Ashley WEEK 5 ......6 DAYS LEFT IN MTC

Oi minha familia e amigos!

 

Well its official I am on the last leg of my MTC experience!!!! I have 6 days left!!! Awww by next P-day I will be in JOAO PESSOA as a real missionary teaching the gospel to the beautiful people of Brazil.

 

The langauge is getting harder but easier. I understand a lot of what people are saying but have a very hard time responding. We call it my "caveman portguese" hehehe I feel the spirit so strong in our lessons and there are times I have to take a deep breathe, trust in god, and then the spirit takes over. Half the time I have no idea what i am saying but i feel gods love and i know its what god wants me to say!

 

I am so sad to be leaving Sister Judd and the elders in my district. I have really gotten to know and love them! They are amazing!!! We have really got to experience a lot together. And when you spend 16 to 18 hours a day together you Really GET TO KNOW PEOPLE! haha Sometimes a little too much! hehe They are all amazing and their stories are amazing. Some have gone through some pretty difficult things in their life, but they are a testiment to me that the gospel is for everyone. And if we are worthy the Lord will bring us where we need to be; And for us, we need to be here in Brazil. Loving and teaching these amazing people!

 

We have the opporunity here to go out on P-days and explore the city. There are some really cool little shops and resturants. Reminds me a lot of China Town in New York. Every building or home here is guarded by a gate with spikes on the top and richer homes have mini police station boxes. But I feel completely safe everywhere I go. Especially with Sister Judd. The people are so friendly!!!

 

Brazil right now is experienceing a lot of religious excitment. And because of that so many people are looking for the truth. It is amazing! We have so many people come up to us and ask us who we are and what we believe. Its also a lot like the south where people love to talk about God! God has prepared this time for Brazil. People are searching. And I feel so priviledged to be here to be  an instrument to teach them!

 

I can not wait to serve the Lord next week. I will leave on wednesday morning probably around 3ish am. (oh fun fact people use military time here, totally messes me up!!!) hehe Then I will fly to Joao Pessoa with a huge district of Brazilairos who came in 12 days ago. One of them was my friend from facebook! Sister Tota Silva who I had been speaking to for 4 months before my mission! We have become fast friends! I love her so much! There are 4 Brazilian sisters going to Joao Pessoa with me and I love them so much! They are all so sweet. I have never been kissed so much before! Everytime they see me I give them a hug and they kiss me each on both checks! I love them! They are adorable!

 

Crazy thing. A lot of people in Brazil know a lot of English. They learn spanish and english in school. And they always want to practice with us. SO we speak in portuguese and they speak in english! haha They do a really good job! Sometimes it makes me feel a little bad that I am not picking up portuguese fast enough.

 

Had an amazing experience with the CTM mission president. He is a man of God. Sister Judd and I had some questions that we had been pondering for a while and we happened to run into the president who invited us in. He talked to us for about 45 min. He answered every question before we were able to ask. As he spoke I could feel my saviors love and I felt as if my savior was talking to me. After we left his office our souls felt like they were on fire. I left his office with a new resolve to serve god and the people of brazil with more power and love like Pres. Swenson.

 

Sorry its so short this week still runnining on little time. I love you all so much! Thank you for all your love and letters! They mean the world to me!

 

Te amo!!!!

 

Next time I write I be an offical missionary out of the MTC. or here its call the CTM (: hehehe so exciting!!!! Estou Muito Animada!!!!!!!! (I am very excited!)
--

Sister Wheatley

Ashley WEEK 4 of MTC LIFE

Oi familia e amigos!

 

SO I only have about 30 minutes here to email, its kinda stressful! But I loved all the letter, emails, and cards sent to me! You are all the greatest and I really do apprieate you taking your time! <3 ya!

