#beuraremaforlyfe

July 14, 2014

Our Pday adventure

A couple hundred feet from our house.

Wellllll Im still here in Buerarema, with the same companion. So thats uneventful. I was really expecting to leave since its so tiny here and Sister Smith has never had the same companion more than a transfer. Soooo not gonna lie I was a little dissappointed but after a lot of prayer Im feeling good. The Lord let me know that at the end of the transfer I'll be glad I stayed. 

I really do love all the people here a lot, they are like sisters and brothers and aunts and uncles. 

This Sunday we had church at 9 oclock because of the final world cup game. At 7:45 the other Sisters went to set it up and found that the lock on the school had been changed..... Yep, the director changed the lock and didnt say a word. We went to all the people we could think of in the town who might have a key but no luck. We even went to the Catholic church in hopes that she was there. At 8 45 we decided it was going to have to be down the street a little ways in a parking lot under a tree. We left some members at the school to direct people there and had a ledge and 10 plastic chairs that we borrowed from a bar across from the school. We actually had a really good amount of investigators there, some that it was there first time. I pray they can trust that its not usually that crazy and unorganized. I always wanted to have church under a tree but the grass is always greener... There was a man and a woman who wouldnt leave! They were both drugged and one kept singing Catholic songs and yelling about how he was a sinner as he smoked a cigarette. Im not sure what the woman was saying but she was sitting right behind the front where the speakers were. But hey, at the end of the day, we took the sacrament and nothing is going to stop us. 

I know it happened because really good things are happening here right now. We're sooo close to being a branch and getting a real place to meet. We saw a lot of miracles this week in both areas, especially with finding less active members and golden investigators. Ivan and Lucia have a nephew who came to our fhe the other week and has been obsessed with the church ever since! He should be getting baptized this week. Satan always works the hardest when the best things are on the verge of happening. But the work of the Lord moves forward, his power is much much stronger, and our little group will be too after these trials. 

Obrigada por todo o apoio e oraçoes! 

Amoooo voces! 

Seester Scheevens

Holidays and missionary work don't mix.

July 7, 2014

Well it was another eventful week in Buerarema. 

Tuesday was a joke because of the game. It really is a national holiday here everytime Brazil plays. The world shuts down ALL day, and after there is a party all night. Soooo many bombs and fireworks in the street. But our President made us switch our study from the morning to the night when we had to be in during the game so we had to be out of the house at 8 in the morning so that was new. We woke everyone up because we had nothing else we could do and no warning! They told us to fill our morning hours 10 oclock the night before. That was my Fourth of July too. Im ready for the holidays to be over. Bahia is lazy in the first place, Bahia with all these holidays is killin us. Since Brazil won the dont start school for a whole other week.

But really the thing that dominates the week is that the Dad of our recent converts Tiago and Elvis was brutally murdered by indians. Sometimes I wonder what year Im living in here. It´s actually not a really rare thing here, there´s a war between the people who live in Beurarema and have land in the surrounding areas and the indians who think all the land is theirs. Ive spent a lot of time in that house so I knew him, he almost broke my hand one time.. on purpose! Elvis was there with him but didn´t see much because he had to run to save his own life. Its soooo sad because there´s Elvis and Tiago and 6 more kids under the age of 12. So we spent a lot of time with them this week. It´s really cool because Tiago is really quiet and shy, and before baptism never religious but he stepped up and has been ministering to his family about how Christ suffered a lot more and how the Lord is going to deliver them of their afflictions. What a champ! I have really felt my testimony of the Plan of Salvation grow. Not just the power of the Atonement and resurrection of the Savior but of how God has a specific and merciful plan for everyone. I dont think it´s a coincidence that Tiago and Elvis learned about the gospel and plan of salvation just 3 months before this tragic event happened. 

Since everyone knows everyone here we´ve been taking the opportunity to teach the plan of salvation and temples and how families can be eternal. It´s been really good! For our investigators and recent converts! 

Well today is transfers but I dont find out until 6 oclock... the minute proselyting starts.... I dont know how that sounds like a good idea to anyone but whatever... 5 more hours! 

Te amoooo!

