Carrie and the Map: Here's Brazil

Hey all of you.

I have been in the MTC for almost a month now. And I can't even believe that. I am basically amazed that I'm alive because they work us so hard here. I do believe that I have been having the most uplifting experience of my life here and I love it. It's so hard but it's so great. 

I've been seeing lots of people here in the MTC from back home. Which is a great feeling. IT's like "wow all these people I know are also serving missions!" And that is really uplifting. I've seen Sister Wadsworth, Sister Porter, Elder Graff, Elder Ostler, and Elder Colette. IT's just fun to see a few people here that you didn't get to know in the last few weeks. 

I also have seen Elder Wells. Which I didn't even know would happen! I guess I just didn't connect that he would be here at the same time as me. But In the book store he said hello and I was like "no way! Cousin!" So that was fun. 

Welp. Nothing has really happened since last week. I'm learning more and more but really it's the same thihng every day. And I love it. I still don't have my visa and I probably won't know if it's here or not till next Friday when reassignments come. I'm expecting to be reassigned and I'm ok with that. I'm actually really excited. This way I'll hopefully be able to have some experiences teaching in English, which I really have come to love and appreciate over the last few weeks. So I'm pretty excited for this upcoming week. 

I hope all is well wherever you are. 

I really don't have much more to say.... so I'll say things in Portuguese. Because that sounds fun: 

Oi. Eu quero falar em Portuguese um pouco. Eu nao posso falar moito bom mas eu posso falar sobre o evangelho muito. Nos Aprendemos mais sobra palavras da igreja porque nos usamos los muito. Em licaos e em classe e em nossas testemunhos. Eu acho que eu estou muito bom com portuguese mas eu sei que nao estou. Eu gosto de achar estou. Em classe, nossos professores nao falar muito en ingles e eu gosto de lo muito porque escutando de eles esta divertido para mim. Eu amo escutando e sabendo que eles falaram. Esta um sentimento muito ultimo. Eu se que Deus me ajuda com portuguese. Nao posso este obra sem ele. Eu lhe amo. Espero que todos de voces amam ele tamem. Tem um bom dia! 

I feel like I have a handle of speaking broken Portuguese. 

Everyone have a great day and remember that God loves you all so much. That is the greatest feeling ever... to know that an all powerful being is on our side wishing for our salvation and helping us achieve it because he loves us. Just soak it in. Let it become such a part of you. Because It is so true. God loves me and you. And I love God right back. Until next Tuesday!

Sister Damstedt