Amor e Alegria Para Sempre - Sister Rebekah Avery

Written by Sister Rebekah Avery, training in the Provo Missionary Training Center in preparation for her service in the Portugal Lisbon Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Sister Avery has been assigned to the Washington Spokane Mission, while awaiting her visa to Portugal.

I love the VanGough Star Wars Shirt!

Ola!

This week has been incredibly eventful, what with all of the devotionals and preparations for departure. It doesn't seem real that my time at the MTC is coming to a close. I feel as though I have been born and lived my whole life here, but soon it's going to be replaced by new places and experiences.

This morning my heart is full as I reflect on my time here. I have been so incredibly blessed and have learned so much about life in a short seven weeks.

I've learned a lot about what it means to love and let go while in the Missionary Training Center. In many ways, love is letting go. It's letting go of past disagreements, it's letting go of small things that drive you crazy, and it's letting go of those you hold most dear. It's letting go of what you think you know, and trusting that the Lord knows best. It's letting go of your own fears, worries, and concerns so that you can lift someone else up and remind them that the Savior will NEVER let go.

Something that I've struggled with is accepting that I have no control over what happens right now, and I've found myself on my knees more than ever as I've begged for the strength to relinquish my life and let it into the Lord's hands. But I testify with all of my heart that God has heard my prayers. He knows my name, He knows what I need, and He has a plan for me that I'm only just starting to understand. There are so many things that I can't control in my life right now and that's okay, because I'm in His hands.

But I can control my attitude. I don't care what happens, I have made the choice to be happy and live in an attitude of gratitude to my Father in Heaven every single day. That has been my greatest strength these past weeks, as I've been able to find the joy through Christ and hope in the knowledge that every day is a new day with new opportunities. And honestly? I have never been so happy in my whole life as I have been these past seven weeks - doctors visits and all. Happiness is not freedom from trials and worries, but a knowledge that you aren't defined by them.

While parting ways this week has been and will be hard, I am eternally grateful for the opportunity that I have had to love people so much that it hurts so badly to say goodbye. The people in my District have impacted my life forever, inspiring me and strengthening me to be so much more than I am. I'm indebted to my teachers who have paved the way and showed me the true meaning of selflessness and diligence. I would not trade this experience for the whole world.

Sou muito grata pela opportunidade para servir e ensinar o povo de Washington e Portugal, e esta experiencia com meu distrito. Eu sei que nos somos filhos de Deus, e Ele nos enviou a Terra para apprender, crescer, e servir nossos irmaos. Sim, nos temos Pais Eternos, e nos podemos viver com nossas familias para a eternade atraves da Expiacao de Cristo. Eu sei que Deus sempre escuta as nossas oracoes e que nos podemos receber as repostas de nossas perguntas por meio das escrituras e o Espirito. Nos somos amados por Deus. Eu posso sentir o amor de Deus em minha vida, e eu sei que voce pode tambem, se voce exercisa sua fe e agir por nos mesmos. Seguir Jesus Cristo, e voce vai ter alegria em sua vida para sempre.

My invitation for this week is to ask yourself what you would give to live with your family forever. Who would you be? What would you do? How would you act, so that you could be with your family for eternity? I know that we have this power through Jesus Christ, to be reunited with those we've lost or gone before us, but we must take the steps forward and let Him into our lives.

Take care and remember that you are loved! You are all in my prayers and I am so excited to see what life has in store for all of us.

Happy New Year!!! Make this one a great one! I already know it's going to be the best year of my life so far :)

Amo vos com todo de meu coracao!

Sister Avery

(Sorry, I didn't feel like typing on my iPad, so there are no accents and my Portuguese is probably awful XD )

My Testimony  (December 24, 2018) 

I'm in Spokane  (January 3, 2019)

My Testimony - Sister Rebekah Avery

Written by Sister Rebekah Avery, training in the Provo Missionary Training Center in preparation for her service in the Portugal Lisbon Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  
 

I know that God lives. I know that He loves all of His children and is
mindful of all of them. I know that His son, Jesus Christ, is the
Savior of the World, our Redeemer, and our brother. I know that He has
a personal, specific plan for each and every one of us. I know that He
is in the details of our lives and that He truly does listen to our
prayers.

