ADDRESS CHANGE

MY ADDRESS HAS CHANGED!!!!!

Rua Dr. Rui Batista Pereira, 165

Jd Caxingui

São Paulo--SP

05517-080

A few awesome things

1) Brazil won against Chile

2) Sister Barboza found $80 on the street 

3) The Church is true and God loves us. 

This week was MARAVILHOSA, we reached almost all of our goals!  We met some amazingly prepared people, and are grateful that the Lord is helping us out.  Somos os jogadores verdadeiros.  We are like the Neymar of missionaries.  Jk jk.  I will stop boasting.  But things are changing just like I said they would!  Our friend Glaucia told her mom, "I am ejoying my last cup of coffee, mãe.  Because soon I will become Mormon!"  

That is what we like to hear!

UM GRANDE BEIJO,

Sister Burchizinha

I could not deny it

This week I have been thinking a lot about Joseph Smith.  He was just a kid with a question.  He lived in a town with a church on every corner, much like where I live now.  (only there are 3 churches on every corner here...).  He didn't know a lot and wasn't exceptionally intelligent or educated.  But every church he went to taught something different.  This left him confused.  In search for answers, he went to the Bible and read James 1:5..

"If any of you ask wisdom, let him ask of God..."

So that's what he did.  He wanted to know what church was true, what church was Christ's church.  So he went straight to the source and asked God Himself.  

And Joseph recieved an answer to his prayer.  In a vision, he saw God and His son, Jesus Christ.  Not something that happens to your ordinary 14-year-old farmboy.  Few people believed him, and he was persecuted by many.  But he knew what he saw.  And he knew that God knew it.

 And he could not deny it.  

At one time or another, I too have had my doubts.  In the past I have wondered if it is all true, I've wondered if God really does care about me.  So I did what Joseph did.  I prayed, and I asked God.  And the feeling that came to me when I prayed is not something I can ever forget, nor deny.  No matter how many Brazilians reject me, no matter how many people choose to not change and not follow the answer God has given them.  It may be difficult, but I know what is true, and God knows that I know.  And this week I have been filled with the overwhelming, unmistakible feeling that God loves me.  I have never been more grateful to be a member and representative of His church, and to know what I know.  God lives, and His church was restored to the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith.  It's true.  I promise.  But you don't have to take my word for it.  You too can go right to the source and ask God yourself.  

The sun is shining over Brazil and I am taking advantage of each second here.  The only thing that could bring me down this week was what that Columbian did to our querido Neymar.  Not cool.  Germany you are going down.

Eu amo vocês muiiiito.  

BEIJOS

Sister Burch

I Love SP

I'm sitting at a computer lab in the heart of São Paulo because we Sistas decided to take a little day trip today.  :)  There is a street here called 25 de Março where you can buy anything you could ever imagine for dirt cheap.  I bought way to much junk.  But I couldn't resist buying my nieces matching soccer jerseys.  Worth it!

It's nice to get to know the city a little better.  The only downside is people yelling strange things in English to me. haha.  

The work has been slow because of the World Cup, but we are not letting it get us down!  Good things are happening!  Like wedding planning!  (not for me, for my investigators...)  And soon enough this madness will die down, I think.  Love all you people and praying for you daily!  

beijinhos,

irmãzinha burch

Olê!

Hello all!!!  

I wish I could describe exactly how CRAZY it has been here because of the WORLD CUP!  I am in the heart of it all and the excitement is tangible in São Paulo!  Everywhere you look is GREEN YELLOW and BLUE!  And President, in his kindness, let us watch the game!  I sat anxiously and pretended like I understand soccer rules.  Every goal Brazil made, people went nuts in the streets and let of fireworks!  Awesome day.  Not ideal for missionary work.  

All of the soccer aside, this week was a special one.  I am so grateful to be a missionary and to be able to be an instrument in the Lord's hands every day.  Every stranger I talk to on the street, with every person and friend I meet, I look into their eyes, I listen to what they say and ask, and I open my mouth and somehow know what to say, every time.  The Lord never leaves me hanging and never lets me down.  A man who went to visit his sister's grave was feeling heavy and sad.  When he got home, he was deep in thought about the loss of his sister and friend.  We showed up minutes later and told him that life does not end with death.  He told us that the words we said lifted a heavy weight from his shoulders.  

When we do what is right and are worthy, the Lord has promised us that his spirit will always be with us.  It guides me and protects me every day.  I feel His influence in everything I do and in every word I say.  

This Sunday, I gave my first full talk in Portuguese in Sacrament meeting!  After church, our bishop invited us to meet with him and many other ward members offered their help.  Now is the time for us to com together!  A wave of change is coming to Campo Limpo, I can feel it!

beijos,

Sister Burch

This is Brazil!

I remember when I first got assigned to serve in São Paulo, Brazil.  I was surprised and also sort of bummed out.  I never wanted to learn Portuguese and frankly knew almost nothing about Brazil.  

Nowadays, I struggle to speak English and find myself getting as excited for the world cup as these native soccer fiends.  And I don't even like soccer.  (but don't tell them that...)  The streets are painted green, yellow, and blue and I am so grateful to be in this amazing country.  So much so, that a man called me Brazilian the other day and I failed to correct him.  muahaha.

Despite the bus fires, the water shortages, and the number of times I step in poop every day, I could live here forever if my visa and mission didn´t have an expiration date.

BECAUSE the people are incredible.  Even the ones who yell at me and call me a "vaso de Satanás."  Faz parte da vida.  

This week we had some pretty incredible teaching experiences.  We taught a very catholic woman named Regiane who would not stop talking.  When we finally got a word in, we told her that the church of Christ was restored.  That God once again reached out to His children in love and called a prophet.  As soon as I started to talk about this prophet, Joseph Smith, she stopped talking, with a stunned look on her face.  Her son who was yelling in the other room came in to listen, completely reverent, and even her parrot who had been sqwuaking stopped.  The spirit was strong and she was able to feel that what we were saying was true.  

Another night when the energy went out in the entire neighborhood, we stopped to talk to a woman on the sidewalk.  She immediately started crying and told us that she hadn't seen her cat all day and was afraid something had happened to him.  She was frantic and sobbing and so we said a prayer and promised her that her cat would come back safely.  We talked to her and calmed her down and as soon as we turned to leave, her big, white cat came running down the street back home.  She screamed and cried and embraced him and told us that we could come back any day, any time to talk to her.  Although it was just a cat, it meant a lot to her.  And although I am sure God has many bigger things to worry about, he loves us enough to answer even the smallest of our prayers.  

This week the wold cup starts!  And Our lovely amazing mission President is letting us watch it.  Whoop whooooop!  Until next week!  Love you all and congrats Daniel on your graduation!!!!!!!!

beijos,

Sister Burch   

New companion

My new companion is Sister Barboza!  She is from Uruguaiana.  Which is actually in Brazil, not Uruguay, fun fact.  She is great and excited to be here and doesn´t even complain when I get us lost!  Training is great so far and I have no time.  forgive me!!