Family!
How good it was to see your beautiful faces on Christmas Day! You really are alive! You eat peanut M&Ms! You are still as hilarious as ever! You are my family! :) I was happily surprised to see the Bradleys and the Grandparents! What a happy day it was! :) I am glad Skype eventually worked out; I was shaking in my chacos for a bit there. :) And I was extra happy about the 10 minutes I got to talk to that little missionary sister in Tahiti!
I don't think there has ever existed a sister who quite adores her sister like I adore Micail. It was so so so so so so wonderful to talk to her! Isn't she beautiful?! There was something really, truly powerful about talking to Micail and both of us having missionary name badges pinned over our hearts. Thank you for making that happen, Fam! I sure love you!
So, I briefly mentioned what I did for Christmas Eve via Skype, but Dad said it did not get communicated very well with all the hub-bub of everything. So, let me fill ya in.
Our ward mission leader (who is FANTASTIC, I must say) heard me singing and playing the piano at our Ward Talent Show and decided to sign me up to sing in front of THE ENTIRE CITY. Surprise! He is good friends with one of the city officials of Senhor do Bonfim, and somehow he got me in to be a part of the city Christmas celebration! Surprise! And don't worry, we got it approved by the mission president too. :) I sang on the 23rd and then on Christmas Eve on a stage in front of the City Hall Building at the Christmas Festival. The weird thing was, I was not even scared. Singing in foreign tongue, while playing the piano, while being in front of a thousand people, and I felt a-okay. :) I knew what I needed to do, and I knew the Lord was with me. The first night, I sang a few happy Christmas hymns, and left my simple testimony of Jesus Christ with the crowd. But the next night?! I used my chance for all it was worth! I mean, how many times do you get to speak to just about all of Senhor do Bonfim in one blow??
I prayed awfully hard to know what songs to play, what to say, and for strength to do. I mustered up every ounce of courage I had and let Heavenly Father do the rest. I had a short piece of all the lessons that went with every Christmas Hymn including The Restoration, The Plan of Salvation, and the Doctorine of Christ. I bore my true testimony of the living Christ through song and through words. It was hands down, the craziest thing I have ever done in my life! But I will never ever forget my Christmas Eve in Brazil. :)
We have already had a few people come up to us and say, "Hey! Are you the missionary that sang on Christmas Eve?", which has really been a miracle! I don't know if anyone was converted or if anyone will be baptized because of it, but if anything, the ward members were really surprised to see me up there singing and playing and testifying away and they have expressed greater intrest in the work! I am so happy about that. And also, my testimony of faith exploded! I could not have done that with out the help of my Heavenly Father. He lives! Just trust in Him, and He'll take care of you. :)
Today a young man came up to me and we started talking about that night. He said that what touched him most, was the part where I bore my testimony on families. I thought that was very interesting. Family, you really mean everything to me. I love you. I would do anything for you.
I hope you have a lovely New Year! I have a very, very good feeling about 2014. I think this is going to be the best year of my life. :) Be sure to eat some cream puffs and bang the pots extra loud at mid-night! :) Think of me; I will be thinking of you.
All my love and then some,
Sister A. Mann
P.S. To those of you who sent packages and I have not yet recieved them: do not fret! Mother... you sent an e-mail to the Mission President? Ai ai... Ha ha! :) They will get here, it just takes a while. I love Brasil with all my heart for a lot of reasons, but the mailing system is not one of them. Ha ha. But, I had a good Christmas anyway! Don't fret. Thank you for thinking of me. :)
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