It Fell From the Sky

Hey Y'alllllll!!!! 

This week 3 things fell from the sky- rain, hail, AND A BAPTISM. STRAIGHT UP MIRACLE OF THE TRANSFER Y'ALL. SO THIS WEEK WAS FANFLIPPENTASTIC BECAUSE GUESS WHAT I HAD MY VERY FIRST BAPTISM!! BLESS UP Y'ALL.

Baptism in sign language

His name is Dorivaldo and he's this little old guy that we tracted into- we taught him the first time at this gate and we didn't think we would ever return cuz he didn't seem to have any sort of potential. But, turns out he did- he went to church that week and homeboy quit his cigarettes and wowe conversion really is a miracle- also funny story about the his baptism--so he was baptized by a guy that just was baptized about a month ago so he wasn't really sure what was going on, and Dorivaldo was a little lost, and lo and behold this little old grandpa had to be dunked 3 TIMES GUYS. Oh it was so hilarious. There I was trying to feel the spirit at my very first baptism but really it was a struggle enough to keep a straight face, not gonna lie my comp lost it. OH MAN IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER. My comp and I also sang a special musical number but she lost her voice this week so the special musical number was a little extra special. Everyone there teared up though so at least we had that going for us.

As for the other things that fell from the sky- hail y'all and it rained so much we were pretty much swimming in the streets- but it doesn't matter cuz Dorivaldo went swimming in the waters of baptism. 

My district

Also I had a bit of an encounter with the word of wisdom this week. So we ate lunch at a restaurant one day this week and all four of us sisters were pumped. There was tons of food and man it was the best. But then came dessert, and I went and got mine and they had the tiniest little dishes there, like the size of your palm, but I wasn't gonna let that stop me so I got like 7 different types of desserts in this little dish and went back to my seat and started eating and it all tasted sorta funny but not gonna lie a lot of the time things here taste a little different and I had like 7 different things all mixed together  so I wasnt too worried. But then this went down

Comp -"Sister Jolley that has wine"

Me -"Oh really, how cool" *continues to eat*

Comp -"Sister, no it has wine"

Me - "Yeah, this tastes good" *continues to eat*

Comp  - "ALCOHOL SISTER"

Me - "Alcohol? This is dessert Sister Portilho, not a drink" *continues to eat*

Comp -"No Sister, it's made with alcohol"

LOST IN TRANSLATION EVERYDAY Y'ALL

Well, turns out part of the desert I picked had sauce that is actually sweet wine and it's not like cooked out or anything so yeah- anyway I learned the word for wine. But the best part is for the rest of the day my comp kept asking me if I felt drunk- oh man it was hilarious.

Well that's all I got today- the work continues to move forward here in Venâncio Aires, and I love being a missionary. It's an amazing feeling to testify of Christ everyday and feel His love for others.

Love you guys,

Sister Jolley

POPCORN AND A MOVIE

YOOOO FAM HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING

I can't believe that is p day again already! This week was great and sooo fast. ALSO THIS WEEK WAS BEYOND RAINY- NEARLY DROWNED Y'ALL. Swimming is against the rules of the mission so I may just have to ask the President to let me stay in for the next 2 months cuz I don't wanna break any rules, ya know? haha jokes but on the reals the rain is rough cuz everyone thinks we're crazy to walk in the street and no one wants to stop and talk in the rain. Oh well- more blessings for us, right? At least that's what I tell myself.

BUT THIS WEEK I HAD A FIRST- the classic missionary food experience happened to me- our investigator gave us some food to try. I think it was fried fat. Ohh it was the worst, the worst. Fed that thing to his dog as soon as I could. ALSO this week I contacted a pastor- lolz he wasn't too interested in my message- can't imagine why.

OH AND GUESS WHAT Y'ALL- last week at our District Meeting our zone leader was talking to us and we were all in the chapel and there were actually a bunch of districts there (okay so actually 2 but imagine a lot of people for the sake of my story) and all the sudden the elder was like Sister Jolley come up here (to the pulpit) and give a talk on Moroni 7. AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE but it wasn't. So I walked up there and gave a talk on Moroni 7. Give it a read- 10/10 would recommend. 

SAD PART OF THE WEEK-so practically all of our investigators dropped us this week- WOWE IM DONE- But, we do have one that I think will be baptized if homeboy can keep the cigarettes on hold. 

HAPPY PART OF THE WEEK- this family we've been teaching told us that we were angels sent to teach them about Christ- BLESS UP- Legit this was the probs the best thing that has happened so far in the mish. It made me so happy to know that our messages make a real difference in the lives of others.

