Happy Mother's Day!!!

Cariacica

Hello everyone, I want to start by sending out a HUGE shout out to the best mom in the world, my mom!!!!!!!! She is the most wonderful lady that I have met in my life. She is the absolute best thing in the world!!!

I LOVE YOU MOM!!! I never imagined that I would cry and miss her as much as I did yesterday. It was SUPER hard but now I have the energy to keep working hard and here in the next few months I can talk to her again. I can’t wait for Christmas!!! I also had the privilege to talk to my Nan and my Grammy. They are the best grandmas in the world. They both do so much for me. I want to just say thank you both so much for all that you do!!! I hope you know how much I love both of you!!! I also have many other moms in my life that I have to give a shout out too as well. I have the most Amazing Aunts that have always been there to help me and love me, especially my Aunt Jerilyn and Aunt Jamie. Thanks for always being so good to me I love you all so much! To my Mama Valerio, I love you so much.  You are the best and I miss you so much. Love you mama V!!!  Then to my Missionary Mamas, I wish I could express how much my packages mean to me. Everything that you guys do and send means so much even down to the little pieces of candy. It is the best thing in the world and more than I could ever wish for. You ladies really are the best and mean so much to me!!! You never really think about how much your mom and the other ladies that have impacted you in your life mean to you until you are away from them but then you really see what blessings they are in your life!!! I love you all so much, Thanks again to all of you and for everything you have done for me.

This week one of our lunches fell through so we decided to make lunch Mexican style. We made tacos and everything to go with it including the lime and cilantro rice. The best part was that we made my Aunt Monica's Guacamole. It isn’t quite the same without the Jalapenos but it was still great. That was really all that happened this week that was exciting. We have met a few new people and were able to meet with them but it is hard trying to get back to their homes. People are busy or have their excuses. We have prayed that we will meet someone who is more ready to hear our message. We will continue to work hard and search to find people to teach.

If you are interested, I have been thinking a lot about a message that has really touched me. You can pull it up on youtube. It’s a video called "Missionary Work and the Atonement". It reminds me a little about my week. This week I was spit upon, cast out and made a hiss and a byword by other churches. It really made me think about my Savior Jesus Christ and what he went through. The feeling he must have had as people persecuted him. I pray that

as I follow in his footsteps that I can become more like him. I truly feel like I am standing shoulder to shoulder with the best man that has ever walked this earth. I have learned so many things in this short year. I am trying my hardest to be more like Him! I know that this church is true and that everything that I am doing here is to help others but to also understand the real meaning of the Atonement for myself. I know that things are hard in life and at times things don’t always go the way that we want them to but as I said last week I am trying my hardest to be the best that I can be. To do whatever here in the Cariacica ward that I can, to have a good attitude and to keep the faith and the hope to know that God WILL Deliver!!!

I love you all so much and want to thank all of you for your continued love and support. I love being a missionary!!! I feel your prayers every day. I can’t wait to hear from you again soon.

Love,

Elder Stilson