Olá gente

Oi pessoal, Sis Jeppson aqui. 

This week we were hard at work contacting a lot, and knocking doors. And we had a neat experience with it. Our area is huge if I didn't say that before, so we were thinking about what part of the area we needed to work in that day. We prayed to know the area and specifically a street where we needed to work. And after, we both looked at the map, and picked a street that seemed to be standing out against the others. So, we went to that street, (only getting a bit lost on the way haha..the streets here are twisted) and it turned out to have houses only on one side. But, we knocked almost every door on that street, and all of the people that answered agreed to listen or schedule another time we could return! It was great, and just is another test of how the Holy Ghost works and guides our lives. 

We also drank coconut milk straight from the coconut, (which normally isn't the best haha) but it was so good and refreshing haha. 

One of our investigators, C, came to chruch again this Sunday, and on Saturday, we actually ran into him walking on the street! It was a blessing because he has almost no time, and we were able to talk with him and answer questions for about an hour. He is really just so ready and open, and is looking for god more in his life. He knows a lot about the Bible from his past, but feels like he is missing something now after not attending any church last year. So, he is liking chuch a lot, and we hopefully will have time to meet with him more this week. 

And, well I can't remember much else right now haha. So I'll end with some awesome scriptures I read this week:

2 Nephi 2:11

11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things...  righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

D&C 29:39

39 And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet—

D&C 122:7

7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

I love these scriptures because they talk about how we have to have hard things in life to know the good things, and really how perfect Heavenly Father's plan is for us. 

Com muito amor e carinho, 

Sister Jeppson

Cutie Gabriel (age 6) from our ward

Conferência de Zona e Crazy men

Olááá!!! This week was great!

We had zone conference at the escritório (mission home) this week, and it was super awesome. It was with two zones, so there were a lot more missionaries than normal. It was super fun seeing friends from that I haven't seen since the MTC, and meeting a bunch of other missionaries I have never seen before haha. We left with a new focus for our work, and a fresh perspective to work more effectively. And, there is a new program to teach English starting next month, and for the missionaries who don't already know it. It will be cool to do, and hopefully i can remember how to speak well enough to teach. It was hilarious this week starting with Sister Gomez, and trying to speak English. My mind is mostly in Portuguese right now, so my English demora um pouco (takes a little bit of time?.. I can't think of good English vocabulary right now sorry haha). 

And on the way back to our areas, we had the luck to leave in a train that was packed full of people...so just imagine sweating against a ton of other sweaty people in a place with little to no air conditioning, holding on to the bar and other people to stay upright haha. Yep, don't think i will ever get used to that. 

We also taught N, a 13 year old boy who is outside 24 hours a day flying kites with all the other street boys. He came to church once a while back with a friend, and we got to teach him finally this week. Super nice boy. 

One investigator, M, (60 year old women) told us she wants to be baptized! She had a son who unfortunalety passed away a while back from an accident who was a member, so she knows a bit about the church, and other sisters taught her a while back as well. She is super sweet and humble.

And C, (25 year old guy) came to church with us again. We met him last November mais ou menos,  and he came once, but was super busy with college and work. But now, he has more time and is very interested. He enjoyed chruch a lot, met a lot of members, and says he wants to have God more in his life and has a ton of questions. It was great. 

And to answer your questions about the "crazy men" in the subject line haha...

there are a ton of men here who love to catcall, whistle, etc etc at us walking on the street. And this week, one crazy guy walked past me and sniffed me. I looked at Sis Gomez and we both started laughing hysterically after haha. Always something new and crazy here. 

muito amor e boa semana!

Sister Jeppson

Elder Zundel (from CTM)

Elder Messace (from CTM)

Elder Johansen, Elder Costa, Sister Hirtle, Sister Montes

The district- Sister Castillo, Sister Rocha, Elder Sherrow, Elder Molina 

Pics of us before we were smooshed into a ton of other people 

Pics from Zone Conference 

calor demais...sempre

Well, this week was another great one! One of a lot of sweating, walking, working, tudo! And I don't remember too many details hehe sorry mom, but here are the main things:

-We have a mission goal to work a lot more with the  menos ativos (less actives) of the ward, and we have many people to work with! So it will be good. 

-We are working a lot with finding new people to teach, etc. 

-The youth of the ward that are preparing for missions right now have been working more with us in lessons and everything, and it has been great, and fun to see their excitement for missions. 

