Hello, Hello :) so I will be keeping Granny in my prayers this week, I hope all goes well at the doctor :) So I have very little time as my keyboard here is quite strange lol and some of the keys are broken so I will try to type as fast I can! So this week Raquel and Italo were baptized! :) It was good to have a baptism in a church :) They were both super excited and obviously we were as well! They are both awesome! :) They were both confirmed yesterday as well since they were baptized before church started :) But this week was good, we are working with lots of less actives trying to help them return and get back to church :) Also, some of their wives aren't members so we are teaching them :) Some of them were at church yesterday so that was great to see :) Oh so 2 things that were funny this week:

Yesterday at church one of our investigators who we haven't taught a real lesson to yet was at church and he was drunk when we talked to him in the road the 1st time so he had lots of questions in our gospel principles class and was arguing with lots of our members haha it was quite the show and a bit funny... we have some funny people we meet each week! 

So another story is that we were proselyting this week and we knocked on a door and a woman came to greet us but just in a towel and we asked if we could share a quick message after she got ready... we thought she was taking a shower lol... she had been to the church a few times so we were like we should teach her and she said no not now and we were like just 5 miunutes it will be super quick and then she said I am busy with another person right now and we are naked hahahah... then we got the hint and we left hahaha... oh how i love getting to be an annoying missionary lol.. i can only imagine what people think haha

So I have no time but next week I will have to fill you in on some of the people I am meeting and some of the members here! Some of the members are super funny and church is just a bit different at time here in Brazil. Well I hope yall have I wonderful week and that it warms up :) Love you lots!!

Sister Mattei :)

Hello, hello!! :) Sounds like this week was hectic for all of you with lots of changes and lots of news!! It is crazy how much changes in such little time! Things will be weird when I get back, the house will be different and yall will probably look a little different! So I tried sending pictures but it didn't work out :( So I wasted a bunch of time so now I don't have a ton to write but I will try to fill you all in real quick! :) Oh and I will print pics today so I will send those soon :) Oh by the way have you gotten my card yet? You should get it soon, if you haven't yet!

So this week...

So I am loving my new area it is weird to be in a place with an actual church building and lots of members and activities! We have lunch every day now and it's with different people each week so I have lots of people to meet! We have an apartment here as well and it is smaller than our apartment in Paracuru but President is looking for a new apartment for us! So I will let you know about that! And yes I am still walking hahaha I will never have a car or a bike so it will always be me and my feet hahah :) We have 2 baptisms this upcoming week!!  Italo and Raquel, they are seriously awesome!! Raquel is 32 and is a ball of happiness, I LOVE HER and we set a date with her this past week :) And Italo has almost been baptized 2 other times but things with his Mom didn't go through since he is 17... but this week he will be so I am super excited!! He is a pretty funny kid, I enjoy our lessons with him! Also, this week I had divisions. Since I am a Sister Training Leader now I get to work with the other Sisters. This week I worked in another area with Sister Lucas and it was good to just talk with her and see another area and the people she is teaching! I didn't know how I would like more responsibility but it's not all that stressful and is pretty relaxed :) Now, I am just learning that Sisters have more problems than what I initially thought! Oh and yes Dad I am going to bed on time hahaha :) that was my weakness since I love staying up late talking but I have been much better at sleeping on the hour! :) Well I have no time but I Love and Miss you all lots!! Have a wonderful week :)

Sister Mattei :)

Hello, hello!! :) So things seem pretty normal at home and y'all are busy as usual! So we had transfers today and Sister Twitchell and I left Paracuru. It was super sad to say bye to the people we have visited all this time. I will be missing my companion Sister Daniele and  also Sister Twitchell and Sister Galarza as well! I was with Sister Twitchell for 9 months straight that’s crazy! She is amazing! But I truly love Paracuru and the people there who helped my testimony grow! I held myself together while saying bye but every house after I left I cried :( I will miss all of them so much and I promised I would return one day so when I have money to return I will :) and this time around I can enjoy the beach! :) I have lots of photos I want to send so next week I will take time out to send some photos! My email might be shorter but at least you will have pics! Sorry I haven't sent a ton... I don't want yall to see how fat I've gotten lol jk surprisingly I haven't really gained weight but I am scared to lose my photos like the last time so next week if I am brave enough I will try to send some :)

