MTC Splits

We went to the Campinas temple again this past week. Bought myself the scriptures in Portuguese and a hymn book. My district is doing fine. I think we´re singing this song called Um a Um tomorrow for the equivalent of Brazil David Archeleta. 

This week was pretty good. They seem to go by quicker and quicker. All of the Brazilians that arrived with us left this past night so we got some goodbye photos and stuff last night. This week we had 2 devotionals. On Wednesday it was an Elder Christofferson video from the Provo MTC made the day as well as a great talk by his wife that I really liked, filled with applicable stuff for us. Then Sunday, there was a Facebook live event that we tuned into with Ballard and Soares who are in Sao Paulo and were making the livestream somewhere, yet they haven´t come and unfortunately aren´t planning on coming to the MTC here.

This week we also had splits which was pretty fun. I was in a trio with an American, Elder Olsen who lived in Uruguay the past two years prior to the mission because his parents are mission presidents there so he knew Spanish fluently when he came here and was on his sixth week anyways, and a Brasilero named Elder Costa who is the nephew of Soares and can play the piano really well. He is going to Porto Alegre Sul, so close but not quite. It was also evident from my splits that I´ve still got a lot to go with the Portuguese, both speaking and understanding. We do these splits as an activity in the MTC. We teach a companionship and then they teach us. We did this Thursday-Saturday midday. We planned our lesson, ate lunch, taught, then were taught. But we actually get to proselyte this Friday outside the MTC at some busy street in Sao Paulo. Should be fun! 

Cool to hear that everything is going grand back at home, glad I've got Caroline as my protector. 😊

Lots of Love,

Elder Mangum

Week 2

The temple was pretty awesome, we only did sealings and it was in Portuguese so that was a bit difficult.  Tomorrow we get to do an Endowment session.  P-Day was also pretty fun, I explored some of Sao Paulo with Elder Lehmann, got some ice cream ("Sorbete" for only 2.50 reais, so really cheap and it was pretty good!) and I took some pictures.  Thursday was also cool, we got to check in with the Federal Police so I am legal!

I memorized the First Vision (which was a bit of a struggle) and Moroni's Promise (not as difficult) this week.  We also had a member of our district go home last week because he couldn't get more than a couple hours of sleep a night and it was just too much with the lack of sleep.  He is a great guy and we miss him.  

My daily schedule varies from day to day, but we get up at 6:30 (except for temple days when it is 5:30) and lights out at 10:30, with tons of activities in between. Today is actually our 2nd day of doing laundry, they space it out far.  We wash again on Friday or Saturday this week, so it varies.  Good thing we are washing today, on my last pair of socks and I had to reuse a white shirt yesterday and today.  Luckily they've got machines to wash and dry. I am not not looking forward to having to do it by hand later on!

Church is still three hours, but it is broken up, like we have normal sacrament and then the first half of talks are 4 talks in Portuguese- 2 elders and 2 sisters- from the district that is on their last week, and then an intermediate hymn, and then a talk from a member of the branch presidency and their wife in English. Then there is a goal setting in your classroom with your district for the week, then Priesthood which is in English. Then I think we had a little study time and then like a sunday school thing which is also in English. Scattered in here is lunch too. Then in the afternoon they play a film. Thus far it has been Legacy and then a movie about the Americas during Christ´s life (from his birth to right when he visited them). Then that night there is a devotional. The devotionals are always in Portuguese and we have to wear headphones to listen in English and sometimes the translator isn´t that good, like we miss out on jokes and things like Sunday with the Area 70. Luckily, Wednesday they played an old devotional of Elder Holland, the one you actually put a quote from in the journal, about why is it so hard, and what they played through our headphones was Elder Holland which was awesome. I really needed that. 

Things are improving, or at least, I'm getting used to them.  Tuesday was rough but this whole week has gone by way faster than the eternity that was the first week.  And while I don't think I learned as much as I did the first week, or at least I don't feel like I did, I can now pray in Portuguese.  Anyway, glad to hear things are going great back at home.  

Love, Elder Mangum

First Week at the CTM

My first week was pretty good. I'm not gonna lie, the CTM is the hardest thing I've ever done.  It is a 16 hour work day doing 18-22 different activities a day.  The leaders here don't speak very much English which can be frustrating, but it also helps a lot with Portuguese.  I'm surprised by how much Portuguese I've learned in a week, like I already have the missionary purpose, the baptismal invitation and the points of the Restoration in Portuguese memorized and I can pray (poorly) and hold a small conversation in Portuguese.  The gift of tongues is very real. 

Our district is so much fun. You get like 2 or 3 times of physical activity a week where you have to run 5 laps then you can play volleyball or basketball or run more or whatever. My companion is fun, Elder Lehmann from Provo Utah. He worked for a year before coming out, got a girlfriend back home, and will be starting his first year at BYU with me. He also got a 35 on his ACT. The food is fine, a bit repetitive. Haven´t eaten any beans yet though! Breakfast is honestly the worst, it is literally cheese, ham, and like a roll and if you´re lucky and early enough to breakfast, you can use one of the like panini makers and grill it, if not then it stinks. 


