Sister Sarah Elizabeth Crofts: Week 1 in the CTM!

Sarah only has 40 minutes to email every Tuesday while in the CTM, so I told her I would piece together her emails to me.

Sent to me the day Sarah arrived in Brazil: I made it to the CTM safe and sound! It was a long flight, and I am running on one hour of sleep, but I am excited!!! I’m the only new sister, so I don´t have a companion, but that could change! Sao Paulo is crazy, one minute it is metropolitan big city, the next shacks and slums! Everyone is soo nice! I made some Brazilian friends on the plane and tried to share about missionaries and the Book of Mormon. He was so kind and taught me some words too! These people are awesome!

Sent to me yesterday: I saw the most beautiful sunrise when we were almost to Brazil (on the plane), and it was such an amazing moment!

I won’t have a companion while I’m at the CTM--there are no other sisters coming, but it’s okay! I have 9 awesome elders that have been so fun to be with (my district). I think it is funny that I left my sisters and pretty much got 9 brothers. It was definitely a shock at first, but so fun! I laugh every day! I do my studies with two elders, but for memorization I do them alone. It is hard to get the elders to focus, so sometimes I feel like the only responsible one lol--weird getting used to all boys! I feel like not having a companion has been a growing experience for me. It has its downsides, but also blessings!

Typical day... wake up at 6:30 get ready, study from 715 to 815, then breakfast, which is meat and cheese sandwiches and sometimes fruit. Then we have language classes all day, sometimes seminar type ones, sometimes in our classroom. We have two awesome teachers Irmao Louza, and Irma Brito. They are so awesome. then we usually plan and teach a lesson to our "investigator" which is our teacher pretending to be one. Then we have lunch-- rice and beans--and dinner sometimes something different, but usually typical Brazilian food. The food is growing on me, I feel like it really is so bad for you haha! I’m trying to eat healthy and less of the sugary stuff since we just sit all day and learn (WHICH IS REALLY BORINGG SOMETIMES, but fun others!!) The other day there was this weird dessert--green mush that looked like relish, but it was sweet smelling. The elders dared me to eat a big spoon full of it....soo nasty I almost threw up! But you know me so stubborn!!

At night I write in my journal, study, and talk with my roommates which are both in their third week—Sisters Sanders and Jade. One funny thing, my roommate talks in her sleep and she also throws things in her sleep...muito interesante...

Portuguese is HARD. Every day I feel like I wake up so discouraged and feel like I can´t do it, but each day it gets better. My elders are good at making me relax and laugh and see the good! I am learning to rely on Christ and the gift of tongues-- which has been hard, but so rewarding. There is joy every day!! yes!! Every day is a spiritual experience! I also must share my thoughts and give prayers many times in meetings because I am the only sister so an easy target haha!!

Tomorrow we are going to the Campinas temple, and I will bring my camera and try to send pics! Then I am exploring around the different shops around the CTM!! So excited for that, I love it here! The Brazilians are so kind! I feel like since I am alone (companionless), so many people go out of their way to talk to me. I feel like I know everyone, even though I can’t communicate well yet!

I am loving the CTM. This is the hardest thing I have ever done by far, but the best! I feel like I am learning and growing so much! And I just LOVE the Brazilian people already. Seriously, I have this automatic love for them! They are so amazing and kind and caring! I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!! It is hard, but I know that it is important to learn this language, so I can further connect with the Brasileiros who are so kind and loving!

As they say in Portuguese, TUDO BEM (ALL IS WELL). We say it all the time. I love how even when we are stressed, sad, down, we still take time to realize that all is still well!!! Such a blessing! God’s hand is in our life every day!

Love, Sister Crofts