the field is white (and so is the sky)

1/8/18
HELLO from the nonstop rainy-ness that is América Brasiliense (which is a huge blessing because it means that it's not as hot yay). Life is going great here. We've got a ton of amazing people we're teaching! There's André, who's preparing for baptism this week and has recognized so many changes in his life since he met the missionaries a couple months ago. There's Tião, who we had found my second day here and is loving The Book of Mormon. There's Maurício, who comes to church every Sunday because he feels the need to be there. Sister Rodriguez is swell and I'm loving our time together. She teaches amazing and hard to believe that I'm supposed to be training her because she's pretty much perfect already! 

Also, I am SO grateful for the restored gospel! The news of the prophet's passing reminded me of the perfection of the plan of God and how He will continue to call prophets to lead and guide us. I know this is the church of Christ here on the earth and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to share that message with those around me. 

Have a great week! (And good luck to everybody starting school again!)

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

fotos:

daily rainstorms hahaha

rad little train track in the city

have yourself a very m(ission)erry Christmas

12/25/17
HELLO MERRY CHRISTMAS IT'S THE BEST DAY OF THE YEAR

I hope you all have a great holiday with family and remember the greatest gift that each of us received - a Savior! He loves us and came to this earth to live for us and show us what we need to do. He died for us and ressurrected and lives for us again! I love being a missionary and being a witness of my Savior. I am infinitely grateful for Him and that I have because of Him. Have a great week! 

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

just a small town girl

12/18/17
​hellooooooo so I've left the center of Ribeirão Preto behind and I'm in a little town called Americo Brasiliense that's got like 4000 inhabitants so it's a big change haha. I won't be able to finish training Sister Peñate's training but I'll be able to finish the training of Sister Rodrigues here! She's from the Dominican Republic and is super sassy and so great. Love her already!

My last week in Irajá was great! We were able to find a lot of great people to teach this week so Sister Peñate has a lot of work for her to do this week which is great! Miracles have been happening every day and I will seriously miss this ward but I'm super excited to be here in Americo! 

We had a fantastic Christmas conference this week and I felt an overwhelming love from my Savior through that and through the actions of so many missionaries around me! I know that Christ came to this earth to give us the hope and peace that we need and that we can share that hope and peace by loving and serving others! I'm so grateful for the examples of service of those around me. 

And that's all I can remember for now but I hope you all have a great week!!!

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

somebody teach me how to play chess

12/11/17
hello from the half of the world that has Christmas in the summertime!

This week was super great! It was productive and TATIANE CAME TO CHURCH and basically she's golden. She's reading the Book of Mormon and praying and loving the lessons and I'm so excited for her progress. Sister Penate and I also got to teach Emilio this week! He was a street contact a few weeks ago that just recently started looking for religion and this week we were finally able to find him again and we gave him a Book of Mormon and he loved it! We're planning on coming back this week and we hope we can find the rest of his family there, too! 

Not to much to say except that CHRISTMAS IS COMING and I'm so excited and I love this time of the year and how focused on the Savior everybody is. I invite you all to go take a look at mormon.org and #lighttheworld to check out some rad videos and ways to serve others around you and share Christ's light this Christmas season. Have a wonderful week and remember to look around you for ways to serve and love!

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

rainrainrain

12/4/17
hello! so it's been really rainy here! so that's cool!

we've been teaching this woman named Tatiane who's so awesome! She's already been taught by the missionaries and she loves the lessons and is excited to learn more! She's great.

so many exclamation points sorry lol.

Also, Sister Peñate is doing awesome! I'm not even training her; she's already doing everything super well! 

and lol sorry I'm seriously the lamest when it comes to emails buuuuut I hope you all have a great week! We had a special converence in church yesterday and it was so inspiring! It reminded me that we all have trials of faith and that we need to keep pushing on and doing what we know is right even when we don't see the blessings right now because the Lord tests our patience and the reward will always be worth it at the end!

I hope you guys have a great week!

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

fotos:

city lights for Christmas wooooooh

Our Thanksgiving feast of grilled cheese sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies :)

and wooh I love Christmas trees!

can't think of a title haha

11/27/17
heeeeeello so I don't have too much to say this week except that it's officially less than a month until my favorite holiday ever and that my companion/daughter Sister Peñate is seriously great! She's an amazing teacher and her example teaches me every day. 

This week reminded me that this work is a work of love! It was a little rocky but when we look back and realize that everything we did was out of charity, out of the pure love of Christ, we are going to be happy with the work we did. We may not have changed the whole world but we did our part in our corner and that's all Heavenly Father asks of us.

I promise I took pictures this week (haha like 2) but I forgot my memory card converter so welp.

Have a great week ♥♥♥

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

BRASIL IS EXCITED ABOUT CHRISTMAS AND SO AM I

11/20/17
Okay so Sister Peñate and I went to the mall today and everything is covered in Christmas trees and fake snow which is funny because hahaha it's actually very hot but I LOVE IT because Christmas is my favorite and everything here has been all decorated since Halloween and it's just wonderful.

This week was also very exhausting and man I can't wait to nap the rest of Pday hahahaha. Buuut because of this, this week I was really able to see the promise that God qualifies whom He calls. Because there were so many times that we walked into lessons and I felt zero spiritual/physical/emotional energy to teach but we went in and gave it our best and somehow every lesson turned out great and I know that we were guided because I felt completely inadequate but I felt like the Lord used us as intstruments to carry His message. When we give our all, He makes up the difference and there were times that I felt like He literally carried me and wow I just can't describe how amazing it is to know that we are never alone when we're doing what the Lord wants us to do! I love this work and I love this gospel and apparently I love run on sentences too but that's okay! 

I hope you guys all have a wonderful week and Thanksgiving!!!! Eat lots of turkey and pumpkin pie for me :)

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

fotos:

we ♥ rain also we ♥ açaí

CHRISTMAS ♥♥♥

found my house :)

Mister Morata

11/6/17
okay a million and five things have happened this week and I can't remember them all like always! so it was Sister Spencer's last week in the field! Sending companions home is such a mix of feelings but I'm so glad for the work we've done together and i'm so grateful for her example of dilligence!

Also okay so I sent one companion home today and tomorrow I start training a new missionary tomorrow! aka I'm a mom now and I'm 100% feeling not prepared but I know the Lord qualifies whom He calls and so I know it'll turn out alright!

And this past week we had marked a lesson with an investigator but we don't have his number and when we passed by and he wasn't home and left us a note:

I had to leave, Misters. Sorry!

okay so a lot of Brasilians have a hard time with the word Sister so apparently now I'm Mister Morata and that note made me laugh haha.

But this was a great week! And this upcoming week will be spectacular! I'm excited to start training! And wow okay I used a lot of exclamation points in this email sorry lol

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

Pictures: (I have no idea in what order they will show up)

Sister German finished her mission yesterday and spent her last Sunday in the Irajá ward with us!

Me and Sister Spencer!

District pictures!

okay so lately the weather has been pretty cloudy and rainy and literally everytime it's like that and it's starts getting windy and dark, I turn to Sister Spencer and whisper "there's a storm comin', Harry" and I'm pretty sure I'm an annoying companion hahaha

we make cookies when we're stressed (aka lots of cookies)

10/30/17
Hello again my friends!

This week was great! We had an activity in the ward this week and it was so great! We focused on the Plan of Salvation - the plan that includes where we come from, why we're here, and where we are going after we die - and it turned out wonderful. I seriously love the ward here! the Irajá ward will always have a special place in my heart (ok lol cheesy).

Don't have much more news to send this week but yesterday during church, our zone leader challenged us to think about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the sacrifice He made to pay the price for our sins and weaknesses. He told us to think about how the Atonement has changed our life up to now and how it can change our life, starting now. And I realized that every moment of growth and every lesson learned has been because of Christ. He has given me the strength to get through every trial and overcome every difficulty and that, because He has freely forgiven me so much, I need to do the same with others. I love love love this gospel and being a missionary and hope you all have an uplifting week!!

Amo vocês!

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

Pictures:

accidentally zoomed in but still love it selfie

trees :)

no time welp

10/23/17
hello friends this week was great and I have no time to write much so here's some pictures :) 

have a great week! if you're feeling down, go look up "Shower of Blessings" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf - a Mormon Message on Youtube - and you'll feel better.

Love you guys and have a great week!

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

lol I'm melting

10/16/17
Ok it's so weird to see pictures of people and cold-weather clothes because I feel like I'm melting faster than a popsicle stick here haha welp

But anyways! This week was great! We got a lot of rejection this week but we also got a lot of miracles! and açaí! And my mind is totally throwing a blank with all the specifics of this week so I guess I'd just like to share my pump-up scripture this week:

Alma  31:38

And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not, neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith.

(okay I dunno why the formatting is weird but just ignore it) basically it can get a little discouraging sometimes when the only people who are willing to talk to you are shirtless and drunk old men and it's more than 100 degrees and air conditioning is rare but when I read that scripture, I remembered all the struggles that the people in the Book of Mormon and the pioneers faced and how they were able to overcome everything because of their faith in Christ. And that, if we ask in faith, Heavenly Father is willing to give us the blessings that we need - the strength and hope to pull us through our difficulties. I know that this gospel is true! And that Christ lives! And I love this work!

Have a great week!

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

picture:

So I remembered how I haven't taken like any pictures this whole transfer so I took this one just to send a picture to my mom haha

I'm craving goldfish crackers but other than that, it's been an fabulous week!

10/9/17
Okay folks some awesome miracles happened this week!First, we found the name and address  of somebody that the missionaries a year ago had talked to  over the interphone of his house house and we went there and his name is Sérgio and he's super cool! And what is even cooler is that we started teaching him and his mom, Ana, who was there and after we explained Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, she started nodding and brought out a Book of Mormon! Turns out that she had heard this message a while back and said that she remembered! And she showed us her Book of Mormon that she still had and when we looked at the note the former missionaries had left for her, we found out that she had the Book for 10 years!!! And she still remembers! WOW miracles okay.

And then yesterday during the council meeting that we have with the Bishop in the church and the leaders of the men's/women's/teens'/kid's' organizations, somebody came into the chapel and we went out to talk to him and his name is Armin and it turns out that he moved to Brasil 2 months ago and looked on the GPS the closest church to his house and went! And we were there! And basically another huge miracle! And this week has been super awesome and I am super happy!

Also, I had been wondering for a long time if I had enough faith to do this work and I came across Ether 12:12 this morning: For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.

And I realized that miracles happen not to build faith, but as a response to our faith and works. And that these miracles happen because we do have faith! 

Anyways, sorry for all the run on sentences and lack of pictures (again), but I hope you all have a wonderful week and look for the miracles around you!!!

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

"Somebody has gotta to be really depressed or really desperate to listen to you guys"

10/2/17
Bom dia meus queridos!

I hope everyone had the opportunity to listen to General Conference this past weekend! (If not, you can always repent [kidding] and check out the recordings on lds.orgbecause they were fantastic)

I especially loved Elder Neil L. Andersen's talk that closed the conference because it reminded me that all these people who spoke are chosen of God and that they speak His words and the messages are carried to our hearts through His Spirit. Check it out! 

And hahaha so the above quote is from one of our investigators, Camila. She's super awesome and after a couple of weeks of not being able to contact her, we came back and she told us she had received an answer! She said that God told her that she needs to read the whole Book of Mormon and believes that, somewhere along the way, God will give her an answer as to whether it is true or not. She also told us, "You guys are young. You're foreigners. You don't know anything about what the world is doing right now. You don't have kids. You have no life experience. You have no credibility. Somebody's gotta be really depressed or really desperate to listen to you guys. Or they have to really be searching God's path." ♥♥♥ She's seriously golden and willing to do the Lord's will for her, no matter what other people think and I love her and am soooooo excited to keep teaching her! 

Basically this week was a golden egg and I loved it and I'm excited to start this next transfer!

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

ps. SORRY I seriously am a bum with taking pictures 

*i just realized that I put "gotta to be" wow please forgive me I can't speak English anymore welp

I HAD A BURRITO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NINE MONTHS AND IT WAS GLORIOUS

9/25/17
Let me start my email with saying that we found a Mexican restaurant in our area and I may or may not be one of the happiest missionaries alive.

Also, I am a very happy missionary because we had awesome people in church yesterday!! One of them was a man named Leire that we literally met on the street a few days ago and invited him to church and he came! He said it was super different from any other church he had gone to but that he liked it a lot and wants to come back! Our other investigator that came was Regina, a woman who called us out on the street and we've been teaching her and she's so sweet. 

And third reason why I am so happy is because GENERAL CONFERENCE IS THIS WEEK and I am toinfitinityandbeyond excited. I love hearing chosen men and women of God speak to us and feel the Spirit testify to us so strongly that what they're saying is true. Seriously, everybody needs to go stop by lds.org this weekend and watch because it's incredible.

I hope you all have wonderful weeks and notice the miracles that happen every day! And if you're feeling sad, go get an ice cream cone and you'll feel better. I promise!

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

my BURRITOOOOOOOOO and some Elders

what would you do for a nutella cookie milkshake?

9/18/17
Hello family and friends so this week I hit the 9 month mark and I have no idea how time is flying by so fast but it's okay because I still feel like a greenie hahaha

But this week has been great! Ribeirão is getting (really) hot so there aren't as many people on the streets and I may feel like I'm melting 24/7 but we are still seeing miracles every day! We're teaching a young mom named Camila who's reading The Book of Mormon and is trying to find a church and a way for her family to get closer and she's amazing and I can't wait to keep teaching her! We hope that she comes to church this week!

And anyways, I've been reading recently the story of Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah in The Book of Mormon lately and I just lovelovelovelove this gospel. The chance that we have - no matter what point we are at in our lives - to repent, feel comforted, cleansed, whole, renewed, and healed. That our Heavenly Father doesn't turn His back on any of His children. 

Also, General Conference is NEXT WEEK folks and I am SO EXCITED. The opportunity that we have to listen to the Lord's living prophet here on the earth, and other chosen servants, to receive the revelation and answers we need because God is always there and wants to talk to us and basically I could just shout for joy everyday because of the wonderful message that is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and I am so incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to share that message every day! I'd invite everybody to take a few minutes this week to stop, pray, and ponder questions that you have for your life and about your testimony and continue to study these questions up until next weekend and be prepared to have the Spirit testify to you the answers that you need ♥

I hope you all have a magnificent week, LOVE YOU GUYS

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

fotos:

alright so last Pday Sister Oliveira and I walked for ONE HOUR (we got lost lol) during the hottest part of the day just so that we could buy these milkshakes. 10/10 would recommend, 10/10 would not do that again hahaha

also, I taught her how to make American pancakes so that was super cool

on a scale of 1 to missionariesonsundaynight, how tired are you?

9/11/17
Hello family and friends, I am seriously dead tired but it was an awesome week!

We had zone conference that was awesome. It was a great way to reflect on how we're teaching and talking to people and the small and simple things we are doing every day to improve as missioanaries. 

We also had a cool miracle this week! We had stopped a woman in the park to ask for directions and ended up talking to her for a while because she's only here in RIbeirão for a few days and that, in Rio (where she's from), she'd always see missionaries but she never had the courage to talk to them. She had a ton of questions for us and so we got to answer them and she told us she loves to read and so we gave her a Book of Mormon and she was so excited to read it! We may not be the ones who get to teach her because she's from Rio, but I know that we were able to plant a seed and I feel happy knowing that Heavenly Father is able to use us as His hands in whatever part of the world we may be :)

I love you guys and hope you all have a wonderful week! Don't forget to read the scriptures daily, pray daily, and go to church every week! It's the small and simple things that count :)

Todo o meu amor,

Sister Morata

Fotos:

zone conference!!!