Last Email! January 5, 2015

Streets of Brasil.

Sky of Brasil.

Food of Brasil.

Heat and sun of Brasil (so I use an umbrella).

Bahahah! We keep our standards! And we walk in the sun every single day. It's great... Hahah. We call this our "natural t-shirt." Hahah! (: This was on New Year's day. It was dead. Seriously. I think we saw 3 people and 1 car. It was creepy. Haha. 

The weather has had a pattern lately. REALLY hot and sunny, and by the evening cold and wet. It dumped rain. We were soaked! This is a street that we had to walk down. Practically swim down, but we're not allowed to swim, so we walked. It was ridiculous! 

BIANCA! She was baptized on Saturday and was confirmed and received the Holy Ghost yesterday. Her baptism was perfect, and I was bawling. My last baptism on my mission. And it was perfect. Bianca is so beautiful. She's 9 and super smart and the sweetest girl you'd ever meet. She sat between Sister Lemes and I on Sunday and held my hand. And she kept telling me that I'm special to her, and that she will never forget me and that she is going to visit America one day. Needless to say my eyes were watery. I love her with all my heart.

Sisters, Bianca and Irmão Peninha.

Sister Lemes found this mango while walking to the church. Haha. She said it was manna from heaven. And that it tasted better than any mango she's ever had. Haha.

Amanda. You guys. I love her so much. Just thinking about leaving her makes me cry. She's incredible. I'm really going to miss her. She's wearing the skirt that I gave her (: she complimented it once and said she's always wanted a skirt like that, so I gave it to her and she just about died, she was so excited. And it looks great on her! (: I love her.

My extended family. They said they're gonna get me a mattress and put it in Amanda's room and I can live there with them. Hahh! Felipe, me, Amanda, e Mãe.

Bahah! While walking home from church! Amanda had on cute heels, and brought flip flops to change into while walking. And then Felipe decided to show us his socks! Bahah! Hilarious. They were embarrassed. Haha! Love them.

Olá família! December 29, 2014

Hello family!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! (in a couple of days).

No time. Sent pictures.

Christmas was amazing. Spent with friends, and then with my family via Skype. That was happy. Everyone kept saying how pretty you all were. And that it was hilarious that I kept saying Portuguese words to you. Hah (: Crazy to think that I'll be able to talk to you again in 2 weeks!

Gave a talk in church yesterday. That was scary and great! It was about prayer (: Everyone is so loving and supportive here. Its great.

We're teaching Bianca, she's 9. I told her a couple of days ago that I'm going home soon, and I guess after we left she just cried and cried and cried. She told her mom, "America is so far away.. Will I ever see Sister Dunn again?.." Oh!.. She is so dang cute, darnit. Her mom consoled her by telling her that we have Facebook, phones, and emails. So at church she kept hugging me and reminding me to give my info to her mom so that we can talk (: It was cute. She gets baptized this Saturday. I'm excited for her. Shes super smart, she teaches us the lessons more than we teach her (:

It is SO hot here! Like swimming in my sweat hot. Mixed with sun block. And dirt. Its great (: The life of a missionary is an adventure!

I have one more email to send you, and then I'll be traveling home. For 30 hours.. hah. I'll be doing lots of reading.

Know that I love you so very much. You're always in my prayers.


Love,
Sister Dunn.

Chup chup! (pronounced: shoopee shoopee) They're little popscicles of deliciousness. Well, strawberry is delicious. They're difficult to open, and sily to eat. Theyre like frozen gogurts! 

Last Monday it was raining buckets! And for some reason (probably cause it was wet), my shoe wouldnt stay velcroed (bahaha.. velcro). It was driving me nuts, so I finally just took it off. But it was irritating to have one foot like 2 inches higher than the other so I eventually took them both off. Walking without shoes in the puddles of Brasil (: Sister Lemes decided to join me and she took her shoes off too. Haha! It was an adventure of fun puddles, soft sand, and super pointy rocks. Hah!

Feliz Natal! Hahah. This picture doesnt even look like me.

The District. Elders wanted to sit in the front to cross their legs, so us sisters were booted to the back with the District Leader (Elder Torrescano, he's from Washington) and a Zone Leader (Elder Bastos, he's from São Paulo).

The house of Claudia (: She's president of the Moças (YW) and is super sweet. Love her. 

Christmas Eve dessert! It was super delicious! 

Karine, the bishops wife, heard that Sister Lemes and I didnt have any presents, so she got us these giant boxes filled with treats! It was super nice of her. And Tiago, he got Star Wars legos from Papai Noel (:

Christmas Eve dinner! It was amazing! Brayan and Irmão Peninha.

Nicole (: Shes funny.

And Irmão Peninha. I love him so very much. He's incredible. He's been telling everyone that I'm going to come back and visit and that I'l stay with him and his family. They have 9 kids, and lots of grandkids.

Christmas Eve movie night in our room! Hooray! Love movies about Joseph Smith! 

