The Lord works in mysterious ways

Hello Friends and Family! 

Funny: We moved apartments this week! 15 stripling Irmaos (I believe this is "brothers") showed up outside our apartment at  9 am Saturday morning to help us, but the portaria man said "NOPE, Saturday moves are not permitted!" I began to fret, but one of my favorite Irmaos took the situation into his own hands, took the man aside for 3 minutes, worked his magic, and somehow the the man went into his little hut and let us do the move. HAHAHA, Oh how I love the members here! We serve all day every day, but it was so cool to be on the receiving end and watch them cheerfully assembly line our little possessions to the other apartment. :)

Learning Experience: At church I shared a little testimony about how the Lord will not tell us everything we want to know for our own growth. I used to think, "How cool is it that we have the Spirit? All I have to do is ask what I should do for every decision and my life will be perfect because I will ALWAYS choose the right!" But sometimes He remains silent so that we have to make choices...and sometimes we are going to choose the wrong one, even though we are trying to do the right thing. We have our agency to choose.  That is why we have the Atonement, that is why we are here on earth. :) We are here preparing to be perfect and to be gods, and someday WE will be the ones needing to give the answers to others!

Then...that night my understanding was put to the test. We were in a house of a less active member, and I was trying to determine which message I should share. I felt like I should share a really strong scripture. I thought, "Really, Pai? Is this what He is needing? Won't it offend him?" But I went with it....and it was a disaster. I felt awful, and later that night I was racking my brain, trying to realize what I did wrong. As the dust settled, I could clearly see when the Spirit had been with me and when I was acting on my own prideful intuitions.

The memory of what I had shared in church that very morning (exercising our agency) came to mind and I realized, "WELL, OF COURSE! I was left to make my own choices, and I chose wrong! But...I learned PRICELESS lessons that I would have never learned had the Spirit been whispering in my ear about everything I should do." Yes, I still hurt as I reflect on the memory, but I am a better missionary today. The Lord works in mysterious ways, and oh, how grateful I am that I am here to make mistakes and get messy, and become clean again through the Atonement. What a beautiful process :)

LOVE YOU ALL!  Sister Ava Ludlam

Ava on another mission with Luci

Miracles Within Me

Nilsa and Edson, always a Party!

I have been sitting here praying about what I should write this week to spiritually lift those who will read this. I want to be able to say we saw so many miracles this week, but I was really discouraged as I realized nothing noteworthy happened. Thousands of steps taken, hundreds of doors knocked (or clapped), but nothing to show for it. But then I thought "but this week was amazing, how do I explain that?"

This week I have learned more about how to be like Christ than any other week on my mission, and that is reason enough to rejoice! That is a MIRACLE! I believe that one of the primary reasons the Lord wanted me to serve a mission was to see the gospel of Jesus Christ work miracles within ME. This week I was faced with hundreds of little decisions each day, where I chose to follow Christ. He is patient, He is meek, He is humble, He is long-suffering. He smiles and He LOVES unconditionally.

I did not have the strength to do these things on my own, but I leaned on Him. I joyfully partook of the sacrament this week, and I have never felt so clean and happy. So yes, no one accepted us this week, but as we took those thousands of steps, I felt like He was right there with us, cheering us on.

Last week a BYU friend sent me an email with 14 fotos and a nice long letter about Stover Hall and late nights and parties, and I thought I would be hurting afterwards. On the contrary! I realized I am HAPPIER here, and that I don't want that right now. FINALLY! I choose Brasil, and I chose to serve. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else!

President and I were talking a few months ago about how hard it is for me to not miss BYU, and he promised me if I keep doing what I am doing, one morning I will wake up and think EU AMO BRASIL... and the longing for Provo will be gone. I feel like that morning will be very, very soon. Sometimes when I am walking in the streets, I am FILLED with pure joy! The song from Prince of Egypt comes to my mind, "THIS IS MY HOME!!" My Portuguese is improving and I am actually using past, present, and future subjunctive!! THANK YOU SISTER C. SILVA!
I love her. I really do.

