Oi Familia :)

 

Tudo bem!! :) So I am glad to hear that you all had a great Thanksgiving and got to visit with family and friends :) I definitely missed having mashed potatoes and eating all the yummy food and just visiting with family! Thanksgiving Day was Zone Conference for us, it was good and I definitely learned a lot and how to be a better missionary and teach more effectively. Sometimes it is hard to train when I feel I barely know what I am doing in some situations. It has definitely been a humbling experience! I like having responsibility but it can be a bit stressful at times, I can't imagine being a zone leader or assistant because they have more stress. Right now we have really high goals so it is a bit frustrating at times, they want us to have lessons of 15 to 18 minutes and have 30 or more new people each week. It is hard to find the time for 30 new people and to focus on our progressing investigators at the same time. We are hoping to set a day for marriage for our investigators this week because last week was difficult to talk with them. Matheus, our investigator wants to be baptized on Sunday but we need to talk with his parents first and it is hard to find them in the house. He is 17 so we need permission. They don't know much about the church but are very active  in the Catholic religion so pray that his parents will allow him to be baptized. Also this week we switched churches so we have a house that is a little bigger :) We need more chairs at church but we also need more investigators to come. So many people say they will come and then only 3 people show up :( and I don't know how many times we should to teach someone if they wont attend church...

Training has really been a great experience and I have  learned a lot and I love my companion!! But I am so happy I still have Sister Twitchell here with me to talk with when times are stressful and we just need to sit down and have  a good conversation and laugh a bit :) I love our investigators but I just wish some of them would act and give church a try! Acting and showing our Faith is the only way we will receive an answer. We need to show God that we truly have a desire to know these things for ourselves. Just pray for us that we will find more people that are truly interested. We have one lady Amanda and I love her and her husband! She is reading so much of the Book of Mormon and is truly interested! Her Husband Auton gave me homework to translate one of his work papers in English for him for a presentation haha good luck for me lol!! They are so awesome though! So the other day we were walking and a man was just peeing on the road in front of everyone, I am glad he was turned around... oh sometimes I just have to laugh at the things we see.. every day is a new adventure!! I truly love my experiences here, whether it be an easy or a hard day, I am learning and growing so much! Oh and I ate a huge steak the other day, I wanted to throw up it was so chewy... but with Faith anything is possible :) haha!! Well I have no time but I love you all so much!! I sent some pics in the mail and a card!! :) I will send a present for dad soon :) Thanks for all you do for me! You are all in my prayers! I Love you so much!! :) and miss you! I will talk to y'all soon on the phone :)

Muito amor,

Sister Mattei :)- that crazy child of yours :)