I almost cried when Sister Pack gave me a hug (is that legal? haha)

1 Hey mom! Yea no visas! ONE MORE WEEK HERE! Its sooo wierd! I feel soo old at the MTC haha. On wednesday we got to host the new missionaries coming in. Cause were like seniors here! It was soo much fun! I got to serve like 4 elders and a sister! I loved it soooooo sooo much!! You pretty much just welcome them at there car on the curb and open the door for them, get there stuff and just show them around and get them all there stuff. Ok! On Tuesday, Jeffrey R. Holland spoke to us at the devotional!! Ohh man! Definitly my new favorite speaker! He is just sooo powerful. I sat only 13 feet away from him!! I got soo many notes off of him. I think he came cause they installed new bleachers in the gym, and the first week I was here the started the contruction of it. and now its finished! Ive been here to long haha. But he was great! I wish I could tell you soo much more!! ahh!! Other news! Me and my comp were making contacts around the building to random elders and I saw 2 sitting on the couch so i went over there and was like hey can we share a little message with you. and one of the elders was Elder Asay! Hes from Clinton or Madison I forgot! But Ive seen him a few times! Lindeys friend! haha. 
Speaking of the Packs!! I was walking into the lunch room! And being sooo tall. I never look at anyone! And I here my name and I see Brother and Sister Pack!! Ahh, I almost cried when Sister Pack gave me a hug (is that legal? haha) anyways it just felt soo good to get a hug from someone I knew back home. Soo yea a little over one more week! Im def excited!! I know the lessons in portuguese! Oh hey, can you guys send me my pat blessing if you havnt! That would be sooo sweet! I love you guys sooo sooo much!! Hug everyone for me!


2. It was soo alwesome to see them! I miss everyone soo much! And cant wait to get my reassignment! But im pretty sure ill only be out there for one transfer and then ill get my visa! hopefully


3. Thanks mom! Yea, I'm use to being out on my own! Well not exactly on my own. I have a comp that im with 24/7 haha. It fealt sooooo wierd hosting and being away from him. I cant even describe it.


3. Stay safe!! I only have 1 more minute! Love you guys!! Ill let you know where im getting reassinged!!

Emails back and forth today

1. its really hard to remember stuff from home now unless you really try to focus on it. Noooooo Visas! soo a brizilan district got reassigned to the states for no visas. So hopfully they will start comming in, or were the next ones to get reassignments. Whatever happens happens though. I just want to get out into the field and teach!! Wether it be in portuguese or english. haha Ryan. Tell him I went and ate breakfast by the gate today. where there are 4 benches and outside the fence are a bunch of little houses. Are those his? Oh, And sorry about the pictures. Its really hard to get them developed... theres always a huge line! and it takes a couple weeks for them to print them out!
2. I prolly wont be able to develop them now because im out in like 2 and a half weekss!!!! WOOP WOOP!! I feel sooo ready! We taught the 1st lesson again in portuguese for 45 minutes! Of course my comp didnt do any talking! But it really does strengthen me. Cause I know that I can do it by myself! Uhhh lets see, This week. Same ole! Just more and more portuguese and knowledge of the Gospel! And OH MY HECK!! You guys sent me a new pair of Adios!! haha! What happend to my old ones?!? Thank you sooo much! I hope you all are doing great! Cause I pore out a lot of faith in my prayers for you guys. Oh one thing I reaallllllly need is my patriatical blessing! I think you guys were going to shrink it down or something? anyways. It would be great to have. But you dont have to send it if you dont want to. Oh yea! And I played piano in sacrement last week! And this Sunday im playing in priesthood! Im getting better and better! And me and Elder Deakin are thinking about starting to do musical numbers for devotionals or firesides or anything. we sound reallllly good together! For real haha. Anyways! Keep praying for my visa!! And ill talk to you guys next week!! Love you all!! Tchau Tchau!! :D 

Elder Arroyo

3. Yea, long time no see huh? :D ha, I miss you guys a lot. But its nice here in Provo! Hey you can add this to my email to if you want! Who all is going to BYU right now? Cause its like right across the street, and I dont know, They could hook me up with something. I feel like im in a bubble!! Whats up?

