Dear Family,
Hello. Life is wonderful! I am on my last Pday. I can´t believe how fast this time has gone! I´ve been learning a lot and made it through a lot of ´growing pains´. J
We went to the São Paulo temple today. It was our second time in Portugues. We ended up being in the same session as Elder and Sister Newman (the missionary couple that is going to watch Emily while Mom and Dad are at conference). What a small world! I know them b/c they serve in a branch presidency here at the CTM.
I leave for the mission field on Tuesday!!! I´m so excited/nervous. So...we´re going to talk about something else.
I am going to conduct the choir Sunday night singing I Know that My Redeemer Lives. It´s a really pretty arrangement that is on na EFY CD. Hopefully that will go well. I´m also going to be playing the Brazilian national anthem and the opening and closing hymns for the fireside!
I want to share some notes I took from my branch president this last Sacrament meeting. He shared the story with Saul and the Amalekites. ´Obedience is better than sacrifice.´ --1 Sam 15:22. The first mile is the obligation for the good missionary. The second mile is the place of blessings for the excellent missionary. I decided I am going to work harder than I have every worked before (even selling books). The Lord deserves my very best! (more than Southwestern) J
Anyways, that´s about all for this week. I need to go get my last Hep A and B shot! L I hope everything is going well for y´all. I hope Mark had a good birthday and that the power gets turned back on soon in Houston. I´m happy everyone was safe from that storm.
May God bless you all!
--Sister Rachel Ellis
p.s. I hope Mom was able to get everything done with Spencer. I can´t believe he´s already in the MTC! Time flies! I was just remembering what a cute little boy he was. Remember with the gallon of milk and dad making him fold his arms for the prayer so he made sure his finger was on it?! HAHAHA!
p.p.s.
My mission address is:
Missão Brasil Cuiabá
Av. Hist. Rubens de Mendonça, 1731
Salas 8, 9, e 10 -- Bosque da Saúde
78050--000 --- Cuiabá --MT
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Tudo bem?!
Greetings, family, from Brazil! This is the very first email sent out by Sister Rachel Ellis! You all, as the recipients of said email, should feel very privileged! :)
Wow! I don´t even know where to start. I am a sister missionary!! Isn´t that crazy? I guess I´ll start from the beginning. Kit kindly took me to the airport Tuesday. We were so early, in checking me in, we had enough time to go home, eat lunch, and grab my sweater that I´d left on the counter. I made some friends on my plane rides which wasn´t very conducive to sleeping, but oh well! In Dallas, I had no idea which gate to go to for my flight to Brazil because the monitors weren´t working. I heard a group of people speaking Portuguese and started walking with them b/c they were going to Brazil and knew where to go. It was very fun to speak Portuguese. We talked for a long time. Finally, other missionaries started arriving at the gate. It was weird to introduce myself as Sister Ellis rather than Rachel. J It was kinda awkward b/c no one knew what to say after asking what mission and where you´re from. I tried to fill the silence (surprise, surprise) by talking a lot. That didn´t seem to work so I tried to teach them Thumper. They didn´t seem to take to it very well b/c we didn´t even play one full round. Oh well! I tried!
We arrived in São Paulo at about 5 am. We made it through customs only to discover there was no one there to meet us. I, being the only one who spoke Portuguese, went to call the numbers church travel gave us. I had to buy a calling card. The funny thing was, out of 4 numbers, no one answered! Hahaha! We were a pretty big group too—about 20 missionaries (only 2 sisters). My companion and I were on our way to buy na international card and call the numbers in Utah, when finally the man who was supposed to pick us up arrived.
They took us to the CTM and gave us the basic information meetings and tours of the neighborhood and the CTM. They even took our pictures. How rude to do that right after na all night flight and with no opportunity to get cleaned up! J The best part was that Mom had brought over a huge shoe box full of cookies so that it was waiting for me when I arrived! There were about 4 layers of cookies. I´ve been sharing with the other missionaries so now I´m down to the last layer. They all love Mom. J Thanks so much! That was very thoughtful of you!
We met with the doctor to go over shot records and funny story: I forgot mine at home! Hahaha! I had taken them from my file Monday to check which shots I still needed and instead of packing them, I placed them back in my file! Oh dear! Luckily, I remembered that I had everything but my last Twinrix shot (Hepatitis A&B). The doctor´s wife said she´d take my word for it, but if I got sick, it was my own fault. So...do you think, John/Laura, you could send me my shot records? They are the yellow papers in my brown expanding file in my pink backpack in the closet behind Caitie´s dresser. (Did that make sense?) It´s no rush to send them. I will just need them in 18 months to get back into the USA. Thanks so much!
