Bom Dia!
What a crazy week! I'm sitting in a biblioteca in Oeiras, Portugal right now. This is my first P-day and this keyboard is weird. I love you and miss you all so much.
There is so much to write and tell about. I have been here less than a week and I have already experienced things some people don´t have the opportunity to be a part of during their missions. We had a baptism yesterday! Hahahah. Seriously. His name is Abilio, he is really great. A simple man, with a simple testimony. Now really I just got here but by the time I went to one lesson with him on Friday, It was his 3 time meeting with the missionaries, and we invited him to be baptized on Sunday. He wanted to!! So we went forward, it was great. I was a little apprehensive because I was afraid that maybe he didn't know enough, but I trusted that my training companion (Sister Brinkerhoff) knew better than I did. Now that I saw his baptism yesterday, I´m already starting to realize something that I should have already realized before i got here. That people do not need to know every thing before they take a faithful step and be baptized. If people are reading the Book of Mormon, Praying about it, and feeling good and right about all of it, they are ready.
Let me tell you a tiny bit about my companion. Intense would be an understatement. Hard working would be an even bigger understatement. This sister works. I mean really works. There is not a second in the day that we are not running around. She is super organized, has the memory of an elephant, and as she said today ´´I really don't even want P-day, I would rather just be out there finding people and working...´´ Uh ya....pretty incredible. We are very different. I wanted P-day today hahaha. Also I like to eat lunch and dinner (she would rather work). I think I have lost at least 5 pounds because we will eat and sleep when we are dead. hahahahhaha. I'm actually laughing right now thinking about it because it just goes to show that Heavenly Father really does know what or who we need in our lives. Sister Brinkerhoff is from SLC, Utah. This is her last Transfer, did I mention that? She didn't tell me, but I kind of figured it out and asked her. That means she has 6 weeks left in her mission. She said that we aren´t going to talk about it, and that no one really knows. I canºt really explain her as well as I would like, but although it is super strenuous, I know that I will learn things from her. Her Portuguese is good but I know that it is going to be very difficult to learn the accent and proper portguese in this first transfer. It is so tempting speak English.
We teach people all the time. Ok well sister Brinkerhoff teaches people all the time. I don´t say anything. She has such a way with finding people who are prepared to receive the restored gospel everywhere we go, and then she follows up. She is guided by the spirit. I just follow her for now. We found a man on Saturday that is FROM GEORGIA! He is in the military and is living on the same street as our chapel! It was crazy to talk to him, sister brinkerhoff was having a really hard time talking to him about the gospel in English. He doesn't speak Portuguese! WOO HOO! NEITHER DO I!!!!!! hahaha. We taught him at his door, I helped a little this time by sharing my testimony. We invited him to church, and he came!!!! Sister Brinkerhoff had to translate for him during Church. We have 5 other people that we had invited come to church, it was a miracle.
People really are looking for truth, they just ``know not where to find it``. I am learning everyday about having more faith in that idea. That there are people that have already been prepared. We just need to find them, and teach them the basic principles so that they can feel the truthfulness and realize that it is the only way. It is powerful.
My area is really very nice! We are right next to Lisboa. We are near the beach I think. Well I mean I know we are, but we don't go there and we cant see it from our apartment or the chapel so.... But the weather is top notch! It always like 80 degrees it feels like. It is super humid compared to Utah. We have to hang our clothes to dry today and sister B. said it will take a couple days to dry. My skin feels great and tells me thank you everyday for not being in dry Utah anymore.
We have a couple other people that are investigating the Church, seeking for the truth, receiving our invitations to learn more, it is really wonderful. I need to be more bold, less afraid.
Yesterday at the baptism I was in charge of leading the music. Oh was it a sight to see. I learned how to lead music for the first time in the MTC. But never with a piano playing, and never with people counting on me to keep the tempo, all while singing in PORTUGUESE! It was such a train wreck, the sister playing the piano boasted right before she played that she had taught herself! And with our powers combined, the singing was less than wonderful... I was burning with that awkward feeling and thinking, oh now we are only on verse one.... hahahahhah When I sat down I was relieved and I was glad to be embarrassed, because if I'm not accidentally making a fool of myself all the time, I must not be doing something right. I mean come on, I'm in a country where I don't speak the language, and have no idea about the culture. It is bound to happen. Speaking of another funny thing, we had a man we met on the street come to the chapel to meet us a learn more, when i opened the gate to let him in, my companion was over on the steps not paying attention. When I shook his hand he pulled it up and KISSED MY HAND!!! I was shocked. hahahahha. I bet you can imagine how awkward I would be. I just turned around and walked him over to sister B. She went to shake his hand and in awkward anticipation I waited to see what she would do, as he pulled her hand up to his face she pulled her hand down and explained that we are very formal and don't do that. hahahahahha. I felt like and idiot. I don't even know how to say that! hahahah. Welp. You live and learn. Now I know.
My mission president is really great, so is his wife. She is so sweet and funny and is learning English.
Ok as far as cuisine here how is it? I have eaten PB and J in the chapel everyday.... and cereal. My comp bought me a pastry on my first day. Now I see how rare and special that was for her to take the time to do that. I probably wont eat at any cafe this transfer, she doesn't like to take the time. That's fine with me, I will have plenty of other opportunities in the next year and a half (less now) to eat food.
My apartment is quaint, it reminds me of my apartment with Claire, except different. I really do like it. My area is probably one of the nicer areas I could serve in I´m guessing. The Chapel is pretty new and the surrounding area is pretty well off I think. I don't really know yet. But the ward is a really solid ward. I don´t know how many letters i will get out this week, because we have to clean the apartment a bit and then I need to sleep. Sister B. has a hard time packing it up packing it in at the end of the night because she wants to work work work. I need sleep. I don't think she does. hahahah I make a ton of jokes, but really she is great and inspiring.
I don't know my address but send letters to the office and I will get them sometime!!!!
I´m working hard. I´m happy. The Gospel is True. I love these people, they are really wonderful. Canºt wait to hear from you!
Love you!!!!
Irma McCrery
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