Wow that sounds like you had a great week! Thank you for the picture of the dogs. I can't print it out here though.

2 weeks left on Tuesday! I am very excited and ready to get to work for real. This week was awesome. On Wed we went out and handed copy's of the Book of Mormon about a half hour walk from the mtc. It was really fun. They just told us to be back by 3 and to have fun with it. The first contact was very hard just because I was so nervous that they wouldn't know what I am saying but they understood me perfectly. We gave out 6 books. and everyone was super awesome. As soon as we stopped and talked to people they got excited and happy. Then when we mentioned Jesus Christ they really chimed in. It was a great experience!

I got pick pocketed for the first time while I was out. I was handing this grandma a Book of Mormon from my bag and all of the sudden some guy came and grabbed the book right out of my hands and walked away while laughing. I still had another Book so I didn't worry too much about it. Then I ran into him like 15 minutes later and explained to him the importance of the Book of Mormon and told him what it was about. It was pretty funny! I also made a bunch of those origami missionary shirts and I was able to give those out to all these little kids walking in the street. That was pretty cool.

It has been super cold here! And the CTM doesn't have heating so it just is really cold. My roommate brought his blanket to his class because it was too cold out! The building was designed for really warm weather so everything is open to the outside. It is hard to explain but a majority of the building is like a courtyard except, for the bedrooms and classrooms. So it's just really cold. Luckily I brought a sweater and a rain jacket. It also has been raining a lot too, which is really nice!

I haven't gone to Mr. Cheneys yet today but I will go there later. Thanks in advance for the shake! I guess I will get it today when I go out into the city! I'll also send some mail today.

The CTM experience is really great and I am loving the learning! But I am really looking forward to going out and teach real investigators (but I need to make the best of the time I have here). I can't believe those other missionaries would do that! Well actually I can... There are a few of those disobedient types here. And my teachers said there are more in the field. There isn't much you can do because if you get mad a them, they will get worse and not do ANYTHING. Luckily my companion is super good and we do well together.

The other day, we got a new fake investigator for training. He has a pornography addiction and his wife left him with this kid. Luckily, he realizes that it is really bad and wrong, but I am excited to see him progress and overcome this. So far we have talked to him about the power in reading the Book of Mormon and how Christ loves us and wants to help with all our problems. I think that Elder Johnson and I will do a good job! We only teach him once a week, but we get to teach for 40 min.

I love you all very much and it is awesome to hear Jayson is getting his eagle, and Jenna had a good time at camp.

Love you all! Thanks for your example to me!

Elder Wild

A quick note from the CTM President's wife

Sister Wild,

Elder Wild is doing a great job here!  I have never seen him when he has not been positive and smiling.  I am sure there are times, but I haven´t seen them.  The only time was when we needed to send his companion home with the knee injury.  He was a great support to him during that time, and he  handled very well being the only elder in a district with 4 girls.   I will have to admit, though, that he seemed much happier when a new companion arrived the following week.

It has been our pleasure to have him here at the CTM.

Sincerely,

Sister Degn

July 19, 2013

Hey Mom and Family!!

 

I really do look forward to every pday being able to write home. THANK YOU very much for the pictures in the mail!! I loved them! best present I could get!

 

Brazil is awesome! It was fun going around to all the shops and trying to talk to people. My new companion is super cool. His name is Elder Johnson. He is super fun and we have a good time together. We are always laughing and doing fun stuff. The language is coming along really great! I am excited to be able to go out and teach. From next Tuesday I will be half way done with the ctm. It is flying by pretty quick!

 

Everything is working out good. I bought a triple combo at the distribution center so that's very nice to have. It was 17 dollars. Not too bad. So there is a dearelder.com thing that is right across the street from the ctm. It is called mr. chenneys I think... Not sure. I just thought it was silly to get a letter all the way from provo but they were still appreciated. Went to the temple again today and it was super awesome. 

 

 

This week Elder Johnson and I were given 40 minutes to teach a lesson to a member and we used all 40 of it! It was good conversation too. It is amazing on how quick I am learning the language.

 

I took some really cool photos from my bedroom the other night looking out at Sao Paulo. I will print them and send them off. I wrote most the thank you notes but I don't remember exactly who to write them. I will probably get them in the mail next Friday cause I want to have the pictures printed out and send everything in one letter.

 

I always seem so rushed on the email.