SCARY PART- My trainer had me lead the lessons this week- and it was a tad rough cuz usually I just share my part of the lesson with the people, and let my trainer be in charge- but this week it was me. She said I did a really good job so there's that.

Quote of the week

Sister F. Oliveira: Sister, I just recieved some personal revelation

Me: what

Oliveira: I gotta call president right now and tell him

Me: why

Oliveira: If I'm gonna be the healthy missionary I need to be, I need to wake up a at 8 instead of 6:30

Me: ahhh I think I just recieved the same revelation

LOLZ

As for the subject of this email- this week I learned that you can make popcorn without a popcorn maker! Who would've thought? and as for the movie, check out District 1 and 2,10/10 would recommend

love y'all

Sister Jolley

PS if y'all feel like your prayers aren't being answered try praying at 4 am. A guy we tracted into told us that at 4 am God isn't busy so he can grant your requests. I didn't have the heart to explain to him about the reality of time zones here on earth--haha the people here are a hoot.

MURICA

YOOOO FAM WATS UP HAPPY 4TH FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD Y'ALLLLLLL

This week flew by just like they always seem to --today marks 2 months in the mission and I honestly don't believe it. As for the Portuguese 2 months later I'm doing pretty good with it, I understand almost everything but my problem is it's really hard for me to understand old people and probably 60% of the people we teach are old people. So,I'm lowkey still lost during the lessons and it doesn't help that old people lovvvveeee to ramble on and lemme tell ya these old folks can ramble--one day i'll get it, y'all, one day

Also in other news, when I arrived here in Venancio Aires and took my first shower it was killer cold- oh man it was cold- but I just thought "well if this is it then I'm ready to take on cold showers for 18 months" and I took a absolutely freeeezing shower everyday until this last week when my comp left the bathroom and I saw steam and I thought there is no way I've been suffering for 2 weeks when you actually can have hot showers!?!?!?!?? Anyway my comp gave me a tutorial and life is much better now to say the least--BLESS UP FAM HOT SHOWERS FOR DAYSSSS

Also when I arrived at the CTM I somehow got stuck with the top bunk- I'm not sure how but it happened and I just thought "well the field will be better," cuz not gonna lie, the top bunk lost its charm probs 10 years ago. But I'm here to tell you that somehow I ended up on the top bunk again. So if y'all ever wake up on the wrong side of the bed, just be glad you don't have to climb down a ladder before your feet hit the floor. 

THIS WEEK I FELT FAMOUS THOUGH so we tracted into this family and taught their daughter (she's 12) the Restoration and after I spoke she stopped me and said "I've never talked with an American before" and then after the lesson was over she asked FOR A PICTURE WITH ME!! GET READY Y'ALL I'LL BE SELLING MY AUTOGRAPH SOON--BE GLAD YA KNEW ME BEFORE I WAS FAMOUS (and if you want me to remember you when I'm rich and famous, write me next week? kk thanks) 

This week I learned a lot about agency cuz todo mundo flaked and our investigators decided church wasn't such a fun idea after all--we'll get them next week, right??

Also this week my testimony of families grew soooo muchh. We taught this woman and her husband about the Plan of Salvation and the reality of eternal families- todo mundo cried- the Spirit was so strong, I love them so much and I hope they continue to progress and get baptized!!! Anyways shout out to my fam for being great. love y'all. 

Fun fact about Brasil-

They have scales to weigh yourself in public places and it's totally normal to do it-- my brasilian comp does it at least once a week- not gonna lie, I'm not ready for that sorta public display of my weight- maybe next transfer?? lolz

Quote of the week

Sister Nelson "is it easier to understand my Portuguese now?"

Sister F. Oliveira "sorry I didn't understand"

LOLLLLZZZ TODO MUNDO LOST IN TRANSLATION EVERYDAY

Quote of the week part 2

Sister Portilho "Sister, I think you've gained weight"

Me *blank stare* "really?"

Sister Portilho "really"

so instead of pics from the waist up it might just be shoulders and up--also another reason Im not aboutta weigh myself in public-- haha life moves on amiright?

love y'all

Sister Jolley

Chimarrão -- shim-ma-how

HEY FAM!!!!!

This week has been great--way better than last week. Mostly because we are way less lost now- BLESS UP!! My comp and I have found some people that are ready for the gospel, knocking doors has led to something! But they need to get married first so I'm aboutta become a part time wedding planner! We have a ton of new investigators (@ door knocking) and we walk allllllllll day long. No joke. My calves are aboutta be fantab. 

