Okay, it took a little longer than we anticipated, but we're back. The reason why we didn't get back last night was because we were at Presidente's house practicing a number we're going to sing at a special reunião [conference] on Thursday. We are going to sing a really pretty arrangement of Come Thou Fount (me, Sister Petersen! and one of the assistants, and another Elder) with some words in English some in Portuguese. We are going to hear from Elder Clayton, it should be pretty great.

                                                                                            

Familinha e Amiguinhos, [Family & Friends]

This past week was, full. We had two days of Sister Ferreira giving her goodbyes, and then we had a Sisters' training, and then a stake dance, and a crazy Sunday morning.

First of all, the goodbyes: Sister Ferreira really loved this ward, and so we passed by a LOt of people, ate a LOt of goodbye cake, and got the idea of the transition fully established in our heads. We all went to Salvador, to President's house to have a lovely conference with the Sisters, and a few short-term Sisters that are from within the boundaries of the mission, but will only stay 1-2 transfers, just to help out. It was lovely. Sister Vecchi takes such good care of us. The biggest thing I took away was [?]

The story of the stake dance has a little foreward involved. So, I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that we're teaching the family of Estandislau and Angela . . . and their 7 kids (Clea 19, Cleane 17, Cleonilton 16, Cleidiane 14, Cleiton 12, and Cleidinice 3 - and the oldest son Josias 21 we still haven't met.) They are a little milagre [miracle, wonder] from heaven. At Stake Conference last week, the Stake Young Women's President met the family, and really wanted them to go to the stake dance. Try as we might, we could not find a ride . . . so we went along and made contacts in front of the church. They had a really, really good time, and they are progressing really well. We are able to work a lot with the ward to help this family really have some growth and receive the blessings. They are rather wonderful. Sister Smart was rather taken aback by the faith of the family, and it's true, they have suffered quite a bit, and have great desires to do what is right. 

Also, Sister Smart is marvelous, (Mom- she's a mix of Katie-Sue and Hilary Barker). She's from Twin Falls, Idaho and has a year on the mission. She has a really nice spirit about her, and I am feeling really great about the work for this next transfer.

If you could please pray for our little family this next week, I know it would make a difference. I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit that really does confirm truths. It truly is the greatest gift the Lord can give us. I am grateful for the promises I have made with the Lord that help me to feel this peace everyday. It is incredible.

love, love, love,

Sister Cornwall

It was expected that there would be transfers that affected Sister Cornwall last week.  With transfers it would not be unexpected that it may be a challenge for Sister Cornwall to get her weekly e-mail letter off.  The short note shared below is all that was received last week.  So far, only a short note - shared below -  is all that has arrived this week as well.

17 April 2012

Thanks so much mom - and unfortunately we don't have any news yet - apparently there are going to be  quite a few little changes, so it's taking a little longer. you all will just be able to await a great big surprise next week! Those photos [from Jeff's post of "Silly Faces"] are really funny  and they are helping me right now. We had a truly incredible week, but I am kind of dead. I am just sooo tired. We also just spent two hours on bus coming home from the office . . . standing . . . with boxes of copies of the Book of Mormon. Oh boy.

We met a family this week of 9 people (different than Juliete's family, which we are no longer teaching.) They just happened to be in the home of another family we visit. They live in the last house, way in the wild, and they have - nothing to eat. Sunday morning was stake conference and they didn't have money for the bus, but they met up on our street - everyone all ready and snazzy - and we found rides among the members. We also had Vitoria and Gleice two young women, and Jade, an eight year old girl that went. It was quite the day - and Presidente Vecchi was visiting and even gave the family a ride home! We are really feeling blessed with the work, and we're excited to continue the miracles . . . even if we're not together. Until next week!

love love - and more love,

Sister Cornwall

23 April 2012

I stayed, and Sister Smart is here with me, and I am so so happy. We are going to practice for a special music number in a little conference with Elder Clayton this week, so we'll come back later to finish off our internet time, but I love you, thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas and inspired lesson plan!
love, Rach

Heyo amigos e familiares, [Heyo friends and family],

Well, I can't quite believe how time is slipping away. The weeks are just scrunched together between writing emails. The highlight of last week was our Zone Conference. After having a training the week before conference, then conference, and then zone conference, I feel like I have so many things to put into practice. We talked a lot about how great this work is. That this is not just getting people blessings of this earth (having success, having peace, avoiding trouble) but it's about ETERNAL blessings. I think too often I am looking to the ground, and just fretting about many things, but we also talked significantly about faith. Presidente Vecchi - wow, it was this flurry of wonderful ideas, and everyone was just taking down everything coming out of his mouth. Faith is a process that we live, that affects our personal progress on the earth. The fact that we're here to act for ourselves and not to be acted upon, means that we still need to have faith to trust that our actions will be recognized and furthermore rewarded.