 

WELL 1ST WEEK IN BRAZIL DONE! hahaha It is amazing here, way different than Provo!!!! SO much more personal, strict, and the language is a hug emphasis! We spend most of the day in a small TINY classroom studying Portuguese and douctrina. (doctrine) haha ... My district is a riot there are 8 elders and 4 sisters but we are so loud! They bounce off the walls! haha but I love all of them, their testimonies are all super strong and I learn so much from them.

 

On tThursday (of last week) they handed each of us 3 books of mormon and put us in the middle of a huge social area downtown maybe 40 minutes away and sent us off to give out our books of mormon by ourselves (with our comp) speaking pPortuguese. It was terrifying but amazing at the same time! The bus we got on to get there was a public transportation bus and it WAS SO SCARY! They drove like a new york taxi but it was a BUS! hahaha I got thrown into a seat, the poor elders had to stand. I thought they were going to fly out the window! haha ... When we got there we had 1 hr and 30 min to give our 6 B.O.M per compainship, we struggled at first getting the courage to talk to people but we finally did. We were able to give all of them out! Everyone was really nice even if they didnt want to take it. Some people took it but Im not sure if they will read it. One guy started chewing us out for not speaking pPortuguese for about 10 minutes, we just told him that we may not know the langauge well but our message is important- he took a book of mormon so hopefully it will help him! There were two people though that I know will read it. One guy was so greatful, I could barely understand him, but he just loved it. I started to read as we were talking and he got so excited when we left he started showing people his book "with a picture of jesus inside" it was so great. And another women told us she already belonged to a church and believed in the bible and we were able to tell her that the bible and BOM were both testaments of jesus christ and the spirit was so strong! She ended up taking the book of mormon and I had a very strong feeeling she would read it! I hope she does!!!!

 

I was able to go to the Sao Paulo temple today! It is beautiful, ends up it is the 1st temple in south america! It is full of stain glass pictures/windows and BEAUTIFUL plants are everywhere.

 

Sao Paulo is such a different city. It is HUGE! Its buildings scattered throughout a massive jungle. And yes and jungle. There are vines and tropical trees everywhere. I love it here.

 

OK I know why they eat beans and rice with every meal. BECAUSE IT IS AMAZING! I will NEVER get sick of the food here; some of the fruits and desserts are a little funky but the main dishes 1000000000 times better than american food! Its so fresh!

 

Dad I am so glad you like the shirt! Mom I have one for you too but its with me! You will get it when  you come pick me up(: hehe

 

I love you all so much I wish I could say more. I never want to leave. They people are amazing, the food is amazing, the langauge is hard but beautiful, and I love being with the spirit everywhere I go! I have felt the Lord everywhere I have gone.

 

Oh fun fact W and Y don´t exist in portuguese so my name doesnt exist. No one says it right!!! It is soooo funny to watch people guess. I know how sister z felt! I love it! I tell them they do a good job even if they get it wrong because you can see how hard they are trying. One lady did get it right and I completely freaked out! She was so surprized. Ends up she know englsih fluently! haha

 

I made a new Brazilan friend Sister Miranda. She was amazing! She speaks to me in Protuguese all the time. She has helped me. Everytime I see her I yell out "Minha Amiga" and she gets this huge smile on her face and runs and hugs me! She is only here for a few more days though because she is a native speaker! I am so sad!

 

Oh my roomates are from Capo Verde, Africa. They speak continental portuguese! It is so different than Brazilan. But they are the sweetest! They think Sister Judd and I look like the princesses on Frozen so they had us sing for them one day. AND now everytime they see us they bow and start singing  let it go, as if we are royality! We start to sing with them and they LOVE It! I love them so much!

 

I stick out like a sore thumb here. hahaha I am white, tall, blonde, wear an amazing nametag and have curly hair. Haha everywhere I go people stare and EVERYBODY touches my hair!!! It is so funny. When we go in devotionals or at dinner people will call me over to talk to them so they can play with my hair! haha If I am waiting in line, Ill just feel a tug and I look back and they are laughing. They love it and think it is so beautiful!!! They are all so sweet! Everyone thinks me and sister judd are sisters because we have the same hair, look alike, are always together, and come from NC.

