Extracts from some emails from the CTM:
[Companionships: Yancey-Coleman, Page-Kington,
Barwick-McKeen, Hill-Chrisney, Kirksey-Roberts, Johnson-Harris ]
Elder Barwick:
"Not
much changes while you're in the CTM...we get up at 6:30...personal study at 7,
Breakfast at 7:30...Comp study at 8, class at 8:30...lunch at 12:15, class at
1:15, dinner at 4:45 and Missionary Directed Study time at 5:45. on MWF we have
gym at 7:50, and on Tuesday we have devotional and Saturday we have a large
group meeting for all of the American missionaries. We have church at 8:00 in
the morning. Our morning class is with Irmão Sato and our Afternoon class is
with Irmã Michelotto. Both are great. Our district is great, I love these guys
more and more each day. Learning the gospel together does that to you. I love
the CTM, everyone is here because they want to be."
"Our district had become a really
closely-knit unit. We strive together and work together to learn the
Gospel and Portuguese. It has been extremely muggy all this last week, I
was always sweating, just like everyone else, but that's not a bad thing, I
loved it. It's going to be like that in Recife so we'll just call this a
test round. We are going proselyting again on Friday; I'm super excited for it. Were almost
through with the Third lesson in English and Portuguese, sometimes it has gone
slowly, but, there has never been a dull moment. Being a missionary is so
wonderful, I love it more than I can describe. OH before I forget, New Year's
Eve was CRAZY. Fireworks all
night long nobody slept until dawn. But it's P-Day, so we're given a little
boost of energy."
Elder Kirksey:
"You
will find out that I had an 'awesome' Christmas when you get my snail mail. New
Yearīs Eve was really
intense. The fireworks here are very loud, like gunshots. It literally sounded
like a battle outside. My companion got to see alot of them. Some how I
fell asleep during all the turmoil, but I got to see the pictures he took.
I get along well with my District of 12 missionaries. All twelve are in class
with me every day. They are my family here in Brazil. These Elders are all my dearest friends. I have been
able to proselyte two weeks ago, and I get to go again this week, to talk
to people on the street, and give out a few Books of Mormon. I am very
excited to go again."
Today was another temple day. We went to the São Paulo Temple again. It is so
pretty. I will try to send you a picture of it eventually from a schedule. We
canīt take our cameras outside the MTC, so I couldnīt take one. I am going to
try to send you some pictures today, but again, my time is really short, and it
takes a couple of hours for them to develope the pictures from my memory card.
Ok, your questions: other things I eat in the CTM: The meat is usually
either beef, or chicken, probably grilled, and then marinated. It is really
good. Once in a while, like yesterday, we get good cheese burgers and chicken
nuggets. They know what Americans like. They also have pizza night on Thursdays.
Sometimes we have a kind of meat soup, with sausage and chicken. I put rice in
it and make a gumbo. There is a yogurt drink called "Bliss". I love it. The
popular soda down here is called Guarana. I think it is made from apples, but
Iīm not sure, but it is pretty good stuff. You might be able to find it at Winco
or Costco. If you can, try some. It has orange letters, and a green backround.
The fruit is great. They usually have a sweater flavor than fruit in the states.
I really like the apples. As far as I know, we will have to have a mosquito net
in Recife, but I donīt know if we will have to buy it. I have been bitten a few
times. The bites swell up really big. I have not seen any monkeys, but Iīm
pretty sure I have heard them. As far as bugs, I have seen some that look like
leaves. They are pretty weird, and a huge moth. I also saw a big humming bird
today. I havenīt seen too many other birds. For exercise, I jog, do push ups,
and play basketball and volley ball. I have received all your letters. They are
great! Donīt refrain from telling me details about home. I eat it up. None of
it is boring. The gypsy story is: last time on proselyting, a couple of elders
from our district got attacked (kind of). They were trying to read their palms,
and wouldnīt let them go. They were telling them something, but all the elders
were trying to do was escape. Elder Roberts and I lucked out, we didnīt get
approached that day by gypsies! Regarding parasites - we wash our hands alot,
but our water is all clean and double filtered at the CTM. Thatīs all the
time I have, but I love you guys, and miss you as always. Well, so long for
another week!
[ info on Guarana - whic is NOT a
type of apple ]
Elder Page:
"I have two brazilian roomates now. i love them. one of them is the only member in
his family and his parents werent very happy about him going. he prays
every night for them. he is the happiest person ever. thats what this gospel is
about being happy with your families. he is really cool and he helps me so much
with the language."
"last night was
crazy. Imagine a city that is bigger than you have ever seen that goes on
forever. with fireworks (fugos) going off everywhere. the city was on fire it
really made me feel like I was in a different country."
"I got new brazilian roommates and they are amazing im teaching them English and
they are teaching me Portuguese they started crying when they were telling us
how happy they were that we left our families to share this gospel in brazil. of
course we all started crying after that."
Elder Yancey:
"Sometimes we sit with the Brazilians for lunch and learn Portuguese by talking
to them. We are all growing and building testimony. Our CTM mission president is
changing this January and our Recife mission president will leave around July.
We have class for about 7 hours a day for Portuguese and about 2 hours every day
for our district study."
"We
are practicing lots of times giving discussions. Yesterday they told us to do a
lesson in english, but it was
so heard to do it in english because i was so used to saying it in portuguese. i
mean really hard!! I had to catch myself so many times and stop my tongue. was
really funny."
I have had a great week!! We are doing good. Everything is about studying here.
We have been having a great time working hard. This is my 2nd to last pday . I
am leaving for recife on the 29th probably in the morning. We have 15
missionaries leaving. and lots going to other missions as well. Oh! thank sister
inza for those cookies because they were great. I~m trying to finish all the
candy and things from christmas still. Hopefully ill finish by the time i leave
or just stuff myself at the end. I doing really well in getting up in the
morning and getting ready because elder page is trying to beat me in getting
ready even though he gets up 15 minutes earlier than i do.. Thats his goal this
week . To beat me. He is going to pull a surprise attack on me though. So i need
step up my speed a little this week. I told him that i pre-belted my pants so i
wouldnt have to string it in the morning, got my socks in my shoes already,
everything i need is put right by my bad, and my shirts hanging on the bunk bed
already with the tag on it and the pen in it and everything. So i wake up and
everything is ready. I might need to pre-paste my toothbrush jk.. We had a great
day at the temple and we got to see the baptism room. Elder Coleman was called
to AP and Elder Kington is the DL. We are working great together... I hope all
is well over there!!
CTM: Right
now there are 255 missionaries here, but we get 80 after Christmas. They are
all going to Brazil, but two who are going to Cabo Verde. We also get some who
are going to the three Portugal Missions and Portuguese speaking Canada, and Mozembique. Sis. Smith, CTM Mailroom
Sao Paulo - from the CTM