July 16, 2018

Good afternoon everyone!

This week has been great, with today being the best! We had our first zone p-day in Mogi das Cruzes, and it was a blast! Photos below, we basically hiked a gigantic mountain in our area and ate cookies and sandwiches at the top. It was so much fun to be together with our zone just to joke around and take pictures together. My legs will complain tomorrow, but I´m really grateful that President Miller has given us the opportunity to gather together like this so we are able to feel more unity within our zone!

Something that I learned this week is that whatever happens, we can choose to be happy. Happiness is a gift of God, and we always choose whether to feel it or not. Sometimes we feel frustrated with others, but that doesn´t mean that you have to allow the situation to bring you down. We had a very difficult situation on Wednesday morning, but the only reason why I was able to come out the other side with a smile is because Jesus Christ is my Savior and He loves me. That will never change, because He is the "same yesterday, today, and forever". Our mortal situation will always change and grow, but Christ is constant. He is reliable. He is my Savior. Nothing else will ever be grander or of more worth than this. So we can be happy! I love my Savior and am grateful for the sacrifice He did so I can have "happiness without end" (Mormon 7:7)

I love you all so much, have a fantastic week!!

Sister Brazil Carlson

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Sincerely,

Sister Carlson

July 10, 2018

Good afternoon family!

Sorry I´m writing a day late, yesterday everything was closed because it was a holiday, so President Miller liberated us to write today. Also we got to know him on Wednesday, and he and his wife are fantastic! This past week has been really great! I have learned a lot, and am grateful for the trials we receive so we can be made stronger!

When we were teaching some recent converts, they were watching some horror films and left it on as we talked. For anyone who knows me, I hate horror films and feel scared very easily. This week was an active decision to choose fear or faith. Never before in my life has the contrast been so real! There was one night when I didn´t sleep a wink because my mind was playing over and over again what I saw. The next night, I read 3 Nephi 6-15 before bed and pled with the Lord to protect me. Yes I did my part in studying out the word and asking for divine help, but the incredible thing was, was that when I focused on Christ, I slept like a baby. When a scary image would make its way into my head, all I had to do was think of a hymn and remember of my overflowing gratitude for my Savior´s sacrifice. We don´t have to be driven by fear, we can be set free by our faith in Jesus Christ. What a wonderful reassurance! I love my Savior and all He has done for me! 

I hope that you all have an amazing week! 

With lots of love,

Sister Carlson

P.S. We had a party on Saturday with our branch--super fun!

--

Sincerely,

Sister Carlson

July 2, 2018

Hello everyone!!

I am very zazzed right now--Brazil beat Mexico in the World cup, and the streets here are crazy!! Right after they beat Mexico 2-0, 1 motorcycle and 3 cars passed us with people screaming and shouting victoriously. It is a very fun time here in Brazil:) Sister Jobran and I went out for victory ice cream because they won (also I may be a huge soccer fan now??)

Anyway, this week has been wonderful! Something I have really learned is actually focusing on people´s needs, like the Savior would if He was walking amoung us. One day after lunch, it was time to leave a message with the members and leave to go proselyting. We ended up having a very long and spiritual conversation that was very interesting to follow. Afterwards, I said to Sister Jobran, "Sister, I´m glad we had that long conversation with them, but I think we stayed a bit too long?" and she responded, "No, Sister. This family is one of the families that doesn´t trust in missionaries. Because we stayed and listened, we are starting to gain their trust." I never thought about that! Missionary work is about bringing EVERYONE to Christ, not just people that don´t know Him. Working in a branch is interesting because the members need us more than ever. And something that I learned from a past companion is that when you work with members and can show them that you are a reliable missionary, you can teach their friends, which is a much more effective way to find investigators! What awesome lessons to learn!!

I love this gospel, I love this opportunity to fully live. As my beloved Grandma Joanie said, "Living in Christ changes what it means to be alive....for in Him we live and move and have our being." How gracious and loving our Savior and Heavenly Father are--I love Them!! 

I also love all of you, have a fantastic week!!

Sister Carlson

Pictures!!