The weather here was way cold last week but today it's warmed up a bit so I'm not exactly sure what's going on...It hasn't rained yet during proselitismo BLESS UP  but I was talking to some branch members and they said it rains all of August so I'll enjoy the dry life while I can. 

Fun facts about Venâncio Aires

1. There are fruit trees everywhere--mostly clementines--and it's the best thing ever 

2. There are these people that ride motorcycles with huge speakers on the back blasting advertisements--I'm not sure what for, but I'll figure it out by the time I leave lolz

3. There are tons of dogs--more than I've ever seen and they wander the streets in huge packs (10-15) but they're all relatively small dogs and their barks are low key the most annoying thing on the planet. 

4. Venâncio Aires is like the capital of chimarrão. Chimarrão is this herbal tea that you drink out of a special cup and special straw and you pass it around in a circle and todo mundo drinks it. It actually tastes like liquefied hay but it's growing on me--probs cuz I drink it at least once a day. When in Rome do as the Romans do, amiright?

Other fun facts

1. Somehow I became the cook in the family (we live with another companionship) so I get to work miracles with the food-- usually I just make spaghetti not gonna lie.

2. The floor of our apartment broke (It wasnt me lolz) but my desk is right over it so I spend my study time trying not to die. 

Lost in translation-

One lesson this week both compansionships taught and Sister F Oliveira gave her part and Sister Portilho gave her part and ended right at faith so I talked about repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end...welll poor Sister Nelson was lost and only understood the part I gave and thought we were teaching the Plan of Salvation when we were actually teaching the the Gospel of Jesus Christ and ended the lesson talking about the spirit world. I THOUGHT IT WAS HILARIOUS BUT NO ONE ELSE DID. LOLZ LOLZ WE'RE ALL LOST IN TRANSLATION EVERYDAY. 

And if anyone out there is wondering how the sister missionary fashion is going for me...well my first week here I wore 3 different colors of tan and 4 shades of black all in one outfit. I'm blaming it on the cold. But if you start getting pics of me only waist up y'all will know why lolz

Sister Jolley

A note from Sister Jolley's companion-
ola irma tudo bem? eu me chamo sister portilho com muito prazer estou treinando sua filha, parabens ela é muito boa e dedicada, fala portugues muito bem ja e juntas estamos tendo um grande aprendizado, ela é muito esforçada admiro muito ela.
Sister Portilho

always lost

HEY Y'ALL!!! 

I MADE IT TO PORTO ALEGRE AND I'M IN MY FIRST AREA!!

I left the MTC on Tuesday morning and arrived in Porto Alegre, stayed there for 2 nights and came to my very first area, Venancia Aires, on Thursday morning! My trainer's name is Sister Portilho and she is so sweet. She's been out for 7 months and I'm the first person she's trained, which is way cool. There are 2 companionships here in Venancia Aires, and we share an apartment. ALSO WE ARE OPENING THIS AREA WHICH IS WAY COOL!!! But let me tell ya when we arrived at our apartment the place was hardly fit to live in, so we cleaned and cleaned all of the apartment for a whole day, it was the worst. But now it's better and we have been knocking doors for 3 days now and have a bunch of new investigators.

BUT since we're opening the area, my comp hasn't a clue where anything is and neither do I, so we went and bought a map, brought it back home, and starting planning and 3 minutes in my comp said--I don't know how to read maps, sorry. You're gonna have to be the captain-- And all of the sudden I was taken back to that lesson I had in 2nd grade geography about how to read maps--shame I didn't pay more attention really cuz WE ARE LOST ALL THE TIME--NO JOKE Lowkey stressful and it doesn't help that half the streets don't have signs but it's all an adventure, right? 

The Portuguese is coming along as quickly as I think it possibly could...I understand almost everything and can get my point across. But my comp has a really really thick northern accent and it makes it hard to understand sometimes, but it just makes for funner times right?? haha that's what I tell myself at least--somethings will just always get lost in translation no matter how hard I try, haha

FUNNY STORY

We knocked on a door and this guy let us in--this was abbouttta be my very first real lesson.

