Week 13-Miracles

Oi familia!!!!

This week I only want to write about miracles. Because this week was full of miracles! (:

But first questions!!!!

Questions:
Are church services similar to our church services? Yes they are exactly the same except they do it backwards. They always have RS 1st, then SS, then Sacrament! Oh and people here love to sing really really loud! hahaha No one in the ward plays the piano but the primary children are learning to play the children take turns during sacrament to play the hymns!!! Its really cool and boy to they have courage! Its not super good but its way better than I can!!! haha I have so much respect for these little 10 and 11 year olds playing up in front of everyone!

What are some the interesting customs you have noticed? well there are lots hahaha You could ask me this question every week and I could respond differently haha (:  They way they eat here is really interesting to me. Everyone eats with a fork and a steak knife. Doesn't matter what it is. Rice, pasta, steak. You eat all your food with both. At 1st it was really hard for me to copy it but now I can proudly say I am a pro! haha Its weird not to eat with a steak knife now! haha

Another interesting custom is parties. People LOVE parties here. It seems like there is a different holiday every other week! Where no one works and everyone is with friends and family! Its so much fun! haha Oh and if there is a soccer game... its automatically a holiday! haha (:

What is your favorite Portuguese phrase? My favorite phrase is: Melhor cada dia! I started using this phrase my 1st week here because everyone would ask me about me portguese and I always responded "melhor cada dia" or "better each day!" But after a while I began to see that this phrase is not only for my Portuguese but for  all aspects of my life. I want to be better each day, eu quero ser melhor cada dia!!! (: And I have this phrase posted on my wall right beside my desk as a constant reminder to be better everyday. 

Do you attend ward council? No. I want to but the Bishop has never invited us. I was actually planning on talking to him about it this week. It would help us a lot! But sister lavor and I are organizing a break the fast for Nov. and an (I don't remember in english) but an intergasao (that's not how you spell it in Portuguese either haha) Where we have plans to join the member, missionaries, and recent converts"! I am really excited!!! 

Ok Miracles or Milagres for this week:

1. My feet have completely healed!! I had huge marks and a few scars and I woke up one morning to find all of them gone!!! I was really worried about my feet and they are completely healed!!!!!! Thank you for all your prayers! They worked!

2. I am perfectly healthy. Haven't felt sick again! Oh and its official this week we calculated with a scale how much weight I have lost. I have lost around 17.35 lbs.!!!! I feel great! And everybody has noticed; I even have an investigator who every time he sees me tries to give me food because he things I am not eating enough! haah I promise I am eating a ton! haha (:

3. Conference- I was really concerned that I wouldn't be able to understand conference. And I had a lot of questions I had been praying about. And when conference started the computer malfunctioned and for the 1st session of conference, the whole thing had English subtitles; The men there tried everything to take it away but nothing worked. And every single question I had was answered in that 1st session. After the session was over the subtitles just went away. ahaha I am serious no one could explain it! But everything I needed to learn from conference I did! I really felt Gods love!

4. We started a new area this week that hasn't had missionaries for a very long time. And we found tons of new investigators ready!!!! And 3 families that are married!!! To find one family married is a miracle but 3 is unheard of in a week!!! We are so excited to teach these families this week!

5. This week we where waiting for an investigator and the sister of him started talking to me. Awful things. She said really awful things. My comp was talking with someone else and I was left alone to talk to this lady. haha I only caught parts. But then clearly she asked me who Jesus Christ was to me. And I responded to here in my very best Portuguese and the whole conversation changed. I taught her the 1st lesson on my own in the middle of the street in Portuguese! And afterwards she asked me if she could visit this church with me. I told her of course!!! I love the spirit!!!! I didn't speak perfect Portuguese but she understood it all! I taught a whole lesson in Portuguese with the spirit! And it was the greatest experience I have ever had on my mission so far! God blesses us when we need him the most and when we work hard and remember him!

...

I love all of you so much|!!! I have not been able to send out letters for a while because the postal service is on strike. hahaha But luckily we all receive our mail because the mail carrier is a member! haaha so the only people receiving mail in parabia this state are the missionaries! hahaa

Know I love all of you! Look for the miracles, they are everywhere! There is a God and he loves all of us! And he is always there. Love you than you for all the letters and love!"

--

Sister Wheatley

Week 12

Oi familia! Sorry dont have much time today. Its really hard to write to my mission president because it needs to be in portguese! haha

Questions:

What kind of currency do you use? Reais and this week the american dollar went up in value by a TON! 1 reais is equal to 4.20 dollars now it was only 3.03 before. People are freaking out. Everyone wants to talk to me about how I am so rich haha. Its really funny. But really serious here because all grain is imported from the states and corn. And prices are going up and people dont have a lot of money here to pay for it.

