Red Fury's Amazon Adventures!: Well the time has come... I am Senior and I have a new area!

Hello Everyone,

This week has been the craziest and I AM exhausted! I have been transferred to Noel Nutles and I already love it here, but I’ll explain more about my week first. We got the transfer call on Saturday. We had a lot of sisters stay with us this weekend and on Monday night. Sister Boyack and Sister Dos Santos came back from Acre for the transfers. We had a going away party for Sister Boyack Sunday night in Noel Nutles (where I am serving now) because it was her very first area. All the members kept asking if I was going to come to serve in that area. Ha, it was pretty fun because I already had a feeling I would go there. They all kept saying “See you on Wednesday Sister Poole”. I was super happy to make a few friends in that area. It was fun to visit with Sister Boyack again. I sure have missed her, but at least I’ll get to see her again in a few months. It’s weird thinking that my mission mom is finally back home in the States. I hope everything works out for her and she is happy.

Monday night Sister De Olivera showed up at 4 a.m. because she had missed her flight. The President had to call another part-time missionary because our numbers are uneven with Sister Boyack leaving. The part time missionary showed up late Monday night, too. So I have literally gotten eight hours of sleep in three days. I prayed so much yesterday that I would be able to work and not fall asleep teaching in my new area.

Anyway, I would love to say that I left my area super happy, but in the end it was sort of depressing. It looks like they are going to close my area in six weeks. Sister Reis is with the part-time sister, so they will both be leaving in six weeks. The President will probably put Elders back in this area. Sister Reis is way sad because she didn’t want to train her last transfer and we are sad the area will close. I wish we would’ve worked just a little harder and marked a few more dates. Danili and Junior’s wedding is all set for the 20th of November, but they aren’t going to Church. They promised they would go on Sunday. Hopefully I can get permission to go to the wedding and baptism in November. My new area is pretty close to Acariquara so I think they’ll let me. I pray that Sister Reis and her new comp can have some success these next six weeks. It was hard saying goodbye to all the members on Sunday. Church was hard because only Eliane came so I didn’t even get to say goodbye to Pat, Jardel and Lidiane. I was so heartbroken by both these special families. I just wanted to say goodbye to them and tell them how much I love them. It was hard not seeing them at church, again. The President put elders in their area so Sister Reis will introduce them to the Elders. I hope the Elders help them and are patient with them. I will continue to pray for them and I hope I can see them again.

Monday night my dear friend Irmã Lilia threw me a small going away party with a few families. I started getting all teary-eyed as they expressed gratitude for my service and for the opportunity they had to get to know me. I love all the members that were there and to me, they have become a part of my Brasilian family! I learned lots of things in my last area and I am excited for a fresh start. I regret not making closer friendships with some of the families in my ward, but I am determined to become better friends with the members in my new ward.

This is why I love change! I am starting over and will probably finish my mission in this area unless by some miracle the President lets me go back for my last transfer to Boa Vista. So, I am determined to do things better here, work harder and have more faith. I know this area will be amazing. I have heard so many wonderful things about this area that I feel privileged to serve here!

I am serving with Sister Nunes. She is from Macio and is 24 years old. She used to be in a band and she is beautiful. She is a convert to the Church and has been a member for three years. She is the newest sister on the mission so… I have finally turned Senior! I am excited, anxious, nervous, etc. Everyone thinks I will be training in six weeks, so I need to learn my area fast and get to work. I am working hard on being a good example for her since she only has three months on the mission. I already like her a lot and I know we will be great friends. I have changed to a new district that set super high goals like making 140 contacts per week. So, last night we made 26; we are determined to meet this goal haha. I just know that the pressure is all on me now. This area has had a lot of success and of course I have started doubting myself, but I quickly pushed those ideas out of my head. If other sisters have had lost of success, then of course we can, too! I have already met with the Bishop and told him that we are willing to help with whatever he needs. He seems like a great Bishop. The cute members that I met on Sunday I was able to visit last night. One Irmã got a big smile on her face when I walked into her house and said, “I have been telling everyone that we will be getting a Barbie in our area.” I don’t know why, but everyone thinks I look like a Barbie here, ha I know I don’t. I already love this Irma and I can feel the Spirit so strong in her house. Another member that I met on Sunday started jumping up and down in the street when she saw me today. She is only 14, but she is adorable. If you can’t tell, I am super pumped for this new area!

I pray that the Lord will bless us and that we will have lots of success. Our first day together, was interesting. Some guy kicked us out of his house and everyone says they can’t understand me!!! Ah. So, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I’ll work hard to lose my accent so people can understand. I can’t train an American if I don’t speak the language better. We did have a nice testifying moment yesterday. We met a member who is inactive and he told us he doesn’t believe in the Book of Mormon. He told me I was born in the Church so it is easier for me to believe. I testified to him that I had to gain my own, personal testimony for myself. I felt the Spirit as we both taught this man more about the Book of Mormon. We challenged him to pray and read again. We will be visiting him next week!

Sorry, my email time is up! We are going to get ice cream with Sister Jayme in a few hours! I am excited! Tell Aunt Sharon congrats!! I am way happy for her! I love this gospel and I love my mission! I love you all too! Have a great week!

Sister Poole