Life is good

View from the bridge crossing back into Palmas

Dear family and friends,

So here we are in February already! This transfer is flying by and this week will be no exception. Last week seriously passed in the blink of an eye.

We have the best members in this ward. Yesterday for fast and testimony meeting the pulpit was packed as people waited to bear their testimonies. I have never been in a ward so excited and dedicated to the gospel. I can´t even explain how many tender mercies Sister Timario and I received last week. I will try to explain some very quickly.

At the start of the transfer, we made a list of things to do during this transfer one of which was eat milho verde assado (corn on the cob roasted on little grills just set up in the street corners at night). Wednesday night we went to the chapel because we had marked to teach a lesson there, but the lesson fell through. As we were walking out of the chapel one of the members in the ward asked us, "Hey, do you sisters want some milho assado? I bought it right now and want you to have it" It was a small, but tender, mercy. Then later that night we went to visit a recent convert family and while we were there it started pouring rain with really strong wind. I was dreading the moment we had to leave and walk home but as we were leaving the buildling we ran into another recent convert family who was heading to the movie theatre and offered to give us a ride home. We got home right at 9pm instead of arriving later and totally soaked from the rain :)

Yesterday we had a less active member who is 17 years old go on some visits with us. It has been a little over 2 years that she hasn´t been to church but she is so awesome!! She has such a strong testimony. In one of the lessons she told the girl we were teaching about how great the church is and that she should go. The less active member then told us she has never gone on visits with sisters but she can´t say no to us because she loves spending time with us haha. I am happy she is having more contact with the church! I know she will go on a mission someday.

President and Sister Gaertner came to Palmas on Wednesday for interviews and it was really great having an interview with President Gaertner. I think I had been needing that for a while. On Thursday I went to Palmas 1 to go on exchanges with Sister Hoopes. I love being able to work with other sisters to see how they teach and learn from their example. Palmas 1 has a part of the area that is across the river and we had a lesson there so I got to cross the bridge to the other side of the river! It is SO gorgeous!! I still can´t believe how lucky I am to have such wonderful experiences everyday.

My studies on Thursday were about the family as we prepared to teach a lesson about the importance of the family. There is a line in PMG that really stood out to me - "Heaven is a continuation of the ideal home." How great would it be to not have to wait until we get to heaven to find the joy and peace we expect there :) I also had the chance to read President Uchtdorf´s talk titled "Of Regret and Resolutions" earlier in the week. Another one of my favorite conference talks.

Life is great. We are in Brasília today which means our p-day has been full of traveling. Sorry for not writing and sending letters to anybody...it has been forever since I have had a p-day that actually left time to do that. Don´t think I have forgotten about any of you!

Hope you´re all happy and healthy!

Love,
Sister Kerr