november 15th

Hello! Hope you all are happy and healthy! The work is going well--we are working a lot with the families of recent-converts and helping our recent-converts. They are going out teaching with us, going to the temple, planning on going on missions, etc. It is what President Dalton calls the double harvest--when recent-converts help us teach and baptize and retain because they have such strong testimonies and an incredible impact on their families and other investigators. 

On saturday, a member(Erik) took Wellington to the garden of the temple. Wellington loved it! On sunday before church, he had an interview with the bishop (he also received the priesthood after church--we got to be there for the ordination--I felt like a proud mother lol) and bishop asked him to bear his testimony during sacrament meeting--Wellington told how he got to know the church and was converted--how he met an elder a while ago and went to church but then the elder stopped coming over(he was transferred). Then one day he got a text from his sister that said, ``two of your friends are here. one is american and the other is argentinan. they are pretty.``(haha). He said he thought, ``but I don´t know an american or argentinan.`` Then that weekend he met us and we taught him and now he is a member. He gave a powerful testimony and the spirit was really strong--it seemed like he was a pro at giving talks, it was really cool. He told about a dream that he had where he was dressed as an elder or something--he said he will go on a mission. Then a returned missionary, Jefferson, gave a homecoming talk and the spirit of missionary work was very strong. Jefferson talked about being a witness at all times. He told a story that is more or less...

Once there was a minister who gave a sermon on Matthew 3. He taught that it doesn´t say that Jesus entered the waters when he was baptized, he was just baptized along side the River Jordan. One man in the congregation thanked the minister at the end of the meeting and said, ``That was the best sermon I´ve ever heard. Now the Bible makes so much more sense to me. I was always confused by so many of the stories, but now I understand them now. When it says that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were in the fire, they weren´t actually IN the fire, just close by. Daniel wasn´t really in the lion´s den, just close by, right next to the cave. Jonah wasn´t actually IN the whale, just swimming along side...``

Jefferson expounded using similar logic, ``Now we don´t really have to go to church, just live really close to one. We don´t need to really read the scriptures, just open them....`` The principle was comical but it´s a good one. We can justify so many things because of our unbelief/human logic. But the truth is that miracles happen when we act and exercise our faith. Many miracles are unbelievable to many--miracles in the Bible, modern-day miracles(the story of Joseph Smith, etc), but they are still real. Miracles do happen today. The heavens are not closed. We just need to be examples at all times by acting on our faith instead of making excuses and encourage others to act on their faith(like test Moroni´s promise about the Book of Mormon) too. His talk was really inspiring; I hope I can apply the lessons I learned.  I hope that I can continue to do that throughout my mission and for the rest of my life. I have gained such a testimony of this work and I am so grateful for my mission. Hope you all have a great week and see the miracles everyday!

--Sister Sadie Bledsoe

a famìlia è um dom de Deus

This week was awesome! Wellington was baptized amd confirmed!

He helped us teach a new investigator yesterday in the chapel--he bore powerful testimony and is planning on working with the elders(he invited them over for lunch on sunday then they will go out and work together!). He even went to a priesthood meeting last night--he is being integrated really well. Seriously, he is super elect! He will be a great missionary!

We also got a new Ward Mission Leader and he is SUPER excited to help us. His son comes home from his mission this thursday. On Friday, we have an activity planned. Brother Gerson(our WML) is helping us integrate our investigators and converts, and the ward here is really on fire. The work will continue to grow here in Itapecerica and we are happy to be a part of it. All of the missionaries here are having success and our gospel principle's class is consistently full! 

This week I also got to go to the temple! Such a sweet spirit there...

I just feel so blessed. Yesterday was the primary program and the kids here are just so cute. All the primary songs in Portuguese are just so beautiful. I teared up as they sang ``A Família é um dom de Deus``(the family is a gift of God)--I don´t know what song it is in English but it was sooo cute and I remembered my primary days and how blessed I was to grow up in the church with wonderful parents and siblings. Thank you, thank you mom, dad, elissa, nathan and haley!

