10/16/17 Batismo e SOL!!!!!!

Well!!!! I have finally helped another person follow Christ!!! A Raissa foi BATIZADA!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO!!! Saturday was her day :) Raissa was so excited and was so happy afterwards :) This week was pretty crazy.. lots of things happened. :) 

So first off this week we went to Londrina for a Conference with Presidente and 2 other Zones, Tiradentes, and Maringá, so I was able to see lots of other missionary friends from Maringá, my last área :) Wilson, Souza, Casciano, and I saw minha filha!!!!! Sister Menezes. :) So many friends were there. I took a bunch of pics too, so get ready for the bombardage of fotos :) 

Well, it is gettin' so hot here. It's spring here and it's getting up to 38 degrees Celcius or like literally 100 degrees Fahrenheit..... it's been death here.... but I am having fun getting tan, first red and then tan :P Also, Sister Santos is liking it too cuz she wants to be tan when she goes home to see everyone XD XD It's hilarious what she says during the day about going home and showing her great tan lines... I got some good ones too :) 

But this week, has been death, so much walking and we have been cutting pesquisadores left and right... no one wants to or is progressing... so we have been trying to find the eleitos and cut the moles..... its working, but we now have a teaching pool real small.... so this week we are just gonna encontrar, find people :) 

There also was a festa last night in the centro near the Cathedral. We live on the other side of the road right next to the Cathedral, so we heard everything last night. Man was it hard to sleep.... there was a band and lots of music lots of screaming and just noise.. but I was able to sleep eventually :) Got some videos :)

Well... that's basically all that happened this week. We marked 2 dates for batismo this week with two sisters, but they said that their brother won't let them take our lessons or go to church cuz their whole family is catholic and they are all  comfortable to go to that church.... guess how old they are? Like 50 and 55...... and their little brother is saying they can't go..... but they still want to... so they are gonna talk to their bro a little more and continue taking the lessons and hopefullly sometime they will be baptized :) 

Então, eu amo todos de vocês..... I love you all and I am so happy to be able to be here on the mission :) Thank you for everything you guys do for me and I hope to talk to more of you next week :) Sorry, I wont be sending pics cuz the computer I'm using won't read my camera... so yeah :P But love you all and hope you guys have a great week :) 

Love Sister Ferguson 

Note: A member of the church sent these pictures to me, Cherlyn, via Facebook.  Thank You!! 

10/9/17 Just another week :)

Hello Everyone!!!!!!

Again, this week was pretty normal. We were able to meet some other people to teach and we also are preparing a Raissa por BATISMO!!! She said that she would like to, just right now no.... but we are gonna prepare her for next Saturday :) So exciting :)

But we also met some cool people :) Met a guy named Alan, who is 21 and is looking for a church to go to.... it's just that he doesn't wanna go to church... it's confusing. He said that he was gonna go this Sunday, but he never showed up. He is interested, but just didn't go... so that's a little devastating.... but we are gonna try again this week :) His mom is also super cool. She sews and is also wanting to return back to church. They moved recently to Apucarana so they have no idea where anything is... so now we are here as tour guides to guide them to where true happiness is :)

We also had A LOT of rain this week. Woohoo!!! Last week was suuuuuper hot and now its getting a little colder :) So I am not dying of heat anymore... the only bad thing is going up the hills here and slipping in the rain... we've already had a lot of funny experiences with that.... XD XD So hopefully they will continue. But this week was pretty good. We just met a bunch of people and are trying to bring them to chruch, but they aren't wanting to. We had 8 people to search for on Sunday, but only 2 were ready... the others were sleeping and didn't wanna wake up. :P So almost a bunch of people came... So we are gonna try again and again so they will come next week :)

Also, this week we ate at a restaurante everyday. Only Saturday and Sunday we ate at the house of a member... it was good, we were able to see the Elders a couple times and plan for this week and get new ideas to how we can help our pesquisadores :)

Well, sorry that these past couple emails haven't been the best. A lot of crazy stuff isn't happening. But we are progredindo so that's all that matters right?

Well, I love you all and I hope you all have a great week. Hopefully it's a lot more exciting than mine :)

Love you, Sister Ferguson​

10/2/17 Conferência Geral e CHUVA!!!!!!

