Hey Mamao e Familia!!!!!
Anyways, my teacher irmao walker is the hardest teacher in the world. I'm not even joking, by 9:00 I would be just about in tears and thinking I STILL HAVE 30 MORE MINUTES!! 10:30 is the best time in the world . I sent a letter yesterday, so it should be getting there soon. I'm reading the scriptures in Portuguese now. I understand a good amount of it, but I still use the dictionary and the scriptures to solidify the words I don't know. I can read Portuguese really well, and apparently my pronunciation is very portuguese like. Mas it is hard because all the girls that are in my district are fluent spanish speakers and they all speak so fast and I can't really respond. They also don't like speaking portuguese because they're die hard spanish speakers, so it's been really hard. It's hard going from 5 in the morning until 10:30 at night with no breaks. Yesterday, I had a melt down in my last class. My lessao with Helder didn't really go very well, and then it was killing me that all the sisters could speak to him so easily and I couldn't find the words. I didn't even get through the lessao. He told me I ran out of time, and so we had to finish up. Being a missionary is so hard. But I know that I'm supposed to do this. I feel so strongly that this is what I need to do, and even if it kills me, I gotta keep pushing forward- persevero ate o fim! But it's been good. I was so ready to go the temple this morning and just enjoy P-Day!!! I love the food, but it's kind of hard on the stomach after a while. We have breakfast at 6, lunch at 11 and dinner at 4. so then by breakfast we're starving again. But today we ate at the cafeteria at the temple. I testify that it is manna from heaven. So good!
Let's see. I'm trying to think of things that happen but the days are all starting to blur together. I love singing in the MTC choir. I guess the week after we leave, they're going to be singing in a CES fireside or for the prophet or something. I'm still praying hard and fervantly for the visa to come through. I know it will. I know that I am supposed to be in Goiania. I can't wait to go to Brazil. One of our language helpers is from brasil. He googled earthed our area. Parts are super metropolitan, and parts are SUPER GHETTO! It's about to get crazy, but I am a world of excited right now. I love being here. I love the people. My district is so funny. Our zone only has 4 girls right now, but apparently they are going to have like... 8 come in tomorrow. They're also going to be opening up another mtc in new mexico or somehting. Cool, right?
Every day has been such an adventure, and I know that the only way that this is possible is because we have help from the Lord. There would be NO OTHER WAY. I have seen such amazing things happen here. It's really amazing! Ummmmmmmmmmm...... I'm trying to think if I have anything else to report right now. We had to watch Sister Monson's funeral on Sunday. I was a little upset because I wanted to watch the Joseph Smith movie. We watched the testaments last sunday, and it was so funny. But it was cool as well because we know that after this life, there is SO much more, so it wasn't a sad occasion. But I tell ya what, I don't think I've seen president monson look like that since he spoke right before Hinckley passed away. I'm glad that we have such a great knowledge. The Plan of Salvation is so awesome. It's hard to describe to someone who isn't mormon, but it's super cool. I memorized a few scriptures in Portuguese. Lets see.... I'll email pics in a little bit, and maybe email a little more later. Love you all!
Sister Marshall
***********Updated letter sent that evening*********************
I did in fact receive the boxes. my district leader gave me a package slip 10 minutes after the mail room closed on saturday, so I couldn't get it until today, but tudo bem! Anyways, I'll be fine. It's just been really hard, but I guess I knew a mission wouldn't be easy. It's just hard in ways I didn't even imagine. Today, me and my companion raided the free bins from all of the residence halls since tons of missionaries left yesterday. I got a couple cute shirts, and I'll probably just put them back when I leave the MTC. Also, everyone is pretty much sick in the MTC. Oh, also do you remember that missionary who had viral menengitus? They sent her home for a couple weeks to get better, but apparently she's walking now without a cane or help. It's way cool. I can't really think of anything else to say. The MTC is jam packed right now. And tomorrow, theres supposedly going to be 1200 missionaries coming in to tomorrow. So there will be about 9,000 people in the MTC. But yeah, the common cold spreads like the plague, and a few other things are getting passed along as well. Bleh! Anyways, tell Angelee and Ashley I'm sending them a letter that will be there in a few days, so they can get ready for that. Oh, and thanks for the chocolates, my roommates want to say thank you as well. But yeah, other than all the craziness, I think I'm doing pretty well. I'm just reminding myself that my trials are for a small moment, and I just need to endure 'em well. The pics are fun though. We found funny glasses in the free bin, and I finally saw sister vig when I had my camera with me. Thank goodness too, because she's leaving for the Phillippines this week. Well I can't really think of anything else that I need to tell you right now. Other than I love you guys, but yall already know that. Hope everyone's doing okay!
