PORTUGUESE BOOT CAMP

July 27, 2016

Week two is in the books! I am the happiest I have ever been, I love it here!

1. O Dom de Linguas (Gift of Tongues)
We have teach a fake investigator every day since we have got here for 20 minutes in Portuguese! This week we picked up a second one too. It is hard, but the Lord blesses us! So super cool experience. We were talking about her church experience the sunday before and she basically asked us why girls did not have the priesthood. We were speechless at first, but then the Spirit took over me and I just started talking and I knew words I had never studied and I was able to answer her question!! It was the strongest I have ever felt the Spirit and it was so so cool. The gift of tongues is real!!

2. Brazilian Amigos
There is only 250 missionaries in the MTC with about 80 americans and 50 from other South American Countries, but everyone is so close! I got to be super good friends with Elder Louza, who is my mission president's son! Amazing guy. Also my roommate Elder Melo speaks poor english, but anytime anyone complains about missionary work he belts, Salvation is not a cheap experience! Eternal Life was not supposed to be easy! Makes us all laugh so hard everytime! Brazilians are the most happy, fun going people I have ever met and I love them so much!

3. Actividad Fisica (Physical Activity)
Most days we get an hour in the morning to exercise! They have a track type thing that we have to run 5 laps on before we can do sports. They have two volleyball courts and one basketball court! the balls are totally egg shaped and beat down but that just adds to the authentic brazilian experience! ha we get some good games going and I love getting out of the classroom to do stuff.

4. Portuguese
Not gonna lie, this language kicked my butt the first week! But this week I have been praying so hard to do well with it and I have done so much better! The Lord answers prayers! During our lessons I can more or less talk instead of reading it which is awesome! The schedule here was tough to adjust to at first, but now times just flying and we are learning so much!

5. Comida (Food)
Turns out I haven't put on weight, even though I have consumed my body weight in pineapple! the fruit here is amazing but the cafeteria food here is getting old... Literally had rice and beans for two meals a day since we got here. But it’s P day so we are gonna load up on snacks! everything here is dirt cheap.
Well I love you all, hope everyone is doing great in their lives!

Much love,
Elder Rawson

CTM: Brazilian style!

July 20, 2016 (1st P-day)

Wow what a crazy week it has been! So to spice up your missionary emails I am going to highlight my top 3-5 things that happened that week.

1. CTM, not MTC
Took me like 3 days to figure out that in portuguese it CTM means MTC. But life here is so great!!! It´s a 7 story building and the garden work on this place is beautiful! Naturally they would put us on the 7th floor so we get to climb 108 stairs anytime we want to go to our room. The view from the top is totally worth it though!

2. Portuguese
Who knew this language could be so hard to learn! It´s been the hardest thing I´ve ever done in my entire life. It´s like my hardest day in Calculus 24/7. We´re basically in the classroom for 12 hours a day and they speak basically all portuguese to us. On our first full day here we had to teach a 20 minute lesson in straight portuguese. It was a little rough to say the least! It´s been such a struggle but I can see the Lord helping me receive the gift of tongues. I can already pray and  bear a basic testimony so I´m grateful!

3. Brazilian Food
Boy oh boy have we eaten some weird things this week. Half the time I legit don't know what we´re eating but it´s usually pretty good! The lunch ladies serve us a small main course then if you´re still hungry they have all you can  eat rice and beans and whatever the fruit of the day is! The fruit is so good. Pineapple, watermelon, guava, passion fruit, honeydew, they get it all! They usually serve us this rice soup stuff for dessert that is supposed to be pudding.. Not great but I tell myself I'm going to try everything here! I think I´ve put on a little weight, but the scale is in kilograms so someone let me know the conversion and I´ll get back to you;)

4. São Paulo Temple
Every P-Day we get to go to the temple! It´s literally the prettiest temple I´ve ever been in. We do a session but we don't all fit in one, so as I was waiting for the second they got me and my companion to be witnesses for a sealing. SO cool!

5. District 28 B
My district is sick! it´s all Americans that were on the 14 hour flight with us. My companion is Elder Talbot and he´s from Washington and he's the coolest guy ever! I lucked out bigtime to have such a good one. I´m in the classroom with them from 7:30am-9:30pm and we study hard and have fun!
Well I love and miss you all! I only get 40 minutes for emailing so sorry if my replies are short... Hopefully these pictures work! Trust in the Lord and he can help you do anything!

Much love, Elder Rawson

A picture and note from MTC

Thursday, July 14, 2016

We were so happy to receive this picture and note from the President of  Sao Paulo Brazil MTC.

Elder Cottrell and Elder Burton on the far left were two of the missionaries we met at the airport.

Dear Parents,

Sister Grahl and I are very happy to let you know that your missionary has arrived safely at the Brazil Missionary Training Center.  What a great joy and privilege it is to greet each missionary as they begin their missionary experiences with us! We will surely take good care of your missionary.     

