William's in BRAZIL!

This is the letter we got from the Brazil MTC:

Dear Parents,

We are happy to send the good news that your missionary has arrived safely at the Brazil MTC.  What a great joy and privilege it is to greet each missionary as they come through the front door of the MTC for the first time. We promise to take good care of your missionary.

They now have companions and are settled into their rooms.  They are assigned to a district with capable and caring instructors for language and lesson study.  The branch presidents and their wives, will soon give them a second greeting.  These couples are rewarded in their callings through the love they always develop as they embrace and watch over the missionaries.

The MTC has a full time live-in physician to care for their health needs.  He is assisted by his able wife. We are also happy to report that the Cafeteria food is abundant and very good.

Your missionary will be able to e-mail home on Preparation Day after a morning at the Temple.  This will be either Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on individual assignments.

Your very important young person is about to make an eternal difference in the lives of others.  We hope you will be encouraged and comforted by this quote by President Lorenzo Snow: “There is no mortal man that is so much interested in the success of an elder [sister] when he is preaching the gospel as the Lord that sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord’s children.”

Please accept our love,

President Donald L Clark and Sister Zaza Clark
 

ADDITIONAL  information . . .  

DO not send packages to the Brazil Missionary Training Center. All packages must be sent directly to the mission where your missionary will be serving not the MTC. If you have already mailed a package to the Brazil MTC and it arrives after your missionary has left for the field, please understand that the package can not be forwarded to his or her mission and will be returned to you. The only other option is for us to open the package and forward the letters and photographs, giving the rest of the content of the package to the missionaries that are here.

WE Strongly eNCOURAGE sENDING HAND WRITTEN LETTERS. Please write your missionary´s first and last name. Your missionary will provide you with his district and box number. Also, please DO NOT SEND ANYTHING BY FEDEX, DHL, UPS, or other private carriers.  The cost to get this type of correspondence is exorbitant.

 IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO REPLY THIS EMAIL.

Brazil MTC Address:

Padre António D'Angelo, 121

CEP: 02516-040

Bairro:Casa Verde, São Paulo, SP

Brazil

Pre-Departure Message

Well today is a Departure "P-day" Im still going to go to class but I have the whole day alotted if I need to pack and wash clothes and send an e-mail. I dont know if you got the part in my last E-mail about my yellow fever card, but if you didn't there's no worries, a lady in the immunization office who also went to the Porto Alegre Sul missao hooked me up.
Its super exciting to be leaving but at the same time esta muito triste! Its like leaving home AGAIN. These companions are awesome. Companionship inventory is awesome. You can be open about your ideas, your problems, and your criticisms. Its been so fun though. My goodness, Elder Hanna, one of my companions and our former district leader, oh my gosh, crazy elder. His brother owns dear elder, so he might be able to give us some deals on sending a couple letters to the Brazil MTC. His brother also owns a huge company besides dear elder in Utah, but he's apparently such a nerd that he'd been denied in proposing like 3 times. Sorry that was mean, I'd erase it if I wasnt timed. Elder Cox, my other companion, my senior companion (yeah, I'm the little guy, twice. And Im pretty happy with that!) is great at basketball. I played basketball one day while I was here, and he just wooped me. I gave up. Plus he could probably break my neck, he's just one of those awesome sports people, who somehow is a black belt in karate, and can break your neck, that you just admire. I'm sure you've met some before. Elder Welch. Hilarity. This elder is a rancher from St. George Utah. I thought he was southern, but its just his accent. I love this elder. He's a big old tough guy, and he feels heartless when I cry at the joseph smith movie or at someone's testimony and it makes him feel really bad. I wish I didn't cry, and I think I'm getting better at not doing that. He's a great one though, he's the first of this notorious ancestry of cowboys to serve a mission. I admire him a lot. Everyone knows his name here because his dad is pretty well known for a bar fight that he started in Utah. AWESOME! He has great stories. His accent is kinda rubbin off on the district though, no buano. Elder Hopper, the elder I went to BYU Music fest with, yeah he's going to be a band director some day. He's just one of those people born to do so. He wears treble clef cuff links on sunday.... yeah, you get the picture. Anyway, he and elder welch are companions.... its very interesting to see those two words collide. They're great friends, but sometimes they just dont get COMPLETELY along, they never get mad at each other, but anyone could tell they're upset. But they are so good. Love 'em both. Out of our room, but still in our district, Elder Froerer, a farmer. He and I can talk a lot about awesome times on ranches. I think he's polynesian though, which is weird that he's a farmer. But he's cool, really quiet, and really discouraged about the language unfortunately. Elder Tonga.... you know he's polynesian. He's an awesome singer! (Elder Hanna is pretty good himself) But I sing micheal buble songs with him all the time and its pretty good. Not to brag, but goodness, love it. (which reminds me, I performed in our Branch Sacrament meeting this last sunday... I dont know if they record those, but it was really fun I'll get to that in a few words.) Elder Miava, the new district leader, great man. He's a polyesian ward where people "mixed" all the time... aparently thats a drug. He has great stories as well. He and elder Froerer are comps. Elder Brown. I dont know much about this one... but he and Elder tonga don't get along. Thats the only tension in the district, which is said because Elder Tonga becomes really rebellious when he isn't getting along with Elder Brown.
Ok, so... My first investigator was TOUGH. I got mad at him. He just kept saying no to everything we said, and would talk so fast in portuguese. I just really wracked my brains and got pretty mad I just told him "Look, I really, really want to help you. But you know none of us speak a ton of portuguese, we've been challenging you to read the scriptures and pray for three weeks, and told you that that would be the best thing for your kids, you want us to help them and now we're here, but we cant help them, unless you start being the example." That was about the only thing I said that whole time and my companions didn't even here it because they were trying to figure out what to say next, but David heard it. He heard it loud and clear. He is going back to Brasil but he told us at the end he'd go to church. Our last lesson was really good with him. We weren't overwhelmed with the spirit but we all agreed that we felt at peace. He is now our teacher in language class, its weird to see him step out of character. I think Irmao Owens will be our new investigator today.
Oh yeah so Elder Hanna and I, and a companionship from the other district in our branch sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer this last sunday. It sounded really good. Wow it was awesome singing parts in portuguese. Portuguese is way cooler than English. Other than that, the days kind of have blended together, a lot of personal and comp study, a lot of teaching, a lot of workshops, a lot of switch arounds since the visa came today.

GOOD NEWS!

I'm sorry about the font here...this is how the email got it to me and I couldn't change it.

Ola meu familia!

Eu tenho muito amor por o CTM! Meus companhieros e muito bem! Meu districte tam bem!

OK GOOD NEWS! MY VISA CAME!!!!

I'm leaving next tuesday morning! I'm leaving with Elder Hanna (Hope you got my five letters I sent you in the mail about that.) We're the first two in our discrict to go. I get my last Hepatitis shot on thursday, and then go overnight on tuesday to Brazil. IMPORTANT: Apparently, I need a yellow fever card (It's useful that its a yellow card) from the heath district that shows whoever needs to know in Brazil that I have my yellow fever shot. I looked all over and I dont have one. If we didn't get one, can you go to the health district and get one. Tell them you need it to be able to get it to me ASAP. I dont know how to get one or how long it might take. BUT HOORAY! BRAZIL HERE I COME!

Its a bitter sweet deal porque I became really close with my companions and my district, and some of them aren't going to Porto Alegre. But if they do get them soon, we'll see each other again in the Sao Paulo MTC! But man I love it here. I have never had to drink so much water though, Im drinking the most water in the district and Im still getting sick. I get three or four glasses every meal and refill them with water two our three times! And Im still dying! but whats cool is we have a water bottle that filters our water for when we go to Brazil!!!....... I dont know how much I trust it.... but its COOL!

By the way today is my P-Day, but.... thats not going to be the case next week because I WONT BE HERE!!!!! HA!!!!

Also by the way, I did not look up those words at the top! I know more than that in portuguese already. Bem? Bem! Clarro no falou ge meu, mas ge meu Deus! Oh my gosh, I love saying the word "he" in portuguese. Hilarity. Ok "he" in portuguese is "ele" and you say L's so hilariously. "Ele" is pronounce " 'L' - eee" but with a New york accent! HA! EALEE! Oitim, Oitim.

