Sister Whitney Amber Todd

July 28, 2009

2009-08-02T16:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Family:

I got transferred.

Weird, huh? Sister de Souza, who was my companion in Guarujá, whose sister died, went home on Thursday last week. And, because I was in trio, President transferred me to Santo André-Ala 3, on the other side of the city. I'm now with Sister Miner. She's awesome! She's from Salt Lake and has about a year in the mission and has a brother in Mission-Hong Kong. My new ward seems really cool, and we've got a baptism coming up on Sunday, Elizângela. Elizângela is 26 and lives with her friend Bianca (who was baptised a few weeks ago) and Bianca's mom.

I'm glad April's getting better and I'm getting so excited to help with Dad's new calling and meet Manuel!! You guys are being such good missionaries! Did the Scott's already get their Book of Mormon?

So, I've been thinking about our trip. President Richardson, when he gave me a ride to my new area, asked me if I knew that I would still be a missionary on the vacation, and explained to me that that meant I have to keep the missionary schedule as much as absolutely possible and that you guys should be prepared to keep the schedule with me and stuff. Are you guys prepared for that? Are we going to wake up at 6:30 and study together and go to bed at 10:30 and everything? President Richardson said that they all used missionary dress during the activities that permitted it... are you guys going to do that?

I think that's it... Good luck with all the preparations.

See you soon!
Love y'all,
Sister Todd

July 14, 2009

2009-08-02T16:38:00.002-07:00

July 14, 2009

Congratulations, Daddy! The new LMA!! I'm gonna help you so good next month. You better have all your weekly meetings with the missionaries and go on splits and plan activities and get everybody to help the missionaries and always have food at the meetings.

Mom, I'm so happy that you're loving work.

EMILY!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY A LONG TIME AGO!! I`m not sure if i remembered to say that when it was actually your birthday. But I remembered when it was actually your birthday. When everybody was getting ready for the day, I all of the sudden cried out `PARABENS!!` And stated singing the birthday song. Sister Swollon thought that i was singing for myself, cuz it was the same day that i completed 17 months on the mission, but I was singing for you. The end.

This past week we had our last zone conference. And it was awesome. President Richardson taught us why the Book of Mormon is called the Book of Mormon. Anyone know? I know you think you do, but you don`t actually know. At least not the secret reason. The secret reason is found in Mosiah 18:30. The Waters of Mormon was where the people came to know their Redeemer. And the Book of Mormon is where we come to know our Redeemer. How beautiful is it to the eyes of them that there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer! Is it beautiful to you? We learned all about the Book of Mormon and using the Book of Mormon... and did I tell y`all that we`re reading the book of mormon as a mission in 60 days?... so we had a chance to bear our testimonies of the Book of Mormon. It was wonderful, and I cried to think that I will never have another Zone Conference... ever.

As for your question, Dad, OF COURSE we`re going to have time to prepare people for baptism! I`m just not sure who or when. We`re teaching a LOT of people and quite a few already went to church. Our most firm investigators are: Sonia and Natale (mother and daughter), Jenifer (daughter of less-active family that is reactivating), Lu (girlfriend of son of less-active family that is reactivating), Henrique (13 years old, is participating with the young men), Leandro (who has drug problems), and Paulo (who is still having the same problems--but goes every week to church). All wonderful people.

Remind me to tell you about Viela 14 next week.

Love you all,

Sister Todd

June 30, 2009

2009-08-02T16:38:00.001-07:00

June 30, 2009

Family,

We had transfers today and I'm in trio again in my same area! Me and Sister Swollon went and picked up Sister Romani. We are all going home next transfer. All three of us.

I loved you letter, Dad; and your talk, Ethan. You guys are so smart and brave and spiritually in tune. I'm so proud of everybody. Everybody went and growed up. I'm still waiting to get some recent pictures of April, by the way.

I'd like to ask for your prayers on behalf of Paulo. Paulo is a great young man... who has now read the entire Book of Mormon... and says that he knows that it could not have been written by a man... but is having a painfully hard time making a decision to be baptised. He is all caught up it deep theoretical stuff (wants to know who created God, etc). We're preparing a lesson for him on Saturday that I'm praying will make the difference.

We had another great week. We had record numbers of new investigators because we went to the soccer games that they're having in the church parking lot Tuesday and Wednesdays and got everybody's addresses. There are a lot of great young men with families, and we taught a lot of them.

And p-day's over.

Love
Sister Todd

June 23, 2009

2009-08-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

Family,

What a crazy week! Funny that it came in the same week as my crazy week. We taught a ton of really hard lessons this week. Everybody had tricky questions or hard life situations or thought we were satan worshipers or started arguing in front of us or any number of other strange things. but it was great, because me and my companion were able to deal with all of the situations. And in each lesson, either she or I knew what to do. When I told president about it in our interviews, he said it was a fulfillment of D&C 100:5-8. It was a great testimony building week... but exhausting at the same time. And to top it off well, we went to the temple today!!! It was my first and last temple trip with the mission. At the beginning of my mission, everyone in São Paulo or abc went every month... and then it switch to every quarter... and during all this time I was in the Baixada--so i only went to see Kevin. so i went one time, and Sister Swollon went seven times. in the same amount of mission. It was wonderful. We went to a session and did some initiatories. It felt like it had been ages and ages since i last went. But it was also exhausting cuz we woke up at 4:30 to take a bus, the train, and another bus... and then to come back. So I'm going to wrap it up and take a quick nap before starting to work at 6... wish me luck! Love you mom! (and everybody!) Never give up! never surrender!

Sister Todd

June 16, 2009

2009-08-02T16:36:00.000-07:00

Family:

How I love this work! I have learned even more clearly on my mission that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men save he prepare a way for them to accomplish them. Christ commanded us to be perfect. And this life is the way that he gave us to accomplish this commandment. I am learning so much on my mission. Looking back on all the opportunities and experiences that I have had on my mission, I can see so clearly the Lord's hand guiding my progress as a missionary and as his child. I know that every companion and every area and every investigator and every ward and EVERYTHING was exactly what I needed to learn and grow. I am so greatful to have had these wonderful experiences.

I discovered a scripture last week that has now become one of my favorites: 2 Nephi 11:4-5. It is such a simple declaration of everything that matters--a short summary of the gospel and God's plan for us. My soul, too, rejoices in my Savior, and delights in the covenants that can bind us to him and guide us to salvation and exaltation. I am loving this great opportunity to help people see these things and help them to enter into the way that can take them safely through this life. The gospel is so simple and beautiful! I just pray that we all can live it better every day-and take advantage of every moment.

Love and pray for you all,

Sister Todd

June 2, 2009

2009-08-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

June 2, 2009

I love you guys! Thank you so much for all the details, Dad. It sounds like everybody's doing great. The Manaus trip would be great. I'm up for anything that you guys decide on. I'd also love to sleep in a hammock in the jungle... I think it would complete my Brazil experience. But if mom just wants to hang out on the beach, I'm down with whatever.

Our week was great. Our three baptisms were all successes, except for the water heater that didn't heat. The poor things almost froze. But their families all went and we are hoping to reactivate everybody! We had Ward Conference and Zone Conference, and a special musical fireside put on by the ward youth (I played the piano), and we taught a lot and Arlete and Rocha are still progressing and we're working on a lot of divorces and marriages to get a lot of old investigators baptised... and having a great time!

We are working super hard and having lots of wonderful experiences. If I had more time, I'd tell you all about it, but in just a couple more months we'll have some more time to talk about it all. So get excited, cuz there are some great stories. :)

I love the Lord and the mission,

Sister Todd

Swollon & Todd - Faithful and Powerful!

2009-08-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

A Young Man Prepared....

2009-08-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

More who love The Lord!

2009-08-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

Entering the Waters of Baptism

2009-08-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

May 26, 2009

2009-08-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Family:

Sister Swollon invited our family. :) She's done some great propaganda, if anyone's interested. There are lots of historic places, tons of beautiful beaches, museums, lots of Carnaval sites, and, of course, free guided tours.

We've had a fabulous week. We worked so hard, and received so many blessings. Sister Swollon is a very cheerful, excited, energetic person. Everyone in the ward is already loving her. We're going to have a great time and do a lot of great things here--we didn't even get lost very much this week.

Matheus, Yeska, and Murillo are all going to be baptised this week. They are all children of members, but they didn't get baptised when they were eight, so we get to teach them and prepare the baptisms. Matheus is 10, Yeska is 9, and Murillo is 14. They are great kids who really want to be baptised and are all going to church regularly, even though their families are not entirely active. Matheus goes with his grandma to church, Yeska goes with her dad (her mom works), and Murillo goes by himself. They all are excited to learn and really excited about their baptisms.

Eder was also confirmed and interviewed to get the priesthood next week.

Love you all!
Sister Todd

May 19, 2009

2009-08-02T16:26:00.002-07:00

Dear Family,

Dad, thank you so much for your wonderful letter. :) You and mom were both inspired these last couple weeks. I'm so glad you're learning great things and that everybody's doing well.

Transfers were today! I have a new companion! Her name is Sister Swollon--another Pernambucana, from Recife, just like Sister M. Silva. She has the same time in the mission as I do. We're both finishing up in August, so y'all probably meet her personally in the temple. I also saw Sister Tittelfitz at transfers and her mom is coming to pick her up, if you want to recontact her parents--see if we can go out to dinner or something.

But on to more important things...

EDER GOT BAPTISED!!! WOO HOO!!

It was so great! He finally made up his mind. His mom and sister and neighbor all went to the baptism and we're teaching them now, too. We always mention the mission about 8 times per visit to get him excited. But he has to wait a year to be able to go... so he won't be joining Kevin... but could be going the same time as Ethan. He is such a great example. He is from a relatively poor family and dropped out of high school with a year and a half to go. He even has a lot of friends that are selling drugs and stuff. But he is completely different. He has always lived the commandments, without even knowing they were commandments. He wants to be good, choose the right. He went to institute last week and loved it. He loves to learn and is really smart. He said some things last week that were just incredible. During a lesson he said that he was excited to get baptised so that he could pay tithing! I've never heard anyone say anything like that before. But he understood the purpose of tithing and he wanted to contribute to the Lord's work. He's said other similar things about other commandments, like the Law of Chastity--before he didn't know about this commandment, but now he's made a vow to keep it. It's incredible. The elect exist!

And Arlete and Rocha. When I was on splits with an irmã in our ward, she saw Arlete with her family, said "I love families!" And went to talk to her. She accepted our visits. After our first visit, while reading the Book of Mormon and praying, she had a wonderful experience in which she remembered her baptism, 20 years ago, in the Church, and she knew, at that moment the Book of Mormon was true. We scheduled to pick her up for church last Sunday and her husband, Rocha, who is not usually interested in religion, came with her. They both had wonderful experiences at church. Arlete's response was cofirmed and Rocha met an old friend who is a member of our ward and was very impressed by the meetings and the classes. It was like everything that was said at church had been planned with them in mind. Rocha invited us to teach his family that very night (3 daughters with baptism age and the oldest daughter's mission-aged boyfriend). All of the children were very receptive. I had also been concerned about Arlete taking the sacrament--because she has been baptised and currently smokes and she is not legally married. I explained the sacred nature of the Sacrament but did not tell her when we shouldn't take it. However, Arlete told us in the lesson about how she had been impressed not to take the sacrament that day. She truly was taught by the Spirit. I was touched by her sensitivity and received, yet again, a confirmation that the Lord is personally involved in the very details of this sacred work.

