Eu Amo Portugal!

Òla!! 

Just another week in a foreign country trying to speak a foreign language! 

Mafra is amazing! But its tiny and the work here isn’t the greatest which has been hard. We teach the first lesson a lot but it doesn’t get much further than that, but that’s okay. This week has been great! ~

I am starting to be able to understand a lot more and actually teach some during lessons. People just assume I don’t speak the language so they are always so surprised when I do speak and always help me with the conjugations and grammar which is so nice! After I prayed one lesson the lady we were teaching leaned over to my companion and asked where I was from. Like hello I am right here and I can answer your question!! But yes my accent is still really really bad

It’s only us really in the area. On Tuesday we had district meeting and then we went to Mem Martins yesterday so we were with other English-speaking missionaries but we are a Portuguese speaking mission so we aren’t supposed to speak English. I mean of course that’s really hard but everyone says I actually speak really well for only being here a week so I was way surprised by that! 

We have been doing a lot of finding this week at home because it’s been colder in the evenings so there aren’t too many people on the street. Finding is not my favorite thing because about 90% of the people are Catholic or just aren’t the nicest to us. One night we had been knocking doors for about 2 hours and it was so windy and so cold and I was pretty over it, but sister Santos was determined to get to the end of the street. At the end of the street this older couple opened the door and they were SO nice they let us in and fed us cookies and juice and they were just the greatest! They weren’t overly interested so nothing will probably come of it but we got good food and a warm place for a few minutes so it was so worth it. 

Mafra in itself is pretty tiny but then we also cover Malvera and Ericera so we try to take the bus to those places once a week. We go to Mavera every Saturday and Ericera every Wednesday and just schedule all of our appointments those days. It’s hard for those Pescadores though because church is pretty far for them so we don’t have many progressing there. But other than that we just walk everywhere. Mafra is definitely the prettiest of the 3 areas we cover so I am glad we live here. 

The branch is so tiny. It has only been around 2 years. They have their own building (like an office building) but it is super nice. All of the leadership comes from other areas in Portugal. The branch President right now lives in Mem Martins and they were called to serve in Mafra right now. They are incredible! But other than that there aren’t many other members. The branch president always brings a priesthood holder with him to bless the sacrament and pass so that’s good. Its crazy how small it is and that there are no elders. It’s just us as the missionaries. The area is too small for more than one companionship and there were 2 transfers where the elders really messed around I guess so now there are sisters trying to fix the area. It’s hard because there is really no work. Too many people are catholic or just don’t want the gospel. 

When people find out I’m from America and California they always ask if I know their family. One of them was like oh I have a cousin in Florida do you know him?? Hahah NO and then someone asked if I knew someone from Boston. Geography is not their strong point clearly. 

Communication with my companion has gotten so much easier and we can joke around with each other and have a fun time. But there is still a lot of smiling and nodding pretending like I know what she is saying. 

We taught this old lady this week who was in her 80s or 90s and she talked SO much like so so much so we kept just trying to cut her off to actually give the lesson!  I was talking about Joseph Smith and about to say the first vision and she turns to my companion and tells her that her neck looks a little fat and she should probably get it checked out and talked for like 10 minutes about necks it was SO funny. Finally we just bore our testimonies and ended the lesson because she would not stop talking. 

Yesterday we went to Mem Martins with the branch president for lunch. 3 other missionary companions came to that are in the area and it was so fun! They made Brazilian food that was INCRÍVEL and it was so fun to be with other missionaries too! But I realized that right as I am around English speakers my desire to speak English increases so much, so there is definetly a reason I have a native speaking companion.  

Since I can’t speak the language that well I don’t really feel like I am doing any work and its pretty frustrating. I really want to help others come unto Christ and feel of God´s love but I just don’t have the words to do that and it seems like forever until I will be able to speak and understand well. It has really forced me to give up every ounce of pride I have and fully rely on the Lord. He is literally the only way I can get through each day. ~

That text from Denise is so comforting because I feel like the only one so lost with the language with a native. All of my other friends and people from the MTC all have English speaking companions or live with English speakers but I am really all alone. I know I will learn a lot faster this way but it is just SO hard sometimes. Especially in the morning it is so hard to communicate. But I am finding a way to make it work. 

