Growing

This week was a week of growing!

-From 2 to 4: We started a new transfer this week and Sister Tatlow and Sister Florentino joined us here in Campos Do Jordao.  They are awesome.  Sister Tatlow is from Pennsylvania and sister Florentino is from Marceio Brazil and just left the CTM.  We split the area again and it will be great to help the work grown even more!

- My patience grew a lot this week!  And just a tip to be very careful when you pray for more patience because there will be MANY opportunities to develop more patience haha.

But all good stuff... mostly haha.  Our investigators are growing a lot in the gospel.  Lucas, Duda, Pedro, and Calgre are the best and getting more excited for their baptism.  Of course its not all easy and smooth going but it's great.  It's amazing to see people use prayer and the scriptures to help them solve problems.

- Here's an awesome quote from the talk by Sharon Eubank in the last general conference "Christ: The Light that Shines in the darkness":

"I testify you are beloved.  The Lord knows how hard you are trying.  You are making progress.  Keep going.  He sees all you hidden sacrifices and counts them to your good and the good of those you love.  Your work is not in vain.  You are not alone.  His very name, Emmanuel, means 'God with us'.  He is surely with you."

Boa Semana!
Amo Voces!!
Com Amor,
Sister Jeppson

Sister Tatlow, Sister Florentino, Sister Reis 

Are We There Yet?

This week was a week of traveling! Busy, busy!

We traveled to Sao Paulo and were down there Monday night until Wednesday night.  I had to renew my visa and we had leadership counsel with President and Elder and Sister Bassett, from the seventy (they are from California) 

On Friday we traveled to Sao Jose dos Campos fro our mission conference with Elder and Sister Bassett.  It was with half of the. mission, the part thats in the "Interior" of the mission [side not: the "interior" is actually the outside part of our mission thats more countryside...just go with it haha]

It was super awesome!  Elder and Sister Bassett are amazing and we learned a ton.  I think Elder Bassett must have the entire Book of Mormon and Bible memorized because he used the perfect scriptures/examples to explain out of nowhere.  Very neat! 

It was super fun seeing everyone as well that I haven't seen in a while.  Sister Knudsen and Sister Gomez were there also.  

Other things besides traveling: 

- one guy rapped for me on the train hahahaha.

-Another guy stoped on his morotcycle and blew me a kiss hahahaha 

- We ran around visiting everyone we are teaching in the 2 days we were in our area. 

-I LOVE Campos! 

- Duda, Lucas, Pedro and Calque continue to be the best: They are so fun to teach and remind me a lot of my siblings.  Duda explained that she received an answer and knows the Book of Mormon is true!  She said she was praying and asking and she felt really happy and an "unexplainable feeling".  And every time she tells her story, she says she feels the same happiness; the Spirit!  The Best! 

I love seeing these people's lives change and their happiness grow as they come to know our Savior Jesus Christ better.  I know that God hears and answers our prayers. 

I love this gospel! 

Love Alma 5:45-46 

Boa Semana!! 

Com Amor,

Sister Jeppson

Some of my favorite people...Pedro (taking pic), Eduarda aka Duda in the purple,
Caique in black, and Lucas wearing a hat.

Pic of Brigadeiro folks aka heaven! 

My Daughters: Sister Knudsen and Gomez

Sister Lira, Sister Reis, Sister Lima 

Sister Costa

Sister Jensen

Sister Reis

Elder Andrade 

Elder Brown

Sister Gomez and Elder Tavares

Sister Cifuentes

Elder Sherrow and Sister Reis 

Elder Costa and Sister Reis

Sister Gomez

Trying to stay warm in our apartment

New Tan lines

Brownie Mix from my care package delivered by Nate! 

Pics from mission counsel: Sister Teles, Sister Knudson, Sister Reis, Elder Stephens 

One year mark

Sister Knudson

1 ANO

Well this week I hit 1 year in the mission!  I think I'm in denial that I only have 6 more months in this wonderful country.  If I haven't said it before, I'll say it again; time flies here on the mission!

This week was crazy busy filled with great things:

Luiz got baptized!!  It was so great.  He was so happy before, and even happier after!  What a good kid.  I have seen him change so much since we first met him, and its like theres more life in him of course I know what it is... the Gospel of Jesus Christ in his life.

It continues to get colder which I don't mind except for our house that feels like a freezer always haha.

A rat almost ran across my foot when I entered a bathroom...yep I almost had a heart attack!

Fran, Thaina, Pedro, Duda, Lucas, Caique and family are awesome.  We have been teaching them almost every day and we had a great activity with the youth.  We had a message and then we created reverse charades.  It was hilarious and a hit.

We finally got to teach Reginaldo and his mom this week.  We met him in a park where we taught Luiz one day.  Well, actually he came up to us and started talking.  He was very drunk at the time and almost crying because he wanted to change his life around.  We couldn't talk to him to much because it wasn't getting through to him, but we kept inviting him to church that Sunday, and gave him the address.  We thought he wouldn't really come but to our surprise he came that Sunday!  And he had already made plans to stop drinking.  He was still in pretty bad shape and he said he would move to another city.  we told him where the church is there but to our surprise again he returned to church the next 2 Sundays, each day better than before and with a job that allows him to work during the day now!  We have seen such a giant change in him its amazing.  His mom has seen a huge change in him as well.  Man, the gospel really changes lives completely!

Make someone smile today!

Amo Voces
Sister Jeppson

2 Nephi 31:20
"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father; Ye shall have eternal life."

Baptism of Luiz

Junho Já!?!

Well basically I blinked and now its June which means I only have 6 more months. Scary!!  Time has never moved so fast.

And then there were 2:

This week Sister Enout finished her mission and went home!  Craziness!  So we are back to 2, Sister Reis and I.  It was pretty sad saying goodbye to her because she is just and amazing missionary, companion, and friend.  Definitely missed!  I'm grateful for the time we served together, and the opportunity to learn, laugh, cry and experience all the craziness that happened together.  Pretty sure we were best friends in the pre-mortal life haha. Love Her!!

Luiz is just awesome!  We had some great lessons with him this week, and he is super excited for his baptism this next week!  He already took us to meet 2 of his friends and keeps asking for more Books of Mormon to give out.  We had an activity with the youth (Ana, Dudu, Luiz and Eliza) as well that was super awesome.  It was a mini MTC and they were all excited to work with us.

Dudu passed the sacrament this Sunday!  What a stud!

Miracle Family:
So we have been teaching 2 sisters (Fran and Thainu) the past few weeks and on Saturday when we arrived, they were outside with their cousins, Eduarda, Pedro, Lucas and Caique.  Well, of course we took the opportunity to teach all 6 of them!  It was AWESOME.  They are such an amazing family, and came to church on Sunday.  Also, earlier that week, we were walking by and a women called to us asking if we were "the girls who gave a Bible to her granddaughter" and to enter her house and meet her!  And this women is the Grandma of this family!  Man, how cool!  Definitely not a coincidence.  She is the sweetest, is in a wheelchair because she lost a part of 1 leg.  We taught her a few times and she explained that she has 26 grandchildren and 18 Great grand children!  Seriously, that BEST!  We are super excited to share with them all the messages of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

We had 8 friends at church on Sunday...Amazing!  The Lord's work is definitely moving forward here in Campos do Jordao!!

I love being a missionary!!!

Boa Semana!
Amo voces!
Love, Sister Jeppson

Helaman 3:35
"Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of the hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God."

Zone Conference from a few weeks back

My "daughters" (Sisters that Emma trained) are in the same district and sent 
me this cute pic!  It says we love you Mom haha. 

Last Pic together!! 

Zona Taubaté