First P-Day; Brazil MTC; The "Gees"

Hello everyone!!!  

Today is my very first P-Day here in Brazil, and I'm sooooo excited to be sending my first email home!!!  Thank you so much for all your sweet emails.  It really made my day to hear from you and I appreciate all the love and support I get from you guys.  It definitely helps a lot.  :)  It is SO crazy to think that it's been ONE week since I left home...It honestly feels more like it's been a month or so, though I'm sure the time has flown for you guys.  :) We've been SO so busy, and even though it was sort of overwhelming the first few days, I think I'm getting used to the schedule and MTC life in general.  Well, I sent a letter the day after we arrived here, but I have no idea if you guys have gotten that or not...I think I'll just start from the beginning, so sorry if I'm repeating myself here!  :)

So.  First of all, São Paulo is HUGE!  Apparently it's in the top 3 biggest cities in the world, which I had no idea before I got here.  About 20 million people, I think, and the skyscrapers go on as far as you can see.  It seriously blows my mind... We drove to the temple at 6:30 this morning, about an hour away from the CTM, so we got to see a little bit of the city on our way.  That was nice, especially after being in a classroom all week long.  :)  Oh, and it's not nearly as cold as I was expecting it to be!  It can be kind of chilly and overcast, but today it's BEAUTIFUL and sunshine-y.  I can't wait to go out and spend some free time exploring the city. 

First P-Day:  My District

There are 6 missionaries in our district here, 5 elders and myself...yep, I'm a solo sister.  That's kinda weird and hard sometimes, but the elders are pretty good about looking out for me.  :)  Did you get the picture of us arriving at the MTC?  Don't we look awesome after a long night of sleeping on an airplane?  :)  I think we have a pretty good district, and we all get along really well.  Since I'm the only sister, they have me teach lessons with a companionship of elders....and guess what!  I get to teach with Jared and his companion.  Isn't that awesome?  How many people can say that they're (sort of) companions with their brother?  I'm pretty lucky. :)

Jared and I are feeling pretty famous around here because of that...people refer to us as "the Gees", and we always get people doing double-takes when they see our name tags... "Irmãos???"  haha :)  Yes, we're related.  Yep, he's my brother.  Yep, we love being here together.  :)  Sometimes people have us give each other hugs, just because we can.  :)  Two of my teachers knew Jamie from Porto Alegre, Sister Menezes and Sister Santo de Silva?  I think those were their names.  They both said that Jamie was a wonderful, sweet, loving missionary.  :)  Oh, and on Sunday I met Sister Yamaguchi!!  I'm guessing she probably already told Uncle Zeke, but if she didn't you should let him know!  She was so nice.  I was surprised to run into her so soon after arriving here!   

I have a trio of sisters that I room with, and they are ALL so nice and loving and sweet.  It's their 7th week here, I think, so they'll be leaving pretty soon.  Do you remember me saying that a girl from my trip to Europe was serving a mission in Brazil around the same time as me?  I wasn't sure if I would see her while I was here at the CTM, but I walked into my room that first day, and THERE she was!!  We're roommates!  Her name is Sister Bradley and we were so excited to see each other....it was a happy moment.  haha :) 

I'm finding a lot of opportunities to participate in the music here, too!  We have devotionals on Sundays and Tuesdays, and at the devotional tonight, I'm singing in the special choir for prelude, playing the piano for the general choir during the devotional, and then singing postlude with my three roommates.  Every single musical number.  haha, crazy right?  I'm so excited though!  It's so much fun, and I feel the Spirit so strongly when I'm singing or playing the music...I love it.  :)

Well, I'm running out of time...and I think I've shared most of the exciting news for the moment, so I should probably get this sent.  I've seriously loved being here as a missionary.  It's definitely a special opportunity, and I'm doing my best to appreciate every moment.  The Portuguese is coming slowly but surely, and I can already tell that the Lord is blessing me.  I'm so grateful for that!  It is so wonderful to know that He's watching over Jared and I as we're here learning and studying and growing in the CTM.  I love you all so much!!  Thanks for everything you do...I'm so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends.  I look forward to your emails and letters!!! 
Till next week,
Sister Melissa Gee

Here is a picture of Jared and me arriving in Brazil.  We don't look too bad considering we have been on a plane or in an airport for the past 24 hours.  :-)

Dear Parents,

We are happy to send the good news that your missionary has arrived safely at the Brazil MTC.  What a great joy and privilege it is to greet each missionary as they come through the front door of the MTC for the first time. We promise to take good care of your missionary.

They 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.  The branch presidents and their wives, will soon give them a second greeting.  These couples are rewarded in their callings through the love they always develop as they embrace and watch over the missionaries.
The MTC has a full time live-in physician to care for their health needs.  He is assisted by his able wife. We are also happy to report that the Cafeteria food is abundant 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 Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on individual assignments.
Your very important young person is about to make an eternal difference in the lives of others.  We hope you will be encouraged and comforted by this quote by President Lorenzo Snow: “ 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".
Please accept our love,
President Ralph Degn and Sister Mary Ann Degn