I never even missed Thanksgiving!

"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thouh hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." James 2:17-18

Dear Family and Friends!

Yes, I completely forgot about Thanksgiving this week.. I guess we ate chicken for lunch.. so that counts for something? But I am still grateful in the same! :) This week was great! We found an amazing family and came in contact with some old investigators!

Miguel: We came in contact with him again and he is awesome!! He came to the Elder's baptism on Saturday and to church and choir practice yesterday and he is looking forward to his baptism which will be this week or next. He will be such a solid member and missionary.

Mariza and Tatiana: We decided to pass by an less active member that we had met on the street a couple of weeks ago and we met her daughter Tatiana who has so many questions about the gospel and about life. It's way easier to teach someone who has questions, we're really excited to continue working with them :) 

I have had a great week! Even though it's getting colder! But I still love Portugal and the people here, I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary. I love this gospel, I know this is the only true church with the power of God to teach and baptize. 

Pray for missionary experiences this holiday season!

I love you all!

Sister Steagall 

Photos: 

The elders, us, and Miguel!!

Fun fact about Portugal, most people don't have chimneys for Santa to come down, so instead he climes up a ladder outside their window. Interesting!

We found a little bird on a chain outside a cafe that we played with for a while! Pretty cool!

Transfers!!!! Thanksgiving!

"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind, and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day." ~D&C 4:2

Dear Family and Friends!

Suprise! Suprise! We got a call Sunday morning for Sister Landbeck telling her to pack her bags because she's going to the Azores!!! The Islands that we have in our mission! I'm super excited for her! I will be staying here in Setubal and I'll be serving with Sister Savage!! She served in the area right next to mine when I was in Portimão, so I already know her a bit! I'm really excited to serve with her! 

Saturnina and Nadina: They are doing well, they weren't able to make it to churchon Sunday, but we'll pass by this week. They are some of the most humble people I've met on the mission and I really hope we can help them come closer to Christ through baptism!

Ivo and Milene: We talked to bishop yesterday and he said that the wedding papers will be processed in 15 days or so, so hopefully we'll have 3 baptisms soon! They are doing so well and are so excited to be baptized.

We are always finding new people, and coming up with new ideas to find them as you'll see in our picture below! I love Setubal and I'm so excited to stay here for Christmas! (Europe doens't celebrate Thanksgiving, so I'm skipping it this year, but I'm still grateful!) Something I'm really excited for is that Sister Savage sings! I hope we will be able to use our talent often to help others feel the Christmas spirit. 

I love you all!!

Sister Steagall

Photos: 

We had a great adventure last P-day with one of our members, we went to the beach and hiked up to a castle to discover that the castle is closed for 2 years! haha but it was still great fun!

We had a "street meeting" in attempt to find some new people, and we actually had quite a bit of success. We set up a table with pamplets and copies of the Book of Mormon. And we sang in the middle of the street! It was great!

Our 4 Sister household! haha :) 

"For whosoever will save his life shall loose it: and whosoever will loose his life for my sake shall find it." ~Matthew 16:25

Dear Family and Friends!

This week has been truly fantastic! I find myself truly amazed as I work harder and harder and see the hand of God more and more in this amazing work. I am amazed at how much my testimony of the gospel has grown over the past 9 months or so. I love being here in Portugal and I love being a missionary. We have found a couple of new families to teach and we're really excited!

Saturnina and Nadina: A mother and daughter that have a lot of potential. They have a lot of faith and are very friendly. We're excited to start sharing the gospel with them.

Paulo: We met him, his wife, and his daughter outside their house last week, and we just left a card with them, We didn't even ask if we could come by and share a message or anything, we just told them to call if they needed anything. Then that same night Paulo called us and said he was interested in meeting with us! We met with him in the chapel and had a quick lesson with him, he has a lot of faith and already has a good relationship with God. He's married and has 3 kids! I'm excited to start working with him as well.

