Sister Madalyn Jones: Tchau Faro :(

Hello everyone!! Hope you guys are all having an awesome summer and enjoying the beach and pool!!

We had an awesome week in Faro! We started teaching this family of ELEITOS here that will be baptized here in a few weeks. Its a family of 3 and the mom and daughter are actually already baptized, but moved here to Faro 2 months ago and never went to church with us here. The dad isn’t a member but LOVES learning about the church. They all came to church yesterday and they are literally all so cool. We taught them a few lessons this week and they were so spiritual and SO good. Nelson, the dad, is so ready for baptism and wants to be baptized! He was prepared to meet with us in this time of his life for sure! So cool to see the Lords hand in all of our lives!

But also this week I received sad news that I would leave the BEST ARE IN THE WORLD :( Seriously, I am SO sad to leave here. We got this news on Saturday actually, and it was so hard to focus on the work. It was getting hard and I could feel myself slacking off a little, so on Sunday I made a goal for us to do 10 effective contacts (to talk to someone in the street, get a phone number or where they live, and have an appointment to teach them in the next week). In our whole transfer together our highest was 7, and that was on a really good day, but I really wanted to reach this goal of 10. (Also I challenged our district leader to a competition to see who could do more and I really wanted to win). So as we were leaving the house I prayed that we would achieve this goal, and then I told my comp that we wouldn’t return until we have 10. She gave me a look telling me I was crazy. But we hit the street. We talked to everyone in the road (which isn’t that hard on Sundays because literally no one is in the road), and tried our hardest. I even contacted a Jehovah´s Witness on accident because I was so pumped. It wasn’t easy but at the end of the day we have 11 effective contacts (I have no idea if that’s right in English but lets just go with it haha). It really showed me that if we set a goal, and work hard the WHOLE day to achieve it, the Lord will bless us. It was so good. Also, we crushed the elders and showed them who is boss here.

But yea, sad news is I am leaving this amazing area. It really will be so sad and I don’t want to leave. This is the best area EVER. When I got here it was a whitewash (two missionaries together who are new to the area) and we had NO one to teach. Literally no one. But we saw miracles! In this area I saw 2 people move their lives and be baptized and become SO happy. I taught so many lessons, and I learned so much. I can honestly say that I really blossomed as a missionary in this area and have grown to love everyone here. The members here are family to me and I am going to miss them SO much. This is not an easy goodbye at all :(

But changes are part of the mission so now I am going to SETUBAL!!! And I am going to do another whitewash wooo!! With Sister Baker! It will be a good transfer and I am excited! I will learn and grow a lot!!

Hope you all have a great week!!! Love you all!