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Monday, January 30, 2012

NO MONTE BANDERIA

A banner is unfurrled!  (sp?)

I love my companion sooooo much!!!!!!  She is so incredible!

On saturday after leaving our house after lunch, we said boa tarde to
a guy, and then continued in front, but my comp felt she needed to
talk to him. he also had the intention to talk to us.  He is a guy i
have seen many times since geteting here to Setubal but i have never
really talked to him in the past.  My comp started talking to him
first then i joined in teh conversation.  We ended upo talking for
like 15 minutes and he said that he has been looking for the right
path, and has experimented wiht different religions but something is
really pulling him to our church. he said that he has seen us many
times and always felt something, and finally the opportunity came to
talk to us!  HE is elect!!!!  We invited him to church but couldn´t
come, but we met with him after church and he explained more of his
desire for some time to enter our church!!!!  the spirit was strong on
our lesson!  we invited him to be baptized and he accepted!!!!    We
are so excited and grateful to heavenly father for this miracle!!!

Also, last week we were looking for the house of a reference, and
couldn´t find it so we knocked the door of someone and she opened and
after asking for direction, she told us that she (adelaide) is a
member!!!  that she was baptized many years ago!!!  but now she is TJ.
We told her we will return another day!  Then, sunday night we had a
lesson marked with her neighbor, but as we were about to enter their
house, the son of  adelaide talked with us and invited us to talk with
him, and his family.  WE entered their house and there was Isabel, mom
of Hugo, recent convert!  She is family with adelaide!!!!  small
world!!  then we started to talk with them, and they explained that
the son, (helder) has a huge problem with alcohol. my comp shared
super powerful testimony of the atonement and how this is the only way
that will cure this family!  we are starting the 12 step program (LDS
services) with him tonight!

There are so many miracles happening here in setubal. there is also so
much potential that we have because with the Lord everything will work
out.  i am learning step by step to stop worrying (sometimes really
slowly learning but nonetheless) and to trust that it will work out!
Our ward is super incredible!!  the bishop is full of so much love for all!!
i love you all!!

Irma michael

THANK YOU

Thank you mom!!!   Okay. i hope it is okay if you don´t come. thank
you dad too for your note, that whatever happens you are both happy
with the decision.  thank you for supporting me always and lifting me
up wiht the words of the Savior.
He is the way for all of us to find true happiness!!!

I Love My Companion

i love my companion so much!!!!  Mom, you will love her too!  she is
so incredible and she talks with everyone, she is so super sweet and
she has this gift to share her love with everyone and make them feel
good about themselves. it is such a blessing to be with her. i am not
training her, she is training me. seriously. she came trained!  it is
such a huge blessing!!!
she is from ecuador, she speaks portuguese better than i and she is
such a doll as you would say!!!   i am learning some spanish as she
says words in spanish that she doesn´t yet know in portuguese.  she is
teaching me the importance of gratitude! she sees every little
miracle! i am grateful to heavenly father that He has sent her to
serve with me.  i haven´t been my best lately, thinking those lame
thoughts, but i am grateful that this week we are going to work really
hard together!  we have interviews on thursday. thank you for your
letter i received it today. the one wiht the note about the gathering
of missionaries yoú are all having.
i love you and dad so much!!  thank you for supporting me in all things!!
We had a really good week! i wil write about it here agora.
with love,
Irma Michael

Lets come back when the Temple is dedicated

hi!!
mom i read your note and the office called me too...  thank you for
your note and for dad´s.
i think it is probably best if you don´t come pick me up.  that way i
can just finish and not have to think about what we will do when you
come.
i really think it would be awesome, but i feel better if you don´t.
when they called i kind of freaked out and then satan has been playing
with my mind.  i´d like to return when the temple is dedicated and
maybe that will be better than this year.
they kind of know where the temple will be! hopefully they will start
the groundbreaking this year.
i really love these people and i am so grateful for the privelege of
being a missionary for the Lord

Thursday, January 26, 2012

RELEASE DATE ARRIVES

I just heard from the Mission Office in Portugal...Irma Michael is scheduled for release on May 8, 2012!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

FEAR NOT

In the training that President Torgan gave when my new companion
arrived, he said a lot of things that hit me and i was reviewing them
this week.  He said courage is not not having fear, but knowing how to
overcome the fear we have.  i realized this,  that really  it is okay to
have fear of things that are hard. But Heavenly Father commands us to
fear not, and trust in Him. He knows the way. He knows what is best,
and He will always help us if we come unto Him with full purpose of
heart.  I am so grateful for the examples of companions, family
members, leaders, prophets, and people i don´t even know that have the
courage each day to do the will of the Lord.  President Torgan is a
great example to me of one who has great courage.  As dad write today,
President Torgan is one who doesn´t do anything before praying to
Heavenly Father and seeks guidance. Then, he gets on his feet and he
goes to work to make the will of God happen.
This past week i had a lot of weaknesses and i forgot about the
importance to have courage.  But, i am grateful for the opportunity
that i have to go forward and try and be better this week.  My comp.
shared the story from mythology of the man whose punishment was to
roll a huge stone up a hill every single day, but as he got close to
the top, the sun would go down (or something like that) and he had to
start all over the next day.  It is not the task that gets easier, but
our strength to overcome the challenges!

