The Littlest Song Bird: I’m pretty sure my comp is really an American!

Whenever you get a new companion it can always be a little nerve wracking. Most of the time you never had much contact with your comp and 100% of the time you are with this person for a reason...to learn or practice something. With Figgy, she really helped me chill...be less stressed. The last few weeks, as the other transfer was ending, I was praying to practice not being so stressed, being happy, and being patient. Within the first day of being with my comp, Sister Aquino, I was sure that my prayer had been answered and I was about to start practicing. She had only heard about how hard the areas near the city are and how you don’t have much success. Well that’s true, if you want it to be true...but something that Sister Mitchell taught me was that every area is Zion...but it won’t be Zion until you make it Zion. Well, after getting home on Tuesday and the days that followed I could see that she was sad, had cried, and was not happy. I tried being the positive example for her, but it wasn’t working. So I started leaving notes and candy on her desk; still not working. Ok, so I was out of ideas...and the last thing I wanted to do was try to talk to her about it because I haven’t known her that long and I really don’t like trying to get people to talk. So I did the next best thing...I prayed to my Heavenly Father asking for help! And then everything changed! Friday during our studies we both read talks about being happy in your situations. I read an article, "Act upon this land as for years" in the Liahona of August 2014 and she read a talk given by Elder David A. Bednar in the April General Conference, "Carry your burdens with Ease." Then it was my day to share first, and all I can say is that these studies were totally guided by the Spirit. The article talks specifically about how when we are expecting certain things to happen and in the end they don’t happen the way we want, we beat up our faith and take our anger and frustration out on God. When we do that we insist on doing things according to our own timeline and ability and stop trusting in the Lord's. Elder Neal A. Maxwell said "When we are unduly impatient with an omniscient God's timing we really are suggesting that we know what is best. Strange, isn´t it that we who wear wrist watches seek to counsel Him who oversees cosmic clocks and calendars." It is hard to avoid thinking we know best...our natural man gets in the way of our humility, but our positive perspective comes when we faithfully and humbly follow the Lord with optimism through our own rough spots. After she shared what she studied and learned, she then told me that lots of times she thinks, "I’ll be happy when "blank" happens or when I have this." It is hard for her to be happy and positive in the moment she is in. Sister Aquino promised that she will work on that, and of course I will be helping her too.

After this comp study things changed!!! And we worked together super well!! We had so much fun Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! We even saw a few milagres juntos! Leia finally went to church!! And she has a member friend now!!! We found 5 new investigators in 2 days and we are so much alike in our work ethic it’s easy to work together! The way she acts is soooooo American I’m convinced she is an American who has been in Brasil for a looooonng time! Ha; and this week we are going to be singing and playing the ukulele and guitar for the Young Women New Beginnings program!! YAY!

I know my dad is happy to finally hear that today I MIGHT be buying new shoes...but who knows… I’ve walked so many Brazillian miles in these ratty old shoes it’ll be hard to find a more comfortable pair...we shall see!

Time and time again my testimony of the power of prayer grows! I have no doubt that our Heavenly Father wants nothing but the best for us and wants us to grow each and every day! Things can be a bit hard...but you can always be positive and trust in your Father that one day your journey through the wilderness will lead you to a super nice beach! Ha,ha,ha (oops‪#‎trunkythought‬)

And to end this email, I will close with this scripture in D&C 67:13-14
“Continue in patience until ye are perfected. Let not your minds turn back; and when ye are worthy, in mine own due time, ye shall see and know”
Com muito Amor!
Sister Perez