Friday, July 17, 2009

Transfers!

She's been transferred! Thus, ladies and gentlemen, let us write her in our new spot - get to typin' it out y'all! AND, here is her most recent group email - Enjoy!!!
- Ridiculouslygoodlooking

"July 13, 2009

Well, the calls are in, and I am out. I am being transfered to Coimbra, Which is way far south from here. I am pretty bummed as we are just getting to the point where we know our way around....we never did find a map but luckily the Portuguese people are more than willing to give directions. Of course, they will give you directions even if they have no idea where it is, but it is all good. It is kinda sad, but I actually think that I am going to be more sad to leave Gaia than I was Braga, and I was only here for 6 weeks. Weird. The people here are great though, and I really found another family. A couple of the members are mad with President right now, but what can you do. Apparently I already did what I was here to do. The bigger news is that I am actually going to be with an American!!! Wow. Hope that I don´t lose my Portuguese.

The new president is getting used to it I think. His wife actually went out with us this week, and that was pretty cool. She is really sweet and I like her a lot. I think I like her more than I like President. Opps. He hasn´t started changing everything yet, so we will see what happens. Sorry that I don´t have a whole lot to talk about right now, with transfers we don´t have a whole lot of time, but thank you all for all of your support. I appreciate your support and love!! Have a great week!

Irmã Ray"

The Best way to write Sarah is:

1) On the internet go to dearelder.com website.
2) There is a drop down box on the right hand side down just a couple inches. Enter her mission which is Portugal Porto and then click "write a letter" just below where you select the mission.
3) On the next screen enter your return address and Sister Sarah Ray in the address line, add your email in the email box below the envelope.
4) Write your letter in the text box and then hit the "send letter" box under the text box to send it on.

This site does require US $.94 Postage. You can set up an account and it will deduct the postage each time you write.

2) The alternate way for sending anything (i.e. letters, packages, etc) through regular US mail is below. This method requires US $.94 postage for letters.

Sister Sarah Ray

Portugal Porto Mission

Rua de Amalia Luazes

No.23 Sala 1

4200-052 Porto

PORTUGAL

Thursday, July 9, 2009

"The Portugal Letters" Return...

Enjoy Sarah's latest update - she even tells about meeting some people from GEORGIA! Holla! Haha... Enjoy!
- Ridiculouslygoodlooking

"July 6, 2009

Well, big news for the week is that President and Sister Walton made it here in one piece. We actually had a big meeting with them the next day and they seem really nice. I think it is going to be a great thing for the mission. I really like them. It will be interesting to see how things change here. Speaking of which we get transfer calls this week, so we will see who is leaving Gaia. I really would like to stay as we are just starting to get comfortable with the area, but I kinda have a feeling that it is going to be me who leaves. It makes more sense that Irmá Polito finishes her mission here. Of course anything is possible.

However, after 6 months together I finally succeeded in turning Irmã Polito American. For the 4th of July she dressed in Red white and Blue and proudly serenaded our district with "I´m Proud to be an American". it was much improved over our other Brazilian who just complained that we were able to have a district activity. Party Pooper. We did have to work all day, but we had permission to have a BBQ for dinner. However, since the office elders stole the grill from our chapel for an office party we ended up buying our grilled chicken and french fries...which we then did our best to sing the star spangled banner and let everyone know that actually, it was a holiday. No one seemed to believe us. We thought it was pretty funny that in our district of 7 we had a Japanese elder and two Brazilians, but we still had a party. Irmã Polito and I drew a giant American flag and we hung it in the chapel. We also made the rule that only English would be spoken. It was kinda hard.

SO I tried to contact in English the other day and it was rough. There are 50 guys from Georgia here in Gaia right now being trained for a factory that is opening by Savannah...I discovered this after recognizing someone wearing the UGA logo on the metro. Irmã Polito didn´t think they were American, but they were ...good old southerners with a heavy accent. I felt right at home.

Well, I have written a novel this week so I apologize for the lengthy reading. Have a fantastic week everyone and thank you for the support. The church is true, the gospel is worth it!

