Half way?!?!; Pioneer Day in Brazil :-)

Hello again from the CTM!

 

It's been another great week, and time is seriously flying.  Someone pointed out yesterday that in TWO weeks we'll be going out proselyting in São Paulo for our first time, and then the NEXT Tuesday we'll be on our way to the field!  Isn't that crazy?  It feels like yesterday that I was saying goodbye to all of you at the Salt Lake Airport... :) 

Besides all the normal classes and studying and teaching, we've had some pretty cool experiences this week.  On Friday we had TRC again, only this time was a little bit different....we got to be investigators!  They usually only have the oldest districts do that, so we were kind of surprised when they told us it was our turn.  I loved being an investigator.  It's definitely a lot less stressful than trying to have to teach a lesson and find out what the investigator needs you to help them understand...  An elder in my district was the main investigator, and I was there as his "sister".  The missionaries teaching us were there for their very first time at TRC, and they did such a good job!  It reminded me of the first time I had TRC, struggling to express the principles of the gospel in the little Portuguese I knew...not that I don't do that anymore, just....not quite as much.   :)  It made me laugh because the lesson actually started out the exact same way as my first TRC:  (Awkward silence.....)  "Trabalho?"  hahaha...good times. 

On Sunday we had our half-way interviews with our branch presidency!  HALF. WAY.  Sheesh. So weird.  :)  It was super awesome, especially because I got a new branch when I switched districts so I hadn't been interviewed by this president yet.  It was fun to get to meet him and talk with him a little bit about my experience at the CTM so far.  Before we started the interview he had me pray in Portuguese, so I did, and afterwards he looked up and said, "Where did you learn Portuguese??"  I wasn't sure if that was a trick question or not, so I hesitated for a second and then answered "Uhm.....here?"  :)  He looked surprised and told me how good my Portuguese was, especially for being a week behind my district.  It was SO good to hear that.  Definitely a confidence boost.  :) 

Yesterday was PIONEER DAY!!  We had a special fireside in the evening with a lot of pioneer stories and songs.  It was really great, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have realized that it was Pioneer Day otherwise.  :)  But it was a really fun night, and a great celebration of the holiday.  It was so cool to hear so many stories of sacrifice and complete commitment to the gospel...I'm so grateful for the examples of the pioneers!  There are so many that literally gave their lives for this gospel, so really, it's the least I can do to give 18 months.  :)  It sounds like you guys had a lot of fun celebrating back in Utah too!  I miss that!  When I realized what day it was I immediately thought of Mom in her pioneer outfit, leading a parade of Primary children around the block... :) 

Thanks so much for sending all those pictures, I LOVED it!!!  It looks like you had so much fun at the reunion, I wish I could have been there!  Jamie and Megan both have SUPER cute outfits.... ;)  And Megan as Maleficent!!!  Aaaahh.  So awesome.  The costume is perfect, if only I could hear the cackle that goes with it!  ;)

Well, I'm out of time once again.  I love you all so much!  I sent a postcard today, so keep an eye out for it! 

 

Love,

 

Sister Melissa Gee

First "baptism"; Churrasco!; Singing lessons for District 24-B

Helloooo everyone!!!  It's been another amazing week, and I have so much I want to tell you all about!  I swear, this 30 minutes of email time is the most stressful part of my week.  It goes SO fast, and I feel like I never have enough time to reply to all of your emails.  :P  I'm sorry, but know that I really appreciate all of them and wish I could respond! 

This past week I was SICK...gross congestion and a nasty cough and no happiness involved at all.  It made it pretty hard to study and teach, but I suffered through it and I think I'm almost completely through it now.  Thank goodness.  :)  There's so much coming up this next week, so I'm definitely grateful to be healthy again. 

Our first "investigator" is getting baptized today, which we've been REALLY excited about.  It's amazing how much happiness we feel for an investigator that isn't even real... hard to imagine how much HAPPIER we'll be when it's a real person accepting the gospel and changing their lives to come unto Christ!!  I'm guessing we'll be getting a new investigator to teach tomorrow, and the second one is supposed to be a lot more challenging....but it will be fun, and I'm looking forward to it.

