It's world cup time!

May 26, 2014

So this week was a hot one. We had a family home afternoon with one of the recent converts in the branch. Sister C. made brownies, so it was a huge success. Last week we climbed to the Christus, which happens to be at the highest point in this town... it´s not that high but it gives you a chance to see that we literally live in the middle of nothing. I would send pictures but my memory card has a bit of a virus and I need to see someone smart to get it fixed. Nothing really spectacular happened this week. Wait we got milk shakes on saturday, that was pretty great. I hope all is well with y'all. and I want pictures of my nephew please. Thanks your awesome. I'm glad you're my mom.:)

Sister Leonard

My last day in Natal with Sister C we climbed the dunes to watch the sunrise.

Jun 2, 2014

This week we did divisions. I was with Sister A., who I lived with in Abolição. so it was good I learned lots. but I'm glad to be with my companion again:) this area is really beautiful and really hilly. we’ve learned its much easier to descend hills if you just let gravity help. so we have fun running down all the hills here. we are working hard to find solid investigators. we do a lot of teaching and what not, it just to help the people progress they are a little lazy... they pray and receive answers its just they live a comfortable life style... which means they can break the commandments and no one tells them they are wrong. I think about the last general conference

June 2, 2014

(I don't remember who said it but,) one of the general authorities said we don't have a comfortable God who will let you do what ever you want, we have a loving and merciful God, but he cant look on the least bit of sin. people don't like to be told their wrong, or what they are doing is wrong. we speak with love and speak of the blessings that come with obedience but sometimes I want to smack them. but then I think Jesus wouldn’t do that... but all in all its good we just have to keep moving forward and search for the people that have already been prepared. I'm as happy as ever. love you all,

Sister Leonard

June 9, 2014

Thrown for a loop

So that was weird reading your email and finding out Elder B.W. is officially done with his mission... but that´s what was meant to happen I guess. I got a letter from the stake this week... which means about 10 youth had written me at youth conference. I'm already responding to the letters so you can tell them to expect letters in the next 3 weeks or so.

this week was a miracle. So before I arrived here in Brazil, President Costa visited the mission and promised the missionaries if they reactivated a less active they would baptize as well. so this week I got a testimony of that in a really unexpected way. so we have a list of less actives and through out the week we visit them, find out why they stopped going to church and help them come back. so there are two brothers George and Jorge....(who comes up with these names?) anyway we met George first and he told us his brother Jorge was also baptized. only we didn't have his record. so we looked in the archives, called up São Paulo, no one had his record.... but he remembers being baptized and confirmed. so there are two things we could do, call up the witnesses who were elders from 5 years back or re-baptize him. so we asked him what he wanted to do and he said ´I can have a 2nd chance again?´ so he was baptized this saturday, and everyone was really happy. 

Thats my fun miracle for this week. Love you all. thanks for the prayers and support

Sister Leonard

June 16, 2014

So this week was irregular. We have permission to watch the world cup, but only when Brazil plays because literally the country shuts down for the games. Also we had a conference on friday in Caicó. Elder Leal of the 70 came to talk to us. Sister Soares talked about how the decisions we make here and now don't just affect us but generations of people. It's not just for this life time but for eternity. President Soares talked about the atonement and how we can use it not only in our lives but the lives of our investigators. Sister Leal talked about connecting the generations through indexing/family history and doing the work in the temple. and Elder Leal talked about Lehi´s dream and how it relates to the mission. a quote I really liked was you can count the number of seeds in an apple but you cant count how many apples that will come from that one seed. talking about how our labors aren't in vain every little bit has a huge impact. it´s officially winter here which means its still hot but gets a tiny bit cooler at night. it´s the little miracles daily that make the mission that much more enjoyable.

Next week is transfers so i´ll be on on wednesday. love you all. Cheerio!

Sister Leonard

Sister Cunha and I.... go brazil!