4. Um, nothing that I can think of. Im pretty much set. The only thing I can think of is my Pat Blessing. But you dont have to send that right away. Cause its looking to me like im going to get reassingded to the states for a bit.

5. Just put in my email that i asked who was going  to BYU, and that maybe they could hook me up with some outside MTC Stuff! :D haha we'll see what happens. Or they could drop off a letter or whatever.

6. Ahhh thats sooo great!! I just went this morning! and also did service in the big laundry room! Its was soo much fun! The longer your here the cooler jobs you get :D

7. Well mom. I have 1 minute left! I wish I could talk all day! I love you. Have faith and you will have the power to do anything.

8. I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!! TCHAU!!!!!

Just have faith in the Lord and keep His commandments and He will work miracles.

Hey mom! Ahh thats a pretty bummy dream. I wish it were true. But I have a lot of weird dreams out here. Really weird haha. I think its the food. We all tell each other about our dreams cause they usually come true! Ahhhh Come on! I was looking forward to seeing where preston was going!! hah!! Tell him to let me know! or anyone! I didnt know if you wanted me to write you cause we email. Sorry. Ill write you soon. And Destinee better write me!! For realz! Oh and hey! My nikes that I brought here were a baaaaad idea!! They were soo old!! I was playing soccer and the bottom of my right shoe just came right off hahahahaha! Man! How lame! I ducked taped that sucker though! it looks cool! Buuuuuuuuut! Can you guys send me my adios?? porfavor. My nikes are just destoyed. My adios are the white skate shoes. Dont send me the white DC's Send me the White Adios pleeease! Thanks :D

Ok, So this week... Life changing. So I start it off with teaching my progressing investigator. And I went in there knowing nothing about him. And he knowing nothing about the gospel or bible or anything. But after I was done with him he wanted to believe more in Christ and God, And was getting very interested in our lesson. The spirit was guiding me in sooo many ways! I LOVE ITTT!! Sometimes I just dont even know what im saying!! And then on Sunday we watched a Joseph Smith movie, and I broke down like 4 times. The spirit is soooo strong. And it just takes control of you. I wish I could share the feeling. And then we got to teach our first lesson in portuguese to the returned brazilian missionaries that volunteer here. As always I did all the talking...! But at least I know I cant teach the whole first lesson in portuguese! Ok, And heres my top story of the week. I wont share all of it with you for personal reasons. Wednesday night, I told everyone in my district that if anyone is feeling down or depressed, to come into the custodial closet at 9:40 at night in our dorm place. And so there were 4 of us in this little closet. And we were joking around for a little and then we started getting serious, and this elder wanted to go home for a reason. And he told me, and we were discussing it, and the spirit was sooooo strong in there. And then he looked at me, and no lie 10 minutes from the time he looked at me to the time I looked back everyone was crying. I can hardly remember what I was saying. But I just remember looking at everyone again, and they were all crying. And that they said everything I said that they could feel the spirit soo strongly. I know for a fact that the Lord loosed my tongue and told that elder what he needed to hear. I will never forget this experience. Just have faith in the Lord and keep His commandments and He will work miracles.

The portuguese is going great though!! Were doing portuguese fasts 3 days out of the week. And I love them. It just feels natural. And obviously still no visas.. And were getting a shipment of 140 brazilian missionaries next week!! Something is up with these visas. This place is about to get crowded. Let me know if you find out anything por favor. I love you so much. And miss the fam a lot too! and the ward! I gotta email Jimmy and Dad!! See ya next week!! Tchau Tchau!

