Lages, Week 66

Oiiii!

I was transferred to Lages, Popular ward. 

It's been a whirlwind of a week, with a lot of new things. My first week away from the coast of Santa Catarina here in the serra (mountains) of Lages! 

Here are some highlights of the week:

-I am now living in 4 again, with my companion, sister Larson, sister Amorim (that was with me in Balneario) and a newbie sister Roberts! It's so fun living in 4, I missed it ever since Ingleses.

-My companion is named sister Larson, and she is from Portland. Oregon! She was in Florida for 2 transfers waiting on her visa, and now I am training her how to be a missionary here in Brasil!

-Tuesday we had a big training and lunch with the newbies that arrived. I got to see my child, sister Sousa again, and see some of my other friends which was cool. My daughter is training, so  I am a grandma! Haha! We had a 4 hour bus ride to Lages, and when we got there an Irma hired a bunch of taxis to take our luggage, and bought us three pizzas and soda! It was a blessing!

-It was way cool because when we got in the area, there were a ton of Irmas from the ward that called us to see how we were, and to welcome us to the area, offering to help us if we needed it. It was the first time in my mission that i have seen members like that!

-our first day a young girl from the ward named Alana showed us around the area, and taught the lessons that we taught with usl. The people here love the missionaries, and love to help!

-The people here in Lages remind me of the people of Imbituba, but are a lot more open! Most of the time people let us in to leave them a message when we ask them. It is way cool, and way different then my other areas, this week we are singing "Silent Night" and sharing Christmas messages to get people interested in what we have to say. 

-I haven't gotten lost in the area until now! It is a blessing, we have been able to find our way around, and I feel like God is really helping me, because normally I need a bit more time in the area to know my way around, but it's been easy so far!

-We have basically been knocking doors the whole week, every day all day (opening the area). We have met so many cool people this week.

I am loving the new area, next week I will give you more detes!

Always remember to be a light in the world, that sometimes is full of darkness. Its the little things that make the big difference. Especially during this Christmas season. So always remember, Christ went about the world doing good, this Christmas do the same! 

Love you all, and wish you all a merry Christmas season!

love, 

Sister Crofts

Sisters Amorim, Roberts, Crofts, and Larson

Lages--much more rural than Floripa and Camboriu!

Happy 15 months!

Irma Celia

Pizza party the first night!

Camboriu, Week 65

Hey all! 

This week was super crazy!! We had our transfer call yesterday, I was transferred to the Lages Popular ward. And will be training an american sister Larson, whitewashing the area. wow.... 

But the Lord qualifies the called! So lets go!!!

Here is what happened this week: 

• First of all, IZAURA WAS BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!! (pictures to come next week) It was such a special moment, and I felt the spirit really strongly. She loved her baptism, and although there weren't many members that went, she said that she loved it, and felt really special. After her baptism and conformation, she said that she felt so good. I love these moments. I love Izaura, she always says "vocês me amam né?" (you guys love me right?) every time we visit her. And it is true, i love her so much! Lots of tears were shed with this transfer call. 
• On my last day we knocked on doors, and met this super cool family from São paulo, they let us in, and listened to a message about the book of Mormon, and they loved it, saying "why have I never heard about this" and they said they wanted to visit the church this week. 
• We had an awesome family night with Josi and her family and Irmã claudete and fam. We watched the new nativity video (so awesome) and we played a game, and ate hot dogs. They loved it. This week we also started teaching them about commandments, and baptisms in the temple, and they are excited to be baptized. They are such a special family.
•  This week my testimony was strengthened on the importance of having a member present in the lessons, it makes all the difference! With Izaura, we visited her with irma fabiana, who testified in a way that I couldn't! It is awesome!
• We were knocking doors one day this week and we saw this woman smoking, that looked really sad. So we invited her to church, and she let us in. We shared a message of hope with her, and she said that we were an answer to her prayer. These are the moments that matter!
• Another opportunity we had to answer someones prayer was before our family night with josi, we saw a woman struggling to carry groceries. So we offered to help her, and it turns out we already new her! We carried the groceries to her apt. and she said she was praying that someone would help her!

I'm super tired, this week has been crazy! So that is all I can remember right now. But I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to serve in camboriú, it was the best. I love that area so much. And all the people I met, and learned with. I love my companion sister Cardoso (and daughter) and will miss her sooo much. I love that we can make BFFs on the mission. 