And they all went to church again this week! Arlete and Rocha brought their two younger daughters, and Arlete's brother and sister-in-law also came. Her brother-in-law is a returned missionary (who baptised Arlete when he got home from his mission 20 years ago), but he's been less active for several years. It was very interesting to see him in Gospel Principles. Can you imagine how it would feel to come back to what you know is true after years? Arlete said that 6 months ago her sister-in-law had said she did not ever want to go to church (she'd never even visited), but after Arlete went and said she liked it, they all went together! And the little girls loved Primary. They learned about baptism and confirmation. And then they went home and read the Book of Mormon together. On the first try, they ended up fighting, but then Arlete sat down with them to help them understand. And they all read the Introduction and 3 Nephi 11 together. And Rocha is taking the Book of Mormon to work with him. And he went to church exhausted because he works nights... so he didn't even sleep before church. And had to work again Sunday night! Imagine the sacrifice. More elect. Arlete has said that things changed a lot in her home since they started learning together. I love to see families blessed by the gospel!

Sister Todd

May 12, 2009

2009-08-02T16:26:00.001-07:00

Dear Family:

This week was awesome. I want to tell y'all all about Eder and our new family Arlete and Rocha and their children. But I have no time because I have to update the references website and it's driving me crazy!! But I loved talking to y'all on Sunday. It might have made me really excited to see everybody in another little while. But Eder...

Eder is almost getting baptised. He is my favorite. He is turning 19 today! He is a cute skinny little thing. His face lights up when we go to his house. There's a scripture in the Book of Mormon somewhere that talks about how Ammon knew that the people were converted because of the great love that they had for the missionaries. Sometimes you can just feel this incredible love from the people that understand how valuable your message is. And the love you feel for them is indescribable. Different.

And Arlete and Rocha are amazing and I want to tell you all about the miracles that have happened with them. And I will. Next week.

Sister Todd

May 5, 2009

2009-08-02T16:25:00.001-07:00

Family,

Today is a particularly wonderful day because I am currently wearing pants. We just got back from a hike in a nature preserve. I bought a pair of jeans from a thrift shop yesterday especially for this occasion. And they are not just any jeans. They are stretchy and perfectly comfortable and fit exactly and were only 7 reais!! I may or may not have slept in them last night, I was so excited. The nature preserve was absolutely lovely. I really miss what is known as "mato" here in Brazil. At home, I always lived in relatively civilized areas, but there was always some kind of access to green areas. Here, in all of my areas for the last year, it has been almost entirely straight cement. My current area includes a little neighborhood in the middle of nowhere that is totally green with no cement at all. My pure euphoria was surprising even to me. Only in that moment did I realize how much I missed nature. And today our district went to hang out in the nature! I had the privilege of watching a butterfly give birth, and analyzed giant spiders with 6 foot webs, and saw tons of cicada exoskeletons and giant scary caterpillars, and I sat and lay in the grass and leg wrestled with Sister Souza, and we had a picnic, and climbed up hills... and all in all it was heavenly.

Deer is our most promising investigator right now. He's already been to church 3 times and he knows he has to get baptized, he just doesn't feel the desire to get baptized yet. He lives all the commandments, and is 18 years old. He's a miracle. We would appreciate your prayers on his behalf. If all goes as planned (by me), he should go on his mission about the same time as Ethan. :) They could even be companions!!

We are still in the midst of the chapel open house. It started yesterday. It will be dedicated on Saturday, and I will tell y'all all about it on Sunday!! I can hardly believe it!

I'm so proud of everybody for doing so many awesome things--except for the dating before 16 thing---and we'll talk so soon!!

All my love,
Sister Todd

April 21, 2009

2009-08-02T16:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

This week has been great! The only bad news is that the chapel's dedication was postponed for another week: May 9th.

We met 3 new families this week: José and Leonilda, Carla and Alexandre, and Vivian and Joaquim. Each deserves a short commentary.

José and Leonilda
They are an older couple that was taught by the sisters in December. José is more interested than Leonilda... who didn't want to schedule more visits with the sisters. However, last week we were passing their house and José was in the doorway. Sister M. Silva was one of the original sisters that met them, so she started talking to him and he invited us in. And we made friends with Leonilda. Leonilda is a nurse who has worked in surgery for 20 years. She also makes jewelry in her spare time as a thereputic activity. She told us stories about the surgeries she's witnessed and showed us all the jewelry she's made... and she has lovely pieces. It's all beaded and every piece is different. There were a few that I thought Mom, April and Emily would like. If only I had money... : ) And after all this it was time for us to go as it was approaching 9:30, but she asked "Aren't you guys going to say a prayer?" So we left a short message with them and she even scheduled our next visit, which was last night. I went back with a family from the ward (on splits) and it was really great. I have great hopes for them, although it might take a little while for them to progress because of Leonilda's work schedule (every other day 12 hour shifts).

Carla and Alexandre
Carla and Alexandre are the owners of where I am right now, a LAN House. They have known the sisters for YEARS and they say that no one ever asked them if they wanted to hear a message. We taught them last week. Carla explained James 1:5 better than many a missionary. And Alexandre also understood and made awesome commentaries. They are a beautiful couple and work really hard to make the LAN House a healthy invironment for all. They teach all the teenagers that come here to respect one another and care about eachother. They will be amazing members and leaders.

Vivian and Joaquim
Joaquim stopped us in the street the Sunday before last. He was sitting on his motercycle with Vivian at his side. He asked if there was anyone that could go to his house to teach about the church and if he went to church if there was anyone that could sit by them and explain things. We humbly offered our services. They are a 20-something couple and were celebrating their first wedding anniversary on that day. They scheduled for us to go back this past Sunday. They told us that they have complicated religous pasts and had decided that as a couple they would look into some religions and figure out what they believe and what they want to do. They're not even sure if they believe in God, which is very rare in Brazil. But they are super smart and really want to find out if they believe. So the Book of Mormon should help with all of that.

So, we'd appreciate your prayers on behalf of our families. I'm so excited to be helping so many amazing people and very honored that the Lord would trust me with them. I love the work!

Sister Todd

Sisters: Souza, M. Silva, and Todd

2009-08-02T16:22:00.000-07:00

April 14, 2009

2009-08-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

April 14, 2009

Dear the Family,

Santo André is HUGE... or at least my area is. And all I do all day is walk up and down hills and staircases. Our area is just a little bit hilly. It's like an eternal hike. It makes me kind of happy.

I have arrived at a very key time for my ward here. Santo André Ala 5 has spent 11 months and 25 days away from their home chapel, because the chapel was being reformed. The meetings have been in the stake center. This has been quite a challenge, because the people do not, as a rule, have cars for transportation. So the Church rents a bus to go back and forth every Sunday... but that means that Church now takes up 4 1/2 hours of your day... and you don't have any flexibility. If you get to the bus stop a little late you can't go. So all the people that would have gotten to church half an hour late end up not coming. So attendence went from 120-150 to 80ish in the past year. HOWEVER, the grand opening of the new and improved ward building will be taking place May 2nd. So we are now preparing the area so that millions of new people will be at the grand opening/dedication and so that all the less actives will come back. It's a lot of great work.

My companions are amazing. They are great teachers and a ton of fun. It's entertaining to be in trio... cuz you have more people to talk to. And it's good because you just need to find one member to go on splits. And because you have three testimonies instead of just two. And because you get to learn from two other professionals instead of just one. Lots of ups. I'm having a great time.

And yes, Kevin, time is flying. I keep trying to reign it in... but no success with that as of yet. Just got to work as hard and as much and as fast as you can...

And P-day's over. We got to the Internet place late today because Sister Souza was straightening (sp?) Sister M. Silva's hair. So I only had half an hour. But next week we already made plans to come early so i can write you guys more.

Love and stuff,

Sister Todd

April 8, 2009

2009-08-02T16:20:00.002-07:00

April 8, 2009

Dear Family,

I got transferred! I have no time this week in internet. I am now in Santo André in trio with two other sisters, Sister Souza and Sister M. Silva. Both wonderful. I finally left the Baixada and the weather is fantastic.

I might have cried a lot in saying good-bye to everyone, and I still can't believe they took away my "filha" after only one 5-week transfer, but I'm super excited to be out in the big new world.

And wasn't conference incredible? And Nova Força was also amazing! It's the meeting for all new missionaries and trainers at the end of the first transfer. I learned a lot of things to better my teaching techniques.

Love you all!

Whitney

March 31, 2009

2009-08-02T16:20:00.001-07:00

Dear My Family,

This week was pretty great. We had some amazing reactivating experiences. One of the area authorities told us that in our work with the wards we, as missionaries, had to pick 6 less-active families from a list of 15 that the ward would give us. We might have put off making the visits to all of the families, but this week we made a goal with the High Council Rep to have the six families ready by this past Sunday. So we finally visited all the families. And it was incredible. There was a family that wasn't going to church for years because they were all working all the time, several jobs each. But LAST WEEK the parents decided that they'd had enough and gave up the extra jobs and decided to stick with just one... and they don't even work on Sundays!!! And they have the desire to come back to the fold. There were several other families that are ready and willing to come back as well. It was the perfect moment for quite a few. It was by far and away the most positive experience I've had with reactivating in my mission. There really are people just ready and waiting for us to invite them back into the fold.

There are also people just waiting for us teach them. We met a man yesterday--who called out to us and invited us to tell him what is to be Mormon. He's always wanted to hear about the church... but the missionaries were always running from here to there... he was just dying to read the Book of Mormon. Our eleito! His name is Dalimário. Pray for him with us? His wife was also somewhat interested... a new family!!

Conference this week! And Nova Força for the new missionaries--we have to go to São Paulo on Thursday. And transfers next P-Day! Should have some big news next week!

Love you guys!

Whitney

March 24, 2009

2009-08-02T16:17:00.000-07:00

March 24, 2009

Is everybody excited?? We're doing great in boa esperança. Is it weird that I feel like I'm learning so much about how to be a good missionary now that I've been a missionary for a whole entire year? I'm still learning so much. It seems like I should have already got it all figured out... but I haven't. I'm learning a ton! And it seems like the more I learn the more there is to learn and it's like the learning will never stop! Sister Candland said that her mom said that she felt like she finally figured out how to be a good missionary after about a year. Sister Candland thought that a year seems like a really long time to figure out how to be a good missionary... it really should be faster than that. But now I think that a year is a really short time and that I'll probably need another 50 or 100 or 1000 years to figure this out. But now that I'm thinking about it, isn't God just the best missionary in the universe? And he's probably only so good at it because he's been at it for... eternity. Maybe I'll only be a perfect missionary after an eternity, too. So I guess it's okay that I didn't learn everything in a year, right? I'll just have to keep progressing. I'm okay with that.

These couple of weeks I've made breakthroughs on baptismal invitations and working with the members. I already commented on the baptismal invitations, i think... last week, right? But this week was all about the members. We had a super awesome fireside about how the members need to be the main missionaries. And the bishop is super excited. And we started really training the members to share the gospel. And an ex-bishop returned from inactivity and started helping us with all the less-actives. We're finally working with the members! And this is a goal that my mission president gave to me back in... November. And in March I started to get it right. :) I might be a slow learner. But at least I'm learning. And it is so exciting to see the changes.

Still loving my mission!
Still loving all of you!
Miss you all!

Sister Todd

March 17, 2009

2009-08-02T16:16:00.000-07:00

March 17, 2009

I'm so happy that everyone's doing so good.

We're working great together in Boa Esperança. Sister Candland is already doing everything and teaching everything. We even spoken in Sacrament Meeting--at least I spoke and she bore her testimony for everybody. And she did a great job. We had an awesome Zone Conference in the which I learned how to do a better baptismal invitation than I ever knew how to do. We also found some great new investigators.

The best lesson of the week was when Luiz and Cleide (recent converts) went to visit a family that we're teaching, Marcos and Edilene. It was perfect. Well... it was as perfect as Marcos let it be. Marcos has a bit of a hard heart. He is afraid to read the Book of Mormon and doesn't want to believe the Joseph Smith was a prophet. But we gave him the perfect oportunity to accept the invitation to read... He really respected Luiz and listened to everything he had to say and almost gave in... but at the end he still said he wouldn't read. Hmmm. Edilene has already read a lot and says that the doctrine is everything she always believed but no church ever preached. Luiz and Cleide and I left the lesson euphoric, knowing that we had done exactly what the Spirit wanted us to do and knowing that we'd done our best. And now it's in the Lord's hands. Sister Candland left sad because she still can't understand why someone would reject the opportunity to read and ask God... what's the risk?? And she does have a point. But that's the beauty of free agency. People are free to reject the truth. And they will continue to have other chances to accept it. We can only do our part. And it's so great when you know that you did your part. Because sometimes you don't... you are full of maybe's. Maybe if I'd said or done or been this or that they would have accepted... And you doubt yourself. But that lesson with Marcos and Edilene was perfect.

