December 29, 2014

This isn't exactly the typical blog entry, but since I've been the one in charge of her blog I figured I would add this just to kind of sum up my sister's mission and what's happened since she got back home. 

Although she told us she was feeling better, her health actually got worse and she was sent home (for that reason) at about the same time she hit her year mark in the mission field (September). She received medical attention here stateside, and has almost fully recovered over the last few months. Ali is back to her usual self! Laughing at her own jokes and downing tubs of ice cream all on her own whenever she feels like it. Well, maybe not that much, but you get the point.

I'll always remember the first week she got home. I spent the night with her at our granny's house and right before we went to bed she said our nighttime prayer. We were kneeling side by side and she offered it in Portuguese. I had a huge grin on my face, thinking I had never been prouder of my older sister than at that moment. She had managed to live in Brazil for a year, fight off bugs and dodge flying knives (she'll have to tell you that story!), deal with health problems from a parasite she got, and so much more! But most of all, she grew spiritually SO much! She'll always be my annoying older sister, but I love her tons!

-Lily

August 20, 2014

Life just gets better and better!

So you know, as an 18 year old opening her mission call and seeing Brasil....the first thing you think is mountain and waterfalls and green things and monkeys. 

Yesterday I experienced it all 10 fold. I visited Tiangua on exchanges with some other sisters. Tiangua is in the Ceara state, and is up in the mountains. IT IS GORGEOUS. We had to leave yesterday at 5 o'clock in the morning to make it back to our area for a zone meeting. Oh my gracious, it's cold, cold, cold there. It felt like Tenessee when we went on family vacation there. But in reality....it was only about 80 degrees. I slept with two blankets and socks and a jacket. And still froze to death. I dont know HOW im supposed to go back to Utah. Brasil has ruined me.

Well as we were making the drive down the mountain, I cannot even explain to you the beauty of what I saw. We came around the bend in the mountain and the sun was rising and broke through from behind the mountain. It was absolutely gorgeous.

Have you ever just had that feeling in your chest thats just trying to burst through with happiness? I have never been so happy in my life. I don't even know why I feel so good. In all honesty, I'm so tired. I've never worked so hard in my life. but it is the MOST AMAZING feeling to be so tired. I know we are working hard. We are focusing the most of our attention on the other sisters because they are really having some personal struggles- but it's amazing the improvements we are seeing in just the last few weeks. It's funny how the Lord is always giving us opportunities to change and improve. I've improved and changed a lot about my personality since the beginning of my mission. One thing I've always kinda noticed is that I compare myself to others. I've never liked that habit. And in the mission field, we all do it a lot. Many times at the end of a hard week I'd look at other missionaries and think.. dang it they had more lessons than us. And I've been looking for a way to stop worrying about that and just work on myself and my companion and our area. And the Lord really answers prayers. With my new assignment as Sister Leader it is my responsibilty to help the other sisters do their very best, work their hardest, improve in their weaknesses. I remember the talk about the Olympic champion who said, "I work hard, I want to do my best... but I want my fellow competitors to do their best also." So with my new assignment, it brings me joy to see others doing well.

We had interviews with President last week. He's really happy with me. Said he's glad to see I'm doing well in Sobral. Most likely I could end up finishing my mission here...because it's already my 5th area. Each transfer I've had a change of either companion or area. I'm on my 9th companion in the field. 

 Oh by the way, my release date is February 16th. How cool is that? Great way to celebrate dad's birthday! 

Speaking of Birthdays and stuff... though not really. I'm about to celebrate my one year mark! And then it's all down hill from there. Time is passing fast. I can't believe how far I've come and so much I've experienced and so much I've changed.

I love my mission. I's been the best year of my life. My mission saved my life. Thank goodness its not over yet. 

Love you!

Sister Wainwright

August 13, 2014

Life is still absolutely wonderful.

My area is amazing. It's so much like Provo. The mountains are beautiful and it's really windy most of the time. It's still really hot, but its like being at the beach. Really quite a blessing to be here because BROBRO will start this next month.... meaning September, October, November, December...The hottest months of the year in the Northeast of Brasil. And I'm in the cool area of the mission! Whoo hoo!

