Oiiiiiii

Hahahaha it's cold again. This weather is giving me some serious whiplash. Yeah. Cold. Hot. Really cold. Really Hot. Butt cold. Rain. I am getting a little taste of everything! 

This last Tuesday we met our new President and his wife, President and Sister Wright. They are awesome! I really enjoyed getting to know them a little better! GUESS WHAT??? Small, small, small Mormon world. President Wright and Kelly Wright are brothers! I told Sister Wright that I am from Morgan, UT and she freaked out on me. She asked me if I knew Kelly Wright. Yep. Then told me that President and Kelly are, in fact, brothers! Perty coool. Sister Wright told me with tears in her eyes that she and Sherri Wright used to get together once a week for two hours and study the gospel together. She misses Sherri a lot. 

More about Sister Wright. She is probably the sweetest lady I have ever met. The moment she walked into the room and we saw her for the first time, she went straight for us sisters to give us huge hugs. She doesn't speak Portuguese yet, so she is struggling with that, but everyone can feel the love that she already has for us. I had an opportunity to converse with her in English (which was great by the way). I pretty much bore my soul to her. By the end of our conversation, we were both bawling. She kept reassuring me, hugging me, telling me that I was strong. I have missed being able to do that with my own mom since I left for the mission. I have missed the conversations I always had with her and the advice that she always gave me. Sister Wright gave me a taste of that again this week. It was great. 

So....Sister Ferinho was transferred. I will be staying here, and will get my new companion tomorrow! Don't know who she is yet, but I am praying that she speaks Portuguese better than I do! This is the first time I have ever stayed in an area and sent my companion to another. I am really nervous. Really nervous. Prayers would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!! 

Oh boy......so I am pretty much the joke of the apartment (not that this surprises anyone). So maybe I left drool spots the size of Texas on my pillow a couple of times............And maybe, just maybe I left a drool spot the size of Texas on my companion's skirt the other day. I really don't see what the big deal is. Hahaha the other day Sister Ferinho, Sister Castro, Sister Holladay, and I had to catch a really early bus to go to a Zone Meeting in a nearby city. Sister Ferinho let me lay down on her lap. Yeahhhh............

So one skill that I am working on right now is how to be sarcastic in Portuguese. Hahaha it is hard sometimes.....I usually fail. So to avoid offending people, I am practicing my sarcasm/Portuguese skills. The other day I received a letter from Sister Zeller (my companion from the Provo MTC/aka my twin) and she said, "Brazilians don't understand 'Your Mom´ jokes. How sad." I died laughing because that very day, I tried saying "Your mom!" (Sua mae!) to my companion, but in vain.  

How was the 4th of July? I will have you know that I sang the national anthem all day long! The Land of the Free, The Home of the Brave!

One thing that I have learned in the mission.......it is always pushing you out of your comfort zone! It is hard sometimes. It stresses me out always. But why does a mission push you out of your comfort zone? Because that is the way we grow. A missionary leaves for the mission and leaves every comfort at home--family, music, movies, friends, school, country, language....everything. When everything is ripped out from underneath you, what are you left with? The Lord. So who do you turn to instead of turning to friends, family, and music to relieve stress? The Lord. I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn more about myself and the Lord. 

Love you all! Fiquem firmes! 

Sister Autumn Barnes