Anyways, it is so so so much fun here at the CTM (centro de treinamento missionario), sorry for any spelling errors, Brazillian keyboard and all. We´ve had to teach an investigator twice which is really hard when you don´t know the language. They push you really hard here and sometimes it is literally impossible to achieve what they are asking but the effort of trying hard to reach what they set blesses you so much in learning and whatnot. Customs was fine, didn´t like declare anything, they just looked at my passport and sent me through. We can only take pictures on Wednesday which is our actual P-Day, only everyone has to email on Tuesday because there are so many missionaries.  They spread out laundry so I actually did my laundry yesterday. Elder Lehmann, Houser, and Knebel and I share a room and we combined all our darks into one and then did our whites separately. Everyone is a part of the choir.  We have choir right before the devotional on Wednesdays and Sundays and it is required to come to that.  I don't mind, it's fun to sing. The devotionals can be difficult though because we have to listen with headphones because you know, we're in Brazil.  I do hope that an Apostle or someone comes and visits during my stay here though, that would be awesome.

We go to the temple on Wednesday morning too and we switch between the Campenas and the Sao Paulo one with the Brazileros, only the Sao Paulo one is closed the next couple of weeks for cleanings so I think we will all go to the Campenas one tomorrow. We´ve got to get up an hour early, at 5:30 tomorrow to go to the temple. We also can´t upload pictures to the computer at the CTM so you´ll have to wait 6 weeks for any pictures. 

The most surprising thing was on day one.  We get here and they give us a bag with stuff including name tags.  So we put it on and Elder Knebel who is now my DL and will be going to Porto Alegre North, goes 'Elder Mangum, that isn't right!"  They accidently gave me the Sister Mangum name tags!  We all laughed and they quickly switched them because the Utah people got to the CTM a couple hours after everyone else.  Coincidentally, Sister Mangum is one of the two missionaries in my district. In my district in Elder Lehmann and I, Elder Knebel and Houser, Elder Berkheimer and Carrell (all 8 of us going to Porto Alegre Norte), Sister Mangum and Bucio, and Elder Frost and Stoker, all 4 going to Landrina. 

Things are good here, hard, but fun. I love all the people and getting to meet new people and learn Portuguese. I´m very surprised at times by how much I know, Spanish helps definitely with conjugation and some of the cognates, but I have learned a ton in the past week, like it is crazy for me to think that a week ago, I knew no Portuguese. It feels like I´ve been here forever and I love it, although I am ready to get out of this building tomorrow and get to walk around some.

Much love,

Elder Mangum 

Safe Arrival

Elder Mangum left Houston at 6 pm last night, flying to Miami, had a short 45 minute layover and caught a connecting overnight flight to São Paulo, Brazil, landing at 8:30 am.  He took a shuttle bus to the Brazil Missionary Training Center where he will spend the next 6 weeks studying Portuguese and missionary training before heading to the Porto Alegre area.

Centro De Treinamento Missionario - Brasil

He was able to send a short email home letting us know he arrived safely - 

My flight was good! There was one sister missionary on my first flight and two on my second. I haven´t met my district yet or my companion, but he will be Elder Lehmann. Our P-Day is Tuesday. The president of the MTC will post on Facebook in the group´: Centro De Treinamento Missionario - Brasil. Will write more then to everyone on P-Day, only can write this much. Also this keyboard is hard to use.

Love, Elder Mangum

Headed to Brazil

Today Elder Trevor Mangum left for Brazil.  We love you Trevor!

Leaving Home

Traditional Cracker Barrel send off meal

1-2-3 Sure Love You!

 

Airport NASA Cow - Last Group Picture

Saying Goodbye 

See you in 2 years Elder Mangum!!

Setting Apart

Tonight Trevor was set apart as a full-time missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by our Stake President, Dean Andersen. It was a wonderful blessing, filled with inspiring counsel and blessings.  We are all so excited for Trevor as he begins this next chapter in his life, serving the Lord and teaching His gospel in Brazil.  

Family Temple Trip

Today we took an early morning trip to the Houston Temple for Trevor, his family & cousin Max and Mangum Grandparents to participate in Baptisms for over 40 family ancestors.  

"The temple is a beautiful, serene place, and it is unique among buildings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Church members gather in meetinghouses for weekly worship services. There, they enrich their lives by studying the gospel; they minister and serve among each other. But they attend the temple in part to bless and serve those who’ve gone before them. Every person who has lived on the earth is entitled to the opportunity to receive the blessings of eternal life and eternal family relations. Performing temple work by proxy for those who have gone on before allows God’s blessings to extend to all of His children." - Mormon.org