Ivo and Milene: Unfortunately we didn't get their marriage papers done in time, so they probably won't be baptized this Saturday, but we're hoping for next! They are such an amazing family and I'm so glad they foudn the gospel. They will stay firm :)

I'm happy to be here as a missionary bringing many souls to the knowledge of their Redeemer. I know I'm changing here and coming closer to Christ, I know that the more I loose my life for Christ's sake, I will find it. I hope I can continue loosing my life for the gospel throughout my whole life. I'm coming to know that missionary work is the most important thing anybody can be doing with their time, not just the missionaries. I want to encourage you all to pray for missionary experiences and then do all you can to have them, talk with EVERYONE about the gospel and always be an example of Christ.

I love you all!!

Sister Steagall 

Photos: 

Breakfast in the Sister household of Setubal!

We made Brasilian Pasteis with some Brasilian members! They were sooo yummy!!!

Batismo!!!

"Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." ~Alma 36:24

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was amazing! My mind is blown at how much I'm growing and learning, a mission really is incredible. 

Juliana: She was baptized on Saturday! It was quite a miracle because when we had passed by her house on friday, she said she wanted to wait one more week to get baptized. We invited her to pray that night and ask God if this was the right decision. Sister Landbeck and I also prayed and the next morning, we both felt that she should be baptized on Saturday, it will only bring blessings and why would we want to wait to receive blessings, right? Fortunately, the Elders had already planned a baptism for Saturday afternoon, so all we had to do was invite Juliana to be baptized! We went over to her house about an hour before the baptismal service was supposed to start and told her how we felt, and she accepted the baptismal invitation without hesitation! So she had a quick interview and was baptized! She was confirmed and recieved the Gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday and she looks so happy! She's passing through a lot of trials, but you can see the light of Christ just glowing in her eyes. I'm so happy she has found the truth.

Ivo and Milene: They are still strong! We started a quit smoking program with Ivo this week. We had a great lesson with them and the Zone Leaders this week and it was awesome! We testified that only with the help of God that he would be able to quit smoking before his baptism and he agreed with us completely and committed to quit smoking by the 14th. He has a lot of faith that he can do it and we're working with him. This family will be such strong members.

I love the mission! I love Setúbal! I really am happy, even though it's hard sometimes. But Salvation never was and never will be easy, it's something we have to work for. But I'm finding that the harder I work, the happier I am. Go read the Book of Mormon and go serve everyone around you!

I love you all!!

Sister Steagall

Photos:

Our's and the Elder's Baptism! 

Sister Landbeck and I and Juliana!

The missionaries and our Ward Mission Leader! 

"And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face, I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and minde angels round about you, to bear you up." ~D&C 84:88

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been great! We had divisions with the Sister Training Leaders, I got to serve with Sister Ventura! She was in my zone when I was in Portimão, so it was really great to serve with her! We also had a huge ward/stake halloween dance on Saturday and we had a great turnout of investigators! It's good to show others that we like to have fun :) We also visited a cemetary yesterday for "Dia das Almas" (day of the souls - it's sorta like memorial day) we were able to hand out a couple of Family History pamphlets and Plan of Salvation pamphlets, it was a good day :) 

Paula: She is still doing really well, unfortunately she had to help out with a family thing yesterday and was unable to attend church, so she won't be getting baptized this saturday, but we're hoping for the next! 

Miguel: He is also doing good! Sister Ventura and I taught him on divisions, and it went really well. He has a lot of really deep questions and ideas that are generally correct, which is really awesome! He has trouble sleeping at night, so so far he hasn't been able to attend church, but we're working with him.

Juliana: We started teaching her last week and she is doing great! She has a baptismal date for this saturday and she's really solid. She's been going through a hard time recently so she really needed the help of the Lord and I'm so glad she found us. She is a really sweet older lady and has a lot of faith.

This week was really fun! We're working in new areas and finding new people! I love working here in Setubal and I know I'm doing the right thing. 

I truly love you all!

Sister Steagall

Photos: 

Divisions with Sister Ventura!

Happy Halloween!! I went as Sister Landbeck :) 

We visited a beautiful castle last P-day! The view was absolutely incredible!!