Military Presence in the Streets, Another Lockdown, and WORLD CUP FEVER!!!

Dearest family!

I can´t tell you how much I miss you and love you and think about you. You are the best family there is, and I couldn´t be more grateful! I don´t know if yáll have done much research on Lapa, but it´s a cute little town with apparently a lot of history. I´m not sure what all happened here, but I know there was some kind of battle fought here, so there are war memorials, and we occasionally see the army running around the streets. It´s funny that every area I´ve served in has had military influence.


As I was reading this letter, this game was on TV; it was the first of this year's World Cup to be played in Curitiba!

So World Cup... Brazil won! We were on lockdown after lunch the day Brazil played. But we could hear all sorts of cheers outside, and when the game was over, cars just drove around the streets honking with flags out their windows. Quite a different experience! Nothing like Almond Bowl haha. The whole atmosphere is really exciting and I feel a great love for these people and this country. I´m still striving to develop that true Christlike love, but it´s amazing how much your love grows for people when you can see them the way God does. It´s amazing feeling my capacity to love grow.



So this week was interesting! We were planning for a baptism that was supposed to take place yesterday with an investigator, A**x. He has a strong relationship with God, and he was really excited about his baptism. We´re not entirely sure what happened this week... He had to work out of town towards the end of the week, so we couldn´t teach everything we needed to, we called yesterday when he wasn´t at church and asked if we could move the baptism to next week and he said yes. The District Leader was gonna travel to Lapa to do his interview, so we made sure that was still okay, and he said he´d be home. But he wasn´t home when we got there with the District Leader! And they bussed an hour to get here.

So we took him over to another investigator, C**y, who´s going to be baptized this week! It was a little unorthodox because she hasn´t had all the lessons and she didn´t even know about the interview, but everything worked out so super perfectly. There are reasons for everything, I tell ya! We can get discouraged or frustrated because things didn´t work out exactly as we planned, or we can be grateful for the things we do have. A**x didn´t get baptized yesterday, but C**y passed her interview!! Everything happens in the Lord´s time, we just have to trust Him. I love you all with all my heart. I love you more with each day that goes by. I pray for you and hope that you feel that and know how much I love you. Have a wonderful week, family!!

Love always,

Sister Kashmir Janae Ramsden

The CTM, the Sao Paulo Temple, and On to Her First Area in Brasil

Oi familia!!!!

Last Friday at the MTC! I can't believe we'll be hitting the field in four days! The CTM is awesome. The food is amazing, the people are super friendly, and we're much more immersed in the language than in Provo. Sister Hamill and I received a new companion this week, Sister Stone! She was the only sister from the states this week, so she'll be with us till we leave, then join another sister that comes in next week. The language is coming! I'm working on not letting myself remain stagnant in my abilities, trying to always improve more and more. Most everyone says I look like a brasileira, haha. I even get compliments that I speak like one, which is kinda hard to believe. Goodness, I love it here, though! We've become super close with some of the Hispanics here. I'm playing the piano for them for Sunday devotional, and they call me Sister Mestre.


Sister Ramsden's CTM group

Sao Paulo is one big crazy city! We get to leave the MTC campus and proselyte once a week which is an awesome way to learn the language and the culture. The people are amazing! They are so willing to listen to us. In one hour, we gave away four copies of the Book of Mormon. It's just crazy how ready they are to receive the gospel! My leg has been recovering miraculously. I know I keep saying that, but I'm seriously amazed by how quickly it's healing. I can walk down stairs without any real discomfort, and I can walk up stairs with just a little bit of pain. I'm a little nervous about flying down to Curitiba on Tuesday, but I know the Lord will take care of me. It really is something else to be here in Brazil. I still can't believe this is real. But I know that I'm meant to be here at this time. I have nothing to worry about as long as I live close to the Spirit and trust the Lord. Oh, highlight of the week: Going to the temple today for the first time in like, 9 months!!!!!! Best feeling ever! I missed that place. Seriously, take advantage of it. Go as often as you can. I love y'all muito!! Have a wonderful week!!!!

Amo voces!!!

Sister Ramsden


Sister Ramsden in Curitiba waiting for her new companions

Oi familia!!

Well, I´m officially in my first area, Lapa! And guess who my companion is? Sister Russell, a sister who served in Georgia with me! She got her visa the transfer before I did. And even funnier, when I was transferred from Warner Robins to Martinez, she was transferred from Martinez to Warner Robins. So we served in the same areas! My other companion has been out just two weeks longer than us, Sister G. Silva, from.... Fortaleza!! They´re great.


Sister Ramsden's companions in Lapa, Sister Russell and Sister G. Silva

The work here is so different. The people are so open to listen to us, to let us come back, to accept baptismal dates, to come to church... We set three baptismal dates since I got here. That´s crazy! So a little bit about Lapa, it´s a pretty small town, and we share it with another set of sisters. We're a branch, and we meet in a small little church building. Small but mighty! Also, I found out that Sister Wilson also served here. So that's cool!



Brazil is amazing. I love it here. It's definitely very different from the states, but I don't miss anything that I had before. Except maybe the heater, cuz it's kinda cold here. But we're warm with the Spirit :) I'm so excited to serve here and to learn all the things the Lord has in store for me to learn. The language is alright, we're working on a language study plan. Because Sister G Silva is learning English, so we kind of take shifts with languages. Also, my leg is doing alright! The first couple days were rough, cuz we walk everywhere. But I tried to let the Spirit help me know when to take a break, and it never said anything! So I pushed through the first couple days, and my leg actually feels better! Still sore, but it's healing for sure. I did get sick already, though! I guess that cold really got inside me. Just got that crummy feeling in my sinuses. But I've been drinking EmergenC and taking Advil Cold and Sinus, etc. So I'm getting better!

I just want you to know how much I love you! I pray that all is well with you. I don't feel homesick, but I feel a little more distant and disconnected. I just pray that you are all happy and healthy. Know that you are always in my thoughts and prayers. Always. Have a wonderful week, family! I love you!!

Love always,

Sister Kashmir Janae Ramsden