So now as a leader, I have to deal with issues. I've been used to seeing issues and being annoyed by issues, but now I have the task of resolving them. Man. I've never been so tired. We lose many nights of sleep planning and counseling and doing what we can so that the sisters in the mission don't kill each other, focus on their work, and have results. Right now we are dealing with a situation of a sister having a personal cell phone- what makes it worse is she received the phone from another sister, a leader, and this phone has been passed around for the last few months between sisters. When will they learn? I personally have learned that it doesnt matter where you go... in every corner of the world people do stupid things because they do not think about the consequences that may follow. 

Monday was just about one of the best days of my mission. We went on splits with another companionship. I went with Sister Canada. She's just about my favorite sister. She was living with me 2 transfers ago when I went to the hospital, and as you remember that of 5 sisters, she was the only one who stayed with me in the hospital and helped me. Well it was a great day with her Monday because I was able to see the growth she has made in just a few short months. She has really improved in her teaching capability. Her Portuguese is wonderful now and she is ready to train. Tomorrow we leaders have interviews with President and he asks about every sister and if they have the capability to lead or train and I will definitely be passing onto him that sister Canada's time has arrived.

We have already had a few baptisms since I arrived- all new people that we've found with the help of members. It's really amazing to see that the Lord has prepared His people.  

The ward here in Sobral is really amazing. The members really do missionary work. We are constantly having members making visits with us or taking us to meet their friends.

Today I will buy a mosquito net. I have lost at least 3 nights of sleep, doing nothing all night but slapping myself silly and grumbling in frustration at the mosquitoes. I pray. I literally pray every night, Heavenly Father please don't let the bed bugs get me tonight. Sometimes he hears that prayer, other times hes a little slow to respond..... and sleeping under the blanket doesn't help either. They find a way in.

The time is going by so fast. This transfer is already halfway done. My companion feels like she's going to be transferred. This next one will be her last and she feels like she's going to Sao Luis. I think she'll be transferred as well. She's great. We get along well and have never fought or even argued about anything. It's a wonderful, wonderful relief to have a companion that works with you and not against you. 

September 17th an area 70 is coming to visit the mission!!

Still waiting on handwritten letters of course.

Missao Brasil Teresina

A/C Sister Ali Wainwright

Caixa Postal 2321

Teresina Piaui Brasil

64001-973

Love ya!

Sister Wainwright

August 6. 2014

Where to begin??

I am so happy! My companion is great, my area is AMAZING, my call is fantastic. I haven't been this happy in a while. We are working SO much. I've gone a solid week without having a single problem with my stomach. That is a HUMONGOUS blessing. We have a baptism, possibly two, this Saturday. The work is really moving forward. My area of Sobral has me constantly feeling like I'm in Utah. It made me a little tiny bit homesick for Provo. The mountains here are gorgeous! The area is much cleaner, and a little bit richer than Teresina. The accent of the people is incredibly different. 

I've entered a part of the missionary world that is just stinking awesome. I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to serve more. I spoke with President last week. He said...there just wasn't a way to NOT call you. You excite the other sisters with the work that you do. I'm sending you to Sobral because I know that that's what Heavenly Father wants- you are the only sister going to that zone, because that's exactly where he wants and needs you. I also talked to the assistant, Elder Olivera. He said they were helping President do the transfers and President was looking at my photo, started smiling and let out a little laugh, and then put my photo in the Sobral Zone. The Elders both looked at President and said...are you sure? There are no hospitals anywhere near her. And President said... she's not going to have so much as a cold for the rest of her mission. She's going to be just fine. At the beginning of my mission, my relationship with President was extremely rocky. But just as the mission changes the missionary, the mission changes the mission President. He has grown, as have I also. I trust in him and in his council and know that he is a man inspired and called of God. 

Yesterday was one of the best days of my mission. It was zone conference and my companion and I gave the training. I was nervous because it was asked to be 90 minutes long... I was like... how on earth am I supposed to do that. And President didn't inform us until Monday afternoon so we only had Monday night to prepare. 

I taught about the Spirit. About how we are always pushing for teaching by the Spirit, and we forget about being guided by the Spirit TO the people that the Lord has prepared and that are waiting to be taught in the first place. I learned so much in my own training. It was just awesome. 

Well I'm out of time, again. But I sure do love you guys. 

Love you guys. Stay strong!

Sister Wainwright

July 30, 2014

Hello Family!

