So first off Happy Thanksgiving!! :) I always love Thanksgiving because I love to eat lots of mashed potatoes haha and of course because we are all together as a family :) You can eat some turkey for me! I hope every one is doing well! Things here have been super good! :) Yesterday we had 2 baptisms! :) Carlos and Nonato were baptized :) They are seriously like grandpas to me haha... they are so cute. I will try to send pics next week :) They were super excited! We had the baptism after church on Sunday and Irmao Francis baptized the both of them because he is tall and they are super tall so needed a bigger person to baptize them. Nonato had to be baptized twice because the first time he didn't go under all the way. We are going to have a Family Home Evening with them tonight! They are just the best! I'll have lots of stories to tell when I get home in a few weeks. This week flew by. We are hoping that Daniel will be baptized either this week or the next. He has had various answers but just needs to make the decision to be baptized. He called us this week and told us he wants to be baptized so we are going to visit him this week to see when :) 

We have been working with a lot of good people! Also, many less actives are returning to the church. Lorena, a less active, told us this week that she is very grateful we stopped by her house the other day and that she was just needing someone to talk to and after our visit she felt a lot better and at peace. She said it is true the spirit guides the missionaries to where you need to go and who you need to visit. She has been opening up a lot with us and I think she has a desire to become active again! :) When she told us that I really felt the spirit... it's little moments like that that make all the hard work missionaries go through worth it all in the end. There are days we walk in the hot sun and no one wants to hear the message but then suddenly a miracle appears and the Lord blesses us for our work. Everyday miracles are happening around us, sometimes we just aren't paying enough attention to notice. 

I am super grateful for the things I have learned, the people I have met and the experiences I have had. I am super grateful that The Lord knew me well enough that he informed me in my patriarcal blessing that I needed to serve a mission. If it wasn't for that I don't know if I would be here. I have learned many things and I know my life wouldn't be the same without the experiences I have had. Well I have no time but Il ove and miss you all!! I will be seeing you soon! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Eat lots :) LOVE YOU!! :) SMILE!! :) 

Com amor, 

Sister Mattei :) 

Bom Dia!! Quase Boa Tarde! :) This week has been super good. I am super tired. Every week that passes I think I get a little more tired. Like my body is falling apart haha... you should see my feet I have lots of blisters and calluses... and the bottom is like hard as a rock and has a black line that doesn't wanna leave lol haha... it's super attractive haha ... I think all the boys will dig my feet lol :p So enough about my feet... So this week we had our Mission Conference and I already bore my ending mission testimony... time is flying by. I have less than 4 weeks now but the success is still going well :)

We have a baptism planned for this week! Nonato will be baptized on Sunday and if a miracle happens maybe his brother Carlos will be too. Nonato is amazing... I asked him to pray if Joseph Smith was a prophet and this was after like the 2nd lesson and he was like why do I need to pray when I already know... ya he is awesome! :) Also, when we invited him to be baptized he was like clearly... it is something we have to do to follow Jesus Christ. Last week he went to church alone because Carlos was having a tooth ache. A young girl told him... you look like a prophet... it is the truth he is very tuned in to the spirit and very willing to do what is right. He had a migraine on Sunday from not drinking coffee but still got up to go to church. Nonato and Carlos arrive at church before the gates even open like 40 minutes early! They will be the best members ever :) A lot better than I was haha :p I really enjoy teaching them. They are like our grandpas here :) They are always preparing a snack for us and telling us we need to eat more when we definitely don't need to haha... I've got to lose a couple of pounds if anything! We walk all day and still gain weight haha... I don't get it. Oh also yesterday Raisa, a young girl went to church and a less active family who hadn't been in like 2 years. So overall yesterday was tiring but a very good day! :)

Oh so this week we did some interesting acts of service. A lady didn't have underwear because someone came to her house and threw everything away since her house was filled with trash and that included her clothes and undies... super sad but the funny part was going to the store to buy some undies for this old lady. I felt weird as a missionary walking around with grannypanties and trying to determine which panties would fit her well and which we should buy... It was a hard decision lol... oh we also taught a group of young people who are all super cool but soon after entering the house we found out they were all homosexual. They are super nice and we had a good conversation, left a message and even took some pics with them but it was just not the lesson we were expecting to have. The truth is God loves everyone :) and as members and missionaries we do too :) Well I don't have much time left to write but I am enjoying my mission, even with the little time I have left in the field. I am really trying to keep focused, work as hard as I can and to just take advantage of the time I have to be a full time missionary! :) Well love you!! See ya soon! :) SMILE :)

