Irma Sarah Ray's Last Mission Post!

Well, perhaps she'll make a POST-mission post (I'm sure she'll make many of them actually), but this is the last one I will be making for her and while she is ON her mission. I am SO thankful for her constant example and uplifting (and often hilarious) stories she took the time to share. All I know is she has shown us all, including our Heavenly Father that she will Return With Honor. She has blessed SO many lives there and back at home.

I am also SO thankful for all of you who took time to read about and take interest in her mission, and that wrote and supported her. From one heart to another (as cheesy as that sounds), thank you so much - or danke! Y'all really made and contributed to her mission and the success she had out there. I'm sure she feels the same.

Now, enjoy her last post and get STOKED (I know I am!) to talk with her again face-to-face/via phone or internet again! Thanks again for the support you gave my best friend, and this is me signing off...
- Ridiculouslygoodlooking

"Editor Note (Sarah's Dad): Well it has been fun and quite the memorable journey for Irma Sarah and all of us. As she says all good things come to an end and this is the last "News from Portugal". It has been a wonderful experience to share with each of you the experiences that Sarah has been having serving the people of Portugal. Thank you so much for your love, support and kindness that you have shown Sarah. I hope you have enjoyed the journey as well.

From Sister (Irma) Sarah Ray

March 22, 2010

Well, unfortunately eventually all things come to an end. So bummer for all of you, there will be no more incredibly entertaining, spiritually inspiring, (junk taking up space in your inbox) editions of the Chronicles of Portugal. Sad day, I know you will all be feeling the lack very deeply. As a result I will try and make up for that at this moment:

Besides the fact that my companion has been singing "you say goodbye and I say hello" to me nonstop for the past week, we have managed to get quite a lot of work done. We found two new investigators that are super solid and Carla started answering her phone again. WOOHOO. She is back on track to be baptized and even agreed to get out a calendar and mark two visits with per week all the way until April 17th aka, baptism day. We are super pumped. We were pretty worried that she wouldn´t show up for our appointment because it was raining. (we have to teach her in the church because even though she is 35 she still lives with Mom and Mom doesn´t like the missionaries.) Of course Irmã Ebeling I and do not understand why a little thing like rain could stop anyone...especially seeing as how we had forgotten our umbrellas that day and were at that point, completely soaked head to toe. So we did a lot of praying all day that the rain would stop, and that we could teach her. As a result two miracles happened.

1. A member took pity on us, gave us new clothes to change into, umbrellas and cookies. Life doesn´t get any better.

2. Carla showed up! Even though it was raining, and was even invited to Church by the Relief Society president who happened to be in the chapel setting up for the RS birthday party!

It is amazing the way that Heavenly Father works through all of his children to answer prayers. I am continually amazed at the love that he has for us, that I am only starting to comprehend. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have had to concentrate, to serve, and to live the gospel in every aspect of my life. The church is true and our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can comprehend. We just need to trust in him and everything will always work out....even the impossible

Just to go out with a laugh.....

So just in case you were worried that we had found normal people, I will introduce you to someone that I will sorely miss here on the Island.

Ascenção. She used to be a nun. She is the third person who was baptized on the island and is in some unknown (but very debated and gossiped about) way very very rich. Of course she is also crazy (just like everyone else on Madeira). She has Alzheirmers and as a result some times resorts to thinking she is going to marry Jesus even though she has been married in the temple. She also has this complex that her whole family is trying to kill her to steal her money. She is convinced that her nephew has broken into her house to steal the bottom half of her dentures. So she shocked the whole ward in that she showed up for testimony meeting a while ago in her temple clothes. She was convinced that God had told her she was going to die that day and she wanted to be prepared. We have to go visit her about once a week just to make sure that she hasn´t lost her keys again and gotten locked in her apartment (yes this has ~happened before.....we got to try and talk to her through the door and tell her to call the firemen). Basically she is hilarious and she is also the source of our plague of fleas. However, as a result of this story I am proud to announce that after a week and a half of a hard battle, the sisters have come out victorious in our battle, and our apartment is bischu free.

Well, time is up, so sadly this is the end. All who have had the best intentions of writing me but never actually mailed those letters... all future correspondence can be directed to ray.sarahl@gmail.com, or

4343 Whittington Way

Norcross GA 30092

LOVE YOU ALL and thank you so much for the continued support.

The soon to be former,

Irmã Ray

Sidenote: Sarah, you will ALWAYS be "Irma Ray" in many hearts - love you bestie... :)