Ashley Week 8 -Pictures! Look at the bottom to see!

Oi minha familia e amigos,

Yes I can receive pictures through email! Mom I need family pictures! hehe (:

Lots of stuff to say and not enough time hehe

1. My feet are healing. I am walking perfectly fine now!!!! (: Im going to have super strong knees and feet after my mission!

2. Really cool story for you this week: The very first family I taught a lesson to (part of a lesson) too is F and L. They are the cutest, sweetest couple. They have a sweet baby and I love them so much. They are ready for baptism but we have to wait until they get married. It is very expensive here to get married so a lot of people dont or dont have the money. But the other day L told us a story; she told us she had been praying for a way for her and her husband to get married. But F had never believed in religion and they didnt have the money. Well when the sisters 1 contacted her; she believed that they were not coming back. And when the sisters did they invited them to church. Well when sunday came F suddenly had a real desire to go to our church. Then we taught her about the law of chastity. And she knew the gospel was true. And after that they read the Book of Mormon everyday, pray together,  and they both know this gospel is true. They come to church and they follow the word of wisdom to a T. ANd you would not believe how fast they understand the gospel. It is amazing. I can feel how special they are! I feel so humbled to know them. Everytime I see there little baby I feel happy and I know that baby will be raised in a beautiful good gospel centered home. And the lord has given me the oppurnity to be apart of that! 

3.  We TEACH SO MANY PEOPLE: We go go go go! But its hard because our area is really far from the church so in the end we cant get many people to come on sundays!!! When they do though its a good sign that they understand the importance of church!

4. I lied in my last letter im not in joao pessoa in a suburb of Joao Pessoa. But the ward was right hehe (: 

5. My address is:

Sister Ashley WHeatley

Brazil Joao Pessoa Mission

Rua Deputado Jose Mariz, 515

Tambauzinho

58042-020 Joao Pessoa-PB

Brazil

6. Ok some cultural updates:

Britt- There are wild horses everywhere!!!! And pigs!!! They are huge!!! And made really wierd noises!

Emily- People love to sing disney songs here!!! In english and in portuguese; I can not tell you how many times I have heard let it go! hahaha people LOVE music here. There is rarely a time that music isnt playing somewhere!!!

Jacob and Z-man- Everybody rides really cool motorcyles here. The teenagers do really cool tricks all throughout the streets. They ride for long streches on one wheel then spin. Its scares me but its really really cool!!!

Katie- There are cats everywhere!!!!!! EVERYWHERE! They love to cuddle up to people to. If I sit anywhere they come and sit beside me. The kittens are the cutest!

The language is coming. I understand more and more everyday!!!! Oh fun fact- little children love us. There is a group of little kids that will follow us singing and playing games with eachother as we walk! One time another little girl joined them- and asked me Are you chinese? And I told her no I am from America. Then she asked, "well do you speak chinese?" i could not stop laughing. And when I told her i spoke inglish she could not stop laughing! it made my week!

I LOVE the members here. Girls will take off an entire day to come with us. They will come teach with us from 2pm to 9pm. They are so helpful especially because I cant help in the lessons to much yet! There is about 6 girls who come with us regularly! They are amazing!!!! 

Well I have to go! Love you all so much! Eu amo voces muito!!!!

--

Sister Wheatley

Seventh Week-1st Area Bayeux Centro .........Companion Sister Bunch

oi familia e amigos! Eu amo voces!!!

So its official I am in the field finally!!!! haha My new p-day is Monday. I have made it!!!!!!!! And I love it!!!!!!! Its been hard but I've never been happier. I feel so blessed!!! 

Before I begin- my mission has alot of unquie rules about email that I need to convey to all of you! 

1. I only have 30 min to email

2. I am only allowed to email family or female friends. 

3. I can recieve emails from anyone and everyone but I will have to handwrite you back. (so if you email me please put your address in your email) (:

4. And know I love and appriecate all your emails. Oh others can recieve my mass email I just cant write back personal emails!