Well, hello everyone!!! Another week has gone by and I am ready to sleep this P-Day :)

Well, first off, I hope you all had a great General Conference weekend and heard something that was especailly for you, I know I heard things especialy for me :) This Conference was different..... Thomas S. Monson wasn't there, and also a bunch of apóstolos weren't either. Also.... hearing about Robert D. Hales...... so sad, but I know that he had done his part in his time as an Apostle.

Well... this week we had 2 baptisms scheduled... but the two guys didn't show up. We went to their house and they were sleeping and WOULD NOT WAKE UP..... man.. I got a litle flustered... but it's all good. Maybe it just wasn't their time to be baptized. We are going to try again this week and help them to make this choice to folow Christ. :)

Well, we also had a bunch of people committed to go to Conference, but literally no one came. 12 people to bring to church, but somehting had happened or was happenign when we got to their houses to walk with them...... O inimigo, Satanás, was working real hard that day so they couldn't go.... but yeah. I had a good time there :)

Also this week, we went to Londrina again and this week we will agian for a conference with the Presidente. It's gonna be fun :) I am excited :)

This week we also have to work even harder to find some people that really want to follow Christ and do what's better for them in their lives, so we are gonna be batendo portas everyday this week :)

Well, that's basically all that happened this week. We have been trying to get Jose and Jean to be baptized, but they didn't put forth any effort.... but we are gonna try again :) Lots of other things happened this week, but in this rush of pday emails, I forget everything.... so yeah :) But I love you all and I actually have pics  this time :)

Love you all and I hope you all have a great week :) Keep smiling and alwyas be happy :) Até mais :)

Com Amor, Sister Ferguson

pics: 

-me with my mission swag

-Almoço pday with the elders, Sister Santos, Elder Vazques, Joaquim,
Critchlow, Cruz, and me :) 

-roasted some marshmallows with Sister Santos

-Me Santos and our friend Jonas walking home from Conference yesterday. 

and Critchlow being Critchlow XD XD 

9/25/17 Apucarana Zona Sagrada!!!!

Well, this week was good :) Wasn't full of much, but it was good :) We met some cool people, marked a baptism date and also went to Londrina again :)

So we have some people that we are teaching. One is a young adult named José. He has 20 years and is wanting to change his life... what better way to change his life than through the gospel of Jesus Christ right? He stopped drinking and smoking and he broke up with his girlfriend cuz she wasn't helping him change... so yeah :) He is pretty cool and amazing, the only thing is that he doesn't want to go to church. He knows he needs to... it's just that he doesn't wanna.... so we are gonna help him with that a little more and then prepare for BATISMO!!!!!!

We also have another young adult with 20 years, Jean, that is Josés roomie. They also live with another guy who is a recent convert, Jonas. Jean... he is the opposite of José. Jean always goes to church, but drinks and has a girlfriend that doesn't want him to go to church.... but he goes anyways and also wants to stop drinking, but doesn't wanna put in any effort... so yeah. Difícil...... but we marked a interview with my district leader today to talk to him about batismo and how he feels about everything :) So hopefully he passes and tells the elder some things to help us help him... if that makes sense........

We also have a little girl with 11 years, Raissa. She is the grand daughter of a less active and wants to go to church and also accepted to be baptized, it's just that we need to talk to her mom... who is in the hospital and is about to have a baby... so it's complicated.... but she is amazing!!!!! She understands everything and truly has a desire to follow Christ and do what He did :) We are going to talk to her more this week and try to talk to her mom..... or her grandma. :)

That's basically it. We have a couple other people, but they aren't progressing... so yeah, sad, but we will see what happens this week :)

Well... that's basically it. It's gonna rain this week, so it's getting a little more cold... just a little, and also this week, or ever since I got here, our washer for the clothes is broken and we've been washing our clothes by hand. Now I feel like a true missionary :) I'm also working my arm muscles that I dont have. Maybe I'll get some more after being here... Buff legs and now buff arms HOO!!!!! :)

But yeah.. that's basically it. I love you all and I hope you all have a great week :) Keep smiling and never forget about your Loving Heavenly Father :) 

Com amor, Sister Ferguson

Pics:

-Almoço with the elders, Elder Cruz, Sister Santos, Elder Vazques, and me

- me and Santos eating icecream one night :) 

9/18/17 Transfers!!!!!!!!

