EMILY ENGAGED! Mission News, Departing Missionaries

Dear Family and Friends,

Seems like we're always busy, but interesting stuff comes in spurts.

The big news is Emily's engagement to Peyton Moss.  They'll be getting married on January 14th.  I'll be coming home for a couple of weeks and can't wait to see many of you.  Most of you I'll get to see around and at the reception, but missionaries and parents even if you don't get announcements, I would love to see you.  I'll send out the info later when I know more.

<3 <3 <3

Last Sunday was the Primary Sacrament Meeting Program.  There were twenty children.  Every single one from the oldest to the youngest sang every single word.  It was amazing.  I loved it.  Good thing I don't know the songs in Portuguese or I'm sure I would've been singing along and embarrassing myself.

This week we're losing eight missionaries.  Yesterday we went to the temple with them.  For two of them it was only their second time.  For four others it was they're first time in Portuguese.  One Elder's stake was there.  They'd rented two busses and had been their all week.  Such a coincidence!  I know they'd traveled a long way but found out today it was a 24 hour trip just to get to the temple!  They were actually from Nick's mission and one of the sisters remembered Nick and called him her filhote.

Today we had their training, lunch and testimony meeting here in the mission home.  Sweet day.  They're such good kids, full of hope and enthusiasm.  I'm going to miss them.  We'll receive 14 new missionaries on Tuesday and so it continues.

It has become very hot and humid here and it's not even summer yet!

Still trying to figure out when to decorate for Christmas since there's no Thanksgiving here to guide my decision.  I may enjoy the music and the decorations a little longer this year although I'm not sure it'll feel much like Christmas in the 100 degrees.  Maybe I'll go to the pool on Christmas!

We love you all and miss you.  We are having a great experience and are grateful every day for this opportunity.

Love,

Mom/Lissa

 The departing missionaries and their self sufficiency teacher

Departing missionaries

Departing missionaries 

Members who traveled 24 hours to get to the temple

Zone Conferences and General Conference

Dear Family and Friends!

What a wonderful couple of weeks we've had!  This last week we had four zone conferences.  We'll have two more this week.  We try to keep them small.  It gives us more of a chance to deal one on one with the missionaries.  They are so wonderful and these times are my happiest!  Doing smaller and more zone conferences means more traveling but I don't mind.  The countryside here is so beautiful.  And spending three nights in hotels means no meals to prepare or beds to make.  I even had a chance to go out and work with the sisters!  I felt like I was able to make a difference and that was great.  When I go out with the sisters, it's not to teach them or observe them, it's just to learn from them.  And I have so much to learn.  I have a couple of work days planned this coming week that I'm looking forward to.

Conference was wonderful!  We could've watched it in our apartment but chose to watch it instead at the stake center with the members and missionaries.  It's much more fun that way.  On both Saturday and Sunday we were able to attend baptisms between sessions.  On Saturday between the afternoon session and Priesthood, we attended the stake mission prep institute class.  I don't know what I was more impressed with-the teacher or the students.  The saints here are really amazing.  Between the two sessions on Sunday all the missionaries brought snack food and we snacked together.  In our family we always have breakfast casserole for breakfast on conference Sunday, but with just the two of us I figured we'd skip that tradition.  When we heard about the lunch, I made our traditional casserole, with just a few ingredient changes due to availability, cut it in squares and served it cold. During the afternoon session Howard leaned over to me and suggested we have a recap with the missionaries who were there.  It was so great.  This is a tradition we've had since we married and since we wouldn't be doing it with our own families that evening, we ended up having it with part of our new family.  It was just a quick meeting where everyone was able to share their feelings on conference and a talk or two that impacted them. It was a sweet experience. We're hoping to do that with our own family tonight via Skype.

Today the skies opened and it poured.  Running into the store I felt like I'd gotten into the shower with my clothes on.  Very reminiscent of running Ogden. The streets were absolutely flooded. Made me happy it was p-day for our missionaries but I'm sure they experience plenty of rain.

We love you all and appreciate your prayers.  We need them and feel them!

Mom/Lissa

Piracicaba and Nova Piracicaba

Botucatu

 Siao Carlos and Pirasioanunga

 Mission Prep Piracicaba

 The whole Piracicaba mission! 9/8/16

Zone Conference Siao Joao da Boa Vista

Lunch between conference sessions