Tudo bem everyone!!! I have officially completed my first
week here in the São Paulo, Brazil CTM and life is good! Typical week includes
getting up at 6h30 everyday and being in classes and studying most of the day
learning portuguese and how to be a missionary with exercise time thrown in
every day too. Sundays though we have church, choir, and devotional and free
time and that is awesome. Today is p-day (kind of like a more free day that we
have once a week) and we actually have to wake up earlier than usual to go to
the Temple (São Paulo temple is GORGEOUS google it), then email everyone, and
go wander the neighborhood:) That is very nice since it can get claustrophobic
being inside here all the time. Unfortunately I don't think I can send pictures
while here, but you'll get some eventually. The first day was honestly pretty
difficult! I was missing home, I hadn't slept in something like 36 hours
because of the long flight, and everyone was speaking portuguese to me (it is
pretty much a total immersion program here) and I was just stressed! Now
though, I am loving it! Minhas companheras são MUITO bem!!! I have two
companions and they are sweet and hilarious and think I'm hilarious, so there is
not much more I could ask for! We also have two Brazilian roommates and they
are some of my favorite people ever! Sister Miranda and Sister Cousta are
delightful. They help us speak Portuguese and we help them with their English
(although their english is way better than our Portuguese hahaha). I am
definitely going to cry when they leave next tuesday, since they are from
Brazil and don't have to learn a language they are only here for 12 days. My
district (group I study with and do activities with every day) is amazing as
well and funny! Sometimes it is hard making eight 18 year old boys focus for
tons of hours a day, but they're actually all really good guys too. We all had
a moment Sunday night where we discussed why we were here and such after
watching a devotional by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. It is actually a 2013 Provo
MTC address, but LOOK IT UP AND WATCH THE WHOLE THING. He talks a lot about why
missionary work is important and why we're so lucky to have the gospel and
share it. He also talks a lot about staying strong after the mission and
doesn't mince words about return missionaries who go astray in life. Overall
though, it was just such a powerful video and made us all think about what
we're doing here. We've all been under a lot of stress (learning a foreign
language and being pushed to speak it as much as possible all day can get
stressful) and everyone opened up a lot. It was a good moment for bonding as a
district, getting to know each other, and discovering a renewed sense of
purpose and confidence for why we're here. Giving up the life you knew for
18-24 months is a sacrifice, but I have already felt the incredible joys of
being a full time missionary. I used to think missionaries were just being
dramatic when they described their missions as containing the highest highs and
the lowest lows, but I am only a week in and I already know that they weren't
kidding! I know this is going to be the hardest thing I have ever done, but I
also know it is the BEST! So go on a mission, all the cool kids are doing it;)
Also, study some Portuguese because by the time I come home I am going to not
speak english so well, so if you want to communicate with me it will be the
only way ;) I love and miss everyone! I hope everything is going well back home
(KY, Utah, pretty much anywhere on the North American continent) and that
everyone is doing well and making good choices! I wish I could write about
everything, but it honestly feels like I've been here at least a month and
there is way too much to even sum up! I am writing in my journal daily so maybe
I'll let some of you read it when I get back.
Life is good! Choose the right! Watch that address by Elder
Holland foreals!
Much love,
Sister Neal
PS: Email me and write me letters, I appreciate it:)
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