Jan. 27, 2015 - We're Going to Paris!!

Hello people

So we got our flight plans this week! We fly to detroit then to paris then to portugal. we leave tuesday morning at 4:30 i think. It's going to be about 20 hours of travel which will be...fun haha but yeah Paris is kinda freaky with all the Isis stuff so the airport will probably be intense but oh well! 

Edler Ballard came and spoke on tuesday and it was so good! He talked about being a better missionary (classic) and it was way good! Then on sunday a member of the 70 spoke about not letting satan push your buttons and it was really motivational! He said to just ignore satan and become the best missionary ever. He was a good talker too which made it really entertaining

On friday we skyped another member in brazil and it was fun. she mumbled all her words and talked really fast and the connection was horrible so we couldnt understand one thing she said haha BUT we taught a good lesson about the book or Mormon and challenged her to give one to someone this week and i think she said yes which was good! But it was cool to talk to a native and it got me excited for portugal! 

K 2 quick stories. one funny one spiritual. So we're teaching our teacher as an investigator and he has soccer playing on his iPad so that its like a real person or whatever haha and so we start to talk about soccer and messi and ronaldo and stuff making small talk and Elder rich says in portuguese "Oh i like messi better because hes more beautiful" hahaha too funny. Probably not as funny for you people but we were all busting up laughing.

So this week i was reading in 3 Nephi chapter 18 verse 11. it's basically the sacrament prayer but Christ is saying in first person. He says the blood I have shed for you and always remember ME and have MY spirit to be with you. It was really cool and i Never thought about it that way how he's speaking directly to us. I don't know just something different. 

Well this time next week I'll be flying to Portugal! My P day will probably be on monday and for the next 2 years. We're all pumped and super excited! Talk to ya next week!

Elder Powell

Jan. 20, 2015 - 1 Month already!

It's crazy how fast the first month went by! It's been so fun!

So last tuesday night elder nelson came again along with 7 other members of the seventy! it was pretty cool. I guess they were all here to set apart the new mtc presidency and also train like 34 new mission presidents or something. Elder nelson gave an awesome talk about how the phrase "Enduring to the End" really means Enduring to the End-owment. Our job isnt over just with baptism we need to make sure we get everyone to the temple! It changed my perspective of my mission.

We got ANOTHER district in our zone! they have 10 elders and 4 sisters and in case you didnt know thats a ton to all be crammed into one little classroom. They're really excited and really enthusiastic and now our zone has 55 missionaries. And thats pretty big too for the CTM. 

On friday we skyped some members in brazil! We taught them a little lesson and it was...interesting. haha first we couldnt really connect for about 20 minutes then when we finally did it was really hard to hear them but it was really cool! their brazillian portugues was a lot different then portugal portuguese but I think they still got the jist of it. But I definitely still need to work on the language. 

The new mtc presidency is super cool and they all served their missions in either portugal or brazil so they all speak portuguese! They gave the devo on sunday and them and their wives are all great. Then that night we watched another talk by Elder bednar about "becoming a missionary." It was so good. He ended it with saying "You Can Do This!" it was so simple but so comforting. It's just a mission. Yes its going to be hard but I can do this! really inspiring. 

So one of our teachers, Irma Smith, has been really sick lately and we've had a lot of subs. She says she gets a lot of migraines and her muscles in her spine are like pulling her neck back and stuff and shes a mess. But one day when we were supposed to teach her as our investigator we were preparing our lesson and we couldnt think of anything to teach. We both were having like a mind block. She wanted to be baptized but she kept saying not yet and we were both just confused and had no idea what to do to. But it came our time to teach and we knocked on 'the door" with nothing prepared. But  then "irma smith" had another migraine and had to go home early but "our Investigator"  said that she really wanted to be baptized but her family was really against it and if she did her ex husband would take custody of her kids. It was amazing. we found out exactly what we needed to know and comforted her in just the 2 minutes we had at the door about it being the right choice to be baptized and it was crazy. I dont know if it was a tender mercy but i think we couldnt think of anything to teach because we werent supposed to. I didnt see it as a coincidence. I hope that story made sense.

Well other than that our week has been pretty much the same as every other week. Just class and meals all day every day. I'm super excited to get out of her and finally start helping real people and its so close I can nearly taste it! just about 15 days or so and I'll be in portugal! 

