OLA

Oh my gosh first week here!!! I LOVE IT!!! It is so wonderful being a missionary let me just say. It´s really crazy though cuz it seems like in Provo they stress more teaching the gospel and say "The language will come" whereas here its the exact opposite!! For example On Friday we're already going out and street contacting and placing Books of Mormon!!! Good thing we can barely speak Portuguese!!! I mean we think we´re pretty good and a big deal until we practice on the Brazillian missionaries and we cant understand a word they say!! haha!! It will be great for sure though! I´m nervous but also way excited!!! Super good practice. Speaking of not speaking the language....Sis Prz and I have two roommates who are both Brazillian! They do not speak a word of English so its SO good for us to practice!!! They are awesome. Our communication involves a lot of sign language and noise making but eventually we can get our points across!! lol! The first time we met them, one of them asked if we liked Lady Gaga!! hahaha. That night we asked if she wanted to pray in English and she said she couldn't! The only thing shed be able to say is "Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day.....we thank you for...Lady Gaga..." HAHAHA!!!!! She absolutely cracks us up!!! They are great. Ok what else?? Oh I wish I had more time!!! Logan Steeles brother is in my district. Yeah. Awkward. He looks like his twin. And of course whenever anyone asks where we're from we both say Spokane and they say "Oh! Did you know each other from before???" then we go through the WHOLE drill...he and I both blushing profoundly the entire time. haha. But he's pretty legit. He's an excellent singer so we have fun singing the hymns in Portuguese together. But it still startles me sometimes when I see him across the room or something....also Aunt Tracy will appreciate knowing that I see the girl from her ward here too! Sister Williamson. Shes awesome!!! I like her a lot! Mail is like nonexistent here. Its totally different than Provo. I guess cuz it takes such a long time!! So if I don't get regular letters to you until like 2 weeks later, its not my fault!!! But you can all still write me!! YAY!! :) Funny story, yesterday I taught my entire district how to do Pilates!! HAHAHA! It felt great to be better at SOMETHING during gym time than everyone else. I was laughing at everyone so hard cuz no one could do them. One elder said "This must be what they do in Iraq to get people to talk!!!"" hahahah!!! Another funny story...apparently there was an American missionary who was trying to get an investigator to commit to reading 1 Nephi 3^7 you know about obeying the commandments? and he asked if they'd read verses 7-8 and pray about them. Well instead, he accidentally said "3 Nephi 3:7-8" READ IT!!!!!!!!!! HILARIOUS!!!!! Sorry this is so random and out of control! If you cant tell I get stressed out during email time cuz I have to read all the emails and type one too!!! Also the keyboards here are weird so my typing is also out of control. Oh so are the toilets. You can't flush paper down them!!! Hard to get used to......But please know that I love love love love it here!!! Things are so great and life is wonderful. I love you all!!! The church is true! Even in Brazil!! Its amazing. Today we went to the Sao Paulo temple!!!!!!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!! I'm so happy this is where I'll be spending the rest of my mission!!! Thank you for your love and support!!! Ate mais!!!-Sempre, Sister Peck

Just a note from Cheri about the scripture Emily referenced in her "funny story." Apparently the Elder wanted the individual to read and pray about this scripture found in 1 Nephi 3:7, "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." Instead the Elder asked them to read and pray about this scripture found in 3 Nephi 3:7-8, "Yield yourselves up unto us, and unite with us and become acquainted with us and become our brethern that ye may be like unto us--not our slaves, but our brethern and partners. And behold, I swear unto you, if ye will do this, with an oath, ye shall not be destroyed; but if ye will not do this, I swear unto you that on the morrow month, I will command that my armies shall come down against you and they shall not stay their hand and shall spare not, but shall slay you, and shall let fall the sword upon you even until ye shall become extinct."