Com muito amor,

Sister Mattei :)

I'm on.  I'll be writing super fast today... yesterday we sat at the doctor's office for almost 7 hours because my companion has a hurt foot... all my companions are getting hurt or having problem, but she is fine...I'll be doing splits these next few days to still be able to work in my area and my companion will rest for 2 or 3 days in the house...but I am alive,I thought you'd probably get a little worried and I got a call from an elder this morning that said you had sent an email...sorry, yesterday was a huge mess and we arrived with no time but to go and teach our marked appts.

So I will be writing quickly because today we have to work and we have less time than usual since its not technically p day! Dad I hope your enjoying the Philippines :) I bet its super pretty there! So good news we had 2 baptisms and confirmations this week :) Jusileide and Cleide, it was super good and they were super excited :) They're amazing!!  And we have a date set for Nonato for November 23rd :) He is awesome!! :) We are hoping in these next 5 weeks, 3 or 4 more people will be baptized :) Gotta have faith! That is good Todd is liking that program hahah and that his teacher is hot... oh i can just imagine him saying that... reminds me of Billy Madison lol! Have you put up Christmas decorations yet?? People here are already starting to put up some things! Sorry this is so short... everything is fine and I am well... :) this week we have conference and I will be bearing my testimony already... wow time flies!! Well love and miss you :) Oh and the quote you cited is so true :) things aren't coincidental! Tell everyone hello :) 

Sister Mattei :)

Boa tarde!! Today I am on a little later because the internet place was closed but it's all good now :) You didn't send Halloween pics or anything... did y'all dress up or have your little murder mystery party that you always have?? I guess not :( but you should send some pics of Garrett and Thomas.. they went trick or treating right?? We had a little party in our ward for Halloween... it isn't really celebrated here but we helped them plan and we had some really fun activities! More than 50 people showed up and our investigators went and really enjoyed the party. There were a ton of kids all dressed up, made me miss home a little bit. I was a ballerina :) haha! I wore my ballerina skirt all day... and put my hair in a high bun.. people prolly thought I was crazy LOL but it was fun! There isn't much you can do as a missionary with a skirt so we tried to be creative :) 

Oh other news!! I have a new companion! I was with Sister Sowa and Sister Arrieta for 3 days and then a new companion was sent to me on Tuesday! She is awesome! Her name is Sister Maza and she is from Peru and has about 8 months in the mission field. I was starting to like our trio so was a little sad when we got separated but it makes the work much easier and effective. It is hard working in 2 areas. So exciting news :) We will be having 2 baptisms on Saturday! :) Jusileide and Clede! Jusileide is 42 and she has cancer and is just the sweetest lady ever and then Clede is her aunt who has like 68 years old and she is so funny and cute! She can't see very well, as she gets older her vision gets worse and they don't have money to get it fixed. They are both super excited to be baptized! :) We had 5 investigators at church yesterday! :) So yesterday was a really good day! All of them have a lot of potential. Daniel knows like everything about the church but he is so hard, he has had various answers even dreams but just still doesn't want to follow them and be baptized. I am learning patience haha :) It will all work out :) Just got be positive :) Also, Carlos and Nonato went to church and they want to come every week now! Carlos had already been once but we started teaching Nonato this week. They are 2 brothers who are in there late 60s, early 70s and they are the cutest old men. A sister made a joke the other day, she said Sister Mattei brings a lot of old people to church haha. Hey, hey, hey the old people are receptive and they like us! I really do like teaching old people, they are so cute and sweet. In the beginning of my mission I taught a lot of young people because the old people didn't understand anything I said haha but hey at least I know my Portuguese has improved LOL :) 

