Pics from Sis Kane

February 24

Bom dia, família! 

Thank you for all the emails and updates. Everyone seems to be doing so well. I am so proud of each of you and so grateful for your examples in my life! Thank you for the endless support!! I think I´m the most blessed Sister ever. :)

We´ve had another wonderful week here in Cruz Alta. Have I mentioned how much I love this place? So very much. I hope to stay here until the end! We´ll see what the Lord´s got planned :) The beginning of this week started off a little nuts, a little stressful, but the weekend was perfect. On Saturday we helped in a stake service project, painting and cleaning a school. We had way too much fun! It´s always been a dream of mine since the beginning of the mission to be able to PAINT in a service project, and finally my dream was fulfilled :) I´ll send some pics. I think I ended up painting myself more than painting the school haha. The Lord placed some very special people in our path this week. People truly prepared for the gospel. Yesterday we had several people confirmed to come to church with us, but on our way when we called to confirm again, they all cancelled and said they wouldn´t be able to come. I was a little stressed with that and started to reflect on what I need to change and improve so that we might be able to help our investigators better. We set some goals, and headed on to church, praying for a miracle, that someone would show up. There´s a recent convert, Carol, who´s 14 years old and an incredible young woman. Pure missionary already (she´s been a member for 4 months). We started teaching her family this week and it´s been incredible to see Carol´s joy as she watches her mom and sister accept the gospel. They both had confrimed that they´d go to church but then cancelled.. when we got to church we went to find Carol and decided to go to her house and talk to her mom and sister to come to church. Carol was a little doubtful and had a hard time believing that they´d come. But off we went, the 3 of us praying and asking for a miracle. When we got to her house, her mom (who´s paralyzed from the waist down) had gotten herself up and was getting ready to come to church. The look on Carol´s face when she walked in was perfect.. she was so surprised and so happy. When we got in the car, Carol hugged us and quietly said, "I love you guys. Thank you so much." Her joy was indescribable to have her mom at church with her. She was so so happy. It was the miracle of the day. The Lord is so very kind. So so so very kind. I love this work. There´s nothing that brings greater joy. Last night as we walked home, there was a thunderstorm collecting on the outskirts of the city... it´s the most incredible thing when this happens because there´s lightning within all the clouds..before the rain starts to fall. i don´t know how to explain. I´ll send a few pictures, but the pictures don´t do it justice. It was the most incredible sky last night... we walked home feeling so much happiness, so much love for this place. My heart is captured here in Rio Grande do Sul. Days like yesterday, I could stay here forever. I love this gospel. I love learning and growing each day. I love being able to feel closer to the Lord each day. There´s truly no greater joy than this. The time is running before me... I can´t believe who fast it´s gone. I´m so grateful for the time here and for the precious time I have left in this blessed place. If you could all stop praying for the time to hurry up and pray for it to slow down I would greatly apprecite it ;) haha. I love you very much. Have a wonderful week! May you feel the Lord´s great love for each of you and recognize His hand in each day! 

Sending my love and prayers from Cruz Alta, 

Sister Kane

February 17, 2014

Bom dia, querida família! 

Well, this set of emails has been a fun one hahah... Jessi totalled my old car...my first companion, Sister Nascimento, is well in the works preparing for her wedding, other nutty news,and I also nearly cried when I received the email asking for my information for my flight home..... ai ai ai. I remember one year ago when my trainer received that email and she nearly cried as well... I never thought my day would come! It´s a strange strange strange thing. I can´t believe how fast it´s going. A little bit of a whirlwind today! hahah.

This week has been a great one. Every week, every day is great. I couldn´t be happier. Perhaps my emails seem a bit redundant with that phrase haha, but I can´t explain the true happiness that fills my heart each day here. It´s priceless. 

This week I´ve learned more about how the Lord places certain people in our lives,always in exactly the right moment, to enter into our lives and stay in our lives for eternity. There are so many people here who I absolutely love, who I am certain were placed into my life to stay for eternity. Companions, other missionaries, recent converts,members...so much love fills my heart. Can you believe I´ve been in Cruz Alta for nearly 8 months now?? I can´t believe how fast it´s gone. I love this place. I hope the Lord lets me stay here until the end...! 

One of this people who entered into my heart during these weeks is Vitoria. A young woman, 13 years old, who has passed through much more than any 13 year old should have to pass.She was baptizedon Saturday, and was able start a new life. She´s got a complicated past, but Heavenly Father wanted to give her a new chance,a new beginning.That´s what I Love about this gospel.It´s perfect. Our Heavenly Father´s love is so infinite, it doesn´t exclude anyone,it invites every single person to partake of the happiness of the gospel.Vitoria is changing her life.Little by little, her face glows a little more, her smile gets a little wider. This gospel is for everyone.

We had zone conference this weekend.We gave a training about listening and loving the investigator.Big crowd this time.. it was a good experience. We were reunited with many friends in this conference and we had all our sisters there.. so fun. It was so great to see everyone and remember some of the great memories together. Eternal friendships here. How grateful I am for each of the people the Lord has given me the opportunity to meet. I love this place. It´s passing far too quickly...But we´re embracing every singleday and loving every moment. The happiness is deep and eternal.

I love each of you!! Thank you for being so incredible and so faithful. How blessed I am. Have a wonderful week! 

Sending my love and prayers,

Sister Kane

Some Pics

Tuesday Night Radio Show to share the Gospel!

The Girls

Katie now serves as the female version of Zone Leader.  She gets to travel all over to help the Sisters and see old converts.  She loves it!

Hotter than Hades; Happier than ever!

Bom dia! 

Se eu pudesse escrever em portugês, eu ficaria muito feliz... mas.... 

Well, if I could write to you in portugues I would be very happy! My mind has quite a challenge with english...

Thank you for the wonderful emails and updates. You fill my heart with happiness! I am glad to hear everyone is well and happy and working hard. Baby B is the CUTEST. Take advantage of the cold!!! Here it´s like walking in a sauna everyday... I´ve never sweat like this in my life hahaha... drops of sweat fall from my face.. drops. Daily. Yuck. But, it doesn´t stop the happiness :) 

This week has been wonderfully busy and wonderfully exhausting and wonderfully happy. We had the opportunity to go to São Borja again this week to work with the Sisters there. Eeshh... Let me tell you... São Borja is the bordering city with Argentina. It´s called a "fronteira" city where the weather gets all the extremes. (I´m sorry, I feel like my grammar isn´t making sense.. and the other american elder here is just as lost as I am and is not helping haha). It´s hotter than hot and colder than cold in the winter. 44 degrees celsius. Eesh. If i´m not mistaken, I believe it´s over 110 degrees farenheit. Imagine that! Hahah I decided after that that I´d accept willingly the 37, 38 degrees here in Cruz Alta. But we had a great time with the sisters there, even with that glorious heat. It´s so fun for me to work with Sister Claret, one of my dearest friends and roomate of 5 months here in Cruz Alta. 

We´ve been running around to prepare everything for this upcoming week, and trying to keep up with our work here and in helping the sisteres. Heavenly Father has helped us so much!! Even though our time is often short, He always makes time for us to accomplish everything and to able to visit our investigators and recent converts, etc. This week I have felt such an outpouring of love from our Father in Heaven, and an overwhelming love for the people we are teaching. Many times throughout this week I have found myself choked up as I testify to God´s children how much He loves them. I´ve felt it so clearly this week, for the investigators, the other sisters, the recent converts. So much love and true desire to help them in their difficulties. It seems like my own worries and difficulties have simply gone away, because my greater worry is for each of them. I remember Dad always telling me that when I was younger.. if you´re having difficulties or not feeling happy, go and serve someone else. Make them happy, and you´ll find happiness and solutions to your own problems in turn. How grateful I am so be here. The time flies by. Each day has become increasingly more precious to me and I pray to able to help each of God´s children in this area in the way that He needs me to. I love this work more than my words can express. I am so grateful for the daily growth and progress here on the mission. I love you so much! Thank you for your examples and support! 

Sei que Cristo é nosso Salvador. Ele nos conhece e nos ama perfeitamente. Que vocês possam sentir isso durante essa semana. 

Amo vocês!

Sister Kane

April 28: 3, tres, 1-2-3... TRIO

Oi cute family!! How is everyone doing? Thank you so much for the WONDERFUL emails this week. Seriously. Loved every single one. You are the best :) Sounds like you guys are busy as every with the yard and everything else. Lots of work! Summer cleaning haha.. we are preparing to take on the winter here :) But how great to hear that everyone is well. Jess, way to go on your talk :) I know you did wonderful, because you have such a powerful testimony that it doesn´t even matter if you were nervous because your testimony was certainly carried into the hearts of everyone there :) Love hearing about all the mission calls. Crazy things are happening! The Lord is hastening the work. So cool to see it all rolling forth. 

Everything is going great on this end of the world. One sister who lived with us went home this week because of health problems, so we are in TRIO now :) Haha I´ve never heard anyone speak highly of a trio, and admitedly it´s not proving to be my favorite thing in the world. I think we have 3 of the most opposite personalities in the world. But it really is going well :) We are laughing up a storm in the streets. We´ve started a new game that we play in the streets.. it´s a word game, it´s rather ridiculous, but we never cease to laugh throughout the day. It´s good to keep our spirits hight, no matter how ridiculous our ways are :) Our teaching as a trio has definitely got some work to do... but we´ll get there. Besides it´s only going to be for two weeks until transfers. 

