10/27/14

Week 42 

This week was pretty good!! Elder Payne arrived Monday and he was sick. So we took Tuesday off so he could rest. Then I showed him around the area this week, so this week was kinda slow, but itll pick up. Elder Payne is super cool. He is from Spanish Fork, UT and is already going home in February. I like him alot! He is going to UVU after his mission so he´ll have a chance to see Chase and Taryn. Elder Payne and I get along really well, and he is my first american companion. Haha After 10 months of only speaking Portuguese, its funny to here us try to speak in english. It sounds soooo bad at times. haha but I love him already! 

We have a baptismal date for this Sunday with that woman called Katia. She is really cool and has a really strong testimony. Expect pictures next week! 

Its starting to rain here, and i mean alot. It rained almost all day yesterday so it was hard to do any work.  

Can yall believe that i almost have a year on the mission? Looking back, that time went super fast. I cant believe it. I love you all and I love you mom!! 

Oh ill send a picture of my district next week. We have 3 americans, 2 brazilians, and 1 from Portugual. Its time to go, but i love yall!!

Com Amor,

Elder Marstella

hey i put photos on my google drive if yall can put those on. 

10/20/14

Week 41

This week went by really fast! I had a meeting in Cuiaba this week, so i traveled Thursday to get there, Friday we had a Lidership meeting, and Saturday I traveled back to Lucas. At this meeting, we had all the District Leaders and Zone Leaders in the north of the mission. The meeting really was inspiring. I loved it! President Reber talked about the General Conference talk, Which way do you face? (click to read/watch the original talk!) He talked about how we are called to represent President Monson to the people. He talked about how alot of times missionaries want to be the coolest, or funniest missionary. And it's fine to be cool and funny, but when it comes to breaking rules to do that, its a different story. President pretty much said that he wants us to be the examples in the mission and to help everyone else in the mission. I received alot of revelation for me and for my district.

Today is tranfers. My companion Elder Chavez already left and is on his way to Ronodopolis. And my new companion Elder Payne (my first american companion!) is on his way from Cuiaba. I am excited for this transfer!

Thats all for this week! I love you all! I love you mom!

Com Amor,
Elder Marstella 

10/13/14

Week 40

Can yall beleive it has already been 40 weeks since ive started my mission?? That sounds absolutely insane! Time has been going by so fast. haha but I am loving the mission. It is truly the best thing I could be doing right now with my life. 

So this week was pretty good!!Tuesday night and Wednesday morning we went to Novo Mutum, a small city 1 hour south of Lucas do Rio Verde. The church still hasnt been able to start there because only one family lives there. But we arrived thereTuesday night and the member picked us up and brought us to his house. He has a wife, 2 boys (3 and 12) and 2 girls (11 and 5). I loved their family and they were so nice to us! We talked with them Tuesday night. President Reber sent me on this trip to find out more information about the city to perhaps start a group there in the near future. Ill send a picture next week. This trip was the most exciting part of my week. We slept there and we read the Book of Mormon there together the next morning before we left. It was truly an awesome experience!

Then when we got back to Lucas, we continued our hard work. This week was found alot of new people. One was Aldir and Noely. One night we taught Noely outside her house and then returned the next day and taught her and her husband. They are an older couple, but are awesome. While we were walking out after the 2nd lesson, one of their friends came in and was crying really hard. Noely explained that she has depression and was really sad. We said a prayer with her before we left. We ended up having a lot of lessons are really planned the next couple days, so we couldnt visit them for 2 days. When we returned she said her husband really liked us and was really sad when we didnt visit them during those 2 days. And she said when we said the prayer with her friend, her friend immideatly felt better and didnt have depression. I know the power of prayer is true! And she said her friend read the pamphlet of the Restauration and felt really really good! I love them! They are elects!

I dont have much time again but i love you all and I know the Lord is with me helping these brasilians now the truth! I love yall. I love you mom!!

Com Amor,
Elder Marstella 

10/6/14

Week 39

Hello friends and family! This week was pretty good, but slow too because of Conference. So where I´m serving, we dont have a satillite at the church, they didnt show Saturday conference at the church. We watched the Saturday Afternoonsession at a members house. But I still havent seen Sunday Morning or the Priesthood session... But ill be watching them this upcoming weeks when i download them! And yes i watched them in Portuguese again, this time i understood alot more, but it still was hard to understand at times.

Monday we had our Zone Leaders and Sister Trainers come for P-day and to do exchanges Tuesday.  We had alot of fun together on Pday, but since my camera broke last week....  I didnt get to take pictures haha 

This week when we taught people, we focused on a living prophet and the importance of a living prophet. I know the President Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today! He is called to help everyone return back to God and so that we can live with our families for eternity!

We have been teaching a family for 4 weeks now and they accepted baptism for Sunday after church! We love them! We teach a mom, a daughter (18), and a son (19). They are awesome and the Lord has prepared them for sure. I love this church and I love general conference!  

I love you guys and I love the Lord.

Com Amor,

Elder Marstella