Love you! 

Sister Bledsoe

Erik(RM) and Wellington

Elias(member), Erik, Wellington, and Brother Gerson(WML)

Temple with the district (Elder Beck, Elder V. Santos (ZLs), Elder Escajeda(DL), Elder Cordova, me, Sister Ovejero)

CHURRASCO!

obra do Senhor

Happy Halloween!!! they don´t celebrate halloween here, but I bought myself stickers to commemorate... I might have an obsession. 

also shoutout to Haley---HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Crazy that this is the 2nd birthday of yours that I´ve missed, but I hope it´s a good one!!!

Here in Sao Paulo, we´ve been hearing that on November 15th, we will run out of water. Our area president, President Claudio Costa, asked us to fast on the 16th. Yesterday at church, our bishop reminded us that many times in General Conference we were counselled to support our leaders--we have to do so now, especially supporting our local and general leaders of the church. That was a good lesson for me. I remembered the first presidency message like 2 months ago in the Ensign/Liahona was ``are you prepared?`` Here everyone is asking themselves that. How grateful we should be for a prophet, and how wise it would be to heed their counsel. 

We have also been working with Wellington more--he is super solid. This week...

On Wednesday, we spent almost the entire day walking around--we were finding seriously no one home. We kept working and everything until we decided to try to visit a recent-convert. On our way to her house, guess who we found in the street...Wellington!(miracle that we found him--met up with him at that very second! it was a tender mercy. diligence brings blessings!) He felt sick that day and didn´t stay for school. He ended up just going home after work, which is super rare for him. He told us that he had read up to 1 Nephi 6 that day on the bus and really liked the Introduction and everything so far. He invited us over to his house and we had a quick follow-up and gave him the rest of the pamphlets. It´s also been perfect because at church the past 2 sundays the lessons have been the law of chastity and temple work--2 lessons that we NEEDED to teach him. Then on Sunday, as we walked to church that morning, Wellington told us that he has read a lot of 1 nephi and loves Lehi´s dream--he taught us more about opposition; that his family has been super burdened lately--especially since we started coming over. However, he talked a lot about his faith and how he believes that he will be blessed for doing eveything that he´s doing. It was amazing; he was teaching us. Then after church, we felt prompted to teach him again in the chapel with Evelin, a returned missionary. The lesson went so well. It started off with a prayer then Evelin said, ``Sisters, I think Wellington has something to tell you.`` Then he said, ``Saturday, I´m going to get baptized.`` YES!!!! We then had an incredible lesson with them and the spirit was so strong. Evelin was able to really encourage Wellington because she is the only member in her family and she served a mission. Now Wellington is talking about a mission and his biggest difficulty is that he wants so badly for his family to be a part of the church. I´m so grateful that Evelin could be there. It seems like EVERYTHING fell into place this week to prepare Wellington to be baptized--he has been taught all the lessons(even lesson 5) and yesterday night we did a review with him and gave him a pre-baptismal interview. I´m so grateful to be a part of teaching Wellington. This week I was reminded of a story in Acts about the apostles: 

``Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. (Acts 5:34-39).``

Gamaliel didn´t have much faith in the apostles, but I love his logic--if this was my work( the work of men), there would have been no way for Wellington to be prepared for baptism. 

Wellington is super excited to invite everyone to his baptism and he wants to visit the temple later that day. Tomorrow we, as missionaries, get to go to the temple--yay!!!

--Sister Sadie Bledsoe

aula de inglês

Another awesome week!!! Itapecerica is cool--very in the middle of all the business! We live in the same house as members so that´s really sweet--they give us food at night! YES! One thing that is really common in Brazil is JELLO! Today for lunch Irmã(Sister) Vanuza made us lunch(a blessing on p-day) and jello. Expect there's a twist, we put powered milk in jello here after it sets... you should try it! experiment that Brazilian life--it´s really quite good. You can also try making jello then when it´s done you mix it with condensed milk--another favorite of the brazilians here. 

