Mission Week 4: December 23, 2016

Editor's note: We were able to speak on the phone to Sister Tyson for 30 minutes on Christmas. She sounds amazing! She is loving the MTC, her companions and most of all the gospel and the people of Brazil. She leaves the MTC on January 10 for Londrina!
 

HI FAMILY!!!

Merry almost Christmas!!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE EMAILS, CARDS, AND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT EVERY WEEK! I HAVE SERIOUSLY RECIEVED DOZENS AND DOZENS OF EMAILS FROM MOM, DAD, AUNTS, COUSINS, GRANDPARENTS, SIBLINGS, FRIENDS, WARD MEMBERS, AND MY USU FAMILY ALREADY! ITS SOOOO KIND AND I WISH I HAD TIME TO WRITE BACK TO EVERYONE INDIVIDUALLY BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT YOUR NOTES MEAN THE WORLD TO ME!!!!! I hope you all have an amazing Christmas!!!!

So, this week was another awesome week in Brazil! so much to say with such limited time but I will do my best to share as much as possible! 

This week was my first week out in the streets of Sao Paulo proselyting for real! We were each given 3 Livros de Mormon to hand out and a handful of papers to gather references---- we were literally sent out in a big/busy shopping area and told to go to work and meet back up at 1030am--- thats the only instructions we were given! hahaha so my companion and I went and started talking to everyone who would listen--- I started most of the conversations-- it was sooooooo scary and sooooo fun! Everyone was super friendly and willing to talk with us. I saw one lady standing at the bus stop and knew her bus would be coming any minute but felt like we really should talk to her about the Book of Mormon. After making some small talk for a few minutes- I handed her the book of mormon and told her that I knew it was true and that Christ is the best gift during Christmas time and encouraged her to read it! It was soooo awesome! even in my little Portuguese I said all of that with little trouble! It was incredible! mom, dad, Zach, and Kade---- how come no one told me how awesome this is!!!???? hahaha jk-- Once we had walked away, we talk to some other people and when we had come back to where the lady was- we watched the bus come up, and drive away, and she was still standing there reading the Book of Mormon that we had handed her!!! I was literally freaking out with excitement! it was such a rush and I knew Heavenly Father was watching us and helped me know who I should go up to!!! AMAZING!

Then I had a feeling that we needed to move off the main street a little bit and go into a store front- my companion didn't like that idea because she felt like we were going to get lost or something but I reassured her that I wasn't afraid and so she didn't need to be either- Heavenly Father protects his missionaries after all... lol--- and so we went in- we saw a man right off the bat who was sitting on a bench alone and smiled at us as we passed him. Immediately after we had passed him, I felt bad about passing him without talking to him. I didnt say anything to my comp and we kept walking. after we had talked to a few other people, my comp said that she felt like we needed to go back to that man and talk to him! We didn't think that he would be there after 30 minutes had passed, but we both felt a strong prompting to go back and so we did. When we got back over to the store- HE WAS STILL SITTING THERE by himself!!!!!!!!!!!! We talked to him about himself and found out that his sister is a member of the church and that he had been talking to her about it a lot recently and said that he would be interested in learning more from the missionaries!!!!!!!!!! TENDER MERCIES FOR DAYZZZ FOLKS! LIKE SERIOUSLY?!!!!!!!! We happily took down his info and shared the Book of Mormon with him. AMAZING!

Then the encounter with the sketchy man..... so right when I started thinking missionary work was too easy and too good to be true.... the Lord humbled me and reminded me of his humor... hahaha. We only had one more Book of Mormon to give out and so the elders were really trying to get us to hurry and give it out.... (elders think they know everything sometimes...well like all the time), and so we were like okay- no problem, we've already placed 5 in like 40 minutes! haha but then we were humbled and a homeless man (shirtless) stopped us and grabbed my arm. we started talking to him and he quickly got angry and started yelling at us in Portuguese. he rubbed some oil on my hands and tried taking our name tags off our shirts. in Portuguese- he asked us what our real names were because we both couldn't be sister so and so and that we have no place to be talking about Jesus Christ. he grabbed the Book of Mormon out of our hands and told us that we need to read it ourselves before we try to preach about it in a country that isn't ours. I realized very quickly that we needed to keep moving and get away from him hahaha and right then, two elders came up and told him to leave us alone. hahaha The instructors scolded us for talking to crazy people and we told them that we didn't try to talk to him in the first place. hahahaha surprisingly, i wasnt scared or traumatized as i usually am about stuff like that hahaha- I knew that Heavenly Father is always watching us and that it was just a humbling experience! SUCH A RUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So many other amazing experiences to share but little time!

