The Dheng

Querida família,

Madeira is sooooo wonderful!!! You can always see the ocean AND mountains. The food is incredible--Italian gelado, bolo de caco (which is like this delicious bread stuff and then they put cheese and bacon in it), nikita (this smoothie ice cream juice thing), and Brisa (the most delicious soda in the world). I am so so so happy to be here. Also the mosquitos are happy I am here too. I have more than 30 bites. I am basically a giant mosquito bite. I tried using bug spray but they seemed to like that even more so. But it is worth it. I love it here so much. And I love Sister Anderson. It is so fun to be companions with someone that I already knew because it´s more like hanging out than being "companions". We just hang out and teach people.
The only reason it is hard is becuase we are both so tired. We were teaching a menos ativo the other day, and we all fell asleep while she was talking--me, Sister Anderson, AND the recent convert who was with us. Luckily she didn´t notice; she just kept talking.
The people here are SO WONDERFUL. First is Vitor!! He is our newest recent convert :) He got confirmed yesterday. He is 16 and is so cool. Like, the coolest person I know. He skateboards really well and used to be on the national pingpong team. And he is also really spiritual. He was almost crying when he got confirmed. He likes to read the Book of Mormon illustrated stories every night too.
Another is Henrique. He is 18. We met him this week. He was sitting in the park on a bench with his Bible just praying and then we showed up. We started talking and he just opened his whole heart and told us what his family was going through and how he feels God has a grand purpose for his life and he can´t figure it out. We started to respond and he interrupted to ask, "What church are you from? Can I talk to you another day? I was about to go to church but for some reason I felt like I should sit here a little longer". We talked a little more and then he had to go. It was so incredible. We just sat there for a few minutes. Sister Anderson said "That was incredible. I just want to sit here and pray". I am so excited to teach him.
I picked my transfer scripture! It´s D&C 97:8-9. I just really like it.
I love being here so much! I am so happy. We are going to see so many miracles, I can just feel them coming :)
I hope that the first day of school went well for you all! I am praying for you. I love you so much!!
Com amor,
Sister Gidney

MADEEEEIIIIRAAAAAA

Dear Family,
HI GUESS WHAT.
You are not even going to believe me but I am not lying.
I got transferred.
TO MADEIRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the best day ever.
And I am so glad because this last week was HARD. Sister Cardoso and I were working so so so hard and nothing was happening. And everyone was being crazy. Though some of those stories are funny... Remind me to tell you about Kinita later.
Last night we were expecting the phonecall about transfers and I was expecting to stay, because Sister Cardoso had already been here six months and they hadn´t told us we would be getting whitewashed (they normally call on Friday). But then Sister Fluckiger called and said Sister Cardoso is going to Coimbra and I AM GOING TO MADEIRA. I am in Funchal 1 with Sister Anderson! Yess. So we didn´t really sleep at all and then I caught a plane and now I am here!
We don´t really have time to email but I just wanted to share the news :) Heavenly Father is so wonderful!
I love you all tons! Stay happy and healthy!
Com amor,
Sister Gidney

Cuidado amiga!

Querida família,
This week was pretty funny. First, thank you for your prayers! My shoulders and back have been doing a lot better this week. So, it worked.
Some priceless moments of the week:
--We were teaching Kinita, our investigator, about the commandments. Right after we taught about the Law of Chastity, she said "Wait a minute" and then came back with some crazy gypsie pants with a million different colors and said "These don´t fit me anymore. I want you to have them" and she gave them to me. She said I should wear them to church.
--Everyone on Wedensday answered the door without clothes on.
--We had a lesson with Paulo, and his girlfriend Raquel. He said a prayer for the first time ever, and said even thanked for Raquel´s help. She was crying because she was so happy.
--We were teaching a woman and her friend and as we were praying, the friend started laughing. At the end, she said "Sorry, I wasn´t laughing at you. It was because of the drugs".
--On Thursday I had to go renew my residency! Afterwards we were getting lunch and we met some Mormons from Denmark? or Norway. The girl came over and asked me in English, "Where are you from?" Utah "We´re Mormons too!"
--I cut my hair in our bathroom. Just the ends
--We were walking up some stairs and a lizard jumped onto Sister Cardoso´s foot. She started screaming and dancing and it finally flew off and she ran away and asked if she was going to get a disease.
--Today there was a ward activity. We went for a couple of hours this morning. It was in the Parque de Paz, a huge park in Almada. It was pretty.
Also, there are flamingos in the river by our house. And people like to sleep on the ground.

