Plano de Salvação :)

Oláááá. This week was muito bom!!! Basically all week we taught one thing...the Plan of Salvation! It was all about the family this week, and it was a really cool experience. Somehow all of our investigators/people we talked to brought up their family, or a difficult experience they were having within their family, so naturally we talked all about how families can be together forever! It was really great seeing these people get excited about that, and wanting to know more. I am so grateful that I know we can be with our families forever, not just in this life, but for eternity. How amazing, right?! 

There was one lady in particular who we read the Book of Mormon for (she can´t read) about what happens when we die, and that she can be sealed to her husband and children who passed away. She just was beaming the whole time and crying because she was so happy. It was a really awesome experience. 

This week with the language was alright. I felt like at some points I hit a wall in my progress, but step by step it is coming. Slowly and surely. I am trying to be fluent in the next three weeks haha because I think Sis. Bernabeu will be transferred, and I am scared for that.  Scared to be in an area with someone new and me not knowing everything super well. But I know it will be good no matter what. everything has a purpose, and I learn a lot everyday.

-This week we walked a LOT. I have never been more tired haha. But it makes me feel good knowing that we are doing good work.

-We have a great family of three (Helena, Paulo, 9 year old Jennifer) who came to church on Sunday, They are awesome! We contacted Paulo on the street and met his fam later. They loved church, and we are excited to keep working with them. Jennifer is super cute, loves to sing, and love us haha.   Jennifer is actually Helena's grandaughter, but she calls her mom still becauseI think her mom either died or left (not sure). 

Other things....

For pday last week we went to the Parque Ecolôgica do Tietê and it was muito legal for sure. It is a big park with tons of trees, ponds, monkeys, capeveras, and a type of raccoon that I forgot the name of. We hiked around and chased/fed/watched the animals haha. It was really pretty and crazy that a park like it is just right by the city. I felt like I was in another place completely haha. Way cool.

The weather switched back to hot, and now it is officially spring but feels like summer. Sweatin up a storm already!  

I won unicorn stickers at an activity for being the tallest girl there haha. good times.

Quote of the week: "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."

te amo!!!

Sister Jeppson

Exploring!

P-day Crew

Monkeys!!

Coati

Capevaras

Sister Jensen and Elder Gillespie (had the same instructor as me in the CTM)

Monkeying around hehe

Singing in the Rain!

We continue to have lots of rain! Always makes things more exciting haha. 

updates for this week:

We got our shower fixed! Woo woo! Only took a few more days of waiting and using ward members showers. 

Setting goals and planning are critical for sure! I am learning that whatever goals you set and do everything you can to make them happen, they will happen, especially with the help of the Lord. There was one moment this week where we still had our goal of contacts to accomplish, but not too much time to do it. And it started raining and we forgot umbrellas haha. But we just started knocking doors and talking to everyone we saw, and we accomplished our goal in the little time we had! And the people we met are super great. The Lord puts people in our path that are ready and open to recieve our message!

We had conferencia de zona this week as well, which was really awesome. good training, good people, good food, good overall.

And I continue to be pushed to my limits with food haha. 

Inspiration.....With small and simple things, great things are brought to pass!

Com amor, 

Sister Jeppson

Rain Photo Shoot

The life of a missionary in the rain

Soup for dinner

Sister Andrade and I

Sister Bernabeu and I at Zone conference 

Elders Clawson and Avila with us at zone conference

Semana Cheia de Coisas Boas

Oi família e amigos!!

This week was a good one, full of good things. 

The beginning of the week it was pouring again, which despite us getting soaked, ended up being a great day. We passed by a house, but then Sis. Bernabeu felt like we should turn back and knock that door. So, we did, and a older guy, Pedro, let us in. (the dumping down rain helped us out haha). He has two daughters and a cute wife, and LOVES to make/build things. He was receptive and just loved to talk. 

We have some new missionaries because of transfers in our district, and the two newbies are from Florida and Columbia. And the elder from Florida had the same instructor I did in the CTM, so that was a fun connection. 

One day was super great working with the members. During our lunch appt. and later that day during our visits, some members of our ward had their friends over and we were able to share with them our message. They are super great people and its so awesome to work hand in hand with the members. 

Brazil´s Dia de Independencia was this week, so a ton of people were gone for the vacation day/weekend, which made it a little tough to talk to people. And it was weird seeing most of the shops closed and streets so empty. One of the only people out on the streets ended up being a member haha. But we were able to get some good work done. 

We had a church activity of Master Chef, where the men of the ward cooked dishes for everyone to try. And Sis. Bernabeu and I were some of the judges for it haha. It was a fun experience, and really fun to see all the dads try to persuade everyone that their dish was better. And I was introduced to some new foods, which is always fun. 

Annnnnd, to end the week our shower water is non-existent! woo woo! Haha I had to wash my hair in the sink, and we´ve used a members shower. Hopefully it will be fixed by tonight, fingers crossed! All part of the experience, right? :)

Other: 

-We get to go to the temple once every 6 months now!! woooooo super super excited about that. 

