Oi! Week 2

Week 2 in Brazil is done and I can hardly believe how fast things move by here! This city is awesome though. I think I am actually understanding less Portuguese this week than I did last week! Not sure but I don´t think it is supposed to work like that haha.. Oh well, the work moves forward despite my slow tongue. We had a baptism this week for our investigator João! João found work this week, which was a huge blessing because he had been looking for a while and he was able to get something that doesn´t make him work on Sunday. He does, however, work every other day of the week 10 am to 10 pm which made it really hard to prepare him for his baptism. We had to get up and ready and leave for his house by 7 every morning and then return to the house for studies, but we did it!  We had a really great baptismal service after church yesterday and the ward just welcomed João with open arms. It was so cool, I love to see  how quickly the gospel can penetrate someones heart and how much it can change their life. My head is still spinning a little trying to adjust to the fast pace of missionary here, it is so different because the people are so much more humble and ready to apply the gospel.

We are teaching a mãe and filho, Selma and Aparecido... I think I already wrote a little about them last week. They are amazing! Selma is soaking up every bit of information we teach her. This week they came to church again and Selma had already read all of the lessons and she was prepped and ready for Sunday school and every thing. People thought she had just moved into the ward and she is already giving opening prayers and such. Its amazing! They will both be baptized this week on Saturday. 

The rest of the time this week we spent teaching people who have been learning for quite a while but are afraid to commit. We are searching and praying for more `Joãos`and `Selmas´right now and I know that we will find them. We are all gearing up for o Copa do Mundo which starts in like a week or two. It will be interesting to see how the work starts changing since the whole world will stop for the games. 

Winter is just starting up here and it has been raining none stop., Yesterday we were waiting to cross the street at a huge intersection and there was this lake of water next to us. I remember looking at the water thinking wow, that is really dirty and then I look up and next thing I know a bus drives by going like 50 miles per hour and hits us with a wave of that dirty water so huge that it went over our heads! We were soaked all the way through.. and the worst part... I was surprised so my mouth was open. If I end up having some kind of worm or parasite I will have no doubt where it came from haha. Some days you just feel more like a missionary then others. 

AHHH ​sorry I am out of time! I love you all!!​

​Love Sister Seagraves​

-- 

"..I  have been called of him to declare his word.."

~3 Nephi 5:13~

Oi!

Sister Seagraves and Sister Oliviera

Bom Dia!!! 

Okay I am going to apologize now for any spelling or grammar errors.. my mind is so mixed up right now it is a miracle if I remember my name!

So I am here in the field in Brazil and I LOVE it!

 

We left the CTM Tuesday and met our new trainers. We get to go through the 12 week program again which is nice because that is more time to practice the lessons and such. My trainer is Sister Oliveira from Cabo Verde Africa. She is awesome, and patient which is good because I am sure that I say some weird things. Also she doesn´t speak a lick of  english. It is super cool though because we share an apartment with sisters from the other ward in our building and one of the other sisters is Sister Wilcox! My companion from the Provo MTC. It´s been nice to have a familiar face here. Anyways we dropped off my bags at the apartment and went back out to work. The first day was not easy but I made it through. I kinda felt like a lost puppy though because everthing just feels crazy here. Especially the streets, nossa! The way people drive here... it is a miracle and a half that we don't see crashes on every corner. I have to like sprint across the road because nobody stops haha. The people though, are so awesome. Seriously, like every person we talk to is kind and we make so many appointments that we literally never have a down moment.

 

The language is so so. I can already feel an improvement though and that is good! I can understand most people from São Paulo but if they are from the north...I´m pretty sure they speak a whole different language. What is really amazing though is the power of the Spirit. It is so true that when Heavenly Father needs something He will make it happen. Multiple times I have been sitting in a lesson, understanding some but not being able to think of any words to say and then boom! I will have an impression to share something and all of the sudden the words are there. Then, afterwards, I can´t think again and it´s hard for me to say the most simple things like goodbye haha. We are very blessed in the work despite my shaky ability to communicate. We are teaching some pretty elect people right now. 

First is João,he is soooo prepared. We have had to do basically nothing, the Spirit takes care of it all. We met him my first day here, he was actually the first person that I ever contacted  and he accepted our invitation to learn so we went to his home Wednesday to teach him. Since that day we have taught him every day, he has come to a ward activity, a baptism and all ours of church. He is so anxious to apply the gospel and so humble. He can´t read so we read from the Book of Mormon with him everyday before our lesson and pray about it and I think it was the 3rd day that we did that, that he told us that he had received an answer and was positive that he wanted to be baptized. He has his interview this wed and will be baptized on sunday! 