Things have been super good, I was sad my companion Sister Soberon had to leave but she is feeling much better now and needed a break from the hot sun and migranes every day. Oh so I know y'all wanna hear something funny. So we taught Clede the word of Wisdom so she has stopped drinking coffee and she said this week she almost drank it when a friend gave her some with bread. She said she was tempted to drink it but then remembered the promise she made and decided not to. She said she kept talking and then she looked at her cup of coffee and it was almost empty. The cat in the road had hopped up and started drinking her coffee without her knowing and then she said well at least I know I didn't drink it and it gave the cat something to drink haha. She also told us a story that a guy showed up at her house with a veil over his face and then threw water on her face and said some words and said you're baptized now.... she just has the craziest and funniest stories. Oh and we also taught a man this week who is Carlos's neighbor who studies lots of philosophy and stuff, let's just say he didn't even let us teach or talk and was just telling us how our beliefs are absurd... the lesson went nowhere and we just bore our testimonies... well Nonato, Carlos' brother, was there too and he got up in the middle and left because his neighbor wouldn't let us nor him talk and didn't want to hear what we had to say... then on Sunday he said Sister Mattei, Just like it was an order from you that we should come to church, I am ordering you to never go to my neighbor's house again, his house is Satan's house... he said this laughing but at the same time serious but the funny part is his neighbor is one of his good friends... But ya I dont think we will be visiting his house any more. I have lots of stories to tell but I need to get going! I hope you have an amazing week! :) I think me and Sister Sowa will die in this area! I enjoy working here :) Time is flying by!! Love y'all lots! You are in my prayers! :) Te amo! SMILE!! :) 

Sister Mattei :) 

Hahahha so mom your lil joke was funny :p I gotta good laugh you lil minion hahah :p so no time to fill you in on lots I had to catch up with Jacey and Courtney, Sarah, and ya everyone haha ;)But my companion went home because she needs to have  a treatment done and then after will maybe go to another mission but it was for the best it was super hard for her and the sun in super hot especially during this time of the year! She was sad but it's for the better and her health. So now I am in an trio with sister Sowa and Sister Arrieta who is from Argentina... I think I will stay with them for 3 more weeks until the end of the transfer but we are waiting to hear more news from president Bonini... now we are coverning 2 areas so we walk a ton but I like working with them we  have fun :) well no time because I have to write Pres. Keep having faith!! I'm praying :) Love you!!!

Boa tarde!! :) Sorry I got on a little later today because we usually use the computers in the church and someone robbed the church this week and took a couple of the computers. Oh people are ridiculous... a church really? Good luck  for those robbers haha, stealing from the house of the Lord...The church has a huge gate around it and is well protected and they still find a way to enter. Anyways, this week was good! :) we had 3 investigators at church with us and we have 3 baptismal dates coming up so pray that it will all work out well. My companion suffers from severe headaches, migraines and it has been even worse these last 2 weeks because it is even hotter than usual and walking in the sun in the 1st place isn't fun so I can't imagine how she feels. She is taking medicine but it is not helping as it should so she might have to move to another mission where it isn't so hot. We will see what happens but please keep her in your prayers because she works so hard and never complains even with all the pain she has and our long days in the sun. She had to go home after church yesterday because she was feeling so bad so we had splits and me and Sister Sowa worked the rest of the day together in our 2 areas and her companion stayed with mine. Do you remember Sister Sowa from the MTC and when I was in Paracuru? We are living together again :) Oh and yesterday I received some lovely visits at church for the 2nd week in a row from people In Conjunto Ceara! :) I was so happy to see them :)

People we are teaching:

Mariza and Carlos: They should be a couple but they are just neighbors lol... and they're a bit older but in our opinion they would make a really cute old couple haha :) They went to conference and they have a baptism date but are needing to go to church more often to receive an answer. Carlos reads everything we give him. He already has read 2 Ensigns and is reading the Book of Mormon and Our Legacy. He is incredible but just needs to go to church :)

We are also teaching a guy who is 32 and he loves church and everything we teach but he is waiting for a very specific answer....which is..... a woman in his life haha... he says if a woman appears that that will be his answer from God that the church is true. We were like hmmm... ya I don't think God will respond like that... first you need to show your faith and love for the Lord being baptized in His church and then you will receive the blessings that He has waiting for you... which one of them could likely be a woman. We talked a lot about following the Lord's will and not our own. We set a baptism goal so we are hoping that he will recognize the answers that God is already sending him and that God sometimes sends answers how he wants and not how we desire to test our faith, obedience and love.