Also the best part of Portugal is probably the fact that since there are no dryers everyone hangs their laundry outside their window and in our apartment right by our door a lady is always drying her granny panties as she sits there and drinks her coffee without a care in the world. EVERY day without a care! Cada dia. It’s awesome!

Today for P-day we went to the beach and it was SO PRETTY! It reminded me of home so much… ahh I love Portugal! 

Literally so pretty here! My pictures won’t upload at the moment but I will try again because so pretty! 

Okay so long but that was my week! Love you all! Love this church!! 

Sister Jones 

Once Upon a Time in Portugal...

Olá!! 

I am writing this letter from Portugal! Its so crazy!!!


We left the MTC on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. and then got to Lisbon on Wednesday at like 2:00 p.m. I think. After all day of traveling we walked out of the airpot to find a huge group waiting for us it was SO cool!!


Then to get to the mission home all of the sisters got in the Mission Presidents car, and I was in the middle. The problem was there was no seatbelt that we could find and they speak literally no English so we couldnt even ask and the President started driving and it was SOOOO scary. Literally thought I was going to die. People are CRAZY drivers here!

But we made it to the mission home and it is beautiful!!! You could see the bay from their backyard with a bridge that looks exactly like the Golden Gate bridge!! That night we had an interview with the Mission President. It was so hard because I could not understand one word he was saying hahaha but they are SOOOO nice!! The mission president is really nice and the first day he had the APs translate for him which was really good because I understood nothing. Yes Elder Haws (a nephew of the Isakson's) is SO nice!! He was with us all day on Wednesday! Super fun. In the meeting the Mission President told us our companions and our areas...

My companion is Sister Santos from BRAZIL meaning that she literally speaks no English. I am serving in Mafra. It is SO pretty here!! 

That night I was so scared that when I couldnt sleep I would just form sentences I could say to her the next day hahaha. 

So Thursday Morning we had a meeting and our companions came and picked us up. SIster Santos has a heart of gold and is absolutely the sweetest girl ever, the only problem is I only understand like 30% of what she says.  I love my trainer but it is so hard because we dont speak the same language. SO communication is so hard. People say I will learn really fast but I don't feel like I have learned anything so far so its really hard. Its gotten easier to understand her, but she also has spoken slower which is really nice.
Thursday was such a struggle because I wasn't used to any of the accents here and I had no idea what anyone was saying and no one could translate for me. It was SOOO hard!! 

Literally everyday Sister Santos just teaches and then is like Sister Jones do you want to share your testimony? So yea I am pretty good at sharing my testimony.


I am getting better at understanding Sister Santos and so now when we walk around we can actually talk to each other about things at home and stuff which is good. It is just so hard because she has always kown Portuguese so she has no idea what it is like to learn a language. Everyone says I will learn really quick and I really hope so because it is SOOO hard not understanding anything!!  I keep thinking I wish i was speaking english, but I know thats a terrible attitude to have. One day I will be glad I am speaking another language.

Yesterday at church there was like 10 people there, and they said that was pretty normal. They are literally the sweetest people ever and I love them so much even if I dont understand anything they say. One person speaks English so they are my new best friend!


The people here are all so nice and friendly but just dont want to keep commitments. They all invite us in and make us food, but won't go to church and read the Book of Mormon. There is a LOT of Catholics and they are just not interested. Also half of the ward is inactive so we meet with menos activos a lot. One of them named Isabel came to church yesterday and then made us Buckalho after. Its cod fish and it was actually really good! But I also made sure to eat a small breakfast so I would be hungry.


SO yes this week had been a struggle and I have literally used all of the Portuguese words I know, and then have made up some too. It's also so hard trying to adjust to a foreign country when you don't have anyone to tell you how to do something and things like that. So it has been really hard and I feel really alone a lot but I know I am doing the right thing and I just need to be patient and the language will come. 

The weather here is super nice though! Its like California cold in the morning and nice but hot during the day. The only bummer is it gets windy and thats a bummer with dresses.


SO yes thats been my excitement. I dont really know whats going on like 80% of the time so I can't really tell you anything else!!


Love you all!! 


Sister Jones

The view from the Mission Home.  Can you see the "Golden Gate Bridge" in the background?

Sister Santos and Sister Jones

Sister Jones has arrived!