How beautiful it is that the God of the universe, the greatest artist,
scientist, architect, and mathematician chooses to be called Father
before everything else. How wonderful it is that He loves us, His
children, so much that He would paint the skies and fill the heavens
with stars, just to remind us of the light that exists during the
darkest of times. How incredible it is that He chose to send His son,
His Only Begotten, to this earth that we might live in eternal hope
and joy with Him again.

Life isn't easy, but we shouldn't expect it to be because Salvation
was not a cheap experience. It cost the greatest price of all, namely
- the Greatest of them All. Christ laid down His life for us, and in
doing so has secured for us a way back to the Father that no one can
ever take away. In doing so, He has secured for us a way to never walk
the paths of mortality alone. He will not abandon us, so we cannot
abandon Him to walk these paths alone.

I know that Christ is waiting for us with outstretched hands, hands
which have been pierced for us and can heal the broken pieces of our
hearts. He willingly took upon Himself all of our pains and
infirmities so that He could have the opportunity to be our Savior,
Redeemer, Light, Hope, Joy, and Salvation. There truly is no other
way, means, or name by which mankind may be saved than Jesus Christ.

I know that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Restoration, and I
know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God to His children. I
know that it was written as a personal letter from our Heavenly Father
to His children, through His servants the Prophets. I know that a man
may grow closer to our Savior by reading the Book of Mormon than he
can by any other book.

What a blessing it is to be His hands and share the joyous news that
Christ was born in a manger, the greatest treasure of all, laid lower
than any man ever could, so as to rise with glory, peace, and eternity
in His wings. Wise men still seek Him, and angels witness of Him
still, going forth to all nations and people. Fear not - you are not
alone. Fear not- Christ is come. Fear not - for there is hope to be
found in the Light of the World. Fear not, and take His yoke upon you,
write His name on your heart, and press forward in faith. Rest from
your burdens, and walk with the Son of the Living God, for that is
what it means to endure to the end - to love and walk with Him, hand
in hand, until that great and happy day when we enter the kingdom of
our Father.

This is my testimony and witness to you, this Merry Christmas, that
God the Father and His Son LIVE, and the Holy Ghost does bear witness.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I Truggle. A Lot. Opa.  (December 17, 2018)

Amore e Alegria Para Sempre  (December 31, 2018)

I Truggle. A Lot. Opa. - Sister Rebekah Avery

Written by Sister Rebekah Avery, training in the Provo Missionary Training Center in preparation for her service in the Portugal Lisbon Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  

Story time: Irmao Cannon struggles. A lot. So I decided to point out this fact in Portuguese by saying "Ele luta" and when no one except me and he understood, I translated it to "truggle" instead of "struggle", and that pretty much summarizes my life at this point in time.

Moral of the Story: Don't point out someone else's flaws, especially if you have the same ones. Amen.

In all reality, this week has been an amazing one. Sister Van Buskirk and I have had the privilege of meeting so many new people and help the new sisters in our building with the difficult adjustment to the Missionary Training Center. I love all of the sisters SO MUCH. My heart feels like it could burst from all of the love in it, so it's a good thing I can serve and bequeath it to others instead.

Wednesday was a really busy and wonderful day, because we got to teach a NATIVE Portuguese speaker via Skype, be examples in a workshop for the new missionaries, and also take part in our Branch's orientation (a Branch is a group of missionary Districts/Classes, which comprise of multiple languages and destinations. Our Branch is composed of Portuguese speakers, Italians, and Romanians). The experience I'd really like to focus on is when we taught the native Portuguese speaker.

The woman we taught was named Vanessa and she's a recently returned missionary, so we didn't need to worry about teaching her any new information. The topic that we had chosen for our lesson was serving as Christ served, particularly within your family. As we got to know her, I felt prompted to speak about my experience having non member friends and family, and how serving them and loving them has helped to build our relationship, despite differing religious views. By the time I was done she was crying, and she explained that she has been really struggling because she and her mom are the only members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in her family, and she was just feeling really alone and unsure of what to do. It was a wonderful moment to be able to bond with her and remind her that God is mindful of her and her family. He truly does answer prayers, even through two Americans who barely speak Portuguese.

I have such a strong testimony of the love of God for His children. I encourage all of you to find something in your life that you maybe have a question about or are struggling with and take it to the Lord. Get down on your knees and ask for help, then look for an answer with an open heart.

