Exciting Week!!!

What a week in Bebedouro!

Just found out too that my trainer is getting married in a few months. Congrats Kelsey! I´m way excited for you!

Wednesday was Jeniffer and Leonildo´s wedding. It was so great! It was a special day and they were so happy :)

Thursday, I got to be companions with Sister Marchant (my MTC companion) for a day! It was so amazing to see how much we have grown since we were companions a year ago in the MTC. We were remembering the struggling to teach in Portuguese in the MTC (how scared we were, how we had no idea what was going on in lessons, how we prayed SO HARD before each lesson) to now when we can say pretty much anything we want. I´m so grateful for all the amazing companions I´ve had! I´ve learned so much from each of them while on my mission.

Friday was Jeniffer and Leonildo´s baptism! It was simple, but it was really sweet. They were confirmed Sunday. It was so amazing to see their smiling faces this week as they took some important steps in their lives that will bless them and their family forever.

My heart is so full that I get to be here and experience all these amazing things. I am so grateful for my mission. <3

 

Much Love,

Sister Shipp

Busy! (August 18, 2014)

We are getting ready for one crazy week here in Bebedouro! We have 3 baptismal interviews scheduled tomorrow, a wedding and party Wednesday, Exchanges with our Sister Training Leaders (one of them being Sis Marchant, my companion from the Provo MTC, yay!!!) Thursday, and 3 baptisms Friday. We are SO excited! Ruan, Jeniffer, and Leonildo are so awesome and it´s amazing to see the faith that they have; it makes my faith grow, that´s for sure. I love Bebedouro so much! I could just stay here the rest of my mission. I´m so grateful for all the experiences I´ve had on my mission, in California and now here. I could not have done anything better with this past year of my life.

Have a great week! :)

 

Sister Shipp

Another Week

Okay. I just need to talk for a second about how amazing Bebedouro is. It´s really changed a ton since I arrived here 5 months ago. The members are a lot more excited and there´s something special that´s happening here now. The Franciele´s baptism was last Sunday and she was confirmed yesterday. Jeniffer and Leonildo are getting married this next Wednesday and baptized the Friday after. We have some other wonderful investigators and finding some others with some awesome member referrals. I could not have asked for more! I am honestly treasuring every minute here in this area now with my 3 Brazilian sisters. Maybe I´ll get to stay a little longer? But for now, I at least have 5 more weeks.

 

It´s amazing to think about how a mission changes you. It really is the perfect time in your life for a lot of things. You learn SO much and really are changed into more of the person that God wants you to be; you get closer to your potential. I cannot explain the amazing joy that comes from each small victory on the mission, seeing OTHERS change and better themselves and their lives. It´s indescribable.

 

I´m so happy to be a missionary :)

 

Hopefully this was a better update! Y'all can send me questions that you have that I can respond to in these updates too.

 

Love y'all!

 

Sister Shipp

Baptism!!!

Hello everyone! This week was awesome! There are definitely miracles happening here.

We had a baptism here yesterday. After lots of opposition, Franciele was finally baptized. It was so great! Her parents were there to support her and really liked the church meetings, baptism, and a lunch we had after. Fran is already part of the Young Woman´s program. Everyone loves her. She definitely has gained lots of good friends in the church already.

During the church meeting yesterday, our investigator Jeniffer stood up and gave her testimony. It was beautiful. She really loves the gospel already. Her, her husband, and their 2 young children are changing and receiving so many blessings! It´s incredible. They are both looking forward to their wedding on Aug 20 and their baptisms on the 22nd.

And we are too because WE GET ANOTHER TRANSFER HERE IN BEBEDOURO! We literally screamed when we heard the news. All 4 of us are staying here. So today is the start of transfer #5 here and I´ll finish training Sister Vaneza.

I guess the only other thing is I completed a year on the mission this past Thursday. I had a cake and some presents waiting for me from Sisters Jales, Sousa and Vaneza that night. It was wonderful.

We are all looking forward to another transfer of miracles here!

 

Sister Shipp

1 YEAR THIS WEEK

It was another great and challenging week in Bebedouro! Transfers are in a week and I hope I get to stay! We are seeing miracles here.

 

Thursday is 1 year on the mission for me! My farewell was 1 year ago today. Time really is flying. The only thing I want right now is to make the best of the last 6 months here. How grateful I am for my mission and everything I´ve learned. It hasn´t been easy, but I wouldn´t give this time and my experiences away for anything.

 

Love y'all!

Sister Shipp

Miracles

I don´t have much time, but I want to just say that there are definitely miracles happening here. I went on exchanges with a Sister from Chile this week. After some of our appointments fell through, we decided to try to visit Franciele, a 16 year old girl who attends church from time to time with her step-dad. I have been trying to teach her during my 4 months here. We have never been able to find her at home. We said a prayer before ringing the bell and she answered! Not only that, we had a good lesson with her and set her baptism for this Sunday. I was in the clouds after that lesson. Yesterday, we learned that there are a few other problems that we need to handle before her baptism. We decided to fast and pray together to resolve everything. Half an hour ago, I got a call from her and all of the problems that came up over the weekend have been resolved. 

I know that Heavenly Father hears each of our prayers and I know that fasting really is powerful. I know that miracles will happen in our lives. All we need to do is trust in God, do our best, and things really will fall into place.

 

Have a great week!

 

Sister Shipp

JULY. Wait, what?

I cannot believe it´s July! Oh my goodness!

 

This week was so great! I am definitely learning so much with my companion, Sister Vaneza. She is wonderful! It´s really great going back and remembering the basics as I teach them to her. It´s also been fun trying to remember back to September-November when I was a new missionary doing the 12 week training program with Sister Anderson and Sister Xayadeth. What good times!

So the 4th of July here in Brasil. It was also the day of another world cup game when Brasil played Columbia, so there were firecrackers and cheering, but my companions informed me that it was for the game and not for the USA. I still think it was for the US ;) I wore red and blue and sang the national anthem for my 3 Brazilian Sisters here. Sister Jales sang with me (of course wearing her Brasil stuff with a Brasil flag) and we took a video. It´s too big to send, but you´ll see it soon.

 

We´re having good times here in Bebedouro and seeing miracles everyday!

Hope yall have a great week!!

 

Sister Shipp