Camboriu, Week 62

This week was a great but tiring week!! We had some rainy days, but now it's only sunny! Bring on the Brazilian heat!

Here is what happened:

• We had a really cool experience this week. We were in the bairro tabeleiro, knocking doors in the rain, when we saw this man sitting on the sidewalk under cover, reading a newspaper. I had the feeling to talk to him, so we went over to him, and I asked if I could sit next to him (this was Tuesday). He is from goiana, and was in the city 5 days looking for a job. He thought that he would be able to stay with his brother who lives here in Camoriú, but it didn't work out, so he ended up sleeping on the street for 5 days. He hadn't eaten, his feet were cracked open and bleeding from walking, and he was shaking from sadness, stress, and cold. He wanted to go back to his city. We said a prayer with him, gave him all of the money we had in our wallets, and went to an irmã (Sister from their ward) to see if she could buy him food and toiletries. She bought it and we brought it to him, he was so happy. 
• Flash forward to Sunday, we were walking to church and guess who we saw??!! HIM! Leandro! He was so so much better, he found a job to do, food to eat, etc. He was so so much happier, and full of hope. He said we showed him that God really cares, and he would never forget it! It was a special experience. 
• So because we gave him our money, we didn't have money that week to buy snacks (tranquila) was worth it. But really God blessed us EVERY day with coins I didn't know I had in my bag, with members giving us cookies randomly, etc. It was like manna from heaven. We knew that we were witnessing a miracle every time we got food. Like the Israelites, sometimes we are left without so that we can see God's hands work miracles, and grow our faith in him and his plan!
• God is a God of miracles. 
• We set two dates for baptism (prayers please) one of them will be on the 30th of november, Francis, and the other on the 7th of December, Enio. THey are both so so ready to make this step to follow Jesus Christ. 

That's about it for this week! Know that God lives, Christ lives, Miracles happen, and that we need to be willing to be like the good Samaritan more in our day to day lives. 

Love, 

Sister Crofts

Missão Brasil Florianópolis

Pao de queijo

Irma Sara e Alice

He helped us knock doors today!

Camboriu, Week 61

This week was a hard one but a great one (like always <3) here are some things that happened:

• Sunday was a day of MIRACLES! We had 9 investigators at church, 9!! And a lot of our less actives that we are visiting went to church. We almost cried from Joy. It is moments like this when God can show you the fruits of your efforts. Josi and her 2 daughters came, isaura, enio, elani, francis, and more! What a blessing. The spirit was very strong this Sunday, and the members were extra friendly!
• MIRACLE: This week I had a ton of back pain, I woke up Monday with my back hurting a ton, and Tuesday and Wednesday it got worse. But I trusted in the promise that God gave me in many blessings before the mission, that I would have the health and strength to fulfill my mission. And we were knocking doors that night and this old lady from são paulo answered, let us in and gave us tea. She saw that I had back pain and said that she had taken a chiropractor course (4 sessions) and wanted to help me. She had me sit down and massaged my back and did some stretches, and in the end popped my back! I felt so much better, and every day after, my back got better and better! A miracle from God, I know He answered my prayer. 
• We had another surprise, isaura said that she received an answer from God saying that the right path was the church that the missionaries were teaching her about!! We almost cried from Joy. Now she is way more excited about learning, and reading the scriptures etc. 
• We taught Josi and her family this week and they surprised us with a huge snack table of food! We taught them about temples, and Josi wants to have a forever family there. She pulled our her book of Mormon and said "TEACH ME TO UNDERSTAND THIS" haha. It is such a blessing to see the people we teach have this desire to move and change their lives. 
• We had an awesome lesson with our investigator luana, who wants to know everything, said she "Hardly read" and ready 8 chapters. haha she is being diligent and developing a testimony! 

That's almost all I can remember, but its been a great week! I just want to bear my testimony, that all we pass through is for our good! When we trust in God and trust in our Savior, everything works out for the better. His plan is wonderful.

Love you all! Send an email my way ;)

Sister Crofts

Missão Brasil Florianópolis

Irma Rose made me Cinnamon Rolls!

Our free bread from the members!

My bestie

Camboriu, Week 60

This week was a great week, we had a lot of adventures and good times. Really every week is a good week, every day is a good day. Even the hard ones. I am so grateful to be a servant of the Lord!! I couldn´t be happier gente! 

This is what happened this week: 

• This Wednesday we went to florianopolis, and I got to see my other daughter, sister Souza!!! It was the best to have the two people I love so much together! 
• We renewed my visa in floripa for 2 more years (sorry mom, guess I will have to stay! ;) ) we got to adventure around and make some contacts after we got done, I saw some members that I served with in Ingleses, and we bought caldo de cana! That was my Halloween ;)
• We taught one of our investigators, Jaíni, who is from Pernambuco. We taught her about the restoration, and asked her to say the final prayer. She said no many times, but we invited her to pray alone, she said no. We finally convinced her to pray alone about the restoration, and I said, "Ill say the closing pray because you don't want to." and she said, " I want to say it" we all started laughing. she said it. 
• Saturday we went to the cemetery (day of the dead in Brasil) and taught people about the plan of salvation! It was a super cool experience, telling people families can be forever! Bishops wife Irmã roseangela went with us which was great. 
• We then taught the family of our investigator Josi about the gospel of Jesus Christ (was the first time teaching her husband) we taught especially about forgiveness, and how through forgiving others we are freeing ourselves from pain, hate, bitter feelings. Josi's husband fabiano said, " So forgiving others is really a gift that Christ gave to us" yep, yep it is. The spirit was very strong. 
• We then taught Enio, it is super cool because we teach Enio on his brother's porch, in front of a bar, so the people in the bar always see us praying and sharing messages with Enio. And sometimes they want to participate! We have this one old drunk man named John who always walks by right as we are teaching and participates with us. But this time one of Enio's friends asked us if he could participate in the next lesson! It was awesome. 
• We then after our lesson with Enio talked about watermelons (like you do), and how to choose a good one. Enio said that you just have to grab any watermelon in the store, lift it in your hands, and say, "Lord God, bless this watermelon, that it may be good, delicious, crunchy, and flavorful. In the name of Jesus, amen." We started laughing so hard, and he said, "this is not a joke, it works!" hahaha. 
• Also when i was going to the bathroom the other day, a lizard fell from the ceiling and fell right in front of me. I screamed so hard haha! I have gotten used to cockroaches, but not lizards haha! 

I know Christ lives, this is his church! Love you all!!!

Sister Crofts

Missão Brasil Florianópolis

Sarah felt sick after eating this!

Caldo de Cana em Floripa!

The best picole!

Teaching about eternal families in the cemetery on the Day of the Dead