We the people...

The Azores

Friends and family,

Guess what?!? Transfers happened. So, the news is...I get to stay on the island! I am really excited. I was hoping that I would be able to stay for at least one more transfer, maybe even two. My companion, Irma Howard is getting transferred though. BUT, my new companion is going to be...Irma Morrison! I am so excited! (If you don't remember, Irma Morrison was my MTC companion). So, I feel like it is a great boost of confidence to have two irmas together that have only been out for three transfers. I am excited to work with Irma Morrison again. I loved being with her in the MTC and I am excited to see miracles with her on the island. The only thing I am nervous about is having to be the person to understand what everyone is saying because the accent is different. I remember when I first came out here it took me about two weeks to get used to the accent, and even then I still don't understand exactly what everyone says all of the time. But, that is what the gift of tongues is for, right? So, it will be great.

As for the work: This week we found a mother and her son: Patricia and Diogo. We found Patricia a couple of weeks ago when we were teaching another investigator. Patricia was at the house of this investigator just playing cards and talking. We taught a lesson about the Book of Mormon and offered one to Patricia. She accepted and then we got her number, but didn't follow up until this past weekend. Apparently she has been reading the Book of Mormon with her son, Diogo and they are really loving it. She even asked about baptism and when we explained about it (done like how Christ was baptized), she turned to her son and said, “So, if we go to this church and we like it, let´s get baptized.” We don't have any objections to that :) So, that will be fun to keep teaching them.

It is so interesting to see the forces working in missionary work. Sometimes I think that Satan is just working so hard--I mean he doesn't sleep, and sometimes I think he has a good hold on some people. But, the most important thing to remember is that Heavenly Father is so much more infinitely powerful that we cannot even begin to realize the miracles he has waiting for us to witness if we only do our part. I hope to be able to see all of these miracles.

Fourth of July came and went and nobody really knows about it here. But, Irma Howard has a lot of American songs on her ipod, so we listened to I'm Proud to Be an American a lot and had fun singing at the top of our lungs ;)

Yes, the world cup was pretty big here. That night that Portugal and Spain were playing against each other we were trying to knock this road and we weren't getting to teach anyone because they all said they were too busy watching the game, but the last door that we knocked on, a man named Joao came to the door and we started teaching him. The lesson was so spiritual and great that we saw that little miracle amidst the rest of the people that were so wrapped up in the game. Before we knocked on his door, Irma Howard turned to me and said, Irma, I just wish we could find someone who wasn't into soccer!´ And then we did. It was great.

So, you guys are only speaking in Spanish at home? That is so great! Summer will be way more fluent than me. Although, I have tried to speak Spanish since learning Portuguese and it is really hard not to just fall into Portuguese. But, I feel like I could learn pretty easily after the mission. I mean, I can understand Spanish pretty well. I was teaching Irma Howard Spanish the other day because she wanted to read the Book of Mormon in Spanish (your reading material is kind of limited on the mission, so we learn to be creative!) There was a time here on the island where we ran out of Portuguese Books of Mormon and then we started using the Spanish Book of Mormons here. We were down to one Book of Mormon for about a month, which was not good. I am realizing very fast that it is the Book of Mormon that really makes the difference in these people's lives of whether they progress or not. Every time I read it, too, I just feel the truthfulness of it all. And then I stand back amazed at the blessings I have in my life because of the gospel and this book. It's so true! All of it. Nothing else really matters. I feel like in a lot of ways I am waking up to a new life here on the mission. It is easy to forget all of the unimportant things when you have your priorities straight. I am also learning how I could have served so much better in my callings before. I am becoming prepared to keep serving forever. This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. To be trusted with this kind of responsibility and blessings is just amazing. Something that Irma Howard always says is, “Irma, you have no idea how much God loves his missionaries.” It is really true. And I am seeing how much God loves the rest of his children. He has a plan individually for us all. It´s really quite wonderful if you think about it. And while sometimes I feel very far away from everything that I am familiar with, I know that I am becoming closer to the one person we should all be familiar with: Christ. Anyway, sorry for blabbing, those were just some of the recent thoughts I was having this past week. Sorry if it's not very exciting :)

Well I hope that you all are having a great summer. I know I am. This is the best place I could be right now. I miss you all. I pray for you all just as much as you pray for me. Thanks again for everything. I'll tell you how everything goes with my old MTC comp next week. I am so excited! Life is great--especially the mission life. :)~

Love you all to the moon and back,

Irma Perez