Dona Teresa will be baptised on Saturday. I don't know if I already mentioned her. She is the mother of some really wonderful members in the ward. She used to smoke and drink lots of coffee and was really angry and bitter at life. She used to xingar--call names and talk bad--about all the missionaries that went to their house. But since her daughter and her son-in-law joined the church, the Lord has slowly been changing her heart. She stopped smoking. She stopped drinking coffee. She got happier. And recently she had a dream in the which her foot was entering in blue, blue water. And now she wants to be baptised. And now she loves the missionaries. She is 79 years old.

Isn't the Lord wonderful? He can really open hearts that are very, very closed. Gotta keep hoping.

Love you all!
Sister Todd

Dona Teresa

2009-08-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

Sisters Candland and Todd - Sitting

2009-08-02T16:12:00.001-07:00

Sisters Candland and Todd

2009-08-02T16:08:00.000-07:00

March 10, 2009

2009-08-02T16:07:00.000-07:00

Dad and Family,

I'm sorry if I sounded mad about the trip details. I wasn't. : ) Love you!

And I wasn't transferred. I just had to go to São Paulo to pick up my new companion. Then we came back to my old area. You can't send a greeny by herself to her new area. So we had a meeting and lunch with President Richardson last P-day... and then we came back to Boa Esperança.

Sister Candland is wonderful. By the way the people respond to her, you'd think they'd never seen a red-headed, freckled, blue-eyed, beautiful giantess. We've never got so many stares and comments. And she is so brave. She teaches her half of everything and is super excited to talk to everyone in the streets. She hasn't even cried when some people said they didn't understand anything she said... : ) She's got a great handle on the language, but the accent is just a bit thick for now. In a couple weeks she'll be up and running. We've walked so much that she's got some great blisters, too. It's great to remember the first few weeks... the great and the not-so-great. The mission really is a physical challenge. But she's amazing and has a powerful testimony and awesome scripture knowledge and is so excited to preach the gospel. It was a great first week together.

I love the mission!

Sister Todd

March 6, 2009

2009-08-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

March 6, 2009

Dear Family,

love you guys! Glad to hear everybody's good. i'm training! We got special permission to write a quick email today cuz of our travel on tuesday. Sister Candland is 6'2" and red-headed--we get a lot of comments. And from California San Francisco Bay Area--Danville. She is wonderful and brilliant and already speaks perfect portuguese. Will send pictures next week. It's great to have a new, super-excited companion.

Luv,
Whitney

February 24, 2009

2009-08-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

Our entire ward went to a ward campout to keep away from Carnaval... the great big worldly party that happened in Brazil this weekend. They have huge parades and lots of dancing and drinking and drugging and fighting and I don't know what else all night for 4 nights in a row... So we had almost as many investigators as members at church on Sunday!

Luiz gave his first talk in sacrament meeting (and it was awesome, of course). He spoke about how we need to enter in communion with all the members of the Godhead... and that the church is true because we have access to God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost because of the priesthood and baptism and the sacrament. And a lot of other stuff. Really profound, awesome talk. And I had to give a last minute talk because the person that was supposed to talk had not been informed of that fact. But, despite the lack of warm bodies in the chapel, it was really an incredible Sunday. I know I should have learned about the importance of the sacrament a long time ago, but every Sunday it's turning into a more sacred, meaningful experience. I love to go to church!

And Fabiano and Claudia are awesome! They finally went to church as a family on Sunday and liked it a lot. Claudia said she was starting to feel that answer that we keep telling her she's going to get. Fabiano is extremely logical, so we're going to work on helping him feel the spirit.

My companion is still having a tough time. I think all the stress of everything is getting to her, and every once in a while she just has an attack of complete depression. So we're working on that, too.

But I love the mission and I have to go...

And I loved Ethan's goal of Complete Self Mastery. I'm going to do that, too. Thanks for writing, Ethan! I'll write more later. i'd just like to say: CONGRATULATIONS!

Whitney

February 17, 2009

2009-02-19T18:20:00.000-08:00

My dear family:

Congratulations, Ethan!! I'm so proud of you! You're gonna love BYU! I just can't believe you're going to desert me so soon after I get back from my mission.

This week we visited several less-active families and I would just like to tell you guys that you should NEVER EVER EVER fall away from the church. Ever. Never let anything else all of the sudden be more important than your salvation and exaltation. Because it isn't. Nothing is.The saddest thing in the mission is when somebody knows that it's true and doesn't act. This happens occasionally with investigators, but it's quite rare. Most investigators that give up don't ever really get the vision of the gospel. But there a lot of less actives that know. And when you visit someone who has a testimony of the gospel, but has decided to not go to church for some reason or other (usually pride-related) it breaks my heart. So just remember, please, that it doesn't matter who you don't like or what everyone says about you, or that you just have to work on Sunday. Don't let anything become more important--Thou shalt have no other gods before me. And if your pride gets hurt and you don't want to show your face in church, remember that this is your opportunity to lean humility or forgiveness or charity or repentance, and that God will help you. And if you don't seize this chance you're losing your chance to prepare for your exaltation.

Love you guys,
Sister Todd

February 10, 2009

2009-02-19T18:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

Our investigator Virginia has been feeling depressed and anxious. But she’s going to be baptized, because when she went to church she felt a great peace that stayed with her the whole day. She is seeking peace. And she’s being blessed by the gospel. Pray for her!I remembered this week how my testimony used to be. I used to like church and think that it was a good thing and I liked “the lifestyle” and I thought it was probably true. I had enough confidence that it was true to live the gospel. But I couldn’t say that I knew it was true. But now I can. And I’ve known for quite some time... but it’s kind of funny to remember when I didn’t know. So now I don’t have to let doubt even enter. I can be strong!

Love you all,
Sister Todd

Sthefany was baptized

2009-02-19T18:15:00.000-08:00

My Sisters!

2009-02-19T18:12:00.000-08:00

February 3, 2009

2009-02-19T18:09:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

It was a Miracles Week! We had Zone Conference last week, and Presidente and Sister Richardson taught us about faith and miracles and told us to get to work proving our faith so that we deserve our miracles (or baptisms)... and they invited us to do a mission fast Saturday. Starting with a prayer at 2:00 pm and ending with a prayer at 12:30 pm on Sunday. The miracles started immediately. It was a blazing hot Saturday... and to walk in the sun all day without getting heat or dehydrated…. that was the first miracle of the fast. The second was the incredibly strong spirit that we felt as we prayed at 2:00 that afternoon--I had to fight the urge to cry. The third was that our splits fell through, but we managed to find another Irmã to take the place of the one who didn't show up. The fourth was that EVERYONE WAS AT HOME! We taught or talked to ALL of our investigators that Saturday afternoon. The fifth was that Kátia, the recent convert that went on splits with my companion, helped me and my companion realize some things that we can do even better. The sixth was that 10 investigators went to church on Sunday! Plus 2 more who weren't investigators at the time but are now showed up at Sacrament Meeting! That's 12 people. And many of them are now progressing for baptisms. The seventh was that Sthefany was baptized. And her family went. And everyone was happy and it was great. And there were probably a lot of other miracles that I didn't number here... like the fact that Relief Society was awesome. And that my companion managed to fast for the first time in ages without getting sick. Etcetera, etcetera, and so forth.

I love the Lord. I love to work with all my everything and witness the miracles.

I love you all.
Whitney
P.S. Journal is going better. I only missed one day this year!

January, 27, 2009

2009-02-19T17:31:00.000-08:00

Dear My Family,

I had a wonderful week. I'm so glad that we stayed here together. This week seemed much different than our other weeks. We more than doubled our number of lessons with members! The work is completely different when you are with a member. It's already making a huge difference. I love the people here! I love being a missionary! Time is passing too fast!

Love you all!
Whitney

January 20, 2009

2009-02-19T17:25:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

I'll be staying in Boa Esperança for another transfer with Sister de Souza! I might have cried a little bit. I like change so much! But now that I got over the momentary, selfish disappointment, I'm excited that we're going to be able to work with our families some more. We have some really great families that we're teaching. Another family went to church on Sunday! We're also starting to work better with the ward here.

I don't know if you guys are having the same changes there in the "Estates," but here, all the bishops are being told that if they don't work with the missionaries they are going to lose them. Worldwide there is a shortage of missionaries and so they have to pull them out of some places... and they'll pull them out of the places that don't help the missionaries. Help from the members is really essential. You guys should invite somebody over to have the missionaries teach at our house! Make a goal! Do it this month!

Gotta go.
Whitney

January 13, 2009

2009-02-19T17:22:00.000-08:00

Dearest Family:

Happy Tuesday! I had another fabulous week with a lot of wonderful blessings. Cleide was baptised this week! By her dear husband Luiz. It's a family! In the scriptures we're promised that we'll have many sheaves upon our backs. Up till now in my mission I haven't had any sheaves... just a stalk here and a stalk there. But now there is a family (a.k.a. sheave). It is so incredible to see the changes that are happening in that family. They're planning a January 2010 sealing!

We also had two new families at church this Sunday, I think I might have already mentioned them: Renata and Alex and Vanessa and Fábio. We've been having a hard time getting people to go to church these last few weeks. Our only investigators at church have been old ones... no one new has gone. But this Sunday we had a list of 17 people that had said they'd go to church. And of that 17, 5 made it there! And a 6th that wasn't even on the list made it. And now we have two families progressing. I don't know how much y'all know about key indicators, but to be progressing toward baptism you have to keep your commitments, and the first commitments are 1- read the book of mormon, 2- pray, and 3- go to church. Without going to church you cannot progress towards baptism. But as soon as you make it to church, it's a huge step, because there the spirit can testify that it really is the church of Jesus Christ... even if all the talks are weird and you get really nervous because the bishop and relief society president don't show up... But in the end it all works out because the Lord is working in the hearts of these people and they feel the spirit. I love that the church is true. And I love that the Lord works miracles. (Even though I can't cure people... I wanted to be Kevin this week when we met a man with a horrible sore on his foot and calf that has not gotten better in 6 months. We had to call the 1st councilor in the bishopric to give him a blessing. But I love the work.

And I'm happy and wonderful. I got your letters, too! Thank the ward members for all the Christmas cards! Transfers next Tuesday...

Love and miss you all!
Whitney

Luis Baptised his Wife Cleide!

2009-02-19T17:20:00.000-08:00

January 6, 2009

2009-02-19T17:02:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

It's been a great week. We had interviews with the president, and it always makes me happy to talk to someone so wise that can set me straight. My companion and I have never had problems or anything, but it seems like this week we're even better friends and even better companions. We met a lot of neat families and everybody promised to go to church on Sunday, but Sunday dawned with an incredible downpour. And when you have to walk to church in the rain with your children... you don't. So all of our new families are not yet progressing. But give us one sunny Sunday and we should have lots of families there!

We met a really neat family this past week--Vanessa and Fábio. They have a little baby girl. It's incredible how people open up to strange girls that invite them to church. People trust the missionaries. People who are searching for God and truth feel comfortable sharing their lives with us and asking for help. Fábio was really excited to meet us. He told us during our first visit that he had just made a new year's resolution to stop smoking and drinking. He said he learned to drink and smoke with his dad when he was quite young. They spent every weekend in the bar with the guys. But he realized just over the New Year that all of those friendships are false and what really matters is his family. And he wants to be a great dad and an example for his daughter. He's really searching for something more. I'm excited to help him and his family.

