I made it to the field, here in Natal! My first area is actually 2 areas, in Ponta Negra and the city of Natal. My trainer is Sister Carvalho from Rio Grande do Sul - Sister M Baker´s old companion and area (I can´t call her Megan anymore lol, mission problems). Our area is HUGE. Literally massive. Includes the World Cup stadium, too. Ahh it´s so pretty here, you can see the dunes from all over the place. I hope you got all my pictures yesterday, we went to the bishops house for almoço and they had WiFi to send pictures! It really reminds me of Africa, here. Lots of poverty and third world conditions, but then there are exotic high rises and wealthy areas as well, due to the resorts. 

Biggest surprise ever - when we were at the airport in São Paulo, guess who showed up? ELDER MOFFAT AND SISTER JACOBSON!! From my first district in Provo! They got their visas and were heading to the field. I started crying I was so happy. Elder Moffat and I got to fly to Natal together. President and Sister Soares, the assistants, and office elders came to pick us up from the airport. They are amazing people! The first thing they all commented on was how musical I was - and had me explain to everyone about my musical background. Within 2 days the entire mission (or at least my whole zone) knew that I played the harp hahahah. Awesome. Word travels fast in the mission.

This week has had the biggest ups and downs since I left home. I spent most of the first 2 days just trying to absorb it all. I don´t even know how to explain what I experienced, but I kept fighting my brain, "do I really want to do this? What am I doing here?" But, I knew that I just needed to fight through - and I did. I was rewarded with the most amazing feeling - that of teaching people the gospel. 

We taught a lot of people this week, but I´ll share one story from my first day, about José. He lives in a little dirt and cement shack near our house. Before we started the lesson, I sang him a hymn. It brought the spirit SO quickly. Then we began to teach the plan of salvation. As Sister Carvalho was introducing the lesson, I looked around his house and noticed some beautiful paintings. Then noticed some paintbrushes, cups, and other supplies. I realized that he had painted these beautiful landscapes - that this man who had hardly any posessions and lived in the lowliest of places still appreciated beauty the same way any other person would, and had a gift from God and did his best to create something beautiful with his gift. I realized this was perfect to use in the lesson about our life on Earth. Heavenly Father sent us here to experience joy in life. So I asked him about his artwork, and how he felt when he painted, and incorporated it into the lesson. The spirit was so strong, because as I looked him in the eyes I knew that he believed what I was teaching. You can lways tell when people accept and believe the message of the gospel, because you can see it in their eyes. It´s the most amazing thing, to watch people recognize the truth, what they already knew before this life - that they lived with their Heavenly Father in heaven, and will one day return if they listen to our message. These people change right in front of your eyes as you teach. It´s incredible. 

People are SO receptive here. Everyone we contact always tells us that we can come visit them and give us their information. Doesn´t always mean they´re home when we stop by, but we are still doing our best to bring them closer to Christ.

I wish I could tell you more about our investigators, but I don´t know a whole lot about their situations or understand everything when we are teaching and visiting. Give me a few weeks and I´ll know more :)

Afterwards, the entire ward came up to me and told me how well I did, and that they couldn´t believe that I only had 5 days in the field. Everyone seems really impressed with my Portuguese, but I´m just glad that I can communicate with people!

Lunch at bishops was my first encounter with Brazilian FEIJOADA!!! Yahoo, that stuff is amazing. 

So the past few days it has been POURING rain. We have been literally wading through ankle deep water and soaked head to toe. Needless to say it´s a little difficult to work in weather like that but we do our best!

Miracles this week: 

You won´t believe some of these. Seriously.

1- I started to eat bananas. And I´m actually beginning to ENJOY them.

2- I LEARNED HOW TO WHISTLE! This is not a joke. I can actually carry a tune! So many people at home make fun of me for this haha but NOT ANYMORE!

3- I can understand the people more and more every day.

4- I am HERE. In Natal. ON A MISSION. That, is a miracle. 

I would not be here without the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I would not be here without the prophet Joseph Smith. I would not be here without the Book of Mormon. I would not be here without my testimony of the gospel and all of these principles, because the Holy Ghost has testified to me that THEY ARE TRUE. Without a doubt. Alma 5:45-46. 

I love you all, I love this work, I am doing my best to make you all proud and to make my Heavenly Father proud, too. I hope that I can be the best representative of my Savior Jesus Christ that I can.

Talk to you all soon,