1) I FOUND A GIGANTIC PINEAPPLE!! Lol, it´s actually a tree:) 2) There´s grafitti close to our house, and these wings are so cool!! 3) Me with my victory ice cream:)

June 25, 2018

Good afternoon everyone!

This week has been one of much spiritual learning, so wonderful!! But I need to start off with a sad reminder: President and Sister Silcox will be released as couple over the São Paulo East Brazil mission on June 29, 2018. We as their missionary children are very sad to let them go, but as well are excited for President and Sister Miller from Canada to be welcomed to Brazil. 

As I said, this week has been great! It was our last Zone Conference with President and Sister Silcox, and the spirit was tangibly powerful. When they bore their testimonies about the mission, I regained appreciation for my calling as a missionary, to be able to physically put the name of Christ over my heart and accomplish His work. These two spiritual giants will be sorely missed, but I was grateful to have this Zone Conference to hear and internalize their last testimonies and lessons. I hope that one day I can be like them, and like all the other wonderful examples in my life!

Also, my personal study has been more than fulfilling this week. I´ve been studying Alma 32-39, and these chapters are absolutely full of doctrine that are mindblowing even though I´ve read them before! The Lord has blessed me with revelations that I didn´t know I needed. He is merciful and giving to His imperfect children! I was also able to study the conference talks from this past conference, and it has been so fulfilling!! I was able to learn a lot about meekness and humility, and the Lord told me that´s what I needed to talk about on Sunday in Sacrament meeting! The Lord again blessed me with the words to say--the material and the portuguese. In reality, I think I learned more this week than any of our investigators did. I´m excited to keep learning and growing so I can better serve the people of São Paulo Leste Brasil!! 

I love you all! Have a splendid week!!

Sister Carlson 

June 18, 2018 - 11 months on the mission!

Good afternoon my awesome family!!

I hope that everyone has had an amazing week, mine has been one full of learning experiences! My first week in Jardim Ivete, my legs are definitely feeling it haha! It has been wonderful to get to know this area, and to be able to use the gifts that God has given us so we can further His work.

I have found on the mission that a small gift that He has given me is to understand maps and to know where I´m going. A fabulous gift when you have a walking mission! One day on the way to lunch, we got very lost, and the Sister that was making us lunch was very pressed for time. Sister Jobran didn´t work with the map at all last transfer, so it´s been a rollercoaster this week! When she was feeling ready to give up, I asked for the map and where we were. With the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, I was shown where her street was. And lunch was simply lovely. I´m grateful for the gifts that Heavenly Father gives us so we can grow, so we can teach. I´m grateful I have this opportunity to work with Sister Jobran in this area, and that we can both learn and grow and be better disciples of Christ because of our time together! 

Have a fantastic week! I love you all so much!

--

Sincerely,

Sister Carlson

June 11, 2018 - Transfers!!

Good afternoon family!!

I´m writing here at 5:00p.m. in Jardim Ivete, Mogi das Cruzes. What what?? I was transferred!! My new companion is Sister Jobran, and I´ve been placed in the countryside!! How cool is that?

To say it in a few words, I´m grateful for change. I love Jardim Romano with all of my heart and I was sad to leave, but I am really excited to teach different investigators, work with other members, and be rejuvinated by another area. Also, this area has some crazy hills, my legs are going to get so muscular!! The Lord knows use perfectly and knows what we need when we need it, when we need to stick it out and survive, or move on and grow with newness. I´m grateful for the experience I gained with Sister Chaar and all of the things I learned, and I´m excited to learn different things with Sister Jobran. Also as a note for everyone that was worried about Sister Chaar, she was able to come home on Wednesday of the past week, and she´ll be going home in 3 days for her body to recooperate. I don´t know if I mentioned it, but the doctors thinks she may have firbomialgia, which effects the nerves that interpret pain. She is returning with honor, and I´ll always be thankful for our time together. 

