Um Texano no Brasil

mom: remind everyone dear elder is free and it's same day delivery. mail is like gold... you can send me free gold! sister Aleah Leonard BRA-NAT sept 10 #285 2011N 900E Provo ut 84604. also can you send me my 4 generation pedigree chart and stories about my ancestors? they are the ones who will be protecting me out here on the mission and it'd be nice to get to know them.

Oi como vai????

There is a saying here " the MTC is like drinking out of a firehose" so true but its like a firehose full of TANG...it's so great and i cant get enough! Umm each day changes so dramatically that i don't even know where to begin. Well i'll start at the day that caused me to actually cry and build my way up from there.

I was in utter shock to here about Nick's death, really surprising. He was a really sweet kid, with a brilliant mind, and a lot of potential. His family is in mine, and my districts prayers. I’m not quite sure how everyone is taking it back home but I can share a few thoughts that have brought me great comfort. On Sunday we watched a devotional entitled "The Character of Christ" by Elder Bednar, this literally changed my life! He talked about how the Savior always turns out to help others. When he is the garden taking upon Him all the sins in the world he came out to find that his apostles couldn't even stay awake with him, and another apostle betrayed him with a kiss. when the guards come to take him away and Peter slices off his ear the Savior does not say "hey give me a break I'm trying to save you right now..." instead He heals the guard. even when He is on the cross just moments away from his death, He is not worrying about his own life, but rather is making sure his mother will be taken care of, and forgiving those who are putting him on the cross, He even gives comforting words to the men who hang next to him saying, “soon we will be in the presence of God.” As I listened and learned I thought: WAY later in life when things get rough I want to be able to turn out to help others and not be focused on myself, but I wasn't sure how I could develop these traits. It turns out that missionaries are not impervious to trials and hardships on the mission. It is hard to comprehend that Nick is no longer with us but I take comfort in knowing that he is with a Heavenly Father who loves him dearly. God's judgement is just, but more important it is merciful. He loves all his children and does everything He can to ease the suffering of them. I can only imagine the heart break and confusion Nick's mother and family must be feeling, but I know that Christ knows EXACTLY how they are feeling, He willingly suffered so that He could know how to succor His people perfectly (alma 7:11-12)

The mission is a wonderful place! I would not be able to recover and handle all the changes if not for the Spirit that is here aiding me in all my efforts and solidifying my testimony of the truthfulness of His Gospel.

Sister Reeve, Sister Francis and I are in a Tricompanieroship.... or a tripod:) and they are AMAZING! We get along great. We’ve already taught our first pesquestador (investigator), Dayane, all in Portuguese. we have learned so much about the importance of the Spirit. I am truly amazed at how well the language is coming. We have been working diligently. 4 people from my district have already received their visas... and everyone expects I will be the next to go because I went through the Houston consulate. Oh! Elder Wood got his visa yesterday which is awesome!

My last words of advice are "obedience brings blessing, exact obedience brings miracles"

I'd love to hear from all of you!

Sister Aleah Leonard