Cleide is now really progressing, too! She's still reading the Book of Mormon and accepted a baptism date for this Sunday! She and Luiz are doing way better as a couple. I don't know if I've already said this, but Luiz has become a better husband and father since his baptism, and that's really helping Cleide warm up toward the church. Luiz is helping out more and home and is more present. Luiz told me this week that he has a problem with an American Phantom that torments him into washing the dishes and cleaning around the house. I am that American Phantom. I don't know if you guys are getting the irony here. I, Whitney Amber Todd, pre-mission not known as a clean-freak, am the phantom that is inspiring/tormenting another to help around the house.

I'm also doing really well on my new years resolution to write in my journal every day... something I haven't been at all good at up to now.

Gotta go! Love you!

Whitney

December 30, 2008

2009-02-19T16:56:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

Some sad news for this week... Mires, Kamilla's grandmother, gave up the search. She got nervous to abandon the Seventh Day Adventists and said she didn't want to hear any more. But her daughter is still investigating... so there's hope that she'll come around. Some happy news for this week... Renata and Alex are still progressing! They promised to go to church this week! I've got a good feeling about this. We also did a painting service project this week. We painted the ceiling of the kitchen of the house of a couple that we met this week. They're quite poor and live in what's called a barraca. It's a very simple house. They were painting with a type of paint known as cal that is this powder that you just add water. And it's more water than paint. So you splash it all over yourself and the floor in your attempt to get it on the ceiling. It was a pretty good time. Short on time this week, but I love you all. It was wonderful to talk to you

Love,
Sister Todd

Santa Found me in Brazil!

2009-02-19T16:54:00.000-08:00

A New Outfit from Santa!

2009-02-19T16:53:00.000-08:00

Companions at Christmas Conference

2009-02-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

Sisters De Souza and Todd

2009-02-19T16:45:00.000-08:00

December 16, 2008

2009-02-17T18:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

I've got some random stories for y'all this week. My Broken Head:I may or may not be a clutz. The other day we were catching a bus, and I was looking one way and walking another and ran full speed into a post. Body first and then head. The bus was stuffed full of people and I gave them great joy. Then we were coming back on the bus and I was talking to the bus driver to find out if I was on the right bus when he started going all of the sudden and my body was flung into the iron turnstile that you pass threw after you pay. Then that night we went to a lesson and a couple kids were fighting over the keys and the little girl flung the key ring into my forehead. It gave me a goose egg. All of these experiences gave my companion great joy and so I do not regret them.

Sister de Souza's Sickness: My companion was sick this week! She’s weighs 43 quilos. That’s 94 pounds. And she’s my height. And she’s got a sensitive stomach. She’s been feeling quite nauseous basically all the time. This is not good. On Friday she’s going to do endoscopy to see what’s going on in her tummy. But we think it’s got a lot to do with stress. If people start telling us about their problems—and people around here have a lot of problems—then she starts to feel ill. You can’t love people that much! It’s just not healthy! We’re working on emotional separation from the people.

:) Weird Mission Schedule:
This whole month is going to be kind of strange. Two weeks ago we did two of the musical things—took up basically two whole days. Last week we went to the doctor twice—took up basically two whole days—and we had to stay home a couple times when my compy wasn’t feeling well. This week we have the ward’s Christmas dinner, Endoscopy, and two more Christmas musical things! And next week we have the Mission’s Christmas Conference and phone calls home! I won’t have time to work ever! But we’re gonna make it.

João Luis:João Luis, Luis’s son, should be baptized this week! Pray for him! He’s 18 and has been studying the Book of Mormon a lot. But he isn’t confident in his testimony yet. He’s going to have a Baptismal Interview tomorrow. Wish us luck!

Love you all, got to go.

Whitney

The Jaca Fruit...Looks Delicious!

2009-02-17T18:30:00.000-08:00

Sisters Tittlefitz and Todd - BFF

2009-02-17T18:27:00.000-08:00

Sister Todd Singing at the Christmas Program

2009-02-17T18:24:00.000-08:00

December 9, 2008

2009-02-17T18:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:
It's been a great week. We did two apresentações of the Christmas Music Program. It is gorgeous. And they're recording them. And I'll get a copy. And I'll send it to you. You can put it on my blog. :) It's, of course, all in portuguese, but it's still pretty. I'll translate for you next year. We had a big scare with transfers--but we're not going anywhere. We told Luis that a transfer was coming up and he got all nervous. I told him that my dad wanted to meet him in August when my family comes to pick me up and he got emotional. He said it would be an honor. :) How I love that family. So you've got one appointment here and you've got to make it too. Can you call Christmas Day at 2:00 pm my time? I don't know the difference in hours or anything... but I'll try to figure it out this week. Call this number: 13-3384-1528. It's Norma and Danilo and Carmem's house. They're wonderful members. I'm short on time this week. But I'm doing great. I'll write better next week. And we'll be talking on the phone in 2 weeks! And it's supposed to be 30-40 minutes.

Love you all.

Whitney

December 2, 2008

2008-12-07T14:26:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

PARABÊNS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!!!! It is so great to hear everybody's wonderful news and know that everybody is growing and learning and doing great things while I'm far, far away. I don't know if it's just because I just hear the good stuff, but it seems like everybody's just incredible. Mom going back to work... Dad figuring out how to deal with stress and rocking his job and life in general... April going back to school and working good jobs... Ethan getting ready to go to school... Emily ace-ing school and everything else she tries... and Kevin turning into a powerhouse missionary in a single transfer. I'm so proud to be a part of this family. I love you all. So much. I'm so greatful that we're all in this life together. I know that every one of us is part of this family for a reason. We are here to teach each other and to grow together so that we can all go home together in the end.

I love that life is so perfect. Kevin's letter was just what I was ready to hear. I have a goal to be able to recognize and follow the Spirit better. And I've been letting stuff get too complicated recently. And I was thinking this week that things need to be more simple... but Kevin's letter confirmed and clarified what I need to do. The Spirit can testify to pure and simple truths. It has to be simple. I'm gonna do that. I should've already figured it out. It's what Kamilla had to do. She's only 12. (even though she looks at least Emily's age...) But she's super smart and she wanted to understand all the doctrine and wanted everything to make sense. And she met the missionaries over a year ago. It was only when she finally simplified that she got her answer. When she simplified her question to just ask if the Book of Mormon was true or not. And if she should be baptized or not. And she was finally baptized!! I also love that Kevin and I are sharing some cultural experiences here in Brazil. All the Christmas lights and the 95 degree weather are freaking me out, too. And goodness sakes... family's just keep visiting on Sundays!!

Love you all!!
Tchao!
Whitney

Kamilla's Baptism

2008-12-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

November 25, 2008

2008-12-07T14:22:00.000-08:00

Dear Family

Sorry my letters have been short. I would love to respond with a super, pages-long email with all the gory details of my awesomly incredibly life here in Brazil. However, today we had to go up to São Paulo (2 1/2 hour trip) to practice for the Christmas Program that I'm going to sing in (4 hour practice)... and then we came back down (2 1/2 hour trip). So my 8 hour P-Day went out the window... and then some. But you can write a lovely thank-you note to Sister Richardson (the wife of the mission president) who authorized me to be writing to you now.

The Christmas Program is going to be absolutely amazing. We have a choir of 12. 6 elders, 2 sisters, 1 mission president's wife, and 3 women-members which makes for a 12 voice choir with 3 on each part. We sound freaking awesome on For Unto Us a Child is Born. I'm also singing a solo: What Child is This. I will be accompanied by a flute and a recorder. All of the musical numbers are also accompanied by an visual power point presentation of all the most beautiful pictures of christ and clips from church movies that just make you want to weep. So that was my P-Day.

To answer your questions: Boa Esperança means Good Hope and is the name of the ward where I'm working. Snail Mail IN ADDITION to email would be good. I would spend more time writing y'all for sure. I could make a goal to write every other p-day a snail mail if you'd like that. I think I could do that.

Love you all!! Time's up!
Whitney

November 18, 2008

2008-12-07T14:21:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

Luis was baptized!! He is totally converted. And he is great. I’m really happy about that. The lesson from Boa Esperança(my ward): The gospel is true no matter your education or intelligence.

Case in point #1: Our ward is super simple. The people give talks that sometimes just make me really nervous. Because they just tell stories and talk about very little doctrine and they don’t really get everything... But when they bear testimony it is fervent and clear that they know what they’re talking about. I need to relax and go with the flow so that I can feel the spirit better and stuff.

Case in point #2: The gospel is just as true for Luis. Who knows basically everything about everything.

Love,
Whitney

Luis the "Brilliant" is Baptised!

2008-12-07T14:18:00.000-08:00

November 11, 2008

2008-12-07T14:16:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

There was really just one sacred moment this week. We taught Luis again this week and he went to church on Sunday. And when we taught him again after church on Sunday we were witnesses when he received his answer. He knows that it's true and will be baptized. Thank you for your prayers.

I've also got a new vision of the Ward Mission. Our mission president just got back from a weekend get-away for training for new mission presidents and Boyd K. Packer and Henry B. Eyring taught them all about how the key to success is working with the members. And he gave a training in our stake for the bishops and LMA's (Ward Mission Leaders) and us and made me see that the Ward Mission could and should be more active than the Mission in and of itself. The Ward Mission should have goals and plans and everyone working together... and the full-time missionaries are just extra man-power to get it all done. Instead of all the incentive and goals and plans coming from the mission and all of the effort coming from just a few missionaries instead of from all the members. We fasted with our bishop and LMA to get ideas for how to motivate the ward and create a ward mission plan that will revolutionize our ward and the world. I'll let you know what comes of that.

I'm excited.I'm having an awesomely amazing time here in Boa Esperança. Christmas is coming soon!

Love,
Whitney

November 4, 2008

2008-12-07T14:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Family

This week I want to tell you about Luis. Luis is a mystic/catholic. He did 7 years of catholic seminary and has spent his life on a religious quest to figure out the universe. He loves to read and has recently entered into mysticism as he has become a bit disenchanted with the organized religion bit. But he has meditated and read and thought a lot about God and life. And he has all kinds of faith in Christ. And almost all of the things that he has figured out are actually true. They fit into the gospel perfectly. But he talks a lot. He explained a lot of his views on life instead of letting us teach the same old lesson.

After our first few visits I had to go home and read the section in Chapter 10 of Preach My Gospel about Listening. Because it's not always easy. It's actually harder to listen than to teach. But if you listen first and then teach, your teaching is a hundred million times better. After our fist visit we left the 3 parts of the book of mormon that you always leave... Introduction, 3 Nefi 11, and Moroni 10:3-5. When we went back he had read. So we talked about the reading assignment and he talked a lot... a lot about all of his doubts and philosophies and complaints about religion... and we didn't get to say much. But the thing that I remember that I said was that we agree with what he said... and that all of his ideas and beliefs "encaixar" or fit in the gospel. I testified of that. And we said that in our next visit we would teach about the Plan of Salvation. We left him with the little booklet about the Plan of Salvation and marked ALL the chapters in the Book of Mormon that are recommended in Preach My Gospel about the Plan of Salvation. And we left.

We came back a few days later and he'd read it all and thought about it all. And it all made sense to him... but all his life things have been so complicated... And he just started talking and talking about all his ideas and going off on tangents about angels and baptism and faith and life after and before death and the fall and I don't even remember what else... But after a long time I finally said: So... you've read a lot of the Book of Mormon, but have you prayed to know if it's true? And he started to say that he didn't need too, because it's "The Gospel" and it's explaining everything right and he knows that it's good and everything that's good comes from God, etc. So I said, ok, just a second. The Book of Mormon was written on plates of gold and buried in the Earth for hundreds of years and found by a young man with little formal education and translated by the power of God. And this young man claimed to be a prophet called of God and to have received the authority of God on the Earth to reestablish the kingdom of God on the Earth. A church with the authority of God to act for the salvation of all humanity--to perfect the saints, preach the gospel, and redeem the dead. If you don't have the courage to say that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that the Kingdom of God is here on the Earth again, you have to ask God if the Book of Mormon is true. Because all of this comes together. If the Book of Mormon is true, he was a prophet and the Church is the only true church on earth. We are inviting you to know that these things are true. To be a part of the Kingdom of God here on earth. To be baptised and receive the priesthood of God and act for the salvation of all humanity. And I said a lot more. I've never said things like that before. I've never taught anyone who could see the big picture. I have never been so bold. And he accepted the invitation to ask God. And he said that it could be true. A lot of things are "encaixando" (fitting together). He said that maybe he would be able to tell his children what church they should go to... and he's never been able to say that before in his life. It could be true.

In that moment I was a missionary.

I know that he already has a testimony of the Book of Mormon. He's already felt it. He already knows that it's true. Now he just has to get the courage to admit it. Admit that he's come to the end of a life-long search. That there is an answer. I'm praying really hard for him to be able to admit it. I am so grateful to know that armed with the truth and the Spirit I can teach people who are much more intelligent and educated than I am.

Love,
Whitney

Oct. 28, 2008

2008-12-07T14:09:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

I got transferred on Saturday. I am one island over from where I was before. Our mission is divided into three geographical zones and it seems that I'm going to stay in Baixada my whole mission. :)

My companion is now Sister De Souza. :) And she is lovely. Both me and Sister F. Souza were transferred on Saturday and we left our poor ward to be opened again by two sisters who don't know what's going on. Cuitadas. But now I'm on the island of Guarujá serving in the ward Boa Esperança--Good Hope. And things are looking up. The sister who was here before, Sister Rocha (who is now in Embaré...), is amazing. She baptized 9 people while she was here. And these people are already making a huge difference in the ward. One is already in the Relief Society Presidency. Another is serving in the Primary. And a family (mom, dad, and 2 kids) were baptized last Thursday. And they're super strong and will make a huge difference, too. So the ward is super excited about missionary work. And my area is more humble and the members are more open and welcoming and perfect.

The only thing that isn't perfect in the ward yet is the missionary's relationship with the bishop. He's a bit difficult but he's a good guy. He's super excited to have me in the ward so I can help with music. So my goal is to win over the bishop. And I've already got some great plans. I'll keep you posted. Since I got here we've found 2 awesome families! Two couples with 5 kids each (at least eight of the ten over the age of eight). And 5 kids is a lot here. People don't usually have that many kids. And they both seemed really interested. It is so wonderful to be able to focus on the work. Sister de Souza and I want to learn the same things and I'm really happy to be with her. We're going to learn a ton and do great things. I'm sorry my reports have been so short recently... but I should be better now.
I love you all.

Whitney

Sisters Rocha, Todd, de Souza

2008-12-07T06:12:00.000-08:00

Hello to My New Companion; Sister de Souza

2008-12-07T06:10:00.000-08:00

Goodbye to the "Old Zone"

2008-12-07T06:07:00.000-08:00

Oct. 21, 2008

2008-12-07T06:06:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

Thanks for writing again. I love to hear everything that's going on. I want to see some Homecoming pictures, too.

This week has been good too... but not as good as the last one. I really need to work on Perseverar até o Fim (Endure to the End). But we finally taught some new people that I think are actually going to progress! So that's encouraging. Transfers this Saturday...

Saturday night we had a musical fireside in one of the wards in our stake. Me and Elder Presença sang three songs with only rehearsing for a half hour before... it wasn't perfect, but it was still a good time. In the picture of my district, it's E. Presença, E. A. Ribeiro, E. Medeiros, and E. R. Pereira. Elder Presença is a singer and we always end up singing together. He's been my District Leader for 4 transfers. Elder A. Ribeiro has been his companion for 3 transfers. The others are newer. But they're great kids and even better missionaries.

Love,
Whitney

Our District: Elders Presença, Ribeiro, Medeiros, Pereira. Sisters Souza, Todd

2008-12-07T06:01:00.000-08:00

Oct. 14, 2008

2008-12-07T05:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

I love the temple! I love the prophets of the Lord! I love my life. These couple of weeks have been incredibly spiritually rejuvenating. It was wonderful to see Kevin and get to hug a boy. And going to the temple... I never want to go that long without going again in my life. I don't know how Kevin's gonna handle it. Kev, you should probably start remembering what happens there... take some time out once a week and just think about it. Otherwise you'll forget. Or maybe not. You don't forget as easily as I do... but with just 6 months without going things started to get fuzzy. And the power of the memory was gone.

I loved all of the talks in General Conference, but one that I want to mention here is the one about Christian Courage. I've been learning that the hardest parts of the gospel to live are the most simple. "The Gospel" that Jesus taught... turn the other cheek. bless them that curse you. go the second mile. You know. The basics. We've promised to do these things... at baptism and in the temple. And how many of us do them? Not me. And I think not most. But with Christian Courage we're gonna make it. We can live the gospel in it's fulness and simplicity. We just have to choose to follow Christ... show our intelligence. Any other choice is madness, right? That talk by Elder Corbridge was awesome, too. And so were all the others. I've gotta go. Kevin, welcome to the real mission! You're gonna do great.
Love you all.

Whitney

How Great Shall be Your Joy - Baptism

2008-12-07T05:55:00.000-08:00

Brother and Sister Temple Reunion!

2008-12-07T05:54:00.000-08:00

Kevin and Whitney at São Paulo Temple

2008-12-07T05:52:00.000-08:00

Brother and Sister at the Sao Paulo Temple!

2008-12-07T05:31:00.000-08:00

Sao Paulo So Meets Florianopolis

2008-12-07T05:27:00.000-08:00

September 30, 2008

2008-12-07T04:44:00.001-08:00

Family,

Temple visit got put off till next Wednesday... I'm going to move my P-Day till Wednesday and catch a ride up to Sao Paulo. Hopefully it will work out then...

But thanks for all you thoughts and prayers and fasts. I'm really doing just fine here. It's not always easy, but it's not supposed to be. And I'm not despairing or getting discouraged or depressed. And it's getting easier. So don't be so worried. I know that the Lord is teaching me and encouraging me and giving me strength. I'm giving all that we can. So stop worrying!

Sister Richardson (wife of the mission president) is planning an awesome Christmas musical extravaganza and I'm invited! We're going to do three shows/firesides on three different nights in the three different regions of our mission about Christmas/The Book of Mormon. We're going to sing. I'm not sure exactly what it's going to be like, but it's kind of a big deal. And it's by invitation only (because you can't have all the missionaries from the whole mission going three different nights in three different regions when they're supposed to be working) and I got invited. I fun that singing and playing the piano is not a common talent down here. I feel like I have something to contribute. And it makes me happy, too. I'll keep you all posted. And General Conference is coming! I want to hear what was everybody's favorite talk next week! Don't forget to prepare your questions so that you can receive revelation!

Love,
Sister Todd

September 23, 2008

2008-12-07T04:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

I really need to take a picture of all the irmãs in my ward. One of the great blessings of being here so long has been getting to know and love the members. They are such great examples. There are some women that I just adore and take good care of me and treat me really well and are great examples to me about what I want to be when I'm a regular adult member of the church.

I got great advice from President Teixeira that after we get a blessing we should run and write down the things that we heard so that we don't forget. I'm glad that you're getting so many wonderful blessings. I'm really excited about General Conference coming up! And we're coming up on interviews with the mission president and a meeting with the Stake President and Zone Conference all in the next two weeks... and a visit with Kevin at the temple... if we can get the date sorted out. It should be a great couple weeks. I don't really have any more updates for now. Just want to share a new favorite scripture: Lucas 9:23 "E dizia a todos: Se alguém quer vir após mim, negue-se a si mesmo, e tome cada dia a sua cruz, e siga-me."Time is short today. Gotta go.

Love,
Whitney

September 16, 2008

2008-12-07T04:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

I'm going to get to go to São Paulo and see Kevin on September 30! I'm so excited. 6 months is a really long time to not go to the temple. And 2 1/2 years is a really long time to not see your brother. I love my mission president. And the CTM president.

We currently have one investigator who is progressing: Nelsiana. She is a lovely woman who is the neighbor of one of the strongest families in our ward/stake (the Ginattos). One day she came crying to the matriarch of the Ginatto clan that she needed something in her life and then she came to church. She is studying and reading the Book of Mormon and she has the beginnings of a testimony. I think she'll be baptized in the next couple of weeks.

As to spiritual experiences, I loved that you had one with fasting, because I've had some great fasting experiences recently. Sometimes when I can't do anything else, I just fast. And things always get better. And just like Dad, it doesn't always stay as better as it was during the fast... but baby steps in the right direction. If you haven't guessed, things have been a little tricky these last weeks. But it's given me many opportunities to grow. On fast Sunday I made a list of the things that I'm better at because of her. I'm more selfless, obedient, patient, deliberate, humble, forgiving, loving, calm, and controlled, among a wealth of others. I am only praying now to be able to return the favor and help her improve, too. If you want to join me in praying for my companion, I'd welcome that. And that's the extent of my adventures in the great bairro or Embaré for another week.

Thanks for your prayers. And thanks for sending your testimony, Dad. It always makes me feel good.You are all lovely. Miss and love you.

Love,
Whitney

September 9, 2008

2008-12-07T04:37:00.001-08:00

Dear Family:

I had an awesome birthday. Happy Anniversary coming up, Mom and Dad! Paulo da Pizza shared his birthday cake with me and Sister Tittelfitz gave me earrings and a hair flower and made me pancackes for breakfast (we were on splits that day). and Sister F. Souza gave me chocolates and our District Leader gave me and my companion a chocolate for my birthday but another Elder in our district got jealous so I gave it to him. And I opened the last of my packages on my birthday. it was all quite exciting.

Anyone remember a clean well-lighted place by Ernest Hemingway? And the Hemingway hero? I met a Hemingway hero this week. In some apartment buildings they have a porteiro and you have to identify yourself to him and he calls up to the apartment and then lets you know if you can go in or not. he opens doors and moves cars around, too. So, I met the best porteiro in the world. he knows everybody's name and life story and not because he's a busybody either. he's totally warm and caring and never forgets anybody. he even knows the names of all the friends of people in the building that visit semi-regularly. and he knows the missionaries. it's always awesome when we get a reference for that building because he'll tell us what's up with that person and how we can help them and when would be best to visit them. Hemingway hero right there. I'll have to write a famous short story about my friend, the porteiro someday.

I thought about Dad in fast and testimony meeting yesterday. I wrote down all the names and themes of the testimonies and it became a really special experience. And then I shared that experience as a message at lunch. We have lunch every day with member, by the way. Dinners we're on our own... but I usually just snack on something. One big meal per day is enough. : ) Anyway... Mosiah 18 when Alma is organizing the church and it talks about the purpose of being in congregations and sharing together. fast and testimony meeting is really a special opportunity to knit your hearts together and become united as is says in Mosiah 18:21-22. I liked it.

I loved dad's last letter. I'm even going to print it out. And mom, thanks for the update on your exciting adventures. I love and miss you all.

You're in my prayers.
Whitney

August 26, 2008

2008-12-07T04:35:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

We have zone conference this week!! I love zone conference. and Sister Richardson (mission president's wife) is going to go proselyting with us quinta-feira... that'd be Thursday. So I should have a lot to report next week.

But I love that we can change through the atonement. I’ve been leaving that message in our lunches this week. That we can really, really change anything about who we are if we just recognize what we want to change and rely on the lord. And being willing to change our character is what makes us worthy to go to the celestial kingdom. Because if we don't want to change and accept ourselves the way we are (I'm not patient, I'm not loving, I'm not generous or longsuffering or diligent or obedient or humble or whatever) then there's know way that we're going to become celestial. and i want to become celestial. so try to change! It's for your own good! But don't try to do it alone--because you're not going to make it.