 

We are still working hard--Patrícia is making friends with some of the members and I am so excited for her! She came to the picnic today. She is so cute.
Next week is transfers--Madeira or bust!
Have a wonderful week! I love you all tons!
Com amor,
Sister Gidney

Horseplay

Ola família,
This week went by so fast! I don´t know how I feel about that.
The good news: Simeão, Debora, Tania, Gilson and Dário all got baptized in Odivelas! (My work there wasn´t for nothing!)
We had zone conference this week in Setúbal. It was interesting. Our zone has 40 missionaries (compared to my last zone where we were 14...). But I saw Sister Carroll for the first time since we got to Portugal! :) One quote stood out to me: "The act of baptism itself doesn´t wash sin away. Thanks to the Atonement, the effects of sin depart when one keeps the baptismal covenant." -Russell M Nelson. They were talking about helping other people but it was also for me. Sometimes I think "Oh man I wish I could get baptized again." and things like that but I really liked this quote because it´s not just a one-time deal and then you have to be perfect. We can have the "effects" of baptism every day if we want. Cool.
On Thursday we had to go to Lisboa for Sister Cardoso´s residency. It was boring.
So we have some really wonderful investigators!
Joaquim-- came to church again, this time in a suit! We taught him the gospel lesson on Friday and the Spirit was so strong. He says he prayed and he believes this Church to be true. Yesterday he brought 30 euros to "give to the church", even though we explained that tithing is just paid after baptism. I hope he doesn´t forget these things on his holiday to Brasil!
Isabel-- She is 70 years old and we found her by knocking on her door. She came to church yesterday is committed to be baptized here in a couple of weeks. One of our members, Castro, was so good and helped her all during church. She is cool.
Patrícia--She is 13. She already knew the missionaries and we asked her if she wanted to be baptized and she said "Yeah I never did get baptized. When?" She came to church too and she is making friends in the Moças. She is adorable.
Kinita--This is MIRACULOUS. She was an "eternal investigator" for months and months. She came to church last week and smoked 5 or 6 times in the bathroom. We went over on Thursday with our ward mission leader, Daniel, and he gave her a blessing. She had been saying she didn´t want to come to church again because her daughter was going to visit, but after the lesson she said "So can you find someone to give me a ride to church?" And she came this week again, even though her daughter was waiting for her. AND she hasn´t smoked since she got the blessing! During sacrament meeting she asked me, "So when is my baptism again? What time is it at?" Coming to church changed her heart! Heavenly Father is awesome.
We are also teaching the boyfriend of a member (Paulo, and Raquel) who is really liking coming to church and is growing in his testimony every day.
Transfers are in two weeks--I don´t know what´s going to happen, but it doesn´t really matter at this point...You can do anything for six weeks :)
Also, would you please pray for me that I will have the health and strength to keep serving and working hard? I am having some back and shoulder problems--nothing too bad, just enough to be uncomfortable. Thank you!
Have a good week and stop breaking your feet!
I love you all tons :)
Sister Gidney
P.s. Bacalhau

Muito bom trabalho lá

Queridíssima família,
I contacted a man riding a horse. He was just riding a horse in the road and we just were staring and so he stopped. He looked at my nametag and then started speaking to us in German. Then he switched to English. "Oh you are American! John Wayne is my hero! I also really like Benjamin Franklin. He said once..." Then we started talking to him about the gospel. His response: "Christian-ism is a good religion. Much better than Judaism or Muslim. But I don´t know if it´s better than Buddhism; I´ve never tried that." We kept talking and then when we tried to set up an appointment or get his contact info,he just rode away into the sunset.
This week, our main focus was "Operation Carlos". There is a part of our area called Vale Figueira where we go every day. There is going to be a branch there someday, at least that is what we are planning. There is a menos ativo who lives there who is the KEY to success. Basically when he comes back to church, at least 5 other people are going to be baptized, including his friend Manuela and her nephew Nuno, and his ex-girlfriend Nádia and her two daughters. And then he will become branch president, and will marry Nádia, adopt her daughters, and they´ll all get sealed. So to do that, we have an 8-step-plan. We are on number 3 right now---get them to come to church. They almost came yesterday, but then Nuno got sick and so they all slept in. But this week we´ll get ém!
Patricia and Bea are doing well---but their mom says they can´t get baptized until they are 18 :( So we are going to keep teaching them and pray really hard that they can stay firm until then!
The other day we were in an apartment complex trying to visit an appointment and there was a HUGE group of people having a party. They asked us to take a picture, and they all sat on the stairs. Perfect opportunity! So after we took some pictures we asked if we could sing a hymn. They said yes. We sang "Count your many blessings". One lady was snapping her fingers to the beat... We just sang the first verse because at the end they all cheered. We asked to say a prayer, and then our member Jessica said a lovely little prayer, but then they all cheered again and clapped. So strange.
One investigator we are teaching is SO COOL. His name is Joaquim and we contacted him on the bus. We invited him to English class and he came and then we invited him to church. We called him on Saturday to remind him and he said "Of course I am coming! I bought a white shirt!" And sure enough, he came to church in a white shirt and tie. He looked like a ward clerk or something. He got divorced recently and the gospel is about to change his life forever. :)
I read a scripture this morning in personal study--Isaiah 26:3-4. I love that when we trust in the Lord, we will have PEACE and STRENGTH (I especially need that one!) And it´s true. Sometimes we are walking and I am like "I don´t know how I am doing this but if Heavenly Father says I can..:" And then all the sudden I get a burst of energy or I understand what we need to say to help our investigator. And I know that the same thing can happen for non-missionaries too. If we trust in the Lord (which includes obedience, and trusting in His commandments), we will know how to live our lives and we will be happy! Heavenly Father is so wonderful.
I hope you are all healthy and happy! Enjoy the week--it will be a good one, I can tell. :) I love you!
Com amor,
Sister Gidney
P.s. My feet tan.

I feel sweaty...Oh so sweaty...

Ola família,
It feels like just yesterday that I emailed you last!
This week went by quickly. Seems like it just slipped through our fingers. Proably because it was so hot and humid!
All the interesting things happened yesterday. Paloma got confirmed! And it was Sister Cardoso´s birthday! I made her a cake, but we didn´t have much flour, and also I had to make it in the microwave, so it came out more like a weird little pancake, but I just told her that´s how american birthday cakes look, and she seemed satisfied with that. I also gave her a BYU shirt because she wants to go there after the mission.
This week was kind of hard, at least physically. On Thursday especially, both Sister Cardoso and I were both sooo tired. We were kind of crawling through the street and stumbling around. We felt like we weren´t doing anything---we were giving all we had, which was almost nothing. But then at the end of the day, we realized we had met several new people and had quite a few lessons. It just goes to show, the Lord really will consecrate our actions for good, if we pray for it! (2 Nephi 32:9)
Another scripture I found that I really like is 1 Corinthians 1:27. When we are weak physically, we are strong spiritually (that is why fasting is powerful).
Some of the funny things Sister Cardoso said in English this week: "Repent yourselfs!" "That´s a nice car... Let´s rob it!" (Steal) "My body is sweated" (sweaty) "All Americans eat are hamboogers".
Patrícia and Bea are doing well--they fasted this weekend! They still haven´t gotten permission from their mom, but there is still time. :) We are very hopeful! Patrícia is so awesome. She works on Personal Progress every morning, and tries to do at least one experience per day. And she helps Bea say her prayers every night. She is so wonderful.
Seems like the hardest thing for people in this area is coming to church. Everyone says they need to have more "spiritual strength" before they can come and that they need to have a better testimony and etc etc. We have tried to explain that it is IN church that they will find those things but so far, no one is taking the initiative. I think mostly they are lazy because it is summer vacation.
So I don´t know if I have already told you about this---but after getting my mission call, I was disappointed that I had to wait so long to report to the MTC. I was really struggling with the wait, until one night I had a dream, that in my last two weeks on the mission, I found a woman, who I had never met, but that I recognized immediately. She was baptized, in my dream, on my last Sunday in Portugal. She told my companion and I that she recognized us from somewhere, and it was only because of that that she didn´t shoo us away like she had so many other missionaries before--that it had to be US or she would never have accepted the gospel. And obviously, if I went on the mission sooner, I wouldn´t be there to find her.
That dream helped me be more patient and I just thought it was a nice idea to calm me down, but over the past few weeks, I have started to feel like it wasn´t just a dream, but it really can happen. But I feel like this woman is not in my current area. I don´t know where she is, but I know the Lord knows. Then this last week, I had another dream that I was transferred and became companions with Sister Anderson, in her area. I don´t know if that was a coincidence, but I don´t think so. I hope I can find my sister!
I hope that youth conference went well and that you are all having a wonderful summer! Have fun and be good :)
I love you!
Sister Gidney
P.s. we found some fun stuff in our house