June 25, 2014

transfers

So here are the results: Sister C was transferred to Natal and Sister de J will be my new comp. woohoo! Brazilians. She should get here in about 2 hours. This week was good. We are working a lot with a guy named Luciano he drinks a lot. But he is working hard to give it up to follow Christ. President Viana (counselor to president Soares) came and visited our branch this week. it was really great he talked about how important the members are in the work. how we need to get out of our comfort zone to befriend those who are new to the gospel or who are shy. we also had a fireside about family history and how we cant be saved with out our dead. we have the opportunity hear it, know and enjoy the blessings the come from the Gospel of Jesus Christ, those who didn’t have the opportunity are being taught on the other side of the veil, they are waiting for their ordinances to be done. so take 30 min each day and index or find your relatives.... I know these things are important. I'm enjoying the work here. 

June 25, 2014

sunsets here are really pretty.

first missionary in Cajazeiras... do you see the name tag?

June 26, 2014

June 30, 2014

Minha Luz

This week was busy yet it looks like nothing was accomplished. we are working a ton here, we have lots of people to teach and not enough time. but that´s okay this week we are going to be doing some divisions to help with that. the world cup was kinda getting in the way as well. Ithink Ialmost  died like 7 times this week(of a heart attack) because after the games or during holidays every one lights off fireworks in the middle of the street... let me just say the entire month of june is a holiday... literally. so there are always little kids and drunk adults lighting off these little bombs in the middle of the street and they don't have a phrase in portuguese for `heads up´ so I'm entertaining all the Brazilians here in Cajazeiras, every time a firework goes off it´s followed by laugher and something to the effect of `did you see that americans face?! do it again hahahahha` its great Ilove it. 

This week we are going to start an english class. That'll be fun because iv’e forgotten most of my english. All in all this week was a good one. Ilove being able to say that Jesus walks with my every single day.  haha Sister de Jesus is awesome I'm excited to work with her:) 

until next week.

Sister Leonard

July 7, 2014

July Already?

This week was good. we worked a lot with the members to visit less actives. We started an english class and baptized Luciano. we started teaching him about 6 weeks ago and he had issues with drinking and smoking but nothing is impossible for God. We saw a lot of miracles this week with his progress. also this week I got to enter the distributer of coke. and Jorge e Mateus were here in Caja. not that that means anything for you but here in brazil they are kinda a big deal, I don't think i´ll have time to send pics this week but I will next:) love you love Lee

who says mormons cant drink coke?

july 14, 2014

This week was a good one. we had a fun activity on Saturday, we played ridiculous games with every one separated into classes... I'm with the primary... and I'm pretty sure we are going to win haha. this week I was reading about the people in the Americas after christ visited (4th Nephi) and I really liked how the people we super unified and how in the scriptures Mormon  writes that there never was a happier people... out of all the people that God created these were the happiest, can you imagine the joy these people had. but why? was it because bad things stopped happening? no. people got sick, and had hard times. but every one was living the commandments, everyone was entitled to the blessing of heaven, they had the faith to be healed and to do miracles. they were unified in Christ. what type of people are we? are we always looking to get gain or to help our neighbor have the blessing we have. are we being good examples for those around us? are we truly thinking what is it that Christ would do in this situation, because we learn doing what is right has a price, but it´s always worth the pain. I love the Book of Mormon (the actual book with in the BOM) Ilove the love that mormon has for the Lamanites and I love how important the commandments are to him. so this week if you have a bit of time read 4th nephIand the book of mormon. that´s what Iv’e been studying.  we can learn a lot about the atonement and how it's not just for a remission of our sins but it has enabling power to help us avoid sinning in the first place. love you all, I'm working on sending pictures.

Sister Leonard 

July 14, 2014  bobbing for apples... I won

Remember me? Im the missionary who's mother keeps forgetting to post her letters

April 21, 2014

I can’t think of a catchy title

So this week is pretty simple to write about in three words,Iwas sick. But that wouldn’t be a very fun email to read, so i´ll try to tap my creative writing tap. So last Monday I ended p-day staying at home with a fever and a sore throat and swollen eyes and a snotty nose. I thought it´s pass that night. anyway long week short I stayed at home all week, we did some divisions with members, what ever was in my throat moved to my chest and I sounded like mom when she gets Bronchitis.  Then sister f.de Oliveira got sick and I stuck it out at home babysitting her while I recovered a bit more. Friday sister hunt said I needed to get out of the house something about house fever, going crazy. Anyway I went out on good friday. Not much happened that day because it was a holiday and everyone leaves for the beach when they have a holiday. 