Elder Powell

oh i have pictures too! this is me juggling with a sick tie that someone in our zone gave me. (he has 75 ties HERE AT THE MTC!) also one of me and elder rich eating some awesome chips and salsa that his family sent us. 

Jan. 13, 2015 - PORTUGAL IS SPLITTING!

Hello people outside the walls

Yes as you probably heard the portugal mission is splitting into 2 missions. The Porto and the lisbon mission! its super exciting! It doesnt officially happen until july 1st but im excited! They said that the area I'm in when it splits is the mission I'll get changed to so if I'm north on july 1st ill get my call changed to Porto and if I'm in the south i'll just stay in Lisbon. I hope that makes sense. 

So as I said last week we got to host the new missionaries on wednesday and it was so fun! we got to get their luggage and take them to their room and watch as they were all nervous it was the best. It was good to finally not be the greenies because of christmas and new years it was the first new group of missionaries since we had gotten here. With the new missionaries we got a new district in our zone and it has 2 elders and 4 sisters. It's really small but they're awesome and confused and scared and its great. Oh and we get to host tomorrow too!

Being District Leader on Sunday especially is pretty crazy. Theres like 4 extra meetings and I have to give a lesson and interview all the elders and its a lot. BUT it's a privilege to be able to serve and help out our district and the church and it's organization is incredible.

We had our TRC with volunteer members and there was this one guy we taught who like didnt say anything...it was weird. he was really awkward and looked actually mad to be there but he was a volunteer... haha weird but it was probably our best lesson so it was good! 

Oh so we had a sub on saturday and he was from brazil and moved to united states like 6 months ago and he was the FIRST 18 year old missionary! THE FIRST! He said that he had a ton of interviews with apostles and seventies and he is the reason for all this. Pretty crazy. Oh and speaking of famous people david archuleta was back at the mtc dropping off his cousin! and a sister in our district hosted her and she said it was so weird to see him again. ok that is all. 

It's been raining a lot too which is nice because its not so cold! But tonight the MTC presiednt is being released and its rumored that memberS of the first presidency are coming! It should be pretty cool!

Well it's so awesome to be a missionary and it's amazing how much my testimony has grown. The book of Mormon is SO true and we were challenged to read it int he 6 weeks we're here and It's so amazing how much I've learned. I know that missionaries truly are called of god and there is no place I would rather be. I love you all and I'll talk to you next week!

Elder Powell

Jan. 6, 2015 - We're not human doings we're human beings

Happy new year family and friends!

This week finally got back to normal after Christmas and everything. And no we didnt get to stay up till midnight haha but nobody wants to lose sleep so its all good. Hopefully I dont ramble too much but  feel like i could write a page for everyday so I'll try my best

Last tuesday we got to clean the temple! it was way cool. we cleaned the chapel and a sealing room that was huge. it had like 50 chairs. But it was interesting to see like the inner workings of it all.  then we were told we get to host new greenies tomorrow! i'm so excited! we get to yank them from their families! muahaha no but really it should be fun! Oh and if you don't think miracles happen everyday then youre wrong. my comp is like just as good as me at ping pong!! we played on that mini table set i got fro Christmas and we played for like an hour! i still think we were brothers before this life. 

Saturday was our last day for our teacher Irmao Workman. It got promoted to zone president or something but it was actually really sad to have him leave. He was the very first person we met when we got to the CTM who genuinely cared about us and helped us through the hardest weeks of our lives and it was really hard to just have him leave half way through our 6 weeks. It was so cool because he gave our last district prayer and he blessed everyone individually by name and it was the most powerful prayer! it was almost a priesthood blessing for each of us and even though it was all in Portuguese i still understand all of it! miracles. Our new teacher, Irmao Lefevre is great too! he served in brazil and hes so awesome! we were all skeptical of him and having him live up to workman but he did! he taught yesterday for the first time and hes a genius! he won $100,000 on who wants to be millionaire!! He is always laughing and smiling and makes us all feel relaxed and i already love him! (he walked away from the question, "what color are the middle two feathers of the NBC logo?" crazy right? but yeah hes a 23 year old with almost 65 grand)

On friday we taught our first member. It was so nice to finally just teach a lesson that they could understand! we taught about prayer and it was awesome to see how far we've come in our portuguese! The spirit was really strong and his feedback said that we taught him very personally which was amazing! 

