FELIZ NATAL! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! A lot has happened the last
couple days. The CTM presidency and the couple missionaries have really done a
lot to make the holiday a good one for the missionaries here at the CTM. We
have definitely been doing an excessive amount of eating (candy mostly) and
singing (Christmas sons for days). Today has been HOT HOT HOT. Definitely not
the typical Christmas weather that I am used to. Because today is Christmas
EVERYBODY needs to email so I am going to have to type real quick! I am just
going to recap a couple significant events and I will write more of the
specifics of today and the interesting events next week.
1. Our district had our first "baptism"--- Our
instructor who we have been practicing teaching was the one who converted. I
have some pretty solid photos of our event. I will be sending some home in the
near future.
2. An elder in my district and I tried to teach a coupld
Brazillians how to play 21 (a basketball game). Fail. Then, we tried to teach
them how to play elimination or speed.... fail again. I don't think our
Portuguese was that bad... so I am going to have to just assume that they just
weren't very good at basketball.
3. A Brazillian elder played a musical number for one of our
Christmas devotionals. It was a recorder he played. Like the plastic music
device that we all learned to play in 3rd grade. It was awesome and unexpected
at the same time.
4. We put on a Christmas caroling production in front of the
CTM. IT WAS AWESOME. A lot of people showed up to hear us sing. I think one of
the songs is on youtube. Maybe look up erguie-vos cansado coral do CTM
Brasil ... I think I heard that was the title anyway.
5. I got a package from one of Sariah's mission companions
on Sunday at church. It was totally unexpected and made me so happy! It was
full of candy. Literally and a christmas mug and ornament. Literally awesome.
My district is still working on eating said candy. Sariah do you think you
could send me her address? I definitely want to thank her! It made pretty much
my week.
6. My final note- I finished the Book of Mormon for the
first complete time of my mission. Definitely an awesome experience.
I know without a doubt in my heart that the Book of Mormon
is literally words of God. It is the most perfect book on the earth. I know
that Joseph Smith was a profet of God. I have heard many people doubt the BOM
because of how unlikely it seemed to them that the BOM was translated by such a
young unlearned man. I feel that such facts only make it more obvious that no
man could have done that. Only through God could such a translation occur. The
Lord is our redeemer, He is my Savior. I know that I am in the right place, at
the right time. I know that I have been called of God through a holy profet,
Thomas S. Monson to do His work on the earth today. I know the Savior. I know
my purpose in life. I desire to be like Christ. Opeining my mouth and sharing
the gospel is going to be really challenging for me (especially in Portuguese)
but I know that the Lord would never require me to do more than that which I am
capable of. I love my family and friends. You guys are awesome. I am thankful
everyday for all of you. The gospel is true. Jesus lives. He is our Savior. And
He will always have a hand in our lives. I love you all and Merry Christmas!,
Love,
Sis. Hoopes
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