Week Two - CTM - Blessing

Oi Everyone!!!

Okay so I'm so sorry I didn't get to finish telling you about last week. Basically, Sundays are the greatest days ever!! With sacrament, class, and devotionals it's so insanely spiritual. I was super sad to see some really awesome Sisters leave this week, but I know they're going to be amazing! They've been like the big sisters of the CTM for me! It's crazy how close you can come to some people in just a super short amount of time.

I have restarted reading the Book of Mormon, I'm determined to read it front to back in both English and Portuguese (an apostle once promised that if you read the Book of Mormon front to back in English and mission language you will become fluent in the language. So I thought I'd give it a try.) Um, this week has been kind of stressful and difficult. I feel like after p-day we all kind of were unfocused. I've struggled a lot with understanding the language. I know that if I knew what they were saying I'd be able to respond.

But I got a blessing yesterday from Elder Kozlowski. He's incredible, and he said something that really stuck out to me. He said that I need to be patient with the gift of tongues and that through my faith it will work out. I really needed to hear that. I'm glad to have such amazing elders in my district that are so in tune with the spirit that they can tell me everything I need to hear.

Other than that its really just been the same stuff. Classes all day. Lots of studying. I really love the Book of Mormon. It's such an amazing book.

Eu sei que o livro de mormon es verdade. eu sei que Joseph Smith es o profeta de Deus.

It's short and sweet but I know this is the true church. There are so many things in my life that prove that to be true. I love Brazil and I miss you all so much!

Until next week.... much love everyone!

Sister Moss

PS. Temple was great - we went to Sao Paulo today. It's absolutely gorgeous!!!
 

Week One - CTM

Okay so I'm going to type really super fast so, Mom, if things are typed wrong please fix them before you post it ;) oh and everything is from what I write in my notes at night. <Mom Note...I think Sister Moss forgot how to use capital letters! Even with her typing so fast to get everything in, I still only needed to fix her capitalization trouble! Oh and a few apostrophes!>

Tuesday- Today was such a good, but really long day. We technically threw 2 days together and just called it 1. Flew out of PHX to Atlanta and then took a 9 hour flight to São Paulo. We arrived early this morning and were welcomed by a bunch of elders speaking Portuguese at us. Kind of intimidating. I share a room with Sister Barney, Sister Goodrich, and Sister Kearns. They're all incredible, I love them so much already. We kind of had a chill day, other missionaries told us to take advantage of the free time we had so I took a nap!! Then we had choir and I kind of sang to A Child's Prayer. It's way harder to sing in Portuguese. But after singing it a few times I feel like I caught on to the words. It's so cool to hear so many praising God through song in a whole new language. We had a really good devotional too! (but looking at my notes I didn't write a whole lot down, oops).

Wednesday- we started all our classes today and needless to say, it was super stressful. We had orientation and President Snyder said something that was in my patriarchal blessing, super cool! We had our first "investigator" today, it was so cool, we shared the time with Kadie's district and it was so spiritual. Portuguese is intimidating when you first hear it, try to speak it, read it, or write it. Actually all the time. Slowly but surely getting better. 

Thursday- most of our day was spent learning and throwing ourself into the language..which isn't bad, just super stressful and exhausting. We had service and got to help in the laundry room for bedding and stuff. We had so much fun! And then we had physical activity, we played volleyball (we, as in my district and Kadie's district). We really don't have the most athletic group but it was still super fun to bond with them all. Honestly they're all so fun and cool people. We had our first real lesson today, all in Portuguese, waaaay hard. I can teach in English, I know the doctrine. but when I need to change the language it's sooo much harder. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though. Maybe because Sister Barney was there. She's so much better with the language than I am. She basically answers all the questions. But I can give a very simple prayer, bear a very simple testimony. So at least I'm progressing. 

Friday- I was so done today. My brain didn't work at all today. We studied all day and I feel like I didn't figure anything out and nothing was sinking in. I feel so far behind in the language compared to my district... I'm studying every day and every night, I don't know why I'm not getting it. Not much else happened today. 

Saturday- Elder Barraza is our district leader and is spiritually strong. He shared a devotional (we do one every night) and he shared about how he came to know that this is where the Lord needs him. He shared some scriptures D&C 18:10, 15-16 I really love these verses. They helped me to know my purpose here, and made me even more excited to get out into the field. 