Awww.. so yesterday a woman who is very modest and humble and who has cancer went to church yesterday.She is so sweet. She loved church and this was her 1st time visiting and on Saturday she talked about how today many churches don't have people very loving and that the people in her church don't show an interest in her conditions and in her sickness. So yesterday at church in Relief Society, they talked about loving one another and serving others. It was perfect and we talked to her about visiting teachers and how it is a responsibility we have as members of the church and she was super impressed. When she was leaving I marked to pass by on Tuesday and she said I want to know more about baptism in your church and as you can imagine with a big smile I said Well we would be more than happy to talk about that during our visit :) Milagres de Deus :)

We are teaching lots of people but we are trying to see who is really interested and has a desire to go to church and to change their lives for the better. It is hard trying to help people change their lives sometimes. Sometimes I almost feel I don't know what more to do or say to help that person go to church and be ready when we pass by Sunday morning. It is quite an adventure, hard work and a great learning opportunity, helping others set things aside and make sacrifices to gain something much more precious and of value.

I am sorry to hear some things at home are still kind of crazy. I am glad to hear Grandma, Granny, Grandpa and Pop Pop are doing well. I cant believe Thomas is so tall now... it'll be weird to see him and Garrett to see how they've grown and changed. Well I don't have too much time but I love y'all lots and pray for y'all!! :) So to end on a funny note, this week we were walking and I turned around and my eyes were just shut for like 2 seconds and my companion shouted my name and when I opened my eyes, I opened them to a huge cement wall.... hahahaa I took a good bonk in the head and had a cut on my eyebrow haha...I felt dizzy for like 2 minutes but we were just laughing so hard... plus the guy we were talking to in the road seconds before watched it all happen haha... so embarrassing... it's a good thing I have a hard head! Well at least you know I am the same ditzy, clumsy me haha! Missions don't change everything hahah :P LOVE YOU!! :) is this long enough lol?? :)

Sister Mattei :)

Oh have you reeived my flight itinerary?? If not the woman who wrote you about my debit card you should write her and ask for it :) Oh and get on my FB to accept people please :)

BOM DIA!! :) 

So conference was awesome!! :) We had 4 investigators with us this weekend so it was great!! :) We are starting to see the fruits of our work!Transfers was today and I will be staying with my companion Sister Soberon. I am hoping this transfer everyone will come running to the font to be baptized haha :p we have a lot of people who are progressing and who have a lot of potential so I think this transfer will be super good!! Pray for us :) I really like this area, it is much different than the others but the members are still awesome! :) In between the conference sessions yesterday the youth invited the missionaries to go to their house to eat hot dogs! :) I will have to make a Brazilian hot dog for you guys when I get back! :) It is super good, can you believe it I like hot dogs now haha? :) 

Oh and you can look for my area on Google as Avenida Aguanambi, Fortaleza, Brazil. It is a huge city!! The beach is super close but I havent even seen it because we cant get close. It is like the major tourist attraction. Oh and I cant believe about Marks car wow someone is always crashing one another's cars... first I wrecked Greg's then Mark wrecked mine and now Todd wrecked Mark's.. who's next?? get in line haha.... but sorry that must be super frustrating... I don't know what I am gonna do when I get home... I am used to walking a lot but it's hot here. It will be weird to feel the cold again... I can't even remember what it feels like it lol. Sounds like y'all have lots of busy stuff and wedding planning!! Craziness! :) It was so good to relax a little Saturday and Sunday and listen to conference! I loved Elder Bednar's talk last night. We had an investigator with us so it was perfect. It is cool they are speaking in their own languages now and not just English. 

Please pray for our investigators because they are amazing and we are hoping they will all have a desire to be baptized soon this month! :) So Matheus who I was teaching in Conjunto Ceara whose mom wanted him to go to church for 1 more month before being baptized was baptized yesterday :) I am so happy for him!! He is the cutest thing ever. He is 12 and one day he will serve a mission! :) Also Fatima who I was teaching in my other area had a baptismal date last week and died suddenly of a heart attack :( At least she will accept the gospel in the spirit world. She was so sweet and was only like 60. It was super sad to hear that news. 

Well I better get going! This week was good :) It was a little sad yesterday because one of our investigators who was planning on going to conference drank instead :/ but Conference was still awesome and I have a lot of things to put into practice now :) I have lots of goals to set and accomplish! Good luck for me!! Love you all!! see ya soon!! :) Tell everyone hi!! :)

Muito amor,

Sister Mattei :)