So we introduced ourselves and sat in his front yard and my comp started teaching the restoration and lemme tell ya that accent of her's gets me sometimes and she was speaking soooo fast so I kinda lost track of the conversation and then this guy's cats started having a fight in his front yard, which was way more interesting than the garbled Portuguese. Anyway, all the sudden it got quiet and I realized that my comp had asked me to share something, but I hadn't a clue what I was supposed to share so I just bore my testimony real quick and hoped for the best--I feel like what I said wasn't exactly what my comp was hoping for cuz for the next 3 people we taught she didn't invite me to share any thoughts--LOST IN TRANSLATION EVERYDAY

Line of the week

*after we found out how much money we get for food*

One of the trainers said: 

Sister listen, we dont have food

other trainer: but we can buy food

other trainer: Yeah but we never have money

WELCOME TO THE POOR LIFE Y'ALL

love you guys,

Sister Jolley

3 DAYS TIL THE END

 HEYYYYY FAM

I LEAVE FOR THE REAL DEAL, THE FIELD IN 3 DAYS!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited but also lowkey nervous cuz English is about to be a far off dream, haha I'll make it...I hope. But the actual scary part is after we arrive at the Mission home and get our area assignment we HAVE TO RIDE A BUS ALONE THERE. So if you don't hear from me ever again it's cuz I got lost in Brazil...

But on the bright side we had 3 general authorities come to the CTM, Elder Tad R Callister, President Holmes and Elder Mazzagardi . It was way cool and I led the music during the devotional we had with Elder Tad R Callister and it actually went alright! Haha I was way worried about it. But the actual exciting thing was when Elder Mazzagardi spoke, he spoke in Port. and I didn't use headphones for translation and I took notes in Port. MIRACLES GUYS STRAIGHT MIRACLES. 

Also we went proselyting and it was soooo much fun!! All the people laughed at our accents, and a lot of people told us we sounded German, haha. I also denied 3 different guys hugs (my first iron hand experience lolz) and another guy kissed my hand cuz he couldn't kiss my cheek!! LOLZ I WAS DYING

On P Day Sao Paulo graced us with a downpour as we were walking na rua and within 10 mins it looked like I'd stepped out of the shower...JOY...maybe next time I'll take my shampoo and just have a quick shower JOKING but for real I was so wet. No joke.

Being a missionary is so amazing, I love testifying of Christ (and I can't wait to do it in the field every day), and it's such a humbling experience to wear His name every single day. I have learned so much in just 6 weeks here.

love you guys,

Sister Jolley

ONE MONTH DOWN

Hey Yall!!!

The weeks are going by so fast now, I can't believe I've been here for one whole month! I also can't believe that my whole life has been confined to one building for one month, the MTC is high key starting to feel like a prison. 

Last P Day we went out in the rua (pronounced whoo-a, probably my favorite word) and got some açai with our instructors-- the açai here is the bomb. com and I'm in love. It was way more fun to go out in the rua with people who actually know what's going on, because our district is usually just low key lost at all times-- good times. Speaking of our district, a bunch of Americans left last week so our Branch, Zone and District consist of the same 6 people, and we're all sisters. It's pretty much the best cuz elders are beyond annoying- not sure why, but they sure are.

I have splits (where I work with a different companion) three times a week for a few hours and I have a Brazilian comp-- she's the best! She's from Uruguay but speaks Portuguese teaches sooooo well. When I taught I informed our investigator that good people go to spirit prison and bad people to spirit paradise...whoops...Lost in translation everyday. I figured it out though (probably because our investigator laughed) and tried to fix it, oh well.

When my comp and I were teaching Lucia, (our other investigator) we tried to read the ten commandments but we forgot to mark the verses in our Portuguese bibles. I accidentally had my comp read Exodus 20:18 out loud-- go give it a read, it's pretty funny. Our poor investigator (who is actually our instructor) tried to keep a straight face, but it was a lost cause.

ALSO I'M PUMPED BECAUSE TOMORROW TAD R. CALLISTER ( a leader in the church) IS COMING TO THE MTC, and I'm leading the music, which is not usually a problem, but the hymns are in Portuguese and it gets a little rough sometimes.

I love being a missionary. It's such a humbling experience to wear Christ's name every single day. I'm learning so much and I see miracles in my progress as a person and with Portuguese every single day. 

Phrase of the week:

We're basically nuns with a expiration date

Some Brazilians tried to learn hymns in English and this was the result:

"I will go, I will do the things the Lord condemns" 

sung quite loudly in the halls

(it's supposed to be "the things the Lord commands") 

HAHAHA I bet they all laugh at us all the time too

Love ya,

Sister Jolley

p.s.

We have been asked to speak in just Portuguese now and I spend most of the day trying to translate my thoughts in my head. Pretty much a recipe for a constant headache...hahaha oh well