October 10, 2014

Editors Note:  I am late getting this post off because I am trying to figure out how to download the pictures.  Next post should have them.  For those of you not familiar with missionary work, the missionaries only have one day to wash clothes, write letters, relax, etc.  It's called P-Day which stands for Preparation Day.  

I know Morgan would love to hear from you.  She will be in the training center until mid-November.  Her address in the Missionary Training Center is:

Sister Morgan Harrick

Brazil Porto Alegre South Mission

Brazil Missionary Training Center

Rua Padre Antonio D'Angelo, 121

Casa Verde

02516-040 Sao Paulo - SP

Brazil

Here's Morgan:

Holy cow                                                                               

may i just start off by saying that i literally cannot type on these computes. they are ANCIENT.  I’m so glad that I have the opportunity to write. Friday is officially my p-day (preparation day). My whole district has been dying because it has been over a week and we never get a break so we are definitely loving p-day. Today we went to the Sao Paulo temple and is it beautiful! I absolutely love that I have the opportunity to go to the temple every week and feel the amazing spirit that thrives there. (no dad i forgot the picture but there are 4 weeks left!)

Ok first things first. My district:  there were a bunch of elders on my flight to Brazil that were super intimidating? Ya well they’re all in my district. How funny is that!! But man I love them. There are 10 of us. 8 elders, 2 sisters. We have some pretty great memories already and its only been a week! I’m so excited to spend 6 weeks with these guys! I kid you not when I say that we spend 12 hours in the classroom every day. We wake up at 6 to get ready and then we study from 7am to 9 at night. I’ts crazy.

Ok working out here is not working out. first off we didn’t even get to work out until monday, thats 5 days without any physical activity. not smart to keep 8 18 year old boys in a small room for 12 hours a day 5 days a week. So when Monday came I was super excited. Working out here is run three laps (not long at all) and then playing volleyball. And you’re not allowed to run longer because the supervisor has to see everyone and the track is held outside.

the food. is. awesome. sometimes. I think they really like to experiment here because there is literally cheese in/on everything. But most of it is pretty good. I try to eat vegetables and fruit at every meal and dessert is pretty gross because they turn everything into pudding. you think im kidding but cake was turned into pudding.

Next, my companion: She arrived late Wednesday night and she is awesome. She is 33 years old and from South Africa. I totally got excited when I found out when she was from there because I thought of Sister O'brien and how much I love her. Sister Persence is a cosmetologist so she has been doing my hair every day and it comes in pretty handy. I go to sleep with corn rows and wake up with waves. Oh, it is the life.

Our room is tiny. There is literally no space to put anything. and we have bunk beds so of course I’m on top because Sis P pulls the excuse thats shes too old and I kid you not that this bunk bed is 10 feet high. One of these days i am going to fall and seriously get injured.

My first week was amazing. Sorry to admit it but i was not homesick whatsoever. But did you catch the word WAS? Everyone comes in speaking portuguese and if you say anything in english they say "no falar ingles!" basically I don't speak English. They basically force you to speak portuguese which is awesome but I still don't have it down and it is super frustrating because an elder in our district already is fluent. Like how is that even fair. Another elder is pretty fluent as well and I just sit there frustrated as heck. I totally had a meltdown the other night because everything hit me at once. I got dad's letter. PLEASE SEND ME LETTERS. I LOVE THEM.  Letters are the best because we only have 30 minutes to write and i can't read all of the emails.

We have the best professor and when we tell all the older missionaries who we have they are so jealous. He is funny yet serious. Entertaining and a great teacher. He is 25 and really wants to get married.

Every day it blows my mind how much the Lord loves and knows each and every one of us. Like i was saying i had a meltdown because i was feeling super depressed and was very homesick missing all of you and I read dads letter and he wrote about sometimes we have to put on a happy face whether we are not feeling it. Its what we do in serving the Lord. I am so incredibly grateful for how in tune with the spirit my parents are. I literally needed that phrase at that exact moment. Same with the scriptures. 2 Nephi chapter 2 hit home for me this week. It is so awesome that I cannot even express my feelings.

I got to watch general conference in english THANK HEAVENS and wasnt it amazing? especially the Saturday sessions so mom and dad you got to watch those because i know that saturdays are way hectic.

LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO SO MUCH

LOVE, SISTER HARRICK