Starting from zero

Sister Robyn Perez – Week 37 – received 09/22/14

In Jaguariuna, Campinas, Brazil

Wow, so this week was a bit discouraging. When we came into this area we had 15 people with a baptism date. Right now we have 2, but only one went to church and she is waiting for the right time. And the other persondidn’t make it to church. It’s even harder because our Zone Leader thinks we are fubecando (slacking) because our first 2 weeks were good…but as we met with each of the investigatores we realized that they don’t have the desire to get baptized and we had to drop them. So this past week we really started opening this area. Then one morning as I was reading in Matthew I read a perfect scripture.

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is 
thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of  men.

When I read this I was like "what does this mean". I did some deep studying and came to this conclusion. Many are called but few are chosen. There are a lot of members but only a few are super strong, only a few are trulyconsecrated and converted. Like you only need a little salt to add a flavor...the few that are chosen are good enough to help build the kingdom of God on the earth. Then I thought; well Sister Garibay and I were chosen to help this area grow. We are qualified! But we need to be truly converted to this great work. If we show that we want to find os eleitos, the Lord will put them in our path. BUT we need to show our worthiness. We need to constantly be exactly obedient. And we need to be the salt of Jaguariuna. So yeah, missions are tough, but it’sonly to help prepare us to be better members of Christ's church. This work isn’t meant to be easy, but it’sdoable. 

Eu amo vocês!  

Running, running and a tad bit of sleeping

Sister Robyn Perez – Week 36 – received 09/15/14

In Jaguariuna, Campinas, Brazil

 

I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired. I probably said that last week...but seriously it’s true!! Every day Sister Garibay and I say that we will get home at 9 so we can be in bed by 940....it never happened. We would always be teaching or walking home from a lesson and then we'd end up getting home at 9:15 or later. But this isn’t a bad thing. It’s actually and oddly a good thing! It means we are working! And working we are! We've found a good teaching pool and now we are just trying to really focus on these people. We are also trying to knock some more doors to find even more. The only thing is that it’s HOT! It starts getting hot at 8 in the morning anddoesn’t cool down till like 6pm. We have to apply sunblock like 20 times! And we are always running to the bathroom because we drink so much water! And it’s supposed to get hotter!!! Ha, winter here should be fun!!

 

Sister Garibay and I are now really good friends! It’s almost like me and Sister Johnson…almost, but no one will ever beat my "mom". It’s true when you have a really good relationship with your comp, the teaching goes way better! 

 

Jaguariuna 2 is so blessed! Why, because the members in this part love working with the missionaries! One of our recent converts took us to her friend. Then one member had us talk to her co-worker, and the co-worker took us to a neighbor. It’s awesome because these people have friends who are already members or about to be members and it’s easier to teach them the gospel! 

 

Something sad...I had a dream that I was already done with my mission. I woke up in a panic and was like,"NO!!!! I still have a ton of months!" ha, yeah not totally. Time here is flying so fast and soon I’ll be at 9 months. After I had that dream I promised Heavenly Father that I will work with all my might till my last day! Ican’t think of anything better than sharing the gospel with the people here in Jag 2. I’ve never been happier and as tired! Ha, ha, but for real! This gospel is true! I know we have a living profeta que guides and directs us. And I know that my Savior lives!

 

Te amo!

Sister Perez

 

                                    

       

                             

          

Hello jaguariuna

Sister Robyn Perez – Week 35 – received 09/08/14

 

¡Seja Bem Vindo Ao Jaguariúna 2!

 

What an exhausting and awesome week! I was a little nervous to white wash Jaguariuna 2 and when I got to theRodoviária to pick up my new companion I must have asked my Zone Leader a thousand times if I was really senior. I even went up to the AP...by now that I’ve been doing this for a week it’s not really that bad....ha 

My new comp is Sister Garibay, from Peru. We are pretty much twins..shes the baby of 5, she’s 20, and we’ve both been out for 8 months. I’m "older" than her by 1 day…ha, ha We think a lot alike too...so this transfer is going to be awesome!!