You're in my prayers.
Love,
Sister Todd

August 19, 2008

2008-12-07T04:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

So yesterday we had a Reunião das Sisteres in which all the sisters in the mission (22 in total) got together in the Mission Home and had a meeting and ate lunch and all sorts of fun things. Usually whenever new missionaries arrive they go straight to the Mission Home--which is actually the home of the mission president and his family--but when I arrive the Presidente Teixeira was in Salt Lake to get called as a general authority, so it was the first time I got to see the Mission Home. It has carpet! and you have to take off your shoes to walk on it! So I got to walk on carpet in stocking-ed feet. It was absolutely luxurious. I didn't know that I was missing carpet until yesterday, but I am. I'm totally going to have carpet in my house when I grow up. At least a little bit so that I can just dig my toes into it. It's so soft and cushy. Maravilha. The meeting was really good, too. I got to be Sister Richardson's official translater. Because there are only 4 American sisters in our mission and 1 has 8 months, 2 have 6 1/2 months and 1 has 2 1/2 months. So I'm the best sister at the language for now. But the sister that only has 2 weeks in the field is amazing! She's gonna pass me up real fast.

I got my package yesterday! It took all the strength in the arms and backs of many sisters to get my package home. One sister said "If this is a measure of the weight of their love, then that's saying something." I've already broken into the Sour Patch Kids and poured over the pictures (Kevin's looking really GQ in his senior pictures) and looked at the music (I liked that I now have the Reverie that dad always plays on the clarinet) and got really happy. I haven't opened up the wrapped stuff yet... Surprises yet to come!! I don't think I'll make it till my birthday, but I didn't want to have all my joy in only one day, I'm gonna spread it out a little bit more.

Anyway... time's up. Love you all. Welcome to Brazil, Kevin! Thanks for all the presents.

Whitney

August 12, 2008

2008-12-07T04:25:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

Thanks to Dad for sharing a bit of your wonderful weekend. I might have cried a little bit. I'm so excited to have Kevin more or less here with me. I really need to ask my mission president if I can visit Kevin in the temple one of these days. (Note: My Planejamento is my Missionary Planner here in the field. We get a new one every six weeks and I cut out pictures from the Ensign/Liahona and use contact paper to make 'em stick to the covers of the planner. It protects and beautifies!!)

My new companion is already providing wonderful opportunities for growth. On the day of transfers all the missionaries in the mission that are transferring get together in a metro station and switch it up and chat a bit. Last week was the first time that I went, because the other day another Sister went to pick up Sister Christensen for me. So anyway, when we got there all the sisters were asking me who my companion was gonna be and every time I said Sister F. Souza there was a moment of shock and fear on their faces. I got a little bit nervous. She has quite a reputation in the mission. So when I met her I was walking on eggshells... what about this sister is so terrifying? She is quite pleasant and chatted a lot on the way back to our area and she started working right away. So in the course of the last week I have come to understand why it is that lots of people have had a hard time with my dear companion, but I have also gained a strong testimony that she is in the right place at the right time and both our area and I need Sister F. Souza. I know that the Lord is minutely involved in the organization of this missionary work. Nothing is done by chance. So if Kevin ever gets this letter or any other future missionary of the family, always remember that you are here to learn and grow and as my mommy once said "you can't climb a glass mountain." You need challenges to grow. And the Lord knows what he's doing. So you just gotta step it up.

A little bit about my companion. She is a great missionary. She teaches at every opportunity. She has seized many opportunities to teach that I would have let slide right by. Especially in the houses of members when they have friends over. Usually I would just have left a sweet little message about love or hope or Christ or some such fiddle faddle. She teaches a First Discussion of Power. That friend leaves the visit knowing all about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sister F. Souza also has a gift for organization. When she arrived in our area she put our home in order and our Area Book in order and our Investigators in order. She knows how to organize. I am now living in the cleanest house that I've ever lived in. And I am helping to maintain this cleanliness! So she has a lot to teach me. Remember my motto? Powerful, Patient, Persistant servant of the Lord? She is teaching me Power by example. She is also teaching me Organization and Cleanliness by example. I am also learning Patience. Remember how I am a Red-Blue personality? And how I never really wanted to be Red and so I've been trying to control my Red? The Lord knows this. He has now given me the opportunity to conquer my Red once and for all. Sister F. Souza is the Reddest person I've ever met in my life. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but she is quite red. So I am adopting a White attitude. I have to choose my moments to present a contrary opinion with care. And I'm succeeding!! She is also a bit negative. Ok, maybe a lot. But Sister Christensen was such a saint and completely positive that the Lord has prepared me with the tools I need to be positive and try to share this positive. So anway, I love my companion. She is lovely. She is really red, but it's not her fault. And she's having a hard time because she's trying to control a life that is impossible to control completely. You can't really control the mission. You have to let go a little bit. You can control many things but you can't control everything... But anyway. She is trying really, really hard. And she's doing great things. And our area is already getting better because of her. And I am already getting better and learning a ton because of her.

I love the mission! I love that the Lord is perfect! I love challenges! SWAT to the Rescue!! I love you all, too. Thanks for helping Kevin prepare for the mission. It seems like my mission is flying! Just a year left! I have so much to learn! I've got to take advantage of every moment.I love my family.I'm praying for you all. Don't cry too much. It'll be worth missing Kevin when you see how much he grows. Not to mention the people he'll help.I'm really going to stop writing this time.

Love,
Sister Whitney Amber Todd

August 5, 2008

2008-12-07T04:20:00.000-08:00

Mom,

Thanks for your letter. It's always so great to hear that everybody's doing well.

This last Sunday we finally did our Special Musical Presentation. And it was rocking awesome. A full half-hour of songs and inspirational quotes... It was awesomely wonderful. Elder Presença, my District Leader, put it all together. And I am the best pianist in the Zone so I was running from the piano to the microphone and back again and I may or may not have forgotten the end of the scripture I was supposed to say. but I singing went well. Overall it was awesome. Then the Mission President spoke to our Stake about Our Purpose. I don't know if you've read preach my gospel, but our purpose is to invite people to come unto Christ. He talked about how that should be our purpose throughout our life. But the best part was that at the end of it all, the Stake President got up and invited/challenged each of the 150 people in the congregation to find 2 people to be baptized in the next 150 days till the end of the year. So our ward better step it up. Our stake is waking up to missionary work!

I got a new companion! Her name is Sister F. Souza and she's from Minas Gerais--I think it's in Brazil somewhere--and has 14 months in the mission and this is her 7th area. That's about all I know about her for now. I'll send a picture, too. I saw Sister de Jesus at the Transfers and she gave me the earrings and necklace that I'm wearing in the picture. And Sister Christensen went to meet her parents! They'll be stopping by the apartment with my presents this week! I made my new Planejamento for this transfer and I put all the pictures I could find of Mary Magdelene when she sees Christ. Recently I've been feeling like I know what I'm teaching is true... logically. But now I'm going to figure out how to feel that everything is true. You can see that Mary is feeling a lot. I'm going to have such love, faith, and hope.

Love you all. Until next week when Kevin's in Brazil!!
Whitney

My New Companion Sister F Souza!

2008-12-07T04:18:00.000-08:00

July 29, 2008

2008-12-07T04:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

It has come to my attention that I need not only a cool name (SWAT) but a tag-line--or motto, if you will. Sister Christensen has a motto and I want to be like her. Hers tagline goes as follows "I want to be a happy, humble servant of the Lord." I don't know if it's technically a tag-line, but you get the idea. So now I've been working on mine. Since hers had some h's going on, I wanted to have some alliteration... so I settled on the letter P. I'm trying to come up with words that start with P in both Portuguese and English. So far I've got POWERFUL--PODEROSA, PATIENT--PACIENTE, and PERSISTANT--PERSISTENTE. How does "I want to be a powerful, patient, persistent servant of the Lord" sound to you guys? Any other P words you can think of?

We had some more baptisms. First was Alex then Geraldo. We've been working really hard and seeing a lot of little miracles, it's pretty great. It's been such a long time I don't really know what to write... Sister Christensen is going home in one week. Her mom got my birthday package. I'm already hearing rumors that it's HUGE. I'm pretty dang excited. Hamilton is doing great. It's Érika that's having a hard time now... Alex and Geraldo are really strong, too.

Love,
Sister SWAT

Geraldo's Baptism

2008-12-07T04:12:00.000-08:00

Alex's Baptism

2008-12-07T04:07:00.000-08:00

SWAT in Guaruja

2008-12-07T04:04:00.000-08:00

July 15, 2008

2008-12-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

I noticed something really cool this week. Or maybe it was last week. But I am now SWAT. My initials, that is. Way cooler than WAT. SWAT to the rescue!! That might be the only update for the week. It was a good week. We had a fireside (serão) with one of the Presidents of the First Quorum of the 70. He's from our stake here. He and his wife gave really awesome talks and it was really great because I got to go and just sit there. I remember when it was a pain to go to firesides... now it's like the highlight of my week. That and church... you go and sit (for 3 entire hours!) and other people teach! It's way relaxing.

But back to the topic at hand... Elder Costa. He talked a lot about a lot of things... but the thing that really struck home to me was how much the gospel is a part of his life. Down to every little detail. And he talked about how our life's goal should be to know Christ. (and this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent) and we are commanded to be perfect and like Christ (sermon on the mount) and the lord doesn't give commandments save he shall prepare a way (1 néfi 3:7)... so this life is organized as the way to teach us how to be perfect and like Christ! (organization of life=organization of celestial kingdom D&C 132:?) and Elder Costa is really taking advantage of the day of this life (2 Néfi 9?).

And I leave this message/note in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

With love,
Whitney
a.k.a. SWAT

July 8, 2008

2008-12-07T03:54:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

This week we met our new mission president and his wife. They are adorable. And American. Sister Richardson is trying really hard to speak Portuguese. She uses a lot of gestures. President Richardson speaks quite well... but it's still a pretty dramatic change from the Portugal-Portuguese accent. We had a Zone Conference with them this past week. We're now trying to take this mission to the next level. I like changes because everybody gets reanimated and wants to get better.

I'm figuring out how to pray. I think that that may be the lesson of my mission. When I went to the temple I felt like I learned how to pray. And ever since then I keep learning new ways about how to pray and each time I feel like now I understand how to pray... but it's really exciting. Because I never was very good at praying. I'm learning! I loved Ether 3 this week. (I finished the Book of Mormon in Portuguese! Sister Teixeira in my Nova Força meeting challenged us to read it in 60 days. I finished today. Day 56. I might have read the Isaiah chapters of 2nd Nephi in English... But the rest was Portuguese!) But about Ether 3. It's the Brother of Jared when he sees the finger of God... and always when I read that story before I thought "oh, what a nice story. He had faith and found out that the Lord had a body." But I didn't really apply it to me.

So I read it a couple of nights ago before bed and realized that there had to be more to it than that... so I prayed asking help to understand what more there was... and in the morning I read it again and it all made sense! So this is what I learned... I want to be like the stones that were touched by God and shone. I want to teach by the Spirit and reflect the spirit. And how many stones were there per boat? Two. One pair. Like a pair of missionaries. That light up the boat of our area. And what were the stones like to be prepared for this change? They were pure and white. So I have to pure. But also I want to be helping other people be these stones and be touched by God. So in another sense it's like we're the Brother of Jared. He went to the mountain (temple...and if you don't have a temple you make where you are a pure place...). And he prayed. Like we need to pray. And verses 2-5 have his prayer. First he acknowledged his unworthiness to pray, but he knew that it's a commandment to pray. Then he expressed his heartfelt, soulful desire that his brethren not be permitted to cross the deep without light. So as missionaries we need to be humble before God, recognize that we can't do the work alone. And have our only desire be that our brethren not be permitted to go through this life without the light of the gospel. And we need to have faith that God has the power to give this light. And THEN we can see the finger of God making the difference in our lives. And that is the greatest miracle... recognizing the power of God. That the Brother of Jared saw how the miracle was wrought. And we as missionaries will be blessed to reconize how the Lord is helping us do his work. That's what I want. And so I need to pray in Faith to recieve this spirit. There's a part of Preach My Gospel that talks about this Pray in Faith in Chapter 4. The only way we will have the spirit is if we pray in faith. And the Brother of Jared gave us an example of this. He also had a specific plan for the Lord. That's another part of the Prayer of Faith. That we think a lot about what needs to change to solve our problems and we promise that we will do our part if God will just make our part effective...That's the part of the prayer that Elder Bednar taught. I'm so excited by what I learned!

