NOOOOO

Dear Family,

I am freaking out a little bit because I just recieved an email from the mission office with my itinerary  TO GO HOME. My heart is beating fast. I will leave here mid day the 23rd of Setembro and get there midday the 24th. It is so soon! But calma. Ainda tenho quase 6 meses. Muito tempo né? não? AH.

Well I will try to set that aside and write an email for you all about this week. But now my mind is drawing a blank. 

We started the week with a district meeting. This week counted as the last week for the month of March. (we make goals for every month). So the whole district meeting was about reaching our goals, personal goals, district goals, and the zone´s goals. Our zone leaders were also there. So we left pumped up and ready to get out and work and conquuer the world. Or at least Antares. 

I don´t think we have ever worked so hard. Mentally and physically. This was one of the hardest weeks of my mission. Why? Because it was the hardest I had ever worked to accomplish a goal. And yet it wasn´t in my power to make sure that this goal was met. We literally did every thing in our power. And at the end of the day people still have their free will to choose whether they will be at home at the time we mark with them or not. They can choose to hear us out or not. They can choose whether to follow the answers they receive or not. So in the end, we didn´t meet our goals. And at first it was devastating. With fasting and prayer and physically working hard, the week was exhausting and we gave our all. So why didn't we see results?

It is easy to think the Lord didn´t hear our prayers. Or didn´t answer them. Or that maybe our best wasn´t enough. But I don't think it was any of that. It doesn´t matter how many times we fast. God will not take away the free agency of anyone. And I can feel good knowing I did every little thing possible.. We didn´t leave any stone unturned. So I feel that the Lord accepted my work. He accepted my "offering" (See Moses I don´t know what chapter but the story about Cain and Abel). 

This is a constant lesson to learn. 

But this week we also found time to have fun. Saturday there was a ward activity and we went because that was our lunch, we had investigators there, and later there was a mutual where we taught the youth how to make a contact. (Mutual here is on Saturday and only happens about once a month or when the leaders want to have one). We were well fed, got to play water balloon volleyball (Sister Cadillo and I won. We only played because the other women of SocSoc didn´t want to play and the woman in charge was really wanting to have people participate. We need to do our part right?) and teaching the youth was really fun. 

Any way times up 

I love you all and hope that this week you see sun and warmth (you can have a bit of my sun if you want) Happy Birthday and happy Conference!

Com amor e carinho 

Sister Martin