Brazilian traditions with Easter: almost everyone is catholic, so they do what catholics do, and they give there loved ones a big chocolate egg that usually has another type of candy inside or a game, but it´s just one egg, not a basket of goodies like in the states.

So saturday Sister Hunt and I were finally together and working normally like missionaries should. This is like the most exciting part of my whole week so pay attention, so as we were coming home right before we turned into our street we bought popcorn (kernels to make popcorn) and we are talking about how great my purse is because it really doesn't call attention, because we saw a great big purse on the side of the road (as if someone had robbed it, emptied it and left it to be talked about by missionaries) when this motorcycle passes by. Then we hear them turn around and approach us. This kid (I swear he isn´t more than 10 years old, maybe 80 lbs.) gets off the bike, and says give me your cell phone and credit cards.Ikept walking away, then I turned around and my comp. was standing right in front of the guy on the moto. Not saying anything, just looking at him. so the little kid turned to me.Idid see a knife but I didn’t feel threatened. I didn't have anything to give him really, until he grabbed my necklace, it was the necklace grandma and grandpa Leonard gave me for my baptism, a gold liahona, instinctively I grabbed my necklace not wanting to give it to him, when he pulled it out of my hand he only took the chain, the liahona pendant stayed with me. all in all nothing happened, he left with the chain, and thats it. I felt protected and perfectly fine. Thanks for all the prayers of protection, they´re working haha. I just feel bad for that little boy, what kind of life he has lived to start so young stealing. I pray his life changes, that he can find the gospel and happiness and that he doesn't do something he regrets.

what would a mission to Brazil be if we hadn’t been robbed, I just hope I'm good for the rest of the mission. Love you hope you have a great week

Sister Leonard

April 28, 2014

Mom Respond!

This week was another fun one. We had another emergency transfer... that we were all planning on. so sister hunt got transferred to Abolição and I am not companions with Sister Christensen. She´s great, another one of the Sister líder treinadores, she´s great you´ll meet her on mothers day. This week was just really chaotic with the transfer and everything, figuring out how things will be with a new comp, little things that just take practice like how we want to teach and things like that. but we’ve been really blessed its like out relationship as companions is on steroids, probably because she will be going home in 2 1/2 weeks and we don't have time to not like each other haha, but really she is awesome, she´s kinda like me personality wise but a bit more crazy haha if that is possible. but she doesn’t seem like she’s finishing up the mission, she works hard and is a great example of not just enduring till the end but enjoying to the end, so thats my little thought for all who actually read these emails, enjoy it till the end, if you aren´t enjoying your self you aren´t counting all your blessings. only of the most annoying things to our Heavenly Father is an ungrateful heart. look at the little things like, the sun is shining, or hey it´s raining today, or hey I'm healthy today, or if your sick, at least we live in a time of good medicine.... it all depends how you look at it. 

love you all

Sister Leonard 

dunes                                              

Dunes with Sister H

great and spacious building

May 5, 2014

Mother’s day

This week was a good one we taught a lot and had baptisms yesterday. Tomaz, is this sweet little man that was always drunk when we went to teach him, but he had such a strong desire to change and leave the drinks in the past. This guy started drinking when his wife died about 38 years ago. He woke up every morning walked down the street and drunk the whole day. not much of a happy life. but when we started visiting him he said “you´ll take me away from the beer,I know you can do it”.  So we set our goals and left every morning at 9 to walk half an hour to his house to teach him or read the book of mormon with him. Then we would go back after lunch to see how he was doing, to make sure he hadn’t drunk, one of the most beautiful things I have seen on my mission is him sitting in his doorway reading the book of mormon with the gospel principles book open to study. He testified a lot of the power the book of mormon has to change peoples lives. And it´s so true. We celebrated his birthday with him he told us his family came to celebrate that day and they had a bbq with a lot of alcohol, he told his whole family he wouldn’t have any of that anymore. And his `friends´ have stopped asking him the join them because he´s found Jesus. Not going to lie, I doubted a bit if he would be good and ready to be baptized this week but he really had the desire, he understood the importance of baptism and he is so happy now. I'll give more of an update next week when I talk to yáll on skype... hope I remember my sign in haha. love ya.