We have been teaching a girl, Miriam who is 12 whose mom is a member
less active since a long time ago. She started coming to church the
week before christmas and she is really loving it. she and her brother
and sister read the book of mormon every night and pray together every
night. she really wants to be baptized, but the mom wants her to go to
church for a little while before baptism.  She is so awesome!  She
also is sharing the gospel with her friends and inviting them to
church!!  We also met this boy in the street a week ago, Rafael, who
is 17. he seemed interested but doesn´t have much time so we invited
him to mutual. then last friday we were teaching  a recent convert
antonio we invited him to mutual friday night.and rafael called us,
but we didn´t answer. after the lesson we called him back and he said
that he was near to the capela with a friend of his.  they came to the
capela and we showed them around. then his friend(david,19)  said that
he would come to church on sunday!!  so he came and he really liked it
he also had lots of questions about what we do as missionaries and
said he wants to also be a missionary!!! this sunday the elders had 2
baptisms of YSA and they both came!! it was a miracle that they were
able to come! after we gave rafael to BoM and invited him to read it!
He doesn´t have much time because of work but he really is showing the
desire and if he had time he would really love it!

I love sharing the book of mormon with people!  It is so awesome to
testify of the power of this book because it really does change
lives!!  It is such a powerful experience to invite others to come
unto Christ and to see the power of the spirit working in their lives!
Maria Georgete is really awesome too! she wants to share the gospel
with everyone, especially her family. she watched the testaments this
week with her and she was just so excited to show her family this film
too.

My comp is so incredible! she has such a love for this people and she
is a huge example for me of love of the Savior!

I know the Savior lives and loves us.  Thank you for your love and
prayers each and every day!

com amor,
Irmã Michael

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Welcome to Portugal


President and Irma Torgan with Irma Michael and brand new Irma Urgiles Encalada (from Ecuador)
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Bem Vendo Greenies


Welcome to Portugal Brand New Irmas! Irma Reis (trainer) and Irma Peterson (from Utah), Irma Michael (trainer) and Irma Urgiles Encalada (from Ecuador), Irma Dos Santos (Trainer) and Irma Thomas (from Canada).
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Setubal

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Happy New Year

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Baptism of Hugo 01 JAN 2012

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Merry Christmas

Thank you so much for all the packages. We all enjoyed them and love YOU!!
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Baptism of Hugo

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Ward in Setubal

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Irmas and Maria

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Baptism of Maria

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Baptism of Maria

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Monday, January 16, 2012

I AM DOING WELL


This past week was a great struggle. The other side is working hard against Christ and all of His angels. We saw many miracles as well!  A recent convert, Antonio, has been struggling recently and hasn't been coming to church. We called him last week, but he never answered the phone. Then last Sunday he sent us a text saying he can´t come back right now because he is having a lot of struggles. I called him immediately and talked with him for a few minutes. He still didn't want to go to church, so we marked to meet during the week. Then Tuesday night the Elders said they were in the capela with Antonio and a friend of his, Raquel. Irma brown and I had taught her a little a few months ago, but it never worked out. The Elders taught her half of the 1st lesson then we taught her the 2ND half and marked to go back the next day. We had a lesson in the Church and marked her for baptism this Sunday. It was a lesson filled with the spirit. My companion is incredible!  But then something happened the next day and she didn't´t appear for our lesson. Then she stopped answering our phone calls.  We still don´t know what happened with her.... but the Lord knows all things and maybe that experience is what she needed.  Everything happens for a reason.  We also found this kid a week ago in the street, Rafael and invited him to mutual. He came with a friend, David.  They couldn't stay long, but David came back to the capela on Saturday and we taught him the first lesson. Then Sunday he came to church. He already wants to serve a mission! It is incredible!! Maria receive the gift of the holy ghost!

I love you all!
I am doing well, thank you for your prayers and support!

xoxo Irmã Michael

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Small but powerful

Message body

January 9, 2012

now there is no time but this last week was full of miracles! i was companions with irma reis for 3 days then came back to setubal the elders marked maria georgete for baptism and she was baptized sunday night! it was really sweet! miracles happen every day!!