Sometimes when God doesn't "answer" our prayers, it's because He's allowing us to try for ourselves. If we always got the answer that we were looking for on the first try, then we wouldn't ever really learn or grow. It's amazing to think about all of the times when a still, small, quiet voice, or a gentle feeling, have been the true guide in my life.

Last night I randomly felt upset, so I did what I always do: I tried to push my feelings aside by helping someone else. I went to a room with the idea of serving a trio of sisters who have been feeling really homesick, but ultimately was led by one of the people in the room to help another sister that I wouldn't have thought of on my own. I'd been told that she was struggling with her bank account information, but when I asked her about it I was guided to go in a completely different direction. We both ended up having a really deep, powerful, and much needed conversation about the love of God in our lives and I was able to comfort her in a rough time.

I truly know that the timing of the circumstances that led me to help that sweet sister were not an accident. God was trying to push me out the door and into her path so that she could receive the help she needed, and I am so grateful that I was able to be the Lord's hands in her life for that one moment last night.

Thank you all for you love and support, and I hope that you know how wonderful you are. You are all loved children of a King, a Heavenly Father who is anxiously waiting for you to turn to Him. He's so close, just have the faith to ask and I promise that as I live and breathe, He will hear and respond.

Tchau! All of my love!

Sister Avery

To the family: 

Being an STL is probably my favorite thing right now! I love the sisters that we're serving and the miracles I get to witness. This week I’ve been praying to develop the ability to look at people and know how to help them. It’s not an instantaneous thing, but I’m finding
that the Lord is blessing me with the questions I need to ask in order to learn their needs and build their trust.

I’ve decided if I could have any superpower, it would be that - knowing exactly what people need. But it’s amazing because I know that
it’s a gift of the Spirit that I can develop with work and faith. Yes, it’s hard and won’t come all at once, but the end result will be so
worth it.

I have also come to realize that I didn’t need to be given a blessing with the gift of tongues in order to develop it. Not gonna lie, I was
slightly disappointed when it wasn’t included in my setting apart blessing. Now, I am so glad because it has taught me to trust in and
rely upon the Lord. I think that this is a gift that I’ve had a lot longer than I realized. What with my love for words and knowledge, I
know it must be a gift from the Spirit to be able to for, these thoughts and say what the Spirit needs to be said. Every single time I
have participated in a gospel lesson or discussion, someone has come up to me after and said that they needed to hear what I said. Which is crazy, because half of the time those thoughts are in Portuguese.

My ability to understand this language is phenomenal. I can understand at least 70% of what Irma Miller says, and about 50-60% of what Irmão Cannon says. Yes, I’m not great at speaking yet, but the tutor seems to be really impressed with my pronunciation. Irmão Wilcox, a random teacher who will be subbing for Irma Miller when she visits her family for Christmas, doesn’t say he’s proud or impressed (neither does Irmão Cannon for that matter) but he pushes me and corrects me constantly. I count this as a
blessing, because it’s really helping me to learn, although I have a long ways.

We had a wonderful discussion the other day about trials and how they’re blessings in our lives, regardless of how difficult or
painful. I looked around the room and while my first instinct would have been to get irritated before I got to the MTC, I was just so
happy that I could bear solemn witness of the truth of that statement. Yeah, none of them have had to live apart from a beloved parent for years on end, or bury their brother, grandfathers, aunt, cousin, friends, neighbors, get uprooted and drive across the country, or battle crippling depression, but that doesn’t make their struggles any less than my own and it doesn’t make that principle any less true. I am so grateful for my trials, because they help me to serve and love as the Savior served. I can relate to people that no one can because I have faced trials that no one else has. I’ve gained witness after witness of God’s love for His children, individually, uniquely, and undeniably as I have walked through the shadows and waded in tears.

I know that my Savior lives, and I know that God sent His son to live, serve, suffer, and die for us. The Atonement was out into fresh
perspective for me last night, because I was thinking about how Christ is my brother, and how very very much I love my brothers. Whenever I see them in pain or know that they are struggling it hurts my heart. When I watch movies with similar characters, I’m a mess because all I can think is, “That’s my brother, not my brother, don’t hurt my brother”. So I thought about if it was Jared who atoned for me. Or Jacob. Or Josh. I have no doubt in my mind that they love me enough that they would do anything for me, just as Christ did. The tears flowed down my face as I was overcome with gratitude that my perfect brother, Jesus Christ, did suffer all things for me so that I might be saved and so that He might know me a little better, and love me perfectly. I am also so grateful that none of my brothers do need to go through Gethsemane, because I don’t know how I could watch that. I have no doubt that while Christ was in the garden, I was there. I was overcome with joy, love, gratitude, and concern for my dear brother. I watched with bated breath, wishing I could help, but knowing I could not, and fully trusting in Him to keep His promise. To return and live again.

