This is the Lords work

Well, technically my P-day is Wednesday, but i smoothed talked the CTM President to give me one today.. and another on Wednesday. So, I am pretty pumped about this week! Also, I am in Brazil so its way more awesome! I met the new comp and unfortunately he had been having problems not wanting to be on a Mission.  I tried everything I could to help him out and convince him he should stay because this is the Lords work.  But he just doesnt feel ready, so he left for home last night. In saying that, I think I now hold the new record for most companions in the MTC! I just joined a trio and will most likely get a new companion next week  as more missionaries should be coming. I have been here almost 3 weeks now, and I am already on my 3rd set of companions.. but all i can do is love em!

 

The food here is soooooo good its amazing! They go all out feasts every meal! I am eating so much!  Also, this morning I went to the Sao Paulo Temple and that was a way cool experience. So much different in Portuguese, but its all the same and the Church is still true!  Even if I couldnt understand what they were saying at most points I still had the same peaceful feelings.  After emailing i get to tour the city and go to shops and and other places in Sao Paulo. Im so excited, there is so much more you can do here than in provo!

 

Funny story.. so the native missionaries here in the CTM are hilarious and love americans! So, last night one was asking about if I had a girlfriend and I told him yes. He asked to see a photo so I pull one out and he takes it and says.. thank you, I am going to keep this to always look at because your girlfriend is muito quente (very hot) and then walked away.. Of course he said all that in Portuguese and I had to try and tell him that I was not giving him the photo, I was just showing him... So in conclusion I have one less photo of Ally unil I can get it back haha.. but I am sure I will soon because he is in my room causing trouble everynight!

 

Well i love the CTM so far and its way more difficult because i have to basically live off of Portuguese, but its helping me learn so much faster.  Also cool spiritual thought, the Church really is the same no matter where you go! And its true everywhere you go, no doubt about it! I cant wait to share it with non fake investigators!  I hope all is well on the other side and thanks for all the support and love!

 

Also here is my new address please send letters i miss my people!

 

Elder Marcus Phipps

Brazil MTC

Rua Padre Antonio D´Angelo, 121

Casa verde

02516-040 Sao Paulo-SP

Brazil

55 11-3856-1400

 

Love you guys!

 

Warm Regards,

Elder Marcus Phipps

Letter from the 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

ADDITIONAL  INFORMATION . . .  

DO NOT SEND PACKAGES to the Brazil Missionary Training Center. All packages must be sent directly to the mission where your missionary will be serving not the MTC. If you have already mailed a package to the Brazil MTC and it arrives after your missionary has left for the field, please understand that the package can not be forwarded to his or her mission and will be returned to you.
WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE SENDING HAND WRITTEN LETTERS. Please write your missionary´s first and last name. Your missionary will provide you with his district and box number. Also, please DO NOT SEND ANYTHING BY FEDEX, DHL, UPS, or other private carriers.  The cost to get this type of correspondence is exorbitant.

Im in BRAZIL!

Hey peeps! I made it to Brazil safe and sound! The traveling was long, but the 11 hour flight went by faster than I thought it would. I havent really met my companion yet, but its so awesome here. This CTM is so nice, and the natives are so funny! Also, the food here is a million times better than it is in Provo.  The first meal they welcomed us with Brazilian chicken and this other meat, with all this other stuff!  Rice and beans and such, and its all so good!! Its so weird, it doesnt feel like im out of the Country, its just a weird feeling.  Also this computer doesnt do question marks so thats interesante!  Also, its different here than it is in Provo, on P-day we get to leave the campus and walk around Sao Paulo and go to shops and eat food and all kinds of things. I dont know a lot more, except I can tell I am going to be required to speak a lot more portuguese here!  Haha, I know huge shocker..  Also mom.. I am not sure how your gonna get the camera to me.. I hear go to usps.com I think or org or something and you click on the Brazil link to see how and what you can send stuff.. so look at that and we will try to figure it out. might get a Pday Friday, but if not on wednesday!

Love you guys!!

VISA is here!

WHAT UP MY PEOPLE!!

