18 March 2009

Hi Everyone,

I'm still not sure what to write about. Things are still pretty normal here in the CTM. I have just under four weeks left before I get shipped out into the mission field. It turns out that the week I stayed home counts as my first week in the MTC, so 1 week home + 2 weeks Provo + 2 weeks São Paulo + 4 weeks left in São Paulo = 9 weeks in training.

The cookies here at Mr. Cheney Cookies are really good (and almost Lyn-appropriate size-wise). Jay bought me a couple of small care packages with cookies and American candy. The recipes are the same as at the Cookie Cookery, so I guess Lyn was right about our cookies not needing to be so small.

There *is* air conditioning at the CTM, but only in the classrooms, cafeteria, and auditorium. It has been nowhere near as hot as it was my first week, though. The stores here are open to the air. Even the ones with normal entrance doors keep them open. If you ever come to Brazil, don't rent a car. Traffic is wild.

I am dying, dying, dying for American food. There is a hamburger stand at the corner that my district ate at today. Pretty good. Not 100% American, but still good. Bishop Cheney made a comment in a previous letter that I was probably tired of rice and beans. If you run into him, let him know he was right! Rice and beans twice a day really gets to you. Potatoes are a gem when they're served.

But enough about food, you want to know about life, right? Tomorrow we'll be tested on how well we can teach the first lesson in Portuguese. Elder Pond and I are pretty good, if I say so myself, but we still have a long way to go (like the whole Portuguese language).

I know we're supposed to leave behind all worries about family and country, but my district always tries to weasle information out of our teachers. Word around here is that JP Morgan & Chase went under. True? I don't know. Don't tell me. Just laugh to yourselves if I've been hearing bad news.

Again, here I am with fifteen minutes to spare, and I don't know what to write about. I do miss you all very much. I'm glad to hear that Vinnie is doing okay. I haven't heard about him in some time, and I was starting to think that he died since I asked you not to write about anyhting bad that was happening. That would be the best way to do it: just not mention him for two years.

MissionTies seems to be very reliable. Sometimes letters take two days to arrive instead of one. I should start using it to send letters home, that way I won't have to send out all my top-secret information through family emails.

I think the hardest thing about learning in the CTM now is staying on task. After four hours of continuous study, it's too easy to drift off talking about other things. I'm starting to count the times we end up talking about the last days. Some of the less common topics are U.S. news and hidden Nephite treasure in Utah (don't ask). I try to be a voice of reason if at all possible ( "It says here in the scriptures..." ), but I think I should just spend more time focusing on the language and the Gospel.

Again, I had a spiritual thought, but I didn't bring any materials with me, so I promise, promise, promise that next time will be the time. My Old Testament study is going well. Trust me, there are plenty of interesting treasures hidden in there. For something good, try looking around 1 Kings 18 for a story about the King of Syria and Ahab, the King of Israel.

The time has come to log off, but I want you all to know how much I love you. Thank you so much for supporting me here is Brazil. This place works like clockwork. I know the Lord is behind it. I know he loves each of us more than we can know, and I know he will return. Have a great week!