Wellington (19) is continuing to progress! He says he agrees with everything. He works and studies right now so monday-friday he gets up early and comes home at 11. He is doing his homework for us--aka reading the pamphlets and the Restoration film we left with him--but he still hasn´t read the Book of Mormon. He told us that he doesn´t want to read it on the bus--which is his only option-- because people would mock him and make a scene. I told him about the Book of Mormon app and he downloaded that, so I have high hopes that this week he will read and get a more solid answer. He really does love the church though! He told us that he didn´t need us to walk with him to church--and when we got there he was already sitting in Elder´s Quorum in a white shirt, a tie, slacks, and dress shoes--OPA! We have been talking about baptism a lot with him and he didn´t commit to a date because he said he wants to learn a bit more about the commandments; we explained a few things to him and then he asked, ``If i showed up on Sunday and asked to get baptized, could I?`` We were like YES. 

Also we are seeing some fruits from our English class. 1st, I taught the English class last week and Jefferson (22?) showed up. Apparently, he once went to a baptism at the church and then heard about the english class, so he´s been coming. We invite him every week and he was pretty mole...until we walk into church on sunday and guess who is sitting on the back pew in the chapel...JEFFERSON! It was a miracle! He came by himself and stayed for the whole thing. We wanted to take advantage of the opportunity on him being their for the spiritual side, so we asked if we could talk with him quickly after church. We invited a young married couple, our Ward mission leader and his wife, to join us(because we needed a woman with us and our Ward Mission Leader has been integrating Wellington) for the lesson. It was SUPER spiritual. We taught the Restoration and it was an incredible spirit. I want to take advantage of the chapel more often--I know that teaching in the chapel makes all the difference and even better that we taught after sacrament meeting, where the spirit was so strong. I have high hopes for Jefferson, even though he is in the same situation as Wellington--he only can meet on the weekends because he studies and works until late at night. 

Also our ward mission leader was at my last english class and asked if I had experience with teaching. Not really,,, just on the mission. He told me that I should really think about teaching english to brazilians when i get home...perhaps teaching via internet. I´m not sure, but I think I´d like that. I have a lot of fun with the class. 

Thanks for the emails and cards! Your support is INCREDIBLE! Thanks!

Love you guys so much! 

Sister Sadie Bledsoe

So Jefferson gave me this paper of english he wrote... I´m thinking he put something into google translate and this is what it gave him... I thought it was funny. my district leader read it as a rap song and it worked pretty well ....hahaha... (in brazil they write ....KKKKKK....fun fact)

​

Itapecerica

Sorry this email is getting to you late...yesterday turned out to be a bit of a mess. We tried to find Western Union because dad sent me money but we ended up getting sent to 2 wrong addresses--I didn´t check my email 1st where dad had already sent me the addresses....whoops! At least we got to tour the fancy/rich part of Sao Paulo, but things would have been easier with GPS #missionaryproblems. Anyway, lesson learned. 

My new area is Itapecerica and my companion is Sister Ovejero from Argentina(my 1st non-brazilian comp here). She has 9 months on the mission and is 24. She was my companion for like 3 days when I first got her eand we were in a trio. She´s awesome! Our ward is huge---compared to my other 2 wards here. We have tons of youth here and lots of active member. However, on sunday the choristor wasn´t there so they asked me. I´ve never led the music in sacrament meeting and well, it was a semi-trainwreck. I don´t think they will ask me again...lol. I forgot to have everyone stand up for the intermediate hymn but luckily my companion motioned to me at the last second and it all worked out. It was stressful though because I had never even heard of the closing hymn before. I don´t think I had ever even sung it in English...Oh well, I´m grateful for those who have a talent for that kind of thing. That´s really the beauty of the church--we bring talents and learn others. 