 

Well I have to go! I love you all! Know that God does exisit and love you so much! He has shown me how much love he has for just one of his children. He will do anything to bring them the truth. Do not take the gospel for granted.

 

Te amo,

Sister Wheatley

 

PS Aunt Rhea the elders called me Sister Sweetly the other day. I couldn´t help but think that I was continuing a beautiful legacy! <3 you! (I could not stop laughing, I think they thought I went crazy. When they called me that)

--

Sister Wheatley

First Letter from Brazil MTC July 22 Wednesday 2015

Oi minha familia e amigos!

 

I made it to Brazil! My new p-days will be on wednesdays and I no longer can send pictures and I only have 45 minutes to write now so I will probably only get to write my main email every week and not be able to respond to individuals! Do know I love and apprieate all the letters and emails. I can not recieve packages at the MTC but I can recieve dear elder and letters. (but know it takes 10-12 days to get here) I am only here for 3 weeks before I head to Joao Pessoa!!!! (: oh and I am so sorry about my english one: portuguese is taking over and two: the keyboards are different here! haha I don´t know where all the keys are! (and they are in different places) haha

 

My address mom is in my mission call packet back at home (:

 

So my first day at the MTC. Started with a really LONG flight and a really amazing experience. Before I left I had a really profound feeling I needed to bring a book of mormon with me and I prayed all day for heavenly father to tell me if it needed to be in portuguese or english. And when I went into my farewell interview, my branch councilor stopped the interview and told me "I challenge you to bring a portuguese book of mormon." It was an anaswer to mt prayer. While on the 10 hr flight to Brazil a man sat next to us that spoke portuguese and a little english! We were able to communicate with him and tell him about our missions and about the church. He told us all about Brazil and the "church building" (our temple) that is beautiful! haha He said everybody knows about the beautiful church building! We were able to give him, the book of mormon. He told me he would read it for us and he would email me his findings! I feel so blessed! I was a REAL missionary today! I can't wait to share the gospel with the people of Brazil! Even though my portuguese was SUPER rough the spirit was still able to speak to him. The Holy Spirit is real and does truly teach through us, we just have to trust in the Lord and open our mouths.

 

The MTC is completely opposite of the MTC in Provo!!! It is crazy! haha The food is soooooo much better for starters! I love BRAZILIAN FOOD! They also have this soda that I can´t spell or say that is AMAZINGGGG!!!! haha love it already! The rules are different here and we do way different things on p-day. On p-day we get to go walking the city talking to people and get to go to the Sao Paulo Temple!!! So excited! We do our laundry different days in the week so we can spend as much time out learning the culture and loving the people of Brazil. 

The MTC is beautiful! There are gardens throughout the building and its so open.  Its hard because everyone here either speaks protuguese or spanish and I know niether. But I am understanding a ton of what they are saying but I just can´t speak back to them! haha

 

The MTC bedrooms are SOOOO NICE! They put my college apartment to shame! haha

 

The provo mtc has a lot more free time and a lot more people. It is all business here and you have a places to be. Oh and the instruction is so much nicer here. THEY TELL YOU WHATS GOING ON! hahaha Its going to be hard but I know I am going to get the language down a lot faster!

 

I will get to meet the rest of my new district and teachers tomorrow! Can´t wait! They all seem really nice and fun! My distict is all english speakers! But my roomates are spanish speaking! So I may come back knowing protuguese and a little spanish!!! haha

 

Well Its time for me to head out into BRAZIL! I am so excited!!! There is a cookie place that gives out free cookies to the new missionaries, right across the street!

 

Oh and the buildings are so cool they are so colorful and big and they are never ending! I wish I could send pictures! The people are so nice here! Everyone wants to talk to you, I only wish I could speak back!

 

I´ve made it! I can´t wait to serve  the people of Brazil! I already love them!

