Welcome to Bahia

 highlights!!!

- last p-day I was talking with an elder in my mission in our chapel who is from Brazil. We were just chatting when we hear gunshots outside. He then goes "welcome to Bahia". The members told me that when I see a person with a gun, i just say "arma bonita" (beautiful gun) and keep walking, so yep, here we go

- one day when we were out tracking we were hungry so we got some açai from this cute little store. Lets just say we got the owner and his family's phone number so hopefully we can teach them and get free açai hehe

- we take basically the same road everyday into the main neighborhood of our area. And one day on this road, we saw a cute little old lady out on her porch with some grandkids. We went up and started talking to her, and she was soooo sweet. She even gave us popsicles. We got her number and told her we would come back the next day. So we come back the next day, same thing, super sweet and free popsicles. We pass by again on our way out of the neighborhood the next day, and clap outside her house and call her name. Nothing. But there are some grandkids playing. One of them is on the porch, just inside of the gate. He starts to talk to us, and then pauses. While this is happening i see through a little hole in the gate, an old person crouched down. My comp peeks over and sure enough is the cute grandma mouthing to her grandson, "I'm not here". And the grandson looks up at us "she's not here". So unfortunately no more free popsicles, but a very funny moment

- our ward seems really awesome! They've got a lot of youth that all hang out at the church every night. And since we're they're too (bc of safety), we've joined in on a few of their volleyball games hehe

- I can't tell yet whether I'm gonna come back chubby or buff lol. The members feed us everyday and for the most part, it is soooo good. And they always say "eat more sister, eat more. You don't like my food??, eat more". But on the other hand, we walk literally everywhere in the heat and humidity and this city has so many freaking hills, so I guess only time will tell

- this week was a wee bit rough to say the least, but my STL shared some scriptures that I really liked, Alma 58: 11-12 "yea and it came to pass that the lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him. And we did take courage with our small force which we had received, and were fixed with a determination to conquer our enemies, and to maintain our lands, and our possessions, and our wives, and our children, and the cause of our liberty." My days are filled with tiny victories, and so I'm working on focusing on those :) 

life is good :)

love you all

sister maxfield