Portuguese Replaces English

Erika ran into two relatives while in the Missionary Training Center. Her great-aunt entered the MTC last Monday to serve a mission for Jesus Christ in the country of Japan. She saw her cousin, Leah, while standing in line in the cafeteria. (Her cousin works with BYU's food service and was substituting for someone at the MTC when Erika saw her.) Leah was so surprised in seeing Erika that she accidently burbed out, "Jennae" (Erika's sister's name.)

Erika says of the Portuguese language, "So this Portuguese is starting to take hold of my brain and English is becoming difficult. The other day I was talking to my district leader and this is what came out, 'I think we need to work on focolizing'. This is what I meant, 'I think we need to work on focusing'. The Portuguese word for 'to focus' is 'focolizar'. . . .so focolizing."

"This past week while I was sitting with my district and waiting for the Sunday night fireside to get started, an elder sitting directly in front of us turned around and asked me 'What is your first name Sis. Riggs?' I told him my name and he said 'I knew it! You were my EFY counselor!' I looked at him a little harder and he totally was one of my youth during the summer I was an EFY counselor in Provo! I asked him if he kept in contact with anyone else from our EFY session and he responded 'Ya...this guy' and he patted the back of the elder sitting in front of him. That elder turned around and I totally taught him, too!"
"Seeing these elders reminded me of why I am serving a mission and what really made me want to serve that summer of EFY. The spirit I felt while teaching those youth, especially about our Savior's love for us is something I will never forget. I was able to teach those youth with the spirit in the hopes that someone's life would be changed for the better. That feeling is what I want to have always as a missionary now."

Patience

From Erika: "I've been praying and fasting. . .But, there were no visas. . .at all. I'm having to learn that everything is on the Lord's time and I have to remember that although I may not understand why there are visa problems, the Lord has a reason and I need to practice patience if I ever want to learn what that reason is."