The church is true and I love you allllll sooooooo much! Talk to you on Sunday!

- Sister Tyson

Mission Week 3: December 16, 2016

Oi Familia!

Thank you so much for all of your emails and notes of love!!! They make me so happy!!!! You have no idea how excited I was to get your letters in the mail too! Like i told you, I got 3 letters the first day I was here at the CTM from mom and dad and so it takes about 2 weeks for mail to get to me when you send it straight from the US- which is good! The letter you sent through mission ties/mr. cheneys got to me on the morning of the 14th and they said you sent it on the 12th!!!! Amazing!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! such a fun thing for me to hear and be able to communicate with you guys so quickly!!!

The cookies as Mr Cheney's are awesome and I get free ones for signing up so thanks for that too!!! Allies pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are still better but I'll take what i can get!

Everyone here at the CTM is impressed by how much i have already heard from my family--- I've received so many emails and letters already!!! I am so blessed! I wont have time to respond to everyone individually but please know that I love you all so much! Please don't stop writing to me!!

Mom-I loved that you gave me all the updates about everything! It was so fun to read that and hear that you guys are all enjoying the Christmas season!!

This week has been so great!!!! I've had to come out of my comfort zone more and more this week and its been awesome! Tomorrow my companions and I go proselyting in the streets for 3 hours by ourselves! Crazy! but we are glad to be let our of the CTM for awhile- the CTM is guarded 24/7 with large gates and armed guards so its not the safest area in Sao Paulo but I'm way excited! 

This Sunday- in two days- I am giving a relief society lesson in English haha about Christlike attributes. Sister Grahl- the CTM president's wife asked me and I am happy to do it! I haven't had very much time to work on my lesson and I wish I could do gingerbread houses about his attributes like we did when mom taught in in mission prep hahaha, but it will  be good. I'm just teaching 6 girls and a few leaders so it will be simple and hopefully good!

I am glad you guys are having fun with Christmas celebrations so far. I love it! Christmas should always be with family or companions haha and serving others!!! It makes me so happy!

I'm so glad that im not in the snow!! It is pretty warm here- not super humid but hot- usually between 75-80 during the day and between 75-90 at night!! It's hard to sleep sometimes but we have a fan in our rooms and a fan in our classroom where we spend most of our day so that's great!

My days are all pretty much the same at the CTM-- we study, study, study, and study! We practice teaching investigators twice a day- which are our two instructors- and some days we go on splits with the Brazilian missionaries and teach lessons that way---its fun! We have physical activity time outside every night and can play basketball, volleyball, or walk on the track. we eat a lot here- my companions are always hungry, but I feel good and don't eat too much- I'm not in love with the food but its totally fine! I've already lost 15lbs and didn't even realize it hahaha but I haven't used very many snacks yet which is good cause I can save them and share them! Most nights I fall asleep before the lights are out hahaha but I love to stay up and talk in Portuguese with our Brazilian roommates!!!! IT'S my FAVORITE THING EVERRRRRRR! 

We have devotionals every Sunday and Tuesday evenings and we can listen in English with headsets--- this past week a young stake president from Sao Paulo came and shared mission stories and did an amazing job-- his message was that we should love the people in our area and always say good things about wherever we serve!!!! I loved it! And then they played the video of Christ serving people which the song HIS HANDS playing throughout the video--- I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!! I FELT THE SPIRIT SOOOOO STRONG!