I know that Christ lives,that the first door that leads to the path of discipleship is baptism. And after that we need to continue on, firm in the faith, trusting in the one that has the power to strengthen and guide us. Nothing is impossible with God!

love you all, have a great week!

Sister Crofts

Missão Brasil Florianópolis

Isaura's baptism!

Crazy district!

Besties!

Camboriu, Week 64

Hey all! 

This week was a hot and tiring one, the sun is finally starting to shine with full force, and I am getting burnnneed. Love it. As all can see the biggest change in my appearance on the mish is my hair, and it's just getting blonder and blonder with this Brazilian sol!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all, hope it was a blast, Here are some highlights from my week: 

• We had a Thanksgiving with mashed potatoes, sausage, and apple pie "pastel" which was super good, thanksgiving in Brazil is always TOP. 
• We had a cool experience with a girl we are teaching named Livia, she had a lot of questions about priesthood authority and we answered them, then she said, "I believe everything you guys say, because when I went to pray to ask if the book of Mormon is true, I felt a special feeling, a peace in my heart!" It was very special. 
• That same day we visited some new people we are teaching, named, Telma, João, and Amanda. They are way cool, we taught them about the book of Mormon, and how to pray and how to receive answers. At the end, Joao said "Do you want to know how many times my wife has let in missionaries in her life?" "NEVER" "You guys are special". We looked at her and said, "thank you", and she looked at us with tears in her eyes and said, "no thank you." 
• We have been preparing Isaura to be baptized this Saturday the 7th, she is so awesome, but nervous, if you could all keep her in your prayers that would be great. 
• We have also been teaching Nayara, and preparing her to be baptized, she has a hard time remembering things, but we have really seen God's hand helping her to remember the things we teach her. She said that after she took the sacrament, and went to church she felt a huge burden lifted off her shoulders. She was already baptized years ago, but her records were lost, she doesn't really remember anything,and will be baptized again! Another new beginning!
• We had a rough day yesterday, and so I started telling sister Cardoso about the movie "Sound of Music" and the song "Favorite Things" to lift up our spirits, and I ended up telling her about the whole movie, and she is now dying to see it after the mission and know more about Maria haha!
• Today was sister Cardoso's birthday!!! I made a surprise for her and she cried <3 and we went to Balneario, went to the beach, went shopping, bought churros and sushi. It was TOP. I love her so much, she is an amazing daughter, and companion! This week we will get the transfer call....let's see what happens.

I know Christ lives and loves us, I feel his love and care every day. 

Love, 

Sister Crofts

Nayara

Camboriu, Week 63

Hey y´all! Wow, another week passed by, time flies by so fast! 

This week is Thanksgiving!! I wanted to wish a happy Thanksgiving to all! Take time to really reflect on your blessings, about everything that the Lord has done, and is doing in your life! He really is a God of miracles, and we have so much to be grateful for!! 

Here are some of the highlights of this week:

• We visited Josi and her family a few times this week, we had some awesome experiences. This week when we visited them we asked them if they were praying to know if the church is true, Josi paused, looked at us and said, "I feel that it is!" I almost cried. This week Livia, her daughter, was the only one that went to church, but she loved it! After church we showed her the baptism font, and she said, "guys...i want to be baptized!" It was awesome. 
• Enio didn't go to church this Sunday which made us sad, it is sad sometimes to see people choosing to put more importance in the things of the world, than the things of God. Buuut god gave us the free agency to choose. And God's plan is bigger than ours.
• Another cool experience, we went to visit Isaura, and she had notes ready that she had taken of the Book of Mormon, and exclaimed, "I understood it this time!" It is so cool to see all she is learning, and how she is growing. 
• We had some awesome lessons with less actives too, especially Sara and Alice, who are reading the scriptures, praying and going to church again. Me faz feliz!! 
• This week we had a funny miracle. During our planning session, sister Cardoso and I were talking about how long it has been since the last time we ate fish, so I put a fish sticker on our planners and said, "sister Cardoso, this week Heavenly father will bless us with fish." and what was for lunch on Sunday, the first day of the week? FISH. Miracles happen. 

Love you all, i am so grateful for you guys! Have a great week and a happy thanksgiving, eat lots of turkey for me!

Sister Crofts

Francis, Fabiana, and Cynthia

Livia and Isaura