HOME SWEET HOME

Oi Familia!!

So I just finished up an eventful week of coming home! It was a crazy experience! Its really fun to travel for 24 hours straight! Haha actually its not. After a few flight delays and a slap back into reality with lotsa Christmas music in the airports I made it home on wednesday afternoon to my wonderful family. 

I will be eternally grateful for the privilege I had to serve a mission and the experiences that I had. I love the beautiful people of Brasil and will hold them forever in my heart . I met people that  changed who I am and changed what I want to become. Being a missionary is the best thing ever. I have never done anything so incredibly rewarding in my whole life. I love my Savior and during this time I have learned how much happier we are when we "come unto Christ"

My homecoming talk will be on the 24th of December at 12:30, 500 Rosemont El Paso Texas. I would love you see you there! 

love,

Annelise

Wedding

Oi Familia!!!

This week was the long awaited wedding, baptism and confirmation of Raquel, the best investigator that ever was! It was all so beautiful and so spiritual. Blessings come when we follow the Savior! Other good news is  that the Campo Bom Branch is officially leaving the sad blue house/church to the new and improved "Church Space" that  looks like an LDS Chapel from the inside! The first meeting will be this Sunday!!! We're all so excited! 

I vividly remember the day I was set apart as a missionary, on the 2nd of May in 2016. I remember arriving at the CTM and feeling so lost, yet feeling the spirit so strong as I learned a new language. I remember the day I arrived in the field and met my trainer, the day I hit 9 months and most recently the day I hit 18 months. In all this time I never really believed that one day it would all come to a close, that one day I would have to go home. As a missionary I have lived the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and I can testify without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In Preach My Gospel it says "The Lord will reward and richly bless you as you humbly and prayerfully serve Him. More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among His children." I know that this promise is true. There is great joy in serving the children of God, there are many experiences serving as a representative of Jesus Christ, and there are rich blessings in store for those that choose to do so. 

love,

Sister Jolley

 

saint nephi

Alrighty folks 

This was another crazy week!

I have a new companion, Sister Schmidt! From Curitiba! I'm showing her the area and everything these last few weeks of the transfer. She's my fourth companion here in Campo Bom! TÁ LOUCO! 

We had a great week finding and teaching and seeing so many miracles. Campo Bom is an area where there are so many miracles! 

Napolean, remember him? Ele está firme forte na fé! And he took us to visit all his friends IN THE RAIN! People this is just another level of member missionary.

On Friday we had splits with the sisters from Bento! It was really good! We had lunch at Jackie and Sergio's and it was really really good! 

On Saturday Beatriz, Dinás daughter, was interviewed and on Sunday she was baptized!!

This week we'll have the wedding and baptism of Raquel!!! 

I'm so grateful for the time that I have to serve as a missionary and the lives that I have seen the Atonement of Jesus Christ change! Including my own

quote of the week

"If we believed in saints I'd be a fan of Saint Nephi"

Love you guys

Sister Jolley

"honre o nome de cristo com suas ações"

FAMILY HELLOOOOO

THIS WEEK DINÀ WAS BAPTIZED!!! IT WAS AMAZING AND I LOVED ALL OF IT AND WOW. MIRACLES ARE REAL

So I’m almost out of time like always but I'll share a spiritual thought with you guys! So I was studying in Preach My Gospel this week and I found a phrase that I really liked

 "Honor the name of Christ with your actions."

As disciples of Christ we have the duty to be witnesses of him at all times and all places and the way that we do that is through our actions. If we want to truly represent Him we have to do always do what he would do. We all know that God and Jesus Christ love us but how do they know that we love them? Do we show them our love?

I'll probably never send photos again

jk

I don’t know when I’ll send photos because my comp went to Passo Fundo for 2 weeks and she has all the photos and this lan house is horrible so even if she was here I wouldn’t be able to send them. But I believe that in 2 weeks I’ll send photos so everyone hold on to your horses the pictures are coming

Love you guys,

Sister Jolley

18 Months !!!

OI FAMILIA!!!!

I left my planner in the apartment so here it goes

Highlights of the Week

1.We went out on splits for 3 days with one of the Young Women in our branch! It was a blast

2. On Sunday some YW from another ward called and we went on splits with them on....for some reason the sisters from Campo Bom are getting popular!