- it is super hot always, but will dump rain as well (which makes it more humid haha). Like right now it is dumping and hailing. but will clear up in an hour or so. crazy city haha. 

-We finally have a roof again in our house! Hooray for less cockroaches! (hopefully haha)

Awesome life tips from President Gordon B Hinckley:

"Life is good"

“Be believing, be happy, don't get discouraged. Things will work out.”

Com muito amor,

Sister Jeppson

Sempre aprendendo!

Olá! This week I have learned a TON...tons of different situations and new difficulties...but wow I have learned so much. It makes me even more grateful to be on a mission, because I know I wouldn't have learned some things any other way than being in a different country, with different people, cultures, and language. If any of you reading this are in doubt whether you should go on a mission or not I have some advice taken from Nike...Just DO it! 

Here are the highlights:

-We are teaching a mission prep class for the future missionaries in our ward, which is pretty fun. They are all 16-18 years olds and remind me of Hunter hehe. 

-Transfers update: I am staying in this area for yet one more transfer! I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first since I was expecting to leave,  but now am excited to make new goals and work harder than ever! It is a reminder that I am here to do the Lords will, and not mine. He has a plan bigger than we can see right now, and I know that in the future I will see the reasons. 

-We had a really neat, spirit-filled lesson with two of our investigators this week. They are a couple, (not married..yet) and are just super open honest people. The guy, W, asked us what someone needed to do to be baptized, which is just the best question to ask haha, and led to an awesome conversation of answreing with the scriptures, and him asking a lot more great questions. Super awesome. 

-On the way to church, another guy on the sidewalk said good morning, and asked if we were Christians. We said, yes, and starting talking with him. We were arriving at our church building when we asked if he ever had the chance to attend. He said no, so we asked if he wanted to come with us. And, he said yes! It was awesome haha! He stayed the whole time, and after said he enjoyed it, and would probably come back next week, which we are hoping he does because we have no way to contact him since he doesnt have a phone, and doesnt have a house. faith is key!

I read the talk "life up your head and rejoice" from this last conference, and it is super good, so I encourage you all to read it! Also John 16:33 :)

And one of the things I am learning is how much God has to tell us, if we are just ready and willing to listen. Especially through studying the scriptures. Ask and ye shall recieve...

Amo muito vocês!

-Sister Jeppson

Random rope swing- wishing I would have worn pants 

LOVE the gifts!!!! so so so much! 

First day of 2019- New Year, New look...this sister's wearing pants

FELIZ ANO NOVO! 2019!

Well, Feliz ano novo!! Can´t belive its another year...so weird haha. 

It has been a little longer than normal since emailing because of the holidays and everything being closed with everyone traveling. But, better late than never. 

But heres the wrap-up of how I ended and started the new year. 

-Pretty much everyone is traveling, so we haven't had the best luck finding and teaching. But, we still had some cool experiences. We had a great lesson with one investigator A who we contacted on the street a few weeks ago with her 4year old son. She is really awesome, and asked lots of questions and was super interested. She wasn't able to get to church this last week because she was traveling, but we have great hopes that she wil come this week. 

-We had a bit of a bummer day, when one of our investigators who has been progressing a lot told us he didnt want anything else to do with the church. It was a surprise, and sad to hear it, since we have seem him change so much as weve taught him the past few months. But it was a reminder to me that everything happens in the Lord´s time, and maybe not now, but later he will have an interest again. 

-For new years eve, it was pday, and we went to the Parque Ecological do tiete with a member family to walk around, eat, see monkeys, capivera, and other animals that are a type of monkey, and hammock. It was a great time. We had to be inside at 6pm that day as well because of all the crazy parties that go on here on new years. But, a member brought us dinner which was super nice. And we woke up at midnight to a TON of fireworks, yelling, sound, etc that went on for basically the rest of the night. Haha, not much sleep, but it was a fun experience. They sure do love their fireworks here. 

-And, with the next day, everyone was sleeping...there was nobody on the streets haha. We had a yummy lunch with some members, and later it started seriously dumping down rain. Our house is at he bottom of a hill as well, so we had a river outside our house. Rain is serious business here haha. We also started the epoca of wearing pants haha. Pretty funny and I am not used to it yet. It also continues to get hotter...the sweat never stops. 

And heres to a new year! ITs gonna be a great one for sure. 

Prospero ano novo! te amo!

-Sister Jeppson

New years eve-Parque Ecolôgical do Tietê

Very large spiders -eeek

Christmas caroling with the youth 

New Years Eve spread