MARCH 13, 2018

THE GREATEST 18 MONTHS OF MY LIFE!!!!

I cannot believe that this is actually the end of my mission. I’m not sure when it’s going to hit me. 

Words cannot express my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to come out here and be forever changed by these people. I am still constantly amazed at the ability God has given me to fall in love with an entire group of people that I didn't even know. This place has my heart. They have taught me patience, endurance, diligence, and really just how much our Savior loves us. I have been able to feel just a small portion of that love for these people. 

Throughout these 18 months I have come to know my Savior more than ever. I know that he is real. I know that he really did suffer every single pain and affliction that we have ever felt for us. He is our SAVIOR and REDEEMER. He is everything that those two words entail. His hand is "extended still" waiting for us to reach out to him. He wants to walk this life with us and that's why He’s given us the commandments to lead and guide us to our Heavenly Father with Him. 

I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the same church that Jesus Christ himself established. God used Joseph Smith to restore it to the earth so that we could be happy and know how to return back to him. I know that the plan of salvation is real. I know that through the power of God we can live with our families forever, death truly has no sting, love and joy endures. 

My mission was nothing that I had imagined but absolutely everything that I needed. I am forever grateful that God allowed me to come out here and spend 18 months of my life getting to know him. I know that God has a plan for each and every one of us. It’s so perfect. I am excited for my future and I know that these past 18 months prepared me for whatever God has in-store for me. 

Such a bitter-sweet moment. I love you guys and am super excited to give you all a fat hug! Thank you so much for supporting me and loving me through it all. SEE YOU SOON :))))

Ps. Josh got baptized this past weekend and it was such a happy day! He really wanted to get baptized on Thursday since it was his birthday and we made it happen! YAY! We also had an amazing FHE with our investigators last night at the church and he was being such an awesome missionary. We are going over to say by to Joan and Jenifer tonight and they are making me some yummy food from the DR. I know I’m leaving this area in great hands. Also, Sister Jensen legit introduces herself at doors as "Hermana Staffieri" hahahah So all will be well. 

-- 

Hermana Staffieri 

1. We pulled up to Joan and Jenifers and she just ran out to me and hugged me and i died. 

​2. ​Our awesome FHE last night 

​3. Mis amigos George y Josh​

​4. Josh's Mom Jacky made us Ox Tail.... yes OX TAIL ​

5. JOSHS BAPTISM

 We had to take some bike squad pictures

 Saying bye to one of my fav families, the got me a cute apron from Chile!

Florida gave me one last bad rain storm yesterday!

Last week pday

MARCH 05, 2018

PARADISE!!

Hellllllooooo 

What a crazy week! I blinked, and it was gone. 

This past week was a blast. I went on two different exchanges in two different areas this week, so it felt like I was never in my area. 

We had an awesome lesson with Josh and his family. I'm not sure if I've talked a lot about Josh. Josh is a 14-year-old boy. His parents are less active, but his aunt and uncle are pretty much our go-to best friends in the ward. Josh comes to church almost every Sunday with his cousins and just loves it. We have been visiting him and his family for a few weeks now and it's been super awesome. They are such sweet family! Josh is actually planning on getting baptized this weekend and we are super stoked! We taught them the plan of salvation and it was so awesome to just see the parent’s eyes change. The plan of salvation changes everything, it changes the entire perspective of someone. I am so thankful that I get to teach this. I am honestly humbled all the time that I get to tell people about such an amazing thing and watch them change. Ah I just love this gospel. 

Joan and Jennifer are still just so awesome. We love them so much. 

​We taught them the word of wisdom and law of chastity this past week. They understood it, but we are still working with them to dejarlo. They are just so great you guys. I am going to miss them so much. They are making me sancocho this week and I’m stoked. They came to stake conference and loved it! Jenifer just looks like a little Primary President. They are going to be incredible members. 

This past week I also got to go on an exchange with Sister Tyrrell in her area. It was so fun to be with her again and just see how much we have both changed since our time in Bahia together. We were laughing so hard the whole time about all the hilarious times we had back then. It was such a cool day to realize how much we've both grown. It was awesome. 

