Week 5 English Fast = Eu não falo Inglês

This week has been really good! So on Monday my district started a

WEEK LONG ENGLISH FAST...so we don´t speak English, only Portuguese for

a WHOLE WEEK! yeah. Well...the gift of tongues is real people!!! Ha ha

We fasted on Sunday to have strength and patience for our

English fast and it really has helped, I feel like everyday my Portuguese is improving so much (Until some native person speaks Super Rapido and I think; well here comes the humility haha!). It is going really well and each day is a little better.  Something REALLY cool happened this week! We had a special Devotional where all the missionaries in the São Palo oeste mission came to the MTC and we had different mission presidents speak from the different São palo missions.  I was recorded and is being broadcasted to all of Brazil.  Do you know how many people that is.? ...THIS COUNTRY IS HUGE!

It is also going to be broadcast to some Portuguese branches (congregations) in the USA. So now I´m famous.  Look out for that mom! So the Devotional was about missionary work and one of my favorite parts was when one of the speakers brought up two families that were baptized within this past year and some members of the family bore their testimony of the gospel and how they were so grateful for the missionaries! The gospel principle they stressed is the importance of

missionary work. They said that we know how many seeds are in a apple

but we dont know how many apples come from one seed! So basically we

can change one person´s life and that will lead to so many more

people that will have a better and more beautiful life! I got

emotional because I thought of Dad! Because of the missionaries that

taught my Dad (and my mom for being an AMAZING example lol ;) I had

the privilege to grow up in this church, and now look at me, look at

Doug and Scott and all the people we will bless! 

We really don't  know the impact that we can have on someone’s life and the people that come after them!  I really liked seeing those families and the fruits of our labors! It was a really humbling and powerful moment for me to realize the influence I will have on so many people´s lives!!  11 DAYS TILL IM HEADING OUT TO NATAL! I’m a little nervous to go because I’m just getting comfortable here in the MTC, but I’m excited to teach this Gospel to my brothers and sisters in Natal and to help change their life.  I was reading in Alma 11 this week...so amazing! Jesus Christ lives and he died for us so that we can live with our Heavenly Father again! I love you guys, keep praying and remember even the little things can make
someone´s day!! Keep smiling!! :)

Sister Talentino

Week 4 Venturing into Sao Paulo

I love the pictures!

KEEP IT UP MOM...YOU GOT THIS!!! and yes I met the girl that served

with Megan...we talk a lot and it is so nice!! I miss the family a lot but I know that everyone is happy for me to be out here and I LOVE IT!! The days are long and longer but this week went by so fast! I love my calling too...I basically make sure everyone is happy and get to talk to all the new people!! They all love me cause I comfort them and help them!!

This week not that much happened...the usual get up, eat, teach, study, eat, teach, practice, study, and sleep!  But Wednesday we went...PROSELYTING!!!!! It was so much fun! 

 

I prayed SUPER hard to have no fear going out into downtown Sao Palo and talking to people that I barely understand about what I believe with copies of the Book of Mormon in my hand!  My prayers were answered...I have never been so not scared to talk to strangers! It was the coolest experience! We rode the omnibus into downtown and that was crazy! I gave a lady a book of Mormon and she said she was really grateful for it!  She said she was really impressed that someone so young was sharing the gospel and talking about Jesus Christ! Side note: the Brazilians are so open and welcoming when it comes to talking about Jesus Christ and God!! I am so grateful for that!!  My comp and I gave out 6 Book of Mormons and got about 8 contacts to follow up on! Our Instructor Irmao Bakr was with us to help us and basically protect us from all the drunks and high crazy people walking around!! Oh what a humbling experience!! But I met some amazing people and they all were so surprised that we have only been here for 3 weeks...and we can keep up a conversation in Portuguese!! I am just so happy to be her! Irmao Bakr later told us that out of all the people that we contacted and got information from, at least 1 person would for sure be baptized!! That is when it hit me!  These are the people that I am helping! When I was out proselyting I just smiled and talked to everyone I saw and shared the gospel with them and why I flew a Bazillion miles away from home to share something that makes me happy! It was just so amazing!! I just want to tell everyone that the power of prayer is amazing!! If you have faith that you will receive your answer and that you trust in the Lord, you will get a response!! I prayed so hard to have no Fear when I went out to talk to people... and I didn´t! Not one ounce!! It was truly so amazing! Definitely a moment I will never forget! I love being a missionary and helping others come unto Christ!! I miss you all and I miss being with family and friends, but I’m making new family and friends here and I’m helping others be with their family for eternity! Have an amazing week!! I love you all!!  This week was long but Wednesday was amazing!! I love you and I am so happy to be a missionary that is called of god! Moroni 8:3  (Moroni 8:3) 