 

Well, my visa is here!  Which means I am heading off to Brazil!!!!! It also means I get to quicky email the fam traveling plans and such! I depart the MTC this Tuesday Aug. 6th at 4:45am and take a train to the SLC airport. I fly on delta and leave SLC at 9:48 and land in Minneapolis, MN at 1:22 PM. I then depart there at 3:35 PM and land in Sao Paulo, Brazil at 7:20 AM on august 7th.. Talk about a full day of travel.  I am super excitied to get in Brazil but im gonna miss my friends Ive already made here.  Dont know of anyone else I know who received their visas either, so most likely traveling with Elders I haven't ever met.  But, it will still be exciting! Any news on Nicks?  I havent seen him yet today to ask..  It says I am the travel leader, so I think I am in charge of the 10 of us heading down which should be interesting. hahah  Not sure why they picked me, but i am gonna try my best to not lose any Elders/sisters on the journey!  I also probably need my new set of Scriptures before I head out.  So, mom anyway you can get those to me on or by Monday?  That would be so great!!  Not that I havent enjoyed using yours, they actualy have a lot of very cool insights, but i think your probably going to want your own back! Thanks to all that wrote me.  I loved the letters and am in the process of writing back so hopefully I can finish those before i depart! Also, shoutout to Sis for getting the blog up and running I am sure it looks great!  Not sure if I will get to email again next week because my whole pday I will be traveling. Hopefully I will get one when I get there. Another shoutout to the Fam and the Mods for all the Inspiring notes and packages, helps so much on this journey to have all your love and support!  But, I love you all so much and thanks for all the support!

 

Stay Classy USA,

Elder Marcus Phipps

First P-Day

Whaddduppp my followers!

 

I dont even know where to begin.. Other than living in my room I have an 18 year old Southern boy who everytime he opens his mouth I start crying becasue he makes me laugh so hard!  His accent is awesome, I cant take it! I made it one week so I guess i proved the majority of the population wrong that I can maybe do this whole mission thing.  My companion's  name is Elder Gibb, and well he is a very nice person! He is very quiet, and i can count how many times he has laughed on one hand, so my goal everyday is to get him to laugh and I have succeeded 3 times which is quite impressive in one week! He is from Seattle and from the side looks somewhat like Will Ferell. He can also grow this full beard so he has to shave like ever 15 seconds, so he makes fun of me!  So, this morning he was all ready to go and I sat there and shaved for I kid you not 20 minutes and he was so confused he just kinda would watch and then finally asked what could you possibly be shaving?? haha!  The other 2 roomates i have are pretty cool!  I actually slept walked last night for the first time in the MTC.  I went over and woke Elder Blalock (southern accent elder) and asked for napkins because Elder Gibb spilled his drink and he got up then realized Elder Gibb was over there completely asleep and was like he doesnt need any. I appearantly said yes he does he got some on his shirt and thats when it clicked for Elder blalock so he told me to go back to sleep and I layed down in his bed and he made me get into mine and then 10 minutes later I got up again and went to the bathroom and he got up and said where are you going, I said just to the bathroom.  Then he said that he just started hearing the paper towel dispensor go off like 15 times and I walked back in with a stack of napkins and placed 3 or 4 on everyone while sleeping and then took the rest back to my bed to sleep with me. I dont remember any of this but they all loved it.  So... the moral of the story is I am even willing to look out for my companion at all times.

 

ALSO! Ally and I are back together in the same place! lessss gooooo! She always looks so good!! and her sisters were very excited to meet me! haha  I see Sister Mod a few times a day even tho we arent on the same schedule.  So, we get to talk every once in a while but its usually when im leaving for somewhere and shes just getting to the place im leaving from because I get to be on a half hour earlier schedule than everyone else.. and I still go to bed (well supposed to) at the same time as everyone else but I was never a big fan of sleeping anyway so I dont mind it.  I like my district a lot the other Elders are pretty cool and the language is coming along pretty well!  Even tho I always catch myself mixing Portuguese and Spanish together, which just gets confusing but so far so good its only been a week!  Also, Elder Low is in my zone and lives in the room next door so that is really fun! and Nick is just on the floor under me so I see him a lot at night but not so much during the day cuz I am on the earlier schedule!

 

Mom have you heard anything else on my visa? Also thanks so much for the letters and dear elders they are the best!  I love getting them cuz its nice to read at night.  Its always incredibly busy class, class, study, study, eat sometimes, sleep barely, then repeat but I KNOW its what I am supposed to be doing!

 

Much love to the fam and all my fans!! 

 

Much Love,

Elder Marcus Phipps

Elder Phipps and Elder Nick Holmes

 

This hug better last two years!