Messejana, Brazil - Ch ch ch ch changes!

Hello family!! Happy Thanksgiving last Thursday! I totally forgot it was Thanksgiving until I heard someone say "Black Friday" on a radio on the street the Friday after! I thought about you guys all getting together with the family and how it´s probably nice and cool outside and I bet Mom´s wearing adorable sweaters!! Made me a little nostalgic haha but not homesick! I just wish it would cool down here, too! Haha but November and December are the hottest months here I was told sooo that´s not happening anytime soon! Haha! Well, I bet everyone's preparing for Christmas now! I bought a few things for you guys to send but I don´t think I can get it sent today because of Sister Alvarado leaving and I have to go with another set of sisters until my new companion arrives so I won´t have any free time today but I´ll try and get it sent next p-day and hopefully it´ll arrive before Christmas! I didn´t buy individual gifts, I´m sorry, the things I did buy specifically are only because I ran into them and thought of that person! I promise I wasn´t picking favorites :) 

This week was good! We ended the week with a baptism yesterday!!!!! Padua was baptized! When he came up out of the water he had the biggest smile on my face - it reflected mine! He´s a great guy who really wants to change and has accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ in his life because he knows it´ll help him and bless his life! I know this too! The gospel is true! 

We´re also progressing with this couple, Maria and Laudeberto, who are great! They said they would come to church yesterday - she asked what to wear and everything - but I don´t think they showed up! I say I don´t know because it was stake conference and there were lots of people there! 

With Thiago - we´ve given him some time to breathe but we still stop by every other day and ask if he´s prayed about his baptism (he hasn´t - ugh!). But I know one day he will be baptized and it will be glorious! ("One day I will climb over your wall of anger and it will be glorious!" Quick what movie?? Not sure if the words are correct sorry! haha) I uploaded the pics of the baptism and a few videos with the monkeys!! Now I want videos from yáll!! :) 

Sister Alvarado is leaving me today :((( I´m very sad and a little nervous to be taking over the area with a new companion! I don´t think I´ll be training but I think I´ll be senior companion. It´s very likely that next transfer I´ll be training though haha so that´s not scary at all! Haha no it´s all good. Sometimes during meetings I think, "This is easy, any other American could understand that sentence" or whatever, but then I think, "No some don´t even know the word hello", you know?? I´m understanding so much and it´s such a blessing!! When I still struggle to say something, I think of another way to say it, and the people understand me! 

I´m so blessed to be here and I´m so blessed to be a missionary, a representative of Jesus Christ. I love Him and this gospel and I´m so grateful for the blessings and knowledge it brings into our lives. I know I can live with my amazing family after this life. Death is not the end. There is life after this life, and it can be with God, Jesus Christ, and our families if we choose to follow Him - Our Savior. 

I LOVE YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!!!!!!!!

- Sister Parks