Today we were able to go to the temple again, and then one of our teachers, Irmão Mauricio, took us to a churrasco place, a lot like Tucanos.  It was DELICIOUS, and so much fun to get out of the CTM and try some authentic Brazilian food.  Ahh, the food here is so good.  Oh, and Jamie, I've definitely tried the guarana and grape juice thing.  AMAZING.  Squeeze a lime in and it's absolutely perfection.  :)

 I've definitely been loving my time with the new district.  This last week we played basketball together during gym, and I had a ton of fun even though I'm definitely not very good.  The elders are really nice and patient with the sisters, so we all have fun playing together.  Oh, and one night all the sisters in our district had a yoga night...so much fun, and I'm pretty sure that never would have happened in my last district with all the elders.  Sister Keller and Sister Ellis are the other companionship of sisters in our district, and I LOVE them so much!!!  They're the funnest, sweetest girls, and we have so much fun together!  :)  We also decided to start having "singing lessons" during our study time in the evening, which is verrry much needed....singing is not the biggest strength of district 24-B.  :)  I sat at the piano and played while Sister Brundage tried to slooowly walk everyone through a scale.  It was so much fun to sit with everyone around the piano, singing and laughing and just having fun together.  :)

Sister Brundage and I are working on a musical number we want to perform in a devotional in a few weeks.  You know that beeeeautiful arrangement of "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul" from 17 Miracles?  I love it SO much, and it's so much fun to play, especially with Sister Brundage's amazing voice singing! 

Well everyone, thanks so much for your love and support.  It means so much to me.  :)  I'll write again next week, and try to answer your questions more. 

I love you ALL so much!!!

 

Sister Gee

New district, new companions; TIRO - TIme is Running Out

Querida Familia,

I'm guessing that Jared probably told you why I didn't email yesterday....I've been moved to a new district, and I have TWO new companheiras!!!!!  I'm SO excited about it, even though it's kind of sad to not be with Jared all the time.  We're even on different meal schedules now, so I usually only see him at devotionals or at lanche, the snack we have right before bed.  But it is sooo good to be with sisters, and I'm already beginning to feel like part of the group.  There are eight people in this district, four elders and four sisters, so now that I'm here we've got them outnumbered!  ;)  My companions are Sister Brundage and Sister Butterfield.  They are both so incredibly sweet and I feel like we have a lot in common.  We've had some very enthusiastic conversations about musicals, Jane Austen novels, opera .... yep, I think we're going to get along.  :) 

We've taught three lessons as a companionship already, and I've only been with them since Saturday.  Crazy!  They are both awesome teachers, and I feel like I'm learning so much.  It's VERY different from teaching with elders...haha :)  I'm really loving it so far.  They have been here one week longer that me, so I'm a little bit behind in the language, but I think I'll be able to keep up.  I'm not sure how long I'm going to be with them, since I'll probably go back to my original district once my companion in Provo gets her visa.  (Her name is Sister Young, by the way.  I don't think I mentioned that before.)  :)

I also have new teachers now, Irmão Mauricio and Irmã Pozete.  They are both REALLY great, and they speak Portuguese pretty much the entire class...which is hard, since my previous teachers mostly spoke English, but I know it's going to be so good for me.  I think understanding other people is the HARDEST part about the language so far.  I can read it, and I can speak it pretty well, but the understanding is not coming as easily.  They talk so fast!  :P  But I can tell that it's getting easier.  I'm trying to take more opportunities to talk to Brazilians here, which is really fun.  Even though I always have to ask them to repeat themselves two or three times before I understand, they're really patient and helpful and friendly.  :) 

The district motto is "TIRO", or Time Is Running Out ... a really good reminder that we only have so much time here at the CTM to prepare to be the kind of missionary the Lord needs us to be.  It's funny how it feels like we're going to be here FOREVER...but then I remember that there IS life after the CTM, and we need to be ready for it!  I'm so excited.  One of my original roommates left the CTM for Londrina on Tuesday, and she's going to write and tell me all about it, which will be so awesome. 

