4/4/18 - Culture Shock, Conference, and More!

Ola from the CTM!

- I feel like I'm at an extended EFY because of the strong spirit and fun, but also at an extended Girls Camp because of all the bug spray.

- My distict is the bomb. We have 9 sisters and one Elder. Poor Elder Valentine. He does so well though. We have a blast

- I'm the only one in my district who can do the Brazillian snap. *Insert hair flip here*

- Sister Bybee and I have a hoot and a half. She's been such a blessing. It's so much fun! People often tell  we were meant to be companions and that we knew eachother in the pre-existance.  People also tell us we look like Barbies. 

- We are roommates with Sister Manjate from South Africa, and Sister Pierra from Northern Brasil. They help us with our Portuguese and I adore them. Every night we sing a portugues hymn with our roomates and read the Book of Mormon so they can correct how we say the words. I love it!

- I feel like I can see all of Sao Paulo from my dorm window. It's gorgeous!

- The food is good, some nights its amazing, others it meiso meinos. The fruit though... incredible. Every day at breakfast they serve this sweet cream of wheat type thing called Meiho (spelling questionable) It's amazing. We have rice and beans every day. There's a dessert called Mary's Mash. It's like a coconut gelatin thing. Super good. Everything is made of Gelatin here. Guava is my new favorite fruit. They also have some different fresh veggies I've come to adore.

- ADVICE TO FRIENDS ABOUT TO ENTER THE BRAZILLIAN MTC (CTM): AVOID ANY FOOD THAT IS HOT PINK! It tastes like the dental putty they use to take a mold of your teeth. Proceed with caution.

- People say the best part of the CTM is Launch. In Brasil most people eat an early dinner, then at 8:30 or so they have a bedtime snack. So, before bed all the workers bring us Launche. It's usually a piece of chocolate, juice, and crackers or something similar. It's been fun trying all these Brasillian snacks. However, most of the time we're still full from dinner and save our Launch for the next day. It's a good thing Sister Bybee and I are working hard during Actividad Fisca. 

- I'm getting really good at Brasillian no-rules volleyball

- THE LANGUAGE: Good grief. I have never worked harder for anything in my whole life. On the first day they gave us a card with 200ish words and 50ish phrases we had to memorize in our first week. I've been carrying mine everywhere and I wish I could send pictures because it's falling apart and I'm proud. It's all maked up and I've had to tape it back together a few times. I can feel Dom de Linguas working, but it doesnt come easy. If there's something I've learned this week it's "Ask and you shall recieve". I've been praying for Dom de Linguas and then working as hard as I can. It's coming slowly but it's coming. I've found that there are a few things that are universal regaurdless of lanugage: smiles, music, and kindness. Those 3 things are really what have saved me this week.

- CONFERENCE was amazing in the CTM. All English and Spanish speakers had headphones to listen in their native language. My favorite part was when the temples were announced. There were gasps from missionaries in the crowd when they found out that their home country was getting a temple. The joy was tangable! Ah!  It was nice to see familiar faces in  the  YSA choir as well as MoTAB.

- While sitting with Brasillinerios at a meal, one of them turned to me and said, "It must be nice to live in Utah. You don't have to explain your standards everyday." That really struck me and made me grateful to be from Utah. "Because I have been given much I too must give" When you tell people where you're from you don't say Utah, you say the factory. 

- I'm very happy to be here. I've never had an issue with homesickness, but I've been pretty homsick this week. It's a good thing my companion and district are so awesome. 

- We went to the Sao Paulo Temple this morning and it was incredible! When I was back at Snow I wrote an additional verse to the Primary Song a Child's Prayer  It came back to me in the Celstial Room today. It's to the same tune but goes: Heavenly Father I'm so happy here, and I know for certain that you are near. This is where I'm supposed to be, please let thy spirit guide and comfort me. 

I can feel your prayers! Thank you so much for your support and kindness. I love you all!

Sister Emma Barlow