Ok well (mom) I bet you want to hear about my area, comp, etc.

1. My comp/trainor is Sister Bunch from Colorado! I got an american! haha She is amazing! She has been serving for 11 months, is completely fluent, beautiful inside and out, and only speaks portugues to me. (:

2. I am serving in the BAYEUX CENTRO 1 Ward in Joao Pessoa. The area is very impoverished and kinda dangerous! But mom I could not feel more safe and protected! We don't bring bags with us because a lot of people get robbed here. I take every precaution. I only carry a see-through binder with pamphets, a book of mormon, and the bible, and my planer! 

3. My area is pretty big!!!! And really far from where we live and the chruch. It takes us 30 min or more to walk there everyday. I walk EVERYWHERE!!! haha We walk from 11am to 9:30pm and sometimes later depending on who we where teaching. My feet are cracking and sting but they are getting better! For the 1st few days my feet would hurt so bad I could feel my heartbeat with every step. But I am proud to say I have no complained just prayed really really hard! haha

And every time I thought I could not walk anymore God has helped me. On the third day my feet where bleeding and hurt so bad but I didn't want to stop. SO I prayed that we would be able to find someone to hear our message and let us come in there home. Two minutes or so later both me and my comp got really thirsty and started asking for water. This young man, Augusto, brought us water and then invited us into his home. We where able to teach his the first lesson and he came to church with us on Sunday. After our lesson, the pain in my feet completely went away. We taught him for almost and hour and a half. I know God takes care of his servants! Another time- my feet hurt so bad I thought I couldn't make it home so I prayed and a member drove by with his wife and stopped. Asked us if we wanted a ride he drove us back home. This is really rare because very few members have cars.

Well its been kinda hard. But I LOVE IT. I know its where God needs me and I trust him 100% I didn't understand anything for about 5 days; haha But I am know starting to pick up the accent and I understand gospel things and when they tell me I am really cute, a barbie, don't know the language, and when they tell me I did a good job! haha (: I dont understand any of the small talk. But its getting better. My trainer's fabulous! hehe ... I dont speak well at all but every time I have needed to say something, I have felt Heavenly Father there. Dad- You will be proud and surprised to know I can keep completely silent for more than 3 hours at a time. its amazing hehe (:

We teach sooooooooooooooo much!!!! I wish I could show you my planer!!!! We teach and talk to people from 1 to 930 everyday! We have tons of people on track for baptism. The process is crazy fast here.

CULTURE- 

I think I was born in the wrong country! haha The culture here is totally me! I love it here!!!

A. The people love to talk and love to meet new people. People are so open and love everyone!

B.People have so much respect for others. Even if they disagree with us they are still pretty polite about it. And for example a guy was smoking and blew out smoke as we where walking by and he began apolozing and pushing away the smoke... just so we wont walk through it.

C. I LOVE the food!! I have yet to eat something I don't like! Dad they eat tomatoes with every meal"! hahaha (~: The members feed us so much (they feed us lunch here). We typically only eat breakfast and lunch because lunch is so filling you are not hungry at the end of the day!

D. People love God here.

E. Everyone loves music!!!!!!! Music is constantly playing throughout the streets and in peoples homes. 

Oh I love it so much! I love being here. I wish I knew the language. And I wish I could teach. But I know with God I will get there!!!

Well times about up! I love you so much!

Te amo!

Sister Wheatley

Ashley WEEK 5 ......6 DAYS LEFT IN MTC

Oi minha familia e amigos!

 

Well its official I am on the last leg of my MTC experience!!!! I have 6 days left!!! Awww by next P-day I will be in JOAO PESSOA as a real missionary teaching the gospel to the beautiful people of Brazil.

 

The langauge is getting harder but easier. I understand a lot of what people are saying but have a very hard time responding. We call it my "caveman portguese" hehehe I feel the spirit so strong in our lessons and there are times I have to take a deep breathe, trust in god, and then the spirit takes over. Half the time I have no idea what i am saying but i feel gods love and i know its what god wants me to say!

