(:

Flashback to my best friend in Ouro Fino - Henry, son of a less-active family

Flashback to some old friends in a Multi-Zone conference

Well well well. (: I've just been reflecting all morning about how good the Lord is to me. To all of us. And I can't seem to think about much of anything that has happened this week.

This week we had our Mission Leadership Council. Prior to, we were all asked to prepare 3 training exercises based on planning, inviting, and following up that would be presented as President Farnes called us on the spot. Our mission is taking a refocus on these three things to make us sharper tools in the Lord's hands. Sister Zapata and I were chosen to present the follow-up training to the mission and we thought it went pretty well. This is actually one thing I passionately try to help our Sisters with - the ability to create our circumstances rather than being creatures of them. (How does that quote go?) The only way that's possible is to teach with the Spirit rather than just teaching with techniques.

I've just been obsessed with this idea for like two months now. I've been studying every once in a while all the conversion stories I can remember from the scriptures (like Paul, Alma the younger, 2 Nephi 4, Mosiah 4-5, Alma 36, blah blah blah) and trying to identify common themes in the conversion process - on the part of the missionaries and those being converted. I don't really know where I was going with this, but it's opened my eyes even more to how the Lord works in helping others choose to qualify for eternal life.

Speaking of conversion, this week we finished our last two regular exchanges of the transfer (which is a relief and a help, now that we know our Sisters, a few of their investigators, and how we can serve them). Having lead both my least best and my best best exchange of all time one after the other this week, it has caused me to think more about the kind of service I am offering to the Lord and His children - how I'm helping Him to convert His missionaries, the members of His church, and myself - and what I must do with my last weeks to do what I came here to do.

Porque é tão difícil pensar em inglês? Gente do céu. Enfim, está sendo meio difícil, para ser sincera. Claro que é assim por todos os missionários e sei que não tem como compensar o Senhor pela Expiação d'Ele, mas eu não esperava que eu iria ficar tão longe daquilo que eu achava era sucesso neste ponto da minha missão. Esta semana Síster Zapata e eu fizemos jejum e, junto com o Senhor, fizemos metas e planos para alcançar o que Ele espera da gente aqui em Votorantim. Sabe, tenho uma plena confiança n'Ele e o fato que é a obra d'Ele. As únicas pessoas que tem o direito para ficar desanimadas são as que não acreditam em Deus. Então eu não fico triste, não! (não se preocupa mãe) - Na verdade é bom ser lembrado de que o tempo está passando e como todos os momentos precisam ser aproveitados. Mas enfim, orem para nós. (: A gente aceita. (:

Have a dandy week! Happy wedding Kev! (: I'll be missing you in a special way!

I LOVE YOU!
Love, love, love,
Sister Vaughn

Picture - We are launching a new approch as of Friday at our Leadership Council - It's baptismal card that every street contact, investigator, recent-convert, less active member, and member will come to know well (: