20 in Lisboa 🤗

 

HI!!!! 

Birthday week!!! 

This is gonna be a long email so brace yourself lolsies. 

Segunda: 

- We went to Praça do comércio! And also another castle! The Castle of St. George. I also ate the best chocolate croissant of my life on this day. Pictures to prove it.

- The new youth album came out that thing hits man. 

- Sis Cornell threw up 4 times.

Terça:

MY BIRTHDAY!!!! 

- Sister Cornell made me pancakes and did the dishes. Anjo na terra 

- Did lots of normal obra missionária but it was just better!!! Because it was my birthday!!! Can't be sad on my birthday!!!

-Lots and I mean lots of Guarana, coke zero, and mountain dew were consumed. 

- I was and am still surprised by how awesome my ward was. The relief society group chat was going off!! Everyone wishing me happy birthday saying the nicest things I was so taken back. At our member meal, the member said there were lots of prayers for me to stay this transfer 

- Our member meal dinner was very humble and also a little bit gross, but it was awesome anyways!!! Look at the cake they had made for me!!! Are you kidding!!! The tag even has my name!!!

- After the meal São wanted to meet up with us because she made me a cape verdean pudding for my birthday  Isn't that so precious??

- Calling my family was the highlight of my day  I wouldn't be here without them 

Quarta:

- Here's a shout-out to Sister Cornell because I'm so grateful for her. Sister Cornell praises and gets excited for every little tiny Portuguese success I have. I don't think she'll ever truly know how much it means to me and how much it helps me. I don't know if I've said this before but Sister Cornell's Portuguese is perfect. I'm literally convinced she has the best Portuguese in the mission. And she's sooo incredibly patient with me as I dissect every sentence of hers so I can learn every single possible word and verb tense. I'm so grateful The whole world needs to know. 

Quinta:

-Had a lesson today with a menos ativo who reminds me of a grandma version of moaning myrtle. Pig tails kinda crazy everyone in the ward is a little bit annoyed of her HAHA. For 20 minutes in the middle of our lesson she talk yelled at me specifically, not Sister Cornell, giving me marriage advice. She said that I'm going to get married so fast after the mission and that I'm going to be the one with the strong testimony that'll carry the relationship and that "there's lots of spirits waiting for you to give them bodies." 

-We had our first lesson with a reference named Jurdiney and it was so awesome!! This guy is interesting because he's about our age, and what made him interested in the church was the old for strength of youth pamphlet. Because he liked it!! Surprisingly enough. 

- We only had total 1.5 hours na rua today, and we found 6 new people!!! 

Sexta:

- While everyone's listening to Taylor Swifts new album I'll be here listening to the new youth album  I'm actually very sad about it. I have to wait a whole year to listen to it. Awesome. 

- 2 member meals!!

Sabado:

- São told us that her daughter that lives in the US wants to go to church!!! Isn't that so cool!!! Her daughter wanted São to ask us if there was a church nearby her. So cool guys. 

- Member meal with this member who's from some island off the coast of Africa and has the most incredible Portuguese that me and Sister Cornell can barely understand. This lady is a riot and is a faithful attendee of our English classes. I wish I could understand her Portuguese more because when I do I almost pee from laughing so hard. 

- We taught 8 lessons today!! 4 friend lessons and 4 menos ativo lessons! 

Domingo: 

- 4 friends came to church!!! IT WAS SO AWESOME!! The members were so awesome with them and it made me sooo happy. All 4 of these friends are new as of literally this week and they are all excited to keep meeting with us and go to church again. It truly is a miracle. I'm so excited to see how all of them progress. 

This week has been so good. Me and Sister Cornell are just trying to take advantage of this time together because we know this transfer is gonna go by fast 

For my 20th birthday I decided to make a list for you guys <3

20 Things I've Learned on the Mission já!!!

1. Heavenly Father knows personally and loves intimately EACH of His children. I can't even describe to you guys how crazy it is to just have met someone, and to feel a real actual love for them. And I know I'm just feeling the smallest portion of love Heavenly Father has for them. 

2. The Book of Mormon is literally the coolest book ever. The best way to grow closer to Christ is through this book. 

3. Missions are so hard!!! Everyone downplays it! I have soooo much more respect for anyone who has served a mission in the past. 

4. If I can make it this long without swig and Gilmore Girls, I can do literally anything. 

5. I love Portuguese pastries. Even better, I love how cheap they are. 

6. I am so so blessed. With my family with my home with my education everything.

7. I love the scriptures so much!! Even just after this short amount of time, I have a love now for the scriptures that I don't know I ever would've had if I hadn't decided to serve a mission. 

8. I love Brazilians. And their food. I can only truly appreciate Brazilians now in comparison to the Portuguese LOL

9. Missionary work is the most important work taking place on the earth today!!!! 

10. Power comes from our studies. Elder Soares told us this when he visited our mission and I didnt realize how true it is until these past weeks. It applies to me now as a missionary but I also know itll apply when im not. The days where I'm most in tune with the Spirit and have the best lessons, are the days I have the best scripture studies!! 

11. Our trials we face are hand picked for us and our eternal progression. I think thats so cool. We're here on earth to gain experience! 

12. Miracles have not ceased!!! God continues to work miracles according to our faith. Seeking and expecting miracles is so important. 

13. Jesus Christ knows me better than anyone ever will. He truly is my best friend.

14. Patience  Deeefinitely still learning this one  Sister Cornell can attest to that. Patience with myself and my Portuguese, patience with our friends, patience with missionary work. Because this isn't our work, it's the Lord's. 

15. It is so cool that we live right now in the last dispensation before Christ comes. With an actual real life Prophet and apostles. 

16. The field is white and ready to harvest. No time to spend on people that aren't ready yet. 

17. Prayers of gratitude are sooo so important. 

18. Missions are hard and I'm stressed and worried over our friends and Portuguese and things, but I'd way rather be stressed and worried about these things than school and real life problems. Lol 

19. I have the best family in the whole world!! Who love me and support me from both sides of the veil. 

20. I love being a missionary!! I'm so lucky to be here. 

I love you all!

Sister Menden 

I have a million pictures but Portugal is so pretty I can't help it

Birthday pics!!!