, but why they
individually need the message of the Restoration and how it applies to
them. Not just to read a scipture about baptism, but a scripture that
applies to their concerns and will help them personally develop stronger
faith to be baptized. Of course, this requires listening to the promptings
of the Spirit, because Heavenly Father knows His children so much better
than we do!

We had an investigator at church yesterday named Eduardo. He is 30 years
old and very intelligent. So intelligent that he thinks too much and can't
accept the fact that God is literally our Father. But somehow, someway, he
felt the desire to "come and see" what church was all about! He
participated in gospel principles and enjoyed Sacrament meeting. We talked
to him after about how he felt and he told us religion is to much of a
culture thing for him, he can't bring himself to accept religion as
something to develop his relationship with God. So we gave him a simple
challenge: to pray and simply ask God, His Father in Heaven, if he was
there, if He truly was listening to Eduardo, if He loved him and cared
about him individually. He reluctantly accepted, knowing it would require a
humble and open heart. We are going back to follow-up tonight. I know that
if Eduardo truly prays with sincere, real intent, the Lord will help him
feel that he truly is a Son of God. What a simple truth I often take for
granted. I am so grateful to know my divine nature, that we truly are
children of God!

Time for a quick funny story: We invited a guy named Fernando to come to
church with us and we planned to stop at house and walk with him there.
Sunday morning we pass by his house and notice a small note, written in
English, on the gate:

"Sister, I not can go in the crush with you. I'm sorry. This is very could."

HAHAHAHA. The best part? He is an English professor.

I am thankful that Heavenly Father gives me opportunities like this to just
take a moment and laugh.

I hope you all have an awesome week, filled with much laughter and joy!
Sempre Sorria,
Sister Jorgensen

P.S. Pics of our area! Yes, we had to battle a rainy day this week, but thankfully wasn't too bad. I am surprised it doesn't rain here more than it does... knock on wood... LOVE YOU ALL! Tchau

SP Barcelona- Rio Acima Letter 1

Dear Family & Friends,

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a good week. The first few days in a new area are always a bit tough, but overall I feel like I am finding my groove and making Rio Acima my new home! A little bit more about where I am... Rio Acima is a suburb of Sorocaba, about an hour and a half outside of the city of São Paulo. It's set on a hill above a town called Votorantim, where we go to email and buy things on Pday. The ward Rio Acima is located in the Barcelona Stake."Rio Acima" means "above the river". It's a cute little town, though coming from a big city, I feel like I am in the middle of nowhere!

Our house isn't quite like the fancy New York penthouse apartment where I lived in Santana, but it's nice and home-y. I like it alot. It has a bedroom, kitchen, and a bathroom- small, but hey, less to clean! We live in a neighborhood so we can actually run outside in the mornings. This has been a huge blessing for me, especially this past week when I needed it! The weather has been cool in the mornings, fairly warm during the day, and chilly at night. I love to see all the kids playing in the street and everyone here loves to fly kites. There are lots of wild dogs that roam the streets and alot more bugs.

Life is alot more calm and slower-paced here than it is in the city. This makes it easier to talk to people on the streets. Sister Lowther is the queen of street contacting! This is her third transfer here in this area. There are two recent-convert couples in the ward who are preparing to go to the temple so that's really neat. We don't have many people to teach right now and the work is slow, but we are doing our best to find new investigators. Our goal is to find more families! We have been teaching well together and I am trying to apply the things I learned in Santana to help this area grow. Oh and another thing, there are Jehovah's Witnesses everywhere! I remember always seeing them in Sacramento but here in Brazil, who knew?!

Here is a poem I found in a box in our house this week:

"Stick to your task 'til it sticks to you

Beginners are many, but enders are few.

Honor, power, place, and praise

Will always come to the one who stays.

Stick to your task 'til it sticks to you

Grin at it, sweat at it, smile at it too

For out of the grin and sweat and the smile

Will come life's victories after awhile."

-Author Unknown

I really needed this poem this week. Finding it was definitely a tender mercy! It's not easy to go from an area where the work is on fire to an area with almost nothing, but I know Heavenly Father has a plan. He needs me here and I have much to learn in this area. We have work to do! As Sister Lowther and I work together to continue to pray for guidance, show our faith, and do everything we can do, the Lord will make up the difference. He is already opening doors for us and blessing us with people who will listen! We just have to be patient.

I was blessed with the opportunity to share my testimony in church yesterday. I am grateful for this chance I have to serve here in Rio Acima, to learn and grow more as a missionary, to continue to be converted to this gospel. I know my Father in Heaven lives and loves me. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be my Savior, for ME, personally. He is the only person who truly understands. I am so grateful for His Atonement that gives me strength each and every day to "stick to my task". With His help, I will keep smiling, I will keep walking, I will keep talking, I will keep sharing this gospel that has brought me so much peace and joy. I will keep my head up and go forth with faith and find those that are ready to receive the gospel!

Love and miss you all!!!! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

Sempre Sorria,

Sister Jorgensen

P.S. The first pic was before I left in Santana on my favorite street. Let's just pretend Brazil won the World Cup :) The other pic was Saturdayat the Ward "Festa Julinha" (Little July Party) with my companion Sister Lowther and a less-active named Lusinete. She might as well be a sister missionary! She loves coming to lessons with us.