Ava sings LIVE from Zion (Poá)

Goodbye to Gilmara

Listen to "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today!" Link:  Ava sings LIVE from Brasil!

Sad goodbyes

So this week was AWESOME. It still hasn't really sunk in that Sister Lee is my companion and that my area is Poá. This area is even more wonderful than I thought it was, we call it Zion. I have never seen a more loving, united, reverent, Christ-like ward in my life. Remember that part at the end of Toy Story 2 when the flight attendant Barbie smiles so much that her cheeks start to hurt and she can't stop smiling? That actually happened many times this week...THEY JUST MAKE ME SO HAPPY I can't help but smile and hug and kiss everybody! POÀ MAKES ME SMILE! I feel like I have just been glowing all week.

SO! There is this young couple named Cintia and John and we marked their marriage and baptism for May 20th and I love them SO MUCH. I should've taken a picture, I am sorry. They have an adorable baby boy named Edwin.

So when I went on "vacation" to Poá last transfer, I met a woman who knocked me off my feet. We walked into her house and she excitedly sat us down to tell us she had just finished reading Jesus the Christ and bore one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever heard of our Savior, I could just feel her gratitude and overflowing love for Him.

For a while now I have been rather frustrated because I feel like I can't truly express how I feel about Jesus Christ when I bear testimony of Him, that my words are just words and I can't help others feel the same way I feel about Him. I even felt like that when I bore my testimony in my blog a few weeks ago. I have no issue with the Restoration or Tithing or Baptism for the Dead or that we have a living prophet, but my love for Christ is something so much deeper and sacred that I don't know how to express it, I just say the same things everybody says.

So when I met this woman, I became so inspired to try harder to express my adoration for Him! Also, that same week, President gave me a special promise during our interview. He said "Testify of Jesus Christ in every opportunity you have. If you do, I promise that you will see even more miracles in you area." So at every opportunity I began to try to really express my love for Him and not just say the words I usually say-- so that the people can FEEL IT. It was hard, I know it sounds so simple, but it honestly pushed me. I distinctly remember bearing my testimony of Jesus Christ twice for Jessica last week, and the night of her baptism I realized it was a fulfillment of President's promise. However, I still really have a LONG way to go. So I have been using every opportunity here in Poá to bear my testimony of Him and it is just so glorious.

Beautiful Irmas

I. Love. Sister. Lee. With my whole soul. I feel like she is literally my sister, sometimes I actually feel like Lia is my companion. She is just like me, just a lot lot better, just like Lia. :) I don't know what I have done to deserve her as my companion or the privilege to serve in Poá and participate in this marvelous work, but I am not going to overthink it and just GET TO WORK! WOO HOO!!

I told Jessica I like her shoes so she bought me some ♥ I don't think it was ever so hard to say goodbye to someone.

Love, Ava