My mailbox number is 28

Week 3 - New Calling = Sister Training Leader

Sao Paulo Missionary Training Center

This week was a rough one!! all of my Brazilian friends left and it was so hard to say bye to everyone!! Ugh I cried so much!! But yeah I knew that I didn't want to be down and sad all week, but little things would just remind me of everyone!! II had an experience though!! One day..I don´t remember which day...but I was in the lunchroom and I was like I should go talk to the new sister missionaries that came in! So I went up to talk to them, I knew one of the sisters from BYU before! She was in my ward, sister Neal! Anyway...later that day one of the girls broke down! I guess it was all too much for her at one time!! So yeah I don´t know why I had the idea to go and talk to those sisters but later that day I found out that I got a calling! I´m the new Sister Training Leader! I basically make sure all the sister missionaries are okay and that they know what they are doing their first week here! I don´t know what I had the idea to go and talk to those girls, but then i was like...oh no way!! I was supposed to cause that´s one of the reasons I´m here! To help and comfort people!!

I don't know I just thought it was a cool experience!! one of my friends that left this week said he knew I was going to be a good person or someone that he wanted to get to know was because when we first met I was smiling! LOL I remember that time cause we were doing service and one of the workers was speaking SUPER RAPIDO to me and I was like ummm ya no...no entendo!! and I was just smiling trying to get through the comfortableness and the struggle!! I just try to smile and be happy so others will be too! I mean most of the time I do smile...but every once in a while when I´m down I know that I need that support too!! I just love being here and I love what I am doing!! We have been teaching a lot more and every time we teach we pray to invite the spirit!! It is the most comforting thing when the spirit is there when you teach because they probably don’t understand half of my broken Portuguese!! It´s still so awesome because just because I don´t speak their language that well, they can still understand the love I have for them and the love their Heavenly father has for them through the Spirit!! IT´s honestly just the best!!! I love my district and I love my teachers and I love the food here!!!!!

Sao Paulo Temple

We went to the Sao Palo temple... It just brings so much peace to my heart!! It´s honestly

the best!! 

I forget that I am in Brazil half the time, but I am just so grateful to be here!! This week wasn’t that eventful, sorry guys! Just getting up, eating, studying, teaching, eating, sleeping! The usual hahaha!! Just remember to smile and to love everyone!! it´s hard but it truly makes a difference!! Talk to you guys next week!!!! :)

Natalie's Mission to Brazil has begun!

Natalie left for Brazil this past Tuesday 8/11/15 from the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

She was a master packer, luggage weighing in at 48 lb. and 49 lb!

She flew all night from Atlanta, GA to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

She made it safely and was excited to enter the MTC.

First email of the Mission:

I don´t know how long I have but I just want to let everyone know that I made it to Sao Palo!! This city is HUGGEEEE!! Portuguese is okay for me...I can understand about 25% (better than nothin) but my problem is speaking it!! I just stare blankly and i´m like uhhhh Eu No Falo Portuguese...but then I start speaking spanish...sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt! Haha my companion is awesome, I am so excited to be here! The flight was soooo long I am dying from being so tired right now but I have a full day of classes ahead of me! I can´t wait to go to bed...even if the bed is like a dorm bed! (so not comfy) I love everyone..and even if it~s hard for me to love them I do it anyway!! It´s soo nice to focus on the good in people!! alright everyone! Be safe this week and try to look at the positive in people!

ciao!!

Sister Talentino

ps ill try and send pictures whenever I can

Natalie was set apart tonight by President Haymond. Sister Talentino leaves for Brazil tomorrow 08/11/2015