Well, it's official... I have left Maringá..... man... i was there for quite some time..... i loved it but i'm happy to be in another place :) I can see other places here in Brasil :)

So, I am now in Apucarana. It's like only an hour from Maringá... so i'm not that far... but i am in a different Zone. I am now in Zona Londrina again!!!! YAHOO!!! I will travel to Londrina for Conferences or Pdays with the Zone, so that's cool :) I am a little sad cuz I am not gonna be with Menezes, Wilson or Souza.... but i like it here :) Also one of my Elder friends was here in Zona Londrina... but then he left for Maringá... just barely missed him.... just a little bummed about that... but it's cool here :) Everyone is new to me in my district other than 2 people, so now i'll make more friends :)

But this week was pretty good. Sister Santos was already here so she was leading me everywhere. She had 2 people that were preparing for baptism, but they all decided no... it was sad.... but we are gonna find some more poeple :)

There is a lady here called Ana... that we marked batismo for her for Saturday... but she disappeared.. so we marked for Sunday.. but she started making almoço and said she couldn't go to church.... We tried to get her to go.. but she was super stubborn and didn't wanna... so she wasn't baptsized that day either.. but we are gonna try one more time and also find more peeps.

Nothing much happened.. it was mostly just getting used to everything and trying to speak to everyone. But just that really :) I'm with Sister Santos who is amazing :) Shes great :) I'm learning a lot from her :)

Well... sorry, i'm running out of time and i didn't take any pics this week... so, sorry, but next week i will :) Well love you all and ill talk to you all next week :)

Com Amor, Sister Ferguson

Apucarana

Apucarana is a municipality in the state of Paraná in Brazil

9/11/17 Little Miracles

Well everyone... this week was pretty crazy....but full of little miracles..... Tender mercies are real folks..... 

First off.. today is transfers. Presidente is organizing everything still and no one knows where they are going, nada........ So everyone is super nervous and our Zone Leaders are gonna call us if we are gonna leave later tonight. So yeah...... oh my oh my....... 

But also this week, we left our haunted house (miracle) and moved over to the apartment of some other sisters in the zone and we have been sleeping there this week while we are waiting for our new house, which the presidente already bought, (miracle) they just need to finish a couple things and then we are gonna move there this week... or the new sisters cuz we dont know who is gonna stay..... OH MY!!!! Im so nervous...... 

But yeah.... we were with Sister Oliveira and Sister Stone. They are amazing (miracle) :) Sister Stone is training still and Oliveira is her trainer. They are hilarious. Also this week was Oliveiras Bday, she made 20 years!!!!!!! We got a cake and surprised her in the morning and had a festa and then later that night went to a members house in their ward and had a birthday dinner with them (miracle) :) Had hot and spicy barbeque ribs (BIG miracle)... man was it good. First time in 13 months that ive eaten BBQ. So good. 

And well... also this week we baptized a little girl!!!! (The best Miracle!!!)  Dont know if you guys remember Raissa, but she was baptized yesterday and her sister came to church with her (Miracle cuz she doesnt like to leave he mom) :) Her mom said she was gonna go, but we didnt know why she didnt come, but she was happy either way. It was great :) 

We also had an experience with Rian. So he has been hiding from us this whole week. We go to his house, which by the way, he lives on the other side of the city, and hes not htere or he is and tells his mom to say that he wasnt...... so we tried calling him, but he never picked up, nada, but then we used a members phone and were able to talk to him (miracle)  :) We asked him if he wanted to be baptized still, cuz we marked his baptism for saturday. He said he does, but not now, but he didnt explain why... but yesterday at church... he didnt come, neither did his friend Alex. We went over to his house with our District leader and a member during church to talk to him. He was home.. (MIRACLE)  Then we tried talking to him and he said that he was scared because he thought that he had to change everything he is doing right now and be perfect. We explained how its not like that at all... and we asked him if he wanted to be baptized still... he said yes... but was still hesitant to go to church. But then the member who brought us talked to him and he then finally decided to go to church to see Raissa's baptism. (miracle)

 We went there, asked him if he wants to be baptized, but he still said no.... dont know why still, he wont tell us and he is a little embarrassed to talk to us... but yeah..... We are gonna work with him still.... if were gonna stay here....... OH MY!!! 