Irmã Ray"

WRITE HER!!! IT'S HER NINTH MONTH MARK!!!

1) On the internet go to dearelder.com website.
2) There is a drop down box on the right hand side down just a couple inches. Enter her mission which is Portugal Porto and then click "write a letter" just below where you select the mission.
3) On the next screen enter your return address and Sister Sarah Ray in the address line, add your email in the email box below the envelope.
4) Write your letter in the text box and then hit the "send letter" box under the text box to send it on.

This site does require US $.94 Postage. You can set up an account and it will deduct the postage each time you write.

2) The alternate way for sending anything (i.e. letters, packages, etc) through regular US mail is below. This method requires US $.94 postage for letters.

Sister Sarah Ray
Portugal Porto Mission

Rua de Amalia Luazes

No.23 Sala 1

4200-052 Porto

PORTUGAL

Monday, July 6, 2009

"The Portugal Letters..."

Here is the latest installment of "The Portugal Letters..." Haha! She is doing well, but you still should send some love. Her nine months mark is in two weeks! Here's her recent letter - enjoy!
- Ridiculouslygoodlooking

"June 29, 2009

Well,
The big news this week is that it was São João. Basically it is the party for John the Baptist and the people in Portugal take it very seriously. That is, if you can take seriously a night where everyone eats sardines and runs around hitting each other on the head with plastic mallets. Yeah, I´m not sure of the purpose of that, but no one is allowed to get mad if you get hit on that day. Weird huh..normally it would be very strange if random people just hit you on the head, but it is totally acceptable this week. Go figure. The other part of the tradition is to eat grilled sardines and all of the wine companies have a boat race of the carvalas on the river. They also have a huge fireworks display over the river at midnight. Unfortunately we didn´t get permission to stay out that late, so we just woke up to the fireworks, but the rest was kinda fun. I don´t think sardines are going to become my favorite food, but keeping with missionary tradition, we eat what is given us...so that included the sardines. (attached picture). We actually did have a good time.

We had a couple cool experiences with investigators too. We are teaching a mom and daughter (Libânia and Vitória) and we asked them to get baptized yesterdsay. Vitoria said yes, but mom has to let her, and mom has to quit smoking first. Libânia is really nervous to try because she has tried so many times and it has never worked. We taught her all about fasting though, and she is going to think about trying. She still hasn´t given permission for Vitória to get baptized but we are going over there tomorrow too, so we are praying hard. They are a way special family. We were teaching about how you could be sealed together in the temple and Vitoria was so funny. She wanted to know how it worked and so we were explaining that it was like spiritual glue, at which point she decided it wasn´t a good idea. She looked at her mom and said " but what happens if I want to go in one room and you want to go in the other...you are bigger than me I will have to go with you." We all got a good laugh out of that one, and know she knows she could still go places alone.

Well, the search for a map continues...but we have found one of those big city maps(like the ones they have in malls...in the big poster things) that we took pictures of, and use the camera sometimes. It kinda works.

Love you all and thank you for your support. Have a fantabulous day, the church is true.

Irmã Ray"

P.S. If anyone can get map of Gaia - I think someone should send her one... Haha!

The Best way to write Sarah is:

1) On the internet go to dearelder.com website.
2) There is a drop down box on the right hand side down just a couple inches. Enter her mission which is Portugal Porto and then click "write a letter" just below where you select the mission.
3) On the next screen enter your return address and Sister Sarah Ray in the address line, add your email in the email box below the envelope.
4) Write your letter in the text box and then hit the "send letter" box under the text box to send it on.

This site does require US $.94 Postage. You can set up an account and it will deduct the postage each time you write.

2) The alternate way for sending anything (i.e. letters, packages, etc) through regular US mail is below. This method requires US $.94 postage for letters.

Sister Sarah Ray
Portugal Porto Mission
Rua de Amalia Luazes
No.23 Sala 1
4200-052 Porto
PORTUGAL