Well WAHOO! ;)

Well.... this transfer will be exciting, and... interesting. But good. Very very good. :)

Surprise! Sister Pina will finish her mission on Wednesday so right now she is in Praia, Sister Walker was transferred to Sal for her last transfer of her mission, and Sister Barros will serve in the other area here in Porto Novo. Her companion is a sister who still needs two weeks of training but arrived one transfer after me.

And...

I will be training! Sister Johnson will be my companion, and she will be brand new. They wonºt arrive from America until Friday, so this week Iºm not really sure what will happen. But itºs pretty crazy! But Iºm excited, which I wasnºt really expecting.

Well, this week was great. I have started to reflect on what I have done well each day and where I could improve each day. I donºt know if I have already told you that, but wow, it has been so incredible. It has really allowed me to recognize the growth Iºm experiencing and the progress Iºm making, as well as help me make better daily and weekly goals on where I want to focus to improve and become even more exactly obedient and lose myself even more in this work.

Well, ever since my interview with President Mathews, Iºve been trying to prepare myself like he told me to do. This week we had divisions on Thursday, and I was with Sister Pina in our area. Being with her, I realized how I had grown and changed even just since the time I had been with her. I felt like something "clicked" inside me, and I realized that I kind of know what Iºm doing now. And Iºm figuring out more and more how to just be myself, because the Lord has called ME to be His missionary. Definitely, I will work on turning my weaknesses into strengths through the grace of the Lord, but I can be proud of myself, too. I can be myself and that is who He needs me to be. I think the thing that "clicked" was that I let go of my fears about my weaknesses. I started completely trusting in the Lord. And thatºs when I felt His love, fully. I wasnºt complicating things or fogging things up with my own worries about my own inadequacies.  I was able to see, for a moment, myself as God sees me. And I realized that I really am capable, and that I just need to be myself, do my best, and not worry. Keep improving, but not worry.

It reminded me of something Elder Anderson told us when I was in the MTC: to look at everything in life through the eyes of faith. To have the faith that all of these things are the plan of the Lord. That even if they seem like they arenºt supposed to happen, even if they arenºt expected, the Lord knew that all these things would happen in the timing that they happen. We just have to trust Him, let go of our worries and doubts, and keep going forward. We just have to turn to Him and keep turning to Him. And when we turn to Him, He will bless us and help us be who He needs us to be.

Well, this little "ah-ha" moment was a great tender mercy. In that moment, I felt like I was ready for the future, for these future opportunities that Pres. Mathews told me to prepare for. I have held onto that feeling and that tiny revelation, and I am so glad that I did. Because if I hadnºt, I think I would be feeling a lot more overwhelmed with the idea of training. But I just decided that it is going to be an awesome experience and I am going to love it and learn a lot, and that this is another opportunity to serve another child of God. With this mindset, I have been really working not to let fear or doubts creep in. But I just remember that little tender mercy moment. If the Lord thinks I should have this opportunity at this time, then I will do all I can to give my best and trust in His plan. It was meant to happen this way, and I wonºt let fear or doubts creep in to destroy my faith and happiness. I´ve already decided that this transfer is going to be awesome, and Iºm going to love it, even if itºs hard. Because it was meant to be this way, and God wants us to have joy. Thatºs why weºre here. And I want to learn to have more joy during challenges. I want to learn to receive even more of the blessings that God wants to bless me with. So Iºm really excited to train. :) I know that with the Lord, I can do all things. If I just trust in Him, be myself, do my best, and especially BE HUMBLE, I know that I will love this transfer. I´m so excited to see the small miracles of this week, along with the bigger ones, and to help another missionary see how this work is truly a work of miracles.

Well, sorry, I havenºt even gotten to people yet! So Iºll just share a few experiences. We visited Walter this week, and it was so awesome. We needed a woman to sit with us for the lesson, and his girlfriend was there, so she sat with us and we got to know her a little bit. Walter told us that after going to church this past Sunday, he has decided that he will never miss another Sunday. He will do what he needs to do for work on Saturday or Monday, but not on Sunday so he can go to church and keep the sabbath day holy. He also told me that he wants to read the entire Book of Mormon by the time I leave Porto Novo, which would be so cool! Heºs really putting the Lord first in His life and trusting in Him. Itºs so cool to see that. And, Iºm so excited to teach Nadine, his girlfriend! She seems really humble and prepared.

We also found a lady named Maria, and she showed us a family, and now weºre teaching both of them. Maria has eight children, and one of her daughters was baptized in the church and passed away two years ago. She said she felt something when we taught her the first lesson, and when she gave the closing prayer, she prayed that we would be able to return often to teach her the word of God and help her feel this peace that she hasnºt had in her life. It was so cool.