The CTM is pretty intense, but nothing a veteran of Southwestern can´t handle! ;) I love my companion. Sister Pinzon is from Ontario, CA. (Hear that Mom and Grandma?) She is very kind, calm, and sets a good example for me. She speaks Spanish fluently so she understands basically everything already.
Our district is OK. The elders are funny sometimes, but they don´t know when to stop. They also don´t know how to use their time wisely. Sister Pinzon and I went into a different room to do our Missionary Directed Study Time (MDST) b/c we couldn´t concentrate with them talking the whole time. I also don´t think they like me b/c I already speak Portuguese. I only want to help them, but they take my efforts as me trying to show off. It´s kind of frustrating. I don´t really know what else to do. My branch president said to just be patient with them b/c all the elders start out this way. He said to just continue to lead by example.
I might not be with them for much longer anyways. One of the secretaries at the CTM ´interviewed´ me to see if I could handle being moved into a Brazilian district. I would like it a lot! I´m fine staying the whole 9 weeks at the CTM like Dad (I think) wants me to. I would just like to feel like I´m using my time wisely. Right now, I have to sit in the basic grammar classes with the other missionaries and veg. The teachers don´t really want me to answer b/c the other missionaries need to learn. It is pretty frustrating. I would be fine even if I could sit outside the classroom and study Pregar Meu Evangelho (Preach My Gospel in Portuguese). I just can´t study with other noise going on. Dad, Mom, and Emily are coming to the CTM Devotional tonight so I will talk to them then. I´m so excited to see them!
This morning, we went to the Campinas temple. It was such a great experience! I was there with Mom, Dad, Spencer, and Emily when that temple was dedicated in 2002. It was great to be back. When we got back from the temple, I introduced my companion to pasteis (I had chicken, palm heart, and catupiry cheese). She loved them. We mailed letters and then came to email. Now, I need to go buy water bottles and then we are going to get some vitaminas. I love Brazil!!
Anyways, how are all of you? Sorry, that was very rude of me to not ask til the very end of this huge email. I hope Spencer made it safely to wherever he drove to. I hope Kit makes it safely to France traveling by herself with the two girls. Thanks, again, Kevin, for letting her stay. I really appreciate your sacrifice. It was so good to see everyone before I left. Thanks again for all coming down and doing so much for the open house. I have been blessed with such a wonderful family! Becky—are you still feeling OK? I felt impressed to put your name on the prayer list at the temple today. I´ll be praying for you too.
I´m sorry this is one of those massive emails. I wish I had time to write you all individually. I hope you know that. Time is short here though on a missionary schedule. I love you all so very much! May God bless you!
Love, Sister Rachel Ellis
P.S. If you ever want to send anything via snail mail in the next little bit use this address for me:
Sister Rachel Jane Ellis
Mailbox # 04 District 35B
Missão Brazil Cuiaba
Centro de Treinamento Missionário
Rua Padre Antônio D´Angelo, 121—Casa Verde
CEP 02516-040-São Paulo—SP
BRAZIL
Special note: Don´t send any packages after the 4th week to the CTM address. You can still keep sending normal mail here and they can forward it once I´m in the field. Otherwise, just use the mission address on my facebook profile. I´ll keep you all updated with how long I´ll be here at the CTM.
Wow! I don´t even know where to start. I am a sister missionary!! Isn´t that crazy? I guess I´ll start from the beginning. Kit kindly took me to the airport Tuesday. We were so early, in checking me in, we had enough time to go home, eat lunch, and grab my sweater that I´d left on the counter. I made some friends on my plane rides which wasn´t very conducive to sleeping, but oh well! In Dallas, I had no idea which gate to go to for my flight to Brazil because the monitors weren´t working. I heard a group of people speaking Portuguese and started walking with them b/c they were going to Brazil and knew where to go. It was very fun to speak Portuguese. We talked for a long time. Finally, other missionaries started arriving at the gate. It was weird to introduce myself as Sister Ellis rather than Rachel. J It was kinda awkward b/c no one knew what to say after asking what mission and where you´re from. I tried to fill the silence (surprise, surprise) by talking a lot. That didn´t seem to work so I tried to teach them Thumper. They didn´t seem to take to it very well b/c we didn´t even play one full round. Oh well! I tried!
