No travels this week, everyone! And probably not any more in the near future. The time to travel (for me) is in the winter, when the temperature is in the 60s and 70s during the day. That's why I did so much traveling last month. September is a challenging month here - normally cold and rainy. Once it starts raining, it will rain nearly every day for months. The good thing is that it normally rains only for a short time each day, and when the weather starts to get hot, it will cool things down for a while. Right now, though it is around 55 degrees, with rain and grey skies. I am sitting in my apartment with a blanket around my shoulders and a space heater at my feet. But I have nothing to complain about - I know many of you are in temperatures that are near 100 degrees.
The last few weeks have been ones of learning for me. I have learned about adversity as I watch missionaries struggle to learn Portuguese, to learn to adjust to a new culture, new companions, and a new way of life. I have talked with 28 missionaries this month - some for just one visit, and some for more. I have seen 16 of them get to the point where they are no longer discouraged and sad, but happy and no longer needing me. That makes me really happy. Often, the change has nothing to do with me. They have caught on to the language, or gotten some advice from family or other missionaries, or had a good talk with their president, so they feel better. I know that the missionaries that I am still seeing will soon be in the same shape, and their place will be taken by other new missionaries who are having trouble adjusting to the first few weeks of missionary life. I like being able to do what I can to help them.
Some days are just like this meme! I am starting to finally find a routine, but it is frequently interrupted by whatever is needed in one of the eight missions that I am working with and the MTC. But I am enjoying the work a lot more, as I am doing more and more presentations.
Last Saturday, I tripped on the cobblestone street near our condominium and fell pretty hard. I skinned both knees pretty badly, cut my hand, and bruised my ribs. I stayed home from church last Sunday because I was too sore to walk to church and I have stayed in the apartment most of this week, but I am feeling much better now. My knees are healing, and the soreness is almost gone. I was worried about coming to Brazil because I thought I might be robbed. That hasn’t happened, but I have been attacked by a sidewalk twice! 😊 It’s a good thing I am so fluffy! I have lots of padding protecting those bones!
Here is most of my weekly English class. Fábio, in the back, is getting ready to give an entire presentation in English on Salvador, where is family is from. He says it is the best place in Brazil! Jessé, in the front, is one of our new Brazilian psychologists and he is making such a difference in the missions! If you look at the laptop on the table, Gustavo is attending by zoom, because he is recuperating from a motorcycle accident. We also have Carlos, but he was absent on Monday. We have such a fun class, talking about anything and everything. Tomorrow, Jessé is going to talk about Natal, where he is from (and how Natal is the most beautiful place in Brazil because it has the best beaches!)
I love the fact that the Lord helps me to serve the missionaries and that I can do something that is so beyond my normal abilities. I saw an article this week from BYU about using the Growth Mindset framework with entrepreneurs in Tanzania and thought it was an interesting article. But the Spirit seemed to tell me that this could be applied to missionaries. I thought about it for a while and could “see” how a presentation on it could look – I even saw the power point slides in my mind. Then, the next day, I received a request for Jessé and me to do a special presentation in the Natal Mission for newly arrived missionaries – and I knew that this was the presentation that was needed! I worked on it Friday and Saturday and I have it translated into Portuguese. I will have it proofread tomorrow and it will be ready to show to Jesse in our meeting on Thursday! He will give it in Portuguese to newly arrived missionaries from South America and I will give it to newly arrived missionaries from the USA.
I still am fighting the battle of learning Portuguese and still battling loneliness. But they are just challenges of the mission! If I didn’t have them, I would be too comfortable and not as empathetic towards the missionaries I meet with. That is something I have learned this week- The Lord keeps us just slightly uncomfortable because the Growth Zone is just outside our Comfort Zone. The Comfort Zone is a place of stagnation. We will occasionally visit there, but if we have the belief that if we are righteous, we will spend our mission in our Comfort Zone, we will be disappointed and discouraged most of the time. But if we expect some discomfort, then we can be happy even though we are a little uncomfortable!
Before I go, I wanted to show you two photos. They are of a garden near where I live. The land was donated to the local Catholic Church, and the garden is tended by a lovely little nun. Our youth occasionally help her. I went with my friend from the ward, and we toured the garden. I saw a neat row of dandelions! They plant them for salads. I told them that we do our best to keep them out of our gardens, because they just take over once they get it! I love seeing things from a different point of view (You notice that there are no heads on the dandelions)!
Comments23
Dandelions are gross to eat…
Dandelions are gross to eat but of you are hungry enough i guess you can
Inspiring!
Sister Cheek! Thanks for your wonderful service. Keep up the great work!
Love you,
Brig
:)
salvador is the best place in brazil, he is right!!! i’m sorry about your fall, but i am glad you’re feeling better. how gostoso- 55°!!! we love you and pray for you! thanks for all the fun pictures. i love looking at them.
Throwback post
Wow grandma, I remember when I arrived in Brazil and it rained every day for the first two weeks in the field. My shoes never dried the entire time since it was so cold and wet so they smelled awful. I was so glad to throw them out when the time came. It’s moments like that I remember and laugh about now. Hope you have a continual, speedy recovery!
I’ve heard about
Dandelion salads, but I've never tried… have you? How are they?
Learning and growing
Excellent! Love the comfort zone and growth zone comments! Expecting discomfort and accepting the challenge brings learning and humility. Love it!
Observations
Hi Sister Cheek, I appreciate your observations about the Growth and Comfort Zones. When I first signed in to Duolingo to start learning Portuguese, I did so because I felt that is something I should do--and that I would know why I was to do this in the future. I had all sorts of ideas about why this could be useful. However, after two years of this effort, I cannot converse in Portuguese; and I am frequently working on mistakes. BUT I can relate to people trying to learn English; and I am living proof that if a person doesn't try talking in the new language, progress will be very minimal. So maybe that is why I'm working on this even though I'd really like to quit!
Post of 27 August 2023
I'm relieved to hear you weren't seriously injured from your most recent fall. Think warm thoughts for the winter!
I love that you have some…
I love that you have some plants there in your apartment as I know how happy they make you. It’s been so warm here with not a lot of moisture so our grass is turning a little brown but the mountains have been absolutely beautiful this summer!
I’m glad to hear you’ve been having some meaningful experiences with the missionaries and with creating material to bless them. That must feel very rewarding! Keep up the great work! ❤️
Skinned up knees
Sister Cheek, I hope your knees are getting better.
This year has been a terrible one for me with falling also. I have skinned up my knees quite a few times and have scabs on top of scabs. It is my goal to put a stop to my falling. I have a rail on my bed now and a padded chair in a place where I kept falling. I am doing better and I am seeing a physical therapist.
I will keep you in my prayers!
Love, Adele
So marvelous! I am envious of you! I want to be there!
I am sure that you are making a huge difference in helping the missionaries! It is evident that you are staying close to the Spirit and I would love to see your powerpoint presentation. Keep believing in yourself!
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