Week 1

OI familia e friends! We only have 45 minutes to email and read
emails, so if you emailed me and i don't email back i'm so sorry! Also
this keyboard is way different so please excuse the improper grammar.
The enter key doesn't work so i cant start new paragraphs.  If you want
pics, email my mom! I can only send pics outside the MTC to one
person.  Let me tell you about my crazy arrival at the MTC! I was
supposed to arrive June 29 but I didn't get here until the 30.  My
flight out of Norfolk got delayed so i missed the flight to Sao Paulo.
i ended up getting an extra day at home.  it was crazy because id
already said my goodbye for 18 months.  i had to borrow a phone to call
home!  weird.  instead of flying with 15 other missionaries to the mtc
it was just me! it was worth it though because i got the contact info
for two Brazilians that i met!!!! Each day feels like a week! we´re
literally doing something scheduled from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm.  The
first few days i was super overwhelmed cuz our teachers don't talk much English to us. 
It feels like we´re constantly studying but not
remembering any of it! i said my first prayer in portuguese last night
and it was the best feeling ever!  we teach an investigator almost
every night.. hes our teacher pretending to be interested in learning
about the church.. in PORTUGUESE! somehow he understands us.  if you're
looking for something to pray for, please pray that i understand him.
it is so frustrating trying to teach a lesson in a language you dont
even know yet, and understand the investigator enough to talk to him
other than what you plan for. i'm so excited for when i can teach with
understanding the language! I started out in a tripanionship, but one
sister decided to go home, so one of my companions got switched :(
Sunday has been my favorite day so far because we had church and then
some free time! we were able to take a 20 min nap and it was the best
thing ever!!! the food here is SO GOOD.  its pretty much what i look
forward to ALL THE TIME.  lol #fatty.  every night we get
lanche-snacks.  im going to gain wait here.  jk theres a track here,
and my companion and i arent lazy ;) the brazilians are so funny and
nice! i can only say a few things to them, but theyre really nice. for
those of you who arent lds- the mtc is 6 weeks long each day is filled
with learning portuguese and learning how to teach.  we get one day a
week (pday) to go to the temple, email home, take naps, and go outside
the mtc!  but only until 6pm, then we start classes and teaching
again.  its sooo hard here, but im so happy.  i try so hard to learn
portuguese, but onlyh a 1/6 of it sticks.  its hard because i dont see
much improvement. its hard because i want to share my thoughts and
feelings in portuguese but i CANT yet.  but let me tell you
something!!! i found a scripture in hebrews that said Christ endured
the cross because He knew of the joy afterwards.  iF Christ could do
that then i can work hard because of how JOYFUL it will be to invite
others to Christ in portugeuse! i also found a scripture that said to
cheerfully do all things.  what a GREAT reminder!  i hope each of  you
all will think about the joy that comes from trials, and cheerfully
doing all things.  its helped me tremendously this week and i know it
can help you too! i love you all! and Im thankful for each of you!
sorry again for how poorly this was written.  we are so cramped on
time, and i dont know how to use this stupid keyboard :(  xo Sis
Councill