I LOVE YOU ALL AND I LOVE SAO PAULO BRASIL!       Sister Ludlam

I am just the servant

Appears to be Manny from Ice Age ?

Funny: (foto) Sister S letting out her inner woolly mammoth!

The Work: Unfortunately, I have no inspirational stories to share this week. We worked so hard, but everyone we were teaching dropped themselves. : (   At first I was really discouraged and was lost as to what to do next. (Ava confided that this has been her most difficult week yet, but she is doing fine now.)

Spiritual Thought: ...But then I remembered this is not my work, its the Lord, and He already knows exactly what He wants to happen this area. :) What peace that brings me!  I am just the servant, so I just need to ask Him what His will is. :) He will make a lot more out of Jardim Satelite than we can alone, and He can make a lot more of each one of us if we give our wills to Him. :)  My ward is supporting me so much and I feel their love.  There are angels around me.

Tapioca Tortilla

Culture: TAPIOCA!!! It is completely different than tapioca in the States, and I am OBSESSED. It is made from mandioka (kind of like potato, but looks like a tree trunk) or cassava. It is cheap and delicious. It has no taste, so you can put it with chocolate or ham and cheese or whatever you want. Basically a super chewy tortilla and super yummy! Haven't eaten bread in over a month. Unfortunately, the United States doesn't have it, so I am going to eat as much as I can while I am here. :)

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!

Love,
A

Ava drew this masterpiece of our house during language study this week.  Pretty good!

I chose to smile!

Ava's first hamburger in Brasil!

Sorry, Sister Emily Taggart, I am going to copy your letter format. :)

Funny: We had to stay in our apartments due to political events here in Brasil, I thought the world was going to end! Woke up the next morning and everything went back to normal. :) Typical Sister Ludlam.

The Work: We found an incredible family: Ed Carlos, Silvia, and Junior. I have never felt so guided during a lesson as I was with them. As I bore my testimony, Silvia began to cry and Junior just had the biggest smile on his face, I'll never forget it. They accepted a date for baptism! I have never felt so much love so quickly as I have for these 3 people. I feel like I've met them somewhere before...

Spiritual Thought: This week I learned that happiness is a choice. There were some very dark, difficult days this week, and one morning I woke up and thought, "I don't want to do today." As I began to get ready, I realized that I am the one who decides whether I will smile, laugh, and sing, or be miserable. So I chose to smile!

Good news: I am starting to see changes in myself, like the real kind I was hoping to see by serving a mission. Not that it matters what happens to me, but its a nice blessing. I actually feel like Heavenly Father is pleased with the work I am doing. I miss you all very much, but I am really starting to love the work and the people. My patriarchal blessing really helped me this week.

Love,
`Pidge Pot Pie

Welcome, Sister C. Silva!

Sister C. Silva is in Jardim Satelite!

Hello family!

This week was wonderful and stressful. First off, my companion is actually Sister C. Silva from Belem do Para, Brasil! (last week someone told her it was a different Silva from Mexico) She finishes her mission in one transfer, has a beautiful accent which I will steal, is obsessed with Despicable Me, loves anything strawberry, and importantly, is a hard worker! I love her!

But as I said this week was stressful because I had to be chief moose. Since I am the only one who knows the area, I had to do all the planning, all the phone calls, all the directions, decision making, conversation iniating, and so forth. I was so stressed the first 3 days that my left eye began to twitch violently. HAHAHA!!! BUT I SURVIVED and now I am comfortable and we are already seeing many fruits of a week filled with hard work!

Visiting Ana Maria

Highlights of the week:

1. This Sunday was Stake Conference and we had 4 investigators at church!! Everyone stood and sang Families Can Be Together Forever and naturally, I got a little teary-eyed.

2. I RECEIVED A PROMPTING AND FOLLOWED IT! It was 7:30 pm and we were going to try and find some potentials, but I felt like we should go see if Julie was home (less active)...for the 100th time. Not only were we able to get INSIDE the apartment complex, her son just happened to be coming downstairs to open the door for us and a reference named Jiara was outside as well. All of a sudden, we were all sitting in Julie's living room. I couldn't believe we actually found her!! We made an appointment to teach Jiara the next day after church. It was incredible, she has been prepared undoubtedly. I think our lesson had an even greater impact on Julie, who bore a powerful testimony that this is Christ's church, the only way to true happiness. It was a miracle.

The Meat Case

3. The member I talked about last week, Frank, is now officially active again. He went out with us to visit another less active, and he said something that touched my heart. He said "You don't realize the difference you two have made in our ward. You bring a Spirit that is powerful. I wouldn't have come back if it hadn't been for you two." Almost cried, but I recovered quickly. :) He has a new light.

4. Sister C. Silva and I have still found ways to laugh together, despite the language barrier! She started hitting me every time she saw a Volkswagen bug, and would say "fusca." I taught her "slug bug" and now she says that instead and its hilarious.

The Kombi

5. We watched The Testaments with Ana Maria and made waffles this week. She is changing. She is incredible. She is becoming one of my dearest friends. She has started calling me Loodge.

Brasilian Culture:

• They like meat. A lot.
• Everyone has this van, its called a "kombi." I feel like I am back in the 70s!

Sister Gines' final hours ♥

I love you all and most of all I love my Savior Jesus Christ!

Until next week!
Sister Loodge

The Winds are Changing

Hello All!

Sister Gines left yesterday and I am back in the "Oh, wow. I am just a lone little Ava in a really big Brazil" mode, but I LOVE IT! An adventure of a life time--the comfort zone does not exist as a missionary! My next companion is Sister Silva from Mexico, I meet her Tuesday. :) EEEEK!

Well, I brought my camera with all these pictures of Brazilian life, but since I haven't been in my area this week, I don't have my connector-thingy. Sorry, next week!!

Favorite Memories with Sister Gines:

1. My first day in Brasil, the bus pulled up and someone threw up out the window on everyone below. I thought, "What have I gotten myself into...?"

2. We were in Centro with our LMA and this big hair-gelled TV host blocks us with his camera crew, and before I knew it, a microphone and giant camera were in my face. Sister Gines and I just stared at him (still not quite sure what he said) so our LMA answered his question. I was sweating and thinking, "Yikes! I am a representative of the church and I can't say anything!" Once he realized we were boring, he and his TV crew slipped back into the torrent of rushing people.

3. We were coming in on a big fancy bus from the Capital, but we missed our stop and the next one was way out of our area! After speeding walking in the dark for an hour and a half, we somehow found our way to Irma Patricia's in time for tacos.

4. Sister was feeling discouraged. I wanted to make her laugh, but didn't know how. We walked up to this person and I asked "Ta bom?" Instead of "tudo bem?" Which means "That okay with you?" He looked at me like I was crazy, but Sister couldn't stop laughing for 10 minutes so it was worth it. :)

5. Sometimes when I would do street contacts, I would say my name is Sister Gines on accident. Finishing the conversation without one of us laughing was rare!

6. For some reason there were 2 weeks where every night we were leaving a lesson at 9:10 pm, so we would run all the way home to make our curfew! Probably some of my favorite memories with her! One time we were late for something, but I tripped and I absolutley ate concrete. We couldn't stop laughing!

7. There is a member in our ward name Rogerio and he would just say the funniest things in English, so we would quote him all the time, like "LIARRR!" Our handshake was the one from Fresh Prince of BelAir. I love our ward.

Acai berries on acacia tree

8. Making excuses to go to the end of our area where they sell açai for what would be 80 cents. :D

9. Running every morning together <3 And running hills in Vila Nair because its less painful than walking.

10. We liked to stick our heads out our two apartment windows and play catch with fruit. 

11. Creating a friendship with someone who was a less active member, but did a 360 and returned to the ward with a bang. He would teach us crazy Portuguese grammar and test us on it, like pro-para-ocsitunas. I spelled that wrong, but we started writing him a song filled with them! He was one of the main reasons Sister came to this area, I am pretty sure.