Seester Scheevens 

World Cup

June 30, 2014

It was a party week. Two days of world cup and a whole lot of São João, and São Pedro. Literally everyone was at the festa for São João and it was real hard to not feel absolutely useless following up on people who all were either at the big city party, having their own party  or drunk. But I think yesterday was the last day of that thankfully. Everyone looked at us like whaaat are they doing... Sorry we dont get holidays! The holidays are also slowing down the marriage process for our investigators because all the city buildings have been closed. We´re reeaaally praying for at least 3 of the 4 marriages to happen in July. 

Good news.... It is likely that I will get to watch the next Brazil World Cup game!!!!! 

Now for bad news. Amulek--- Inasio´s wife gave us this fruit that I see in peoples houses but never tried called Jabujicaba, well I was real excited and Sister Smith and I were eating a few and decided to take some to the other sisters and when Sister Muller bit into it she spit it out and said, "Sisters! Estes tem alcohol!" apparently she had been soaking them in some kind of alcohol to preserve them.... The ridiculous things that happen here dont end! I have no idea what she was thinking... it might have been on purpose cause shes a reeaal hard core Catholic. 

We allllmost had a baptism this week. Ew. Those are maybe my least favorite words. What good is it when someone almost enters the gate to salvation? Well the point is I think that Heavenly Father was working as hard on him as we were. He was going through with it all week after this really powerful lesson we had. He had the interview, we were following up everyday, we fasted and everything. The day the baptism fell through I read Alma 42:27. 

We have been searching out a lot of recent converts and less active members. It´s sad that there is a good list of recent converts that I´ve never met. We have been putting them first instead of putting finding new investigators first and it is sooo cool. We have had no problem getting the rest of our numbers in when we put them first and make an effort every day to work with them. Its a testimony that the church really has to be strengthened before it can grow. Like Moroni said we have to first cleanse our inward vessel. We didnt get a whoole lot of investigators to church but we did get a lot of less actives! AND tonight we are going to have our first activity- a Noite Familiar with all the members! 

Thats pretty much it for this week, its already the last week of the transfer! I cant believe it! Time is going sooo fast! Im trying real hard to enjoy each and every day here, its weird how accostumed I am to everything. 

Love, 

Seester Scheevens 

Our Amulek

June 23, 2014

Bad news. This city is so small we just already know everyone. Also we have to make 10 contacts every week sooooo a lot of times its the same people over and over again. 

It's to the point of like a group of teenage boys will walk past and mock us, "vamos la para a igreja! hahahaahh" its not like we get offended but still. 

The good news is we are working with so many great people! Families! So I want to stay longer for that but it's also hard with all the other people. Its always rough when you work and work and someone comes in and gathers all your fruit! So I have mixed feelings. 

But we are so happy, because we found our "Amulek". This guy who we had invited a few weeks ago just came to church all on his own! We went to teach him last Monday and he understood! He has literally been to every church in this city and attended the Jehovas Witness church for a long time but he said he just hasn't found the truth. Since his infant baptism in the Catholic church he has been searching for the another, but never found it. (duh cause he never talked to us!) A person who wants a church for the doctrine!? FINALLY! I was beginning to believe there was no such thing. So I was like, good because you can know our church is true literally just by how we teach the godhead, and he agreed! AND he's .... oh just kidding he's not married. So there's one more for that ever growing group. 

This week was really good, we saw a lot of miracles! And taught a lot of spiritual lessons! 

There is a lot of work to do with our recent converts. One told us that she only got baptized because she loved a certain Sister that was here... oh boy. So pray for me as I try to help our converts be converted. 

Oh and we interrupt people watching world cup everyday. We had to leave after the game this week and there was sooo much partying in the streets. Even though they only tied! We literally cant get anywhere without walking through the center of the town and we like ran cause it was just so crazy. with dancing and fireworks andddd just everything. 

Love youuuuu allllll! 

Seester Scheevens 

Churrasco

June 16, 2014

Cacau!

Mmmm!

Twenty-one!

Senhor Ivan's churrasco

Weeeelp it was yet another crazy week here in Beurarema. 

