SO MANY LANGUAGES

Hello!!!

This last week I was called to train again in my last transfer and so my companion for the day was Sister M. Costa (AGAIN!).  On Tuesday we went to the temple with the trainers and everyone got to meet their new companion.... except for me! Haha my companion, Sister Seiuli has been serving in California for 4 months waiting for her visa and it finally got here!  Her flight got delayed, so I had to be companions with Sister Bigelow, the Sisters from Jardim Atlântico, and a member until she arrived 2:00 in the morning the next day! It was for sure interesting! She is so great!  She is from Samoa, but grew up in California.  She is all trained already, just is learning Portuguese, and as we try to go out and talk to the people, we start talking a bunch of languages- English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Samoan.  It's way funny, but we'lll get there.

Emerson and Clarissa were baptized and it was such an incredible day!  The spirit was so strong and their and our joy was full.  One of our ward missionaries was able to receive 30 referrals for us from the members.  We were like, "WHAT!!"  Way cool!  Okay I have to go but I'm so glad to be here with my companion and for the people we are teaching that want to follow Jesus Christ!

Love,

Sister Garrick

Missão Brasil Recife

 Temple pics and breakfast at President's house

                            

                             

                                       

scary doll

the streets during Carnaval

At Marco Zero with my companion for the day

With Sister Bigelow, Mission president's wife

TEARS (in general)

Well, this was the last week of this transfer!  We got news that Sister Sousa would be leaving for a new area and I will be staying here in Rio Doce for at least one more transfer! Yesterday, Sunday, was hard.  Sister Sousa and I have learned so much together- she's my daughter practically! ;) We have both grown to love the Rio Doce ward and our investigators and members soooo much that it was hard for her to leave, hard for me to see her leave, and hard for the members and our investigators to see her leave as well.  :(

On the bright side, we were able to have a wonderful Family Home Evening (FHE) with Clarissa and Emerson who are preparing for baptism for the 17th! They are so special!  Clarissa received a special testimony that this church was true, but her husband was still anxious and not feeling ready to commit to that specific date, but after much faith, fasting, and prayer, and just the spirit, after the FHE, he said that he knows he doesn’t know EVERYTHING but feels that what he’s learning is true.  He said that he WILL be baptized with his wife on Friday!  WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR THEM AND WE LOVE THEM SOOOO MUCH! This week, together with several members, were able to help them move apartments.  I sweat so much.  Here in Brazil I learned that I sweat a lot.  The sun´s hotter here than anywhere else.  I promise you haha.  We also were able to participate in a few other service projects that helped me learn more about the Savior and love Him and my Heavenly Father more!

OH! Almost forgot- I have been called to train again! I’m way excited for this next mission chapter in my favorite mission in the world- Brasil Recife!! Love you all and thank you for your prayers!  

P.S. Thanks mom for the Valentine’s Day Package! :)

Love,

Sister Garrick 💙 

Olinda District

 Our investigator, Thiago who’s preparing for baptism!

 Doing the victor pose

Family Home Evening with our investigators, Clarissa and Emerson! :) 

Transfers

 

Another Week of Miracles

WOWOWOWOW

I´ll just start with the highlights.  This past Sunday, our investigators, Bel, Thiago, Icaro, Carlos, Emerson, Clarissa, and William- and almost all of our recent converts went to church!  We were so excited.  Victor, our 12 year old recent convert bore his testimony for the first time at the pulpit about the happiness he felt when he was baptized! It brought tears and big smiles to our faces that’s for sure! During Relief Society, I was sitting next to one of our investigators, and during the lesson she turned to me and said quietly, "Garrick, I feel that this church is true."  I asked her how she felt and with tears streaming down her face she said that it’s by the acts of the members and how she feels- the confirmation she felt from The Holy Ghost.  I gave her a big hug and just smiled.  That helped me have even more certainty that God prepares the hearts of His children.

