A short novel :)‏

She was woken up by the fact that she was cold - a feeling that, after a month of 40 degrees Celcius, she had lost hope of ever feeling again. Half asleep, she realized that the ugly clouds from the night before had turned into a steady, dreary rain outside and the fan, which had been blowing all night, was now too cold. Sleep walking, she got up, turned it off, and lay down again, with that nagging feeling it would only be a few minutes before the alarm went off. Sure enough, the cell phone beeped, but only a few times before Sister Velasquez silenced it.

Still half asleep, a few thoughts ran through her mind - "What day is it? P-Day! And President changed the schedule so we can sleep in now if we want!" But then she remembered her anxiety from the night before, and realized that this morning would be different - the Transfer Meeting, where everyone would find out where they were going for the next 6 weeks. A knot formed in her stomach as she wondered if she would really be assigned to train, as the president had told her she might.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice speaking Spanish-accented Portuguese - "Bom dia, Sistinha!" "Bom dia," she replied, but heard only a zombie-like "Mmmmm" escape her lips. Her companion didn´t persist, but took the initiative - "Vou tomar banho, ´ta?"

She realized that she could´t hide in bed forever, and rolled onto her knees to pray. She had a tender, though sleepy, conversation with Heavenly Father in which she asked for the spiritual strength to accept whatever calling she was given for the next transfer. But all through the rush to get out the door on time, the dreary bus ride and walk to the chapel at Itaimbé, the handshakes and greetings for all of the zone, and the songs, prayers and practices of the meeting, the nagging anxiety persisted.

Before she knew it, she was placing her nametag in a plastic bag along with everyone else in the Zone, and Elder Monteiro was drawing up a huge chart on the board of all the missionaries, with a column for their next area, next companion and next calling. People began drawing nametags out of the bag, and he announced their next assignment to great cheers and celebration. "Who did you draw?" he asked Elder Moda."Sister Velasquez!""Alright. Sister Velasquez is going to.....Livramento!"Huge celebration! "YAY Sister, Livramento! That´s great! But who´s her companion?""I can´t tell you yet.....because she will be TRAINING!""AHHH! YOu´re going to train, Sister! Congratulations!"

Already, she knew that things wouldn´t stay the same. Her companion was leaving, leaving a vacancy in their apartment. Would it be filled by a different senior companion, or a "novinha"? When her name was drawn from the bag, she held her breath."Sister Madsen....will be staying in Camobi."She let a little air escape."With? With?" her companion nagged."With....her treinada! Congratulations, Sister!" Her face turned white, and she let out a nervous laugh.

The room exploded in celebration, everyone shook her hand, and her companion gave her a side squeeze. But the anxiety she had been feeling grew, and the knot in her stomach moved up into her throat. Training? Really? A list of things she didn´t know started to form in her mind. After a short conversation in the bathroom with Sister Salvador, who also trained in the fourth transfer, she felt a little better. Her dad´s kind words in the note he had written her came back to her to also ease her anxiety a little. And her faith in Heavenly Father and that all things are possible for Him allowed her to hold her head up and know that He would always be there to hold her hand.

Wow, I went on like that way longer than I thought I could!! Did you like it? You guys said on the phone you wanted to hear more about my every day - so I figured this was one of the most exciting days to write about. So.....I found out......I´m going to be training! Tomorrow! So what does this mean?

Tomorrow I have to go to the meeting of trainers, to learn in a few hours how to train another missionary. The next morning, the president will assign me to one of the 3 new Brazilian sisters, and after we leave his house, I´ll be completely responsible for her, taking her back to our area, getting her set up in our house, planning with her, and going out to teach. From that moment on she´s my responsibility - I need to teach her how to teach, how to work with investigators and members, how to plan, our daily routine....everything. This is why I´m feeling a little inadequate!! I´m really anxious, but I´m going to be fine. I´ve been asking in my prayers to grow into a better missionary, and He´s not just going to give it to me magically - He´s going to give me hard experiences that will force me to grow and be better. So...I got just what I asked for!:)

So....I´ll have to tell you next week about everything, who she is, what she´s like, and how the first week goes!! But for now, I spent all my time watching videos and writing you a novel, and Sister Velasquez needs to go to her meeting with the psychologist. But....I´m excited!! Don´t think that I´m freaking out - ok, I am a little bit, but I know it´s going to be fine in the end. Just....it´s so much responsibility! But I know it´s just a matter of trusting in the Lord with all my heart and not leaning to my own understanding. I know He´s the one who´s going to train this new Sister, I just have to be an instrument for him!

Thank you guys so much for everything - I´m going to the office right now and hopefully your boxes and letters will be waiting for me! I can´t wait to hear more from you. I love you so much, and your support and love absolutely helps me so much at times like this! You´re the best family anyone could ever ask for. I finally got to watch the videos of Caroline at Christmas - I died - she is SO cute!!! Trying to eat her doll through the plastic box!!:D I love you all so much. Have a great week, I´ll be praying for all of you, and please say a prayer for me too!

Love forever,

Heather :D