We´ve got a great group of investigators right now. We have two baptisms set for this week. One is the mom of the young girl we baptized a few weeks ago. She is SO special!!! Ah, she brings such joy to my heart :) The sweetest spirit is always present when we teach her. They are truly the humblest of families. This family has nothing. Nothing. But they are deeply rooted in their faith in Christ and find joy in what matters most. It´s going to be such a special baptism! Yoohoo!!

Yesterday was a conference via satellite with the 4 (i think) southern states of Brazil. We heard from various area leaders and then from Elder Richard G. Scott. Oh, he´s so wonderful :) He speaks Portuguese... he also speaks Spanish... and sometimes he forgets which language he´s speaking and mixes the two :) Hahaha is portugues is very difficult to understand, but it was great anyway. He´s such a dear! 

In other news.. I have athlete´s foot... hahahah seriously Brazil is not doing much for my beauty or for my feet. Gross. But... I´m treating it and it appears to be getting better. (Thank goodness for that first aid kit you sent with me mom! It had exactly what I needed :) ) 

Passed 5 months in the mission this week...can you believe it?? Holy cow. It goes fast. 

This week I studied the sermon on the mount again. It´s so beautiful. If you´re needing something to study this week, study that. It´s great. So applicable. Also if you haven´t read Our Search for Happiness, READ IT. It´s perfect. This goes for family, friends, members, and non members. This book is perfect. It will help your faith and answer any questions you have about the gospel and the church :) 

Well.... I think that sums up the week okay. I am one happy little missionary. Life is wonderful in the service of the Lord :) 

Have a wonderfully happy week!! Know that you are all in my prayers. Thank you for your love and example! I feel your prayers and support daily. I LOVE YOU, family!!! 

Sending ALL my love from Brazil, 

Sister Kane

April 15

Bom dia familia! 

Thank you so very much for all your emails and wonderful words of wisdom :) I love you! So great to hear about all the happenings back home. You all sound wonderful. Keep the good news coming, okay?:) Did you guys enjoy conference? How´s school, work everything going? Mom, glad you got connected with the branch president here!! It will be so fun to have that link! He´s great and loves talking to our families :) 

Então... I´m here in São Borja!! It´s going great! So much to tell... let´s begin eh? Well, leaving Parque Pinheiro was very difficult... I cried, Sister Nascimento cried, we all cried :) A lot. But, eventually we had to just rip of the bandaid and I had to leave my little family there and my mommy and head on to new adventures! I don´t know if tranfers get easier over time, but I hope so! Haha because it felt like I was leaving home all over again. And leaving behind our investigators was one of the hardest parts.. to now leave them in the hands of other missionaries after you develop such a love for them and desire for their well being and progression in the gospel. But I suppose that´s the way the mission goes huh? And of course, Heavenly Father kees a close eye on all of them. But, we arrived here late Tuesday night and entered into the nightmare of a house we live in :) it´s horrid, but.. i was also very spoiled with the house in Parque Pinheiro, so... I guess it´s only fair to have a crappy house now haha. But it´s right next to the chapel which is SO nice. Everything is very close to home here which is great. We live in the city here.. it´s refreshing.. civilization :) It´s a nicer area here than the other area.. there´s some beautiful homes here! And there´s stop lights.. also something we didn´t have in the last area haha :) My companion, Sister Prisbela is great. She works so hard! She has a huge desire to talk to everyone, to teach everyone. I think that she and Sister Nascimento are possibly the two most opposite sisters in the mission :) But she really is great, and I know I`m going to learn a lot with her. She has a great love for the work and for the Lord. 

We had two baptisms yesterday! It´s a little different because I met them just a few days ago and haven´t been a part of their journey, but it´s still wonderful to see people take this step in their lives and to see the happiness that shines from their eyes :) I´ll send pics. 

This week has been a little bit of a whilrwind and I´m not completely settled in yet. But I really am very excited to be here. The Lord always knows best, and though it was a huge surprise and challenge to be transferred, I know the Lord has great things in store here in São Borja and that the timing of the change was wisdom in Him. It was time for the baby bird to leave the comfort of the nest :) The Lord is truly in the details of our lives. Every little thing. He organizes it all. And with so much care and love. I know that this is truly His work, that the gospel brings a deep joy and happiness that nothing else in the world can bring. I know that our Savior lives and that He sacrificied everything that we might have JOY. The Lord desires nothing more than our happiness in this life and the life to come, and the gospel is the way to obtain it :) 

Have I mentioned how great the mission is? :) It´s really really great.

I love you to the stars and back, cute family. You are my light and joy! Thank you for the prayers, love, and support. I feel it daily and couldn´t do this without it! Have a most wonderful week, FULL of joy and laughter :)

Sending all my love from Brazil, 

Sister Kane