Sunday- (I have 5 mins left, I'll try and hurry) but Sundays are definitely my favorite day in the CTM. Sacrament meeting was in English, minus the speakers who decided to practice their Portuguese more, but I understood some of what they were saying. I met some really awesome sisters,S ister Kapp, Sister Driggs, Sister Colton, and Sister Westover (unfortunately went home for health issues) but they are so incredible.Sister Westover taught relief society and spoke about the priesthood, I already knew the priesthood was amazing but I think I kind of took it for granted and didn't take advantage of it as much as I should/could have. I'm sorry! But it was so good! 

I'm out of time but I'll be sure to write about the rest of my week next time. It's truly so spiritual here all the time and I love it so much. Brazil is gorgeous and I'm already in love with it. I love you all and miss you tons!!!! 

My District

Elder Barraza

Elder Goodwin

Elder Bates

Elder Kozlowski

Sister Kearns

Sister Barney

Sister Goodrich

Sister Southwick

Sister Skelton

LOVE THEM!!!!

We Made it!

Hey guys! 

WE MADE IT!! Brazil is so gorgeous, and really really humid. The flights were crazy long but really fun. We met up with 22 other missionaries in Atlanta! My first companion is Sister Barney!!! For those who don't know, I've actually been in contact with Sister Barney for the past few months. Absolutely love her! All the sisters we met are incredible and so fun. Wish I could send pictures but unfortunately we are not allowed to send pictures while we are in the CTM. You can send them but I can not. So be prepared for an over load of pictures as soon as I'm out in the field. Um I'm almost 99% sure, but I think my P-day is Wednesday. So you'll hear from me next week not tomorrow. Every P-Day we get to go to the temple, I'm so stoked! Oh my goodness, the driving here is just like Puerto Rico. It's so scary and I'm so glad I'm so glad to be in a walking mission! 

Love you all! Miss you tons already, but I know this is where the Lord needs me!!! 

oh, one more thing.  so tonight is kind of a chill day. we don't really have any class today, just choir and a devotional, hopefully some sleep! its rumor that one of the apostles is in town but unfortunately will not be stopping by the CTM today...

Elders and Sisters who entered the CTM with me

A Letter from the CTM President:

Dear Parents,

Sister Grahl and I are very happy to let you know that your missionary has arrived safely at the Brazil Missionary Training Center.  What a great joy and privilege it is to greet each missionary as they begin their missionary experiences with us! We will surely take good care of your missionary.  

                                                                                                   

The missionaries now have companions and are settled into their rooms.  They are assigned to a district with capable and caring instructors for language and lesson study.  Their branch presidents and wives will meet them this Sunday.  These wonderful couples are richly blessed as they work with, motivate, and interview the missionaries assigned to their branch.

The MTC has a physician to care for their health needs. We are also happy to report that the MTC food is plentiful, healthy and very good.
 

Your missionary will be able to e-mail home on Preparation Day after a morning at the Temple.  This will be either Wednesday or Friday, depending on individual assignments.

Your missionary is about to make an eternal difference in the lives of many others. President Lorenzo Snow said: “There is no mortal man that is as interested in the success of an elder when he is preaching the Gospel as is the Lord who sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord's children".  We love these missionaries as if they were our own.  We will watch over them carefully to ensure they are ready for a wonderful missionary experience after the rewarding time they will have in the MTC.

We thank you for preparing such a wonderful representative of the Lord.

Pres. Paulo R. Grahl and Sister Zuleika M. Grahl

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  

PlEASE DO not send packages to the Brazil Missionary Training Center. All packages must be sent directly to the mission where your missionary will be serving, not the MTC. If you have already mailed a package to the Brazil MTC, please understand that the package cannot be forwarded to his or her mission and will be returned to you.

WE Strongly eNCOURAGE sENDING HAND WRITTEN LETTERS. Please write your missionary´s first and last name. Your missionary will provide you with his district and box number. Also, please DO NOT SEND ANYTHING BY FEDEX, DHL, UPS, or other private carriers.  The cost to process this type of correspondence is exorbitant.