Serving with a Smile : Growing Pains ;)

This week I got reassigned to labor in the St. Louis Missouri mission immediately following my CTM instruction! I've never been to St. Louis but I am STOKED to go see what the Lord has in store for me there!! If any of you have lived there, know relatives or friends there, have cool stories, or have even driven through there feel free to email me about it! This week St Louis has been in the 70-80s with rain every other day and about 60% humidity so that's basically the same climate as São Paulo haha!

This week was CRAZY!!! So many things happen every single day haha but I love it! Don't get me wrong, it's super hard but hey when has anything good ever come easy? This past week my dad shared a quote from Joseph Smith with me that I LOVE that's been inspiring me whenever "A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation" (Joseph Smith Lectures on Faith, lecture 6 verse 7 if you're interested). What a powerful truth!!! If I decided Portuguese was too hard and asked to do something easier, that wouldn't be acting in faith and wouldn't help me become the person I know God wants and needs me to become! I know there's a reason I'm learning Portuguese right now and even if I'm not going to Brazil right now, and even if I don't ever go to Brazil, I know there is a reason I was called there and that I'm learning Portuguese right now! The Lord has a marvelous plan for me and everyone of you, and if you're ever doubting that I encourage you to pray and ask for some guidance or knowledge to help you see His plan a little more!

One of the best things I had the opportunity to do this week was to visit my companion!!! Sister Hassler only lives about 45 minutes away so on Thursday I drove up to her house and we spent the whole day together!!! Let me tell ya, doing zoom classes with another person is SO MUCH MORE entertaining, especially when you are muted and get to laugh so much as we did haha :) her family was so kind to let me stay over and it was so nice to have another person during class and to practice with between classes!

I also got to see a few more of my Brazilian CTM friends when we had a combined class this week! Sister Van Woerkom and Sister Sweat are doing great if you any of you know them ;)

I'm learning so many things about the gospel and Portuguese and how to be a missionary and better disciple of Christ every single day!! I'm so grateful for this gospel and the JOY it brings me even, and especially, when doing hard things like learning a language and how to be a missionary! I encourage all of you to find little things to make you happy this week, like pretty sunsets and listening to someone play the guitar and homemade food! God loves giving up little tender mercies to make every day better :))

I love you and God loves you!!

Sis Mill