A Not So Portuguese Christmas

 

Hi fam! Merry Christmas!!! ️

Segunda: 

- We posted a video of us advertising our free English classes in a couple facebook groups for Aveiro, and it's insane the amount of responses we've gotten!!! 

Terca:

- We are so busy we almost never call our grey dots. But on Tuesday we planned it for 30 minutes, and while we were calling some people, a random lady with the contact Maria called us. This lady was in a hurry but she told us she wanted to make lunch for us!! We were a little confused but we were like okay!! hahah She hung up fast but then looked her up and found out she was indeed herself a grey dot who had been taught sooo much in the past!!! Like what when does a grey dot call us?? 

- We decided to do a week long competition and make sure we only speak Portuguese during the Lord's time and we kept a tally going and our grand efforts lasted a solid 24 hours and that's it. Bro it's stressing me out I need to speak better Portuguese. 

- Me and Sister Adib literally being excited to watch the district during our dinner hour LOL

Quarta:

- We are halfway through the transfer now and this was our first time going to district council in person! Just because of zone conference and also its super far but President actually told our zls that we need to go in person which im grateful for 

- Its an hour bus ride there and then also an hour back but there's only a few buses, so we left the house at 10am and got back at 5pm lol long day. 

- On our way to the bus station, we ran into a grey dot on the street!! He told us that he wants to start doing lessons again. He told us that we have a light in our eyes. He almost started crying. Guys what!!! 

- District council was way fun!! It's just us 2, and then 4 elders that all live together and share an area and ward. We mostly just reviewed the convites of zone conference, which is having productive English classes, effective contacts in the street, and asking for references in every lesson. Which I'm excited to work on!!!

- We had a cute little Christmas themed English class!! Ok lamo we were wanting a million people to show up, but 8 people came which is still more than we've ever had!!! 

Quinta:

- We had 4 online references just this one day só!! 

- I've never had a day where I've been as tired as I was on this day. Literally no joke. I was literally falling asleep in our member lunch meal and that was our first outing for the day. And then in between 1:30pm when we finished lunch and 8:30pm when we had dinner planned, we had 6 lessons and 3 of them were in person. And all 6 of these lessons weren't last minute kind of share a scripture lessons, these were all pre meditated pre planned real amigo freaking exhausting lessons let me tell you. 

- At the end of the night, our last lesson we had planned was with this new family that was a reference from a member!! We were walking there and we were so exhausted. It was dark, it was raining, and we could not find this house. He did not have an address because his house isn't on the map. We were talking to him on the phone he was explaining directions with vocab we didn't understand, both of our phones were literally at 3%, we were stressed we wouldn't find the house before our phones died. There definitely were some tears shed. I did not feel ready and able to teach another lesson and there was a part of me that just wanted to say we tried and head back home. Right after Sister Adibs phone died, we found their house, literally so hidden under near the train tracks. I didn't realize it at the time, but as soon as I walked into their house, I was acting and teaching with a power that was definitely not my own. All of the worry and stress and exhaustion from before had been lifted, and it was so easy, and I was so happy, to teach this cute family. This family just moved here from Brazil 2 months ago and they are so excited to learn. The mom was raised a Jehovahs Witness and the dad was raised Catholic. The mom told us that she doesn't associate with Jehovahs Witnesses because she says they preach one thing and practice another. The dad was telling us how hes gone to lots of churches, but every single time, his heart has told him that it wasn't right. And then he came to our ward party last week, and he said he was comfortable and at peace there. At the end of the lesson they said, "We have no friends, just Ricardo (the member who gave us the referral) and now you guys. I like being close to you guys because you guys are close to God and you radiate His light." The enabling power of the Savior's Atonement is so real!! 

Sexta:

- I actually don't remember anything that happened this day other than that I was craving a 44oz diet beach babe so bad. 

Sabado or Christmas Eve!

- The ward mission leader had us over for dinner! Him and his wife are like 27 and they have a 4 year year old and they are so cute. They live with each of their parents and their all from Peru!! The cute little girl kept saying "misioneras!!!" and made us sit by her and spoke the cutest portenhol. I will be sending pictures. I felt very at home there it was so fun. 

- Oh my gosh guys. As some of you know I do not like Panatoni. When we lived in Brasil I did everything I could to avoid those nasty little fruit chunks. And I thought I was safe coming to Portugal but I was very wrong. They have a Portugal equivalent kind of: Bolo Rei. Please look up a picture and tell me that it looks appetizing. This family gave me the biggest slice and I really don't know what it is about it but those little fruit chunkies trigger my gag reflex every time. Blessed Sister Adib was willing to take my piece and finish it for me. The real reason why missionaries are called two by two to preach the gospel.

- We got home and my mom sent us matching Christmas jammies!! So we changed into them and set out cookies for Santa (LOL of course I set out cookies for Santa) and then we watched the Christ Child!

Christmas!!

- I'm so blessed to have some presents to open from my fam  I'm so grateful!!!!!!!

- Despite our best efforts and the whole world promising us that they'd be at church, we only had 2 of our friends there. Which honestly is really good!! But we were expecting more. 

- After church we had a meal at a members house with a fam from Mozambique! and they drove us to their house and it was a little tough because we were just at their disposal and couldn't leave when we wanted. Our area actually is so huge but we only ever travel within walking distance or sometimes the train. I literally left their house 30lbs heavier. 

- I called my fam!!! 

- There's a family that feeds us every week and we had dinner with them! and they're from Venezuela! and it really is so kind of them!!! But I cannot lie to you guys, the food normally is not super awesome and the house just smells actually so bad of cat and dog. I literally am tip-toeing around their house and I held an hour long squat over my chair to avoid the mounds of cat hair. They gave us so much food, the Bolo Rei almost made a re-appearance. 

-It was a good day!! This week, I really haven't been too homesick. I love and miss my family but also I want and need to be here!!!

Today is Pday and it's actually zone pday! but!! We got to the train station and came to find out that the train workers are on strike so we couldn't go  So that's actually so sad. So instead we went to the beach!! The beach is literally in our area and is only a 10 minute uber ride from our house. Because it's winter, and there's no naked ladies on the beach, President gave us permission to go!!! It is sooo pretty and I had no idea how much I missed the beach for real. 

Missionary work takes such a toll on emotions. Every week I feel like we are so excited about someone, and are super invested, and then they won't meet with us, or aren't progressing as fast as we want. I'm always learning more patience and trust in the Lord and His plan and His timing. This is His work!! I'm just trying to be best instrument I possibly can be in His hands. Everyone pray for my area and our friends!!! 

I love you all!!! Merry Christmas and also Happy New Year!! 

Love Sister Menden

Pics!!

1. Cutie family

2. Sugar cookies!!

3-4. The cutest little girl ever 

5-6. Never have I ever seen anyone so happy to unwrap Dorito's 

7. Round 1 of our Christmas lunch 

8. Please look at the cat 

9. Also cutie fam 

And then the beach! Costa Nova!!