 

Since we both really didn’t know a lot of the investigators in the area, we visited a lot of the recent converts, menosativos, and the members in our area. We attempted to see the old investigators, but we don’t really know their schedules. With our Menos Ativos, RC, and membros, we started the Book of Mormon challenge. I have a cool reading chart with all the chapters, and Garibay and I went out and made like 30 copies. Then I downloaded the "Safety for the Soul" talk by Elder Holland (it’s super good and crazy powerful and about the Book of Mormon). When we visited the MA, RC, andmembros we showed them the talk and then talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon. It’s working prettygood, because they all get excited about the reading chart and they all get competitive with their family. We are also using the American candy I got in a package to pump them up. So whoever reads 10 chapters first gets a candy bar. Our area is golden! The people here are super humble and willing to listen! Our job will be just to work extremely hard to find all theeleitos!!! I’m super excited to see this area explode!! 

 

Sad note...I miss Sister Pontes like crazy!!! And now I don’t have anyone to do my eyebrows!! 

 

I’m so blessed, really, to be in Jag 2...even if I just moved to the other room! I know that this is the only true church and Iknow that Christ lives! It’s awesome knowing that every day I get to bring this gospel, this happiness to people!

 

te amo!

Sister P

 

That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

 

Thess. 4:12

 

                                  

          

         

              

            

         

I got transferred

Sister Robyn Perez – Week 34 – received 09/01/14

 

I finally got transferred!!!

 

I’m trying to think about all the things that happened this week...but my mind is so blank and I’m so dead!! This week was good...but I’m just super worn out! This always happens at the end of the transfer! But we finally had a baptism!!!! No it wasn’t Alex...it was Mauricia!!!!!!!! We just focused on her this week really hard and we finally got her into the waters! It was a stressful day for her because her husband could have gotten baptized...but he just wasn’t ready. I told her that women always know what they need to do to help their families and the men are just a little slower, but she will be such a strong example for him!!! Then on Sunday we didn’t see her at church and we were running around like crazy looking and calling her....she had called Alberto e Ariane for a ride and got to church on time!! AH! I love her!!! Then that evening we went and saw her mom and step dad and gave them a quick lesson! She helped us teach. And I repeat…I love her!! I was getting sorta sad because its transfers…Mauricia said, “I just want you 3 to say and the other 2 to leave”....well, her wish came true. Pontes and Ttupa are leaving and Mitillo, Moura, and I are staying....yep...I’m staying. I got transferred to Jag 2...and I’m opening the area or in other words I’m white washing it...its next door to my old area but I have no clue what or where anything is! But I’m super stoked to get a new comp and work in this new...neighboring area!!! I’m super sad I’m getting separated from Pontes...but tudo vai da certo!

 

Keep the faith meu povo!

 

Te amo

Sister Perez

 

P.S. I make 8 months today!!!

                                    

You can do it!

Sister Robyn Perez – Week 33 – received 08/25/14

 

The Day Sister Perez got the "You Can Do It" Bug

 

This week was awesome! It was a week where you work so hard that the minute your head hits the pillow you are out until the next morning!

 

I spent two days with sister Moura in Mogi Mirim for exchanges with the sisters there. It was really fun...but really, really hot! And they don’t use the bus, so I walked all day with Sister Whitnah. All of our appointments fell through, so it was a "normal" day. That night was really funny. Sister Moura and I slept on the kitchen floor, on air mattresses....during the middle of the night I got super cold and woke Moura up and told her "moura, tenho frio!" so she got up and moved my bed next to hers and we shared the huge blanket. Right as I was falling alseep she said " We are just like the pioneers in the winter" (but in Português) ha, ha, ha. When we talked about that in the morning we just laughed. Then we had lunch at a chácara. This place was so pretty! Soon after that we took a bus back to Jag. We were pretty much dead when we got home...but I was happy to be back in my bed...and area!