Sister Leonard

Tomaz, João Maria.

Tomaz, João Maria.

Sister Christensen and Sister Cabral using my stamp

May 15, 2014

go to the end of the world, then just a bit farther

i got transferred to Cajazeiras its literally at the end of the world. It´s a little branch that is working to get a chapel. I'm with sister Cunha who is from São Paulo. Yesterday was really long. I was on the bus for about 10 hours. But I got here safely. I´ll have more to say about the area and what not on Monday but just wanted y´all to know where I am and what I'm up to. We share the branch with elders. We literally live in the middle of nowhere. pretty sure I'm the only american out here. woohoo:) I'm excited for this area. Oh I'm now senior as well, which doesn't really mean anything. I was sad to leave the people in Natal, I really do love them, but thats the thing about love it just multiplies. I can’t wait to love and serve the people in Cajazeiras (good luck with that name haha)

love ya, pray for me

#fimdomundo

Sister Leonard

May 19, 2014

Cajazeiras

So this town isn´t that small. Not like Thatcher small at least haha. It has subway so that´s kinda a big deal, the people here are good. This week I’ve just been getting to know the area and the people here. There are about 50-ish active members here so that´s going to be fun to get to know each of them personally and work with them. I´m learning that everyone here just needs a bit more energy and love... lots of love... so I just try to have lots of energy always. The Lord helps a lot with that. I'm excited to see what amazing miracles the Lord will do here in this little branch. We have a set of elders and sisters so that helps with the work,  umm I don't really have much more of an update for now but next week I should. hope all is well and you enjoy playing with the grandbabies. love you:)

Sister Leonard

February and March

February 17, 2014

we had p-day with the other sisters... Brazilians aren´t that great at basketball... 

i was proposed to again, probably one of the best proposals i’ve gotten until now, he listed all of these great attributes i don’t really have then said `i know you want to marry me´how he knew i have no idea(jokes). it must be pretty close to carnaval because there are less people in the streets, the the people who are out are drunk. but we met a guy Claudiano, he was drunk but we talked to him a bit about the church then told him to dump out his beer. he actually did it... it was really cool, he went to church yesterday and we are working with him to be baptized next week:) we also have a former pro soccer player that will be baptized next week too. we are seeing the fruits of our labors, next month we have two weddings planned and are working to put that all together. it´s really fun, i love the mission, love my comp, i’m learning lots of new things everyday. 

this week my awesome thought comes from Amanda, a member who goes out with us each week. we we´re talking with a recent convert, who is having a hard time with family and such, and Amanda said `we need to be grateful for our trials´ we need to look for the positive/the blessings in our lives but also when we have a trial it means God wants us to grow and learn and he´s giving us this opportunity, so be grateful:)

transfers are next week so i wont email till wednesday.  love ya.

Sister Leonard

Feb 26, 2014

hooray for transfers só que não.... i got a new companion again, sister hunt is my new comp. she american. seems really great, haven’t really had much time to talk with her.  Hildemar was baptized this week... i asked him how he felt after wards, `i feel light, clean, great, happy´ makes me happy when people decide to follow Christ, i can only imagine how our Heavenly Father feels, to see His children choosing the right.

That's about it for now. Hope all is well in your world. Thanks for all the valentines cards really loved it. 

talk to you next week

sister leonard

March 3, 2014

Fez Tempo né? So this week was really good. Sister Hunt is a Trabalhador! I´m excited to work with her in this area. this week is Carnaval, which means everyone has left for the beach... which means the streets are deserted and there are a lot of drunk people. makes it kinda hard to find new people to teach. but the work is going great:) i finally got all the valentines cards... just about died laughing... thanks, i’m feeling the love:) i don’t have too much to report but i´ll try to be adventurous this week so i have something to write. I´ve been reading the bible... i’m reading about Moses right now, i like reading about prophets because the more i read the more i learn that they were men, they had flaws, they were called of God and Heavenly Father qualified them for the work. Also i was reading a talk by Elder Holland this week that talks about how after Moses saw and talked with God, Satan came and tempted moses saying `worship me´ and elder holland talked about how after we receive revelation or have a really spiritual experience satan will come to temp us to try to make us doubt the things we experienced, to make us doubt what we know to be true. we need to stay strong, recognize the things of God and follow his counsels. if it was right when you prayed about it it´s right now. God loves us, don’t be discouraged, keep looking forward, read D&C 58:2-4. 

love you all, keep up the good work. 