Anyways, my teacher irmao walker is the hardest teacher in the world. I'm not even joking, by 9:00 I would be just about in tears and thinking I STILL HAVE 30 MORE MINUTES!! 10:30 is the best time in the world . I sent a letter yesterday, so it should be getting there soon. I'm reading the scriptures in Portuguese now. I understand a good amount of it, but I still use the dictionary and the scriptures to solidify the words I don't know. I can read Portuguese really well, and apparently my pronunciation is very portuguese like. Mas it is hard because all the girls that are in my district are fluent spanish speakers and they all speak so fast and I can't really respond. They also don't like speaking portuguese because they're die hard spanish speakers, so it's been really hard. It's hard going from 5 in the morning until 10:30 at night with no breaks. Yesterday, I had a melt down in my last class. My lessao with Helder didn't really go very well, and then it was killing me that all the sisters could speak to him so easily and I couldn't find the words. I didn't even get through the lessao. He told me I ran out of time, and so we had to finish up. Being a missionary is so hard. But I know that I'm supposed to do this. I feel so strongly that this is what I need to do, and even if it kills me, I gotta keep pushing forward- persevero ate o fim! But it's been good. I was so ready to go the temple this morning and just enjoy P-Day!!! I love the food, but it's kind of hard on the stomach after a while. We have breakfast at 6, lunch at 11 and dinner at 4. so then by breakfast we're starving again. But today we ate at the cafeteria at the temple. I testify that it is manna from heaven. So good!
Let's see. I'm trying to think of things that happen but the days are all starting to blur together. I love singing in the MTC choir. I guess the week after we leave, they're going to be singing in a CES fireside or for the prophet or something. I'm still praying hard and fervantly for the visa to come through. I know it will. I know that I am supposed to be in Goiania. I can't wait to go to Brazil. One of our language helpers is from brasil. He googled earthed our area. Parts are super metropolitan, and parts are SUPER GHETTO! It's about to get crazy, but I am a world of excited right now. I love being here. I love the people. My district is so funny. Our zone only has 4 girls right now, but apparently they are going to have like... 8 come in tomorrow. They're also going to be opening up another mtc in new mexico or somehting. Cool, right?
Every day has been such an adventure, and I know that the only way that this is possible is because we have help from the Lord. There would be NO OTHER WAY. I have seen such amazing things happen here. It's really amazing! Ummmmmmmmmmm...... I'm trying to think if I have anything else to report right now. We had to watch Sister Monson's funeral on Sunday. I was a little upset because I wanted to watch the Joseph Smith movie. We watched the testaments last sunday, and it was so funny. But it was cool as well because we know that after this life, there is SO much more, so it wasn't a sad occasion. But I tell ya what, I don't think I've seen president monson look like that since he spoke right before Hinckley passed away. I'm glad that we have such a great knowledge. The Plan of Salvation is so awesome. It's hard to describe to someone who isn't mormon, but it's super cool. I memorized a few scriptures in Portuguese. Lets see.... I'll email pics in a little bit, and maybe email a little more later. Love you all!
Sister Marshall
***********Updated letter sent that evening*********************
I did in fact receive the boxes. my district leader gave me a package slip 10 minutes after the mail room closed on saturday, so I couldn't get it until today, but tudo bem! Anyways, I'll be fine. It's just been really hard, but I guess I knew a mission wouldn't be easy. It's just hard in ways I didn't even imagine. Today, me and my companion raided the free bins from all of the residence halls since tons of missionaries left yesterday. I got a couple cute shirts, and I'll probably just put them back when I leave the MTC. Also, everyone is pretty much sick in the MTC. Oh, also do you remember that missionary who had viral menengitus? They sent her home for a couple weeks to get better, but apparently she's walking now without a cane or help. It's way cool. I can't really think of anything else to say. The MTC is jam packed right now. And tomorrow, theres supposedly going to be 1200 missionaries coming in to tomorrow. So there will be about 9,000 people in the MTC. But yeah, the common cold spreads like the plague, and a few other things are getting passed along as well. Bleh! Anyways, tell Angelee and Ashley I'm sending them a letter that will be there in a few days, so they can get ready for that. Oh, and thanks for the chocolates, my roommates want to say thank you as well. But yeah, other than all the craziness, I think I'm doing pretty well. I'm just reminding myself that my trials are for a small moment, and I just need to endure 'em well. The pics are fun though. We found funny glasses in the free bin, and I finally saw sister vig when I had my camera with me. Thank goodness too, because she's leaving for the Phillippines this week. Well I can't really think of anything else that I need to tell you right now. Other than I love you guys, but yall already know that. Hope everyone's doing okay!