Here is Adam's email this week, my comments are in brackets:
I am doing great after Monday, on Monday I got sick from something that I ate and slept all afternoon. That is great that grandma´s surgery went well. I found out that after I get out of the CTM I can email who ever, but they just want immediate family while in the CTM for the sake of time.
No I have not gotten your package, I have gotten your letters. I just found out that it takes 2 to 3 weeks for it to get to the U.S. from here, and a week to get letters from the U.S. to Brazil. I am missing you all a ton and I love you all.
[Have you had any area or higher church leaders come visit?] We have had the whole area presidency come visit us over separate occasions.
[About how full do you think the CTM is?] We probably have about 200 to maybe 300 missionaries at any given moment.
[Have you had any good spiritual experiences this week?] This week I got a blessing from my District because I was sick.
[Will you keep the same companion the whole time you are at the CTM?] Yeah we keep the same companion through the whole stay at the CTM.
[What is the food like at the CTM?] The food can be good at times and bad at times, its just finding ways to make it taste good most of the time, and finding things that wont make you sick too.
[What is the best part of being at the CTM?] I like being able to try and talk with the Brazilians and then them teaching me how to say things in Portuguese. I also like being able to go to the temple, it is what I look forward to the most on p-days.
I miss you all, be good.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Letter Received 5/21/11
Dated 4/5/11
Dear Familia,
My first week has been a lot of fun, I have learned a little Portuguese, I can say prayers and my testimony in Portuguese. My district is really cool! Right now we have a sister in our District that does not have a companion, we have been switching off companionships that she can join in with, but that should all change. She is supposed to get her companion today.
My companion, Elder Spencer, was made District Leader, so I am the companion to the District Leader. Our Branch President, President Clark, said that he had a hard time picking between us two as to who would be the District Leader. I think that I received a calling just as important, as the companheiro to the District Leader as being called as a District Leader. Sao Paulo is a beautiful city but it is a different kind of beauty than any of the cities in the U.S., I don't know how to explain it. Today is my first Preparation Day. The Sao Paulo Temple is really beautiful. I am really glad that I went today. I miss everyone back home, but I am having a lot of fun.
Elder Adam McBarron
P.S. Try to send me letter when you can because then I can read them over and over, and because I only get 30 minutes of Internet a week.
Dear Familia,
My first week has been a lot of fun, I have learned a little Portuguese, I can say prayers and my testimony in Portuguese. My district is really cool! Right now we have a sister in our District that does not have a companion, we have been switching off companionships that she can join in with, but that should all change. She is supposed to get her companion today.
My companion, Elder Spencer, was made District Leader, so I am the companion to the District Leader. Our Branch President, President Clark, said that he had a hard time picking between us two as to who would be the District Leader. I think that I received a calling just as important, as the companheiro to the District Leader as being called as a District Leader. Sao Paulo is a beautiful city but it is a different kind of beauty than any of the cities in the U.S., I don't know how to explain it. Today is my first Preparation Day. The Sao Paulo Temple is really beautiful. I am really glad that I went today. I miss everyone back home, but I am having a lot of fun.
Elder Adam McBarron
P.S. Try to send me letter when you can because then I can read them over and over, and because I only get 30 minutes of Internet a week.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Today's Email - 5/18/11
Here is Adam's email this week, my questions are in brackets.
There really isn't much going on lately. Everything is going well.
[How is the language coming along?] The language is slowly coming.
[Having one roommate at BYUH was interesting, but having five must be really interesting.] Yeah, it is really weird having more than one roommate.
[As I told you I have been going through Preach my Gospel and I see that there is alot of paper work out in the field, are they teaching you how to do that at the CTM?] We aren't really covering the paperwork other than in the planners, we are probably going to be learning that from our trainers in the field.
[Do you get to go outside much?] I only get to go outside on P-days.
[What does Sao Paolo look like?] Sao Paulo is beautiful, its kind of hard to explain how it looks.
[What have you been doing on your P-days?] For P-days I have been just going to the temple, and then going into the some of the shops around here to get a few ties and stuff for classes and writing letters, and I have been writing letters too. Today was a really special day for me at the temple, as I was getting ready to go through my session at the temple, I was sitting in the chapel and I could feel the person I was going through for, his name was Juliene Hamon. I felt the joy that he had for the work being done.
Oh I almost forgot that I met a Brazilian missionary yesterday that Elder Custer [another missionary from our ward who is serving in Campanias, Brazil] was serving in his home ward or branch, which was really cool. We had 2 of our roommates leave tuesday and we should be getting new roommates either today or tomorrow. This past week I met a sister missionary that is from Kent, that was pretty cool. I haven't met really anyone else that is from nearby us, they are either from more north or south of us. I can't wait to see who and where the new missionaries are from that are arriving today and tomorrow. I hope all is going well back home, and yeah it is kind of wierd that both dad and I are out of country. I love you all and miss you and everyone else too. I have pictures, but I just can't send them while I am at the CTM, once I get in the field I will be sending quite a few pictures. ttyl
There really isn't much going on lately. Everything is going well.