She's valid!!

Ola querida família,
We accidentally went on a division with the elders this morning.
I will explain.
Today we had a district P-day to go to see Cristo Rei (see the picture attached). We caught the same metro as the Miratejo elders to meet up with the elders from Almada. (Our district is huge--Miratejo A, us. Miratejo B, Elder Knight and Elder Walker. Almada A, Elders Almeida and Brown. Amnada B, Elders Josi and Riggs). We got to the metro stop, and the door wasn´t opening, so we all went to the next door to get off. Well, I THOUGHT we all got off. The metro pulled away, and I looked around for my companion. I only saw Elder Walker! We both looked around for a few more seconds in shock, and then I just started laughing because I realized our companions were still on the metro and it was SO WEIRD. Better yet, we had both the phones. We walked as fast as we could down the metro line to the next stop, hoping Sister Cardoso and Elder Knight would get off and walk towards us as well. Luckily they did and we met up about six minutes later. Shortest and strangest division I´ve ever been on. Oops.

This week was fun! I got to know my companion better--she is a sweetheart. She was born in Angola but moved to Porto when she was six. She has three sisters and a mom. Her mom and two sisters are members of the church. She was baptized when she was 9. And her first name is Isabel.
Yesterday, our investigator Paloma got baptized! She is 15 and wanted to get baptized in the RIVER... So we went! It was cool. A member baptized her, with a few people on the beach watching. (We realized about an hour later that he did it with his left arm and not his right so we were really worried and called President Fluckiger but he said it was fine--that that has happened in the temple before and that it is still valid because of the intent of her heart, and it was with the priesthood and by immersion. Luckily!)

We are teaching a LOT of jovens, including Patrícia and Bea (ages 14 and 9). They are sisters and want to get baptized--they just need permission from their mom. We marked them for the 26th to be baptized and every night at 10 p.m. all four of us kneel to pray to ask that her heart will be softened. Patrícia´s testimony is already so strong--she told us why she wants to be baptized and the Spirit was SO strong--her mom will feel it for sure. They are so cute. I love them already.
Yesterday in church Sister Cardoso and I taught Princípios do evangelho AND Moças. In moças, the counselor (a RC) was asking us a whole bunch of deep doctrine questions about where God came from and where the first god came from and etc. We answered briefly but then just said "It doesn´t matter too much because all we really need to know is that God loves us and we need to do certain things here to qualify to be like Him".
Oh also. The office called us Monday to say, You will have an ex-missionaria living with you for a few days. Well it´s been a week and she´s still here. Kind of weird to have a "normal" person in our house--but she does our dishes so I don´t mind. ;)
I have been thinking about how some people say a mission is the "MTC for the rest of your life". I think that´s because we live the law of Moses here. You have to wake up at this time, pray at this time, study at this time, sleep at this time, eat in this many minutes, only walk this many steps on Sunday.... And then when you go home you are expected to live the higher law and do things on your own. It´s interesting because it´s more "freedom" but it´s also more responsibility. But also more power. So hopefully I am learning the things that I need to here to be ready for that!
I hope you all have a wonderful week--I love you all tons!!
Com amor,
Sister Gidney