August 14, 2012

The CTM gets better every week!!! My departure date from the CTM is September 18! This Saturday I hit my halfway mark!! So crazy!!

So so so many changes this week. It's like a whole new place. Not really, but kind of. I got a new companion. Her name is Sister Masterson and she is from Arizona. At first I had a bad attitude because I missed my trio. I didn't realize how much I learned to love Sis. R & Sis. J until I wasn't spending every minute with them anymore. We're all still in the same district, but it's different teaching with a new person and studying with a new person. I also got moved into a new bedroom with my new companion and two new Brazilian sisters. Sister Melo & Sister Santos. They are both wonderful. Sis. Melo speaks excellent English, but refuses to speak it with us because she wants us to learn Portuguese so she only translates if we really really don't understand what she's saying. It's nice to have her teach us new words and want to help us. My new comp. and me have become better friends already. It just took a few days of adjustment, but now we're doing great. The change is actually kind of nice. Keeps things exciting. If I would have written this a few days ago I would not have been as grateful though, so just know that prayer is real and I have had a change of heart.

 Laurel's District at the MTC or CTM.

Lots of heartbreak this week actually, I don't know why I love it here so much and I feel so happy. My 4 favorite sisters that were here left for the field today. They shared P Day with us so we got really close the past few weeks. They are wonderful. I love meeting other missionaries. Seriously, I've met some of the most amazing people from all around the world here in the CTM. My favorite Brazilian district also left today. Break my heart. They helped me with my Portuguese at every meal. The elder I told you about, who looks like Moose from Step Up 3, was in that district. I miss them already, but more will come. It's such a constant change here in the CTM. People come and go every week. You learn to love people and then they get taken away. Basically the only person I can count on all the time is Heavenly Father. It's been a good lesson for me to learn. I have learned a lot about the enabling power of the Atonement and grace. I really like that word. I think I might name a future child Grace.

Anyways. Ummmm fun thing we did this week was host the CTM Olympics during gym. We plan a different event each night. Brazileiros versus Americans. Americans always win, but the Brazilians have more fun. Seriously I'm learning that this is the perfect mission for me. Why? Because Brazilians like to have fun ALL THE TIME. No joke, everything is fun here. My comp. said in Provo it was way more uptight and serious all the time, but we figured out that it's because Brazilian culture doesn't do uptight. The culture is totally reflected in the laid back attitude here at the CTM. People still study and learn, but they definitely have fun doing it. It's a beautiful thing being here.

With all the sisters leaving this week we got a new "Coordinating Sister." It's my roommate Sister Melo. I'm her assistant. Then in 2 weeks when she leaves I'll take over. Basically you just run relief society and have a sisters meeting every week. It will be fun hopefully. I'll be able to get to know all the sisters really well. The numbers are diminishing. No new American sisters have come since I got here. Well except a couple of visa waiters. Tomorrow I heard we're getting 2 though.

BEST PART ABOUT TODAY!!! I ALMOST FORGOT!!! WE WENT TO THE CAMPINAS TEMPLE!!!! The Sao Paulo temple is closed for cleaning this week and next so I'm basically the luckiest missionary ever and we got to go to a different temple. It was beautiful. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!! It's up on a hill and looks out over the city. The grounds are beautiful and the stained glass is beautiful. There are purple accents in the temple and the chandeleirs are by far the biggest and most sparkling I've seen in any temple. It was incredible. More portuguese too because the workers are natives. They played the video in English, but everything else was Port. Such a cool experience.

My portuguese is coming along really well. I seriously sit through every grammar lesson and think about how grateful I am I took Spanish classes. It's so similar. I love it. Lots of the words are the same and the verb tenses. All those semesters of homework are really paying off. Cha-ching!!

I love you all!! Thank you for the letters!! P Day was cut short today so I didn't have time to write many replies, but next week I'll write again!!

Have a wonderful week! I miss you all!!
Sister Laurel Udy