So before I forget, I have to answer some of your questions from last week. I would love to get that green book. We only have the big ones here. Also, could you possibly send my flag? I forgot it at home! I think that is all that I forgot though. Or at least that I have realized so far. I haven't had to talk in church yet.. but I am sure that will come soon. We do have a "choir". But all of the missionaries are in it. We sing for every devotional for the president and his wife and whoever is speaking.
So during our physical activity time we can play volleyball. There are only a few courts so you don't get to actually play much though- so usually I just run on the track and work out. But one day this week I was playing with my companions. All of the sudden something flew past my face. I turned to see a huge, gorgeous butterfly! I don't think I have ever seen a butterfly that big or colorful in real life. It was amazing! As I watched this butterfly drift gracefully through the air and pondered the magnificence of God's creations, however, the volleyball game continued on around me. I was brought back to reality by a volleyball spiked directly at my face. Haha, luckily I turned at just the right moment so it just grazed off my shoulder rather than hit me full force in the face. I confessed to my companions afterwards that I had been distracted by a butterfly... I don't think they´ll ever let me live that one down!
I also had proselyting this week! It was absolutely amazing! Before hand, I wasn't nervous at all. My companions were working up a panic over the whole thing. They were worrying over every little thing that could possibly go wrong, and I was nearly doing a happy dance out of excitement! So we left the CTM around 13:30 and headed for a public bus station. We had three copies of the Book of Mormon each- so nine total for my companionship! When we reached the bus stop a few blocks away, our instructor told us we could start handing them out (we aren't supposed to around the CTM). That is when the nervousness hit me. It all of the sudden became very real that I was in a foreign country, about to share the most precious thing in the world with a complete stranger in a language that I barely knew! It was terrifying. But I plucked up my courage and went to talk to a guy with a broken arm. I figured that if he was slightly crippled he would have more trouble beating me up if he didn't like my message (haha, just kidding- he was just the closest person to us) Anyways I started talking to him about how he had broken his arm and got to know him a bit. Then we got on the bus and kept talking. I found out that he was going into International Relations and spoke English along with about five other languages. That was such a temptation! Knowing he spoke English and trying to struggle through in Portuguese! But I stayed strong and didn't use a lick of English! Naturally, the conversation drifted to why I am here in Brazil. I was able to share my testimony with him and give him a Book of Mormon! My first Book of Mormon placed as an official missionary! Woo! By the time we had arrived at our stop we had given out 2 copies already! Then within 45 minutes at the square/park we had given out all 9 and helped the Elders place a few too (apparently everyone wants to talk to three beautiful, very humble ;) American girls!) It was such an amazing experience. The people here are so open to the gospel. They would sit down and start reading the Book of Mormon immediately. Not a single person turned us down! And many even gave us their phone numbers so they could meet with the missionaries! The people here are so ready for the gospel. The Elders even had someone come up and say that they had heard about our church and wanted to buy one of the books- what a miracle! That would never happen in the US. I am so grateful to be here among such a loving, open people. Their faith in Christ is so strong!
The dryers here at the CTM are very finicky. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. We have a set time to use it though, so if it doesn't work then you are out of luck! This week they didn't work at all! So we had to hang up all of our clothes all over in our room. I sent you a picture of that (hopefully it came through). It was pretty great. Haha, we seriously pulled out our suitcases and were draping clothes over everything! It was a bit chaotic, but worked well.
I love you all! Have a wonderful week full of lots of good adventures!
Love,
Sister Maxwell
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