ON sunday the old Zone Leaders left to the field so our DL Elder baptista and his comp were made Zone leaders! They're super obedient and they're going to do awesome! but since they got assigned to a new position they assigned me to replace him as District Leader. I was honored but I'm a little stressd because District Leader is in charge of making sure everybody is emotionally stable and are doing alright. So it'll be a change but I'll try my best

Also on sunday was the CTM presidency's last fireside. they gave a great mission conference and they get replaced on the 17th of jan. So thats exciting i guess haha  Then that night we had a devotional from the Chief Media president of missionaries. It was so interesting. he talked about all the videos the church puts out and the tens of millions of views they've received and how the church bought out the largest space in times square for the He Is The Gift poster and on new years eve when ever ryan seacrest was on tv the poster was RIGHT behind him in the shot haha they showed us a picture and it was so cool! look it up. then after we watched meet the mormons and it was hard to relive the missionary leaving but it was still really good! 

I guess I'll end with a little spiritual thought. In class we were talking about the Book of Mormon and all the sacrifices that were made so that we could have it today and obviously we all thought about Nephi going back for the plates and moroni and joseph but then our teacher Irma Smith mentioned Emma smith! She was a trooper. She had to live in fear of wondering if joesph was going to live to see the next day, Everyday! she had to watch as most of her kids died at a very young age, she never even saw the plates, she had to watch as joseph suffered in liberty jail then live as a young widow, all for the restoring this church and the printing of the Book of Mormon. Amazing. I hope to have even a little of that much faith. Well the mission is great and I love it it! Its hard but worth it! Love you all!

Elder Powell

haha me on my birthday and then irmao workman with his mozambique pose but elder rich couldnt hold a straight face. and yes thats my first time wearing paisley ever.

haha heres us playing ping pong

Dec. 30, 2014 - Feliz Natal!

Merry Christmas everyone and a happy New Year!

First of all happy 2 year anniversary tori and Jared! Happy 10th birthday adam! and happy 26th anniversary mom and dad! love you all!

When people say that the CTM during christmas is the best they really mean it! I have a ton to say so hopefully i dont sound to rambly and forgive my typos. But Last Tuesday on the 23rd the presiding bishop spoke to us and it was super cool! he talked about the armor of god and had this massive lamanite sword! then on Christmas eve we had a live nativity and watched the nativity story (like the motion picture) and let me stand on my soap box about the nativity for just a second. yes i love Christ and the nativity story is amazing but JOSEPH doesn't get the credit he deserves! he had to watch Mary be bullied because she was pregnant, had to trek like 100 miles to Bethlehem and he had to walk the whole time, not just sit on a donkey, he had to im sure hold off thieves and what not, then he had to watch as his wife give birth in a stable. what a man! Joseph is sweet! then after he was born he had to go to Egypt in the sand and heat and still kept the faith and loved Mary. Man I love Joseph. Then on Christmas day it snowed!! Christmas miracles everywhere! it was hilarious to see the missionaries who had never seen snow before and watch as a surprisingly large amount of people not realize that ice and snow is indeed slippery and you do fall on the ground if you're not careful hahah then elder Nelson came and spoke to us! They treat us right here at the ctm. it was so cool and he talked about the doctrine of Christ and finished with a personal Apostolic blessing over all the missionaries here. He really has a special presence about him and he truly is a man of god. then the choir sang "precious savior, dear redeemer" and i can officially say i sang for an apostle haha then we had the Christmas talent show and it was hilarious! so fun! Then that night we watched the movie Ephraim's rescue! it was quite the day and im sure there's more that i forgot. 

Sunday me and my comp were asked to usher for the devo and so we go early to train or whatever and theres this little short guy singing at the piano practicing for his piece and oh look its david archuleta haha so I'm typing with the hand that shook david archuleta's hand. yeah im famous. haha but no really he did come and sing for us and he is so good! The spirit was so strong and he's amazing!(Side note. that song he sang for meet the mormons he actually recorded that WHILE he was a missionary! in Chile! weird but true) also the MOTAB organist, richard elliot, was there and played a bunch of sweet songs on the organ, one just with his feet! Music is some powerful stuff. well that's all the devotionals and what not and the spirit has been so strong here!

