Braganca Paulista

Hey guys...so here´s what´s new this week.

First off...small blessing. My companion didn't feel well this morning and slept for an extra three hours. This gave me the opportunity to get the apartment clean. I´ll be gracious and say that it hasn't really been cleaned in 10 weeks... I spent an hour on the bathroom and it now smells fine and looks great. I scrubbed the floors and the living area and now I'm pretty much okay with where I live. My movie theater job really prepared me to clean a crappy living space! And yes, my companion is feeling better!

We have two baptisms scheduled for this week... Talita and Inez. I love them both. As well, Miriam (the 17 year old with a boyfriend and a child) committed to baptism and wants to marry her boyfriend, which is great! We have so many situations where the children are members but the mothers are not- because their `husbands` don´t want to marry them...even after 30 years!! (Or several who are married to other people.) It´s because the men's hearts are so hard.

Last week we went to the really, really poor part of town and taught 10 children. I love them already. Every time we go visit, they all run up and give us hugs. I taught them to name the colors and sing, "Head, shoulders, knees and toes" in English.

Bragança is very very hilly...it's fine for me, I´m a Washingtonian....hills are no biggie, but it´s hard on my companion. Her toes are not happy with her and she is always out of breath after we walk to the church (about a 15 min walk). My ward is about the size of Mercer Island. I have James Earl Jones' look-alike in my ward. The members are very nice! They feed us everyday. We're looking forward to a mission conference on the 22nd!

Know that I have a prayer in my heart at all times. I had a feeling that the family fasted for me last Sunday, because I felt about a million times lighter that day and I know it was because of you.
I love you and am glad to be your daughter. I´m so proud of my siblings and especially my brother. I have such strong rocks with you, Dad and Mom. I´m really lucky.
'til next week,
Sister Shannon Stapley