January 2, 2018

Hello everyone!

Gosh, it's been so long since we've last emailed hasn't it? Christmas and New Years have just flown by! I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to talk to my family via Googlehangouts; technology is seriously a huge blessing that I will be forever grateful for! To see the smiles and hear the laughter of my lovely family is something I will hold close to my heart, especially during times of trial! 

I only have five minutes, so I'll write fast! I just wanted to write about a personal experience that I think can help people that feel the same way I felt. This whole transfer, Sister Novais has been encouraging me to be open open open with my feelings, and it has really been helpful because I've learned a lot about myself. With this openness and companionship study, we were able to find out that in reality, I need to learn to love myself. For all of my youth, I've had a voice inside my head that says things that aren't too nice. I would never say these things to another person, but it was all too easy to say it to myself. What we were able to find out is that this voice of pessimism isn't me! I've always accepted what this voice has said because I thought it was me, when in reality it was the enemy! When you look in the mirror and see faults in your body, who's the one pointing out those faults? Heavenly Father, who will never demean your body because He's the one that made it, or Satan, who doesn't have a body? Who's jealous that people on earth have this experience, and have a opportunity to gain salvation? When you make a mistake or feel embarrassed, is God the one laughing in your face, or is He encouraging you to stand up and try again? Please be mindful of self-destructive thoughts, many people will feel sympathy because of my openness, when in reality, they may not see this problem within themselves. Through the atonement, I've been able to start my journey on the road of change. I've been able to see the problem and yearn with all my soul to change this about myself. With the Atonement, all change is possible. Along with reading the Book of Mormon in protuguese, my goal for this year is to change the very way I think about myself. It will be hard, and sometimes I may fall into old habits, but I know that when I can love myself, I can love God's children more fully, an essential part to my mission. I pray that we can all feel more charity for ourselves and others this year.

I love you!