Explosion!

OK first some pictures before I forget... we tried to go to a castle last p-day, we got off on the wrong bus stop and ended up in this great little town called sesimbra. also remember when I left and Daphne looked like that last picture?

Wait...sorry about that last picture. Got the wrong number. That's not Daphne, that's Elder Blair.

Hello!

The subject line has nothing to do with this e-mail, just wanted to get your attention. This week was full of ups and full of downs. Do I say that every week? I feel like I do. The pictures included are from last week´s p-day. We spent the day in a town called sesimbra. It was too charming for it´s own good. If you are wondering if  Irmã Perkins and I are wearing coordinating shirts...we are, because we can do that. Well first things first. Yesterday it was 98 degrees outside and more humid than ever before. We realized that it felt exactly like a sauna, as we walked to and from our appointments. We ended up getting lost in a vast pine field, with lost of back roads in the blistering heat ( I thought we should try a short cut) Turns out it wasn´t a short cut, but also was not a long cut. It took the same amount of time as our normal route, it was just a lot more work. My legs are all scratched up from the stickery bushes we waded through in our skirts....Oh the adventures we have!

Well let me give you the highlights of the week....

Friday morning as we were studying in the morning, I gazed out the window ( As I often do because our neighborhood is always bustling) and saw I Mom and a Dad walking with a stroller. The people looked awfully familiar, as a did a double take I realized who it was a jumped out of my chair. Irmã Perkins later described my facial expression as nothing she had before seen. My face was a mess of emotions included but not limited to: confusion, excitement, joy, and shock. As I pointed out the window I exclaimed.... ´´WILLIAM IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!´´. Do you remember our recent convert William? he read 50 pages in the Book of Mormon the first night he got it? Well he has been gone for over 6 weeks working on the ocean with underwater robots (cool I know), and he finally came back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We didn´t know if he would ever be able to enter the country again because he does not yet have residency here in Portugal. He is from Africa. As we jumped up and down with joy we quickly threw our shoes on and grabbed our missionary tags, and ran outside to the street to track him down. We stopped in the parking lot of the nearby grocery store and talked a bit with him. He was still just as excited about the Book of Mormon, he said he is almost done, and has begun reading the pearl of great price! Well basically it was the best miracle that happened! He is an incredible missionary and will help lots of people learn of the Gospel. Neat!

Also we had Zone conference with 3 zones this last week. It was intense. It was awesome. I got to see the majority of my old companions there, it was a real trip.

Well I sure do love you all and miss you! Don´t forget to wear sunscreen.

Love, Lizzie

P.S. Evan I got your letter. Corinne I got your letters too! All of my other friends, all of you MANY letters must have gotten lost in the mail because I haven´t received them yet.......

Famous Last Words....

One more week has pasted and we are working working working hard. Irmã Perkins and I get along so well. We will be going to China after she gets home from her mission so she can show me around and be my translator. Also did I mention that in her last weeks e-mail her parents casually informed her that they would be spending a week with Elder Holland in India and then the following week with Elder Bednar in Vietnam....  then they all would go back to Hong Kong....where her parents live. Ya, I know. We laugh about it all the time. I tease her all the time about her crazy life, and she is just super humble and laughs about it too. But we get cool inside insights from Elder Holland through her Dad´s e-mails. Neat.

OK so this week was rough, but in the ´´We really worked`` kind of rough. We really worked at finding new people that are ready to accept the Gospel, and really worked at overcoming the natural man (AKA trying not to think about how hungry we were during the day, and refraining from speaking English with each other for 24 hour periods of time....) over all it was a good week. We have two new elders in our ward. It is a real blessing. One is a solid oldy in the mission and he is training a SUPER greenie. This new missionary is great, he was talking up a storm in Portuguese at church, just doing the  best he could for being in the country for three days. It will be awesome to be in the same district and ward as them so that we can fortify this ward enough to open a new branch.

Also important note: We have two extra mattresses now because are all by our selves in our apartment without Irma Lima or Irma Perez..... So we will be building a fort today.

Last night we had a really cool lesson with a family that is progressing and we hope that the Grandmother ,Josefina(88 years old) and Granddaughter, Barbara(30 years old) will be baptized this weekend. They are a Brazilian family and are very warm and welcoming. Last night when we went over there, we planned to teach about the plan of salvation and invite the two of them to be baptized this weekend. As we knocked the door, I looked at Irmã Perkins and said.... ´´Let´s make this brief.´´ she agreed. Let me just say those were some famous last words. We spent almost 3 HOURS there with them!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But in the end the spirit was there and testified of our Heavenly Father´s plan. Barbara´s husband was there and accepted to start reading the book of Mormon! And right when we finally thought we were getting out of there, they insisted that we stay to eat carrot cake and juice (classic Brazilian move, feeding us at every visit) we tried to resist but she gave us the death glare. The cakes was awesome and while we ate they asked us about our missions and if we missed our families, I responded that sometimes we miss our families, but that it´s worth it. I explained how it is worth it to leave our family to help other families. They were really taken aback. But it´s true, you know? 

For now, I´m where I´m suppose to be, doing what I´m suppose to be doing. This is the work of the Lord to proclaim the Gospel so that all may learn that Jesus is the Christ and because of  him we can all return to live with our Heavenly Father and our families forever. All we must do is follow Him, and He has already shown the way.

I really do miss you all and would love to hear from your side of the world....

My address is still:

Rua Salgueiro Alameda
Lote 82 R/C-C
2975-333 Quinta do Conde
Portugal

Love,
Lizzie

P.S. Thank you Emily Mickle for the package!!!!!!!!!!!! Emily Mickle, is your last name different from the last time I saw you? I know you Emily, but how?