Sister Leonard

March 10, 2014

this week was great. i’m learning a ton of things from my companion:) she is a super hard worker. together we are rocking it here in natal. there actually isn´t anything super duper exciting that happened this week other than a ton of walking, sweating, and testifying. it´s the best. probably one of the best things about sister hunt is she mixes things up... she doesn't like the same thing over and over again so we are exploring and learning together. this week should be even better. loving Natal, loving the mission, thanks for all the love and support:)

sister Leonard

mom; it´d be cool to see some pictures:

March 17, 2014

i hope you eat corned beef and cabbage today;) Amanda Egan is engaged? what the heck? why did i think she was on a mission? if she is tell her congrats from me. this week was really great, we worked hard. had lots of rain... turns out i don’t like rain here because i cant stay in side drinking hot chocolate... we still have to work, so i guess we´ve finally hit the wet part of the year.... i think that´s how they know its winter....winter doesn’t exist. This week i say monkeys running on the power lines, it made me happy. Edgilma and Roberto went to the .... i don’t remember the word in english... Cartário to get married... that´s been an adventure, needless to say i’m thankful the mormon world is small and full of connections. they´ll get married conference weekend, and baptized right after:) we are excited! this week marcelo got baptized, he was pretty prepared, we met him on the street and when we met him we invited him to be baptized and he accepted, probably the best thing about the people here are they are really open to hearing the gospel and receive the missionaries. He´s really funny, when we taught him about the word of wisdom (he drinks coffee) we made a deal with him, if he would give up coffee, sister hunt would give up coke... she´s pretty addicted haha or its more tradition for her and sister Cabral to drink coke every day at 4 o´clock... so i’m proud to say both Marcelo and sister hunt are firme forte in there commitments:)

so that´s my life. or a part of it. love you all. thanks for the love and prayers.

love 

Síster Leonard

March 24, 2014

this week has been busy. sorry i wasn´t on earlier we had an emergency transfer, sister Arévalo left and sister f. de Oliviera came to our lovely abode, then we played basketball with the other missionaries in our district... don’t worry dad my team won. this week was pretty full of highs and lows. on tuesday we had zones conference. with all the zones here is Natal, that was really inspiring and uplifting and long, but really great. we have been working really hard here in Natal finding and teaching and such. the brother of Marcelo (who was baptized last week) was killed this week, so that was pretty hard, but Marcelo is amazing and super strong. he´s been loving the book of mormon, he´s been devouring the stories from Nephi. he is awesome. Hildemar blessed the sacrament this last sunday, and Manoel received the Priesthood, both are recent converts as well. we are really enjoying all the blessings that the lord is giving us.hope you are all well, and if you´re not happy recount your blessings. the lord is helping us every step of the way. love you all, thanks for all the love and support:)

sister Leonard

Adventures

Not a lot of info in a letter this week, but lots of pictures!

Brazilian wildlife:  Big 'ol Ant

More wildlife, monkey in a tree

Hiding at the dunes

visit to the ocean.  At the dunes

My sisters and myself!

Nothing says I love Brazil like a flag painted on the street

a miniature "christ the redeemer"

Hangin' with my favorite home boy

Happy

Feb 3, 2014

Baptismo!

So M was baptized yesterday, you´ll see how happy he is in pictures, when i got here he didn't have this smile. Now he´s always smiling. Also yesterday an investigator got up to share her testimony and she just talked about how happy she was in this church and how much the missionaries had helped her find joy. When other people are happy i’m pretty happy:) and the gospel makes me happy. Share this happiness with your friends. You just need to say “hey i like you and I want you to have more happiness in your life, can I introduce my two friends”...then the missionaries will help do the rest. It´s selfish to keep all these blessings to our selves so pray specifically who you can share the gospel with this week, fast if you´re lacking inspiration... I don’t really have a whole ton to say this week other than this. Today we´ll climb the dunes so next week i´ll have cool pictures and stuff:)

love you all

Sister Leonard

Look at the 'People Crossing" sign.  little person has a book of momron! Already dressed in white!