I got a bad cold this week and the same day we got rained on- like 2 times.  We were trying to get to a certain part of our area during Carnaval but every street we walked on there was a Carnaval parade marching and people drinking and partying and we had to run literally IN FRONT of one of the blocos in the pouring rain to get to a "safe" place. Hahahaha #socorro.

Lots more things happened this week but I don’t even remember or know how to put it into words!

Love you all,

Sister Garrick

We paid 8 reais to go up the elevator to see ALL of Recife 

We could see the Bairro Novo chapel from up there! 

The translation didn’t turn out so well….

  Olinda again!

Food I eat  

The day we got poured on

Would You Look at Those Elect!?

Last Monday, we contacted a referral from the elders.  It was of a family that went to a baptism in their area.  We visited them and they were SOOO receptive.  They told us that they had been members of other churches and always have studied The Bible, but that they always felt that something was missing.  We taught them The Restoration and about The Book of Mormon.  They understood very well, our message.  They said they would read and pray to know if it was true.  We invited them to be baptized, and with tears in the mother´s eyes, they accepted and she had been thinking so much about baptism and her need to be baptized recently that the spirit was INCREDIBLE!

When we went back there later that week, they had a list prepared with questions for us to answer!  Think of intelligent investigators! They were understanding questions because they honestly wanted to know the truth and were searching for it.

They had a trip planned to get away from Carnaval this weekend, so they could not go visit church this Sunday, but 5 minutes before the meeting started, their whole family walked in!  Their trip fell through (sad, but not) and they decided to surprise us coming to church!! :))))  It was such a wonderful miracle.  We love them with all our hearts. :)

I am a witness that Heavenly Father is preparing people to accept this restored gospel.  He loves us so much.  I have realized my complete dependence on Him to participate in His work.  Alone, I am nothing and literally cannot help anyone, but with Him and with His help, there is nothing a person cannot do.  I love being able to be used as an instrument in His hands.  I´m so grateful for this gospel and for the opportunity I have to serve a mission for however short it may be.

Love you all,

Sister Garrick

"You're More Brazilian than you are American”

Yesterday, our Bishop said, "Don't lie, Sister Garrick, you're more Brazilian now than you are American."  Hahaha! I, of course, agreed.  It's who I am, and I love what I'm doing- for this purpose, my mission will be extended 3 more years. 😉

Well Carnaval has started here in Olinda, that's for sure!  When there's a Carnaval block literally on the corner of the street on a Sunday afternoon, it's easy to distinguish which is the tree of life and which is the great and spacious building haha.  A wonderful family visited church for the first time yesterday and we are so excited to help them prepare for baptism and follow the Lord's commandments and teachings! :)

This week we also had Zone Conference where we learned about humility, obedience, faith/trust in God/miracles, urgency, and how to plan better.  President and Sister Bigelow moved when and how we do our weekly planning sessions, but it seems a lot better this way already! :)

I really love being here on the mission.  There is no work that is more important that a person could do here on the earth.  The gathering of Israel is happening.  This week I was reading in 2 Nephi 30 in my personal study and would like to share a scripture with you that I read:

 3 And now, I would prophesy somewhat more concerning the Jews and the Gentiles. For after the book of which I have spoken shall come forth, and be written unto the Gentiles, and sealed up again unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the words which are written; and they shall carry them forth unto the remnant of our seed.

 4 And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us, how that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are descendants of the Jews.

 5 And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them; wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers.

 16 Wherefore, the things of all nations shall be made known; yea, all things shall be made known unto the children of men.

 17 There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed; there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth save it shall be loosed.

 18 Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the children of men shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a long time. And now, my beloved brethren, I make an end of my sayings.

I know that this gospel is Christ’s.  HE will return and we must feast upon His words as we speedily prepare.

Love you all,

Sister Garrick

Pictures:

In Jardim Atlântico in front a famous pizzeria

Kids preparing for Carnaval

Zone Conference with Sister M. Costa

Zone Conference with Sister Sousa and Sister Pereira

Zone conference with the North Zone and The Jd. São Paulo Zone.