I've realized that watches are like the most convenient things ever. like bam. the time is just right there on your wrist. within seconds you know what the time is! its so quick! also, tie trades on the daily are essential. 12 ties get used pretty quick and tie trading is a must. also, 4 square is the most intense sport here at the CTM and it is insane the amount of strategy thats involved. yes. 4 square. Its been SO cold here. Like 15 degrees at most. and the snow just keeps coming. Its beautiful but its crazy how cold it is. A bunch of elders in our zone left yesterday originally to brazil but got reassigned to California and it was cool to see how excited they were. We got a second teacher this week too, Irma smith, and shes way nice and a really good bringer of the spirit in the class. She served in portugal and shes going to be great. the Portuguese is coming along and the key truly is to SYL especially out of the classroom. 

well thats about it. happy new year! Love you all! oh yeah i was told i leave Feb 3rd from the CTM sooo. yeah. and sorry i havent sent any pictures, i keep forgetting my camera when i come to write so next week be expecting some pictures! Talk to ya next week!

Elder Powell

Dec. 22, 2014 - First e-mail Home!!

Hey Family and friends and Tudo Bem!

I've read so many of these letters from missionaries I don't even know what to say. It's weird being on the other side finally. First of all, MERRY CHRISTMAS! I can already tell that Christmas in the CTM is going to be awesome and all the Elders and sisters get to call home which was an awesome surprise but I guess you'll find out next week exactly how it was. So its been 6 days and the expression is really true about how the days go slow and the weeks go fast, but it's been so awesome! Finally getting that name tag was seriously so powerful and it was the culmination of everything I've been working for and it was so great! 

Well my first companion was probably my twin in heaven because we are seriously the same person in every way! He's from American fork and he went to BYU for a semester and he's the coolest guy. We clicked so fast and are always on the same page about everything. Its bizarre. We have the best chemistry when it comes to bouncing jokes off each other and we are going to be the funniest duo in the CTM haha we even have the same clothes from Mr. Mac. Like same size too. Haha too weird but we're best friends already. He's so funny and we are always laughing but we always find a way to feel the spirit so strongly. It's been so fun. He works super hard and loves the mission which really pushes me to be my best!

Portuguese is awesome and the language is actually easier than i thought. I'm obviously not fluent but the gift of tongues is real! It's crazy to think about how much i knew on Wednesday morning and I can already speak so much its amazing. My spanish helps so much and I know I'll be able to learn it quickly through hard work. That's what Irmao Workman tells us everyday. To work hard, focus more on the purpose of being a missionary and the language will come. And that really helped me. I need to focus on the work, the spirit and the scriptures and the language will come if I do my best. 

For all of you who will be serving a mission soon just a heads up that you teach your first lesson on Friday. In your LANGUAGE. And thats exactly what we did. We taught Adriana on Friday and the Portuguese was terrible haha but the spirit was there and it was so cool. We taught her two more times and we progressively got better and better which was really great to see and Rich and I really tried to focus on the positives and there were a lot even though we butchered the language. 

Our district is awesome and our DL is from Australia and he looks like superman. NO JOKE! hes so awesome and his Aussie slang is hilarious I reckon. Haha I'm already using it its so funny! I'm probably a little too sarcastic sometimes for my district but me and Rich have a chuckle everytime and I love it. It's been so fun! We're singing in the choir as a district for the Christmas night devo and the song "Where Shepherds Lately Knelt" is amazing. It was mindblowing how the choir director explained the words to us. You gotta go look it up because i dont have time to tell you but its gonna be a sweet song. Also, on sunday we watched a talk given by Elder Bednar at the CTM a couple years ago about how we always need to be turning outward especially during our time of need. He explained how Christ suffered in the Garden, was betrayed, crucified, mocked, and STILL was doing missionary work to the two other men on the cross next to him. It hit me hard. I've learned so much about Christ these past 6 days. tI've have never even thought about some stuff before and I've realized we will never be able to fathom how much of a solid guy he is. I Love Him and I cant wait to learn more these next 5 weeks! 

Well Feliz Natal talk to ya next week!

Elder Powell