Sister Smith: Week 53

Goiania…..I’m home!

Week 53---July 25, 2016

I am literally STOKED to be here in Goiania! Last December I was in the Universitario ward which is right next to Novo Mundo...were I am now! (: The people here are so receptive and I loooove it!! They are so nice and are telling me that my Portuguese is so good!!! (:

Okay, what an adventure this week has been! It has been CRAZY, unlike any other week in the mission. Let me start at last Monday. I received a call in the morning while I was writing my letter to you. I was told that we had to leave that night for Goiania. This trip was for the people that were being transferred and for the leaders of an upcoming meeting. We packed all P-day, and got a last minute call that our bus ride was canceled because there weren’t enough seats on the bus. So, we had to stay a whole other day because the only bus ride to Goiania was at 9 pm Tuesday night. We all stayed the full day, but it was fun and we had a meeting with our zone. So Tuesday night we went to the bus station and I went to get my ticket that the elders in the Mission Office already paid for, and the bus people said, “your name isn’t on the list”... I was like, what? Let me see.... It turns out, the elders mixed me up with Sister A. Smith. I called the elders and told them what happened. We tried to switch my name but it didn’t work... So I got to stay ANOTHER day in Patos while everyone else in the group left... Luckily, the meeting was Thursday morning so I still had time to travel there Wednesday night and arrive at 6am and try to make it to the meeting by 8:30am. Wowee! I was hoping I would be able to stay awake during the meeting, haha!

While I stayed that extra day in Patos, I was working with another sister and her investigator. It was in an area an hour away from our house, (this investigator had a date for baptism and we had to visit her) and at 6:30pm I got a call from the elders saying that I would be leaving at 9:00pm by myself to Goiania. Then, they called back 10 minutes later and said there was another problem….the bus is filled and your going to have to leave in one hour to Uberaba. Elder Sneil and his companion will be waiting for you. Elder Sneil used to be my Zone Leader in Rio Verde. He is from Spanish Fork. The office told me to wait there with the elders and catch the midnight bus to Goiania. What??? I have to leave in an hour, and I’m an hour away from my house? I wanted to take a shower too, ya know? Haha

Only miracles people, miracles! Long story short, we miraculously got a ride from a member. I made it to the bus station on time and finally left Patos. I met Elder Sneil and his companion (I’ve never been alone with elders--it was weird.) We got to Goiania at 5:30 am. I made it to the apartment, showered, and was at the meeting by 8:00 am!!

The meeting was AMAZING to say the least! I felt so honored to be there and to be a part of the meeting. Sister T. and I went into a separate room and talked to Sister Bührer about the Sisters in the mission. We talked about how we can help and be an example. We also talked about going on splits with them, and yeah, we were all crying. It was cool. Then president talked to us and showed some videos that got us all pumped up. It was awesome! After that, we chilled and ate lunch.

So, during this meeting, my sweet companion was sitting out in the waiting area. It was just like me when I started my mission with sister Amaral who was also a training sister. Ha ha flashback!! But my companion was super sick. We gave her medicine, but she didn’t get better. We had to take her to the hospital Saturday because she couldn’t stop coughing and it looked like she had a sinus infection. On Sunday we were only able to attend church and spent the rest of the day at home letting her rest.

But guess what, with only 1 day in the area we had an investigator at church, and he LOVED it!!!!! We are going to visit him today! WOOWT WOOT!! GOLDEN!!

Miracles, only miracles people!!

It was a great busy week!! I’m out of time!!

-SISTER SMITH