To be on this mission I have sacrificed the opportunity to walk alongside you physically in your trials, but I know the Lord is with
all of us. I’m so grateful to know Him a little better today than I did yesterday, to understand Him a little more than before, and pray
to continue to trust in Him until the very end.

I love you all so very, very much. To the moon and back. You are in my thoughts and prayers always. I’m so excited to see who I become and who you become as we all continue to rely upon the Lord. He is going to to incredible things through each of us.

Give everyone my love! And Blanca, I’m telling every missionary I meet that is headed to Madrid to find your family. Sorry, not sorry! But I am glad that you’re safe and doing well. Remember that with faith, we can do miracles, for nothing is impossible to the Lord.

Take care, and I’ll write a mass email later! This one is purely for you :) it won’t be until later because I am helping some of our
Italian sisters first, and then a Portuguese sister who is going to be solo. It’s also her birthday, so I’m trying to figure that out.

Did You Not Tell Them that They are the Lord's Chips?  (December 10, 2018)

My Testimony  (December 24, 2018)

Did You Not Tell that They are the Lord's Chips? - Sister Rebekah Avery

Written by Sister Rebekah Avery, training in the Provo Missionary Training Center in preparation for her service in the Portugal Lisbon Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 
 

So one of the girls in my room, Sister Bradley, happens to have an uncle who works for a vending machine company, so we got a huge box full of chips that we’ve been trying pawn off. It got to the point where Sister Bradley was going door to door in our residency trying to get rid of them. No one seemed to want all 50 something bags, so I asked her, “did you not tell them they were the Lord’s chips?” And she shouted back “I never got around to it, okay?” And we both about died of laughter. But yeah, no more chips please (anyone who doesn’t get the joke, your homework is to watch Nacho Libre)

This week, I learned a lot about joy and the miracle of the Atonement in my life.

Most religions don’t talk very much about the Atonement, but I think it’s the greatest gift that Christ ever gave, and I am so grateful for all that it’s done in my life. The Atonement is the experience that Christ had, beginning in the Garden of Gethsemane and ending on the cross at Calvary. During this experience, He took upon himself the sins of every person who ever had been or ever will be born. The pain was so excruciating that He bled from every pore, and He was entirely alone. His disciples fell asleep while waiting, but undaunted He still drank from the bitter cup, for you and for me. In that time, He also felt all of our pains - our weaknesses, failures, shortcomings, sadness, trials, worries, and brokenness. He did this willingly, because He couldn’t imagine a heaven without us, and He never wanted us to need to go through this life alone.

I marvel that He loved me so much that He would take a moment to feel as I do, to feel my lack of confidence, my loneliness, my heartache, and my mistakes. And because He loved me so much, I will never need to wonder if I’m alone, for He is in my side. I have felt it as I’ve poured out my soul to Him and begged for help in learning a new language. He has blessed me with strength when I was so tired that I didn’t even know if I could keep going. And the best part? Because He loves me perfectly and has suffered for me, I can move forward with joy and hope, trusting that He walks beside me.

His birth was a miracle, as was His life, death, and resurrection. This Christmas season, I sing with all of my heart: “Joy to the World!” For the Lord came not to save us IN our sins, but He came to save us FROM our sins. He knows us Individually, personally, and perfectly. His life was for us, and the more I read in the scriptures about Him, the more I hope to become like Him, with an eye single to the glory of God and both hands outstretched to my fellow men.

I have so much hope in my heart, and I know that I can do all things through Christ. So for those who are struggling right now: Press forward. When Life gets too hard to stand, kneel. Pour out your heart, and know that the same hands that caused the blind to see and the lame to walk CAN heal your broken heart. He loves you. When you walk next to your Savior, you can find comfort and joy in any circumstance. I know this because I have felt it in my life.

