12-7-15 Cadé essa síster americana?

So as of this transfer, we're not allowed to "chat" on email. (sorry mom) so when you send emails, send EVERYTHING you want to know and say before Monday morning so that it is all ready to go when I get on to respond.

I got all three packages this week. Sad to say, I have very little patience and the sisters who live in my house have even less patience (and the package came opened so that's another thing too, so I saw pretty much everything. BUT I will not use any of the non-perishable things (but I already started drinking cocoa and eating candy so yeah.) Sister Araujo loved the stocking and all the stuff and I did too! We're going to use the headbands for Christmas P-day with the whole mission and we are SO excited. Haha!

The little Sister Missionary Stockings

I think we have it worked out to do a skype call on Christmas. We talked to one member and she said she would talk to her husband if they'll stay at home on Christmas Day. They have two computers so I think we'll do a session for one companionship in the morning and one in the afternoon-early night. I'll probably go during the night because Sister Araujo said she'll talk with her family in the afternoon.

Sister Araujo sends her gratitude for everything Chirstmas related. She already told me that she doesn't think that she'll receive any gifts from her family for Christmas, so that little stocking REALLY meant a lot. I don't know if I've already told you about her family, but only she and her grandmother are members. Her father is a preacher/theologist and her mom is a member of a denomination here in Brazil called Espiritismo (Spiritism) which I know very little about. She has very little contact with her family and they don't support her on the mission. She is working together with the bishop of her ward to pay for her mission and sends letters to them constantly with pictures of the temples and quotes about eternal families. So she defintely has a plan and a vision to have an eternal family eventually, but right now she doesn't have it. So thanks for sending the little stocking full of love. It really meant pretty much the world to her.

Sister A

So as of Tuesday, my ankle was fine, and healing well. I ditched the boot and moved on with my life. However, I think it was on Wednesday or Thursday (can't remember) I sprained it again in the middle of the City Square next to the train station (a half hour walk from our house) We called pretty much everyone in our phone contacts that we knew had a car and President as well (but he and Sister Broadbent were in a meeting, couldn't answer) but nobody answered until we reached the house. So we just walked on home on my sprained ankle and stayed in the house another 2 days. I'm healing a little bit faster. I used the boot 2 days and I bought 2 compressors that I can switch and wash each day so that's about where I'm at with the foot. Haha. I took a photo with my boot and the scripture in Isaiah 52:7 "How beautiful upon the [mounts of Mauá] are the feet of [Sister Denton]" hahaha.

I'll respond to any questions that you will send after this, but that'll be it. You can take up any complaints with President Broadbent. :( 

Sister Denton

Sister Holly Denton

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." D&C 64:33

Olá Y'all! Haha.

So how are all of you guys this week? I'm fine (except for my ankle, sprained it again this week, insert Isaiah 52:7 here while you imagine Sister Denton wearing a boot as she is climbing a hill) Not much happened this week because of that whole thing. I PROMISE that I'm not spraing my ankle on purpose, it just happens. I think it's the area and the sidewalks, but there's not much I can do about that!  Anyways, this week was pretty cool. We had a really cool opportunity to teach a friend of a member this week. He doesn't know a whole lot about Christ or God, but he's interested in the message that we have, so we went over there to teach him. He is pondering the choice to get baptized and he went to church with us this week, so that was pretty cool. His name is Luiz. :)

Isaiah 52:7 + Boot = Comedy "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"

We got to go to stake conference this week. Normally on Saturday, missionaries don't attend conference, but after we had a lesson with Luiz, we checked the phone and it had 2 missed calls from Pres. Broadbent. When we called him again, he said he needed a companionship at the conference. Luckily we were right up the street. An area 70, Elder Antonies, wanted us there, so we went to help him out with part of his talk. He pretty much gave us a good boost for referrals. President as well. During the Stake President's talk, he was talking about how Mauá Stake can grow and divide and how the Mauá stake is the best stake in the world. Out of nowhere I heard "Cadé essa síster americana?' (where´s that American sister?) "Dê um microfone para ela!" (Give her a microphone!) "Síster, qual é a melhor estaca do MUNDO?" (Sister, which is the best stake in the world?) I was really tempted to say Murfreesboro, but out of fear of getting a stink eye from the stake president, I responded, Mauá! Haha. But it was really cool. He gave a really good talk while we were there. He told a story about a little old woman who always has the same cleaning assignment when she goes to clean the chapel, which is to clean up the pews until they are all nice and clean. The woman was always frustrated when she ended because the towel she used was always as clean as it was when she started no matter how hard she scrubbed. After talking with the bishop, he gave her counsel to use a small paintbrush the next time, and clean out every little corner, and then her towel would start to turn a little bit brown and she would feel more accomplished. And so she did exactly that the next time she went. He related this to us like this: We need to sort out our own personal conflicts before we go out to help others with their things. (Matt 7:3-5) It was a really good talk. I liked it a LOT. 

But anyways, there's not much more to say, so I'll leave this email with a little video. :) It's a really cool video about Chirstmas and the purpose of Christ's life. Everyone should go and watch it! Merry Christmas! 

Sister Holly Denton


"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." D&C 64:33