TACOS!!!

So, he also sent a video. I will post it later. It's pretty fun. Can't understand much of what he is saying since he is speaking in Portuguese. Until I get that posted enjoy this update:


I Just came back from this Mexican restaurant (the only one I think that exists in Brazil) Which is owned by this guy from the Dominican Republic. AND IT WAS AMAZING!!! Those were some of the most satisfying Fajitas that I have ever eaten in my life. Like seriously. You guys have no idea how happy I am with this.  Like seriously.

But this week went well. We ran into this lady the other day, taught here the restoration and Sunday she brought a friend to church with her. That was really cool. It could be something along the lines of "I ain't going alone so drag her along too." But whatever the case may be they were there. 

We have been working with these 2 guys to be baptized this week. One of them is going really good. The other one, although he likes the messages and he enjoys learning and everything, he plays in the band of his church. And because of that he has a bit of a problem with wanting to stay more in the band with people he knows than following an answer. What I don't like is that we aren't exactly sure what else we can do. We have ideas but at the same time there are moments when you feel like you've done pretty much everything with one person that you could do and now the choice is up to them. And this is one of those moments. But we are looking for even more things to do than we have even though we aren't sure. But yeah. I love you guys. 

Here is our Mexican restaurant.

Our Cooking Show

News from the missionary. If you are thinking of sending him packages for birthday/Christmas better mail it soon. The last package took about 2 months to get to him.

So Me and one of my roomates made a cooking show in portuguese. Just that I'm speaking Portuguese in an american accent, which is honestly really hard to do, and I would send it to you guys just that it's really big. And doesn't want to upload. So We'll figure it out and probably send it next week. But this week was good. We were working a lot on finding people. Because the other people we were teaching stopped really wanting to do the whole gospel thing. Which sucks. A lot. But it is what it is. So. We found some people. there was this guy we were teaching and we invited him to church. He said this week he wouldn't be able to make it because he had a business trip this weekend. No sooner than the words left his mouth he recieved a phone call that told him his trip was cancled. And in the end he didn't show up for church. But that was awesome at least. Because that was definitely God saying "go to church." Which was cool. He likes us usually. Also Brazil has daylight savings time. Just Pará, the state I'm in, has decided that it doesn't care and that daylight savings time is for sissys. Especially seeing as how no matter what it's blistering sun. The heat miser has total control over this place. SO yeah. That's it. I love you guys

Also this is a funny but true sign. (Jesus wants to help but you have to want it too)

Also this is us on Children's Day

One Year

This time last year my oldest came to me.

"Mom. Zoe Hastings is missing."

"What?!"

"Zoe Hastings is missing."

The idea was so incomprehensible. I couldn't understand what he was saying to me.

"She was going to mission prep and never showed up."

Something must have happened. We prayed.

"Please find Zoe."

There was a little part of me that hoped that she was hiding out with a friend, but that was a very thing hope and would've been completely out of character for her.

Hardly had we any time to wrap our brains around the fact that she was missing, when the news came that she was found. It was not the outcome we wanted. Her body was found inside the family's wrecked minivan. The reports stated "obvious homicidal violence".

"Who would hurt Zoe?" I asked.

"Who would hurt Zoe?" my daughter asked.

It is the question everybody wanted answered.

I've known the Hastings family since shortly after Kermit and I were married. I worked with her grandfather when I was on an activity committee for our church. Two summers ago her mother was camp nurse at our Stake Young Women's camp and I had the great joy of getting to know her. The summer before that Zoe was a Youth Camp Leader at camp. That was the first year I worked with  the 4th year campers. Zoe was one of the youth leaders assigned to our group. She made the adult leader job much easier.

From what little time I spent with Zoe, this is what I know. She was a bright, happy light in a dark world. She was always smiling. Always helpful. She exuded happiness. She was always willing to serve, to help anyone. She was kind and loving and was loved in return. She radiated joy. It was felt by many. There were well over 1,000 at the funeral. Friends. Family. Classmates. People she had never met. All were touched by her goodness.

It's been a year since Zoe was taken. I am grateful that I knew her. I'm grateful that my kids knew her. I'm grateful that her goodness lives on. She was so wonderful and I know that Heavenly Father welcomed her warmly home. Life does not always go as planned, but Heavenly Father turns all things to good.

The Other Side

The latest news from Elder Monzingo. Also, noteworthy but not included in this: He spent 2 days renewing his visa and it is always hot in Brazil. Oh, and a big shout out to the Activity Day girls (8-11 yr olds) from the Kaufman Ward. He finally got the care package you sent.

So this week the other side of the couple that needed their records
redone decided to be rebaptized. That was cool. Talking with him was
very cool. He really knows quite a bit about the gospel and has a very
strong testimony of it all. I don't know why exactly he waited as long
as he did but I was very happy to be able to see him make that next
step. They told us that they are trying for next year to get them all to
the temple. I hope I get news about that. That will be cool. 

Also I got a box from the Kaufman Ward Activity Day group. We ate PB&J seeing
as how my companion had some Pineapple J. Also sour patch kids. Also
I'm not sure when but we will be brid like and eat the sunflower
seeds. That was cool getting the stuff. 

But this week was good.
Although now we are unfortunately going to have to let go Ademar and
family. The only people that are actually doing anything are the ones
that have been baptized(which we aren't letting go) Everyone else just
seems to have lost all interest. SO yeah. That's gonna be interesting.
i'll tell y'all how it goes. I love you guys.

Conference Miracles

From Elder Monzingo:

Welp nows the part where you all tell me if you went and  watched
conference cause i's like, important and stuff so yeah. But I liked it
a lot. And it really does bring miracles. There was someone that
during the preisthood session he was passing the chapel and decided to
see what it was like inside, saw a friend of his, stayed, watched,
liked it and came back the next day to watch the other 2 sessions. So
that was rather cool. I hope that he decides that everything else is
as good as conference. But one of the talks that I really liked quite
a bit was Elder Rasband's. He talked about not forgetting who we are
and our heritage and the things that have happened in our past. Always
remember that you are all children of God and that he is here to help
you. Also I really really liked President Russell M. Nelson´s talk. He
talked a lot about joy. ANd how it is that we need to have joy in
every moment. Even when we soffer. ANd also one thing he said that I
rather liked was "if we follow the worlds standard for happiness we
will never have joy" At least I think that was it seeing as how I
listened in Portuguese. But really there are things in the world so
much more happy than you can imagine. But the gospel has the most
happy things. ALWAYS. I love you guys. Choose the Right

Also I didn't like any of these photos but this is what happens when
you go on a split with your district leader and he got a box from home
and the actual mint ones he likes but prefers strawberry and he was
happy with stuff you did in his area with his companion. So yeah. Also
it was almost full and it was pretty much all gone like one day after.
So yeah.