Ah I'm so excited for this year! My companion and I have made all of our goals. Finishing out these last 6 months strong, going to college with my sissy, so much happening this year!
Hey Sister Arbuckle! So when are you goin home?- THIS YEAR!!!!!!! I love telling people that.
2015 was a crazy good life changing year for me. Português, baptisms, trainings, comps that become best friends, heat, blisters, sweat, Brazilian music, guaraná, rice and beans, some more rice and beans, insects, and smelly buses.
Somehow the Lord has blessed me with the capacity and patience to endure it all and the ablitiy to shake off the hard parts, and laugh during the sad. Even though I came out here to serve my Savior, I know that despite all my efforts towards Him and His work, I'm the one that needed these experiences and He is and has forever done more for me this last year than anything I could attempt to give back.
This week resulted in 3 baptisms, the reactivation of a family, and a youth putting in his papers to serve a mission. What more do we need to be happy?
This week we were able to have 3 baptisms for some girls that are so so so special to me. One of them was Milena- that girl we talked about it in our video. She is 15 and her little sister Fabiane is 13 and they were baptized together which was a huge spiritual experience for the ward which surprised me a little bit. They are the oldest of 5 children and they live with their mom. Their mom has abandonded them and only comes back every once in a while to give a little money or discipline them. Milena has had to take charge of everything and do everything for her siblings this last year. A lot of people are saying we should report them to the corrupt police department out here but its tough because they don't want to separate. There is one family in our ward that has taken them under their wings a little and often bring food along with me and my companion. Usually every time we go we bring them leftovers that a member gave us or we give them like 10 reais to go to the store and buy bread and juice or something. But this week their mom didn't come back to give any kind of money.
On New Years Eve my companion and I were excited to get to go to the house of the Bishop. His son that isn't a member recently moved in and the Bishop has been wanting to introduce him to us. Plus the bishops wife makes amazing food and we were excited to get to eat in a good environment with some other families of the ward. That afternoon around 4 o'clock we stopped by Milena and her siblings. Milena had just gotten back from her recently received housekeeping job a member gave her to do a few times throughout the week to earn a little extra money. We asked if they had eaten yet and they said yes but then when Milena asked they just said the bread and juice we had bought the day before. Basically their mom had left them on New Years with nothing to eat or do because she said that they weren't to leave the house and if she came back to find they had left they would get in trouble. My companion and I were a little lost on what to do because seeing as it was a holiday all the banks in Brazil are without money and we haven't been able to take out since last week so we didn't have any money to give and being out there late at night is dangerous for us. We had our lesson to teach them before their baptism which was tithing and we promised them that any money they make if they will pay their tithing the Lord would always provide the way and they will never go hungry. We were surprised to hear the courageous responses from the family promising they would obey this law after being baptized.
My comp and I showed up early to the Bishops house and explained to him the situation and asked if he could give us something to give to them. (it was still only the afternoon so all the food was still raw). He gave us a bunch of steaks and things to grill with some salads and rice and pasta. We took all this over at around 7 and asked them if they knew how to make these things and we just laughed because not a single person knew hahaha. My comp and I stayed there and made them this food and taught them some Primary music and told stories while they ate. During the closing prayer the two little boys came over and snuggled up to me and my companion and thanked us and it was the sweetest experience ever. Not too long later a bunch of members showed up with desserts and other things and they were able to have their New Years. My companion and I went to the Bishops house to eat and on our way over it started POURING rain like a legit rainstorm and Sister Cidade turned to me and said well... Happy New Years Sister Arbuckle! We will never forget this day hahaha.
My New Years experience has forever changed my life and not only that but working with this family has as well. Yesterday so many of members stopped by to bring other things and we are currently in the process of building them a real house :) They were more than excited for their baptism and cried the whole time with gratitude for everything that had been done. My comp and I really wanted to help them in any way we could but something we realized is that everything ends. Food, fresh water, treats, new clothes, everything! But we brought them the Gospel and taught them personal prayer along with the Holy Ghost and we know this will bring them so much more joy.
The most important thing I have learned this year is who really is our Savior. Why He came to this earth and what His everlasting Atonement can do for me in my daily life. I've learned what is means to be a true friend. I've learned it's rare to truly find a person that freely does things soley for the benefit of others but that that is exactly what our Savior did and will always do.That is why He is our best friend. He is perfectly selfless and always has our best intention at heart and His love is perfect. Thank you for all your love and support - you guys are awesome!!!