I pray to see others as He does and bring the Joy of Christ to all within the sound of my voice this Christmas season, and truly be His servant. I especially hope to do this as I have been called to be a Sister Training Leader with my companion, Sister Van Buskirk. This means that we are now responsible to serve all of the sisters who will be serving in Italy, Romania, Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Cape Verde, or Angola. We get to do orientation for 28 new missionaries on Wednesday, and ensure that nothing terrible happens. So yeah, I’m gonna be praying a lot more, if that is even possible .

Wishing all of you the best! You’re all in my prayers. Take care! And don’t forget to Light the World!  www.lighttheworld.org

Love,
Sister Avery

A cool experience:
My companion and I had to give another lesson in Portuguese, but every time we tried to plan it, we got this unsettled feeling like it was wrong. We erased our whole plan, prayed to know what we should do, but felt like nothing we were thinking of our trying was what we were supposed to teach. We woke up early the next morning to try to plan SOMETHING, but the same thing happened. Finally it gets to be our turn to go teach our professor, Irma Miller (pretending to be an interested person named Maria), and we still have nothing. We prayed three times just from leaving our desks, to preparing to knock on the door.

And wow, God is real. The Portuguese flowed like nothing I’ve experienced before, we were led to scriptures we hadn’t studied and received inspiration on how to respond. Not only did we understand “Maria” and the scriptures we were reading, but the Spirit was incredibly strong. It felt like my whole body was warm and my mind was heightened, and we gave probably our best lesson yet.
It goes to show that if you have faith and are following the promptings if the Spirit, God will work miracles through you. I believe He was just trying to show us that He’s in charge and we are merely instruments in His hands, and that if we are willing to trust in Him that we can do marvelous things.

Holy Que! ( December 3, 2019) 

I Truggle. A Lot. Opa.  (December 17, 2019)

Holy Que!?! - Sister Rebekah Avery

Written by Sister Rebekah Avery, training in the Provo Missionary Training Center in preparation for her service in the Portugal Lisbon Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Ola! Tambem!

This week when Sister Van Buskirk and I were walking in from dinner she got super excited and confused simultaneously, and exclaimed "Holy-que!", which I think pretty much summarizes my life right now! Every thing's very exciting and confusing, but most of all holy. Not to mention, I laugh at myself a lot.

The Spirit is so strong here, it's almost easy to think that I'm not feeling it because I feel it so constantly in my life. Every day I become more and more astounded at how my capacity to learn, grown, and teach has been increased exponentially by the power of the Holy Ghost. God is truly consecrating my efforts here.

One big example of this was on Friday, when my district decided that we were going to have an English Fast, or um jejum de ingles. I was really impressed with how much we were able to communicate, while also laughing at how little we spoke during meal times because we don't quite know enough to tell complete stories in Portuguese yet. The Lord truly does bless His missionaries to learn the language.

I think that one of the biggest mistakes that missionaries make is focusing TOO much on the language, thereby omitting important spiritual study time. Yes, it's frustrating when you can't communicate the thoughts and feelings of your heart, but the Holy Ghost CAN! I know this, because whenever I stop looking at the notes, open my mouth and speak, even though I make a thousand and one mistakes, the Spirit conveys the message of my soul to them, and if they're willing, they can receive it. That doesn't mean that I'm going to stop learning Portuguese, but it does mean that I'm focusing more on being that person that can invite the Spirit and demonstrate God's love to those I teach.

Another huge thing that I felt inspired by this week was the Christmas Devotional on Sunday. For anyone who didn't have the opportunity to watch it, go to lds.org/ and you can watch the broadcast. The music and words given truly helped to point my focus towards the Savior as we celebrate His birth.

I really love my Savior so much. I don't know if I've done the best job at showing it the past couple of days, because I haven't let it show in my countenance as much as I ought. Last night, listening to the choir and the Prophet speak about the power of Christ's grace, I remembered something that one of my Portuguese teachers told us. "Sometimes it's easy to have faith that the long term will work out - like that one day you will be fluent in Portuguese. But it's equally as important to have faith in the short term". I realized in that moment that I wasn't showing my faith, because I was letting my heart be weighed down by things out of my control. Yes, I know that one day I'll be with my family forever, that one day I'll find success, and reach those people who need me in their lives. However, I need to have faith in the now, that right now I am okay, and that Christ's atoning sacrifice, His infinite love for me, has the power to change me and my heart NOW. I CAN be happy now. And I am.

