CTM #1

Hey,

So our plane was delayed in JFK because it didn't work

so we had to get off and board another one. That took about 2 hours.

We showed up at the airport in Brazil and walked down the stairs

how you see in movies and stuff! Then we got our stuff, exchanged our money, and left for the CTM.

This one is very interesting! The whole building is partially outside and it's really tropical!

I really underestimated how many shorts sleave shirts i was gonna need! My new companion is Elder Rosado from the picture and he's pretty good. Elder West and Monk are still in our district, but they now have new companions.

This place is just so interesting because it's so different!

I love you,

Elder Padilla

MTC (CTM) Brazil form letter

On Friday, December 27, 2013 1:42 PM, saopaulobrazil_mtc <SaoPauloBrazil_MTC@ldschurch.org> wrote:

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.

 IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO REPLY TO THIS EMAIL.

JFK Airport

Elder Padilla just called his parents from JFK airport in NYC. He is on his way to Sao Paulo Brazil tonight at 8 pm. He related the great day of Christmas spent with Elder Bednar. He said it was a great day and he got very little sleep as they had to be up by 3:30 am to catch the shuttle to the airport. He sounded great and was excited to be on his way.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas 12-25-2013

Dear family,

My experience here at the MTC has been amazing and so spiritually uplifting!

I'm doing well and I hope you are too! Elder Evans of the Seventy came

and spoke to us last night and

said this about Christmas: "The best way you can celebrate Christmas is by doing His work."

I have a testimony of that and that this is His true church.

I hope you all have a safe and Merry Christmas!

Com Amor,

Elder Padilla

Hey! Bom Dia!
Thanks for the package! I just got it yesterday! I sent a letter about my first couple days! It was kinda hard and different the first day, but it has been so good!

All the Elders in my district are great guys and we do a ton of cool stuff! We're picking up the language pretty fast and it seems like I've been here forever!

First of all, though, I got my visa!! I Fly to JFK in New York this Thursday morning! We have a five-six hour layover there then we fly to Sao Paulo! I'll be able to call you all in the airport so expect a call from NY sometime during thursday afternoon!

Six other newbies got their visas too and it's just so Exciting! I got to meet President Nally, i think, the President of the MTC! I saw Elder Serrato ( Brandon) and Elder Walbrecht ( Ben)!

It's been way fun! We went on a trip to the walk around the Temple and it's been snowing non-stop!! 

If you watch The District, there's a part about the sister missionaries teaching Laura. Sister Pain from the video was here for a devotional on Sunday and I met her and shook her hand! She was really cool! 

In the first picture from the left it's:

Elder Riches ( my comp.), Me, Elder Monk, Elder Gardner, Elder Rosado, Elder West, Elder Hackney, and Elder Lawrence! They're all great guys! Elder Gardner and I are thinking about rooming together at BYU-I after  we get back! He's so cool! They all Are!

The Second is us out on our Temple Walk in the Snow!! : Me, Elder Monk , & Elder Gardner!

Its snowed almost everyday !! It's Crazy!!..The biggest thing you have to watch out for here, though, is Trolls!! Everyone is always trolling so watch out for that Josh!

I love you all and can't Wait to hear back!

Tchao!

Elder Pa-G-La!

Departure and Arrival

We left for the Washington DC IAD airport this morning at 4:20 am. Elder Padilla's flight departed a bit late to Detroit so he had to run to his next connection (12 minutes). Luggage and Missionary arrived in Salt Lake City and was met by Marc,


Eliza, Caleb, Grandpa Olsen. They took him to lunch in Provo where they met up with Ashley, Dayton, Clay and Owen. 50 car lineup at the MTC and drop off went smoothly.

Depature IAD O dark oclock 

Ashley, Elder Padilla, and Marc at MTC

Owen, Clay, Dayton & Ashley Reed, Elder Padilla, Marc Caleb & Eliza Padilla at MTC

Ashley, Elder Padilla and Marc

Marc, & Elder Padilla at MTC Provo, UT

Elder Padilla set apart on December 17th 2013 at 7:45 pm by President Jon E. Dionne, Stake President Virginia, Centreville Stake.

Family Photo After Elder Padilla was set apart.

Elder Matthew Ryan Padilla Called to serve in the Brazil Fortaleza East Mission on July 30, 2013. Called to depart for the Brazil San Paulo Missionary Training Center December 27, 2013. Elder Padilla's Mission Training Center portion was changed to the Provo Utah MTC in late October. His reporting date was also changed to December 18th 2013. Matt's mission email is: mpadilla@myldsmail.net