[How is the language coming along?] The language is slowly coming.
[Having one roommate at BYUH was interesting, but having five must be really interesting.] Yeah, it is really weird having more than one roommate.
[As I told you I have been going through Preach my Gospel and I see that there is alot of paper work out in the field, are they teaching you how to do that at the CTM?] We aren't really covering the paperwork other than in the planners, we are probably going to be learning that from our trainers in the field.
[Do you get to go outside much?] I only get to go outside on P-days.
[What does Sao Paolo look like?] Sao Paulo is beautiful, its kind of hard to explain how it looks.
[What have you been doing on your P-days?] For P-days I have been just going to the temple, and then going into the some of the shops around here to get a few ties and stuff for classes and writing letters, and I have been writing letters too. Today was a really special day for me at the temple, as I was getting ready to go through my session at the temple, I was sitting in the chapel and I could feel the person I was going through for, his name was Juliene Hamon. I felt the joy that he had for the work being done.
Oh I almost forgot that I met a Brazilian missionary yesterday that Elder Custer [another missionary from our ward who is serving in Campanias, Brazil] was serving in his home ward or branch, which was really cool. We had 2 of our roommates leave tuesday and we should be getting new roommates either today or tomorrow. This past week I met a sister missionary that is from Kent, that was pretty cool. I haven't met really anyone else that is from nearby us, they are either from more north or south of us. I can't wait to see who and where the new missionaries are from that are arriving today and tomorrow. I hope all is going well back home, and yeah it is kind of wierd that both dad and I are out of country. I love you all and miss you and everyone else too. I have pictures, but I just can't send them while I am at the CTM, once I get in the field I will be sending quite a few pictures. ttyl
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Today's Email
Here is this week's email from Adam, I sent him some questions, they are in italics and brackets with his answers following.
This week has been ok. I bought some really cool stuff after sending my email and letter last week. I bought a scripture bag/backpack that has the name of my mission on it and can hold a lot of my study stuff. I also bought a Brazil colors tie and some covers for my Portuguese scriptures that have my name and mission on them.
[How is your Portugese coming along?] Portuguese is coming along little by little.
[Do you get to go to the temple again?] I got to go to the temple again today. I almost could not go because my companion didn't want to go. I talked him into going and afterwards I asked him if he was glad that we went, and he was. So it was a good thing that I talked him into going. I had an awesome time.
[What are you learning in your classes?] It is kind of hard to say what we are learning in my classes because we jump around alot. We are mostly learning stuff though that we can be able to teach people.
[Did you get over your cough yet?] Yeah, I did get over my cough. I just got over it this last week.
[What is your room like?] My room is like a larger version of my room at BYU-Hawaii with bunkbeds and 6 roommates.
[What is your Sunday like?] My Sunday is wake up at the usual time, then personal study, then sacrament meeting, then priesthood, then district meeting, then leadership meeting and then an hour to rest and relax then we have more meetings as missionaries. We don't get much time to rest. Oh yesterday we had a devotional and we heard from the second counselor in the area presidency, and I got to shake his hand.
[I just wanted to double check the email rules, you can email back and forth with your Dad and I, Megan and your Grandparents, right?] I just checked, we are only supposed to email our grandparents and just the family that we live with.
I miss you all too! Love you guys, Elder Adam Michael McBarron
P.S. I wouldn't try to send me a package while I am at the CTM, because I won't get it unless it comes through the postal service and then there is still a big chance that I may not get it. Tell everyone that I say hi and that I miss them. I would like to hear about any funny stories about Wednesday [our dog] if any happen. I will email you all again next week, until then good luck with life.
This week has been ok. I bought some really cool stuff after sending my email and letter last week. I bought a scripture bag/backpack that has the name of my mission on it and can hold a lot of my study stuff. I also bought a Brazil colors tie and some covers for my Portuguese scriptures that have my name and mission on them.
[How is your Portugese coming along?] Portuguese is coming along little by little.
[Do you get to go to the temple again?] I got to go to the temple again today. I almost could not go because my companion didn't want to go. I talked him into going and afterwards I asked him if he was glad that we went, and he was. So it was a good thing that I talked him into going. I had an awesome time.
[What are you learning in your classes?] It is kind of hard to say what we are learning in my classes because we jump around alot. We are mostly learning stuff though that we can be able to teach people.
[Did you get over your cough yet?] Yeah, I did get over my cough. I just got over it this last week.
[What is your room like?] My room is like a larger version of my room at BYU-Hawaii with bunkbeds and 6 roommates.