And time is up.

Love,
Whitney

Hamilton's Baptism

2008-12-07T03:49:00.000-08:00

July 1, 2008

2008-12-06T15:09:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

So, I learned an important lesson this week about cleanliness. You have to be clean. Filth can sap your desire to live.

We received a referral to visit and teach a young-ish man and his aged mother. We stopped by to find out about them and they weren't home... or at least the son wasn't home. We met the neighbors and they all complained about the stench. And it stank. We returned another day and found them at home and it was just horrid. They have 2 dogs and 2 cats and the son wasn't taking care of anybody or anything. His mom, Dona Maria, is 79 years old. The first time we went in she could barely talk. She was laying on the couch wrapped up in a blanket. She looked mostly dead. She couldn't sit up by herself... eat or drink by herself... she was using diapers. So... to make a long story short, we got some Irmãs in our ward to come help us clean the house, and we rid the house of the wretched stench. Mostly, anyway. We killed millions of daddy long-legs and chased down some cock-roaches. It was really quite horrid. Then the Irmãs went back the next day and dyed Dona Maria's hair and painted her fingernails and gave her a hair cut.

Yesterday we went back to finally teach them about the Restoration and stuff, and Dona Maria is completely different. She was sitting on the couch. She can't stop chatting. She held and patted our hands. She was walking with a little bit of help and even went to the bathroom all by herself. You have to learn how to clean. I may not know how to clean very well, yet, but my desire to learn is growing. I will not live in filth. Clutter, perhaps. But not filth.

We felt so good all day yesterday to know that we made a difference in someone's life. And I have renewed desire to serve when I get home. 4 Irmãs helped us clean the house. They dropped everything and helped for 6 hours one day, all day the next day, and the following day returned for a birthday party. And went back the next week. They were so willing to serve. It's amazing. I want to grow up to be like them.

Love,
Whitney

2008-12-06T15:08:00.000-08:00

Sisters Tittlefitz and Todd

2008-12-06T15:06:00.000-08:00

June 24, 2008

2008-12-06T15:02:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

Sister Teixeira's parting words. From the door of her car. She was in the car when she stood up and called to me--in English, which she doesn't speak all that well--'Sister Todd! You are new, but you are great!'

So, I love Sister Teixeira. And President Teixeira. But mostly Sister Teixeira. I don't know why or how, but they both make me feel so loved. They've both told me that I'll be a great asset to the next Mission President. I hope I can handle the pressure. Our district had interviews with the President this week. Our last chance to meet with them before they leave the country. Before I had my interview I was thinking that I needed to tell Presidente Teixeira all about me and what I've been doing and how I've been doing so that he would know what to do with me in transfers and everything. But when I got in there he said he wanted to give me a blessing and asked if I had any questions or anything to report and all of the sudden I knew that I didn't need to tell him anything, because it's not him that decides. And so he just gave me an awesome blessing and said goodbye. And on Sunday I found out that I'm going to stay in Embaré with Sister Christensen. And probably stay here for the next transfer, too, because Sister Christensen goes home at the end of this transfer... and you gotta maintain some kind of consistancy.

So, about the people we are teaching.

Érika.She's began the discussions a while back, but when I came to the area, Sister de Jesus and I started teaching everything again because she wasn't really progressing, when it all finally clicked and she understood the purpose of the commandments and read the scriptures every day and wanted to get baptized! So she did.

Hamilton.He's a 50-year-old man and he's probably going to get baptized this week. Maybe. He was a Pesquisador Antigo (Old Investigator) which means that previous sisters had taught him... and stopped teaching him because he didn't progress. But they left a progress record and we stopped by to see if now was the time. We taught the 1st Discussion with the Restoration film, because he likes movies. He seemed really receptive. We left a Book of Mormon with him and scheduled the next visit. When we went back (this time with Sister Christensen) he returned the book of Mormon and said he didn't want it. Then 2 Sundays later he showed up in Church. And now we've taught him a few more times and he is just really excited to get baptized. He is a little inconsistent, so we're visiting him almost every day to make sure this is really what he wants.

Paulo and Lucas. Paulo is my new favorite. We just taught him for the first time last night. He wants to know everything. He wouldn't let us leave he kept asking so many questions. I really think he's going to progress. His brother is Lucas. He listened mostly, but he said he's going to read and pray, too. We've got some other people progressing, too.

I really want to see this area turn into a high-baptizing area. There are so many great people. The Stake President of the Santos Stake really wants the stake to grow. He wants to help us make a difference. And the entire stake has not been growing very much at all. But last transfers almost all the missionaries changed in the Stake and now everyone is staying. I think they're trying to change the attitude of the missionaries and the members in the stake. Get rid of the attitude that it's a low-baptizing area... Our ward had had 3 baptisms in the first 6 months of the year. We set our goal for 18 more by the end of the year. I really want to help this happen. But we need to teach more and teach better and work harder and do our part so the Lord can work the miracle. Even though I'm already really tired of the streets in our tiny area, it'll be really neat to see this change happen in the stake. If we can manage it.

Companionship Study: We studied about what exactly is Hell today. Mostly because we have to teach the Plan of Salvation to Paulo and Lucas the day after tomorrow and we know that they'll have lots of questions. And the thing that I didn't know how to explain about the Plan of Salvation is why does it talk about eternal damnation throughout the bible and book of mormon if there are only a few Sons of Perdition. So here's what we think now... I'd like to know what you guys think next week. If you're a really evil person who never repents of your sins this is what's going to happen to you. You go to Spirit Prison where you have a lot of chances to repent. Lots and lots. And while in Spirit Prison you are suffering for you own sins--damnation and suffering that is eternal in degree not eternal in duration (see bible dictionary Hell and D&C 19:6, which makes more sense in Portuguese than in English...não está escrito que não haverá fim para esse tormento, mas está escrito tormento infinito. it is not writing that there will not be an end to this torment, but it is written infinate torment.) And then you go to the Telestial Kingdom where you will not continue to suffer, but you will not be cleansed of your sins because you never repented, and so you can never be in the presence of God because no impure thing can abide in his presence. I think this might actually be accurate. I never thought of it this way before. It makes a lot more sense. We also read True to the Faith--Atonement. And the Atonement and Spirit World sections of Lesson 2 in Preach My Gospel. I feel really good about what we learned. Thought I'd share.

Gotta go.Love you!

Whitney

Sisters Christensen, Franca, Tittlefitz, Todd

2008-12-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

June 17, 2008

2008-12-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

So this week was also great. I may have cried once. I think it was a combination of stress and exhaustion. But it was the first time that I cried in the field. I like how I subconsciously deal with stress. I don't even feel stressed out until all of the sudden I hit crying stage. And I have nothing specific to cry about so I look for something to cry about. Then I cry. And then I'm all better.

If this only happens once every two transfers I think I'll be a happy camper. Transfers next week! We'll find out on Sunday if anything is changing. So if for some reason I don't get to a computer next week, no freaking out. But even if I do get transferred I should still have time to email. I kind of want to be transferred and I kind of don't. I guess I'll just wait for someone to tell me what's going to happen. No use fretting when you have nothing to say about it. Right? ... Right?? :)

We're getting a new Mission President next week, too. President Richardson. He's American. And Presidente and Sister Teixeira are off to Germany to arrange stuff at home (10 days), then Portugal to visit family (10 days) and within the month they'll be living in Sandy, Utah. They apparently have a house there. They don't know where... but they have one. They are a great example of people who truly dedicated everything to the Lord... they started out being called on a three-year mission. Without holidays. Living in a foreign country. You only get to go home in three years. And then in the middle of the 3-year mission they get called on a lifelong mission. With only a 3 week break between the two. (Whoops... I said three years away from home? I meant you can never go home!) And they are so excited to be serving. How can I even think about complaining about a year and a half? I think last week I used up all of my clever writing-ness... I'll work on being better next week. But time's about up. I am loving the mission. And I'm figuring out every day how much I need to improve... and I feel like I'm improving all the time. It's really rewarding. And I love the scriptures and the gospel and my companion and our investigators and Santos and the food and the adventures and the scary fruits and scary meats and wonderful families in the ward and my leaders and hymns... and I could go on and on. I love it all.

Beijos,
Whitney

June 10, 2008

2008-12-06T14:53:00.000-08:00

Dear My Family,

Érika got baptized this week and we had a blessed week of awesome numbers. We taught a lot of lessons and there were a lot of people that came to church and it was just all-around exhausting and great.

The Brazilian Bicycle Minivan

So, you know how there in the US young mothers with multiple children purchase and utilize a mini-van. Typical Soccer-Mom style-y. Here in Brazil Mom's purchas and utilize a bicycle. Put some extra seats on 'er and you've got a mini-van! We saw a young mother and three children on a bicycle. And this is not a "bicycle made for two" bicycle... this is a bicycle made for one. It was pretty amazing.

The Mystery of the Dirty Ankles

So, I started noticing a while back that at the end of each day my inner-ankle bones were dirty. Hmm, I thought. Where did that come from? What am I doing to make my inner-ankle-bones dirty? I would then clean my inner-ankle-bones and go about my business forgetting the inner-ankle-bone mystery until the next night when they would be dirty again and the process would begin all over again. Rinse and Repeat. Finally the day came when I said to myself, "Self, it is not acceptable that this mystery remain a mystery!! This mystery is too bizarre! We will get to the bottom of this or die trying!" That day I dedicated my energies to finding the ankle-dirtying-device. And I realized, as I was walking calmly down the street that as I was walking I was kicking myself in the ankle bones! How bizarre! And not just once a day, quite regularly! I then decided that this must stop. I realized just yesterday that, with minimal to no conscious effort, I stopped kicking myself in the ankle bones. The key to changing the behavior was to realize what I was doing. So then I got to thinking again about how this lesson that I learned to be applied in a spiritual lesson. And here's what I learned, sometimes when we realize that we have a problem, we must simply recognize what we are doing to cause the problem--for example, losing the Spirit. And sometimes the biggest part of the battle is realizing what it is that is causing the problem. And once you realize what it is, it's relatively easy to change the behavior. And it is next to impossible to change the results without recognizing the causes. Can't stop from having dirty ankles until you know what you're doing to make them dirty. The end.

What My District Leader Taught Me About Prayer

I don't know if y'all remember the talk by Elder David A. Bednar, but he talked about Prayer as Sacred Communication and Consacrated Action. My District Leader taught us about this, and I've been musing on it this week. I finally figured it out enough to share it in some lessons, and everyone that hears about it gets kind of excited. So I thought I'd share. So, how do you usually pray? Address Heavenly Father, give thanks, ask for blessings, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. This is how we teach people to pray. But I've been realizing that there are really two more steps, after Ask For Blessings, I need to recieve inspiration as to what I need to do for these blessings to come to pass, and THEN I need to PROMISE the Lord that I'm going to that thing, and ask him to BLESS my action that it will have the desired results. Example A: You know that someone in the ward is having a hard time, you pray that that person gets better. Then you can think about that person and think of something that you can do to help that person... it could be a phone call, a cake, a visit, or whatever. Then you're going to promise the Lord that you're going to do that thing for that person and then you ask the Lord to bless this action that it will really help that person. Then you have to do it. Because you promised the Lord. No going back now. Example B: You're not feeling the Spirit, you want to go spiritually. You think about what you are doing and what you are not doing that can be preventing you from growing. You promise the Lord that you're going to do one small thing today to help you grow... read the scriptures for 10 minutes, think about the Atonement during the day, sing some hymns when you're feeling bad. Then you promise the Lord that you will do it. Then you ask him to bless that action. Then you do it. Elder Bednar said in his talk that when you keep the promises you made in your prayers, those actions are CONSECRATED to the Lord. And it seems to me that consecrated actions are going to have more effect than just random human actions.So here's how I put this in practice this week. My District Leader taught about this, and I decided to consecrate my street contacts to the Lord. Never again in the mission would I skip doing my 10 contacts per day. And every day I would promise to do them. My companion has been praying a lot to invite more people to be baptized. So this week I did my contacts every day and Sister Christensen invited someone to be baptized. And on Sunday, investigators flocked to Sacrament meeting. I know that we were blessed. That our consecrated actions helped us be more effective.