Also I forgot to mention last week that Sister Smith was chosen to give the training at Zone Conference. Remember when I had to do that with my comps my first zone conference here. Well the President said- and Sister Stevens can help you if she wants to. Obvs couldn't leave my comp on her own, so yeah, I continue to be the chosen one. 

Also I don't know if I mentioned that Sunday we finally met with the Ward Council of São Caetano with the President and his wife. It was real interesting. The whole thing was really good except for the part when we found out that all of our recent converts of the past year in Buerarema are not on the records of the ward. So now the question is if they are even members of the church. None of the men can be interviewed for Priesthood or anything until it gets resolved. 

My birthday was really good! Really Im thinking about the day and I don't remember much of what happened. But I did wake up to a cake that Sister Muller who lives upstairs made! It was tasty- they always use sweetened and condensed milk here so it reminded me of score cake. She also went running with me so that was really nice. Other than that it was a normal day.... until about 10:26, I was brushing my teeth and suddenly heard a really loud thump, and then I heard a voice of panic, Sister Muller started shouting, "Sister Stevens! Sister Stevens! Sister Stevens! Corre para Kelly Sister! Corre agora!" 

When I returned with Kelly Sister Mullers comp was on the ground. She had fainted and fallen through the bars from the top of our stairs at least 10 feet, and looked like she was in shock. (She didn't fall down the stairs, she fell of the stairs onto the ground, that was a hard one to explain to the nurses...)  I put her head on my lap and stabilized her neck and everything, and did the same thing all the way to the hospital, yelling in her ears, "NÃO PODE DORMIR!" 

Im just gonna skip the rest of the story and say that she is all good, nothing broken, not even a concussion. We got home at 3:30 and with permission from Pres definitely didn't wake up at 6:30 the next morning. 

On a brighter note, Sunday we received our first Almoço ever in Beurarema from Ivan and Lucia! It was sooooo good! Who needs Tuscan Grill when you have Senhor Ivans churrasco! 

Buuuut it did make me miss Dad because it was fathers day and I knew HE was grilling at the same time. HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD!

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! Thank you so much for our support, especially getting me on a mission. 

"To know what it means to be in the Lords hands we must look at the prints in the hands of the Savior" 

Sister Scheevens 

ps thanks for all the birthday wishes! wish I could reply them all! 

Doencinha

June 10, 2014

First of all finally during our studies on Tuesday we got our electricity back! It was a long 5 days. we sang the millenial day song for comp study--- DIA DE LUUUUUUZZZZ! descanso e paz.... 

We received a ton of fruit this week, plantains, bananas, ginipapo(sp?) and cacau- a fruit that only grows in the interior of Bahia, one of those things that everyone thinks about when they think of Bahia, it is the weirdest fruit but reeeaal good! Its like eating candy. You just suck this white sticky stuff off of a big seed. I will send a pic.

Uhhhhh Thursday night I woke up at 3 30 and spent the rest of the night emptying out my whole body of anything. So that was great. Like the third time in my life I have ever been that sick. The other times it was just feel crappy and throw up and feel better. But this was hours of throwing up, and after my body wasn't finished and kept trying to throw up until all that was left NOTHING, and then my body tried to throw up a few more times. One of the worst nights of my life. Im getting a little too familiar with what the inside of our toilet looks like so close up. We worked for the second half of the day slowly and I was all good by Saturday. 

We had Stake Conference this week and Zone Conference was yesterday! Thats a lot of conference. 

Stake Conference was like a field trip, we had us missionaries and 15 others willing to make the journey. It was so good for Ivan and Lucia to see the chapel, they LOVED it! They were like can we come here every Sunday? And we were like NO! We need you in Buerarema! They are progressing soooo well, they come to us with all their doubts and questions and questions that other people ask them and are starting to help with the work too! 

Zone Conference was sooo good! I always love it. I know all these things that we need to apply in our work but I just feel like Im learning them for the first time because of the language switch, but its good because I already know how to apply them effectively! Also it was really good to just be with so many missionaries! I talked to a kid who waited in the MJM for a bit during lunch, it was good to remember all of it. I will always love the MJM. 