Well....  I have been transferred!  I'm going to a city called Sobral. I have been called as Leading Sister Trainer. I THINK thats what the name is in English. This is such an exciting opportunity for me. President told me a few weeks ago...Sister Wainwright you need to be healthy for this next transfer. He let me know ahead of time there would be changes. It means that not only was he inspired to send me there, but also that he's been prompted that my health will hold up. I know you've heard that my health hasn't been too good, but I'm doing much better. Some days are harder than others. But there is no need to worry about me. I'm taking good care of myself.

My 3 weeks with Sister Morse were really great. Very refreshing. I'm kinda sad our time is already up. But my new companion, Sister Ramos, is amazing. She's Bolivian, and we have been great friends throughout our missions. She has a little bit more time than me- She's going home in December. I'm excited to be her companion. She and I are together Leading Sister Trainers of the mission. It's going to be a lot of work. We do the same thing as Zone Leaders, but only for the sisters. Each week we will have meetings and divisions with the other sisters. We work with qualifiying- to help the other sisters receive their Professor Certifications in Gospel Doctrine. I don't know if you guys have already heard of this or if this is knew to Missionary Work. 

Tomorrow we have a meeting with all of the leaders of the mission and with President. Tonight I'll be sleeping in President and Sisters' house because until tomorrow I'm temporarily without a companion. You know what that means.... Air Conditioning for the first time in a year!!! Whoo hoo!!!

Several of my great friends went home this week, finishing their missions. Elder Pennington, Elder Johnson, and Elder Hatch. It's crazy that I'm about to hit my year mark. I hardly believe it. All of my friends are heading home these next two transfers. February is coming so fast! I have to decide this transfer if I will extend. Not sure what I prefer to do. Because if I extend I will have to go straight back to BYU to make it in time for the semester. If I go home in February I'll have a few weeks to visit with you guys first, find a house in Provo, get a job... I think it'll be better to just come home when my 18 months are up. But who knows, we will see. 

I have so much more to tell you guys but as always just dont have much time.

Love ya!

Sister Wainwright

July 23, 2014

Well,

Life is still plugging along in Teresina. The work goes forward, the tarantulas attack..... did I tell you about that one? I was cleaning the baptismal font and walked into the bathroom, lifted up my shirt to wipe the sweat off my face and BOOOOOMMMM humongous tarantula was ON MY STOMACH!! No idea how he snuck in there!!!!! 

Let's see whats happened this week.

My companion is awesome. For the first time in my mission sometimes I don't go to bed on time because we get to talking about everything and swap stories and all that good stuff.

Know that things are good here and Sister Morse is doing great and my health is....decent. 

We have a transfer this next week. I'm a little queasy. I feel like...things are so good right now...when's the shoe gonna drop? President will have to open 3 new areas to sisters because 6 are coming in and none are leaving. So he will need 6 trainers and 3 new areas. As I am always training and have opened 3 areas already..........I'm nervous he's going to pull me out of Parnaiba. If that were to happen, I don't have doubts that Sister Morse would train as well. She is doing wonderfully. Really blossoming. Her Portuguese has really improved in just the last 2 weeks and its a blessing to have her as a companion. Being as I have already learned in the mission that the Lord likes us to have difficulties so that we grow faster....... who knows!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO EMI

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO UUUSSSSSS

WE'RE THE BEST OF THE BUNCH

My birthday was wonderful. I received a ton of phone calls from members and friends and investigators...some I had no idea how they got my number. But I even got presents! Tatiani gave me shoes, Isabelli gave me a necklace. Sister Silva gave me a key chain....don't know why. Orlando gave me earrings. And here's the best one...Valeria gave me beans! Best present in the world!

And you'll never believe this.... I ate cake. Chocolate cake. With no gluten. No lactose. No saturated fats. It was made from soybeans. It was.....it was tasty. I think I'll stick with fruits though. Hahaaa!

Now for a spiritual thought.

I was studying in Nephi and I got to thinking....why is so much time spent, literally chapters and books, describing Nephi's trips and missions and teachings... his trek into the wilderness, his return to Jerusalem, his getting the plates.... And then uses maybe a verse or two to say he got married and has kids? I don't think it was because his marriage was of little significance, but that his mission was of such importance. The Lord wanted to make a better Nephi. Mend him and change him, turn him into the man he needed to be to then get married and have kids. 