This family is pretty great, too. Mizi and Marlino live together and have a baby boy together, and Mizi has a seven year old daughter. Theyºre super humble, but Marlino likes to talk a lot. But theyºre awesome. Mizi went to church yesterday and really liked it.

Also, Daniela and Milene are going to get baptized this week! Milene wants to get baptized as soon as possible, and she is just awesome. Sheºs so prepared, and everything we teach her she accepts and starts living. She even started dressing modestly after we taught the law of chastity, which was a little miracle because she said she wouldnºt feel good about herself if she dressed modestly. And Daniela is changing, too. Theyºre so cute. Itºs been cool, too, because Jacqueline, Danielaºs sister, has been coming to church with Daniela and Milene. Sheºs less-active, but sheºs been changing a lot and is becoming active again. These girls are so amazing. Itºs such a blessing to see them come unto Christ so enthusiastically.

Well, thatºs about it! Iºm so excited to train and to serve another sister missionary! Kind of crazy: this will be my fourth companion in Porto Novo, haha (including my mini-missionary). But Iºm so excited!

Well, I love you all! Have an awesome week! And trust in the Lord... itºs so much easier! :)

Love,

Sister Zimbelman

How Great Will Be Your Joy...

Well, this week was awesome. Iºm not sure why, but it just was. :) Even besides interviews, it was a good week. I think itºs because Iºm learning how to be myself and to have fun while also maintaining the dignity of my calling. I am always worried about erring on the side of frivolity, so Iºve been pretty serious. But now Iºm trying to make sure I donºt take myself too seriously. :) Also, Iºve been working on being more bold, and wow, that has been such a relief! I donºt know how to describe it other than a relief. I think I had forgotten that if I love these people and show them I love them, I can be clear and honest with them and they will listen and know that I am speaking with love.

Last night we talked to Nerr to see where he is spiritually. He has a date set to get baptized this Saturday, but our last three lessons weºve marked with him have fallen through because he has had things come up... well, thatºs what he says. But finally we were able to talk to him and see how he is spiritually. We basically talked to him very openly and honestly. It was such a powerful lesson. He was wearing one earring, so reviewed the law of chastity and he took it out right then. I could tell that the Spirit was working through us both to be completely open and honest about the Gospel and the need for obedience to the commandments to receive all the blessings and true, lasting happiness that God wants to give us. Our openness definitely allowed him to open up more about his true feelings, and we could address his concerns and doubts more clearly and powerfully. It was so cool.

I love seeing how Sister Barros teaches. It is so different than my other companions, and I love seeing how she adapts lessons to fulfill needs and how she follows the Spirit during our lessons. Sheºs often inspired to ask questions I wouldnºt think to ask, or in a way that I wouldnºt think to ask. And these questions allow our investigators to open up more or allow us to understand their needs more. Itºs such a blessing.

Also, Lara got baptized!!!  It has taken a LONG time to get her understanding and testimony, especially of the atonement, to the point where she was excited to get baptized and felt worthy to be baptized. But wow, she is just amazing. And after her baptism, she was so happy. So, so happy. Those are the kinds of small moments that I never want to forget. Those are the small but significant moments that remind me why I wanted so badly to serve a mission. She has a great future in the Church. And there is nothing sweeter than seeing someone baptized, especially someone who was so burdened by the sins of the past. This Gospel is amazing, and the Atonement is so, so incredible!

Also, it was so good to see President and Sister Mathews this week. Iºm really focusing this week on learning to control my thoughts even more... the last week of the transfers is always the hardest with that. :) But Iºm learning more and more to focus on the moment, the person, the need, and to recognize the subtle promptings of the Spirit. Iºm also learning to act. To not question or hesitate, but just to act. I love this work, and I love all that Iºm learning. I feel so blessed to be serving a mission, and especially to be serving here.

Interviews are awesome. President reminded me of what Pres. Monson said: that "whom the Lord calls, He qualifies." That was so good to hear, and Iºm trying to remember that. :)

Also, miracles happen, and often when you donºt expect them! A recent convert, who is also a less active, was in church yesterday! His name is Walter, and he hasnºt been to church since I have been here, I think. Itºs because he has been working, and he is going to be a father and is worried about having sufficient money to take care of a baby. We have been trying to talk to him, and itºs been really hard to find him. Then on Saturday morning, we found him and invited him to an activity for Saturday night. He didnºt go to the activity, but he went to church! Hopefully we will be able to sit down with him this week and teach him the lesson that we have prepared to teach him!

Well, I love you all! Ficam bem!

Love,

Sister Zimbelman :)