Baptism pic of M

Six Months!

Weird to think I’ve just about completed a third of my mission. Tomorrow will be my one year mark (which means I have one year left) but I’m not focused on that, I have work to do:) 

This week was really great. After I talked to y’all last p-day sister O and I headed to the Dr to have him look at my foot and get cleared to work as normal. So he wasn't in his office and we were with Bishops wife and she wanted us to see how beautiful God´s creations were. So we went to the beach:) Don’t worry we didn't leave the car, just went for a nice drive on the coast, it was pretty sweet.  I´ll send pictures:) Then this week we worked hard. 

I want to send a shout out to Sister Bagan (forgive me if iI spelled your name wrong) and other seminary teachers who enforced scripture mastery. It saved our investigator. So what happened is we have an investigator that has some problems (who doesn't really?) but anyway we were reviewing the baptismal interview questions and asked if he´d live the 7th commandment... lei de castidade:) fun. Anyway he didn't have a lot of faith in himself that he could change, he didn't want to promise anything when he knew he wouldn't keep his promise. Anyway it broke our little hearts and we ate our feelings in açaí and encountered a young man who is very interested in following Christ so we´ll be eating açaí more;) But anyway we we´re pretty sad about this other guy, he already has a testimony of the book of mormon and he wants to follow Christ but `the flesh is weak´anyway i read a couple of the good ole scripture mastery verses in D&C and wow:) We focused on the atonement and the love of God. Literally we are his children and he doesn't want us to suffer the same pain he went through. So we shared the scriptures with him explained our role as missionaries is to call repentance to the people, I cant even really describe this lesson really. Just that it was directed by the spirit completely. Anyway we made goals:) yay goals, every missionary loves goals! we put the title `minha salvação´ my salvation, and we made a list of things we can do instead of sinning; pray, read the scriptures, go to church, avoid dangerous situations, and be baptized:) So he´ll be baptized this week. woohoo! 

So my words of wisdom for those who want to serve missions, or help missionaries, or want to be happy (I think that covers just about everyone) read over the scripture mastery scriptures, even if you don’t memorize them have them in mind, these verses we´re selected specifically because they are simple, powerful and answer any doubt anyone could have. The church is true. I love you all. Keep praying and writing;)

Sister Leonard

Viewing God's beautiful creations

See my tosies??

I am my mother's daughter

January 20, 2014

I am my mother’s daughter

So this week was good. Crazy as ever. I really like this new area:) it´s nice and hilly. We taught a few people, I’m just kinda learning the area still so I don’t have too much of an update on the work, just that its working;) 

Umm some cool facts about my area, the soccer stadium is in my area and the giant christmas tree is right next too our chapel and our chapel is the very first chapel in the rio grande do norte (the state I’m in) so that´s legit. I live with three of the most legit Brazilians ever. My companion is a boss. Love her to death:) I was proposed to for the first time on the mission.It was super romantic. We contacted Peter Simon, invited him to church and he responded `Im looking for my 4th wife, and i want it to be you´ pointing at me... awkward. We told him there were lots of single ladies in the ward... he said he would go just to date... flirt to convert? acho que não. 

So what else happened. Ah i remember, I fell this week. But don’t worry I didn't break my foot, we got x-rays :) So i really didn't do too much because I wasn't allowed to walk. So yesterday, Sunday we did divisions so my comp could work, and I was babysat by bishop´s wife... she had 6-8 little girls over playing with her kids basically I became there new project. They made a menu of activities to do, they did my nails, make up, hair, put on a show for me, everything. It was pretty fun. Exhausting but fun, I now have the nick name of Sister Barbie... great. 

But other than that everything is pretty chill here. Its a lot cooler in Natal than Mossoró.... still hot but i think i’m pretty close to the coast;) (its on the other side of the dunes). the church is true, share the gospel with all your friends, if you’ve already tried try again, this is a new year and now they are ready to follow Christ. 

love you all:)

Sister Leonard

The new companionship

Sister Barbie 

I mustache you a question

The final results

It's tough being a life-size mannequin

This is where it happens