 

We finally got to see Alex again. When we went in for the lesson Moura told me to start it. So I sorta had an idea in my head of what I wanted to say...but like right as I was about to start, the Holy Ghost smacked me in the head and was like " no you are gonna read this chapter with him and talk about being strong in keeping the commandments." It’s crazy how much the Spirit helps your investigators. We had a really good chat with him as we read 1 Nefi 2. We asked him if he was ready to give up all the things of the world to follow Christ like Lehi did...and then we recommitted him to dia 30 for baptism. I told him the first day we met him, Sister Becker and I saw him the way Heavenly Father sees him. Heavenly Father knows he is strong and we know he is strong...he just has to see that! But he’s super solid now!!

 

Sunday was like a huge day for me (according to Moura) she told me I finally got attitude to get stuff done and not be scared. It all started with getting Neuza to church. I called her house, but she was still sleeping...so I told Mitillo that we were going to walk to her house and get her to church. So we did. And we waited for her to get ready. And she went to church. And she loved it! Then we had to go pick up Mauricia (when I first called she didn’t want to go to church either). We ended up having 8 investigators at church! It was seriously a miracle! And then during Sacrament meeting there was a group of kids sitting behind me and a family. They would not stop talking. At first I was like just ignore it, but then something was like no tell them to be quite. Ha, ha, so I did. I told the Bishop’s daughter, and the other girls to have more respect for their Heavenly Father and the other people and stop talking so that the members and our investigators can feel the Spirit. Yeah...I was like "why did I just do that!!" ha, ha but soon after Sacrament meeting I told the Bishop that we need to talk to the youth about reverence in the Sacrament meeting. He agreed with me...ha, after I told Moura and she was like so happy I did that. I was like scared. Ha, ha

 

I’m excited for the last week of the transfer. I have a feeling ill be leaving Jag...but I’m ok with that. I feel like I’ve already talked to everyone in this city. So hopefully I’ll get a different scenery this next transfer!!!

 

Te amo!

 

love,

The bolder Sister Perez

What a week!!

Sister Robyn Perez
Received 03/03/14

What a week!!!

So it all started with Zone Training!! We played glow in the dark volleyball...not sure if that was a good idea, but it ended fast!! Then we had training and let’s just say my mind was blown!!! I have a favorite missionary!! So Elder Salmons and Elder Fauster did this how to begin training that seriously blew my mind!! He mixed in a little of the first part of L1 and HTBT. At the end he extended a Hard Bap Commit....what the heck!! That’s sooo soon, right! But we tried it this week with our new investigator, Jane (and we did a soft invite...so no date) AND SHE SAID YES!!!!!!! It was crazy awesome!!! And I seriously want to be like Elder Salmons!! He’s so solid!!

We have 2 new investigators!!! Jane and Derek!!! I love Jane! First question she asked us when we met her was "what’s the difference between your church and every other church" OH boy!! It was perfect and the Lord was seriously preparing her for the Gospel!!! She accepted everything we said and she said it herself that she was looking for something new!! As for Derek we ran into him while tracting last Saturday and he asked us to come back later that day!!! Even he said yes to the soft invite!!! Both said they would think about the hard invite we gave them...but hey that’s a start!!! 

One of my favorite little old shamas, Roberts, said she wanted to be baptized too!! BUT she wants to do it on her birthday!! Both sisterJohnson and I were hoping it was soon...but not...it’s in December!!! So now we got to try to work her up to doing it sooner!

I seriously LOVE the Rez!!! It’s the best! Hands down! The people are so crazy and awesome! One guy we tried to talk to was "too busy" and held up a bag of cinnamon rolls and walked over to his horses....yeah Sister Johnson and I were so confused!! Then one guy lied about his name when we asked!! It literally took him 2 seconds to come up with his name!!! From that we have a new saying "we are with the Lord, not the cops!!"