Full of miracles this week, it was frustrating, but it was all worth it. We now know what Rians needs are to progress and we have a pesquisadora progressing :) O Senhor is always there to help... just need to ask, which.... pretty sure half of the things that left my mouth this week was a prayer..... so just gotta do our part and he will do the rest :) 

But yeah. That was this week. There were some other things that happened, like Gabriella and Nayara... we arent teaching them anymore. We walked from 3 places in the area, that are suuuuuuuper far from another in an hour this week, trying to confirm if some people are gonna go to an activity that we had saturday... which only one person went (mircale) Soriah is her name..... of our pesquisadores, and i am gettin old on the mission. Im literally feeling it in my bones :P Lets just say that i walk like i just got off riding on a horse XD Its kinda funny XD XD 

But yeah... well... thats basically it, we found a place for the kittens!!!! We are soo happy, a member finally accepted to take them all :) What a miracle!

Well, i love you all and i hope you all have a great week and keep smiling :) Try to think of the little miracles that happen in your lives and if you want one to happen... do everything you can and then the Lord will do the rest. D&C 4:2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

Love you all and Have a great week :) 

Com amor, 

Sister Ferguson

pics:

-the family that we had a birthday dinner with

-Raissa and her baptism, whish she was baptized by the Bishop here

-Sisters Stone and Oliveira with us

9/4/17 I Need Some Batismo Water!

Hello Everyone!!!!!!! 

Well, this week was pretty good suuuuper hot... it's winter here, or was and it's in the 90's and one day went to 102.... it's soo hot.... I've been drinking sooooo much water and that's not the best thing to do when youre on the road for 9 hours everyday, but that just means i'm gettin' closer to home.   # trunky :) 

So first off, we had a BATISMO!!!!!! Marco was finally baptized! He got baptized yesterday in Ala Cidade Nova, he was an eternal investigator, but now he's gonna be an eternal member, with his family too :) Sooooo happy for him :) Man, there were so many people at his baptism.. everyone was super excited to see him get baptized :) I was too and the Spirit was sooo strong that day... started at church during sacrament meeting, and then it's like the Spirit followed us to the other chapel and it just got even more strong. Man it was sooo amazing :) Really was a super special batismo :) 

Well, this week we had a Zone Conference with the Presidente and also P-Day with the Zone. It was super fun. :) We also had a snack time with one of our investigators, who is Larissa´s aunt. She made huuuge bread :) It was super fun. Also I found a turtle on the ground whille walking one day :) We gave it to a lady who lived nearby and also played a prank on Alex and Rian. :) Got a video of Alex :) 

Yesterday Rian and Alex came to church again and they said that they loved it again and we also brought another little girl to church too :) She and her sister and mom were gonna go originally, but her mom had to take care of 2 other babies in the house, and her sister doesn't like to be far from her mom, so she stayed. But the girl that went is named Raisa and she is 8. She is amazing and super excited about the church. She has already asked her mom when she could be baptized!!! :) So that is super exciting :) 

Other than that.... we dont have a lot of other investigators... Carol, she is still having a problem with her husband, Larissa, she moved, but maybe she will come back.... And the family, Di, Jefferson, and Junior.. they have lost interest.. along with the 2 girls, Gabriella and Nayara... so that's sad.. but we are trying to work with them.... but they are not showing anymore interest.. sad I know... they would be such great members and an eternal family, but we tried. 

Well, that's pretty much it. Oh, about the kittens, THEY OPENED THEIR EYES!!! 2 of them did, the other, which is a lot smaller than the others, still hasn't, but they are almost opening. :) So exciting and a member in our ward said that she wants one, we just have to wait till they stop drinking milk from mommy, which is gonna take a while, but maybe she'll want all 4? dont know, but well see where they go :) 

And well, that's basically it. I am so happy to be here on the mission and am so excited to see where this week takes me. Hope you guys are all doing great and are remembering Chirst in all things :) Love you all and I have a favor to ask of you guys. If you can put some names in your prayers. Larissa, Lorraine, Cida and family. If you could pray for them that would be great :) They need as many prayers as they can get right now :) 

Love you all and talk to you all next week :) 

Com Amor, Sister Ferguson

Pics:

-Marco´s batismo

-snack with Diane and her kids

-The turtle

-Our babies opening their eyes :) 

-Got some pringles and I showed Menezes how to eat pringles american style *Quack* 

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