3. Went into the Catholic church to return the saints that Diná will no longer be using because she'll be getting baptized next Sunday! BLESS UP also we watched part of the Mass and my companion was like freaking out because we really are not supposed to go to Catholic Churches but you've gotta do what you've gotta do

4. We had Mission Leadership Council on Wednesday and I just thanked my lucky stars that it was not my last!

5. Almost bought a shot glass for Grandma Jolley but decided that a representative of Jesus Christ wouldn't buy shot glasses. It's the thought that counts, right Grandma?

6.ON SATURDAY I HIT 18 MONTHS!!! 18 months and counting!!

love you guys!!

Sister Jolley

There can be miracles when you believe

People I don't know if I told you guys about Diná, so I"ll tell you guys today. She's 80, she's smoked her whole life and her family  has been  Catholic for generations. Now Diná doesn't smoke, she ran off the JWs and is way pumped to get baptized. "THERE CAN BE MIRACLES WHEN YOU BELIEVE"

So my sister asked me to tell a funny story this week, so we'll see what I've got.

So on Saturday we got a call from a member in our branch telling us that at the stake center there would be an activity where the Church would  be giving awards to some people and some programs that have helped preserve families and she told us that there would be a group of Scouts from Campo Bom and that she wanted us to go there to  make contact with them and hopefully  meet a few families to teach. So we happily called President and he gave us permission. We worked like crazy all day to visit all the people we had to before 7:00. Then we went to Novo Hamburgo and lemme just tell you how I was looking at this point of the day...I was wearing an orange shirt backwards because the front had a stain, a skirt 4 sizes too big (this is a cute skirt that I found in one of the  missionary apartments and instead of making it smaller I just moved the button over so that one side has more fabric than the other) and I was sporting what I fondly call "os sapatos da guerra" because they're on their second mission and are really comfortable but they're also really ugly and discolored, and low key on their last. Also I didn't have a speck of makeup and my hair was slicked back in a nasty bun.

And suddenly all these really well dressed people showed up and then the MAYOR showed up and there I was looking like I had fallen off the turnip truck AND IN THE END NONE OF THE SCOUTS WANTED TO HEAR OUR MESSAGE. 

Also a  bunch of American missionaries arrived in the mission and  the president was giving training for them and they weren't understanding much so he asked me to explain some stuff in English. So I walked to the front, grabbed the mic, opened my mouth and nothing came out. And then I got all red in the face and said "Presidente, não consigo" PEOPLE I'M A LOST CAUSE. I write  and read English but speaking is really rough. I think this is the first time in my life that I told President "no" I think I'll just stay here for another transfer or two or for the rest of forever. JK 

Have a great week

Love

Sister Jolley

rain rain go away come again NEVER

Oi familia!!! 

By some miracle this week we didn't turn into frogs because with the amount of rain that fell from the sky we were getting close. I don't think I ever spent a week soaking wet like I spent this one! But in the end it's all BLESSINGS. In my prayers I starting thanking God for the rain because hating it wasn't helping anything! 

But this week it also rained blessings and miracles!! One day in the rain our plans had all fallen through and so we said a little prayer and took out our planners and found a contact that we made like 3 weeks ago that we hadn't been able to find at home, so we decided to go there! We got there and she wasn't home AGAIN but her mom was and she let us in and told us that her dream is to be baptized but she just hasn't found the right church to be baptized in! BLESS UP because now she's talking to the right people! 

We had splits with the sisters in Santa Cruz and I passed through my beloved Venancio on the bus! It's crazy to think that it's been more than 1 year ago that I left Venancio! We had splits with Sister Whiting and Sister Freitas! Sister Whiting is from my group! and my whole group will be home in 9 days BUT I WON'T SO BLESS UP Y'ALL! There is nothing better than being a missionary!

We marked a wedding today! November 24th! I'm so excited! Nothing better than planning other people's weddings! and baptisms!

Yesterday we were at the mission office and all the sudden I got signed up the play the violin at a training we're gonna give on Wednesday..I think it's been 4 years since I played...I'll start praying for the gift of music instead of the gift of tongues! 

I'll send more pics next week!

Love you guys

Sister Jolley