I love you guys so much, and pray for you every day!  It sounds like things are going really well back home.  Tell Kyle to write and tell me all about EFY!!  I LOVED EFY...we listen to a lot of the EFY music here at the CTM and it makes me remember how awesome it was.  :)  And I'm super jealous of your awesome vacation, Mom and Dad!  It sounds like you're having a blast.  :) 

Well, keep writing!  I love hearing about what's going on in your lives!  I'm so grateful for all the love and support I feel every time I read your emails.  Thanks for everything. 

Until next week :)

Sister Gee

Companion still lost in Provo; Teaching a real investigator... in PORTUGUESE!!??!

Dear Family,

Hello again from your favorite sister missionary at the CTM!!  :)  It's been another busy week... a lot of awesome things have happened and we've been learning like crazy.  We added a new elder to our district this week!  He was at the Provo MTC for the first week waiting for his visa, but it came and now he's here with us!  His name is Elder Andreas-Miller and most of our elders call him "Elder Hyphen" for short.  :)  He told us that there is one more missionary in Provo who's still waiting on a visa....yep, a sister and my long-lost companheira!  So yes, she does exist!  :)  Now we just have to hope that her visa comes before too long.  In the meantime I'll be here doing the solo-sister thing...it's hard sometimes, but it's okay.  God knows me and He knows why I'm here, and I'm sure He knows why I get to be a solo sister too.  Now I just have to figure it out! :)

Well, everything is going well here.  I'm seriously loving being in Brazil.  The food is sooo good and the weather is perfect.  I've had a couple more opportunities to play piano and sing with different choirs, which has been amazing.  We have THE best teachers and even though the classes are long, we have a ton of fun.  :)  This last Saturday our district had our very first TRC... Everyone in the older districts has been telling us how awful they are ever since we got here, so we definitely weren't super excited for it.  :P  Giving an entirely Portuguese lesson WHILE being filmed and observed by anyone in the MTC who feels like watching...pretty intimidating.  But we had a lesson planned and were feeling pretty confident about it - until we showed up and they told us to forget everything we had planned because we were going to be teaching a REAL investigator, not just another missionary or a member acting as an investigator.  That had us totally panicking.  I don't SPEAK Portuguese, I don't UNDERSTAND Portuguese, and this guy was possibly going to be basing his opinion of the Church off of what we taught in that 20 minutes.  We went in there and did our best to give a good, spiritual lesson.  It went well, even though I don't think I understood a word the investigator said to us, and we survived it.  The three of us in our companionship each had the opportunity to bear our testimonies to him, and even though we spoke very slowly and used very, very basic phrases and vocabulary, I hope that he felt the Spirit.  It was definitely a cool experience, and made me even more excited to learn this language and how to teach people about the gospel.  One of our teachers watched the recording with us later that day and translated so we could actually understand what he had been saying to us during the lesson.  It was so cool to hear him talk about God and life and his family and the gospel...he seemed like an amazing man, so ready to receive the gospel.  I can't wait until I can find people like him in Londrina, when I've learned Portuguese and can actually help to teach them!  :)

Thanks so much for all your emails, love and support.  It means so much to me!  It sounds like things are going great for everyone back at home.  I hope you're all enjoying your summer vacation for me.  :D  Please please write letters!  I would love to hear more from y'all.  I love you so much and am always praying for you.  :)

Love,

Sister Gee

First São Paulo temple visit

We are pleased to be able to send you a picture of your missionary´s recent visit to the temple.  The morning they enter as a group is a very sacred experience for them, and it is an experience that is always anticipated with much excitement. We know they will treasure this remembrance. 

It is a great honor to serve with each of these fine young people and to watch their growth as they learn more about their sacred calling of a missionary.  We have a great love and respect for each one of them.

Thank you for your support for them.  They love to receive emails and letters from you, and feel of your love.  We know that your family will feel the blessings of their service.

Sincerely,

President and Sister Degn

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