Bledsoe in Brazil : Muitos Felicidades

Hope everyone enjoyed their Halloween festivities!

My week was pretty eventful. Not a lot of lessons because people are so busy with Halloween and the Balloon Regatta.

The Ballon Regatta is a 2 day event here (Fri and Sat), where like 60 hot air balloons come to Page and at night they park on the main street and they light up at night. Everyone goes to watch them and there are also booths and vendors--similar to the Cornfest in Brentwood.

We went to try to contact people on the street because no one was at their homes, but we weren't too successful at finding people because we saw like every member of the church that we knew and they all wanted to talk to us...basically we are really popular :P I love the members though! They are so amazing! Some of them are really catching the spirit of the hastening of the work. They help us as much as they can and open their mouths and talk to their friends about the gospel. It is really inspiring.

Yesterday was the stake's fast for missionary work. It was cool because a ton of people bore their testimony about missionary work. We got a handful of shout-outs. Basically, I feel like a celebrity when I am around members and like a leper when I am not--people are good at avoiding us.

Anyway, one of the members of the bishopric in 3rd ward bore his testimony about the work and told the ward, "the missionaries are here to teach; we are responsible for finding people for them to teach." It was epic because he knows how hard we work to try to find people, but it is not nearly as successful as when the members invite. People trust their friends, they don't necessarily trust strangers who tell them what will make them happy.

Church was also really cool because a couple of the less active families that we have been visiting came back to church! It was awesome because they haven't been for a LONG time. I realized that less active members are a lot like recent converts because they both need a friend, a calling, and nourishment by the good word (Hinckley). Most importantly, they need friends to help them get back to church. The power of the members is HUGE. I never saw it until now, but it is amazing how much influence you have and how much good you can do by simply saying hello and smiling.

We have been encouraging the less active members to seek more. A lot of people here in Page say that they are happy and fine and okay and good, but why settle for the blessings that you already have? God wants to give you so much more than you already have if you just ask and be obedient to his commandments. Seek more and lay a hold on everything good thing. --that is kind of what we want people to see. The gospel is full of blessings and goodness and happiness; I just them to be able to taste it and know for themselves!

Also, I've learned also that missionary work is so hard because the opposition is so strong. Satan really does not want us to be missionaries. He does not want us to share the gospel with our friends. He knows the power of the message of the Restoration, so he does everything he can to stop us. He makes us scared of offending people so we don't have time to think about saving them.

Well I love you all so much. Have a fabulous week!

Love,

Sister Sadie Bledsoe

one of my favorite kids- Dustin