But because she had 10 days of repose, I had the opportunity to have a division with a member! Her name is Emily, and she´s 14 years old, but oh my gosh she is so ready to be a missionary!! She was so happy to learn how to teach people, and was very pleased with different methods of teaching. We teach in 15-20 minutes, our goal being short, focused lessons that leave our investigators waiting for us to come back. It also allows us to visit more people. She said "wow, it´s so much more effective!!" And this was an opportunity that I needed, because being cooped up in a hospital/home sick is stressful. To have a day focused on the work, focused on bringing the good news of Christ´s restored gospel on earth was so refreshing! I couldn´t stop smiling, and I remembered why I wanted to serve a mission. When we help others find the happiness that we have with the gospel, we gain superior happiness. I´m grateful for the time God has given me to serve a mission, and that I was able to leave with a member to teach my people one last time before I was transferred. I love this gospel and my Savior, I am filled with excitement to do His work here in Jardim Ivete--a branch!!

I love you all!!

Sister Carlson

June 4, 2018

Good afternoon everyone!!

So this week has been one of the hardest weeks of my entire life, which is helping me grow!! I told you guys last week that my companion has gotten sick, but it´s escalated quickly. I am in awe with Sister Chaar, because the Lord never gives us trials that we can´t handle, and this is one of the heaviest trials I have seen someone bear. 

So, on Tuesday I had a division with Sister Malan because Sister Chaar couldn´t leave the house with all of the pain she was feeling, and our area was needing some care. Working with one of my best friends is great, I´m grateful that I had a little time to leave the house and focus on my investigators. Wednesday we were only allowed to leave the house for lunch, and we had to come back right after because Sister Chaar´s pain was reaching unbearable. Thursday after lunch, we were walking home, and her body stiffened up again, so much so that she couldn´t walk anymore. So we called a member to take us to the hospital (for the third time in the past two weeks) but we went to a different hospital that had an orthopedic doctor, so they did a whole bunch of tests to see what was wrong. She ended up having to go to intensive care and I could only come back the next day. So on Friday I came to stay with her, but I couldn´t stay the night because I was very emotional and it made Sister Chaar nervous, so Sister Queroiz stayed with her Friday and Saturday night. Sunday night Sister Malan stayed with her, and tonight I´ll be staying with her. So this past week has basically going back and forth between home and the hospital, and they still don´t know for sure why she´s feeling this type of pain in her back and what they can do. But they said they might let her go home tomorrow or Wednesday, so we´ll see. I´m just grateful for the support that God sends us through others. I was very scared the first night in the hospital, but Sister Malan, Sister Queroiz, President Silcox, Sister Silcox, and many other sisters have been nothing but supportive and ready to help us in whatever way possible. God loves His children and takes care of them, but sometimes He lets them gain experience. Experience isn´t always easy, but it is necessary for our growth. (Doctrine and Convenants 122) I´m so grateful for this opportunity to grow and to learn new things, that the Lord trusts me enough to try my best to support His beloved daughter Sister Chaar. I´m grateful for this opportunity to learn to trust more in God´s perfect plan as well, because His ways and His thoughts are higher than mine. 

I hope you all have an amazing week!

Sister Carlson

May 28, 2018

Hello beautiful family of mine!!

I hope you all had a wonderful week this week! Mine was splendid, although in a different way! This week, my companion got sick, so much so, that we went to the hospital! She´s on the road to improvement, but it may be a long one. Long story short, we needed to stay at home for most of the week, and I learned a powerful lesson about what Christlike love is, what pure service is. Of course, because I´m human, I wasn´t able to perfectly serve, but I´m grateful that the Lord trusts me to take care of one of His beloved daughters. The love I felt for Sister Chaar was incredible because I had a strong desire to take away her pain, I wanted to do everything possible to help her feel better. While my feelings were strong and at some times painful, imagine how Christ felt! He wanted to give us a way out of earthly pain, so He took on all of our sufferings so we have hope of a better day tomorrow! My testimony about the work of the Lord has deepened--we are called to serve everyone, not just people that don´t know the gospel. Yes, missionary service is focused on people that have no knowledge of the gospel, but when we focus on serving companions as well, we grow so much more. I am so grateful that even though we worked less, even though Brás couldn´t be baptized, that the Lord took two of His imperfect daughters and helped them learn something that they still needed to learn. I´m grateful that my ability to love another like Christ loves them and to forget myself has increased just a little bit. I´m grateful I have been polished a little more. I´m grateful to be here in Brazil!!