Are you used getting up early now? Yes. I have turned into mom. I wake up 6:20ish and my brain turns off around 10. haha its quite funny! And the Sisters in my apartment think it is the funniest thing!

What other cultural things are difficult to get used to? Time. People here dont really follow schedules. People are very free with time. Nothing starts on time. Everything last ten times longer than it should. haha There is no rush here for anything. Which can be good and bad. Its hard for missionaries because no one is in the house for appointments we really rely on the spirit to tell us when to visit people. But its good because I am slowly learning more and more pacience and how to not stress about little things. (patience with time not people ... the people are great!) haha All the Brasilarios always say acalma sister acalma! haha Its different but I am used to it now! Its hard to leave appointments too because boy do people in brazil love to talk!!!! I love it but its really hard to leave sometimes haha!!! (: 

How often do you see your mission President? Basically never. I have seen him 4 times in my mission and only said hello and goodbye. And talked to him once for an interview. (but that interview only lasted maybe 10 min. max) He is amazing but I dont really know him(: I have a lot of contact with his wife because she always calls and is awesome! *only through the phone

This week was hard but I felt God on my side all week long. 

Mom- dont freak out because I am fine! and happy! and healthy now! But this week I was in the hospital for 2 days. haha SURPRIZE(: hahaha

Its a really funny story. And I dont have much time. SO I will do it in bullet points..

1. I have been having really bad stomache aches and I told my comp. Only because I wasnt sleeping good!

2. She called sis. N and sis. N told me to go see a doctor. And I was fine with that because it hurt a lot and I wanted to get better.

3. Well in this mission going to the doctor means going to the emergency care and the hospital where I understand NOTHING haha and my comp kept leaving me! haha

4. We waited for about 1.5 then finally they took me to this room where this woman started asking me questions and I had no idea what she was saying. My comp helped after I answered no to a question that definatly should have been a yes. hahaha 

5. Next thing I knew I was in a room, that looked like a surgery waiting room. And they started putting IVs in my. I still have no idea what they put in me. But they pumped me full of water hahaha. I have never prayed so hard for the whole thing to end. I was on that IV for about 3.5 hours. And then they drew my blood. But it is really hard for them to find a vein so that hurt. haha

6. Next thing I know my comp asks me if i need to use the bathroom and i did really bad because they pumped me with water. haha and ill i understood was that they were going to take me to a bathroom. (well that was not correct.) anyways I was SUPER SUPER weak and so the doctor went to get me a chair with wheel dont remember the word in english haha .

7. But my comp told her i could walk. haha so we walked and she walked so fast i got really naused and throw up. haha so they took me to a bathroom so I thought i could use the bathroom.

8. Well ends up that I needed that water in my bladder for a test. So they had me drink 10 cups of water. I thought I was going to die hahaha

9. After wards (by the way I understand nothing at this point by brain is fried and I am really sick) And next thing I know I am in a huge machine that is scanning my body. hahaha

10. Then they tell us its too late to gets results and we need to return. Oh by the way this hospital is about 45 min away on the scary bus! haha

11. I was so scared and so done with it all and really weak. And my comp didnt get it (i know she only wanted to help) haha. I prayed so hard that someone would help us. And when we got off the bus. We ran into a member. And everything went away I felt peace and so much better. I went home and slept until the next day when we visited the hospital again.

12. This time was better we talked with a doctor and I still didnt understand anything. But my comp was awesome and helped a lot this time.

13. And afterwards I found out I was fine. I just eat something that didnt sit well with me. And I know have HUGE photos of the inside of my body that are actually really really cool! HAHA

14. I also learned that I actually have 2 spleens the doctors showed me. haha I have a normal spleen and a little spleen underneath it. haha They told my comp and she told me that its totally fine just rare haha. I had to tell Sis. N i was normal.

15. But after it all I was so stressed and really homesick. But I didnt say anything. I just followed my comp. and Boy did the Lord bless me. My comp took me to Subway. Yes they have it here. And we walked in and I felt at home and happy and their was english music and american food and I remembered that I was ok. And that I would be just fine. I EAT MY FAVORITE SUB! and was reallly really happy!

16. I know God will never leave me. Even when I felt alone I still felt his presence. I feel so blessed to have him on my side!!! 

17. All is good now!!! I feel great and I am working hard. And Portuguese is coming so much faster with all Brasiliarios! I love every sec.

We have so many invesigators who love the gospel. And I love teaching them. I am happy healthy and really blessed. I love you all so much!!! Thank you all for your letter, prayers, and emails!!! Remember you are never alone even if you think you are... you are never never never alone!!!!

<3 Ate! Amo voces!!!

-- 

Sister Wheatley

Week 11-New Companion Sister Lavour

Oi minha famila! 

DONT HAVE MUCH TIME(: But thank you for all your letters and emails!!!

Curious questions...

1.  Do you cook for yourselves? We dont eat dinner because lunch is so big and we only dont have lunch once or twice a week and those days people give us food. So if I am hungry yes I cook for myself but we really dont need to. I think i have cooked 3 or 4 meals(:
2.  Do your own laundry? Yes! (: 
3.  Do you have running water (I researched news on Joao Pessoa and it looked like Centro was having some water outages of some kind)? Yes and we have hot and cold water! We do not drink that water though. We buy other water (aqua mineral)
4.  What foods are you eating (you noted some while in the CTM), but have not commented of food in the field. hahaha well I dont really know what things are called yet but A LOT OF RICE BEANS AND MEAT! hahaha and a TON of soda...... hahaha
5.  What interesting things have you done on PDays? Presidient really doesnt want us doing much on pdays. Our area doesnt have anything really good to do anyways! We are not allowed to leave our area to do things. haha We do a lot of crafts!!!!!!! (: haha last pday we went to a members house and they taught us how to make tampico. (and no its not pudding) haha Its this stuff we dont have in the US with cheese, cocnut, and meat. Its AMAZING! and really easy to make|! And the other week was independe day so we went to the other wards social... but we arent allowed to play sports or games. So we just eat and talked to people haha (:
6.  Do you see other companionships much? Yes! We meet up with sisters once a week for training (12 sisters in my district) we have to travel about a hour to meet them everyweek we take the bus, train, and cars! (taxi). We see the elders every sunday because their ward is after ours.

SO this week was transfers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got a new COMPERHEIRA!!! Her name is Sister Lavour. She is a Brazialian from Sao Paulo! All the americas I know left my area. For the next transfer I am the only english speaking person in my whole zone. I am a little nervous. A bunch of people left this transfer. There are only 30 sisters here now and 5 are american! Sister Bunch got sent to reopen an area for sisters NEAR Valentina! 

I am a little nervous, but excited because I am really going to learn portguese!!  Its going to be hard for the next few weeks but luckily I have God on myside!!!!!!!!!!  Sister Lavour is AMAZING! and so so sweet!

Well I have to go! Love all of you! Next week Ill send more pictures! 

Sister Wheatley

Week 10-1st Brazilian Parade

Oi minha familia e amigos!
Amo voces muito!!!

This week was long but good! hahaha This week as part of the mission training I was senior and my trainer went on divsao, in other areas and I was left in my area by myself with a Brazilian comp twice! .... I was scared out of my mind!!!! haha Thank goodness I had Heavenly Father on myside! 

With him, I didnt get lost once and I was able to teach full lessons in portuguese. Not perfect portguese but they understood and felt the spirit and that is all that matters!!!!!! I feel so blessed this week! AND I ALSO SPOKE PORTGUESe ALL DAY AND HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE AND MADE FRIENDS AND I SPOKE PORTUGUESe!!!!!! Everyone was telling me I spoke so much better by the end of the week!!! God blesses us when we do our best and have faith in him!!!!

I have developed an accent! haha People dont think I am american anymore they think im italian! haha (: Its great!

 

I got to see my 1st Brazilian Parade!!!! This week was independence week!!!! And Brazilians LOVE to party! haha I love it!!! I got to watch the parade ... the parade itself was 3.5 hours long and it was only school bands, groups with signs, and dancers. There were no blimps and only a few cars where used! It was really fun! But I got REALLY sunburnt! hahahaha worth it! (:

 

So my siblings had some questions I want to answer!

Catherine
I heard that you have lots of cats and I was excited to hear that.  Now I want to go to Brazil. ---> Katie its springtime soooooo all the cats have had there kittens and they are running around everywhere! So so so cute!

Zack
I hope your feet feel better.  Have you come up with a nick-name yet? YES!!! Its in portguese! I am sending it in a letter to you but as for now your nickname is Zman! 

Emily
How is the weather in Joao Pessoa?  Does it feel nice or is it hot? The weather. haha well take the hottest day in NC and its that everyday! hahaha But I have gotten accustomed to it! It slowly gets hotter everyday and I am a little worried! hehe (: There is a lot of wind and a little rain here too so that really helps!!!!

Brittany
I wore my boots and jeans on the beach today.  Someone even complimented me on the boots.  :-).  ahhahaha Well Bebop its burning hot here and people where jeans and boots! And the people in the parade even had on fulll outfits!!!!!!!

SO here are some cool facts about my mission!

there are only 174 missionaries in my mission. Around 40 are americans. There are only 5 american sister missionaries! haha And two leave very soon and they think not many more are going to come! Lots of Brasilinas and Hispanics! hahaha Its awesome! I love them all! <3

We teach 20- 30 lessons a week with investigators, 20-25 with less actives! There are a LOT of less actives in my area! And we have had 3 reactivations since I got here! I love them!!!

Please send me questions I love to respond to questions!
Awesome experience this week: We are having trouble with an area that is really far from the church because we have a lot of inactives and investigators living there but its a lot of money to take the bus and they dont have cars! We walk to pick them up but a lot dont want to walk 30 minutes or more to church and back!

We had been praying and an idea came up. The bishop has a 15 passenger van and we thought that maybe he could pick them up. When we had our meeting with the bishop we were so scared but we asked him. ANd he didnt even have to think about it... he just said I can do that and began setting up a plan with us! It was such a blessing and a help! We had a ton of investigators have the oppurnity to go to church because of our bishops amazing sacrfice! It mean the world to me and I know it will help so many investigators and members in that area! 

Well I have to go thank you all for your letters and for your emails! I love reading them!!!  They make me happy! hehe (:

Remember if you do your best God does the rest! Its not easy but worth it! I love my mission! I love everyday!

Oh some cool things: Eric in portguese is Icaro!!! I found that out and thought it was cool! haha 

Ate!!!!! AMo voces!!!

--

Sister Wheatley

Week 9 -First Baptism

Oi minha familia e amigos!!!

Amo voces!!

This week was really hard but ended with my 1st baptism!!!!!!!! I am so excited for her! She has such a strong testimony and she will do amazing things!!

Grandma had some questions:

So do you carry cell phones? Yes but we only use them to contact president and other missionaries. We have to be careful not to use them a lot because we are more likely to get robbed if we have them out.

What is your apartment like? complex or individual house? Its an apartment with 2 bedroms a kithen and a main room! Ill send pictures! We have cold and hot water that we use to take baths wash dishes and clothes, etc but we cant drink it. we have speacil mineral water we drink from.

is your water through using the church's filtering 3-step system? I am not sure. We have speacil drinking fountains at the church.

Ok because I dont have much time to write I have dedcided to get more organized with my letters!

Story- This week I had my first baptism. It was amazing! I had the oppurinty to sing at it with sister bunch and the spirit was so strong. I COULD FEEL THE SAVIORS LOVE FOR HER AS I SANG\! We actually got invited to sing at another baptism on Sunday and we did. It was amazing. I was struggling a little this week because I want to help people and its hard to without the language. But the Lord blessed me with two oppurinties to bring the spirit and it really helped and blessed me this week!

Update- In this mission u either lose a ton of weight or gain it. Luckily I am losing wieght like CRAZY! haha Some of my skirts are starting to be to big. I have to use a belt! haha! Its great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Coisa Legal (cool thing) - I went to my first Brazilan Birthday Party!!! The CAKE WAS HUGE!!! The gave out these little stingy things with candy and it was so much fun|! The children flocked around me speaking really fast, they all wanted to learn about the american missionary and disney world?! haha

Ingressada (funny)- So there is a member who comes with us a lot!(he is amazing! A new convert of 5 months and is preparing to serve a misson. I am helping him learn english and he is helping me learn portuguese. But for some reason he is the only person I accidently insult in portuguese. For example, there is a hand gesture that we use in the usa that is really really bad in brazilian and I made it at him and he freaked out. haha he's really nice about it and helped me not do it again! hahaha Also I called him a monkey because he was bouncing all over the place and ends up when use call someone a monkey its really really bad! Poor kid! He has been helping me a lot!! I apologized so much!" (he comes with us and a another girl (its not just him and us), just wanted to clarify)

 

Thanks to all of you for your wonderful letters and emails!!!!!!! Eu amo vocªs muito e eu sei que a igreja de jesus cristo dos santos dos ultimos dias ¨ a igreja de jesus cristo!

 

 

--

Sister Wheatley

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