Oi!!!  Brazil is a beautiful place!  I love the people here and am learning to understand them better....meaning Portuguese.  It´s fun because they just laugh with me when what I say makes no sense, or I make up a word. Sister Alcocer, the angel she is, helps a ton!  She now knows how to say Sidewalk, street, and cross the street. haha She´s actually pretty good at reading english, she just doesn´t know how to speak it.  And english is already weird for me to say, we were singing happy birthday in Portuguese, then Spanish, then english for Camila. haha so great

Glad the Lord sent rain to California!!! what a blessing!  Got your work cut out for you dad!!

Happy things are back to normal in the Harston household.  I´m sure the spirit did more in those people´s lives than you can see and it helped them then and will help them in the future.  Thank goodness for memories!  Sunday seems like an amazing experience!

Katrina that is so awesome!!!!!!!  You´ll have a blast!  Yes, the theory class is a new language.  Pray for the gift of tongues it works! haha  The fruit snacks were the best kind. Perfect!!

We have some wonderful members here.  Two families held Family Home evenings (noite familiares) for our investigators.  Spiritual thoughts, hymns, activities, treats. it was wonderful!!  They were fellowshipped in amazing ways.  Roberio and Elisangela have a baptismal date set for october 26th and their wedding will be before then sometime....EXCITING!!!  I love that familiy. Seriously.  We´ve been able to joke around a little more with them.  He always offers bread, and they like to give us food.  Remember learning about how the cashew is actually part of a fruit? yep, we had the fruit, it´s called Caju.  Makes your mouth feel dry even though it´s juicy. weird. haha  Camila´s baptism was pretty special and our investigator Fatima got to go :)  Paulo and his daughter Maria Clara were at sacrament meeting, so he got to be confirmed!  He was baptized 7 months ago but due to an accident had to go to the hospital for a month and the confirmation never happened.  Sisters tried to visit the family but they were never home.  We caught them on the street one day and have been visiting with them regularly ever since.  He was interviewed and confirmed and I´m positive his wife Leigiani and his daughter (who´s 8) will be baptized soon too.  

The Lord truly has blessed me with the gift of tongues to understand when it´s really important, and to struggle a little so I can grow.   He truly is the perfect teacher and I love Him with all my heart.  I know this gospel is true.  I know the power of the priesthood is only in Christ~s church and can bless so many lives if they open up to feeling the spirit.  It truly is a sweet experience to see people repent.  THey´re being healed and will be blessed so much.  It brings about a change of heart, a change of nature, to become more like our Savior.  It´s a marvelous gift.  

Camila, taught by Sister Alcocer Sister Lucas, and Sister Pinche

The view outside our apartment

Sister Alcocer, Sister Pinche, Camila´s husband, Camila, Camila´s friend, Bishop, Sister Lucas, ...

-- Love you all!!!!  Love always and forever!

Sister Harston

So I´m now in my new area Montese here in Brazil!!!!  My companion is Sister Alcocer the sweetest most loving person in this world who has been very patient with me learning the area, the people, and of course the language.  She´s from Argentina, so she had to learn Portuguese as well, but she doesn´t speak any english besides "pinky promise" which she surprised me with the other day. hahah  She is excellent at teaching lovingly but with boldness like, "We would love it if you came to church with us, will you?" mhmm "Promise?" Also everyone here speaks Portuguese with different accents or "sotaques". I´m not going to lie, it´s challenging!!!  We´re walking everywhere and the Lord has blessed me greatly with understanding.  The people here are very polite and loving.  Hugs and kisses all the time!  They all guess that I´m either from America or Germany. haha 

Mom, that´s so crazy that the fire got that large!  Dad stay safe please!!!  What a great opportunity to serve though.  Good thing you have 2 extra bedrooms, that´s not a coincidence :) What a blessing that food was donated as well.  Hope there´s room for it all!

Katrina you got in?!  That is the greatest news ever!!!! wow! Your very own personal trainer/coach person woowee!

So Brazil.  Where to start!? There´s no space in between houses, lots of colors, cool trees, pidgeons or Pombas as they are called in Portuguese, dogs, and a sweet sweet people! Every home is open to the outside air, there´s lots of fruit to eat, members feed us Almoço (lunch) and the ward is very welcoming, and we walk and talk, and clap (instead of knocking because everyone has a gate, some space, and then their door) We live with 2 other Sisters. Sister Lucas from South Carolina, and Sister Pinche from Peru.  Our mission president and his wife are President and Sister Bonini.  They are both wonderful and loving.  The rules here are a little different, but that´s because the culture´s different!  

Currently, we are teaching a family Elisangela and Roberio are living together and have an 8 year old son Gabriel.  They agreed to be married last night!!!  Whoohoo!  Ap´parently here they do a lot of weddings because no one gets married. haha  but yeah, they´ll be able to be baptized soon too, all three of them :) it´ll be a special and sweet and joyful experience.  We´re also teaching a family, Paulo and Leigiani are married with an 8 year old daughter Maria clara.  They agreed to be baptized too!  Miracles are happening and I´m so blessed to be a part of it.  

I want to share a scripture but I only have my Portuguese scriptures.  Alma 36:26.  Look it up :)  I know the Lord is my Savior.  I know others can know that the fulness of the Gospel is here if they will but knock seek and ask.  I know without a doubt that Christ is at the head of His church.  I know the Spirit is working daily.  I am greatly blessed

Outside our church building on Elvira Pinha street

Sister Alcocer!!!!

Our study area :)

-- Love always and forever!!!

Sister Harston

My district

Me, Sister Anderson, our teacher Irmão Magustero, Sister Hardester, Sister Taylor (who was in my singles ward when I lived at Regency!)

-- tried to send more but these computers are easily challenged. will try more next week

Sister Harston