We had the best experience with following the Spirit yesterday!! It was awesome!! We went to visit a less active sister and we started reviewing L2...but it took a turn for the best.She’s had a rough life and doesn't feel strong, but knows that Heavenly Father is always by her side! I had this prompting to share a scripture that came to mind, but the reference didn’t come to mind...so I just said some stuff, and the stuff I said was what the Lord would have said if He was there...it was crazy!! Then I looked at my scriptures and saw a little faded piece of paper and I opened it and BOOM it was the scripture I wanted to show her!! She read it and cried a little and said how she loves it that we always have scriptures to help her. Sister Johnson said "All that we share and do is what the Lord would share and say to you" It was the best lesson weever had!!! We followed the spirit so well and we taught to her needs!!! I want to get to the point where I can do that all the time!!

Like I said this week has been ON POINT!!!!! Sister Johnson and I are pretty much best friends now!! We always have fun...but we always remember our purpose here on the Rez! One of the best parts of this week was all the mud!!! It’s a good thing our truck is 4 wheel drive or we'd get stuck everywhere!!! My feet got stuck a ton and all day Saturday I was tracting with mud in between my toes!! J

It was so awesome getting to see the Gilbert Temple dedication too!! AHHHHH I seriously love my mission!!!! And whenever I get my visa I'm going to cry like a baby!!! But until that day comes...I'm not thinking about it!!!

I love all you guys!!!! Don't be scared to share the Gospel! We have something so special and great why should we keep it from others?!

Te amo,
Sister Robyn Perez!

       

     

      

Half way there!!

"Woahhhh OHHHH I'm Half way there!!! Woahhhhh ohhhh I'm living on a prayer!!"

But serio, I have 3 more weeks left!! This morning was sorta sad...my beloved companion left for the Brazil MTC! I'm so happy and excited for her!! Anyways once we found out she was leaving us, we tried to match EVERYDAY!!!!! We say it helps us teach better, and I really think it does! We aren't to sad about being separated just because I'll see her once I make it to Brazil! 

So last Tuesday we got the honor to hear from Elder Bednar!! Man was that an experience! I sang in the choir again, and the song we sang was so perfect and really helped invite the spirit! He talked to us about a lot of stuff. But one thing that he said that stuck out to me the most was about faith. We really get to exercise our faith while on a mission. Whether it be with the language or whaterever, your faith is put to the test out here. Elder Bednar said that usually we have to act before the power will come. And man that it so true!! I saw that happen this past week while doing TRC (you teach member volunteers). But Heavenly Father wants to see if you'll have the faith in him to act before he helps you. I love Elder Bednar!!

TRC was a totally different animal! You teach members about gospel topics. The tough thing is you don't know what you're supposed to teach them. You rely all on the Spirit to guide you! In the first lesson...I went blank! I could say anything and poor sister Dickson had to talk! I felt so bad I just wanted to cry right then and there! But then she asked me how my faith in Jesus Christ has grown and I had no choice but to bare my testimony about my whole deciding to go on a mission. On our feede Back (we dont just say feed, we add the e and then it de make the ji sound...funny huh??) He said my testimony really help him! Then right before we went to our second lesson, Sister Dickson looks at me and tells me I have to do all the talking! Well I did...and like Elder Bednar said, "act and the power follows" I had the faith that the Spirit would help me know what to say and the Spirit helped me know what to say and what to teach! So here's how it went: I asked him what his favorite scripture was. He read some scripture I had no clue what he was saying!! But then I asked him what makes him happy?(heres the awesome part, the scripture was 2Nephi 2:25, and I was guided by the spirit to ask him what makes him happy even though I didnt understand when he read). He said his family makes him happy and I asked if all his family members were LDS. He said yes, and then sister dickson asked if they were all active. He had one brother that is inactive. BINGO!!! Sister Dickson and I found the common ground! We all have inactive brother! So I asked him what about the gospel gives him comfort concerning his brother, he said the Atonement. I bore my testimony about the Atonement and how I know that My brother can some day return to Heavenly Father. And Heavenly Father will be so happy when David, my brother, finally returns to the right path. The Spirit was so strong in the room, I loved it! But it just goes to show how you have to fully trust that Heavenly Father will help us know what the person needs to hear!