This is my view from our house. It´s like the Lion King where Simba sees the Elephant Graveyard(or favela) ``as far as the eye can see.``​

This week was really wonderful! On Thursday, we fasted to find new investigators and prayed to find families to teach and it worked!We have been inviting everyone to our English class and that has opened MANY doors for us so far. We were trying to contact a referral, Wellington, and we ended up talking to his mom. We told her about our sunday meetings and the english class. She wasn´t too interested in the sunday meetings but she was super interested in the english class. She invited us in and had us invite her 2 daughters to the class. At the time, Wellington was at school so we didn´t get to meet him yet. Then we talked a bit and said we would return on Saturday when Wellington is home. When we came back on Saturday, we talked to Wellington and he is super elect! He had been to church once with Elder Chavier like 4-5 months ago(?) and loved it. When the elders got transferred, he didn´t receive anymore visits and was shy so he didn´t go back to church. We didn´t even have to invite him to church--he told us he would go and he invited his whole family, telling them how wonderful it is. They all stopped going to church because they were disappointed in many and have doubts about tithing. When we were on our way out, Wellington told us that his mom has some sort of depression and that their family has been going through a lot lately; he said he believes God sent us there because his mom loved us and is really interested--that like never happens (they have had visits from like every denomination--Jehovah´s Witness, etc.). On sunday, Wellington went to church and loved it! He is already integrated with our Ward Mission Leader and we had a lesson with them later that day. The whole family is really receptive and we had a really spiritual experience watching ``Because of Him``--the mom was really touched. As we left, Wellington told us that things have been worse since we got there but he believes it´s because we are bringing a good thing--he basically taught us the law of opposition. I´m really excited for him! 

Also we had a super spiritual experience with the sister, Mariana, of a returned missionary, Evelin. Mariana was once close to being baptized but an inactive member told her a bunch of anti-mormon things. Because of that she still has doubts about the Book of Mormon. On Saturday, we visited Camila, a recent-convert who was introduced to the church by Evelin. Mariana showed up there and we shared a spiritual thought about the atonement. Everyone was in tears and bearing their testimony. Mariana told usw how much she wants an anwser and how she thought, ``Camila got an answer, why can´t I?`` We testified that she could and talked about a lot of related things. Camila bore her testimony, which was really powerful, and told Mariana to have an open heart. It was a really cool experience. I´m grateful for such a good companion, who is already teaching me so much. 

​I realized that I haven´t straightened my hair for like 6 months so it has gotten really long. I´m scared to get it cut because of Elissa´s experience in Peru. Anyway, I might come house as Rapunzel...lol ;)

Thanks!

Sister Bledsoe

nada nada nada

Ok so I got transferred! I will find out my new companion and area tomorrow at the transfer meeting... sad to leave Parelheiros but I´m sure my new area will be awesome too.

This week, we didn´t do much because Sister Mota was still contagious, so we did a lot of reading--apparently the book is Drawing on the Powers of Heaven (not evoking...I tried to translate the title directly...). Also since we weren´t allowed to leave the house to watch General Conference last weekend, the elders brought us a pendrive with conference downloaded onto it, and we watched the sessions on a portable DVD player. It was kind of cool being able to watch conference at home...I haven´t done that for a year. But Conference was soooo goood! I can´t wait for the November Ensign to get here! 

Also here are President Dalton´s rules for goal setting (they are like SMART goals but better): His acronym is DREAMS

 D = Deadline

R = Realistic

E = Etched in Stone ( written down)

A = Always Reviewing (review daily)

M = Measurable (smaller plans and goals)

S = Supreme Being (share your goals with God--prayer). He has done a bunch of professional conferences teaching people about goal setting and he always includes this step and says something like, ``Some of you might not like this step and will not do it, but I will do it and I know I will be more successful.´` This step is heavily tied to the book Drawing on the Powers of Heaven.