 

Well Te amo,

 

Sister Wheatley! (:

 

--

Sister Wheatley

Oi familia e amigos,

I am getting to ready to leave for BRAZIL!!!!!! less than 24 hours!!!!!! (tell I leave) My flights all together are like 15 hrs hehe! Anyways I have been packing and running around like a crazy missionary! Trying to get everything done. They didn't give us any instruction. So we went to ask and the scheduling guy asked me if 30 min would be enough time to pack and email. I started laughing and then I realized he was serious. hahaha Our Branch President gave us more time. (: haha 

I have really felt that I have fulfilled my purpose at the Provo MTC center. I know God needed me here to learn and grow, and there were people here who needed me. I have learned so much here. I have grown so close to my Heavenly Father, he truly has a plan for each one of his children. He is there 100% of the way!!

Some things the MTC has taught me!

1. Fear destroys faith. And that to really put your trust in God you must push aside your fear and follow him. Heavenly Father has shown me his love and I no longer have fear. I am excited for anything that comes my way. I know God is there and that he did not plan for me to fail in the end. SO as long as work hard and press (no matter how many mistakes I make) The Lord will lead me to where I need to be and the people who need my help. 

2. Unity. We teach in two or three for a reason. Two or three witnesses are so much more powerful than one! When my trio is united the spirit can not stay away from our lessons but when even one of us is out of it the whole lesson can struggle. I have really learned to trust, accept, and support my comps in all  we do. We are on a team with the Lord. I love Sister Stowell and Sister Judd so much!

3. Love is the most powerful tool of the spirit. No matter how badly I speak the Language if the investigators feel my love and testimony; they will feel the spirit and will learn from him. I am not the teacher: the holy ghost is. I am only the instrument.

4.THE BOOK OF MORMON is the word of god. You can grow closer to god by reading that book than by any other book. I have always known of its truths and that it was true, but as I have dug deeper into its teachings I have felt a closer connection to my savior than I have ever before in my life. 

5.Jesus takes care of his friends. (As missionaries we represent him. He will never leave us.)

6. Prayer. It is a two way communication with our heavenly father. He has answered so many prayers this week. He lives and LISTENS to his children. You can't shove him away. 

Well two funny Portuguese stories for the week: I tell you these to show you that to learn this language we have to make a lot of mistakes and the gift of tongues is real. But it takes diligence and effort. I am already speaking tons better than I was. But the mistakes you just have to laugh at.

 

1. As a district, we where doing and mock door contact and our teacher was playing the missionary and we where the investigators. He asked us if we attended any churches. One of the elders tried to say "that when I go to grandparents house." But instead he said "when I go to my egg's house." All of us just looked at him. Not quite sure what to think. Then our teacher died laughing. He tried so hard to be nice (as he hid his face.) When it all clicked (when we finally translated it) we all couldn't stop laughing! It was great!

2. So I was in a lesson with an investigator and I tried to ask him "what would you like us to teach you?" but instead I justed the command form and forgot the "what" and so I said "DO you want us to teach you?" hahaha the poor investigator was like, "yes *with a sad expression*." My comp quickly restated my question. It was so awkward I felt so bad. I apologized like 10 times. haha oh well he still invited us back! He is a really nice guy!!! Even though my language was rough he still felt the spirit. 

Well I only have a little time left so: 

I wanted to tell you that we started TRC a few days ago, where real members come in and we teach them in Portuguese. It was amazing, but we go into these scary little rooms with cameras and other districts watch us as we teach! awww! haha It was a little nerve racking because one camera was right behind my shoulder. But once we started going the spirit was so strong and we all forgot about the cameras. - The older district was watching us and said that we did amazing. With the spirit you can do anything. Lose yourself in the work and its so beautiful!

Well te amo! Next time I write I will be in Brazil!!!!!! God lives and loves you. Never forget it.

PS. Thank you to all the family and friends who send me letters and packages you are the greatest!