Christ didn't atone for us so that we would be sad forever and live life as shadows and one day receive joy. No. He atoned for us so that we could have joy Right Here, and Right Now. It's a process, like everything else in life, but I know that the Lord is with us ever single step of the way. He is cheering us on, He is lifting us up, and if we lay our burdens before the Lord then He will bear them with us.

I really do apologize for my super long emails, but I hope that y'all know how much I love you and how much God loves you. He knows your weaknesses and infirmities, and He will remind you in the little ways. Like having Mac 'n Cheese as an option for dinner on a really hard day, your companion making you laugh until you snort San Pelligrino out your nose, and most of all by reminding you that life is beautiful when it snows, even if it's really really cold outside. Take a moment and realize that God's hand is truly manifest in every detail of our lives, and live life wondrously, knowing that you are beloved.

Eu sei que Deus ama seus filhos. O livro de Mórmon testifica de Jesus Cristo, e ele é lá palavra de Deus. Por meio da Expiação nos podemos voltar a viver com nosso Pai Celestial e nossas famílias também. Por favor, vai orar a Deus saber a veracidade do Livro de Mórmon. Você pode sentir o amor de Cristo quando você lê as escrituras e orar. Você vai ver o mão de Deus em sua vida, e saber que Ele ama você. E se eu consigo aprender Português, você conegue ler o Livro de Mórmon e receber um testemunho.

Todos de Meu Amor,

Sister Avery

YOUR CHALLENGE: Pray to recognize God's hand in YOUR life and BE the Light of Christ in someone else's life. Visit the link below if you want help getting started :)

www.lighttheworld.org/

*fun fact: seja a luz do mundo is how you say "light the world" in Portuguese, but literally translated it means "Be the Light of the World"*

Later in the day.......

I’m going to the medical clinic for another check up at 9:45, so maybe you’ll be able to keep me from getting too bored? Sister Van Buskirk and I are also planning our first complete lesson in Portuguese for tonight. Everyone lose is doing the first vision/restoration, but we felt it was important to do the doctrine of Christ and invite them to repent, so we’ll have to see how that goes.

The language is coming pretty well, I officially have the basic core, mission purpose, first vision, and most Moroni 10:3-5 down. So that’s good XD Irmão Cannon and Irma Miller have been great helps and say that we’re getting the language super well. But they also have to say that, so I’m not too sure how much it counts XD

Love you!
Yes, I am living, don’t worry.
Sister Avery
 

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!  (November 26, 2018)

Did You Not Tell Them that They are the Lord's Chips? (December 10, 2018)

Happy Belated Thanksgiving! - Sister Rebekah Avery

Written by Sister Rebekah Avery, training in the Provo Missionary Training Center in preparation for her service in the Portugal Lisbon Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Ola!!! Happy belated Thanksgiving! This week I'm grateful that there's no word in Portuguese for "awkward", mostly because that's one less thing I can be described as over the next 18 months.

This week started and ended wonderfully with only a couple of hiccups in between. Tuesday night we had a devotional and our whole district sang in the Choir. Wednesday night the power went out, which was actually a blessing in disguise because Sister Van Buskirk got a migraine. Needless to say, I was glad I had gotten my ice cream at lunch time, because by dinner I was cold and the ice cream was warm.  Thursday the power was back on and the MTC was thriving!!!

Since it was a holiday, we had Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf and his wife come to speak about the importance of having an attitude of gratitude, in which they reminded us that "life's greatest trials are simply blessings of refinement, meant to draw us closer to God". While we sang in the choir, I could feel the power of those words, and my heart was full of love for my Savior. The tears rained down as I watched him go and minister to the one, going row by row, comforting various Elders and Sisters in the congregation. It reminded me of how it must have looked when the Savior ministered to the people, and in that moment I came to understand a little more fully the love that God has for His children.

That is my testimony to you today. God loves us, and He is mindful of our needs. He is so loving that He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to atone and die for us. Because of Him, we need never be alone. Because of Him, we don't need to fear. Because of Him, the blind can see, the deaf can hear, and families may rejoice together forever. Because of Him, there is comfort for the comfortless. Because of Him, death has no sting.

I say this, because directly after this wonderful experience with an Apostle, I received the news that my grandfather, Gerald Avery, passed away. I'd been prepared beforehand for the news, and am so grateful that I'd had the opportunity to say goodbye to him one last time over the summer. He was so excited for me to serve a mission, almost as excited as I was, so I know that he's proud of me and will help me in my service from the other side of the veil. Oh, how grateful I am for the precious gift I have of eternal families.

