Missing Post - Sorry from McKenna's Mom

** Sorry to all of you - McKenna's mom had an incredibly hectic week and missed posting this blog. So here it is a little late.

Yes, Happy December folks! 3 weeks from today is Christmas. YES!

Cutting to the chase.. transfers. Didnt happen. Ok, so they did, but once again, just not for me. Hahahaha I am certain that if I look in my Mission Call Packet it will read, ``You are hereby called to serve in the Brasil João Pessoa PROSSIND mission because I am NEVER leaving. No complaints. I have the best area in my mission. Im convinced. And what I have learned is that the important changes on a mission have nothing to do with maps or boundaries or packing suitcases. The important change is that God is changing who I am in the way HE designed me to change. We dont need to ask someone to change our circumstances....but like Nephi, we can have courage and faith to pray instead for faith to change our own circumstances. 

So.... I´m staying. And.... Sister Moore is staying too. We are really excited actually and we have a lot of great ideas for how to help this area this transfer- I am REALLY EXCITED. And part of that plan may or may not include caroling with the members... Do they even do that in Brazil??? I dont know. Ha this month is going to be stellar. 

So happy to hear Thanksgiving was good:) I am jealous... we definitely didnt really celebrate here- we just went out for Pizza- YUM, but definitely not seal family tradition. That night we did a little fireside with the youth too to try to get them to do a little more missionary work. Think it went well, we will see. We have AWESOME youth here though. Some of the coolest kids I know.

Ok. Miracle moment. We were really trying to have another baptism last week- working hard with people to help them prepare to be baptized... but we didnt think of Josias. So, we were shocked when, waiting outside for Jaqueline, Josias told us, ``I am ready to be baptized.`` Wait, like, what? Josias is Jaqueline´s dad- Sister Alves and I taught him a LONG time ago. He is the reason we met Jaqueline, actually. But, he never wanted to be baptized. So last week Jaqueline told him, Dad, you need to be baptized and her simple, sweet testimony broke him! He was baptized! It was one of my favorite baptisms so far! So many people were crying and the member of the bishopric thanked Jaqueline and Josias and said, ``Of all of the baptims I have watched- EVEN the baptisms on my mission, this is the one where I have felt the spirit strongest...`` and He cried the whole time. It was so cool. I am SO PROUD of Jaqueline. She is so amazing. And all the members are telling her that she needs to get a nametag- Sister Jaqueline. I agree- she is a better missionary, more of a missionary than I am and I am the one with the call. Hahaha its great. Really humbling and great and the same time.

Thrilled to hear katie got her visa. Thats really a huge blessing! And Grandma- definitely praying for you! Love you!

Anyways, so not much changed but we did get a new brazilian roomate- YES! I need the help haha. Overall, awesome week. 

I love you guys, and unfortunately my time is out. LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

Tchau!

Love, Sister M. Seal

The funny think about the baptism is that Josias couldnt be baptized in cold water so we had to boil water and carry it and dump it in the font. crazy!

pictures of the pan of water boiling for josias baptism.