I love you all so much! Please continue studying the scriptures to fortalize your testimonies!!

Sister Carlson

May 21, 2018

Good afternoon!!

This week has been really wonderful! So many things happened, and it was really incredible to see the Lord´s hand in our work. 

We had another baptism! His name is Ruy, and he´s a friend of a member. We´ve been teaching him for a bit, and his conversion is amazing! He has had lots of problems in the past--with family, with addictions, with lots of things. But he has made huge changes in his life because of his firm testimony in Christ. Ruy has felt the Lord´s influence in his life since he was little, but when he invited him to be baptized, he got so excited and was so ready to leave toxic things behind him. I know that change is hard for everyone, but that when we focus our eyes on Christ, that is when we can make necessary changes so we can be His disciples. We can leave addictions, hurt feelings, and problems in the past as we strive towards the outstretched hand of Christ. Ruy´s baptism was beautiful, there were lots of people to support him there, and we felt the spirit so strongly--he left the water with tears of joy in his eyes at the prospect of leaving this old life behind him. What a testimony builder for me and my companion!!

We´re planning another baptism for this Saturday as well! His name is Brás and his cousin is a member. He has such a strong testimony, and we´re just working out the details so he can gain his key to enter into the kingdom of heaven! I´m so grateful I have for the opportunity to help people come unto Christ and follow his perfect example! 

I love you all so much!! Have a marvelous week!!

Sister Carlson

May 14, 2018

Good afternoon everyone!

So this week has been really great! Not only did we work hard and get to talk to our moms, we also had a miracle baptism!!

I´ll give a little summary of what happened! So his name is Rubí, and he´s been going to church since last summer. He hasn´t wanted to get baptized because he wanted to learn more. With Sister Chaar, we worked really hard to see what more he felt like he needed to learn. Turns out, that he thought he needed to pass some sort of test to get baptized like you need to at school, and he thought he wasn´t ready. So we read the baptismal interview questions with him, and everything was great! His testimony is so strong! Then Irmão Jonas (the member helping us out) demonstrated exactly how he would be baptized. When we asked him how he was feeling, he said, "That´s it?" We responded, "Yes! So will you be baptized this Saturday?" and he´s so funny, he said, "Oh, okay." In reality, the spirit led that lesson. Many Sisters have taught him without finding out why he needed to wait, but the Lord knew his doubts and his questions, so he inspired our explanations. Rubí´s smile when he came out of the water was so bright, my heart was so fill for him!! I´m grateful for the opportunity I have to serve here in Brasil, with people so receptive and open to religion! I´m grateful for everything that Sister Chaar has already taught me, and am excited to learn even more!!

I love this gospel, and that my family can be eternal because of it!!

Stay safe and healthy this week!! 

With all my love,

Sister Carlson

May 7, 2018

Hello lovely family of mine!

Wow! This week has been amazing! My first week with my new companion! Sister Chaar is one of the most focused and obedient missionaries I´ve had the pleasure of knowing! We´ve been really focusing this week with working with members and teaching people they know--much more effective! It´s been really fun to learn new tactics of finding new people, and Sister Chaar´s way of teaching is so powerful! She was baptized four years ago, and her testimony is strong as stone! As well, it´s been really awesome to work with her because our baptism for our mission is high! From April to June, our goal is to baptize 300 people! Wow! Sister Chaar is so focused on our goal of 4 people, and so excited, that I know the Lord will help us achieve His work here in São Paulo East! This week will be one of miracles!

I´m excited for the Mother´s Day skype this Sunday!!

I love you all so much!!

Sister Carlson  

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Sincerely,

Sister Carlson

April 30, 2018

Good afternoon family!!

This week has been great! It was Sister Leyva´s last week, so we worked really hard! We did something this week that really strengthened my testimony--we fasted every single day. One day I fasted, and Sister Leyva fasted the next. We were fasting for one of our investigators to get baptized, and even though he needs a little bit of time before making this commitment, we were still able to see miracles in the week. One was on Sunday, when we were knocking on doors. Most of the time, people are interested or tell us to come back during the week, but there was someone in particular that we both felt has been prepared by the Lord. His name is Jair, and experiences in his life have prepared him to talk to us. We were able to leave a message with him, but in reality, he taught me! His faith and testimony of the Holy Ghost are incredible! I am so grateful that the Lord blessed us to find him and get to know him right before Sister Leyva left, I know it was a sweet experience for her. 

Speaking of which, I have a new companion! Her name is Sister Chaar, and she´s from Manaus! (that´s where the strong *sh* accent is from!) We were friends in the CTM, so I´m excited to get to know her in the work! I´ve connected a picture down below, Sister Malan and Sister Queiroz are still here with me!! I´m really excited for this coming transfer because of new rules that will make us more effective missionaries, my new companion, and family skype! There´s nothing like a spiritual boost than hearing the voices of the people you love the most!

Gotta go! I love you all!!

Sister Carlson

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Sincerely,

Sister Carlson

April 23, 2018

Hello family!!

I hope this week has been great for you guys, it´s been swell for me, one of lots of learning experiences! Learning how to better rely on the Lord, lead the sisters in my area, and teach people the gospel. The biggest takeaway from this week was not to be emmbarrased about the gospel, to preach with confidence!! People are always asking what an American is doing in Brazil, a perfect opportunity to introduce them to the gospel! I am in love with this opportunity I have to always open my mouth about the restored gospel, this is where true happiness is!! 

My time has run out, I´ll try to write more next week!!

I love you all and miss you with all of my heart!

Sister Carlson

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Sincerely,

Sister Carlson

April 16, 2018 - Birthdays!!

Hello Family!!

Sorry I have just absolutely run out of time!! This week has been so busy for Sister Leyva and I! We´ve been finding new people, teaching in different areas, and just having a great time! Also, My birthday was super fun, filled with lessons and surprises! I´m so grateful that the Lord has put me in a place where there is so much love! Sister Malan, Sister Queiroz, and Sister Leyva prepared a little birthday breakfast, at lunch the members made a cake, and Irmã Jenny invited us over for more cake and dinner! I hope we have a week with lots of walking hahaha:) 

But we´ve been able to find someone that the Lord really has prepared for us! Her name is Jackaline, and she´s a sister of a less active. So of course we´re teaching her! The Lord has blessed her with a response and we´re excited to help her with her journey to salvation! What a blessed work we have been called to!!

I think that´s it! I´m sending lots of photos this week!!

Lots of love!

Sister Carlson

April 9, 2018

Hello!!

So this week has been crazy! Divisions, zone conferences, police stations, everything happened this week! Don´t worry, I didn´t get arrested, a group of us had to go in and do some legal work so we can stay in the country for a bit:) I don´t know if it´s a thing in the States, but I got my orange card! More legal than I was before👍

This week was really a roller coaster. Meeting new people, teaching the old people, always inviting to church, to read the Book of Mormon, and to get baptized. We had a lot of people come to church yesterday, which was awesome! I love general conference, but I always am so happy to be united with my ward family after! 

Sorry this is so short! But I added lots and lots of pics! Some are from a p-day a few months ago that I just got TODAY, and others are from general conference and zone conference. Just me hanging out with my friends, preaching the gospel, normal missionary stuff:)

Note: Mom, I wore my birthday outfit for zone conference, everything fit perfectly! Thank you so much for helping me feel like a bombshell! 

I love you all, have a fantastic week for miracles!

Sister Carlson

March 26, 2018 - New Transfer!

Hello beautiful family!!

This last week has been one of experiences!! So funny that everything happens last minute, right? I´m so grateful for the things that happened, because I was able to feel stronger from the things I´ve learned, and I was able to learn how to have more pacience. 

But this week was transfers!! Sister Guerra has left Jardim Romano (so sad!!) and the last couple of days have been running so say goodbye to members, packing suitcases, and anxiously waiting for transfer information!! My new companion is Sister Leyva! She´s from Mexico, and she´ll be finishing her mission after this transfer! I´m her last companion, which is so funny because during my first transfer, she was my Sister Leader! It´ll be cool to get to know her now because she remembers me when I was a newbie. I´m grateful for the opportunity I have to serve with her in Jardim Romano, I know we´ll see lots of miracles!!

That´s all I have time for, thank you all so much for the emails, prayers, and love you send!!

Sister Carlson

P.S. Pics!! One night last week was super fun, we were doing hair and stuff, and Sister Malan let me use some of her green face mask! I also did my first french braid in real life!! I made passion fruit mousse yesterday for farwells of Sister Guerra and Sister Borges, it was so proud! The other two pics are of me with my trainer Sister Moura (she´s going home today!!) and my last pic with Sister Guerra! 

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Sincerely,

Sister Carlson

March 19, 2018

Hello to all!

My goodness it was rainy this week! Well, it was mainly really hot, and then downpour. On Wednesday when we were walking home at night, it started to pour. I thought the heavens were ripped open with how loud the thunder was, the sheer amount of rain, and the fact that when lightning struck, the whole sky lit up. It was really beautiful, and I couldn´t stop laughing. The day had been a little rough, so to have a rainstorm to wash away the bad feelings was really great for me. Sister Guerra wasn´t too happy (her hair gets curly in the rain, she likes it flat) but we got home safely. It rained again today, and I forgot my umbrella, so I got to dance with Sister Malan in the rain, it was so fun to just be carefree on p-day. (But Sister Malan jumped in a puddle and almost got my pants soaked #rUDE!)

Something that I love about my mission is that I´m enjoying nature more than I ever have before. Yes, I´m serving more in a city-ish part of São Paulo, but the parks, the sun, the rain, are all a huge reminder that I´m in Brazil. They are a sign of God´s power, the earth that He especially created for us. It´s hard not just enjoy rain when your stuck right in the middle of it.

That´s all I have time for, enjoy nature everyone!!

Sister Carlson

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Sincerely,

Sister Carlson

March 12, 2018

Hello family of mine!

Sorry that my email last week was so short, with no pictures, the nerve! In reality, we were in a completely different area to visit other missionaries, and by the time we looked at the clock, it was 7 at night! But it all worked out, thank you all for your emails, letters and packages! I feel so loved whenever I hear from you all!

But this week was super productive! Because we´re sister leaders, it´s our job to "host" divisions with other sisters. What a scary but fulfilling experience! Before, I always said, "I´m still a baby on the mission, I´ll let someone else make the decisions" But not this time! Not only did I have to plan exactly what we would so for a full day of work, but I also had to think of plan B,C,and D in case things fell through! How daunting! The first one was a little rocky (because things kept falling through, not because of the sister;) but the last one was such a blessing! I´m so thankful that God blesses his leaders with inspiration! We had two divisions to plan--one with more less actives, one with more new people. We felt to save the day with new people for division two, and it turned out to be exactly what those sisters needed! It was also good for me to be able to have this productive day with this Sister, because with her help, we contacted 6 people and taught an amazing lesson! The next day, Sister Guerra and I were able to teach 4 of these new people, and find another new person in the house of a less active! I´m so grateful for this opportunity of growth Heavenly Father has given me, no matter how anxious I was in the beginning! The Lord truly calls the weak, I have a front row joe to all of my weaknesses. But inspite of my human imperfection, God has taken me and polished me a little more. Now I can see an inkling of confidence, of self-love, and the person that He knows I am. How awesome is that! 

I love you all so much, please stay safe, whether snow or shine!

Sister Carlson

P.S. Pictures! We have pics of the baptism with José Rogério, the wedding of Sandra and Edmilson, me loving Hyrmn (the most precious peruvian-brazilian baby ever!) a p-day when we bought milkshakes together, and a video of me singing with Sister Finau (the coolest sister leader of sister leaders!!)