From there, we proceeded to do a SERVICE PROJECT! One of my favorite things :) We made over 350,000 meals for families in need, assembly line style. It was incredible to watch and feel the love that all of these young adults have for people we've never met. We laughed and sang Christmas songs the whole time. We are truly so very blessed. I'm sure you could learn more by googling it, but feel free to ask me any questions in a personal email!

That night we sang in the Christmas season with a couple of volunteer performers, one of whom had appeared on the Voice. It was really cool to hear his experience moving up in his career, how his testimony grew as he searched and pondered the scriptures, and then ultimately turned down a recording deal to serve a mission in..... Portugal Lisboa!!! Sister Van Buskirk and I were both very excited about that.

That night they turned on the MTC Christmas Lights, then it snowed the next day, fulfilling Sister Van Buskirk's sincere wish - she's from Southern California.

The language has come along super well, and I know that it will continue to improve as I keep my focus on loving and serving as the Savior did. None of this is meant to be easy, but that's because Salvation isn't a cheap experience. Yet, I doubt anything else could bring me as much joy as this. I am so grateful for the faith of my parents and grandparents, who accepted the gospel of Christ and made all of this possible.

Eu sei que o Livro de Mormon testifica de Jesus Cristo. Tabem, eu sei que Jesus Cristo e nosso Salvador e Irmao. Ele ama todas pessoas. Sou grata pelas familias eternas. E desculpe, I can't spell or type or grammar in any language anymore.

I love you all! You are in my thoughts and prayers. Keep being the amazing people you are and feel free to write anytime ;)

Tchau!

Sister Avery

All of the pictures are just of our district this week :) Including our fabulous Thanksgiving meal!

Week One is in the Books!  (November 19, 2018)

Holy Que!?! (December 3, 2018)

Elders and Sisters at the Provo MTC - Thanksgiving 2018

Sisters at the Provo MTC - Thanksgiving Week 2018

Elder Hyrum Garma (California Fresno Mission) with his companion, and Sister Rebekah Avery and her companion. Elder Garma is a family friend from Peru.

Thanksgiving Service Project, Provo MTC 2018

Thanksgiving Meal - Provo MTC - 2018

Week One is in the Books! - Sister Rebekah Avery

Written by Sister Rebekah Avery, training in the Provo Missionary Training Center in preparation for her service in the Portugal Lisbon Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Ola! Eu sou viva e muito bem!

The past five or so days have been the best days of my life. I'm not just saying that to say that either.

From the very first moment that I walked into the Mission Training Center, I have felt like this is where I belong and what I've been meant to do for a long time. It's almost as if my whole life has been leading up until this very moment. My heart is so full of joy, light, and happiness that I feel as though I need to share it or else I might burst. Luckily I have an amazing companion, Sister Van Buskirk, whom I can shower with all of the excess love I want.

Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints always are in companionships of two or three, so it was a minor adjustment at first. However, I definitely lucked out.

Sister Van Buskirk (my companion) and I have gotten along so well, it's not even funny! She is the most beautiful, kind, wonderful person that I have ever met. It helps that we're also very similar in interests, personality, and temperament! But more than that, she has been a wonderful example of Christ-like love and charity as I have needed to visit the doctor repeatedly over the past couple of days. Even though we hardly knew each other in the beginning, she readily agreed to stay with me while we tried to figure out what was wrong, and has never once complained. Her patience is exemplary and something which I pray to be able to incorporate into my own character in the future.

God has definitely been with us, because despite missing the first two or three days of classes, we haven't fallen terribly behind and the Branch President said that her Portuguese is the best he's heard in the MTC (she had to speak in Church on Sunday, completely in Portuguese). I guess it helps that while I've been getting stuck with needles, she's had the opportunity to study in the waiting room! Both of spoke French before our missions though, so it's been quite the challenge trying to adjust, but we're usually able to relate our Portuguese vocabulary to our French one, saying "oh, voce is like vous, and estar is like ester!". Up until we hear the French missionaries across the hall speaking and our minds switch over, that is :)

Yesterday was definitely my highlight though. The whole day I was able to feel the Spirit. I received so many revelations for how I can better myself and improve before flying to Portugal in six weeks. Mostly I was reminded that none of this is about me. This is about the people who have been waiting to hear the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and those who have been missing His light in their lives. Sometimes the greatest service we can render is to simply smile and remind people that they are loved, that they have worth, and that there is always hope.

Furthermore, I had a very good reminder that this isn't about me. This is about the people the Portugal. If I try to learn Portuguese for myself, so that I can say, "Look how good my Portuguese is!" then I won't have the Spirit with me and I won't be able to learn as well/fast. Whereas, if I pray to learn Portuguese so that I can better love and serve the people I meet, and be a better instrument in the Lord's hands, then I will learn. E entao eu podema falar e apprender Portuguese par os.

Now, you're probably wondering if I'm still sick. So far, no. I am doing much better and am taking medication that should help, but they said that based on my blood work that it isn't contagious or anything. In fact, they don't quite know that it is/was, so they're making some educated guesses based on what they do know.

However, I would like to bear witness of the power of Priesthood blessings. The same day that I received a blessing from our Zone Leaders (two Elders who are also going to Portugal Lisboa), I stopped having the same pains and symptoms I'd been experiencing. I ate food for the first time in over twenty-four hours, and the next day I was able to go to all of my classes. The words said in that blessing were not the words of two young men, but rather the words of my Father in Heaven, spoken directly to me, with a mindfulness of my situation. He truly knows me personally and has been with me through this whole experience.

Eu sai que Jesus Cristo e o filho de Deus, e ele ama nos. Tambem, nos somos os filhos de um Pai Celestial. Nos podemos voltar a vivar com Deus par meio da Expiacao. Sister Van Buskirk e me somos missionarias de Jesus Cristo, e nos podemos apprendar Portuguese!!!

Desculpe, I don't know how to put all of the accents in there yet using an English keyboard.

Know that I love each and everyone of you, and I will try my best to not write so much in the future! Take care! And if you aren't praying now, I encourage you to try and have an open heart to what results and answers may come. If you expect failure, that's what you'll get, so have hope and know that Deus sempre escuta as nossas oracoes - God always listens to our prayers.

Tchau! Boa Sorte!

Sister Avery

Sister Avery Reports to the MTC (November 14, 2018)

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!  (November 26, 2018)

First Email from the MTC - Sister Rebekah Avery

Hey!

So I know that I literally just saw you, but they told me that I should come and email you that I made it safe. My apartment is on the fourth floor, so lugging all of my suitcases was a nightmare. I met my companion already and she's this super cute girl from Southern California.

I'm still feeling a little nauseous, but am fine overall. The lady started speaking to us in portuguese as soon as I arrived in the classroom and I was like, "Uh, help help!!!". My tongue doesn't seem to enjoy the accent as much as it did french, but I am praying that as I continue to study and practice that I will be able to do it. It's like President Uchtdorf said in his talk about gaining a personal testimony, having a righteous motivation can enable us beyond our comprehension.... or accent.

I'm in really good spirits so far and hope that you are too! Give everyone my love, and let them know that I'm going to be safe! Don't let anyone be sad or cry or worry. It's not allowed.

I love you all lots! I don't know when our PDay is yet, but I'll let you know eventually!

Take care! Ciao!

Sister Avery

(By the way, I learned that Irma means "sister" but with added emphasis and authority, like a sister training leader or teacher, so I'm just a sister for now!)

I also just learned that my companion, Sister Van Buskirk, speaks French! So that's cool! She already knows one of the other sisters from our mission and I guess they've been in contact with the other missionaries for several months now. I'm a little out of the loop, but I'm praying it will get better.

The guy just said our Pday is Monday? I'm not sure. Don't count on it, but maybe!

Love you!

Sister Avery

Sister Avery Reports to the MTC (November 14, 2018)

Week One is in The Books! (November 19, 2018)

Sister Avery Reports to the MTC

Sister Rebekah Avery reported to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, November 14, 2018, in preparation for her service in the Portugal Lisbon Mission.

First Email from the MTC  (November 15, 2018)

Meet Sister Rebekah Avery

Sister Rebekah Avery was born in Maryland, and is the fifth of seven children. She moved to Utah with her family when she was 8 years old and grew up in South Jordan. Rebekah attended Itineris Early College High School, receiving an Associates Degree in General Studies, and Utah Valley University majoring in Art History.  She received  her mission call in June 2018 to the Portugal Lisbon Mission.

Sister Avery Reports to the MTC (November 14, 2018)