We got the power, literally

This week, we had lunch in Cassino and the member was telling us all about Cassino and how one time Adolf Hitler came here to watch the Russian Ballet. So there.

Yes, we got our power back. We only had a week of no power. It was actually kinda fun. Bucket showers and candle lit nights. Glad it was only a week though. We haven't had many other issues. It would be nice to have air conditioning I think, but that's more of an American problem. 

Funny that you're being asked to pay more fast offerings. We're trying to get people to pay tithing! I'm recognizing the power of sacred funds. Not only do they help me out, they also make possible more chapels and church activities, which are essential for the growth of the church. 

So, lots has happened. I was transferred! I've heard a lot about this place, mixed things- I am now in *Dom Pedrito, which, among the sisters, is the END OF THE WORLD. We are the furthest area from the mission office in Porto Alegre and we took two buses to get here. One was 4 hours and the other was another hour. We receive an extra 100 reais per two weeks now because the expenses for our travel to our district conferences is so much. Our zone is Bagé and is known for being The Hole of the mission and that there is no water. It's a lot hotter and dryer and there's less wind.  I'm super pumped for this transfer. My companion is Sister Agurto, from Chile! (Please pray for me, I do not understand her portuguese. Yikes!) Our apartment is on the fourth floor but we have the best view ever. Woooo! *It is located in the area of Bage.

(Written on the day of transfer)

I'm gonna miss SG a lot. She's going to die in Porto Alegre (this has two meanings: 1. there's a lot of hills and it's crazy hot there 2. she's ending her mission there) so  I won't see her again for at least a year and 2 months. I'll try to send her your way. She wants to meet y'all when she starts school again at BYU. She's a lot like you, Mom. Maybe that's why I like her so much, haha!

Looking out the window on the bus, I get a very The-hills-are-alive-with-the-sound-of-music vibe. Maybe if I have time with my new comp we can run on the hills. Also it feels very like girls camp. Could be the bus. It's definitely not the random dude sitting next to me. Oh, I just saw a couple palm trees. Vibe lost. Last night we tried to make a cake as our last thing together. But we only had one egg instead of 3 and a little less milk than needed. And only a tiny bit of leite condensado to put on top. It was horribly dry, so we ate the top and left the rest in the fridge for the next sisters!

Dom Pedrito aka the End of the World

(Back to present day)

This past week, we met a young couple. They are having problems in their relationship but they want to stay together because they have a kid together now (who is actually the cutest child in the world). They fight a lot and they wanted to know how they could get over each other's weaknesses and have a good relationship with each other. So. I don't exactly have much experience with overcoming marital-esque problems but I know the Spirit guided that lesson. We read Moroni 7:44-48. We talked about how charity is the pure love of Christ and, if they wanted to find things like love, kindness, patience, all of the good stuff in verses 44-48 that everyone wants in a marriage, they would find it by coming unto Christ. They agreed to read every day together and to pray when they needed help. It was super awesome. 

Makeovers

The scriptures are really cool. One of my favorite things to do to help people read the Book of Mormon is to offer a list of questions. I have a chapter marked for each one of the questions and I mark them for people and they have to find their own answers. The other day, we left a Book of Mormon and one of these questions (Why does God let there be so much evil and suffering in the world? 2 Nephi 2) with a new investigator. AND It's not every day that you find your new investigators in the street a few days later that say that they read that chapter, marked the answers in the book, and invited her friend to read it and join her for our return appointment the next day. Oh, and prayed about it. Whattttttt!!!!! It was super awesome. We taught her again on my last day of the transfer. All I gotta say is that people that put in the effort find the answers they're looking for.

Well, I can't wait to tell y'all about all of my wonderful adventures here in Dom Pedrito. Miss you all muito. Tchau for now. BOA SEMANA!!!! Beijinhos!

-Sister Hartman

I love the sunsets here!

Shout out to SG- I'm gonna miss her!

That moment when someone eats your Xis during church out of the church refrigerator..

I have 8 minutes.

So this week, we were studying as normal and we heard a knock on the door. Surprise, it was Presidente Cruz, who lives a mere 5 hours away from us. So we were trying to clean the other rooms really fast and discreetly as he was entering with his wife. They did cleaning checks. We failed, but not too badly!!!! We got a new oven/stove out of it, so that was nice. 

 We have been working really hard here but people still have their free agency so not many came to church. This next week is the last week of the transfer! Woah! And I will spend it with Sister de Souza, my first trainer, in Sao Jose do Norte. 

  

An old picture with Sister de Souza and Xis!

So we haven't had power this week, ya know? So we received *xis, the best **lanche que existe, from Wilson this week because he has the kindest soul ever but we couldn't eat it all of it and we didn't have a fridge. I ate mine the morning after because só vai but SG didn't want to so she took it with her to church to eat after the meetings. After church, we went to snag it before going to our next appointment, and ONLY THE BAG WAS LEFT. Sister Grubbs was HORRIFIED and it was so funny. Like, someone literally ate her xis and left the bag, the evidence, during church. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA man. So funny. *Pronounced like "Cheese", but somewhat cut off. It's basically the brazilian version of a cheeseburger!  **Best lunch that exists!

From another email:

In other news, we had a miracle! 

A family way way inactive, like 20 years inactive, came to church! It was just like a movie. We were walking to pick them up and walk with them and we turned the corner and they were were walking together, smiling. All that was lacking was tear-jerking music and it could've been the end of a movie about reactivating members. Haha it was super awesome.

Not much else to report. Still no baptisms coming up but we're working hard. The members are awesome. 

Maybe some advice? I think it's super easy for people to forget why we have church but when we remember how special it is that we have a day per week to rest from our labors and dedicate it to the Lord, we treat our meetings differently. And, in the States, no one has an excuse to not go. Some of our members travelled from other cities by foot, bike, or bus, just to take the sacrament weekly. And now they have a chapel closer to home. What a blessing that we don't have to make such a sacrifice to receive the same blessings. And there are a LOT of blessings that come from going to church every week! 

This gospel is so true and I love this work (usually, haha ;) ). Hope y'all have a fantastic week. That's about all I have time for, haha. Love you all, thanks for all of the support. Means a lot! Still seeing milagres every day! Muitos beijos!!!! xoxo, boa semana!

-Sister Hartman

Mosias 2:41

E ainda mais, quisera que considerásseis o estado abençoado e feliz daqueles que guardam os mandamentos de Deus. Pois eis que são abençoados em todas as coisas, tanto materiais como espirituais; e se eles se conservarem fiéis até o fim, serão recebidos no céu, para que assim possam habitar com Deus em um estado de felicidade sem fim. Oh! Lembrai-vos, lembrai-vos de que estas coisas são verdadeiras, porque o Senhor Deus as disse.

Making friends

District meetings, all work, no play

Loving new friends everywhere