 

I am so sad to be leaving Sister Judd and the elders in my district. I have really gotten to know and love them! They are amazing!!! We have really got to experience a lot together. And when you spend 16 to 18 hours a day together you Really GET TO KNOW PEOPLE! haha Sometimes a little too much! hehe They are all amazing and their stories are amazing. Some have gone through some pretty difficult things in their life, but they are a testiment to me that the gospel is for everyone. And if we are worthy the Lord will bring us where we need to be; And for us, we need to be here in Brazil. Loving and teaching these amazing people!

 

We have the opporunity here to go out on P-days and explore the city. There are some really cool little shops and resturants. Reminds me a lot of China Town in New York. Every building or home here is guarded by a gate with spikes on the top and richer homes have mini police station boxes. But I feel completely safe everywhere I go. Especially with Sister Judd. The people are so friendly!!!

 

Brazil right now is experienceing a lot of religious excitment. And because of that so many people are looking for the truth. It is amazing! We have so many people come up to us and ask us who we are and what we believe. Its also a lot like the south where people love to talk about God! God has prepared this time for Brazil. People are searching. And I feel so priviledged to be here to be  an instrument to teach them!

 

I can not wait to serve the Lord next week. I will leave on wednesday morning probably around 3ish am. (oh fun fact people use military time here, totally messes me up!!!) hehe Then I will fly to Joao Pessoa with a huge district of Brazilairos who came in 12 days ago. One of them was my friend from facebook! Sister Tota Silva who I had been speaking to for 4 months before my mission! We have become fast friends! I love her so much! There are 4 Brazilian sisters going to Joao Pessoa with me and I love them so much! They are all so sweet. I have never been kissed so much before! Everytime they see me I give them a hug and they kiss me each on both checks! I love them! They are adorable!

 

Crazy thing. A lot of people in Brazil know a lot of English. They learn spanish and english in school. And they always want to practice with us. SO we speak in portuguese and they speak in english! haha They do a really good job! Sometimes it makes me feel a little bad that I am not picking up portuguese fast enough.

 

Had an amazing experience with the CTM mission president. He is a man of God. Sister Judd and I had some questions that we had been pondering for a while and we happened to run into the president who invited us in. He talked to us for about 45 min. He answered every question before we were able to ask. As he spoke I could feel my saviors love and I felt as if my savior was talking to me. After we left his office our souls felt like they were on fire. I left his office with a new resolve to serve god and the people of brazil with more power and love like Pres. Swenson.

 

Sorry its so short this week still runnining on little time. I love you all so much! Thank you for all your love and letters! They mean the world to me!

 

Te amo!!!!

 

Next time I write I be an offical missionary out of the MTC. or here its call the CTM (: hehehe so exciting!!!! Estou Muito Animada!!!!!!!! (I am very excited!)
--

Sister Wheatley

Ashley WEEK 4 of MTC LIFE

Oi familia e amigos!

 

SO I only have about 30 minutes here to email, its kinda stressful! But I loved all the letter, emails, and cards sent to me! You are all the greatest and I really do apprieate you taking your time! <3 ya!

 

WELL 1ST WEEK IN BRAZIL DONE! hahaha It is amazing here, way different than Provo!!!! SO much more personal, strict, and the language is a hug emphasis! We spend most of the day in a small TINY classroom studying Portuguese and douctrina. (doctrine) haha ... My district is a riot there are 8 elders and 4 sisters but we are so loud! They bounce off the walls! haha but I love all of them, their testimonies are all super strong and I learn so much from them.