After the conference we were invited to study how we can have faith to work miracles. As I studied I read 2 Nephi 9, and realized that we need to lift up our head and rejoice and give ears to the word of God, and recognize the past mercies of the Lord. Then, I read about Peter walking on water (I noted a few similarities between him and myself) and realized that these things really are the keys; if Peter had lifted up his head and focused on the Savior, and listened to his invitation to COME, and just realized that HE WAS WALKING ON WATER already, he would have made it all the way. Faith is something that I have sincerely needed to develop (and I continue needing that.)

In our study - and with our pesquisadores - we use a process of 7 steps with the purpose of reading a specific selection of scriptures, with a specific question (for example, How can I develop faith to work miracles?) : 1. pray, asking help from Heavenly Father in this little home work. 2. Read the scripture and 3. write your feelings and your answer. 4. Pray again thanking Heavenly Father for the answer, and asking for more guidance. 5. Read the scripture again. 6. Revise what you wrote, and write even more 7. Pray to Heavenly Father to know a) if the book of Mormon is true and b) if your answer is correct. It is an incredible process.

I know that the scriptures are true, and that the Livro de Mórmon is the word of God. I don't have a single doubt that He loves me and that this is His gospel here on the earth.

love, love, love,
Sister Cornwall

p.s. to Mom,

To: kentcorn@juno.com Cornwall

Date: Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 7:44 AM

Oh thanks mom for everything. . . And thanks for sending your thoughts. I am feeling good. I really don't have all that much time left, but I know that Heavenly Father has a few lessons that He'd still like me to learn. This will be an interesting week, because it's probably the last with Sister Ferreira. . .

I am so happy that you're in Boston, our family is so great and so blessed.

At zone conference I had the distinct feeling that I do NOT want to go home; there's a Sister who's staying an extra transfer, and in her farewell testimony she said how grateful she was for another sacred month and half and I about died thinking that I was losing a potentially sacred month and a half, but I know that I'm going when Pai Celestial wants be to go. And frankly, there's a purpose, . . . I know, I need to focus on here, and I am, . . . Pai Celestial expects us to do a lot of things in this life. Thanks . . . for being so fun. I am incredibly blessed.

Kiss that cute, cute Emary for me, I can't wait to meet her. Love you so so dearly.

Rach

Photos from a recent 'sail-mail' letter received by Sister Cornwall's parents, with captions from Sister Cornwall written on the reverse side....

This is the famous elevator in Salvador that was used for imports/exports & black slaves. There's also the "Mercado Modelso" that is a HUGE tourist market.

Inside the Mercado Modelo. There are so many WHITE people it is a little strange to see people who are NOT Bainaos. That will be quite the adjustment when I get back. But it is a rather cool place.
At the top of the elevator with Sister Forester [from the MTC] - I LOVE that girl! Unfortunately when got transferred to Itabuna, making me all the more glad we went.

__________________________

These are just some general thoughts about how great [General] conference was.

First of all, The Plan of Salvation is an incredible thing; when we understand WHO God is, WHY we are here, WHAT is most important- wow , life gets a lot easier. I feel like I am rather sheltered from the "real world" and that Bahia doesn't suffer from a lot of the materialism and business that a lot of the world suffers from (I am a little worried about going back to the shock of all that, but it'll be great.) The simple messages and heedings and LOVE shown were pretty impressive - "stop it", "step up", etc. is apparently what we need to hear most. So many of us already know what it is that we need to be doing, and now we just need to - DO it.

There was a lot of teaching about the nature of God, about how knowing about Him, and our relationship with Him helps us understand so many things in this world. I trust completely and absolutely in these men. The messages are simple, but bold. I am grateful for the emphasis on the família, and all of the great things a focus on the family causes. I know these men are inspired. I know that we will do well just getting ourselves where we need to be. I guess that in general there was a LOT of focus on the two great commandments - love God, and love your neighbor. Do what needs to get done because the time is getting closer. We know this, but we need to hear it, that's why we have prophets.

I am so grateful for the incredible marvelous gift that it is to have prophets.

a lovely week!

love, love, love,

Sister Cornwall

Wow, when it rains, it pours.

There is something to be said about a dedicated effort and really loving God. We were so, so blessed this week. Especially at church yesterday - Elizabete (and Wallace her baby) went, Jocelio's wife and brother-in-law went, two of Juliete's daughters went, and Tâmara's mom and sister went. It was a little stressful, and there were a few others that I wanted to be there, but we were feeling rather victorious. Despite our differences Sister Ferreira and I are a powerhouse. It's been interesting to see that as we let ourselves be submissive and humbled, more things started happening. We were running the entire week . . . which was marvelous.
We are still needing our own chapel (have I mentioned that? that Mussurunga has a chapel twenty minutes - or 50 minutes depending on the bus- from where we live. It is a little bit of a challenge, but we are full of faith, and that's what miracles are for.)

And [General] conference is coming! It's practically here in fact. We are doing our preparations for ourselves, and better yet - we are inviting everyone to come listen to a prophet's voice. It is marvelous. I feel so privileged.