Another family we are teaching is Selma and her two children Miriãm and Apardicido. (I think I spelled that wrong). The sisters had taught her before but nothing really came from it. We were in her area though and decided to stop by. At first she didn´t want to let us in so we asked if we could sing a hymn and leave her with a prayer. As we were singing though she changed her mind and invited us in. We retaught the restoration and she accepted the baptismal invitation. We have taught her almost all the lessons and now we are going to finish teaching her two children and the whole family will be baptized on June 7th.

 It is a little crazy to me how fast everything moves here. I think it will take some getting used to because the work is completely different. I just trust though that everything will work out. It is true in all areas of life that if we are obedient, have faith, pray and work hard, everything else will fall into place. I know that is true with every fiber of my being. It is such a blessing to be able to see so many miracles as we labor to bring the restored truths to the people here. The church is true in Brazil too! :) I love you very much, I hope you have a great week!

Sister Seagraves

See Ya Later United States!

This week has been great! I will start with big news and then talk about the usual, good stuff. Also I don't have a ton of time cause I've got some errands to run but here it is. So I got a call from President Hess this week and I am going to BRAZIL! That's right, you can read! My visa has finally come through and I leave tomorrow morning! It was so shocking how I found out. President had come to Midland on Wednesday this week to do interviews with the sisters in our area. During our interview I asked him if my travel plans had come (since we had known for about 2 weeks that it was approved) and he told me that they had not. He said that they had gotten 4 visas that work be leaving on Tuesday but mine wasn't with them. We were both pretty surprised about that since the other 4 who had received theirs were all going to my mission. He said that it happens sometimes and that I would probably end up leaving next transfer (so in June). I was okay with it because at this point, I have learned to just go with the flow haha. I figured, 'Cool, now I will get to meet Elder Holland.' He told me that he would be making the calls to the other 4 missionaries the next morning and then  figuring out what to do to fill the holes in the companionships. So Thursday morning we were just starting companionship study and we got a call from the mission office. I thought it was weird but then I thought, 'oh maybe they will pull one of us to fill a visa waiter's hole since we are in a trio.'" Except for when I answered President said. "Sister Seagraves, thank you for your service in Michigan, pack your bags, you are going to Brazil." I was in so much shock haha I was shaking and crying, the whole bit! I asked him if he had lied to me the day before and he told me that when we had been talking in the interview, he had had no idea that my travel plans were there. But, as soon as we got out of the interview he got a text that said that my plans were in the office. He said I was already headed down the hall when he read it so he thought, "Oh well, I'll just tell her tomorrow."  The NERVE! haha! I am so pumped to go though! It's about time!

The rest of the week has been split between preparing to go and a real push to end the transfer well! We taught the Lindaur family, which are part-member and less-active. We are super excited about that because the mom is really starting to trust and open up to us so we are able to teach better to her needs. Both of the Brittany's are doing well and so are the Sherman's. It is sad that I am leaving right now because I feel like things are really picking up in our area! I LOVE the people that we are teaching right now. Not that I haven't loved all of the people that we have taught in the past but I really feel connected to them and it has been so much fun to work with them. I know I will love the people in Brazil too but it is just way bittersweet saying goodbye! 

I am learning though, that where ever the Lord sends us is where He wants us. Over and over we are reminded that this is His work and that is so true! He has a hand in every part of this work and I know that He knows exactly what is going on even if I do not. I found a scripture in D&C 51 a couple of weeks ago that helped me a lot in the work that I am doing. 

16 And I consecrate unto them this land for a little season, until I, the Lord, shall provide for them otherwise, and command them to go hence;

 17 And the hour and the day is not given unto them, wherefore let them act upon this land as for years, and this shall turn unto them for their good.

I have learned in the last 9 months that we are where we are and we don't know how long that will be. All that we know is that underneath all of our questions of why, there is a reason for everything. All we can do is labor diligently where we are until the time comes for us to move on. Fussing about our circumstance won't make the time go any faster but hard work will make the time worth it. So work as though you are going to be where you are for a long time. Invest energy in the work you are doing and you won't regret it. No matter what, we need to do as the young women's theme says this year (at least in this ward haha) and "Bloom where we are planted!" Do what we can where we are. Serve the Lord with all our heart, might, mind and strength, and everything will be alright and work out for our benefit! 

I love you! I don't know any addresses yet but I will be in the MTC again so feel free to use dearelder.com for the next little while (it's free and I will get them same day :). I miss you! * Note- It's not free to Brazil and Sister Seagraves will be out in another week so stay tuned for her address because she has reported dearelder doesn't work so well. 

Til next week!

Love, Sister Seagraves

--

"..I  have been called of him to declare his word.."

~3 Nephi 5:13~