We also had our last lessons with both investigators, Joao and Silva. We asked Joao if he would get baptized and he said yes, but he wouldn't marry his girlfirnd of 20+ year!!! We tried explaining all the wonderfully blessing he and Pricilla could recieve, but he wouldn't budge! The sad thing is the real Joao still hasn't gotten babptized. Silva on the other had was aweseom!!! We talked to him about the Restoration. He said he feels like he hasn't gotten answers and I told him that sometimes Heavenly Father wants us to exercise our faith and show that we are going to diligently search for an answer, and once we show him that he will answer us. He seemed to like that! But at the end of the lesson we asked him to be paptized and he said YES!! He asked when and I said this Saturday! He laughed and was like "seriously?? this weekend" Sister Dickson said yep, once we finish all the lessons! So the real life Silva got baptized and is a strong member of the church! When Irmao Barlow was teaching him about the law of tithing, Barlow said that silva said that he had already been "paying" his tithing! Silva's mom taught him about it and he put aside 10% every pay check! He is/was GOLDEN!!! that lesson I also had a big break through! I only used my dictionary once!! How awesome!! 

The language is coming along great! I fall asleep every night repeating the 1st vision in portuguese and then I sometimes dream in portuguese too!! haha! I noticed my progress when I worte my talk on sunday and I didn't copy straight out of my Preach my Gospel, I was able to come up with all I wanted to say!! But I know that I am able to learn this language because my Heavenly Father wants me to teach his children in their native language.

I have no doubt that this gospel is the only true source for TRUE happiness. I know that Joseph Smith was called by God to restore His Gospel on this earth. And from that we can see how much God really does love us. We are his children and he would not leave us with out a path to get back to him. I'm so grateful for all the missionaries and for their spirits. If it weren't for the missionaries that found and taught my parents, I wouldn't be here today. This is Heavenly Father's work and I am so blessed to be assisting him.

Amo voces!!!

Sister Perez

                                

                                    

                                 

 

                                 

       

    

                                 

       

      

Hello Missionary Training Center (MTC)!!

Hi! Christie (Robyn's older sister) here, I'll be updating her blog and keeping you all informed about her mission while she's gone!

Robyn departed chilly Memphis, TN at 7:30am headed to an even chillier Provo, Utah via Delta Airlines, non-stop! Annie (older sister) and Oliver (nephew) picked her up at the Salt Lake City Airport and headed straight to Walmart to buy a few more essentials. Robyn’s debit card didn’t work, so Annie paid the bill! They then went to grab a quick lunch and headed for the Missionary Training Center (MTC).  They were greeted by a missionary couple who put a post it note on the front windshield, pointed them to an unloading area and told them they had 2.5 minutes to say goodbye and take a picture. She was really excited to finally arrive!   

 

                                  

Cute and Easy Missionary Outfits

Slowly but surely my "Sister Missionary Wardrobe" is coming along! I have certain ideas in my head and until I find those tops or skirts, I won't buy anything else! But I had help, and boy did I need help! I asked a good friend, Shelby, to come shopping with me to help put together outfits. It went so good! And I walked out of the mall with a lot more bags than I normally do! Shelby seriously helped me learn how to put stuff together  and the best rule I learned was 'if you don't like it when you try it on, you won't like it at home'. That rule is so true, and I am sticking to it! Honestly, I don't think I would be this excited about shopping for my missionary wardrobe if it wren't for Shelby!

Here are a the outfits I have so far! We found the most prefect skirts from FOREVER21! It was seriously love at first sight for me! All the tops come from different stores, but I can use almost all the shirts for all three skirts...for a sister missionary that is ideal; having plenty of outfits without having a ton of clothes!! Oh and I'm in love with my Oxfords...I spent a bit of money on them, but they are EXTREMELY comfy which is a must!! 

Try not to laugh too hard at the awkward poses! lol!

How awesome is that? 3 Skirts, 9 shirts, and 15 different looks!!!

oops...I left out an outfit or two...but you get the idea!