Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Oi ! October 4, 2011

Oi!

Thanks for this E-mail! It's so great to hear from you, it's one of my favorite things here at the MTC.
Ok, so my P-day is on Tuesdays, me and Elder Barkdull told Sister Hope the wrong day, because we didn't have our schedules on us and we couldn't remember. So yeah, Tuesday is the day to expect e-mails.
I actually just sent you a pretty long letter, where I address a lot of the things that you've been asking. Unfortunately, I sent it later than I wanted to, on Sunday, and they don't send mail on Sunday, so you will probably be recieving that letter in the next few days. I'll just address some of the really important information in that letter first:
Boots: Yes get the boots, the high top ones, por favor.

Yellow Immunization card: This one is REALLY important. I need this to go to Brazil. It should be in that manila folder by my bookshelf in my room, along with all those other books, notebooks, etc. Inside should be all my immunization stuff. Among them is a kind of card thing that tells the Brazillian customs people that I got the Yellow Fever vaccine. I believe this particular card can unfold, and perhaps have some stamps on it somewhere. Also, on the front, it will mention the WHO (World Health Organization.) If you cannot find it, please send me a letter as fast as you can! Thanks!

Also, I want to correct at least one mistruth I said in my letter. I thought that the people who work here would print out anything I recieved on this e-mail, and put it in my box, just like the Dear Elder. This is not true. I can only come and check my e-mail here once a week, on Tuesdays, and I print it out myself.

So, for those keeping track, there are about 4 ways you can contact me: Dear Elder, Letters, E-mail, and Packages. Dear Elder is the quickest, I believe, because I get it the same day you send it (again, I am not sure, but I think that's the way it works.) E-mail I can only check on Tuesdays. And Letters and Packages get here after a few days. So, there you go, that's the mail system here. When attempting to send me information, choose wisely which way you will contact me.

Muito Bem, onto other things!
Conference was soooooo great, although it was pretty challenging at the same time. The reason why it was challenging was because we would sit for two hours straight in a hot and stuffy auditorium with 2000 other Missionaries, and the Chairs there are easily the worst Chairs in the MTC. It was ok though, a little physical mortification never hurt anyone :P It was so worth it, too! This conference was so great! I felt the spirit literally every meeting. And this time, every time the Prophet spoke, I felt the Spirit, as if it were telling me "Yes, this is your Prophet. Hear him" I also really enjoyed Henry B Eyring's message Sunday Morning about our sacred responsibilities as members of Christ's Church. Also, Bednar gave a great talk on the Spirit of Elijah that I thought Dad would Love! It was so profound, yet true. After General Conference, Chad Lewis, who used to play Tight End for the Eagles, gave us a message. It honestly exactly what I needed. He just told us about how we need to cherish EVERY MOMENT here at the MTC, because it is during this time that we will truly grow and learn, coming closer to Heavenly Father. Muito Verdadeiro.

Just real quick, yes I know Elder Trevisanut. He is a boss! He is one of the coolest guys I have ever met, and he is really solid with the Language and the Gospel. I feel really lucky to have him in my District. His Name IS a little hard, but we all still love him anyway. Our Portuguese teachers have fun with his name too, pronouncing it as Treh-vuh-zeh-nootch, because that's how a Brazillian would pronounce it. That's really cool that you are friends with his mom. He was telling me earlier today that you two were friends. He's a good guy!

On to Visas. With Spencer, it was really funny, because he had totally reconciled himself with the fact that he was reassigned. The last time I saw him, he said that he had practiced all the discussions in English, so that he could be ready to teach. But, literally the night before he was going to leave, his Visa came through!!! So, instead of going to the USA, he went straight to Brazil! He has got to be the luckiest missionary ever.

Ben has his electronic Visa in, and is expecting it any week now. He has a pretty solid chance of going straight to Brazil. I saw him yesterday, and he told me that he knew for sure that he was getting his Visa today, but, alas, it did not come. He's keeping his hopes up, and in the mean time, he is tearing up Portuguese. He by far speaks the best Portuguese out of anyone that Ihave seen here so far. He has a real Gift.

And lastly, my Visa. I think that I should go ahead and say it... Yesterday I filled out my Electronic Visa! Yippeee!!! It was so funny though, because my district was all sitting in class when I got the news. What happens is they call your room over an intercom, and ask for certain missionaries to come over to the Travel office. When they called our room, this is what it sounded like:

"Will Elder------ please------- Travel Office----------."

Frantically, my whole class spits out "Who! Who is it! We can't hear!"

Then the intercom, "Can he come down?"

"Who!!!"

"Elder Twitchell."

Woohoo! My district gave me a little applause, and me and Elder Barkdull went down to the Travel Office to fill out my online Visa. I was a little nervous because I thought for sure I was going to mess something up (They must have called three or four different people when i asked them which address to put in, because when I first did the Visa, we were living in Folsom, so we put that address, but now we're in San Jose). But, I finished up the application, signed a few things, and then I was done. I should be getting my Visa within the next few weeks. This part is truly random. I've heard Elders waiting anywhere from 1 week to two months, so I just have to focus on learning Portuguese and the Gospel now. But it's nice to know I only have one more step to go, and that the Lord is looking out for me!

So that's my Electronic Visa story. Go, tell my story :)

I'm just about out of time, so I'll just hit on a few of your other questions.

Autumn, I have no idea why the sisters get more money than the Elders. I assume that they just have more needs than the Elders. Our money is spent at the Book Store here at the MTC. We get stuff here like Pens, clips for our Missionary name tags, Teachings aids/cheat sheets for our Languages, Language Hymn books, etc. Basically, a bunch of supplies that help us learn and grow here at the MTC.

Let me tell you about the Hinos. Hinos is Hymn in Portuguese. I desperately need the Hinos, because one of our district goals is to Learn Called to Serve in Portuguese, and I still don't have a Hymn Book! Everytime I go to the Book Store, they are completely sold out. I've heard that 10 percent of the Missionaries arriving at the MTC are Portuguese Speaking (I don't know if this is true) but nonetheless, they are constantly sold out. So, I've been coming to the MTC bookstore every day at about 4 Pm (they say that their shipments arrive at 3 PM) since Saturday, and ask them for a Hino. So far, I've had no luck, but I've really gotten on the nerves of this one Lady who works there. She must think I'm the peskiest, sliest little missionary that she's ever seen, because she always answers my questions with a curt "No Elder, the Hinos are on Back Order." I always try to be as happy as possible, though, when I'm talking to her. I figure that she must normally be a nice old Lady, but her Cat just died by getting hit by a car, so she's really bitter about life. However, by the end of the movie--- umm, I mean experience here--- we'll become true friends, and I'll help her see the Joy in life. I don't know, it's just a feeling I have.

Ok, I am way over time, so I'll just wrap up real quick.

I have noooo idea what a space saver is, so I can't really give a smart answer to whether I need them or not. Maybe if you explain to me what they are?

And go ahead and give my e-mail to whoever. You could even put it on Facebook if you want! I love getting mail and e-mails from whoever!

Ta Bom, I gotta Go!

Tudo Bem!

Tell me how San Jose is! I love you guys lots, and I pray about you often!

Muito Amor,

Elder Avram Twitchell

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