This week I learned so much about spiritual gifts that heavenly father blesses us with-- you guys should read Doctrine and Covenants section 46! I loved studying that this week! I have been really trying hard to have the spirit with me and have been reading my patriarchal blessing to know what my spiritual gifts are and to try to obtain the gift of tongues! I have already seen that the gift of tongues is real because of so many experiences which I don't have time to write about today but I am so grateful to know that heavenly father gives us these gifts if we are faithful and if we humble ourselves--- Ether 12;27!  

Also- watch President Uchtdorf's Mormon message called YOUR PRIVILEGES-- OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT-- its super cool if you apply it what we are trying to do as missionaries-- we cant just sit back and do nothing- we need to embrace fully the opportunities we've been given- even if that means learning a difficult language!!! Portuguese sounds like Italian, Chinese. Spanish to me right now but I love it, especially when we sing hymns! 

I'm seriously learning soooooo much- especially in Portuguese- I know how to pray, share my testimony, teach decent lessons, and sooooo much more already!

I'm sorry I'm running out of time and have so much more to say!!! I'll write more next week and try to send a letter through the missionary ties place too!!! I love you guys so much! Sorry I can't answer every question like I want to! But please know that I am so grateful for you and for all you have done for me!I hope you take time this week to think about spiritual gifts and about the attributes of Christ that you can develop in yourselves! Thank you so much for all the updates everyone! Mom, I was dying about the fact that you couldn't copy and paste hahahaha and I'll write more about my awesome district next week!

ALSO- I AM ASSIGNED TO CALL HOME FOR 30 MINUTES ON CHRISTMAS DAY AT 130PM UTAH TIME! I HOPE THAT WORKS FOR YOU- I KNOW YOU HAVE CHURCH BUT LET ME KNOW IF THAT WORKS--- I CANT WAIT!!! HAVE QUESTIONS READY!

Love you all with all my heart! Thank you for all of the love and prayers!

-SISTER KALEE TYSON (KALEE GIRL)

Mission Week 2: The first email!

Heyyyyyyyy!!!!

I can not tell you how long I have been waiting for this day! I only have 45 minutes which kills me but I will write as much as i can today and then again about this time next Friday! 

Thank you for all of your emails and awesome notes! I am the only one in the MTC who had mail right when they got here so thank you soooooo  much! It means so much to me! 

I apologize for how random this letter is going to be because there is so much I want to say and not a whole lot of time to do so I will try to write as much and as fast as I can.

My first week/ first week and a half here in Brazil has been soooo crazy! Like seriously so wild! 

My first official day at the CTM was a good day but so long- haha my companions are Riley Robertson from Virginia and Oaklee Pyfer from Colorado.

The first day we got in from the airport late from the delay so we got to bed around 2:30am brazil time and I accidently set the alarm wrong so we woke up at 5;45! hahaha it was really not funny but good to be up and get ready for the day. Here in Brazil, breakfast is basically exactly the same everyday- they eat ham and cheese sandwiches!!! hahaha and fruit and fresh breads which are awesome. 

Lunch is the biggest meal of the day with the most options but it´s still mostly just bread, fruit , rice, and some sort of meat. Dinner is always small and usually has an interesting selection of meats. for example the first night was Brazilian pizza which had an assortment of meats on it, including tuna---yes, grandma and grandpa H- there was tuna on it and I saw it before it ever reached my plate hahahaha- but anyways the food isn't my favorite but the fruit and bread is incredible!!!!! So, that's good- also its a Brazilian custom here to get snacks every night called lanche and its a great way to end the day.

I ALREADY LOVE THE BRAZILLIAN PEOPLE--- The natives and South Americans here are soooo nice! They speak really fast to us but think we speak way faster when we are speaking in English haha. They are always so willing to help us practice Portuguese and are always encouraging us. they take pride in their language which is truly beautiful to see. I love that these wonderful people never complain about anything- they are so positive and happy all the time and love to talk and share experiences with us. their enthusiasm for life and even the small simple things makes me feel happy and blessed to be in their country and to be doing God's work here.