Everyone here is getting reeeaaal excited for the Copo Mundial! Streamers everywhere, people already don't want to talk to us because of games, and all that good stuff. Thursday is the first game for brazil. The rule is that we´re gonna continue to work, just not during games of Brazil. 

Im finally having the transfer that everyone has on their missions where they learn patience... Its not like I haven't had to learn it the whole time but especially now. It had to happen sooner or later. But I read the best quote this morning! 

"The meek are filled with awe and wonder with regard to God and His purposes in the universe. At the same time, the meek are not awestruck by the many frustrations of life; they are more easily mobilized for eternal causes and less easily immobilized by the disappointments of the day." Elder Maxwell.

I dont even have to say anything about that its sooo good! Also I read Alma 26:1 this morning and it is so true. I had no idea all the blessings I would receive when I left for a mission, Im just so thankful! Especially to have a happy healthy family. Sorry I cant respond anyone this week, this email took all my time! 

EU AMO VOCES!!!!!!!!!!

Seester Scheevens 

and don't forget commandment #1 of Bahia. Nao faça amanha o que voce pode fazer depois amanha. 

Going batty and a baptism

June 2, 2014

Baptism of Miguel 

Flood in our apt. (but really so you can see my sick tanlines #theysayyoucantellamissionarybytheirfeet!)

I don't even know where to start this week... 

We didn't get our transfer call until 6 o' clock on Monday for transfers Tuesday so that was torture. But I have a new companion here in Buerarema named Sister Smith, she's from Virginia and she's cool. She has 3 transfers in the field and is American. The other Beurarema sisters are 2 Brazilians with more than 7 months each so I don't really know what happened there. 

I sent off Sister Garay Tuesday night and spent the night in Itabuna, and was at the Rodoviaria at 5 30 the next morning for Sister Smith, until 11 30 when Sister Carlos showed up. We finally made it to our area at 3 in the afternoon. 

Everyday we walked to kilometer 2 to teach Miguel. It was crazy. We had so much to prepare him and so little time! But he was baptized Saturday! It was so good! Also crazy but that's normal, satan works extra hard day of. He refused to get baptized in the rio so we went to Itabuna in the chapel for the baptism. It is so weird to have no members there, no bishop, just us missionaries. I just love to hear people talk about how happy they are after. I think asked him like 100 times, "Miguel! Como você se sente!?" Baptisms are always beautiful. My first in Brazil too! 

Now for the rest of the week... We got back to our house after a rainy day at about 7 at night to find that we didn't have any light. Yep, our electricity got cut off. Then 10 minutes later after eating a cold dinner, the giant box that holds all the water for the bathroom fell (again, it got fixed- or so I thought- like three weeks ago). We stabilized it and tried to figure out our electricity and then the box fell again but this time, broke the connection, so we ran into the house to find a jet stream of water from the bathroom to the wall in the hallway on the opposite side. We ran for help and a few minutes later our neighbor came in (and said that the guy who fixed it the last time told her that he was going to wait for it to fall before really fixing it and getting rid of the huge box, you'd think she would tell us?) and tried to block and we found the switch to cut off the water flow aaaaand spent the next two hours sweeping water out of our apartment, in the dark, and calling the office asking why in the world our light got cut off!

That night the water started again. At 3 30 in the morning. We carried our mattresses upstairs, wondering where all the water was coming from and then from 4 30 to 8 o' clock the next morning swept water our of our house again. All day Friday and Saturday we were on the phone and finally Saturday night the office Elders figured out that they had only paid for one of the Beurarema sisters electricity..... 

So we've been camping out on the floor of the other Sisters and living off of bread and some Nutella Sister Smith brought, because all the food in the fridge went bad. 

The week kind of revolved around dealing with and suffering for other peoples mistakes, but hey, I'm still happy, good thing I agreed to forget myself right? I read a talk this week about how the Lord wants us to be able to carry 3x the load as normal, and he has to teach us how to do that, that way, later when we have other trials or challenges or callings, he can trust us completely. Like how at first Peter denied Christ three times, but by the end of his ministry decided he wasn't even worthy to die the same way Christ did, and asked to be crucified upside down. 

LOVE YOU ALL :) 

Seester Scheevens