 

On tThursday (of last week) they handed each of us 3 books of mormon and put us in the middle of a huge social area downtown maybe 40 minutes away and sent us off to give out our books of mormon by ourselves (with our comp) speaking pPortuguese. It was terrifying but amazing at the same time! The bus we got on to get there was a public transportation bus and it WAS SO SCARY! They drove like a new york taxi but it was a BUS! hahaha I got thrown into a seat, the poor elders had to stand. I thought they were going to fly out the window! haha ... When we got there we had 1 hr and 30 min to give our 6 B.O.M per compainship, we struggled at first getting the courage to talk to people but we finally did. We were able to give all of them out! Everyone was really nice even if they didnt want to take it. Some people took it but Im not sure if they will read it. One guy started chewing us out for not speaking pPortuguese for about 10 minutes, we just told him that we may not know the langauge well but our message is important- he took a book of mormon so hopefully it will help him! There were two people though that I know will read it. One guy was so greatful, I could barely understand him, but he just loved it. I started to read as we were talking and he got so excited when we left he started showing people his book "with a picture of jesus inside" it was so great. And another women told us she already belonged to a church and believed in the bible and we were able to tell her that the bible and BOM were both testaments of jesus christ and the spirit was so strong! She ended up taking the book of mormon and I had a very strong feeeling she would read it! I hope she does!!!!

 

I was able to go to the Sao Paulo temple today! It is beautiful, ends up it is the 1st temple in south america! It is full of stain glass pictures/windows and BEAUTIFUL plants are everywhere.

 

Sao Paulo is such a different city. It is HUGE! Its buildings scattered throughout a massive jungle. And yes and jungle. There are vines and tropical trees everywhere. I love it here.

 

OK I know why they eat beans and rice with every meal. BECAUSE IT IS AMAZING! I will NEVER get sick of the food here; some of the fruits and desserts are a little funky but the main dishes 1000000000 times better than american food! Its so fresh!

 

Dad I am so glad you like the shirt! Mom I have one for you too but its with me! You will get it when  you come pick me up(: hehe

 

I love you all so much I wish I could say more. I never want to leave. They people are amazing, the food is amazing, the langauge is hard but beautiful, and I love being with the spirit everywhere I go! I have felt the Lord everywhere I have gone.

 

Oh fun fact W and Y don´t exist in portuguese so my name doesnt exist. No one says it right!!! It is soooo funny to watch people guess. I know how sister z felt! I love it! I tell them they do a good job even if they get it wrong because you can see how hard they are trying. One lady did get it right and I completely freaked out! She was so surprized. Ends up she know englsih fluently! haha

 

I made a new Brazilan friend Sister Miranda. She was amazing! She speaks to me in Protuguese all the time. She has helped me. Everytime I see her I yell out "Minha Amiga" and she gets this huge smile on her face and runs and hugs me! She is only here for a few more days though because she is a native speaker! I am so sad!

 

Oh my roomates are from Capo Verde, Africa. They speak continental portuguese! It is so different than Brazilan. But they are the sweetest! They think Sister Judd and I look like the princesses on Frozen so they had us sing for them one day. AND now everytime they see us they bow and start singing  let it go, as if we are royality! We start to sing with them and they LOVE It! I love them so much!

 

I stick out like a sore thumb here. hahaha I am white, tall, blonde, wear an amazing nametag and have curly hair. Haha everywhere I go people stare and EVERYBODY touches my hair!!! It is so funny. When we go in devotionals or at dinner people will call me over to talk to them so they can play with my hair! haha If I am waiting in line, Ill just feel a tug and I look back and they are laughing. They love it and think it is so beautiful!!! They are all so sweet! Everyone thinks me and sister judd are sisters because we have the same hair, look alike, are always together, and come from NC.

 

Well I have to go! I love you all! Know that God does exisit and love you so much! He has shown me how much love he has for just one of his children. He will do anything to bring them the truth. Do not take the gospel for granted.

 

Te amo,

Sister Wheatley

 

PS Aunt Rhea the elders called me Sister Sweetly the other day. I couldn´t help but think that I was continuing a beautiful legacy! <3 you! (I could not stop laughing, I think they thought I went crazy. When they called me that)

--

Sister Wheatley