We went to the temple today! We went to the Campinas Temple because the São Paulo Temple is closed. We are going to leave the MTC right after emails and explore the area. I’ve taken some pics but I can’t upload them here at the MTC. I’ll try to as soon as I can, though. Christmas was awesome! No classes. Just fun and games and movies and special food and desserts! haha. I try to speak Portuguese as much as possible and I even think to myself in Portuguese. I’m a lot further ahead than the other Missionaries. Thanks for your prayers.

Josh

1st visit to Mr. Cheney Cookies

Josh and MTC Companion

Thank you MissionaryTies.com for the photos!

And he made it! Upon arrival, Josh emailed and said he was a little tired from overnight travel, but that he was alive!  I was one happy mom 🙂

There were 9 Elders and 1 Sister that entered the MTC today.  President and Sister Swensen greeted the new missionaries and emailed a photo with a letter to the parents of each missionary welcoming them to the MTC.  Can’t wait til P-day when we will get another email from Elder Olsen about his first few days at the MTC!

Dear Parents,

We are happy to send the good news that your missionary has arrived safely at the Brazil MTC. What a great joy and privilege it is to greet each missionary as they come through the front door of the MTC for the first time. We promise to take good care of your missionary.

They 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. The branch presidents and their wives will soon give them a second greeting. These couples are rewarded in their callings through the love they always develop as they embrace and watch over the missionaries.

The MTC has a full time live-in physician to care for their health needs. He is assisted by his able wife. We are also happy to report that the cafeteria food is abundant 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 very important young person is about to make an eternal difference in the lives of others. We hope you will be encouraged and comforted by this quote by President Lorenzo Snow: “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”.

Please accept our love,

President Robert Swensen and Sister Julie Swensen

It was bitter sweet dropping off Josh at the Albany airport.  It was fun to see he could handle carrying his own luggage!  After Josh ate at the airport Dunkin Donuts, we posed for a final picture with the Brazilian flag.  Even though his flight was about 30 minutes delayed, his 4 hour layover in Atlanta provided ample time for his connection to São Paulo.  I stayed up late  watching Delta’s “in-flight” tracker and finally retired after his plane passed Barbados. . . .yes, I was one anxious missionary mom!