Life is going so great. It just all feels really unreal. I hate it. I am so excited for this upcoming week. Its going to be amazing. 

My spiritual thought this week comes from a quote we found from President Joseph F. Smith. It says "The gospel of Christ is a living, daily religion, and hourly religion. It requires us to do right today, this hour, this week, this months and this year; and so on from year to year, to live our religion- which is the religion of Jesus Christ- of righteousness, of truth, of mercy, of love, forgiveness, kindness, union and peace on earth and good will to man and all the world. This is our mission." 

I’d be lying if I said that the fact that I’m going home in a week hasn't made me just so sad. I’m going to miss this so much. This work is incredible. I am a representative of the Savior Jesus Christ. I have loved every single minute of this. Going home seems like the worst thing ever right now. I’ve been scared of the "normal" the "usual". Although recently I’ve realized that my mission is just to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Just as Joseph F Smith said, It doesn’t end. It is a living, daily thing. I’ve been living the gospel for the last 18 months and I’ll only continue it after. 

I love you guys so much! You are just the greatest! I’ll be praying for you! 

1. Sister Jensen and I in Ft. Laud last week!

2. our cute "spring break" shirts haha it’s a party

1. Went on an exchange with Sister Mercado

2. 18 months... almost 🤤

3. Ditto

FEBRUARY 26, 2018

THIS WEEK WAS SICK!

HELLO MY FRIENDS!!!!

I don’t know how great this email will be because I have absolutely no desire to email right now! So sorry but I’ll try my hardest. 

Life seriously is so awesome. I just LOVE IT you have no idea. I AM LIVING THE DREAM. This week was packed full of awesome miracles and God just leading us. I am so thankful to be a tool in his hands. 

A few days ago, Sister Jensen and I just had such a crazy day. We had a whole bunch of appointments and we were running from apt to apt. We had to knock for like 30 more minutes. I asked Sister Jensen where she felt we needed to go and she led us to these random yellow apartments that I had never noticed before. We got out and I got a really strong impression to talk to these people outside another apartment. We went up to them and they just started talking to us about their life. Ana and Evelyn are really great friends that live above and below each other. Ana is from Uruguay and Evelyn is from the DR.  They told us how they both had just recently lost a few loved ones. We shared a scripture with them and told them that we would come back the next day and share the plan of salvation. They were so excited. We came back the next day with one of our members and the lesson was incredible. Ana looks at us at the end and says that this was the only thing that has helped her since the death of her mother to have peace. It was so awesome. 

Joan and Jenifer are still doing so great. Yesterday they sent us a text and said that they keep talking about how they think we are their angels that are there to help them be good and do good. It was the greatest thing. Joan has been looking for a job for a while now and we promised him that if he sincerely prayed, God would help him. and guess what, he did it and HE GOT THE JOB. It was incredible. Such a faith building experience for Joan. 

This week we had some interesting meal appointments. I ate cow intestine for the first time. The smell was way worse than the taste.

I also got really sick this past week and had to go to urgent care. They took good care of me and put me on some antibiotics and now I am good as new! I was going crazy though because I had to stay in for a day and a half. Worst thing ever. I have never felt so guilty for being sick. I hated it. So happy to be back in business. 

Everyone we are teaching right now has had a recent death in their family and I have realized the importance of the Plan of Salvation. I am so thankful for the confidence I have that my family will be together forever. The plan of salvation is REAL. It is the only thing that brings comfort and peace. I am so thankful for the gospel in my life. 

I love you all! Thank you for being so awesome!!! 

1. my bffs in the sketch trailer park

2. Joan and Jenifer’s daughter. (this is exactly how I feel about going home in 2 weeks...)

3. little Joan at church this past Sunday. He seriously is my bff and loves primary! We love Joan and Jenifer. 

4. Sister Richardson and Sister Jensen stuffed the cow intestine in their bag... it was that bad 

1. pday on Hollywood beach (basically vacation every monday)

2. Completos at the Rocuants 

3. La playa