Sister Arbuckle
[email protected]
Hey Sister Arbuckle! So when are you goin home?- THIS YEAR!!!!!!! I love telling people that.
2015 was a crazy good life changing year for me. Português, baptisms, trainings, comps that become best friends, heat, blisters, sweat, Brazilian music, guaraná, rice and beans, some more rice and beans, insects, and smelly buses.
Somehow the Lord has blessed me with the capacity and patience to endure it all and the ablitiy to shake off the hard parts, and laugh during the sad. Even though I came out here to serve my Savior, I know that despite all my efforts towards Him and His work, I'm the one that needed these experiences and He is and has forever done more for me this last year than anything I could attempt to give back.
This week resulted in 3 baptisms, the reactivation of a family, and a youth putting in his papers to serve a mission. What more do we need to be happy?
This week we were able to have 3 baptisms for some girls that are so so so special to me. One of them was Milena- that girl we talked about it in our video. She is 15 and her little sister Fabiane is 13 and they were baptized together which was a huge spiritual experience for the ward which surprised me a little bit. They are the oldest of 5 children and they live with their mom. Their mom has abandonded them and only comes back every once in a while to give a little money or discipline them. Milena has had to take charge of everything and do everything for her siblings this last year. A lot of people are saying we should report them to the corrupt police department out here but its tough because they don't want to separate. There is one family in our ward that has taken them under their wings a little and often bring food along with me and my companion. Usually every time we go we bring them leftovers that a member gave us or we give them like 10 reais to go to the store and buy bread and juice or something. But this week their mom didn't come back to give any kind of money.
On New Years Eve my companion and I were excited to get to go to the house of the Bishop. His son that isn't a member recently moved in and the Bishop has been wanting to introduce him to us. Plus the bishops wife makes amazing food and we were excited to get to eat in a good environment with some other families of the ward. That afternoon around 4 o'clock we stopped by Milena and her siblings. Milena had just gotten back from her recently received housekeeping job a member gave her to do a few times throughout the week to earn a little extra money. We asked if they had eaten yet and they said yes but then when Milena asked they just said the bread and juice we had bought the day before. Basically their mom had left them on New Years with nothing to eat or do because she said that they weren't to leave the house and if she came back to find they had left they would get in trouble. My companion and I were a little lost on what to do because seeing as it was a holiday all the banks in Brazil are without money and we haven't been able to take out since last week so we didn't have any money to give and being out there late at night is dangerous for us. We had our lesson to teach them before their baptism which was tithing and we promised them that any money they make if they will pay their tithing the Lord would always provide the way and they will never go hungry. We were surprised to hear the courageous responses from the family promising they would obey this law after being baptized.
My comp and I showed up early to the Bishops house and explained to him the situation and asked if he could give us something to give to them. (it was still only the afternoon so all the food was still raw). He gave us a bunch of steaks and things to grill with some salads and rice and pasta. We took all this over at around 7 and asked them if they knew how to make these things and we just laughed because not a single person knew hahaha. My comp and I stayed there and made them this food and taught them some Primary music and told stories while they ate. During the closing prayer the two little boys came over and snuggled up to me and my companion and thanked us and it was the sweetest experience ever. Not too long later a bunch of members showed up with desserts and other things and they were able to have their New Years. My companion and I went to the Bishops house to eat and on our way over it started POURING rain like a legit rainstorm and Sister Cidade turned to me and said well... Happy New Years Sister Arbuckle! We will never forget this day hahaha.
My New Years experience has forever changed my life and not only that but working with this family has as well. Yesterday so many of members stopped by to bring other things and we are currently in the process of building them a real house :) They were more than excited for their baptism and cried the whole time with gratitude for everything that had been done. My comp and I really wanted to help them in any way we could but something we realized is that everything ends. Food, fresh water, treats, new clothes, everything! But we brought them the Gospel and taught them personal prayer along with the Holy Ghost and we know this will bring them so much more joy.
The most important thing I have learned this year is who really is our Savior. Why He came to this earth and what His everlasting Atonement can do for me in my daily life. I've learned what is means to be a true friend. I've learned it's rare to truly find a person that freely does things soley for the benefit of others but that that is exactly what our Savior did and will always do.That is why He is our best friend. He is perfectly selfless and always has our best intention at heart and His love is perfect. Thank you for all your love and support - you guys are awesome!!!
Sister Arbuckle
[email protected]