Arrival in Campinas Mission and Botucatu area

Oi!

So this past week has been an adventure! We left the CTM Tuesday at around 11:30am, took a mission vehicle for about an hour to the mission home in Campinas, which was gorgeous. We had lunch, and an orientation with the assistants to the president, and interviews with the mission president. President Tanner is a cool guy and has a great sense of humor. Sister Tanner was really nice too. After the orientation, we all rode the mission vehicles to the mission office and received an orientation from the secretaries. With my little Portuguese knowledge, I was able to understand the majority of what was said during the meetings - we will have another one in a few weeks.

Then we got our companheiros! Okay, so my companheiro is Elder Hill. He is from Farmington, Utah. All else I know about him is that he's a cool guy, er, Elder. Today is our P-day so we haven't taught any lessons yet; however, we're meeting with three investigators later today and doing contacts! I don't know what to expect - all I know so far is that I can barely communicate with the people here. Anyways, we were running late so we missed the bus to our area after the meeting of the companions, so we ended up staying at the mission home last night. We got to talk with Sister Tanner, President Tanner was gone at a meeting for most of the time.

The next morning President Tanner drove us over to the bus station, which is huge! It's like a mini airport. We met up with some other Elders and took a huge charter-like bus to the city Botucatu. Then we hiked (literally) to the home of the Elders we were with, stayed there a while, and then left and took the public bus to our mission area (Botucatu 1st Branch). I think the bus had square tires...I didn't look. At some parts it was literally like riding a roller coaster. Which is fun, unless you're standing and trying to stablilize four pieces of luggage.

We got off the bus and hiked some more and found our humble abode. I sent some pictures [see below]...it's really not as bad as it looks.  The previous missionaries left a total mess throughout the house so we are going to clean it up. Anyways, I'm here safe and sound, and realizing this is the real deal - I am actually doing what I've only read about or seen on TV.

OK, that's all for tday. Eu amo-os todos! [I love you all!]

---

The Campinas mission office as captured from Google Maps street view

Botucatu is located in the west portion (left side of map) of the Campinas Mission.  The mission boundaries are outlined in blue above.  Click on the picture for a better view.

The kitchen at AJ's new place -- nothing like cooking with gas!

Good thing he brought clean sheets with him!

---

The following are pics AJ provided from his last week at the MTC...

As AJ explains it:  "This is a bag of bacon flavored fried chip things I bought at a snack store. I don't like them...I think I ended up giving them away to another Elder.  Elder Norman thinks they might actually be dog treats."

Picture of AJ's roommates at the MTC

AJ's district at the MTC. From left to right: Elder Doggett, his twin brother Elder Doggett, Elder Bradford, Elder Reed,  Irmão [Brother] Vilas Boas, Elder Justisen, Elder Illum, Elder Conner, Elder Maughan, Sister Leal, Elder Norman, and Sister Hazelden.

Final Week at the Brazil MTC

Hi everyone!

Yes, I am excited, nervous, anxious, etc. [regarding heading to Campinas]. I still love the CTM but I do want to get out and start working my butt off. It's difficult (for me at least) to really work rigorously here. There's so many distractions. But I'm learning what I can and hopefully my Portuguese will be adequate by the time I leave. I have no idea what to expect in my first area - except that I know I will be giving a talk on my first Sunday there, in Portuguese of course...that might be the thing I'm most worried about.

So, as far as I know I will be leaving Tuesday (June 5th) in the late morning or something.  I'll be on a bus with around 7 or so Americanos and I don't know how many Brazilians. Actually probably a mission vehicle. We might stay the night at the mission home but I'm not sure how that will work.

So real quick, some stuff you might think is funny. There is a church here in Brasil that worships on the beach. They have like a surfboard as their podium and a shack as their chapel. Remember the story in the Bible about Jesus walking on water? Their explanation, and what they actually believe, is that he was surfing. Yeah.  Also, Winnie the Pooh here is Ursinho Puff.  Also, there is a funny phrase in Brasil, see if you can translate: "Mulher de bigode, nem o diabo pode"  [Google translate indicates: "Women with a mustache, nor the devil can" -- we'll have to find out more about this one later]

Eu amo voces!!!,

Elder Bradford

---

To commemorate AJ's last week in São Paulo at the Brazil MTC, we decided to order him a 'Big Cookie' at Mr. Cheney Cookies, which is across the street.  Here are pictures they sent:

The cookie reads:  "We love you...and yeah".  When this was ordered, our family received a confused reply from Mr. Cheney Cookies - they we were wondering if they received a complete quote.  We assured them that AJ would get it.  Our family has an inside joke about ending sentences using the phrase '...and yeah'.

Elder Norman and Elder Conner (who arrived recently from the Provo MTC) enjoyed the cookie with AJ.  Elder Conner will also be serving in the Campinas mission.

May 23rd letters

Oi! Tudo bem com vocês?

I'm actually able to read the Portuguese Livro de Mórmon much faster, but I still have to take it word by word. I need to work on applying the new words I find to my lessons, so I can use them in speaking instead of just being able to read them. Irmão Mauricio said that the language in the Livro de Mórmon is not far different from the Portuguese spoken by people today - in fact, he said there are some people who speak exactly in that manner.

He also said that the outskirts of Campinas are total redneck territory. Yes, they have rednecks here, called caipiras. They have a funny accent, plaid clothes and everything.

Real quick, I have like a minute left, here's a quote from a talk given by Elder Bednar (translated into Portuguese and back into English): "The gospel of Jesus Christ serves to comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable." :P interesting, huh?  I'll follow-up later today with a missionties letter.

Love yall!
Elder Bradford

The following is a letter received later that day (click on it to view):

AJ enjoys an American treat

AJ's time in Sao Paulo at the MTC is winding down, so we decided to surprise him with a good 'ole American chocolate shake on his preparation day this past Wednesday.  The picture was taken at Mr. Cheney Cookies, which is across the street from the MTC.  They cater to the many American missionaries that make their way through the area (we placed the order via their website).  His companion, Elder Norman, is apparently quite taken with the event...they treated him with one as well.

Here's a street-view snapshot from Google Maps of their location (you can use the 'Location' link below the picture to see more of the street):

May 16th letter

I haven't told you about the weather here! Now that it's getting into winter, it rains quite a bit. And when it rains, it RAINS. Big, heavy raindrops, not drizzle. So it's not so different from my home weather. Also, I haven't taught you guys any Portuguese! You should send me some phrases or words and I will try to translate them. I have committed myself to read the Livro de Mórmon in Portuguese. So far I have read Alma 14-16. It is a very poignant section, and it really struck me in a different way this time as I read it, probably because I have to read it really slow!

I can share some more comments about the Holy Ghost - O Espírito Santo. We had a lesson a few days ago by Irmão Vilas Boas, where we watched a talk given by Elder Bednar. He explained that we don't always have to identify promptings we have are from the Holy Ghost. I didn't understand it fully, but what I got from it is that I just need to focus on doing the right things, working hard, keeping covenants, and the Holy Ghost will work through me whether I know it or not. How do we obtain the Spirit? We do what we're supposed to. It is a common misconception that we must have a really spiritual feeling inside in order to claim the Spirit is working through us, but it's not always the case. As long as we are doing the best we can, God helps us.

Eu amo vocês! Elder Bradford