Bessa

A couple months ago, we had a special training with Elder Christenson.  During his time in Brazil, Elder Christenson commented with Pres. Hall about the change in age for missionaries and how this would affect the various missions in the world in relation to creating more missions, training all these missionaries, calling more mission presidents, finding more apartments, and just accommodating for more missionaries.  Elder Christenson told Pres. Hall that when the Prophet received the revelation to change the age, he didn’t tell them how they were going to accommodate more missionaries in the field, he just told them to find a way to make the changes!  It's a lot like how the Lord commanded Nephi to go and get the plates.  Nephi wasn't given specific plans, he had to go forward, excercising faith in the Lord, and as he followed the spirit he was able to fulfill the will of the Lord.  When Pres. Hall called me and my 'daughter' to serve in Bessa, he gave us two instructions, 1) Find a place to live and 2) Work hard!  Without any idea of what the area was like, or who the members were, we left the mission home and headed to the Bus station.  At the bus station, a member recognized our badges and greeted us.  I asked him if he lived in Bessa.  He replied that he didn't, but that a member from Bessa was arriving shortly to drop of their son.  From this member, we were able to get the number of the Bishop, call him, and set up an appointment to visit with him that very afternoon.  Finding the Bishop's house was another adventure!  With only a few reference points, we asked around to know which bus we should take, and headed off into the jungle of the city of João Pessoa.  And so, our adventure began!  Each day is a miracle as we hitch hike (take alternativos) or take a bus from Cabedelo (where we are lving right now with other Sisters), to Bessa, and then somehow we find our way around and make our way back to Cabedelo at night.  The members in Bessa are super helpful, and very excited to have Sisters.  When we went to the stake center to watch Conference, we walked in and everyone started whispering, "It's Sisters, I haven't seen Sisters here for years!"  I feel like a celebrity!  I am grateful for this opportunity to help the Lord's work move forward, and to literally take part in the Prophet's counsel to make the changes necessary to accomodate more missionaries!  When the Lord commands, He always provides a way!