I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. This is a relationship I have been working on developing. He is my personal Savior, and that merits some attention to make even more personal. I know that our Father in Heaven created us to be who we are, and to be happy about it.

Well, I hope that we all have a lovely end of March - isn't time flying? And that all are happy and well.

love, love, love,
Sister Cornwall

p.s. Oh mom, it's so nice to hear from you. All these little events passing by - life is progress. Tell Cammie "Congratulations" - she will NEVER regret it. I am so in love with being on a mission. I am hitting that point that I do NOT want to go home. I'd rather just keep working.

Thanks for telling me all about miracles and missionaries. Those two things certainly go hand in hand. And good luck at the seminary breakfast - mom, that is an incredible event. Now that I'm here I understand more the power of having 100+ teens in the chapel. Learning about the gospel. So cool.

Have a lovely week. rach

I feel like this anniversário sort of came and went without too much ado . . . which was probably better. We had a conference on Friday so I got to wish "happy birthday" to a couple other missionaries. But I decided it would probably be a good idea to do a little reflection on this little year mark.

I started out with the title "Top 10 Lessons Learned in 1 Year na Missão" - but it ended up being more, oh well.

1. Obedience is what qualifies us and gives u power from Pai Celestial.

2. Happiness is Always within our grasp. We just have to choose to have it.

3. I talk(ed) too much. But there is more peace in silence and waiting and listening.

4. Our mistakes are not setbacks, but stepping stones to being better.

5. WE ARE NOT PERFECT. Thank goodness, and that's why we have a Savior.

6. We have a Savior- Jesus Christ. He qualified Himself to provide us with the oportunidade to go back to our Father. He is good and merciful and wants to help us and take away ALL our burdens and sadness and obstacles. And the ONLY way to make it through this life - is to give Him EVERYTHING - our weaknesses, pains, suffering. And all will be well.

7. The Plan is perfect - live it and be happy, or don't, and waste your time.

8. Honestly, it's not just about me, it's not just about the people, it's about doing the will of our Father, and everything will be taken care of.

9. The Holy Spirit is the greatest gift we can have in our life. It brings me peace and helps me see more clearly and it gives a confirmation that there's nothing in the way - that I'm doing what's right and good.

10. The most generous people I have met are those that seemingly have the least to give (And did you know that love really does make food taste better? Seriously. After eating rice and beans every day for -almost- a year pretty much makes me an expert.)

11. Love is all you need (thanks Paul, John, Ringo and George) but really - it casts out all fear, and never fails, and is pure and powerful.

12. Sometimes you can't see. Sometimes fé [faith, belief] is the ONLY light in your life (which is kinda rough for this girl who likes so much to SEE it all happen - like to have certainty.) But you just press forward trusting that Someon up above will arrange your diligent efforts into something sincerely worthwhile. (I certainly hope so.)

13. We need to give our perfections some space so we can let mercy and grace in.

14. We are who we are. I am not a different person when I wear my plaqueta [name tag] than when I don't. I am still this silly girl who is passionate about some things and unsinkable in a few of her resolves. But at this point I am much more capable of letting some of my less-lovely attributes be changed. If we open up our hearts to allow our Father in Heaven work a change, we can be the best possible version of ourselves - independent of our calling.

So there's that. It has been very strange to think that so much has happened, so much time has passed, so much has changed . . . and yet it seems like such a simple thing that just flitted by. Very strange. But I am so happy that I am here. That I am a representative of a blessed, perfect organization for IMperfect people. Have you been here yet? GO! I can't believe conference is here again. What a privilege.

We had a good week. We settled a few issues and decided that nothing (including little personal issues) will set us back from doing everything we can in the best form possible. What privilege this last year has been (a year! I know right?) Anyway, I hope that all your darlings had a great year too.

love love love,

Sister Cornwall

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/invite-others?lang=eng

The following are excerpts from a "snail-mail" letter received by Sister Cornwall's parents 12 March 2012.

February 15, 2012

Mom and Dad

How are you my darling parents? You two are such incredible examples, and I love you so so much. Oh, the things that Rachel is learning on her mission. Don’t worry mom, my companions are picking up the slack in letting me know what my weak spots are. Dad, I have priesthood leaders who are (trying) to pick up the slack in giving me wise counsel. But nobody comes close to the love and support you two have shown. We’re so blessed to have the gospel and to see the world so very clearly.

I also included a letter for Sarah. I love that girl. Our family is marvelous and THANK YOU for letting us have a big family. It really is a thing of God. Less than 6 children I think I’ll feel very empty.

I am so so grateful for this gospel. I love that I can have questions or doubts or complaints and I will always have an answer and that incredible peace can re-enter my life. What a beautiful thing is that peace that the Spirit brings. It is an incredibly precious thing. And I want EVERYONE to have the chance to feel it.

Tomorrow I’ll have 11 months as a missionary . . . And only 6 months left. Goodness gracious. What a great privilege it is. I am so grateful for my testimony and the security it gives me.

Love,
Rach - Sister Cornwall