Monday, January 2, 2012

Happy New Year 2012

Olá família e amigos!!
mom!!!
thank you for the email about alma 5!! i will study it more and then write you back.
I was studying apart of alma 5 the other day, i just opened to verse 28 - have you been rid of pride? .... Irmã Walker talked a lot about pride during the whole transfer. this verse hit me, and i thought about the pride that i have. i have been very prideful this past transfer. a lot. like sometimes, i felt hopeless and questioned myself what am i doing here, and do i really believe all of this. i was struggling with my testimony and many times fond myself having a hard time to testify with all my heart. it has been a transfer of `the lord brings you low to lift you up higher." i saw that irma walker and i had so much potential, but i so many times let my weaknesses win (pride, fear, doubt, lack of trust.) of course it is always easier to look back and see where the problems were. but now that the transfer is over and irma walker has been transferred, i see some of the areas that i really want to improve.
i will share an experience with you that i haven´t yet written in my journal... one day this past week, we were teaching Maria Jorgete (she is 74 and really awesome! we helped her carry her heavy bags home, then started teaching her...) we were teaching the restoration and we came to teh part of the first vision. i think irma walker recited it then, in that moment, she asked if we could say a prayer with maria so that she could feel a confirmation that this is truth. she asked me to say the prayer. i had been thinking from an investigator´s perspective in the moment trying to ask myself if i really believed if that was a true experience that really happened... i just wanted to feel another confirmation in my mind and heart that Joseph smith really did see God and Jesus Christ. So, when irma walker asked me to say the prayer, i did, and really with real intent, asked that Heavenly Father could confirm in our minds and hearts, including the mind and heart of maria, that this was a true experience. I didn´t have any great feeling of the spirit overcome me, but i felt a confirmation in that moment, that yes this is truth, and yes, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ did appear to the jovem Joseph Smith. I felt an answer to the prayer of my heart. Through this small experience, i was able to and do now testify with more fulness of my heart. I know that this is the church of Jesus Christ restored to the earth. God does anser our prayers, every single one. I feel so blessed to be part of His work in this corner of the world. What a marvelous work this is. One fo the first things i remember hearing from one of the bishopric members when i arrived in Setúbal was "Follow the spirit" and the other was from the bishop, that he says almost every week, "viver o evangelho" live the gospel. It is that simple.
Heavenly Father is blessing me beyond my comprehension. "It passes all my understanding..." everything that He does to help us along the way. When we jsut trust in Him, He will show us the more excellent way. I am deeply grateful for the scriptures that are our guidance to salvation. Jesus Christ is the way. He wants us to be better hoje, than we were yesterday. Irma Walker wrote me a note the other day. He wants us to be like Him, not be Him.
He has already payed the price. He already knows how to succor each of us individually. We just have to let go of our pride, and prepare in every way we can. He IS the way.
I am excited for this new ano and new inicio de transferencia!!!
Guess what.............!!!!!!!!............... I will TRAIN AGAIN!!!!!
What???!!!!??? okay, tudo bem!!! If that is what Heavenly Father wants, it is what I will do!! And i just found out a couple hours ago that she is from Ecuador!! That made me even more excited!! Eu nem consigo descrever os sentimentos eu tenho em meu coração. Só sei que Pai Celestial é o nosso Pai e que Ele nos ama. Ele está ao nosso lado sempre!
This past week was a great last week of the year 2011!!!
Right now we have many investigators with much potential, and that is such a great blessing!!! We ended the year marking a boy, Hugo Gomes, for baptism. He was going ot be baptized on Christmas, but it just didn´t work out. His dad is here for holiday as well as tons of other family members from Angola. He was baptized on the first day of the year 2012!!! He has already been wanting to be baptized for a really really long time, but he wanted his dad to be present. it was a really sweet meeting, and there were about 50 people present, (mostly family from Angola!!) It was so incredible!! Irmã Walker´s brother is serving a mission in Angola so she was able to get some references for him!! How cool!!
We are teaching this really great lady maria Jorgete who just wants to know which is the true church! :) Also, the brother of Dino, Emanuel, and family went to church on Christmas, we will start working with him this week!! it is going to be really awesome!
I am so sad that irmã Walker is being transfered!!!! It was a really hard moment, because i thought that we would both stay, but Heavenly Father has other plans in mind for us!! I am really excited top train, i know it will be difficult, but my goal is to trust in the Lord, love my companion, work with the ward, and love the people!!
Another great adventure here we come!!!
I am really excited for this transfer. It will be another great learning experience, especially to trust in the Lord and Go and Do!
I love you all so much!! Happy New Year 2012 will be the best ano yet!!! Tem que ser!!
Tenham uma boa semana!!
com amor, Irmã Michael

Letter to Jacob


Monday, December 26, 2011 4:53 AM
holy cow!!! I love your picture!!! What the heck!!! thanks for the picture!!