So I'm going to keep working on consecrating more and more of my actions to the Lord, to resolve very specific concerns and problems that I have. I'd like to invite each of you to use this week to consecrate something to the Lord. Some action. Then let me know if it worked? This week I'm going to work on having virtuous thoughts... Because sometimes the things I think drive the Spirit away... so I'm going to work on having the Spirit more and promise the Lord that I'm going to drive away bad thoughts when I have them. Wish me luck! Sorry I talked so much about that, but I'm just so excited about it. Life just makes more sense now. I love the gospel!

The Saga Continues... Check back next week for the next installment of the Life and Adventures of an American Girl lost in Brazil and trying to speak Portuguese and teach the gospel.

Love,
You're in my prayers,
Whitney

Erika's Baptism

2008-12-06T14:51:00.000-08:00

June 3, 2008

2008-12-06T14:49:00.000-08:00

Dear Dad and Family,

Not too much to report this week. I like my new District... we have District Meeting once a week to have some training and some practice and learn from each other, and they're all really cool elders with different teaching styles and examples for me to learn from. Usually only a few people move in a district at a time, but of 6 missionaries in the district, 4 are new... our district leader is opening an area and training at the same time (you open an area when both of the missionaries who were there are transfered, so you come in knowing nothing... usually you can't even find your own house, much less all your investigators, and you don't know what to teach anyone, etc... and you train when you get someone fresh from the CTM).

We had a week with really low numbers, but we taught 5 lessons yesterday, so maybe this week will be better. We're finding new people all the time and I'm really excited to teach some of them. All of them, but some expecially because they show lots of promise.We got to watch a temple dedication on Sunday!! It was awesome. The fifth temple in Brazil (Curitiba) was dedicated. President Monson and Elder Nelson were there. I love the temple! Kevin, are you going to the temple soon? You probably should cuz you don't have a temple in your mission... don't want to forget, so I would recommend going lots of times nowish. Make Mom and Dad take you every day. Or a couple times a week.

Love,
Whitney

May 27, 2008

2008-12-06T14:47:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

Who knew? I certainly didn't. I knew there was a lot of beach... I just didn't know how much. You will find attached a photo of me and my companion, Sister Christensen. (You guys should maybe send some pictures it was really exciting to get a picture of Kevin... he looks older-ish.)Sister Christiensen has one year and one week more mission than I do. She is on her second to last transfer. She'll be going home August 2008, and I'm going home August 2009. She has 1 sister and 8 brothers, 2 moms and 2 dads. She's from Utah, but her mom moved to Wisconsin since she's been in Brazil... so she will go home to a new home.

This week has been awesomely wonderful. It's been a big challenge because Sister de Jesus left me in the lurch. I never had to plan who to visit or what to do or how to find people's houses or what we need to teach them or who all the member's are, because she knew everything and I just kind of followed. But all of the sudden I was in charge. I had to make Plan A, B, and C for every hour of every day (you need lots of plans because they always fall through). I had to call people on the phone (yikes!) because she hadn't met any of them. And I had to decide what we would teach people because she didn't know any of them. And she didn't know where anything was in our area. So I was a little bit stressed. However, I am so grateful now that I had this experience because I had to rely on the Lord and learn really fast and I got to experience miracles. All of the sudden, with no conscious effort on my part, I started recognizing roads and how to get from place to place, I lost all fear of the telephone, and Portuguese has gotten noticeably easier. I am so grateful for miracles and the support of the Lord in this work.

Sister Christensen is a wonderful example. She is completely different than Sister de Jesus. She is much more reserved and quiet... so it's a transition for the investigators... but she just emanates love and joy in the gospel. She's bears fervent, joyful testimony. I've learned a lot about how to interact with Brazilians without speaking perfect Portuguese. With Sister de Jesus I didn't know how to have casual conversations, because I never knew what to talk about... and they talked about things that I knew nothing about and didn't have enough vocabulary to talk about. But Sister Christensen just asks basic questions and we can talk to Brazilians!! Questions like "How has your week been?" "Can I look at your pictures? Can you explain them?" "What are you going to do today?" It works! It's great. Sister Christensen is also trying really hard to endure to the end. She's so close and sometimes she just wants to go home or take a day off, but she does not stop walking and working and loving and giving her all. I hope I can grow up to be like her.

Love and miss you all,
Hugs and kisses,
Whitney

Sisters Christensen and Todd

2008-12-06T14:43:00.001-08:00

Island of Santos

2008-12-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

Beach on Santos Island

2008-12-06T14:40:00.000-08:00

May 20, 2008

2008-12-06T14:38:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

I have a new companion!! So I have to teach her about the area... all the stuff that I hardly know. Like how to get places and who needs to learn what and where all the Irmães in the ward live and the names of everybody... So I'll have to keep you updated on how that goes. Her name is Sister Christensen. She's American. There are currently four american sisters in the mission and about 30 brazileiras, and they put two of us together! Sister Christensen will go home in August... she's only got 2 transfers left. She's really a sweetie. She is calm and loving and I can already tell she has a very profound testimony. I have so much to learn from her. We also had Nova Força and Interviews with the President this week. In Nova Força I learned that it isn't good enough just to make goals, you have to make specific plans. This is something that we hadn't done before. Already it's starting to make a difference in our work. We always have a purpose and a fall-back plan. And we know why we're doing things.I taught an exciting lesson this past week. We had an investigator who we had high hopes for. She went to church twice with her kids and she enjoyed it and she understood the message... but she wasn't reading or praying. So we went to have a talk with her and she said she wouldn't read or pray. That she didn't need to. That she had lots of faith and that she had a plan for God to help her better her life and lots of other stuff. All of the sudden I had tons to say to her. I testified that she may have a plan for God, but God has a plan for her that is so much greater than her plan. He wants to give her eternal purpose and perspective... etc. etc. I don't remember exactly what I said, but at the time I knew what I should say. And I said it. At the end of my impassioned plea, I challenged her to read and discover the purpose that God has for her... and she said no. It was the saddest and best thing. I knew that it made no apparent difference, but I know that I taught what I ought. I knew I was guided by the spirit... because on my own I couldn't have spoken so boldly or so much portuguese.

Love always,
Whitney

May 13, 2008

2008-12-06T14:36:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

It was so great to talk to all of you on Sunday! I was reminded that you all have regular lives that consist of sometimes doing nothing at all and other times doing stuff just for fun. Weird. I went on splits this week! I forgot to tell you on the phone, but I went on splits with someone who didn't know the lessons, and I taught lessons. And invited someone to be baptized. They said no, but it was still pretty cool. I think they even understood what I said. I forgot to tell you another big difference between here and there: everybody has a gate--in front of the dwelling. If it's a house then usually it has a doorbell inside the gate. You are thus required to stick your hand through the bars and place your fingers in jeopardy of being eaten by the dog. And there most certainly is a dog. I think there are more dogs than people in this country. If it's a regular apartment building, outside the gate is a little intercom thing and a bunch of buttons to call each of the apartments. You push the apartment number they say "who is it?" You identify yourself. They push a button. The gate unlocks. You enter. Then next to the door to the apartment building there's another intercom. Repeat process as described above... Door unlocks. You enter. You walk up stairs. The door to the apartment has been open in anticipation of your arrival and the dog is coming down the stairs to meet you. (I don't like dogs. Sister de Jesus adores them. And cats. She gets excited any time she meets a pet. It's inexhaustable. I'm really impressed by this.) If it's an upperclass apartment building, there's an intercom by the gate with a single button... to alert the doorkeeper. But you usually don't have to use it because the doorkeeper is watching. He pushes a button and you enter. You walk up to greet the doorkeeper who lives in a little shack watching security cameras and the soccer game or the current telenovela. He asks who you want to see, he calls them, tells them who's here to see them, and lets you in.Then sometimes there are gates without intercoms or doorbells. Then you clap or yell.This is what I know about getting into gates. Always an adventures. And sometimes life-threatening. Even more exciting.

Love,
Whitney

May 6, 2008

2008-12-06T14:34:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

It's been a pretty great week. Especially hearing from all y'all down in Mexico. Sounds like you're having a blast. We're just trudging along down here. I'm excited to talk to y'all next week!! I don't feel like I have a ton to write about this week... Except we had Zone Conference! My first Zone Conference. It was pretty exciting. Especially since Sister Tittlefitz was there. I'm sending a picture of us, Her companion sounds intense. They fast once a week and they don't do awesome stuff like go to the acquarium on p-days. BTW, I went to the Acquarium last p-day. I met the cast of Finding Nemo. Dori and Nemo's dad were hanging out. It was pretty cool.We are hopefully going to have a baptism on Saturday. Jéssica. She's fifteen. I don't know what I've mentioned about her before. But she is incredible. She goes to Seminary every day and loves everything about the church. We're going to talk to her mom today... get permission. Pray for us! Love you all.
Whitney

April 29, 2008

2008-12-06T14:31:00.000-08:00

Dear Family:

Mother's Day is coming up! I'm going to ask the President if I can call on Monday so I can talk to April and Kevin. But I'll email you next week.

We had a really cool fireside by Pres. and Sister Texeira about how Preach My Gospel is Modern Scripture for all people. It has awesome chapters that you guys could really learn from, if you wanted to start studying it. Like chapter 4: How can I recognize the Spirit. and a lot of others.

What I never knew about being a missionary.You're not just a teacher of the gospel, you are much, much more. Consider, for example, the following, non-exclusive list:Skirt-Finders, Match-Makers, Health-Advisers, Wedding-Planners, Marathon-walkers, Health-Advisers, Miracle-Enablers, Hunger-Relievers, and All-Around-Problem-SolversPaulo and Andrea, two of our old investigators (remember them , are now engaged, thanks to Sister de Jesus. They are to be married on June 7th. We picked the date for them. And Sister de Jesus told Paulo when and how to propose. They were kind of languishing, without working really hard to get married so they could get baptized, so we decided they need a baptismal date. So we prepared and taught several lessons about love and families, and after the one this week, Sister de Jesus asked Paulo if he would accept June 7th as a date for his wedding and baptism. He said yes. Sister de Jesus then asked Paulo to ask Andrea if she accepted this date, so he started to say, "Andrea, do you accept June 7th as the date of your baptism and marriage." But Sister de Jesus said "no, no, no, Paulo... on your knees, with this plastic flower plant, and we're not really here." And so he proposed, and she said yes.Érica, another of our investigators, is young and single, and trying to stop drinking coffee, so we taught a lesson about Law of Chastity and Word of Wisdom. Our ward mission leader had given us a bottle of the Postum-equivalent that they have here, so we gave it to her. We called the mission leader about something or other and he said "There's been a misunderstanding, my mom wants to tell you something." Sister de Jesus was really concerned... that maybe we'd done something to offend his mother or something... But she (not a member) had tossed out the postum and replaced it with COFFEE! And we gave it to Èrica. Que vergonha. Luckily she hadn't drunken it yet.And the examples go on and on... we do all sorts of things. It's kind of fun, usually. And always an adventure.

Love you, miss you,
Whitney

The Orquidario

2008-12-06T14:30:00.000-08:00