Elder Lovell

Elder Lovell: First mission report

Here are the first two letters that Elder Lovell has reported:

My Dear Wonderful Family,

My plane took off about 6 minutes ago. Craig, or I guess Elder Walker, and another Elder I jmet in the institute are both on my flight.  They are getting sad really fast so I stopped talking to them.  I have a row all to myself so after this letter, I am kicking back and sleeping!

Just writing to let you all know how great you all are.  I feel prepared and that’s thanks to all of you for your guidance.  You all lead very enriched and exciting lives and I’m so happy to be a part of this family.

Say prayers for me (I know you will) and also pray that my visa will come soon!  I’ll definitely be remembering all of you in my prayers.

Mom: You are so wonderful! You are seriously a saint for putting up with me.  I already miss your hugs, smile, cooking, and all the love that comes with it. 

Dad: You also are amazing that you’ve seen it through with me!  My goodness.  If anything breaks can I send it home for you to fix?   And o my goodness, I can’t wait to hear some great jokes in Brazil and then share them with you.  I miss you and your jokes so much, (whether I laughed or not).  {insert by Mom.  Okay he has been away from us for maybe 30 minutes so far}

Rachel:  I was totally just thinking of those hilarious moments, when you say something really funny so quietly that only one or two people can hear and I’d start laughing and you’d say, “What!?” as if you had no clue. J Miss you tons. 

Ryan:  Thank you for the wonderful stories of the mission and all the advice and taking me to a delicious lunch.  It has been great fun getting destroyed at killer bunnies by you. J Miss you tons.

Elizabeth:  -heh-heh-heh-he-, He, He-heh? (Panda Express).  My companions will think I am so weird! Lizzy I miss your laugh and smile already! I’m almost laughing aloud on the plane thinking about dumb things we think are funny. 

James:  No hard feelings about Killer Bunnies last time.  I hope I did not hurt your feelings.  Thanks for your great insight on a lot that I’ve gone through.  You’re awesome.

Jeremy:  No, I did not forget you.  I just forgot you are older than Elizabeth.  Man this guy stepped in front of me and wouldn’t get out of the way while I was trying to board and I thought “Jeeze, Bobby!” with your voice inflection and nearly burst out laughing.

Heidi:  I have had a lot of fun with you these past few weeks!!! You tell great jokes and have just cracked me up at times.  Take care of Chloe and my brother.

Erik:  Ravenclaw definitely wins the house cup.  Thanks for being an excellent example, first hand, of being an outstanding missionary.  Thanks also for getting a blog going.  You are definitely a huge stud-pasta.

I love you all!!!! {another insert from Mom.  I am leaving out over ½ of the exclamation marks.  Just assume there is one after each sentence.)

PS:  I talked to my first stranger as a missionary.  He is not LDS, but does have a grandson that served an LDS mission in Brazil.  The grandson’s name is Thomson Reed.  The guy is probably weirded out. 


2nd Email

Well, I wrote that last letter on the plane, but never had time to send it.   So, to save on postage, (I’ll just poison him with this! JK) I’m continuing this next letter on the back. 

Getting off the plane, Elder Holland was at the bottom of the escalator!!! (my favorite apostle!).  He saw Elder Craig Walkers, a ginger Elder’s, and my awing faces and patted ME on the shoulder and said, “Welcome home, Elders.”  We decided we must have looked beat up enough to look like we had already served two years. 

Uncle David was so good! Muito Bem! (Portuguese Exclamation marks too) He gave me such gfreat advice and told me hilarious things in Portuguese! I love him! Thank him for the delicious Mexican food! He also had excellent mission advice. 

The first two days in the MTC (port=CTM) have been crazy.  I didn’t even get two seconds in my room before I went to language study with Irmoo Owens.  Love him! Great teacher! He is young and so sincere in wanting us to learn.  I’m in a three-some, Elder Cox (senior companion) and Elder Hanna (new district leader as of an hour ago, he is doing well, I’d be overwhelmed). Elder Hopper (my roommate from Summerfest) and Elder Welch (great tall southern rancher, awesome accent) are also in my district. 

Well anyway, almost bed time.  I have to go soon, almost lights out.  I love it here though.  I love you all and miss you.  Write me!!!

Ciao                                 

Com Amor,

Elder Lovell