All of my life I've had my parents' mission stories to guide me. I have seen the effects of their missions. That not one day goes by that they don't remember their missions. That every good thing that has happened in their lives, is because of their missions. I am convinced that my mission is not specifically intended for me to be the best baptizer of them all. But to mend me, bend me, even break me down...until I become the woman God intends for me to be. The wife my husband will need. The Mother my children will need. I am so grateful for my mission. Especially for the difficulties and the challenges that I face. Because it's during the trials that I grow. And I come face to face with who I am, and am forced to climb a little bit higher.

Until next week! Love you all, Sister Wainwright

                                            

July 16, 2014

Annnndddddd.....

We are being flooded with baptisms. This is the first time in my mission that we have been baptizing each week without stop. It's been over a month now of people flocking to the font. It's a rather nice breather I would say. 

I feel as if Heavenly Father is sending this success to remind us that after the tribulation and patience come the blessings and success. We like it!

We have another transfer in just 2 weeks. Ill probably keep on keepin' on with Sister Morse because we got together on a mini transfer. She's really great. It is SO DIFFERENT to have an American companion for the first time. I'm having to teach her the fundamentals of living in Brasil. How to cook, do laundry, not get hit by cars, to experiment all the fruits and vegetables..

I had an experience with a woman named Joelma. We start teaching her. And look, she's never been taught by other missionaries or went to church before. But we start teaching and everything just starts clicking.... you can literally see that light in her eyes with the excitement of what we were teaching. She's getting baptized next week. 

The Lord really does prepare people. When we live in a way to be worthy of the guidance and promptings of His Spirit, we really will begin to see miracles happening as we are obedient and follow him. Something we must understand is that missionary work is not about baptizing anyone left and right but looking for those that will actually inherit the Celestial Kingdom. We are all in a sorting process in this life. Our actions will define our eternity. 

I have a million more things to tell you but I am out of time. 

Love you all,

  Sister Wainwright 

July 9, 2014

Why we shouldn't wait for the rainbow to thank God for the rain:

As you all know, the last thing my mission has been is cake and ice cream and sunny days. (Actually everyday is blisteringly sunny....but you get the picture). I have had everything that could possibly go wrong, go wrong. It has seemed that every single side that I turn I'm getting metaphorically...and even a little literally beat up by the adversary. From parasites to irritable bowel syndrome to kidney cysts to assaults to mission wide gossip..... anything that could go wrong, has. 

And yet I can tell you that every single day of it, I have been grateful for. I have loved each day of my mission. Some days a little more than others, but even still, I have loved each day. I can even say that I love the hard days more than I love the easy days. Because on the hard days I am tested, and I come face to face with who I am, and am able to overcome an obstacle and by the end of the day, improve, and become a little more who it is Heavenly Father wants me to be.

There have been a few times during the last few months that I have asked...why on earth is this so hard? I looked at other missionaries and compared myself. Only to the point of asking...why are they sliding by? They don't have to fight with their health to stay here. They dont have things going wrong for them. Why is the Lord allowing me to have such a hard time? I say allowing...because what I have learned is that BEFORE something difficult takes place in our lives, the Lord ALWAYS prepares a way for us to conquer that trial. 1 nephi 3:7. More than just that.... it means that he KNOWS we are ready for that trail. For that opportunity to grow. And it IS indeed an opportunity. It is a privelege to pass through difficulties. It is only through the difficulties that we can grow. We don't change, or improve, when everything is going easy.

I encourage you all to read ´Grateful in any Circumstance´ by Dieter F Uchtdorf, from this last general conference. This talk sticks with me, and I read it often. I love something he says.... In our Heavenly Fathers plan for us, there are no real endings. Only everlasting beginnings. 

Life is meant to prepare us for NEW beginnings that will always come. 

All of that being said....

I am happy to announce that this world is indeed small. I am training Sister Morse. She is my rainbow after the last month of floods! Her portuguese is already very good, and she is an absolute angel. When I found out I would be training her, I cried with a mixture of joy and with relief. I had been praying for about a week solid that the Lord would let us be companions. And he answered my prayer. The most miraculous thing that happens is when the Lord answers our prayers. He always answers our prayers, in actuality. We just have to look harder for the answers sometimes more than others.

With that being said. The work is moving on marvelously. We had two baptisms this past week, and one the week before.

I know that if we stay faithful, the Lord is ALWAYS, ALWAYS, by our side. He loves us dearly. We must turn to him in our weaknesses, in our trials, and humbly seek his help..but we must be careful to not only thank him for the rainbow at the end of the rain....enjoy the journey of life. Don't just endure it!

I love you all and have a great week!

Sister Wainwright