He talked about how reviewing them daily makes them a part of who we are because it becomes a part of our subconscious. He talked about his professional experience a lot and his schooling to teach a lot of principles about setting goals. He told us about his dream to go to Harvard when he was a student at a junior college. He said he only told his wife and parents about that goal because no one would have believed that he could get in because he was starting off at a JR college. (one of his rules for goals is that if it is a goal to stop doing something like stop smoking or losing weight, you should share them with everyone because you want their help, but when it is a goal to grow, you should only share those goals with special people and God). He ended up going to Harvard and has been super successful in his professional life (as well as in the church, with his family, etc.), as the president of many companies and turning them into successes. 

Also we had a really good fireside for our ward last night. A brother taught the Plan of Salvation to really emphasize the basic doctrines because of the wuote by President Packer :``The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quickerthan a study of behavior will improve behavior.`´

He first talked about the Lion King. He explained the story--Simba is the rightful heir to be king, but after his father dies and he meets Timon and Pumba, whose motto is ``Hakuna Matata``/no worries about anything, Simba grows up and forgets who he really is. We watched a clip of the movie where when he grows a little older Rafinki brings him to a pond where he looks at his reflection and sees the face of his father. Rafinki says, ``He lives in you.`` Then the clouds turn into the figure of Mufasa and Mufasa talks to Simba and reminds him who he is and what his potential is--he can be king/he is an heir. It was a really spiritual experience watching that part of the film because it teaches a really important gospel principle--do we know who we are and what we can inherit? He talked about Romans 8: 16-17

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

And then Revelations 21:7 

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God,and he shall be my son.

Anyway, I just thought it was really cool that he tied the Plan of Salvation to the Lion King. He also talked about the degrees of glory in a powerful way .He talked about what kinds of Mormons will be in the 3 degrees(these are just possibilities to make his point that our decisions in this life really do matter): those who do not magnify their callings here will go to the terrestrial kingdom, and those who leave the church/reject the gospel/break their covenants will go to the telestial kingdom. He talked about how not magnifying our callings is not living our covenants. He talked about the law of consecration and how we should consecrate our whole lives to this work. He showed the film about John Tanner--watch it if you haven´t seen it yet--Treasure in Heaven, the John Tanner story: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-139-treasure-in-heaven-the-john-tanner-story?lang=eng

Anyway, I am grateful for good teachers and good firesides--how blessed we are to be a part of such a great church. Love you all! 

--Sister Sadie Bledsoe

catapora X_X

sorry this email is so late! today has been wierd...well this whole week has been wierd to be honest. Last Sunday, Sister Mota woke up with a few red bumps and we thought it was an allergic reaction to something so we went to the hospital because she was itching really bad. They gave her an IV but that didn´t help so they sent us home late sunday night telling us to go to the dermatologist. She woke up Monday morning itching even worse, so we went back to the hospital and the first doctor we saw said, ``I have no doubt. You have the chicken pox.`` noooooooo. That morning she probably spread it to half the missionaries in the mission at the mission office...Sister Dalton is trying to warn everyone now but I think there might be an outbreak in the mission....Good thing I had the vaccine; apparently Sister Mota never had that--I think a lot of the Brazilian missionaries never had the vaccine so a lot of them are worried. Sister Mota caught the chicken pox like 3 saturdays ago at a member´s house whose kids had it, and it took 2 weeks until she showed symptoms....

Anyway, this week we were homebound. The elders brought us lunch to-go everyday, and some of the sisters in the ward brought us dinnner/snack a few times.President Dalton has some sisters bring us a book to read, and I really suggest it--it´s called Envoking the Powers of Heaven by Grant Harrison. It talks about using faith to achieve our dreams, and it applies a lot to the work. We also watched a lot of church videos, but weren´t able to go to general conference. President Dalton said that someone will bring us a laptop tomorrow with all the sessions of conference downloaded, so we can watch it tomorrow and wednesday while Sister Mota finishes her 10 days of being contagious.

I really have like nothing exiting to say about my week--just lots of cleaning , updating our area book, and rubbing alcohol(i don´t think calamine lotion exists here) on my comps back...

hope you all loved general conference! I´ve heard lots of good things. 

Love you all!

Sister Sadie Bledsoe