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