The Brazilians love to party and joke around and are always making jokes about American music and my last name- they always meet me and talk for hours about the boxer Mike Tyson which is funny for them hahaha- they love to sing Adele and Phil Collins to us and talk about Netflix like Allie's shows- Flash and Arrow!!! hahaha 

I know I am jumping from one thing to the other and I know I am going to run out of time before I can even scratch the surface of all the things I want to tell you guys but I'll tell the coolest experience that has happened right now so that i know it will make it to your screens today!!

Okay so on Tuesday- Dec 6th- I was having a rough morning missing all of you and having serious withdrawals from you guys hahaha not a big deal but just was kind of down- and the night before, my companion lost her water bottle during physical activity time and we went down to the lost and found office right after breakfast and personal study time. When we got to Sister Snyder's office where the lost and found is kept, they told us that no one had turned it in but then a MIRACLE HAPPENED. All of the sudden someone called my name- SISTER TYSON, SISTER TYSON!!! I turned around and there was a short new Elder standing there. the next thing he said was in Spanish---he said SISTER TYSON- I KNOW YOUR BROTHER- I SERVED WITH HIM IN SPAIN!!! And of course, I understood hermano and burst into tears!!! He went on to explain that he is from Spain and was called to serve in Brazil but was waiting for a visa so they sent him to Kade's area for a transfer and Kade was his ZONE LEADER!!!!!!!!!!! I was literally freaking out!!! I could not stop crying and thanking him for telling me that and finding me. even though we couldn't understand each other fully, we both couldn't help but smile and I could feel the Spirit so strong in that moment. Elder Gomez- Gometh in Spain Spanish hahaha- said he has just been with Kade two days prior and that Kade had heard that he was getting sent off to the Brazil CTM (MTC) and asked Elder Gomez to take a note from him to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was literally sobbing!! Sister Snyder and Elder Snyder supervise the CTM here and are from Provo. Sister Snyder put together what had just happened in front of her and she found out Kade was my twin brother she cried too and told her husband to take a picture of me and Elder Gomez to send to Kade and you guys!!! I can't send pictures from the CTM because they won't let us but as soon as Elder Snyder sends me the picture of us I will send it to you guys!!!! it was amazing!!! Elder Gomez gave me the note and Kade literally had it in his hands two days before it got to mine! I was a happy, emotional wreck. I was so grateful to know that even in Brazil- a very foreign place in every way- that Heavenly Father reminded me that he is always with me. The tender mercies of the Lord are incredible and even though I am so tired and miss you all sooooooooo much, I know that Heavenly Father is watching me and cares about each of us. It took everything I had in me not to break a mission rule and hug Elder Gomez for doing this for Kade and me. Such a special moment! please make sure Kade hears this story-- I don't have much time to write to him individually or anyone individually. I am so blessed with such great siblings!

Mom- know that I email every Friday for 45minutes and that I will have 30 minutes on Christmas day to talk to you guys on the phone. I seriously cant wait for that!!!!!! It's not a lot of time but I miss you so much that I'll take what I can get. hahaha

This week we got two Brazilian roommates who speak only a little bit of English-- they are helping us with the language which is good but PORTUGUESE IS SUPER HARD! I find myself wanting to slip into the little Spanish I know.

I know that the Lord wants me to be here and is with me always!! I know the church is true and that I am excited to serve Him and teach these wonderful Brazilian people in Portuguese!!!!! I love life and cant wait to read all of your emails and hear how you all are doing!!!!

TE AMO, TE AMO!!

Sister Tyson

Traveling to Brazil

Hi ya'll,

Kalee flew into Atlanta just great!  She was seated by a Brazilian woman who lives in Utah but flies to Brazil every month to visit her family.  She works for the airlines.

She has a brother who works at the Sao Paulo Temple, a relative who plays for the Brazil soccer team, and was so wonderful to Kalee.  She said she hasn't been active in the LDS church but believes.  She said it is difficult to not follow a family generation of Catholics.  She told Kalee, the flight by her was just what she needed.  Kalee felt the same about her.

So, Kalee was on a real happy note and feeling great.

She boarded the plane for Sao Paulo and then sat on that plane totally full, no air conditioning, and hardly anyone speaking English for a few hours.  When she was de-boarded to wait for a new plane (the current plane's door wasn't working), she called us and then there were tears.  I think tears of nerves and exhaustion.  A stake President from Logan, flying through, saw the problem and stayed with missionaries telling them he would not leave them until he knew they were on flights. 