 

Today the directer of mtcs came and talked to us.  He asked us how many we have in our family.  He then said well look in this room! This is your family.

 

Then showed a picture of all the mtcs in the world and said this is your family.

 

Then he showed us a number of all the missionaries in the world (70,000) and said This is your family! Super powerful and inspiring.

 

Love you guys a lot and Love hearing from you!

 

Hope girls camp goes well!

 

And Camping

 

Love,

 

Elder Wild

The Sao Paulo Brazil Temple

Dear Family,

We are pleased to be able to send you a picture of your missionary´s recent visit to the São Paulo temple.  This is always a special moment, entering the temple with other missionaries engaged in the Lord´s work.   We know they will treasure this remembrance. 

It is a great honor to serve with each of these fine young people and to watch their growth as they learn more about their sacred calling of a missionary.  We have a great love and respect for each one of them.

Thank you for your support for them.  They love to receive emails and letters from you, and feel of your love.  We know that your family will feel the blessings of their service.

Sincerely,

President and Sister Degn

Elder Wild's first letter home!

Sorry for spelling and capital errors, the key boards are different here.

Brazil is way sweet! The first day we walked around the city and it was way cool. Later today I will go out and explore the city. So my companion... he went home at the beginning of the week because he broke his knee cap playing volleyball. Since there are no American elders in my district, I am companions with 3 sister missionaries. Hahahahaha it is pretty funny especially walking around the ctm with them. I am getting my new companion today so that will be way sweet to have a real companion. The second day we were here we taught an investigator in Portuguese. \it was really hard but I am picking it up really fast. All the Brazilians are super impressed with my language so far especially for only being out for one week. The days go by pretty quick which is good. I still get to play volleyball everyday so that has been way fun for me. The ctm is way pretty! They have an outdoor track that is in an old alley way so it is super narrow and then there are some volleyball and basket ball courts.

The day before my companion went home for surgery (elder Ayers) we were talking about our misson goals and he said that he wants to at least plant a seed in one person. I thought that was weird especially cause he is in brazil going to a high baptizing mission (goiania) and the next day he broke his knee cap. He went to the hospital right away but took a taxi because they are safer than the ambulances. when he got back from the hospital he said that he fulfilled his mission goal because he was able to share the gospel with the nurse. The instructor that went with him said that he spoke nearly perfect Portuguese and the lesson was awesome. Yes he did go home early, but he did plant a seed. Sad to see him go. He took it really well. It was sad because he had surgery 4 months ago and his doctor told him to take it easy. He broke his knee cap off the jump.

My sister companions are super cool. Sister Jennings, Busath, and Cozzens. I just meet them on their floor in the morning and spend the day with them and then don't have a companion for the rest of the night. | do have 2 Brazilian roommates who are super cool. One of them speaks good english, the other is learning.

Language study is going good. I can hold a good gospel conversation with someone for about a half hour to forty five minutes. Pretty good for one week right?

Packages and dearelder.com: don't send or use! dearelder is out of provo so I just got your letter yesterday because it send from provo. So you are better off just sending it yourself. Also don't send packages to the CTM! They said that it is much easier to just send money or wire to banks cause sending packages is expensive. You also have to declare everything and are taxed on it. Also if you fail to declare something, and you go through customs and they find it, I get in trouble. they have had some missionaries go to jail cause they got caught with medicine.

any way 30 seconds left. love you lots and thanks for the sacrifice!!

ELder wild

Went to the temple today. \it is super pretty. I think the ctm will send you a picture pretty soon. 

I'm here!!

Hi Mom!

they gave us 10 min to say we are doing well. the flight was really long! I didn't sleep at all though but it was still a good flight. There are 4 Americans that made it to the CTM out of 60 that were supposed to come. So our district  is only 4 people. Elder Ayers and I and two sisters.

The plane ride was interesting. On the way to Brazil I sat next to a Jehovahs Witness. That was interesting but we had some good conversation. My p day is friday so I will email next friday.

So far CTM is great! I love it a lot!

Love you a lot!

Elder Wild

Elder Wild arrived in Brazil! A letter from his MTC mission president

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 Ralph Degn and Sister Mary Ann Degn

Goodbye!

Last day in America! Thank you all for being a part of my life! The road has been great and I have loved every minute of it! (shout out to every single person) I am logging off for two years starting tonight but, I would love to hear from you all while I am in Brazil!