Christmas lunch with Irmã Ili. the RS President.  

Crab. Lots and lots of crab. There were like 5 people just chowing down on them... Theyre whole! You can still see their eyes! I tried a bit just to say I did. It wasnt good.. But it wasnt bad.. It was just weird holding his hairy leg and sucking the meat of the bone... ya, yuck. No.

Just a little alley way (:

BRASIL! (: Super cool.

Awkward candid shots are great.

Sister Lemes was sad that she wasnt in the family Skype picture. So she made this. HAH!! 

She is saying, Hi family, I love "yous". Haha!

LOVE YOU! (:

Surprise! December 22, 2014

SURPRISE! I cut my hair! Straight across bangs! AH! (: 

I was talking to Amanda, and she said she has always wanted them, and I told her that I had always wanted them, so we took ourselves to a salon and got them! So did Sister Lemes! So now we're all triplets (: Its great! 

Hooray for bangs! 

This was a hot dog that I got to eat. It was giant! Reminded me of a hotdog that Grandpa would eat (:

Nossa! É muito grande! Hahah! It was good. It had lots on it. 2 hotdogs, the bun, mayonese, ketchup, peas, corn, tomatoes, and the stuff on top are these delicious potato things that are like crunchy noodles only potatoes! YUM! 

Went on exchanges this week! STL came to our area, and I went to her area: THE BEACH! It was SO much fun! We stopped for a bit so I could get my feet in the sand and take some pictures. It was incredible! Wow. Super beautiful! There was hardly anyone out, it was about 7 in the evening, it was perfect. Now I can say I've been to the beach in Brasil! (:

Brasilian beach (: 

We had a baptism this week! Nikole (: And her boyfriend, Rafael baptized her. It was great! She received the Holy Ghost and it was incredible, you could see a difference in her. She glowed. She looked different, brighter, happier. It was neat. Her parents even came to the baptism, theyre not members. It's amazing to see people change and grow and come to the fold of Christ. I love her. 

Um found this GIANT bug in our house! We were screaming lots! And he was super fast. And then he started crawling on the wall! AH! Then Sister Lemes informs me that he can FLY! I just about died.. But we got him. Freaked me out. Sheesh.

Just friendship. Thats all (:

Bahah! So I'm bringing Amanda home with me to America. She's in the suticase ready to go!

Also, Felipe. Haha! 

We got the whole family, Amanda, Felipe, Guilherme, and Mãe and Sister Lemes to get into this suitcase and take a picture like I was taking them with me. It was HILARIOUS! Oh my goodness. I love them so much. Its going to be reallyy hard to leave..

Didnt take many photos this week. My bad. I'll do better this week (:


Love you lots!

Te amo! December 15, 2014

So I don't have very much time. Sorry.

Know that I love it here in Brasil. I am so happy. We're working really hard and seeing progress with those we're working with. So grateful for Heavenly Father and His help.

Walking lots. Eating lots. Smiling lots. It's great (:

We have a baptism this week. Nicole. Her boyfriend is a member of the church. We're excited.

And we're working with a family, Joice and Alberto. They are elect. Super ready. She's not a member, and he was excommunicated. So its neat to see them progress. Joice is just soaking everything up!

I know that this is the restored church of Jesus Christ. It is so true. And when we follow the teaching of Christ and His commandments, we can find happiness in this life even through our trials and hard times. I'm grateful for the example of my parents. I love you both so very much.

Well. Another week passed and gone. Theyre going quick! Time flies when youre having fun!

Lucy, mom sent me some of your engagement photos. Super beautiful.
And Cooper and Kylie, Parker is super duper adorable, I cant even stand it!

Love you all so very much. You're always in my prayers.

Love,
Sister Dunn.

Companions.

Look at what a member made for us... Yes. Full on crab. Whole body and everything! It has hair! Yuck.. They were snapping his legs and eating his flesh like it was nothing! Couldn't do it.. I already know I don't like it and I couldn't bear snapping off one of its legs. Hah!

Looking off into the distance of the river next to our home. Haha (:

Look at who found a dounut in Brasil! YES! (: Their called "sonhos" here, which means "dreams." How fitting (: This is Lucas, the son of the Relief Society President.

It's coming to an end! Cant believe it. Sister Lemes made this for me (:

I am a chocoholic. And these giant chocolate bars are super delicious! I ate this thing in like 2 minutes. Sister Lemes was shocked. Haha.

All dolled up to go out into the heat and sweat it all off. Hah!

Peixe.

And this is Maria. She's the daughter of a less active. She was super shy but wanted to take a picture. haha (:

Sister Peterson and I were in the same district at the MTC in Provo!

Sister Beeson and I served in Ohio together (:

Car full of missionaries headed to the Christmas Conference! An hour and a half drive to Curitiba! It was fun!

2 sisters and 12 elders in 1 van.

Merry Christmas! (: