Today Bradley sent his first letter home!
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Dear Family and Friends,
Wow! Where to begin?? Well I only have 30 minutes to do this so don't stress if it isn't "up to par".
I loved everything that you sent me! The letters were inspiring. Once Bentz dropped me off, I went into the main office and they gave me everything I needed. I was then taken to my room to drop everything off, and no Mom, we did not get to unpack and hang everything up then, ha. The rest of the day we spent getting introduced to Portuguese and missionary work. That night we had different role playing situations in which there were 3 rooms and in each room it was a different setting. We were told to get to know the investigator to realize how far he was on his spiritual journey and then teach him what we felt prompted to. The last room had the roughest and toughest guy, he actually cursed...that's when I was beginning to worry. Elder Lambrechsten, my companion, and I were the ones who knocked on his door and taught him and it was easy talking to him, but he was ignorant. But we got through to him! Ever since then we have been learning the language and doctrine, intermixed, 24/7.
The first day we were told to make sure we write home before Sunday...I'm sorry I haven't done that but I have literally had no time, EVEryTHING is planned out. By the first night we were praying in Portuguese. Because of the Spanish that I do know I am able to understand a lot, but things are still different so I don't dare say any of it out loud, Spanish plagues Portuguese. I will come up blank and know the word in Spanish but I dare not say it. Yesterday, as my companion and I were writing our talks for Sunday, some Spanish sisters, or Irmaos, came up to us and began teaching us a lesson. They have been here for 3 weeks and I was correcting their Spanish and reading all of the scriptures they wanted me to...I have since decided to not accept a lesson from any Spanish missionaries, it is too conflicting to try and learn Portuguese and have Spanish on the tip of my tongue. Portuguese is similar to Spanish in some ways, but completely different in others. For instance, a "di or de" makes a "gee" sound. It is really a beast of its own. There is a lot of accent. Oh and "m's" are never pronounced hardly, instead you never close your mouth and make a kind of nasal sound. It is hard to explain.
The food is pretty good too. And the cookies are TO DIE FOR! Especially the sugar cookies, we get as much as we want. Today, for lunch, we had burgers, fries, chocolate milk, a banana, cookies (of course), and something else that I can't remember. But you don't have to worry Mom, I’m being well fed. We met our branch presidency last night...or 2 nights ago, it is hard to remember. But they were great, I love them. They really are inspired. We have to have a talk prepared for every Sunday; they will call 2 missionaries at random...yikes. Since we are new, our talks can be in English for 1 to 2 weeks, and then it's all Portuguese!
My teachers are Irmao Halverson e Irmao Jones. Irmao Jones lived in Brazil for 3 years with his family, his dad was a mission president, and then served in Brazil. So he speaks the best Portuguese, we are lucky to have him. We will be in class for 3 to 4 hours at a time and it feels like 30 minutes. This is the big mystery of the MTC. You feel like the day takes weeks but the days go by so fast (credit to Daniel). It really is crazy.
We just got back from gym time and now we have a half p-day. So I figured this would be a great time to right! In gym time I played volleyball the first day then lifted some the next day. The workout equipment is terrible...that’s what pushups are for I guess. Today we played 4 square and it is easily the best!! It is a rivalry between the "espanmal" elders and the Portuguese elders. They have experience on us but I am confident we will beat them.
So we were challenged to memorize our purpose in English by Sunday but my companion and I have got it down in Portuguese and English!! Now the First vision...that is a daunting thought. Well I am running out of time so_
I love you all so much and I know that I am doing the Lord's will. He has so many children out there that are so lost. That is why I am here. To contain the fullness of his Gospel and show the people of Brazil that God loves them. If I have charity, the pure love of Christ, I can understand them and feel the Savior's love for them. In that moment the spirit will testify to me what I must teach them. I love you all so much and Am grateful that you were given to me. Please keep up the prayer's I need them and Feel them.
Ciao Ciao
Elder Dawson