                                                                                                

The missionaries 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.  Their branch presidents and wives will meet them this Sunday.  These wonderful couples are richly blessed as they work with, motivate, and interview the missionaries assigned to their branch.

The MTC has a full-time live-in physician to care for their health needs.  He is assisted by his able wife who is a nurse. We are also happy to report that the MTC food is plentiful, healthy 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 Wednesday or Friday, depending on individual assignments.

Your missionary is about to make an eternal difference in the lives of many others. President Lorenzo Snow said: “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".  We love these missionaries as if they were our own.  We will watch over them carefully to ensure they are ready for a wonderful missionary experience after the rewarding time they will have in the MTC.

We thank you for preparing such a wonderful representative of the Lord.

Pres. Paulo R. Grahl and Sister Zuleika M. Grahl

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  

PLEASE DO NOT SEND PACKAGES to the Brazil Missionary Training Center. All packages must be sent directly to the mission where your missionary will be serving, not the MTC. If you have already mailed a package to the Brazil MTC, please understand that the package cannot be forwarded to his or her mission and will be returned to you.

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE SENDING HAND WRITTEN LETTERS. Please write your missionary´s first and last name. Your missionary will provide you with his district and box number. Also, please DO NOT SEND ANYTHING BY FEDEX, DHL, UPS, or other private carriers.  The cost to process this type of correspondence is exorbitant.

I Made It!

At 9:08 a.m. we had a short e-mail from David letting us know that he had arrived safely.

July 13, 2016                                                                       received 9:08 a.m.

Well family I have arrived here in Brazil!!! They said to send a quick one home to the mom and dad to tell them you made it! Wow what a journey it was. After I got through security I met up with a bunch of other elders and sisters so I have been partying sine I left! I was in the middle for both flights so my legs were kinda wrecked but it worked out cause I was by Elder Burton the whole time and he is sick! Atlanta airport was cool, found our portal really easy and ate some Panda Express!! The flight ladies were really nice and the food was better than expected, although it was impossible to sleep. Anyway everything went smoothly. When a dude picked us up from the airport to take us here I got to witness firsthand Brazilian road rage.Y'all think Ray was bad but people here are pyscho!! Thought we were dead for sure at least twice.Well the MTC is bigger than I thought and it is pretty nice. We have literally been here an hour so not much has happened.They told us Wednesday would be our p day, so expect emails then! Other than that just pray for my Portuguese and always remember God!!! Have a good week! Much love, Elder Rawson

Airport Drop Off

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

6:30 a.m.  Wake up and finish final to-do list and packing

10:00 a.m. Leave for Airport (David is somewhat anxious during drive)

11:00 a.m.  Arrive at airport, check bags, meet up with some other Brazil missionaries and their families.  Airport was not busy at all so we were able to visit with other missionary families for about an hour.  Such a blessing for both David and us!

12:00 p.m.  David gives final hugs and makes it through security check.  Blows us some  kisses and heads to his gate.

4:00 p.m.- 12:00 a.m. Was fun  for us to track the progress of David's flights on the Delta website.

Setting Apart as a Missionary

Monday, July 11, 2016

David was set apart to be a full time missionary with the special assignment to teach the Gospel in Portuguese.

It was a wonderful occasion filled with the Spirit (and some tears).

Those who participated in the setting apart:

Family who was present:

Farewell Sunday

Sunday, July 10, 2016

David spoke in church at 9:00 a.m.  He did a great job and all who heard it were assured that he will make a great missionary.  He looked pretty handsome in his missionary attire and new glasses too!

We are grateful for all the family and friends who showed love and support to him today.

Another neat bonus to this day was when David's Grandpa Dallas Schumann asked him to give him a priesthood blessing with all the extended family present.

A Good Day!

Thursday, June 23, 2016

David chose to receive his endowment at the Brigham City Temple.  He was very well taken care of and pampered by the temple workers and temple presidency. It was a special experience and a proud moment for Mom and Dad!

We enjoyed the post-temple celebration meal at Maddox.

When we arrived home we were excited to see a Federal Express  package addressed to David on the counter.  His Visa had arrived!  We had been praying since he got his call that his Visa would come through in time for him to serve his entire mission in Brazil and we were so grateful that our prayers had been answered!

Pre-Mission Photo Shoot

Opening the Call

Monday, March 28, 2016

The mission call arrived in the late afternoon!  Our cute mail lady was able to actually hand it to David. David had been growing out his facial hair while he waited for his call to come and happened to be wearing his gold "disco" chain necklace that day.  So, it was no surprise that the mail lady asked, "Are you the missionary?"

Luckily, he cleaned up pretty well for the opening.  Lots of friends came to witness the event.

It was a great night because two of David's friends and basketball teammates also  opened their calls that night.  Benji Judd to California and Dallin Hucks to Chile.