They then waited and were promised a new flight by midnight, didn't happen,

They were given food vouchers but all places closed in airport.  They were given $125 in Delta flights and offered a hotel.  BUT this was now 2 am and the next flight was promised for 6 am so they didn't take advantage of that.

She called again early this morning and sounded much better.  The missionaries had grouped together and were chatting and problem solving.  

Good news is that they are now in route to Sao Paulo.  YAY!

Silver Lining:  The missionaries are hopeful that when the get to the MTC it will be late enough now that they can just shower and sleep and start the day tomorrow.  

All is well......

Tyson's

Getting Ready!

Sister Tyson leaves on Monday, November 28, 2016 for the MTC in Sao Paulo Brazil. Here is a letter on the Church website to welcome new missionaries to the Brazil MTC. We are so excited for Kalee!

Welcome Message from the MTC President

Dear Prospective Missionaries and Parents,

The main objective of the Brazil Missionary Training Center is to prepare and qualify missionaries to successfully achieve the Lord’s purpose for missionary work and service by preparing the missionaries to “invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end” (Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service [2004], 1). It is a truly marvelous place to learn and grow.
The Brazil MTC is situated in the city of São Paulo, an area with approximately 20 million people. As missionaries enter the MTC, there is an instant feeling of peace and purpose. A lot of time is dedicated to better understanding the doctrine of Jesus Christ and the scriptures. We use Preach My Gospel, an inspired volume of instruction, as the teaching guide, and excellent instructors give the daily training. Missionaries also enjoy time participating in sports and physical exercise, service projects, and personal and companion study. We have an excellent cafeteria as well as a gymnasium, walking track, weight room, and garden areas around the grounds of the MTC for outdoor study.
The MTC presidency is supported by excellent branch presidencies, who are called to support the missionaries and preside over the Sunday meetings and activities. The missionaries also enjoy weekly devotionals and firesides given by General Authorities, the MTC leadership, and other Church leaders. Missionaries are additionally blessed to be able to attend the São Paulo Brazil Temple each week.
The missionaries who train at the Brazil MTC are young men and women from Brazil and other South American countries, the United States, Mozambique, and Cape Verde. Even though we have many countries and cultures represented, the missionaries are united in their purpose of furthering the work of the Lord in establishing His Church.
Being a missionary is not easy, and you will be blessed with tasks at the MTC that will stretch and strengthen you in preparation for the marvelous work ahead. As you work and study diligently, you will be trained to share with the world the message of the restored gospel and to invite others to embrace the truth.
We look forward to having you with us at the Brazil MTC, and we know that you will be blessed and sustained by the Lord as you begin your missionary service.
Sincerely,
President and Sister Grahl

About the Brazil MTC

Brazil MTC in Sao Paulo

History

The Brazil MTC was the second MTC established by the Church (after Provo). It was first housed in the old Mission House located at Rua Itapeva in São Paulo, but with the construction of the Church administrative complex located at Avenida Professor Francisco Morato, the MTC was soon moved and occupied a portion of the temple patron housing facilities of the São Paulo Temple.
As missionary numbers grew, plans for expansion were made, and the São Paulo 7^th Ward meetinghouse was demolished to make way for the construction of the current facility. With a capacity of 646 missionaries, the Brazil MTC is the largest Church-owned building outside the United States. Since its dedication by Elder Russell M. Nelson in May 1997, thousands of missionaries have been trained here. They come from Brazil and other parts of South America, the United States, Cape Verde, Mozambique, and Portugal. Most serve in Brazil, but some Brazilians learn Spanish here to serve in the Spanish-speaking countries of Central and South America.

Weather

Although located along the Tropic of Capricorn, the city of São Paulo has a temperate climate due to its elevation. If you will be at the MTC during the summer months (October through March), expect warm temperatures and ample rain (approximately 56 inches fall annually). The winter months are relatively mild, with average temperatures in the high 50s (about 14°C) and occasional frosts.