 

Sister Wheatley

Ashley's second letter July 14 2015

Oi minha familia e amigos,

I love and miss you all so much! The MTC is amazing there is a spirit hear that I have only felt in a few places in my life. As I write this email I am reminded of how Nephi started the book of mormon. I sister wheatley having been born of goodly parents, and knowing the goodness of godetc. now make a record of my findings. So that all may know the miracles of God as I have found! 

Its has been a very hard week. Days feel like months and weeks feel like years. I have been here forever!!!!!!!!! hahaha But every-time a hardship comes the Lord blesses in FULL! 

Family and friends ... the gift of tongues is real and the holy ghost does speak through us as missionaries. On day 7, we got a new teacher. (he is must stricter) we were about to go into a lesson and had prepared a bunch of notes so that I could accurately teach about baptism. Right before we left my teacher stopped me and asked me if I trusted the Lord to speak through me. And I said I did. Then he asked me why I was bringing so many notes. I told him because I don't know the language yet. And he challenged me to go into the lesson without my notes and prove to God I trusted him. This really through me back. But I decided to follow his council. SO I went into the lesson with my Portuguese Book of Mormon and Bible. (and a little dictionary just incase). When I got into the lesson I felt Gods love and I knew that having that dictionary was stopping me from trusting him fully. So I said a prayer asking for the holy spirit to take over and I through my dictionary at my feet.    The Lord gave me all the words I needed to say. I spoke with confidence in Portuguese as if I was fluent. I even at one point wanted to say something and the words would come to my head. But another line did that had nothing to do with what we were teaching. But I said it and it was actually what the investigator needed to hear. I now trust in the Lord with all of my heart, mind, and soul. He he can help me teach a whole lesson in portuguese in 7 days of learning it. God can do anything and I can do anything with him. God and me did the impossible this week!

Funny story- My portuguese and my comp Portuguese we call portulish haha and caveman portuguese. its really rough! and we have a hard time understanding people with thick accents. well we had a native come in so we could practice on him and as he was talking to us, he told us his parents had just got a divorce. Well poor sister stowell did not know what he said a proceeded to very loudly say "tudo bem" over and over again which means "very good! Very good!" He just looked at us and we were all mortified! I said we were sorry and we left after a few minutes of real awkwardness. hahaha Poor sister Stowell! 

The food here is awful. All the sisters are getting sick. It tastes good going in but does weird stuff to your body! haha 

Ends up the Mission Presidency of the MTC, all served in my mission!!!!!!!!! The 1st councilor grabs me every sec he can to tell me how it is the most beautiful place in a all of Brazil! He also tells me the same joke every-time. English is the language of business. Spanish is the language of the common man. French is the language of love. Russian is the language of passion. And portuguese is the language of angels. haha I think so (; its the joke of the mtc that the portuguses missionaries speak with angels because of the baptism rates where we serve and because of how beautiful the language is! 

I GOT TO ESCAPE THE MTC FOR 30 MIN! It was amazing well kinda! Its a sad reason! Sometimes I feel like i am in prison here because we literally do not leave this little half mile block! Sadly ... both my comps have been really sick with a virus so we were send to BYU's campus to get medicine for them to get better! I has been a real tender mercy to not be sick and I was reminded of my fathers blessing of health and safety, The Lord keeps his promises. Being  around them for so long I knew I would. But the most I have had is a little sore throat in the mornings. Nothing like what they have! Please pray for them!

I have come to really love the book of mormon. I always knew it was true but now I know that it is the most important book to ever read. The doctrines found in the book of mormon are true and you can grow closer to god through reading it. I spend so much of my time in it everyday of my own free will because I can not get enough of its teachings!!!!!! Any question can be answered through its teaching. The gospel is made for us to make it back to him! I love the book of mormon, jospeh smith and all the profetas (prophets), and God does love his children! 

Scripture for the week Alma 42. This chapter truly describes Gods plan for us. 

I love you all so much. God lives and loves his children. When we put our faith in him and act in that faith God can help us accomplish miracles! 