 

Love,

Elder Arroyo

I'm living the life! 8/6

Hey mom! Ahhh, Another good ole week at the Provo MTC haha. Im not going to lie. This place has grown on me sooo much. It feels like home. But I still want my visa!! haha. Sooooo this week. Uhhh, No more English! We are now halfway through so were doing the lessons in portuguese now. And yea, Ive been fasting since 6 this morning by myself. Mainly doing it for the language, but also for a lot of other stuff. But yea. Portuguese is comming along great. Everyone says I have a southern accent though haha. I dont think so. We went to the temple this morning. Man, Let me tell you. That place just never gets old. I love it sooo much!! Ahhhh!!! 2 days ago I scored a goal in futeball!! haha!! It was amazing!! Its an army of missionarys out there and no one ever scores! maybe like 4 a game. out of 50 people haha. I love playing soccer!! I feel like I know this place like the back of my hand. Its been 4 and a half weeks. I watch american missionarys come and go. haha. ITs crazy!! I dont know why. But im having writers block!! I dont know what to talk about!! Eu sui que Jesus Cristo e nossos redentor e eu sui que ele amos nos muito muito. eu sui que O Livro de Mormon e verdadiero. Eu soi que grato por minha familia E tudo familias! Eu sui que Jesus Cristo E Deus amo tudu familias E abencoas familias com eles evangelho. Eu soi grato por nos igreja. Em nome de Jesus Cristo, Amen. haha just a short little part of what I know off of the top of my head. You should hear me speak it haha. Its soooo fun!! Were no longer the portuguese noobs!! We dont have to clean the bathrooms anymore!! haha. We have been upgraded to vacuuming!! I love it! I really am changing out here. I watch myself grow up a little more everyday. haha. Its kind of wierd. I cant wait to email voces from brazil!! Man! I have to wait another week to find out where Prestons going?? haha. Let me know ASAP! A

Ok, My email just started to delete stuff!! What the heck!! Dont worry about me here haha. Im living the life! I miss you guys sooo much!! And love you all sooo much too!! Until next week!! Oh and I know the lessons like no other!! Im soo sick at them. Well got to go! See ya next week! hopefully Ill get to call you.

 

Tchau!

Elder Arroyo

It feels good not to be the nooby anymore aka If I come home its going to be for something my bouncy ball did

Hey mom!! P-Day again!! And guess what, it feels like we just had P-day yesterday. I love the time layout over here haha. Oh yea! the Temple is opened again! The Provo is by far the biggest temple ive been in. It is soooooooo huge!! I loved it. Our session was great. And I had an amazing time! I cant wait till I go to the Salt Lake Temple ;). Ok, so like 2 hours ago they 3 more of our district got there visas!! Grrr!! Wheres mine!! :O haha. So on Tuesday we'll be loosing 5 Elders from our district. It looks like there comming in though. Soo keep praying. Our branch pres told us. God doesnt want us to be here haha. He wants us to be in Brazil. That is his plan. Our branch pres is brasilian and realllly funny and cool. We got another shipment of portuguese elders on wednesday. It feels good not to be the nooby anymore. Now we just go around talking portuguese to them. Its sooo crazy how school is already starting! Tell Destinee and Justin that I say good luck! And make good grades! Dont slack! haha. Soooo being in the MTC for 4 weeks now we get sooo bored sometimes! A missionarys favorite toy is a bouncy ball! haha! When youve been here for this long! Those things can do anything! If I come home its going to be for something my bouncy ball did. haha jk (for real) The meals here are great, Its just well, they mess up the digestive system. I dont know what it is that does it. It just does it! haha to everyone. So hows Nathan doing? I totally forgot he came home. I hope hes doing great! Theres this elder here who is from brazil. And I was like Olah! Hes like Oi! And we were talking in portuguese! And I could have a convo with him!! And hardly even think about it! I asked him what its like in Belem. and all he said was. "Its very hot" haha. I cant waiiiiiiiiiiiiiittt!!! for gym, we play futeball everyday! Im getting pretty good, not going to lie! Ive been working out everynight too, so im looking pretty darn good too! haha. So hows life back at home? Everyone doing good? How Destinee? Im not going to lie! I dooooo miss her haha. Tell her to write me!! How Justin doing? When I read that first letter about him at the ariport and stuff, I started tearing up. I love that guy. Ill be back before he knows it haha. 

Im learning soooo much in preach my gospel. I love teaching about the Restoration! And the Plan of Salvation! Im really good at them. Next Thursday for our TRC were teaching everything in Portuguese! Im a little nervous! But more excited haha! I need to start writing outlines of what im going to talk about! This seems all jumbled up! But ohh well. Oh Elder Gene Cook of the 70 talked to us this week. It was great. I took a lot of notes. Ill start remembering all the people that talk to us! sorry haha. Ahhhh, I miss you guys sooo bad!! Dont forget that when I get my visa I can call home for 5 minutes! And our branch pres said we can call in the airport for as long as we want if our flight has any problems. Sooo just let me know what you guys want. The Burton family is also taking care of me muito muito! haha, They love to send me cookies and brownies! The whole district loves them for it haha. Tell everyone to keep doing what there doing! And keep the spirit with them!  Eu amo Voces!! Orrar por minha visa, por favor!! :D Tchau!!

           Elder Arroyo      

                Portuguese pronounciation (Elder Ahoyo)

the feeling is just undescribable 7/23

Hey mai! We would normally go to the temple on P-day, but its closed for 4 months for renavations... Oh well. More time to do P-Day stuff!! haha I love pday! We go on temple walks on sundays though. They are really fun. We just sit in the grass, take pics, and just have a spiritual time. Which is all day everyday! The spirit is soooooo GREAT here! 
Yea, I did get my shoes from mission shoes. There great!! Im switching shoes everyday to keep them good for as long as possible. One thing that I reallllllly love are those blister bandaids!! The pack we got only had 4. They do wonders. You dont have to send me any more. I just love them. Yea, I got the ties from that lady, They are very nice!! I love them!! And she got them XL so thats even better! What a wonderful women she is. My comps name is Elder Temperini. 
I miss everyone a lot! But I mean, it feels like I was with you guys yesterday. Its like the days are long, but the weeks are wayyyyyy short. Thats the only way I can explain it. Ohhhhhhhh!! And my portuguese!! Holy Smokes!! The first week I was struggling! Were going on our third week now and I LOVE PORTUGUESE!! I can speak it easily now! Were already teaching the restoration in portuguese. My comp doesnt know any..... cause.. well... anyways.. I talk the whole time in portuguese, And my accent is great! I can underdstand what the investigator is saying and answer him back in decent portuguese! The MTC can do wonders to a missionary if he has the spirit with him. Trust me! Without the spirit, I would prolly be having the worst time of my life! But im having the greatest time of my life here! Ahhhhh Fridays! Papa Johns Pizza!! haha! Its hard to say which day is my favorite day here. Cause there alll soo great!! haha! I love Sundays, cause thats when i feel the spirit is the strongest. But yea, Life here is great! I love reading the scriptures!! haha crazy huh?? Anything that can make my testimony grow, and make my relationship with Deus Stronger, Ill do it!! Im soooo ready to get out to Sao Paulo!! 
OHH YEA!! HEY! 54 Brazilian visas came in yesterday!! We lost 1/3 of our branch!! 2 left from our district. Elder Thorpe was one of them. Im sooo jelous! But at least we know there comming in now. I just want to get out into the field! And love the people! And bring the love of Christ into there lives!! I only have 2 years!! Get me out there already!! Time is going by wayyy to fast! But yea! I miss you guys sooo much!! Dont be afraid to Dear Elder me! haha, letters are great to read when you get back to the house! I dont think I got any letters last week! haha Its ok though. Pray for our visas! And im emailing Jimmy too! 
Hows life back at home? Hows the fam doing? The ward? I heard Devin is going to Cali!! Tell him I said congrats!! He'll love the MTC!! Tell Mark to get studying haha! Espescially on that hungarian! (portuguese is cooler) haha. It truly is the language of Heaven though. I cant tell you how much I love it here! And how much I have been longing to be a missionary, and now im finally here. And the feeling is just undescribable. Well, I gotta go! I love you guys and miss you lots!!! Tchau!!

  

Elder Arroyo

But I have Christ! Whats better than that?? NOTHING!

Oi mom. Ahhh man! The days go by sooo fast!! Its soooo crazy! I feel like I left yesterday, But I also feel like ive been here for months! Its crazy! So the Portuguese is starting to stick! I love it! Im doing a talk on Obedience in portuguese on Sunday. Im working on it. Its sounding pretty good. The food is awesome!! Its wierd, This Elder in my district his name is Elder Deakin, We have EVERYTHING in common! We wish were were comps. I didnt bring my letters. So I forgot the questions you asked. But yea, I do miss you guys. A lot. But I have Christ! Whats better than that?? NOTHING! The spirit is sooo strong here, And guess what! It never leaves! Its the best feeling ever! Me and my comp taught a "investigator" yesterday in TRC. I Did great! I felt like I got him to trust me, and He went from being sad, and depressed about the death of his son, To Happy and laughing with us. I definitly brought the love of Christ into his life. I love doing that to people! I love seeing the look on there face when they can just feel even a little of Christ's love. Im now pretty much in the loop with everything around here. I know where eveything is and I have tons of friends. Elder Deakin is my favorite though. Were going to hang out after the mish definitly. We have the biggest district in the MTC!! 14 elders! Letters are great in the MTC. They make me feel good. Eu soi que Jesus Cristo e nossos Redentor. Eu Soi que O Livro de Mormon e verdidaro. Eu soi que Jesus Cristo Veve. Eu soi grato por minha familia. Eu sou grato por Evangelho. Em nome de Jesus Cristo, Amen. I did that without looking at my notes!!! I love it! And I love you guys! Keep the spirit with you as much as possible! Youll be so much more happy! And will feel sooo much better! Its just undescribable down here! Gotta email Jimmy! And get my stuff out of the dryer! Tchua eles! Amo Voces!

 

Elder Arroyo

Its all work work work sleep work work work 7/10/10

Hey mom, Wow, These first couple days have been rough..! Sooo much work haha. But im getting use to it. The plane ride was fun, but long. I got delayed in Memphis for about an hour and a half. But its all good. I was like the last missionary to arrive at the MTC. Soo, We have the biggest district. There are so many brazil missionaries waiting for there visas! Pray for them to come! Or at least mine :) haha just kidding. Umm, The spirit is very strong here. We are never not doing anything! Its all work work work sleep work work work. But its for the Lord, And thats why I'm here. Oh man! The Poooooootuguese!! We are learning so much of it, My head feels like it is going to explode! I am learning though, Not the fastest but still learning! I realllly want to go to Sao Paolo CTM. I just want to be with my own people, ya know? And I realllly want to get out into the field. Time feels like its flying by sooo fast! It feels good! The food here is great! Im cutting back a lot though, I feel like im losing a lot of weight. We do a decent amount of walking here. Ohhh man, And it is sooo great to get letters. Oh and mom I need the date of when I got my Typhoid shot, or they are going to give it to me again. They gave me a little pink slip that im supposed to mail to you that tell you to give me the dates for it. So im just letting you know now. Maybe call the MTC and tell them I dunno. I just need the date. Well, Im not going to lie. I miss you guys sooo much!!!! I have been getting a little home sick. But I do my best to get over it. So, Yea. I loving it here. Really anxious to get out into the field. This is my first email, so I had to set up my account and stuff so I only have a little longer.! I got a package. But the mail room is closed. and it will be closed tomorrow. So, Ill go pick it up on Monday. I'm guessing its my shoes. My P-days are on Fridays. And if you know annnny info on my visa let me know. I feel like theyre trying to keep me out of the loop or somthing haha. Well, I'm starting a whole different life style. And I like it! I dont have my mailing address, Im guessing you guys already have it. OK! Im running out of time! I love you guys soo much! And miss you too! Tchua!

 

 

Elder Arroyo

Departure Day 7/7/2010

San Antonio!