We have had a good week!

Family and Friends!

We have had a good week! We went to Parchal this week to try to find some new investigators and we had a lot of success! A lot of people over there talked to the missionaries like 2 or 3 years ago and they were very willing to hear our message again! So we have plans to start working more over there! 

This week we met Maria de Fatima, she is a cute old lady who loves Jesus! We taught her about the restoration of the church and she accepted the invitation to be baptized when she knows these things are true. She came to church on Sunday and had a very good experience there, we hope to give her a baptismal date this week!

Americo and Mauna: We are still working with this incredible family! They are progressing slower than most, but they're progressing at the pace they need. They recognize that we are here to help them have a happier family and teach them about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, but they are afraid to make some changes to their traditional Catholic beliefs. They are an incredible family and I really hope I can keep working with them :)

We started teaching a man named Fred yesterday, he rocks! We had contacted him in the road and invited him to church, but he showed up after church was over because he was confused about the location. So we taught him a quick lesson in the church and it was awesome! Some people you just know are prepared to receive the gospel. He is one of those people, and I hope he accepts it. 

This week I have really learned that obedience and hard work bring miracles. Sometimes we don't always see the results of our hard work, but the work of the Lord is great and He promises us that when we work hard, miracles happen. I love the mission and I'm so happy to be here!

I love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Steagall

Photos:

We went to ponta da piedade with the district in Lagos! it was great! So beautiful!!

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Family and Friends!

We have had a good week! We went to Parchal this week to try to find some new investigators and we had a lot of success! A lot of people over there talked to the missionaries like 2 or 3 years ago and they were very willing to hear our message again! So we have plans to start working more over there! 

This week we met Maria de Fatima, she is a cute old lady who loves Jesus! We taught her about the restoration of the church and she accepted the invitation to be baptized when she knows these things are true. She came to church on Sunday and had a very good experience there, we hope to give her a baptismal date this week!

Americo and Mauna: We are still working with this incredible family! They are progressing slower than most, but they're progressing at the pace they need. They recognize that we are here to help them have a happier family and teach them about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, but they are afraid to make some changes to their traditional Catholic beliefs. They are an incredible family and I really hope I can keep working with them :)

We started teaching a man named Fred yesterday, he rocks! We had contacted him in the road and invited him to church, but he showed up after church was over because he was confused about the location. So we taught him a quick lesson in the church and it was awesome! Some people you just know are prepared to receive the gospel. He is one of those people, and I hope he accepts it. 

This week I have really learned that obedience and hard work bring miracles. Sometimes we don't always see the results of our hard work, but the work of the Lord is great and He promises us that when we work hard, miracles happen. I love the mission and I'm so happy to be here!

I love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Steagall

Photos:

We went to ponta da piedade with the district in Lagos! it was great! So beautiful!!

Hello Family and Friends!!

This week was great! Even hotter than last week! But still great! We learned of President Packer's passing on Sunday and I was quite surprised to see two apostles go within a month. My prayers are with his family. We also said goodbye to Sister Marinho today! She'll report to the MTC tomorrow, i'm really excited for her!

Leida: We are really excited to teach her more about the gospel, she has a very good feeling when she's around us. We haven't been able to get a firm appointment this week, but next week we'll try to give her a date for baptism. I'm really excited for her!

Americo e Mauna: We are starting to work with them again! They are thinking about a marriage and are having a better understanding of this gospel. They're afraid to change traditions of their catholic religion, but they know that there is something different about this church which is really great! I'm excited for them!

We are have really been focusing on finding new people to teach and working in new areas. I know that when we are obedient and when we put our trust in the Lord, He will put people in our path who need the gospel. I'm learning just how important it is to pray ALL THE TIME! Anytime we have 30 minutes and don't know what to do, we don't just do street contacts, we pray, listen to the spirit, and then do street contacts. The success of finding new investigators that way is so much better! 

I love you all!! Have a great week!

Sister Steagall

Photos:

We made cookies for all of our neighbors! Our whole building of 10 floors!!

Happy 4th of July! We all wore red, white, and blue

Some of our investigators and members in church :)

The Hottest week ever!

Dear Family and Friends!!

We had a great week as always! I love being a missionary!! This week we said goodbye to President and Sister Fluckiger :( It was sad to see them go, President Fluckiger is an amazing mission president, a very inspired man and I have loved working with him. But I'm still excited to have a new mission presdient! President Tavares will arrive this Wednesday and then we will have 2 missions in Portugal! I'm really excited! :)

Nevaldo: He unfortunately was not baptized this weekend, we kind of lost contact with him for a little bit. But his mom is really supportive of him joining a religion, so we just need to have better contact with him. It's hard during the summer, because everyone goes to the beach every day! But we will continue to work with him.

Rodolfo: We are still working with Rodolfo, he is accepting everything really well and praying hard to find the truth. He has to quit smoking first, but he is on track to get baptized soon. He has a lot of faith and is earnestly searching for the truth. 

Leida: She is the sister of Hernesto, we are working with them both. Leida came to church yesterday and really enjoyed it. She says she has a strong feeling of peace when we come over to talk and she wants to know the truth. She said her mom is catholic and has a firm testimony in the catholic faith, but she doesn't have much of a testimony of any specific religion, but she wants one! This was the perfect opportunity to teach her about the only true church. I have a good feeling about her :)

We had a great week! Sister Marinho leaves for the MTC next week, so this is our last week with her :( We continue to work harder and harder every day, and Sister Silva is helping us come up with new ideas to find the people who are ready to recieve this gospel. She is an incredible missionary!! I love being here serving the Lord. I know that this gospel is true, and this is the only way we can return to live with our Father in Heaven one day. 

I love you all!!!

Sister Steagall

Photos:

Goodbye Sister Fluckiger.. :(

Zone conference

Sister Silva said I have black in my blood.. I gave her corn rows!! 

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!!