[What is your Sunday like?] My Sunday is wake up at the usual time, then personal study, then sacrament meeting, then priesthood, then district meeting, then leadership meeting and then an hour to rest and relax then we have more meetings as missionaries. We don't get much time to rest. Oh yesterday we had a devotional and we heard from the second counselor in the area presidency, and I got to shake his hand.
[I just wanted to double check the email rules, you can email back and forth with your Dad and I, Megan and your Grandparents, right?] I just checked, we are only supposed to email our grandparents and just the family that we live with.
I miss you all too! Love you guys, Elder Adam Michael McBarron
P.S. I wouldn't try to send me a package while I am at the CTM, because I won't get it unless it comes through the postal service and then there is still a big chance that I may not get it. Tell everyone that I say hi and that I miss them. I would like to hear about any funny stories about Wednesday [our dog] if any happen. I will email you all again next week, until then good luck with life.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
First Letter
Everything is going well so far, the airplane ride from Dallas to Sao Paulo was really long and we got delayed 2 or 3 hours because of a storm, during which time we sat on the plane. I got to sleep a little bit but not too much becaus eof my cough. We met up with 3 other missionaries going to Vitoria. So that makes 6 of us in our group going to Vitoria. Dad I rode on a 777 down to Sao Paulo, and I got a few pictures of it too. Mom in case I don't get another letter to you before Mother's Day, Happy Mother's Day !!! Megan hang in there you are almost done with this school year, do your best and all will work out, don't get seniorities yet. I miss you guys. Let everyone know that I am doing fine and miss them. I can't wait to get letters and reply back to them. I miss you guys and hope everything is alright at home. Oh, and I got my greeny dot on my tag, I will take a picture of it for you.
Sincerely yours, Elder Adam McBarron
Sincerely yours, Elder Adam McBarron
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
First Email from Elder McBarron
Here is our first email from Adam, I was so excited to see the email I was practically jumping up and down! My comments are in brackets after some of what he says just to explain some stuff. Can't wait until next Wednesday!
Hey Mom, it is really fun to be here at the CTM. My companion is Elder Spencer, one of the guys that I was telling you about on the phone going to Vitoria with me [he was Adam's seat companion on the flight and he is from Puyallup, WA]. I only get about 30 minutes each week to get on the internet [unfortunately, he can only email immediate family]. If you could send letters that would be nice. It takes about a week to get the letters, and they have to be sent to the CTM for me to get them right now. I miss coming home after church too [I told him I miss seeing him and Christina walk through the door after church on Sundays].
I got to go to the temple today, it was very beautiful. Grandpa would have loved it because of some of the architecture in there. I miss you all and can't wait for the letters. I can only go out and send my letters on p-day as well [his p-days are Wednesdays], but I can read them when ever I get them. I will be sending a letter to you guys, and there will be a letter for Christina in there as well.
Tell dad that that should be fun for him to go and experience Japan [he has to go for work] and tell him thanks for the advice. I had heard about Osama bin Laden here at the CTM. Me and my companion were the first missionaries to know in the CTM about him being killed. My companion is the district leader.
I can't think of anything else to include in my email other than to tell everyone hi and I miss them for me, especially Megan, Christina and Wednesday [our dog] even though Wednesday won't really understand it. Happy Mothers Day Mom! I hope you have a good one! I hope you get my letters soon and I hope that I get your letters soon. Miss you all and also enjoying the beautiful country of Brazil.
Sincerely, Elder McBarron
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| Missionary Training Center in Sao Paolo, Brazil (Centro de treinamento Misionario or CTM) |
Hey Mom, it is really fun to be here at the CTM. My companion is Elder Spencer, one of the guys that I was telling you about on the phone going to Vitoria with me [he was Adam's seat companion on the flight and he is from Puyallup, WA]. I only get about 30 minutes each week to get on the internet [unfortunately, he can only email immediate family]. If you could send letters that would be nice. It takes about a week to get the letters, and they have to be sent to the CTM for me to get them right now. I miss coming home after church too [I told him I miss seeing him and Christina walk through the door after church on Sundays].
 |
| Sao Paolo Brazil Temple |
Tell dad that that should be fun for him to go and experience Japan [he has to go for work] and tell him thanks for the advice. I had heard about Osama bin Laden here at the CTM. Me and my companion were the first missionaries to know in the CTM about him being killed. My companion is the district leader.
I can't think of anything else to include in my email other than to tell everyone hi and I miss them for me, especially Megan, Christina and Wednesday [our dog] even though Wednesday won't really understand it. Happy Mothers Day Mom! I hope you have a good one! I hope you get my letters soon and I hope that I get your letters soon. Miss you all and also enjoying the beautiful country of Brazil.
Sincerely, Elder McBarron
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