July 16, 2011

Dear Family: All is going well here in the MTC. Today might be my last Sunday in the MTC as in I leave this week!! Crazy. It was also Fast Sunday and I really have grown to love the power of a fast. The Lord can really strengthen you when you are at your weakest point. I'm kinda homesick but I feel like that's mainly related to nervous..Oh! So this Thursday we had the opportunity to go out and proselyt. We had the best experience. So for the first forty minutes we walked around asked a lot of people if they wanted to hear our message. Everyone said either A. noio tempo Eu tenho um reunioo. B. eu tenho esto livro ( but they hadn't read it) or C. already a member. But we ran into one guy and all I can say is that man was so ready to accept the gospel in his life. He knew english! It was a major blessing. He was thinking about life alot and that he hadn't heard alot about God lately. We taught him like all of the first lesson. It was so cool. Just what I needed! It was crazy spiritual. The other two we gave away were door knocking. We knocked on this man's door and I started talking. Asked him if he wanted a book and he said if you want to give me it I will take it. Then I explained what it was and then again asked him if he wanted it and he said yeah. It was awesome. I really feel that they might actually read it. But other than that experience nothing else exciting. My portuguese is pretty good, but I'm going to start the Book of Mormon challenge given by Pres. Hinckley to read it in a language and you will become fluent quicker. One Elder has 100 pages left and he's pretty good at speaking, but he also had a semester 8 credit class on it so.. But that's about all I have to say for today. Thanks for all the letters. I Love You all! Tchaou Elder Deakin P.S. We saw this moth bigger than my hand in the hall last night. It was cool.

July 1, 2011

Family!! How is everything going? Everything is great here. I'm sitting in a meeting thats going pretty slow so I decided I would write ya. How's home? Are you guys getting all of my projects done that I started? haha That's cool the fishfry went good and everyone sounds really busy still! I don't know how long this mail system is taking but I have only received 1 letter ha thanks alot! So time is going fast. I have a test Monday to see if I can leave Tuesday or early at all. But whatever works. It's alright here. The food is ok. I've eaten so many rolls. I'm keeping the same weight. We have Brazillian roommates and they are crazy. They are so loud and party all night. My companion and I still get along really well! He;s a good kid. We have had alot of spiritual moments like last week was fast Sunday and we had a District fast for our teachers girlfriend to have an interest in the Church and want to be baptized and on Monday he told us that Sunday night she took a lesson and accepted to be baptized. It was crazy. It was exactly the testimony builder I needed. So today was Valentines Day. That's weird. Also it's getting pretty cold here, only 60 but its a weird cold. It's so strange! For gym time everyone knows me from basketball cuz I'm the 3rd tallest here. Also I have been mistaken for a Brasilian, like alot. It's hilarious. They will ask me voce americano o brasilero? And I say Americano. It's funny. As soon as my language comes I will totally say Brasillian haha. It's fun to hear that you are still including Shay in everything. Holly's written me twice now ha. I think its way fun. Well let me know if you receive this letter so I know how long it takes. But vte mais eu te amo ate logo paz fora e muito amo! Tchou! Elder Deakin

June l8, 2011

Familia!
Como vi vide em Unite Estates? Brasil e muito bem mas. Sometimes I forget that I am even in Brasil. So anything exciting going on? How was the fish fry? I like P-days here cuz we get to take an hour trip to the Temple then walk around Sao Paulo. I don't know how much longer I will be here. There will be a group leaving next week and another in 5 weeks. Hopefully, I catch either of those or somewhere in between. I'm speaking really well, but I struggle understanding the locals. We have two Brasilians in our room. Their sleeping habits aren't the best but their help with the language is awesome. I've made alot of friends here. There is only about 5 kids from Utah, but many from Washington, California and others. We don't stay nearly as busy as we did in Provo, but I am pushing myself as hard as I can so that I can get out in the field. We don't really do much so I don't have too much to say. But I hope that all is going well and everyone is having a wonderful week. Take Care, tell everyone I Love them!
Tchao Elder Deakin

Tuesday June 14, 2011

Alright to tell a little about my companion his name is Elder Jencen Robey he is from Washington. I missed the transfer for Manaus so now I have to wait six weeks. My teachers name is Vini Veres so watch for him to add me on facebook cuz he said he was goimg to ha ha The food is getting better. Today we went to a chihaskos that was really cool. The food was way good and really seasoned and I ate way to much! But to continue my days the weeks are starting to go by faster I think ha ha Its all ready crazy with how laid back it is here its way different than Provo oh almost everyone here is from Washington or Oregon crazy huh. Yeah I was pretty upset that I missed transfers but thats ok I guess I can learn more of the language this way I guess! Yeah everybody but one is going to Manaus. I've already had three English fasts I only make it for about half day before my ambition stops. Thats cool Cambria got her braces, so what else new is going on? They only do transfers every six weeks I think thats what I have been told so yeah I'll spend the full time here it's not that bad though it's pretty fun. Some days gets tiring though. We get to leave every p-day and walk around town and go to the Sao Paulo Temple it's an hour drive away form here though. In two weeks we get sent out to hand out Book of Mormons to people then in a week or two after that they take us to the big city to do it there. It's cool, I think that will be really fun. There are only three hundred missionaries I think. We just lost lots of Brazillians so not many today, but we get more tomorrow. But I better say good bye nice talking with you I love you all!♥

Tuesday May 31 2011

Hey!! So how is everything at home going? Everything here is great. My companion is pretty cool. We get along really well. This MTC here is so relaxed compared to the other one. The teacher is way cool. He is so funny. So I forgot lots of things like a comb and soap but we got it all today. But I'm not sure how long I will stay I've talked to the president and he said he was going to make some phone calls and see what he can do because I am way way way way ahead of my class ha ha. Hows the jeep project coming along and how is the go kart. My leg is getting better still looks pretty cool. ha ha. So drivers here are crazy. ha They have no laws, well no enforcement. Its crazy but its all good The food sucks (excuse the ugly word says "mom") I hate ham and cheese toasted for breakfast but I'm use to it ha and I've eaten so many beans and rice its practically all I am (we warned him he, obviously didn't believe us). well I have to read you guys' emails now so i'll write you soon. I would love to hear from you all. but if not that's cool to cuz I still have all but one letter of those you sent with me. tchau!!! eu te amo!"!!!

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 thy 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 Tuesday or Wednesday, Depending on individual asignments.
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 so much interested in the success of an Elder (Sister) when he is preaching the gospel as the Lord that sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord's children."
Please accept our love,
President Donald L. Clark and Sister Zaza Clark