Hello everyone! So I may have written the Portuguese in the subject line wrong, but I have very little time to type. I miss you guys! I pray for you all! And if you are thinking "Naw, you don't pray for me," you are probably wrong. I pray about lots of things. But most especially my friends and family. There is so much time to talk to Heavenly Father. So why not mention everyone I know and love? He knows and Loves you guys too.
First things first, thank you so much to those of you who have sent me letters! I appreciate them so very much! I have sent quite a few out to the US, but they sometimes take a month, maybe more, to get there. So you could have one on the way. Also, I am moving! Finally going to Rio de Janeiro! So forget, scribble out, and dispose of my old CTM address. Use the address below from now on. And, you can send me packages now! Yay! Don't feel obligated, in fact don't unless you really want to, and if you do, don't fed ex or anything, just straight old US postal service. Otherwise I will have to pay loads of customs on this end and I might not even get it. Just fyi, my sister said people were asking.
Here's the new address, use it!
Elder Matthew Salvatore Viglione
Brazil Rio de Janeiro Mission
Rua Dois de Dezembro 78 salas 703/704
Flamengo
22220-040 Rio de Janeiro - RJ
Brazil
Awesome, now, for all the awesome things happening in Brazil! Oh, side note, Haley, could you send me our new home phone number, I have to change it with the mission home. Thanks so much Twin!
So, life here is wonderful! I absolutely love being a missionary! There is nothing better I have ever done, and I have done some pretty sweet things. I am finishing week seven here at the CTM, and the language is coming along. I can usually understand people that speak slow and have a Sâo Paulo accent, other than that, it really varies. I have gone full days without using English though :) It is quite empowering, and also a little interesting, learning a new language. It is strange to think that I will be better at it than English by the time I'm done. I already mess up my English now. haha. You'll all love it when I come home and can't speak or spell.
So, cool thing that happened this week. So in sacrament meetings here, the branch president just gets up after the sacrament and calls out the names of the people who will be speaking for the day. No notice at all. He calls you and you go. So kind of nerve wracking for most people. I am finding it is still odd to be the kind of person who always wants to tell everyone everything. But I love to share the gospel, so I take every oportunity, even when among the missionaries. So, the talks are all in portuguese, so if you get called on, you had better be able to speak. Well guess what? I got called on! I was so happy! I had wanted to speak so bad, to share some scriptures and tell everyone how great Heavenly Father is, and I got called on! And I was the newest missionary to speak this week. Everyone else had two weeks on me, which is a lot in the CTM>
Anyway, so I got to give a talk in Portuguese about Hope. It was so wonderful. And it was really cool. There are two districs in my branch that have come in after us, so I felt really cool talking to them too. Since I'm the AP, I get to go visit them all throughout the week, answer questions, and just be their friend and help them all out. So it was way cool to have a personal realationship with all these Elders and then get to speak to them. I didn't realize it at the time, but also in attendance at our little meeting was one of the area presidents. For Brazil. As in the whole country. Well I noticed a Brazillian looking at me intently during the talk, and it turned out it was his wife. They spoke that night at the CTM devotional, and she mentioned me by name! I was so surprised! Afterwards a bunch of Brazillian missionaries I know came up to me, and were like, "You're famous!" It was really cool.
The cooler part though was that she doesn't speak English. She had somehow not only understood my talk in broken Portuguese, but it touched her and meant something to her. Now I would be astounded, but this is how the Spirit works. We are only the instruments through which God works. When we do are part, He works through us, and accomplishes more with us than we could ever hope to accomplish by ourselves! It was so cool to be a part of that, in a very real way. And I feel so blessed to be worthy and able to serve Him with every effort I possess. This is why I am so happy. The work is not easy. It is not easy being away from your home, your culture, your language, and not being able to do anything for yourself. But it is so wonderful to be in a position where you can serve Heavenly Father with every thought, every action, and every effort. He takes care of his servants, and I am overwhelmingly grateful to be part of this great work. In leaving everything and serving Him, I have found freedom and joy and peace that is unparrelled. Surly the words of the scriptures that say "He that shall try to save his life shall lose it, and he that shall lose his life, for my sake, shall find it" are true. In losing my life I am finding it again. And I am so happy.
My family, my friends, be strong! Do what is right! Everything you give Heavenly Father is rewarded! No effort is too great, and no trial too hard, that it won't be worth it in the end. All things really do work together for our good. I love you all so much! I can't wait to see you again! Do your best, and leave the rest to God.
All the best!
Elder Viglione
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