-- 

Te amo, 

Sister Wheatley

Ashley's first letter from the MTC

Hello Family and Friends!!!

 I have made it to p-day!!!! haha I love it so much! The Lord is truly here with us here at the MTC! 

Well when we arrived at here they dragged me around showing me all the buildings and bringing me to my room~ it was crazy! I am in building 5M room 401! I had to drag my huge suitcases up to the 4th floor and my poor host sister was struggling! Cool fact she ended up being my sister training leader! hehe Then we didn't even stop... next she dropped me off in a classroom with 5 other kids and we started learning Portuguese! 

The teacher just started speaking portuguese to me and did not say a word in english until our 4th day! It really weirded me out when he did that! His name is Iramo Regher and you say that with an H sound at the beginning! He is amazing and only a year older than me! He looks maybe 23 or 24 but he's 21! 

I am in a trio with two spiritual giants! One is Sister Stowell (from utah) who is the happiest most bubbly person you will ever meet! And the other is Sister Judd (from NC) who knows the book of mormon like no one else! We have figured out the MTC the Lord does not let you cry here unless you are feeling the spirit because every time you want to cry we all start laughing about the weirdest things. Its hard here, the language is frustrating sometimes. But everyday the Lord blesses you with sweet tender mercies and I go to bed every night happy and ready for the next day!

There are 6 of us in my district. All of us are visa waiters. 3 of us are from NORTH CAROLINA! Its so wierd! The elders are another trio also and they are amazing! They are Elder Gowers, Elder Barrera, and Elder Huppe (sounds like puppy) (: They are awesome! We spend around 10 to 15 hours a day with our district learning the language, teaching lessons and studying. We have gotten to know each other a little too well~ When you spend all day with someone its crazy how comfortable you can get with each other!

They call us the laughing district because we can't stop laughing like ever! But we do pay attention in class. We have portuguese class for around 8 hours everyday. Its a lot but I think I am getting it.

As of today day 5! I can bear my testimony, teach 3 lessons, and pray in portuguese. The Lord exists and the gift of tongues is real! I am starting to have a horrible time reading english!!!!!!

 

Some tender mercies I have experienced this week.

One Sara Scarletts cousin Andrew (I SEE EVERYWHERE) haha his classroom (our classroom is where we spend the majority of the day) is right next to mine! He is so funny and keeps me on my toes about the language! He is speaking portuguese too!

I ran into my roommate Morgan Hall!!!!!!!!! I could not believe it! She was coming out of a building the same time we just got out of our first lesson (that went horrifically hahaha) and we both started crying and hugging eachother! This was on our 3rd day! We both needed the love of someone who know us. Its amazing how the Lord puts you in the right places at the right times. It was actually want I needed that day!

There was one day where the language was really hard and I was worried that I would never get it. So I decided to pray and pray in portuguese. And halfway through my very long prayer, I realized that I had said my whole prayer in portuguese and I had said it perfectly. I really began to cry! I know the Lord will help me as I continue to practice and study. I am hear to learn to teach through the spirit not to learn portuguese. God loves his children and will not let us fail with him by our sides!

We only have 60 minutes on the computer so I want to make sure I get my mailing address in there. My address is:

Ashley Malinda Wheatley

AUG11 BRA-JP

2011 N 900 E Unit 240

Provo Ut 84602

And there is this thing called dearelder where if you send me letters through that, I get it that day!

 

I love this gospel and I wish I could write more! But I have no time all day everyday! I have only been gone 5 days but it feels like it has been a month! 

Oh funny story I told an investigator that the Savior was the Savior. Over and over again without realizing what I had said. And my teacher busted out laughing and then told us a story on how he had told someone that Joseph Smith lives. And it made me feel much better. I also told the whole class I am getting women instead of saying I am getting better. haha Oh the joys of learning the language. Women and better are really close to the same word. 

The gospel is true. God lives! (: Love you guys and thank you for all your wonderful emails! (: <3

Te amo!

Sister Wheatley