Lunch with Thanya

May 1, 2015

Thanya is such a wonderful lady here.  She helps so much with feeding and caring for the missionaries.  She remembers all the missionaries who have served in this mission and keeps a book of pictures from the past.   She invited us along with our 2 Senior Couples, the Davis's and Harris's, to her sweet home for lunch.  She wanted to do this before we finished our mission.   She gave each of the sisters an apron.  Of course we had to put them on and take a picture.  She loved it.  We love this lady.

 Aquidauana

May 4, 2015

This is Rebekkah.  She is the granddaughter of Pres. and Sis. Oliveira who is a counselor to President Reber in the Mission.  The Oliveira's and Rebekkah traveled with us to Aquidauana last weekend.  This granddaughter, Rebekkah, is a gem!  I call her my Brazilian granddaughter.  She is 8 years old and reminds me of my granddaughters back home!  I didn't know if I would be seeing her again before we leave the mission so we took this photo together!

Visitors in Cuiabá

April 24 - 26 2015

Things were a buzz here in our Mission with the Visit of the following General Authorities!  We felt very honored to have them here in our Mission.
Elder and Sister Christofferson - the Twelve
Elder and Sister Clayton Presidency of the Seventy's
Elder and Sister Caussé - Presiding Bishopric
President and Sister Costa - Area President
President and Sister Mazzagarti - Area Presidency
Elder Leal - Seventy 
Saturday morning was a morning fireside with missionaries in the North of the Mission.  

About 65 missionaries were able to be here and it was a great time of instruction with an Apostle and other Leaders of the Church.
Elder Christofferson allowed some time for the missionaries to ask a few questions.  One question I remember that was asked was "What can we do to be better missionaries?"
I will never forget what Elder Christoffersen said.  "More Faith and Greater Obediance".
He also explained that these two principles work together.  The greater the Faith, the greater the desire to be more Obediant!  It is a simple concept and very true.
Our Heavenly Father in John 14:15 tells us "If ye love me "Keep my Commandments"!  
Love, Faith, Obediance
What amazing Council from an Apostle of the Lord!

Saturday evening 3 Firesides were held here in Cuiabá.  Each Authority was assigned to one of the building.  President Reber and I had the privilege to escort Elder and Sister Caussé.  
(Pictures)
With Elder and Sister Caussé.  The sister in the middle is the translator for Sister Caussé.  Her name was Debora Castellano.  It was great to spend time together. 

During the Priesthood Leadership Training.  The Sisters visited some of the less active members here.  Sister Caussé and I did visits together and visited this mother and 2 daughters,Joyse (pronounced) (Joycee) and Deyse (pronounced Daisy). We had an awesome visit  and invited them to the Fireside and Conference the next day.  They came and it was a joyful experience.

Sister Caussé,  Sister Reber and Debora who was the translator for Sister Caussé.  Debora, the translator told me my Portuguese was 'cute'!  Maybe that is a kind was to call my language skills here basic and simple.  It is all Good! 
I asked Sister Caussé at the end of their visit what she thought of Cuiabá?  Her comment was very nice and sincere in her French accent  "well.....you are in the middle of nowhere?"..."I didn't even know where Cuiabá was".  It is so cute to get to know her.

Wonderful Spirit in here in Cuiabá.

 

More Zone Conferences with the South
April 14, 2015

 

April 15, 2015 

Alice's Birthday
April 17, 2015

Alice is the girl who helps us in the Mission Home.  You might say that she is the maid but to us she is much more.  She is like a daughter to us.  We talk together, laugh. work and cook together.  She helps cook the lunch in the Mission Home for our departing missionaries.  She takes care of repairs and cleaning and much needed help.  April 17 was her Birthday.  She turned 38 years old.  We picked her up at her small home and she was all dressed up.  We took her out to dinner for her birthday and of course she picked a Brazilian Churrascaria!  It was a fun evening.  Happy Birthday Alice! We love you!  Parabéns Feliz Aniversário!  Te amamos!

Zone Conference Pictures - 

April 2015

Zone Conference is a time for a lot of instruction and training.  We do 2 Zones at a time doing the Zones in the North one week then we travel to the South and do the Zones there.
During this Conference we had the Training with the Mission Leaders,  Instruction and training by the Mission President.  Remarks by Sister Reber, Training by the Assistances.  Zone meetings, Missionaries received cleaning supplies, Celebrated Birthday's,  Information about health and well being. It is a full day for everyone.  It is also a great time to come together and learn.  We really enjoy our Zone Conference time.  This Zone Conference is our last with our missionaries.  It was a bitter sweet time.  We love each one of our missionaries and it will be hard to depart July 1st.