We arrived in São Paulo at about 5 am. We made it through customs only to discover there was no one there to meet us. I, being the only one who spoke Portuguese, went to call the numbers church travel gave us. I had to buy a calling card. The funny thing was, out of 4 numbers, no one answered! Hahaha! We were a pretty big group too—about 20 missionaries (only 2 sisters). My companion and I were on our way to buy na international card and call the numbers in Utah, when finally the man who was supposed to pick us up arrived.
They took us to the CTM and gave us the basic information meetings and tours of the neighborhood and the CTM. They even took our pictures. How rude to do that right after na all night flight and with no opportunity to get cleaned up! J The best part was that Mom had brought over a huge shoe box full of cookies so that it was waiting for me when I arrived! There were about 4 layers of cookies. I´ve been sharing with the other missionaries so now I´m down to the last layer. They all love Mom. J Thanks so much! That was very thoughtful of you!
We met with the doctor to go over shot records and funny story: I forgot mine at home! Hahaha! I had taken them from my file Monday to check which shots I still needed and instead of packing them, I placed them back in my file! Oh dear! Luckily, I remembered that I had everything but my last Twinrix shot (Hepatitis A&B). The doctor´s wife said she´d take my word for it, but if I got sick, it was my own fault. So...do you think, John/Laura, you could send me my shot records? They are the yellow papers in my brown expanding file in my pink backpack in the closet behind Caitie´s dresser. (Did that make sense?) It´s no rush to send them. I will just need them in 18 months to get back into the USA. Thanks so much!
The CTM is pretty intense, but nothing a veteran of Southwestern can´t handle! ;) I love my companion. Sister Pinzon is from Ontario, CA. (Hear that Mom and Grandma?) She is very kind, calm, and sets a good example for me. She speaks Spanish fluently so she understands basically everything already.
Our district is OK. The elders are funny sometimes, but they don´t know when to stop. They also don´t know how to use their time wisely. Sister Pinzon and I went into a different room to do our Missionary Directed Study Time (MDST) b/c we couldn´t concentrate with them talking the whole time. I also don´t think they like me b/c I already speak Portuguese. I only want to help them, but they take my efforts as me trying to show off. It´s kind of frustrating. I don´t really know what else to do. My branch president said to just be patient with them b/c all the elders start out this way. He said to just continue to lead by example.
I might not be with them for much longer anyways. One of the secretaries at the CTM ´interviewed´ me to see if I could handle being moved into a Brazilian district. I would like it a lot! I´m fine staying the whole 9 weeks at the CTM like Dad (I think) wants me to. I would just like to feel like I´m using my time wisely. Right now, I have to sit in the basic grammar classes with the other missionaries and veg. The teachers don´t really want me to answer b/c the other missionaries need to learn. It is pretty frustrating. I would be fine even if I could sit outside the classroom and study Pregar Meu Evangelho (Preach My Gospel in Portuguese). I just can´t study with other noise going on. Dad, Mom, and Emily are coming to the CTM Devotional tonight so I will talk to them then. I´m so excited to see them!
This morning, we went to the Campinas temple. It was such a great experience! I was there with Mom, Dad, Spencer, and Emily when that temple was dedicated in 2002. It was great to be back. When we got back from the temple, I introduced my companion to pasteis (I had chicken, palm heart, and catupiry cheese). She loved them. We mailed letters and then came to email. Now, I need to go buy water bottles and then we are going to get some vitaminas. I love Brazil!!
Anyways, how are all of you? Sorry, that was very rude of me to not ask til the very end of this huge email. I hope Spencer made it safely to wherever he drove to. I hope Kit makes it safely to France traveling by herself with the two girls. Thanks, again, Kevin, for letting her stay. I really appreciate your sacrifice. It was so good to see everyone before I left. Thanks again for all coming down and doing so much for the open house. I have been blessed with such a wonderful family! Becky—are you still feeling OK? I felt impressed to put your name on the prayer list at the temple today. I´ll be praying for you too.
I´m sorry this is one of those massive emails. I wish I had time to write you all individually. I hope you know that. Time is short here though on a missionary schedule. I love you all so very much! May God bless you!
Love, Sister Rachel Ellis
P.S. If you ever want to send anything via snail mail in the next little bit use this address for me:
Sister Rachel Jane Ellis
Mailbox # 04 District 35B
Missão Brazil Cuiaba
Centro de Treinamento Missionário
Rua Padre Antônio D´Angelo, 121—Casa Verde
CEP 02516-040-São Paulo—SP
BRAZIL
Special note: Don´t send any packages after the 4th week to the CTM address. You can still keep sending normal mail here and they can forward it once I´m in the field. Otherwise, just use the mission address on my facebook profile. I´ll keep you all updated with how long I´ll be here at the CTM.
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