-We went to a congregacao (Catholic congregation) this week with an investigator who said she would come to church if we went with her. We agreed, and boy it was an experience!  Tons of old people, we wore a veil, tons of yelling, tons of everyone saying, gloria! santo santo santo! hallelujah!  And ...she didnt come to  church with us unfortunaltey, so we are going to work on that. 

-I gave a mini PB pack to a member, and they were so excited! haha the little things

-I had my moments of having a really hard time with the language this week, feeling like i am not progressing. But a had a moment (while sis. b was taking her turn showering) at a members house where I managed to talk for 20 minutes with the sweet older lady member who reminds me of Grandma Fillmore. That was a big win because I had no back up support haha. Just me and the member. So definietly small and simple things!! Some days I just expect that I will wake up being fluent, but I am learning a lot of patience, and learning with baby steps. 

-I ate so much this week holy cow, because we had lunch, and dinner almost every day with members. yeesh i need to go on a diet from all things rice, beans, lasagna, fatty haha. 

Boa semana!!

Com amor, 

Sister Jeppson

Happy 8th Birthday Stella!! 

Wins from the Feira this week (Farmers market). Tried two new fruits (the pink is goiaba, and not sure about the other one)
Goiaba is goodish, mostly as a juice, and the other is very interesting! 

Goiaba

Cute member family (Lene, Adler (not in pic), Moroni, Jasmine, Bernardo)

Master Chef 

Elder Avila and Elder Clawson, Jodiel, Eulina and us 

Pday on the ônibus...Sister Andrade and Sister Castillo

Cookies!!! 

Ward Festa Julina (fall party) 

Brazil can´t make up its mind

Olááááá! This week was another great one! 

First to explain the subject of this email haha. The weather here right now is whack. We went from freezing and rainy, to scorching hot, and now hot and rainy. Haha you never know what to expect when you wake up. Makes things even more interesting!

We had a "mission tour" this week, which was basically a conference/training with Presidente and Sister Miller, and Elder Aidukatis from the general 70. It was muito legal (very cool:)) for sure. Elder Aidukatis is super direct in what he says, but has a great sense of humor. The main topics were the importance of the Book of Mormon, and gaining a testimony of it. It is so important to gain a testmony of the Book of Mormon, because once you know it is true, then everything falls into place. I am so, so grateful for the Book of Mormon, and know 100% that it is true. If you are doubting anything, read it, pray about it, and you will find out for yourself!! Thats the great part about it, is that you don't have to take my word for it, but you can know for yourself for a fact. 

We also had an awesome stake activity, where 7 people were baptized! Man it was so cool. I just felt so happy watching these people become even happier. And I ran into an awesome instructor from the CTM there! Very fun moment. 

Two of our investigators are doing well and progressing a lot. It is amazing to see the excitement in people as they learn more and more about the gospel. 

We have at least one actual lesson per day, and obviously try and get more. We have been doing a lot of contacting to get more investigators recently. Lots of walking, success, letdowns, everything haha. Mission life for sure! Its good stuff, and as long as i am working, I am happy!!

I think about 70-100 people come to church every week, I don't know the actual number in the ward. They are all very nice. I bore my testimony on Sunday, which was good for me. 

Other: 

We had transfers this week! Its pretty chill this time around. I am staying with Sis Bernabeu in my area as expected to finish my 12 week training. I am excited to make new goals for this transfer. Being fluent in Portuguese is definitely one of those haha. So prayers and my name being in the temple make me very happy. Thank you again. (I can't thank you enough hehe). 

Today for pday we just went to a place calld Brás where there is really cheap shopping and I bought a backpack (we can use them here and my shoulder bag is great,but just gets too heavy sometimes and hurts my shoulder and back). Also there is a giant temple of solomon replica that we took pics in front of, so that was cool. And ate Mcdonalds. Seriously, never thought I would be eating so much of that and Burger King holy cow haha. 

I got my package!!! THANK YOU 100X! So pumped and basically cried out of happiness haha. I was like a little girl on Christmas morning getting peanut butter and brookside chocolates! I loved it and I am so excited to keep opening it as the months go on hehe. I love how prepared you are:) And I have never enjoyed eating protein bars more haha. And I am so pumped to make cookies! I dreamed about it that night hahahaha. I am the luckiest missionary ever! and can't thank you enough. I LOVE YOUUUUU.  Hoping you can feel my love and hugs Mom! 

(side note: An awesome friend - Nate Knudsen delivered a bag of goodies for Emma to the mission home in Sao Paulo on his trip two weeks ago! Such a blessing!!!) 

Love you all! Boa semana!

com amor, Sister Jeppson

Irma Lopes and Me (instructor from CTM)

 My package arrived!! 

My new mirror (Emma didn't have a mirror in her apartment :) 

President and Sister Miller

Sister Bernabeu and I on the bus 

Templo De Solomão