Madalyn left the MTC on Tuesday, September 13th.  She flew from Salt Lake City airport to Paris to Portugal. It was a long day and night, but she arrived safely in Portugal!  We were able to talk to her at the airport before she left.  She sounded happy and ready to teach the Gospel!  She had anxiety about the language and not being able to communicate with her Mission President or her companion. Here are pictures of the group she traveled to Portugal with and also with President and Sister Tavares.

Ready or Not...

OLA! Tudo bem??

So like I leave tomorrow?? I have been in the MTC for 6 weeks which is absolutely crazy to me!! I feel like I entered the MTC yesterday but I also feel like I have been here my whole life. I have never been more scared or excited for anything in my life. I thought by now my language would be so much better but I still struggle SO MUCH but I can definetly see my progress from the first week when I knew literally nothing.

My awesome companeira left this morning at 3 am. I was so sad to see her leave along with the rest of the people going to Porto!! Like seriously so sad I love her so much. I got so lucky when it came to my companion, we didnt get along 100% of the time, but it was pretty dang close. Already miss her so much. And since she has left I have just been an awkward 3rd wheel to the other companionships in my zone so I am just kinda hanging out with them it feels so weird not to have a companion. 

SO since we dropped Sister Shepard off at the travel place this morning at like 3:30 we were up until 4 so we decided just to stay awake and go to the temple at 5:30 so I have literally gotten like no sleep today but it was so worth it because its our last temple trip for 18 months. I am going to miss it so much! I feel such a peace and comfort there and have absolutely loved being there so often the past like 3ish months. 

I really dont have much to write about in my email this week sorry!! 

At devotional on Tuesday we have Elder D. Todd Christofferson. It was so awesome!! And then on Sunday M. Russell Ballard walked out! We were all so surprised we didnt expect it at all!! We were like wait 2 apostles in one week is this the second coming?? And we were sitting SO CLOSE I swear we made eye contact once. It was awesome. Both of their talks were so good and I just love hearing from prophets of the Lord. They are so powerful I love it!!!

This week after teaching all of our fake investigators our teacher had us do an exercise where we had 10 minutes to prepare a lesson for our companions about something you think they needed to hear to calm any of their worries. We then had 15 minutes to give the lesson, and then they gave us one. It was so powerful and the spirit was so strong. I loved teaching and helping a real person come closer to Christ. It also made me love for my companion grow so much more (right before she had to leave me of course). It made me so excited to be doing that ever day in Portugal! Also made me realize how much more Portuguese I need to learn.

I serioulsy love my MTC teachers SO MUCH!! I know they were inspired as my teachers and would constantly say things that I needed to hear at the right time. I am serioulsy going to miss them so much. They were such good examples to me of being a good missionary, and also just loving all of us in our district. SO much love for them, and I am going to miss them so much. We are Irmao Workmans last district because he has been working here for 3 years so hopefully we sent him out on a high note. 

So ever since like my 2nd week here all my prayers outloud have been in Portuguese and then I had to pray at orientation this week in front of a lot of people and it was supposed to be in english but like Portuguese words just kept coming out it was so funny hahaha. Especially because I am not even good at Portuguese. I was like "Eu estou fluent" But its estar because its temporary and I am not anywhere close to fluent hahaha

I love my whole zone so much and am so sad we all have to go seperate ways so soon. Luckily a big group of us is going to Lisbon so I told all of them they better act excited to see me when we are at zone conferences and stuff. 

We moved into our room and got all settled before we are now packing up to leave. They added shower curtians to the stalls so we now have more privacy- or at least a little more haha. 

We are flying Delta! From Salt Lake to Paris the number is 84 and then to Lisbon is 8444. We are all planning on calling our parents as soon as we get to the gate. We leave to go to the airport around 1 so probably like 3 or 3:30ish my time?? I am not sure totally but I am sure I will have at least like 30 minutes! 

That is pretty much all that I got this week. Hopefully next week is more exciting as I am in Portugal. But I really am so thankful for all the time that I got to study at the MTC. The spirit is so strong here and I learned and changed more than I ever thought was possible. I did so much in the MTC that I didnt think would be possible, but I know Heavenly Father has helped me so much. I have also been able to rely on the Atonement so much and have gained a whole new appreciation for it these past few weeks. 