12. We were having a Noite Familiar with a ton of members the night Brazil beat Germany, but President says we are NOT allowed to watch them in any sense of the word. All the members  couldn't help themselves but turn it on for the big game and were screaming and going fanatic! She and I were turned away from the screen just having some nice small talk :)

Those are just a few, but being Sister Gines' companion was one of the greatest privileges I have ever had. I never thought I would become best friends with my companion, but our friendship is definitely just beginning. What an incredible blessing she is to me <3.

Oh by the way, I will be home a year from now. WHAT?!

I love you all! I didn't get to teach this week, but I'm sure I will have some wonderful stories with Sister Silva to share next week!

Sister Ludlam

The Winds are Changing

Hello All!

Sister Gines left yesterday and I am back in the "Oh, wow. I am just a lone little Ava in a really big Brazil" mode, but I LOVE IT! An adventure of a life time--the comfort zone does not exist as a missionary! My next companion is Sister Silva from Mexico, I meet her Tuesday. :) EEEEK!

Well, I brought my camera with all these pictures of Brazilian life, but since I haven't been in my area this week, I don't have my connector-thingy. Sorry, next week!!

Favorite Memories with Sister Gines:

1. My first day in Brasil, the bus pulled up and someone threw up out the window on everyone below. I thought, "What have I gotten myself into...?"

2. We were in Centro with our LMA and this big hair-gelled TV host blocks us with his camera crew, and before I knew it, a microphone and giant camera were in my face. Sister Gines and I just stared at him (still not quite sure what he said) so our LMA answered his question. I was sweating and thinking, "Yikes! I am a representative of the church and I can't say anything!" Once he realized we were boring, he and his TV crew slipped back into the torrent of rushing people.

3. We were coming in on a big fancy bus from the Capital, but we missed our stop and the next one was way out of our area! After speeding walking in the dark for an hour and a half, we somehow found our way to Irma Patricia's in time for tacos.

4. Sister was feeling discouraged. I wanted to make her laugh, but didn't know how. We walked up to this person and I asked "Ta bom?" Instead of "tudo bem?" Which means "That okay with you?" He looked at me like I was crazy, but Sister couldn't stop laughing for 10 minutes so it was worth it. :)

5. Sometimes when I would do street contacts, I would say my name is Sister Gines on accident. Finishing the conversation without one of us laughing was rare!

6. For some reason there were 2 weeks where every night we were leaving a lesson at 9:10 pm, so we would run all the way home to make our curfew! Probably some of my favorite memories with her! One time we were late for something, but I tripped and I absolutley ate concrete. We couldn't stop laughing!

7. There is a member in our ward name Rogerio and he would just say the funniest things in English, so we would quote him all the time, like "LIARRR!" Our handshake was the one from Fresh Prince of BelAir. I love our ward.

8. Making excuses to go to the end of our area where they sell açai for what would be 80 cents. :D

9. Running every morning together <3 And running hills in Vila Nair because its less painful than walking.

10. We liked to stick our heads out our two apartment windows and play catch with fruit. 

11. Creating a friendship with someone who was a less active member, but did a 360 and returned to the ward with a bang. He would teach us crazy Portuguese grammar and test us on it, like pro-para-ocsitunas. I spelled that wrong, but we started writing him a song filled with them! He was one of the main reasons Sister came to this area, I am pretty sure.

12. We were having a Noite Familiar with a ton of members the night Brazil beat Germany, but President says we are NOT allowed to watch them in any sense of the word. All the members  couldn't help themselves but turn it on for the big game and were screaming and going fanatic! She and I were turned away from the screen just having some nice small talk :)

Those are just a few, but being Sister Gines' companion was one of the greatest privileges I have ever had. I never thought I would become best friends with my companion, but our friendship is definitely just beginning. What an incredible blessing she is to me <3 

Oh by the way, I will be home a year from now. WHAT?!

I love you all! I didn't get to teach this week, but I'm sure I will have some wonderful stories with Sister Silva to share next week!

Sister Ludlam