i am sooooooooo glad that you can write again every week. When i got your letter that you would go to the island without electricity, i totally started crying!! and every letter that i read while you were there i cried more! it was just crazy! but now it is great that you can email again. those little things i sometimes take for granted... and all the other things that i can´t even imagine you are going through. the mission is like a dream huh. i totally feel like that. And, it was so weird talking to family, it was good to hear that you are doing well. it would have been super sweet to talk to you but at least we both talked to the family. they said you are doing well there.
Man, it is so crazy! but so cool too, and what a blessing to be serving the Savior. What a neat experience to see 10 baptisms all at once! It is the greatest thing when people change their lives to follow the Savior!! If i could sum up everything i am learning right now into one word it would be: esperança (hope) The Savior gives us hope. It is through Him that we can become clean. it is through His atoning sacrifice that we overcome our weaknesses and trials. It really hit me a while ago when you went to the other side of heaven island and you wrote in your letter, "don´t worry about me i have the Savior´s name on my front and that is all i need right now."
that really hit me and made me think about our calling as missionaries. we have been called to serve the Lord. And by serving His people, we are serving Him.
My mission president is always talking about how we need to be close to the Savior so we can say to investigators "come here, the Savior is right here with me, He is the light you need in your life." It is so true!
he uses a lot 3 nefi 18:24-25. Christ is the light that we are to bring into the lives of the people. It is only Christ that can change them. Many times i thought that if i just taught better or if i said something different, people would change and accept. But really it is not about us at all. It is all about the Savior, and each individual has the choice to make whether or not they will accept the gospel. We just have to do our part and bring all the light that we can. Be as obedient, diligent, faithful, loving, hopeful, patient, humble as we can and then the Spirit can be with us. And then we can discern what are the needs of the people. And then they will begin to understand and then they will want to be baptized and change their lives.
As i write this, things are clicking. I have been going through a hard time, well with doubting my abilities and doubting the abilities of others. I have seen so many times where i didn´t think i was capable of doing what Heavenly father reveals to me. But the times that i have actually trusted in Him more than the arm of flesh (2 nefi 4), i have seen miracles. When i doubted too much, they miracles didn´t happen in ways that they could have. Christmas morning i was reading the letters from the book and i read Sarah Bickford´s and it hit me, one more time. "doubt not Fear not" Fear does not come from God, but from Satan. Satan is trying really hard to destroy this work, but when we are built on the foundation of Christ, we cannot fail, nor fall. And as mom always says, you were not sent here to fail. With Christ as our foundation we cannot fail.

Sorry this is so long, i think it´s more me trying to figure out my thoughts, but Jacob, i am so grateful that you are faithfully serving the Lord and His people on the other side of the world! I feel like our family is being so blessed! I got to skype and they all look so good too!
Just keep pressing forward with steadfastness in Christ, and that tongan love for God and all men!!!

Merry Christmas! Feliz natal!!! Feliz ano novo também! Até logo!

com muito amor e gratidão,
Irmã Michael

Merry Christmas

December 26, 2011

I am really grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ who knows all things. He strengthens me each day to do this work.

Christmas eve this is what we did:
We visited several recent converts, sang for them, and gave them copies of the film "Joy to the World" and candy that Grandma Marilyn sent in a package (thank you grandma and grandpa!!! They all loved it!!) Then we had an lesson with the children of a lady who is less active for a long time. Then we were on our way to an appointment when we contacted a man who has had a really rough life. He is just looking for answers. We told him that we have the answers but he has to do his part. Then we were waliking and we felt we needed to talk to this man who was in front of us. Finally we caught up to him, and started talking to him. In that very moment he was about to do drugs. Well, by the end of the conversation we said a prayer and he said he felt more hope that things can be better. he just feels really hopeless. Interesting thing is that he lives on the street called HOPE. Hmmm. We bared powerful testimony and i felt the spirit testify in my heart that really we do find hope and comfort through the savior. There is no other way to salvation but through the Savior.
Later we were at a member family´s house, then we had a lesson with the parents of Hugo and Leandro who were supposed to be baptized on christmas day but in the end the mom said it is too fast. She was without hope. We will continue to work with this family. The dad is a really less active member.
Sunday at church, it was awesome. Jicela received the gift of the holy ghost, it was a powerful blessing. her dad was present. Also, this older lady that we found while contacting in the street earlier this week. i said to irma walker that i wanted to look for more opportunities to serve people, and she said how about this lady with her sacks. we helped her to her house, then she came to a ward christmas party friday night and she came to church sunday! She knows some of the members already so that is a plus! She is so sweet!!

Well, it was sooooooo great to talk to you yesterday!! i love you all so much!
Keep living the gospel of Jesus Christ!

xoxo Irma Michael