Brianna in Brazil: It's a Girl!!!

(This is Heather, before you read her letter, I just wanted to ask if any of you would like to write a few lines to Brianna and maybe include a picture of you or you and her and send it to me as soon as possible to be included in a book I'm making her for her birthday. It's not until July, but I'm giving myself plenty of time to make it and post it in advance so she has it to open on her actual birthday! Thanks so much for showing her so much love and support. You all know that family and friends are the world to Bri and I think this would be the best gift to send her! Thank you!)

So the big news for this week: transfers! Tuesday, we had our transfers meeting in Maceió and I found out that I´d be returning to Sergipe!!! Not only that, but I´m training... and opening a new area! I´m with a wonderful Sister Costa who´s from São Paulo (Presidente likes to put me with Paulistas kk) and we´re opening an area for Sisters in Socorro 1 (it´s Aracajú´s neighbor). It´s been quite the adventure! The elders before us were super super good but didn´t keep up too well on the area book so finding these people that were being taught is a little difficult. But miracles happen and so far, we´ve had success in finding who we´ve searched. And between all that, there are lots of people to talk to in the streets and new people to teach. As for Sister Costa, she´s amazing. She´s 21 and came with what seems like years of experience. She´s practically training me! I sure do love my daughter :).

So that we transfers. We got here in Sergipe on Thursday and have basically just been meeting members, reteaching some investigators, finding new people to teach and preparing some people for their baptisms--the life of a missionary!

As for Easter here, it´s pretty normal. Unfortunately, they don´t do Easter egg hunts, but they do give giant chocolate eggs to each other with presents inside the chocolate. Our new bishop gave us each an ovo de Páscoa :). Oh, speaking of the bishop, this ward is amazing. They give us referrals before we even ask! In every lunch and at church yesterday, it was a referral here, a referral there, a referral everywhere! So cool.

Mom, they do have most of the church movies in Portuguese. If it´s not in Portuguese, it has subtitles.

And that was my week. Just through our work this week, I´ve been reminded of how mindful the Lord is of us. And He´s shown me that He truly qualifies those He calls. I´m a gringa with seven months in the mission and He trusts me to train one of His servants all while opening this new area. I know, without a doubt, that without Him, all of this would be beyond impossible. But every day I feel more and more strengthened through His Spirit and His love. This work is incredible! I love you all and pray for you daily! And when I´m not on my knees, there´s a prayer for you all in my heart. Now, we´re headed off to a play date at the zoo with some other sisters and some of my favorite people in the world from Gragerú!!!! Tchau and hurrah for Israel!

Com amor,

Sister Ball-