He Loves us and Answers Our Prayers - June 16

To my wonderful family!!!Oí!!!

First of all, I LOVE it here. I am working hard and struggling with Portuguese, but it will come. What´s more important is that I am learning how to be a better missionary and person and getting so much closer to my Heavenly Father. I had the coolest experience just today...I am so excited to tell you about it and I am so glad it happened today so I don´t have to wait until next week to tell you.

So, for those of you who don´t know, at the CTM here in Brasil, they let us leave the building and go shopping, e-mail, and do what ever we need to on our preparation day. So, my companions and I wrote letters, did laundry, and got some things done before we left. We got some pictures developed, and did some window shopping. We went to the grocery store and while we were walking around, there was a group of four men who started to approach us. One of them walked directly up to me and started to talk to me in broken English. I was trying to use the little bit of Portuguese I knew and he insisted on speaking in English. He spoke very well, I was so grateful because I still don´t know what the heck I am doing just yet.

He introduced himself and his friends and right away asked if we had a ´´ceremony´´ that he could attend. Instantly, my heart started pounding and I got so excited. We started talking and they were sincerely interested in learning more about the gospel and wanted so badly to learn more. They wanted to know more about us as far as where we were from, why we were in Brasil, and what we were doing. It was interesting because my companions would add comments but he was specifically talking to me. I bore a small testimony and told him breifly about the church and that I was so grateful that they stopped us. And that they wouldn´t be sorry. I was so mad at myself for not bringing with me a book of mormon...I will not forget next week.

Come to find out they work for a bank here in Sâo Paulo and the Luarte (the one who approached me) studied Physics. I was amazed that they would seek us out like that. They weren´t just curious, they acted. I know it was not by coincedence. Once I had explained what we were doing and that missionaries like ourselves could teach them more, his face lit up. He got so excited. He said,´´I would love if you could teach me more!´´ I explained to him that we would be in the CTM for about 5 more weeks so, we ourselves wouldn´t be able to teach him, but we could contact other missionaries who could. I got his and another one of his friends addresses and phone numbers so, we can give it to the CTM and they can send missionaries to their homes. They were so excited and they kept thanking us and shaking our hands.

My companions were checking out at the line and I was waiting for them and talking with one of them and Luarte came over and gave me a big chocolate bar and said, ´´Please doñ´t forget about me´´ I was going to refuse it, but I knew that he would get highly offended because he really wanted us to remember him so, that he could have the gospel in his life.

We left the store in awe...it was incredible. This was really neat, but it was even more neat because last night I was just praying to my Heavenly Father because I was kind of feeling like I was missing out on other missions..I know that sounds horrble, but I just needed a reassurance that this is exactly where I need to be. Right here in Sao Paulo. When those men came directly to me today, I knew that this is the place I am supposed to be. What an answer to a prayer!!! I am amazed everyday at how intune our Heavenly Father is with each of our lives. He loves us so much, and I know that I am doing His work. This Gospel is so incredibly true and it brings real happiness. We just have to have faith, trust in Him, and do all that he asks of us and if we do, he will bless us beyond measure! I learned the other day something that I really hadn´t realized before about the law of tithing: If you give 10% back to Him of everything you earn (which is just a small portion of what he has given you) then the ´´Heavens will be opened unto you and you will not have enough room to recieve the blessings that await you.´´ One thing I have learned as a missionary is that obedience equals blessings!!!

I love you all and my time is up.
Love you all!!!
-Sister Scott

Tchaú!!!!