Also I love Ether 12:4 which talks about faith being an anchor for us. That is defintely so true as I am going to a foreign land speaking a language I am not very good at, serving with people I have never met. I have faith that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and going exactly where the Lord needs me. 

Tchau!!

All these missionaries are flying to Portugal this week!  Some to Porto and some to Lisbon

Sister Jones and Sister Shepard

A "Bat" tactic Week!

Hello my loyal fans & followers:

Just another lovely week here in the MTC!! SO many exciting things have happened this week!! 

I'll start out with a cool experience with the gift of tongues. So before I came on my mission I though Gift of Tongues would be this amazing thing where I will open my mouth and these poetic words will flow out with absolutely flawless grammar. Oh I was so wrong. But its cool because I will be in a lesson and words that I had studied earlier that day or week will just pop into my head and guide what I should say. This week during a lesson we were teaching about families and I felt prompted to invite our investagator to have family prayer and also talked about my family and my experience with family prayer and the words were just flying out of my mouth and the spirit was so strong. Like the grammar was probably terrible and I cant even remember what I said now, but the spirit totally guided the lesson and it was such a cool experience. 

OKAY so now lets get to the crazy stuff this week:

So Wednesday night we got ANOTHER bat in our building and so we just had to stay in our rooms all night. Not a huge deal whatever. But then on Thursday we got this announcement that all girls had a mandatory meeting in the middle of the day. At the meeting they tell us that all gurls on the 4th and 3rd floor of our building have to move to the boys old building. They then follow it up with "we are working on the bathrooms, now almost all the stalls have doors" This universal giggle and freak out fills the entire room. SO yes I had a little panic attack. I had brought SO much stuff on my mission, and after 4 weeks in one room I had moved in. I was fully nested in this room. SO we quickly pack up and walk FOREVER away to our new building- which took 3 trips by the way. Out of curiousity I stumbled into the bathroom to and find, to my absoslute horror, a toilet fully cover in pee. Seriously so gross. It gets worse. We walk into our new room, which had not been cleaned from our elder friends who last lived there, and found all these awesome things they left behind dirty socks on our beds. Then my companion found a letter addressed to Joshua Crane and exclaimed "I AM SHARING A BED WITH JOSH". I literally died. SO yes the bats moved in and we moved out. 

WE GOT OUR FLIGHT PLANS!!  Literally so crazy! So we leave on Tuesday the 13th. Our flight is at 5:10 PM. We fly from Salt Lake to Paris. We then leave Paris at 1:20 PM on the 14th and get to Portugal at 2:55 PM. So yes I am pretty stoked but also scared because we only have one week left of class and I know like nothing. 

Sister Shepard and I got to Skype this lady from Portugal on Friday and we she SO CUTE and SO sweet. I also only understood like 40% of what she was saying HAHAHA pray for me. 

So I caught the infamous MTC cold this week. But it actually worked for my benefit because a lot of Portugese words have a really nasally accent so I was killin it. Also in Portugal they shh all the s's at the end of words and now I sometimes do it to English words now hahaha

So my dad sent me literally the biggest package of food ever last week. Like serioulsy close to the same size as me. Watching me carry that package back to our rom was a comical sight it was SO pathetic. But also so much food and we have all probably eaten like half of it already HAHA!  I shared it with the Elders who helped us move so they were so happy!

The weather has been super nice this week so we decided to go play volleyball outside. We literally all gave up though because we were laughing so hard I thought we were going to die. 

So this past week in our class we have been taching each other as investagators. So sis Shepard and I are teaching 2 investigators and a companionship is teaching me. Its super har sometimes veiwing them as investigators and not our friends, but its been so cool. One of the elders really likes to stump us though and it has been SO hard. It has also been so special to be an investigator and put myself in their shoes.

So my zone was assigning everyone people from the Office and they say I am exactly like Erin. They say I look and act just like her. I dont know enough about the office so if someone could email me a picture of her that would be great hahah so then I can act like I know what theyre talking about. 

So yeah that's been my week. T-8 days left in the USA!! Time is flying so quick!!

Amo voces. Amo sendo uma missionaria. Amo o Evengelho. 

Sister Jones 

This is how big the box was full of stuff from Ryan!

The sisters and their Branch President