this week...

Hello! This has to be quick so please forgive any grammatical errors. ;)
This week was good. I am learning a lot. I would like to ask for the pregnant ladies in the family to send pictures of their cute bellies! I am missing the fun of seeing you personally, but I don´t want to miss it completely!! How are you feeling, Kit and Aup? Anyone else pregnant?
Mom and Dad—did you get my DVD of pictures? I certainly hope so. We had family home evening with Sister Cavalcante and her family here from my ward. Her niece was baptized this Sunday and it was a beautiful baptism. I really like Sister Cavalcante. She is so sweet!!! She told me lots of stories about the mission that I never knew. You two were awesome mission presidents! She loves you a lot. I passed along your emails to her fyi.
I would like to suggest that everyone who reads this email read the talk by President Spencer W. Kimball entitled, ´It Becometh Every Man´. I loved it and I´m sure you all will too. Just go to lds.org and search for the talk. ;)
Mom—Thanks for the Excedrin and the makeup. I will remember your advice to use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!
Dad—I received a check from SW in a package from Jenny Mobley that my old roommate had given her. What should I do with it? Hang on to it till after the mission or send it to you?
Mark and Aup—Thanks for the body wash and earrings. I loved them! My companions liked the earrings too. If you´re feeling generous, they wouldn´t mind having a pair as well. ;) But don´t worry too much, Sister Reynolds will be back up at BYU with me after the mission. You will love her when you meet her! Thanks for the advice. You are so wise!
Joy—I don´t know if I thanked you for your Christmas package. I thought it was so cute the little tree and the sugar cookies snowman tin. My companions and I enjoyed the candy as well. Thanks for thinking of me even when you have so many other things to take care of!
Jenny Mobley—I got your package too. Thanks so much! It was so good to finally hear from you? So, you got a ring on that finger yet? ;) Where´d you get that KHS pencil from Homecoming 05? Did you save it since then?! Haha! You can email me you know. That´d probably be easier for you and faster for me to get your news. I´ll just have to write you snail mail. Love ya!
In other news, my wallet got stolen out of my bag Friday. Unfortunately, I had over 200 reais in it. I had been feeling I shouldn´t carry around all my mesada with me. That´s what I get for not listening to the Spirit. Let that be a lesson for you all—ALWAYS follow the promptings of the Spirit. If you don´t, you will surely regret it! Thankfully, I had listened to the council of my mission president and been saving some money for previous mesadas. So, I´m not going hungry. ;) What a blessing! Heavenly Father really is so kind to me.
I have some really good news for Em. I found you a husband!! Hahaha! He is pretty much the sweetest guy I have ever seen. He´s 15, black, has a great smile, is a worthy priesthood holder, is excited to serve a mission, teaches lessons with us, sings beautifully, etc. What more could you ask for?! I´ll pass along your email to him the next chance I get and yáll can be pen pals, or keyboard pals, k? ;) C´mon, just give him a chance, k? Spence—I also have a few options for you. Don´t think about it now, but when you get home, I´ll introduce you to some of my companions, k? Hahaha! Truly, I have developed a knack for Christ-like service on my mission. I seek to serve everyone I come in contact with—even remembering my siblings far away! What a blessing!
But seriously, I am really so grateful to be serving a mission. In my interview with Pres. Milder, he asked what was the difference bw the sister Ellis that arrived and the Sister Ellis I am now. So many things have changed I didn´t even know where to start! I told him I was learning a lot and maturing a lot on my mission. When I got here, I thought I knew everything. (He said that wasn´t too hard to see! Haha!) But now, I realize how little I know. I am so grateful for the gift of the Atonement and that I can repent and change. Please forgive me, dearest family and friends, for being so horrible and selfish. I really don´t even know how you all tolerated me for so long. Please be comforted by the fact that I am learning and changing for the better. When I come back, I hope you will all be able to see the light of Christ shining through me. He is my example in every way. My goal is to become more like Him with every passing day. Please forgive me for all the hurtful words or acts I have done. I have no desire to be that girl I was before. I will not be that girl I was before. I only want to be an instrument in Christ´s hands.
Monday, we had a meeting with Elder Tobias (member of the 70). Coming up on the 28th, we are going to have a meeting with Elder Cook (member of the 12)! I am so excited! What a blessing it is to learn from the servants of God! May God bless you all. I love you so very much. Thank you for your love and prayers. Know that you are in mine as well.
Love, Sister Rachel Ellis
P.S. I have been studying about how we need to build upon the rock of our Savior. If we build upon that foundation, we will not fall even when Satan beats upon us with all the temptations and evils of the world! Hel 5:12, 3 Ne 11:39-49, 1 Cor 10:3-4, DC 6:34