So where am I? I can't really tell you because this is the 1st time I have been in the big city of Fortaleza but it's called Conjunto Ceara. My companion is Sister Fernelius and she is from Pennsylvania and I have been on divisions with her in the past since she is Sister Training Leader. So now my other big news for you is that I am Sister Training Leader as well! Sister Twitchell is too in another area! So I will start having divisions and what not with other sisters so that should be pretty sweet! I can see what it is like to work with different missionaries. My companion is super sweet and she has 11 months in her mission! I am excited to see a new area and meet new people :)

It is crazy I have met my halfway point already! Time flies! I am truly enjoying my time here in Brazil! So to answer mom's question of what has impacted me the most here on my mission... I would have to say the people and just how humble they are and how willing they are to give when they don't have much themselves. I have realized the hands of the Lord in the work thus far and how he prepares people to hear the gospel. And what has surprised me? So the mission is much different than what I initially thought it would be. I came into the field knowing things would be hard but didnt really understand how hard until I was here living it. But I have realized that a positive outlook and attitude completely changes everything!! If it wasn't for that and the help of Heavenly Father it would be 100 times harder! And how I have changed?? Well now I am eating meat hahha but for real I have changed spiritually and just grown a ton in the gospel! My testimony is stronger and I have learned and experienced things that I will never forget. I have realized that these things I am doing and learning won't just impact me now but in the future as well! My personality is still goofy Lindsay but I have become more grateful for the things I have and for the things yall taught me! Thanks for always teaching me to do what was right and for being wonderful examples! :)

Oh and thanks for the birthday wishes!! It is so crazy to think I am almost 21! Wow I am old!! hahaha Serioulsy 21 feels so old!! Well next lots of new stuff to tell yall about my new area and investigators :) Seems that this area has success! :) Well I have no time left but I love you and hope you have an amazing week full of lots of wedding plans and fun stuff!!

Muito amor,

Sister Mattei :)

So to answer your question!! Yes I survived Carnaval!! :)  I was pretty tired of hearing the same exact music over and over again and the hairy, drunk, overweight men in speedos and women's clothing were becoming quite the temptation for me hahha LOL! Carnaval ended on Tuesday so our work got back to normal this week! So this week has been good as we have found lots of families that are showing an interest... the only thing is that they are not married... and they didn't show up at church this Sunday so I am praying and have faith they will this week :) Atilene is still in Fortaleza with her mom who has cancer so we haven't really been able to talk with her and are hoping that things will get better and she will be able to be baptized soon :) The work here is good it is just a process because it is new here! President Eduardo seriously helps so much! He lives in Fortaleza but travels here every Saturday and stays until Sunday night! His life is work, and then doing his duty as president so he doesn't have much free time with his wife and he is only 27! He is a really hard worker and I respect him so much for his service! 

So yesterday I was super excited because Alex, our recent convert who has been working a ton and hasn't been able to make it to church, was there yesterday :) and he brought a friend! He works so much I thought I wouldn't be able to see him before transfers this week so was a little worried! Oh and Mairla, our recent convert of 6 months, will give a talk on Sunday and Matheus already did 2 weeks ago!! The youth here are so awesome :) They will help the church grow a ton here and have  already helped plenty!! :) Oh and I sent my letter this week for you guys :) I put some small souvenirs in there and wrote a letter for each of you :) I also put pics that I printed of baptisms and what I have been up to :) I don't like sending pics over email because I am fearful I will lose them for good this time! So I don't have  a ton of time this week to write but some funny things that have happened recently are:

Fofa (she is a cute old lady and a member here) she is like the cutest thing ever and we call her fofa cuz in Portuguese it means like cuddly hahaha! so the other day we were talking with her and her grandson and she kept talking about how I am from Sao Paulo, Brazil hahah... we have no idea why she thinks that but she does and I can tell her I am from the US a thousand times but she still remembers me as being from Sao Paulo lol. If she thinks I am Brazilian, I will take that as a compliment :)

Also, during a lesson this week with a family we are teaching- there 3 yr old son walked in the room with what he thought was a water balloon haha- he had filled a condom with water and his parents were like where did you find that- Sister Daniele and I looked at one another and just smiled haha- looks like we will be teaching the law of chastity and trying to get them married lol :) we all laughed and could tell they felt a bit embarrassed but at least it made a funny story haha :p

Well  I have no time but I love and miss you guys and thanks for all you do and for your amazing examples!! :) Lots of love!! :) Have a wonderful week :) Keep warm! I will keep all of you in my prayers! :)

Sister Mattei :) 

Tudo bom!! :) So it seems the weather there has not changed and it continues to be cold!! If I could send some of the hot weather here I would lol! So this week has been pretty different from other weeks! Carnaval has begun! So it's not as crazy as I thought it was but I think that is because we have to be in the house at 6 and that's when it gets really crazy! We live in the center so we have super loud music outside our house at night and lots of drunks dancing in the road! I have to admit some of the things these people do are pretty entertaining! And other things are a little gross... it's all just a bit funny and crazy! During the day when we are working it is calmer but still have lots of people dancing and throwing all kinds of stuff and spraying one another with foam and silly string!! Really that aspect of Carnaval is the fun traditional part... just having fun and going to the beach and all... but some of the crazier things I have seen  are people of the same sex kissing in the street, men wearing tight dresses and just weird costumes.... and the list goes on and on..  like I said some things are funny to a point but others are like whoa whoa... hahaha! Still no one has thrown anything at us so that is surprising! Teaching during Carnaval is interesting, we can only visit members, less actives and recent converts. It has been good to relax a bit and just enjoy talking with them! Since we have more time in our house this week, I have been writing letters for yall and we have been studying and just talking lots! Oh and I can't forget about eating!! Seriously, I eat grilled cheese about every day! Don't worry, I am still the same Lindsay haha :)

So on the spiritual perspective of this week! So church this week we only had 20 people at church due to Carnaval and no investigators :( but seriously it was the most spiritual meeting at church I have had in my whole mission... the spirit was there the whole time... God truly blessed those who still went to church even with all the partying going on! :) So a member who was baptized 8 years ago and who fell away went to church this week... this was the first time in a really long time... he has had a recent past of drugs, alcohol, gangs... just lots of things that Satan has been putting in his path... but the first class was all about the life of Jesus Christ and Fabio was teaching and he bore his testimony at the end about the Savior's love for us and about the Atonement and the spirit was just very strong and then he asked this less active member to say the prayer at the end of the class... When he began to pray he was sobbing and Fabio was hugging him and he gave a very humble prayer asking for help to do what is right and how grateful he is for Jesus Christ and that we are never alone in our trials. It was so heartfelt and meaningful :) Truly was a moment I will never forget! Then we had testimony meeting and the testimonies given were so sincere and so powerful! It was just a great day! Plus Matheus, our recent convert is already asking our President how to get his mission papers started and what all he needs to do to prepare! He is truly amazing!

So Atilene, our investigator that has a baptism date set for next Sunday, is going through some tough trials... her mom is very sick with cancer and tumors and she is is Fortaleza this week with her at the hospital. Our President is going to visit her and give them blessings this week! Our President of our group is so awesome and just a very sincere person and hard worker! But please keep her and her mom in your prayers! Well I don't have much time but I love and miss yall and hope all is well! I love hearing from yall each week and what is changing and just all the updates!! Thanks for always supporting me and being such great examples!! I wouldn't be here without it! :) LOVE YOU :)

Muito amor,

Sister Mattei :)

Sister Mattei with Matheus and Sister Daniele