Hello Family and Friends!!

We had a great week! The work is great! I love being a missionary!

We went to the beach for District P-Day today and played soccer in the sand, it was great! People gave us some pretty strange looks, seen as we were the only people within miles with knee length shorts and t-shirts for miles, but it was still great! :) 

Our investigators are doing well! Nevaldo is preparing to be baptized next Sunday, we just need permission from his mom because he's still 17, but he's accepting the gospel really well and he is reading the Book of Mormon and praying! He's a super awesome kid, and I know he'll be a great example for his family.

We are also teaching a blind man named Evandro. He is really cool and has some real potential, he wants to come to church, but he needs help because he's blind and his mom isn't really supportive of a new church. But, he really likes hearing our messages and he has a lot of faith!

We visited Americo and Mauna yesterday, and we now have some real firm plans to teach them and get them married so they can progress towards baptism.

We are having a lot of fun here in Portimão and we see miracles every day! I know this gospel is true and I know I'm doing the work of the Lord here :) I'm loving the mission more and more every day!! If you've been thinking about serving a mission, do it. It can be hard, but every second is worth it. 

I love you all!!

Sister Steagall

Pictures: Beach and Ice Cream of course!! :)

Triplas are the best!

Hello Family and Friends!!

This week has been one of the best weeks of my mission!! I absolutely love serving here and my companions are the best!! Sister Marinho arrivedSaturday night and we haven't had a real lesson since then, but Sister Silva is an absolutely incredible teacher and I am learning so much from her! I love serving with these Sisters, we are so focused on the work, but we have a good time doing it, we are constantly laughing! It's the best!

This week we started to teach Nevaldo, he's 17 and has a lot of faith. He accepted the invitation to be baptized when he knows that what we're teaching is true. He is accepting all of our lessons really well and I'm really excited to work with him more :)

We also found an incredible family! Eunice and Paulo, they have two kids, one age 9 and one 3 weeks old. They have a strong testimony that families are most important, so we are hoping to teach them more soon :) 

We are still working with Ana and Antonio, they are progressing slowly, but we know that when we work hard, we will be able to teach with the spirit and then it's up to them to decide if they want to be baptized.

The work has been really great, i've felt the spirit more this week than any other since i've been in Portugal. We have seen a lot of small miracles this week, but they have all brought great joy :) I find myself smiling more than ever, and Sister Silva always asks "why are you smiling like that?" And I say "because life is great! We're seeing so many miracles!" and her response is always "Ya! What did you expect! When we work hard, we see miracles, God has promised us this as missionaries." 

What a blessing it is to be a missionary here in Portugal! I love you all and I love this gospel. I know that what we're teaching is true! :)

Sister Steagall :) 

Not One but Two Native Companions!!!! Transfers!

Dearest family and friends!

Transfer week! We got a call very late last night saying that Sister Bakker would be leaving and I will be staying with two new companions! Sister Silva and Sister Marinho! I have already met Sister Silva and she is amazing!! I know we are going to have such a great transfer and we'll see lot's of miracles! We will be picking up Sister Marinho on Wednesday and i'm so excited to meet her!

Cristina: We have been working with her about the Sabbath Day for a while.On Saturday we really nailed the importance of Sacrament and why the Sabbath Day is on Sunday. SHE FINALLY CAME TO CHURCH!! Sister Bakker and I were thrilled! She also came to the baptism of the Elder's yesterday, I think she's finally starting to progress and we can work towards baptism.

Ana and Antonio: Ana called us this week and asked us if we could have an emergency meeting, Sister Bakker and I were very worried, but we went over to their house with great faith and prayers in our hearts. Ana told us that she had been thinking and there were some things in the church that she just didn't understand and therefore could not be baptized this weekend. We were sad, but we know that in the Lord's time they will be baptized. We are going to continue to work with them and pray for them. They are truly amazing and I know the Lord has prepared for them. We're going to continue forward in faith.

The Elders had a baptism yesterday and it was incredible! Her name is Alana and she's 17. I had the opportunity to give a talk about baptism, it was super scary! But it was all ok :) I was so happy to see her enter the waters of baptism and continue on the path to live with Heavenly Father. I love seeing people make that sacred covenant. What a blessing it is to have the knowledge of the restored gospel. 

I love you all! Have a good week and remember to read the Book of Mormon! You will find answers to all your questions, doubts, fears, and worries. 

Sister Steagall

Photos:

Me with two of our members Ana and Rosa :)

Sister Bakker and I in front of our chapel

I finished my training!!

My new companion, Sister Silva!!

Lot's of blessings and happiness!

Family and Friends!

We had a great week! Lot's of blessings and happiness! I was really sad to hear about the passing of Elder L. Tom Perry. My prayers are with his family.

Ana and Antonio: They are married now!! And Ana is still on schedule to be baptized on June 7th, Antonio is going to have his baptismal interview, but still doesn't want to say yes until the day of, so we will see about him.

Cristina: She is progressing a little more, she has read a ton of the Book of Mormon, but still struggles with the Sabbath day, so we'll work with her more.

Rodolfo: Is really enjoying learning about the churhc, he has some doubts about the Word of Wisdom, but we're working with him and he is trying to stop drinking and smoking. He is doing great!

Gabi: She is a friend of one of our members and she really likes the church. We are working with her to overcome some trials and helping her to know that Christ will always be there for her. She's awesome!!

This is our last week of this transfer and I don't know if I'm staying or leaving, but if I leave I want to know that I left doing all that I possibly could for this area. We're gonna work really hard this week and we know that we will see miracles! Have a great week!!

Sister Steagall

Photos:

1. I got to go to Lisbon to do residency, I am now a legal resident of Portugal! And I got to see Sister Elliott and Sister Miller from my MTC district!! I love these Sisters!!

2. Dinner with Carina (one of our members) and her sisters! Super awesome! :)