My Week

Dear Friends and Family

hey y'alll!! Hope you are all having a good time in Murica!!!! Life is pretty good in Brazil!! Its hot, humid, and always randomly rains, which is pretty cool!! And the weirdest thing ever is the amount of birds there are in the city. Like, The CTM is in the ghetto part of Rio, and yet, there are birds chirping outside all the time. Its pretty fantastic. Ive bought some pretty sweet ties here during my p-day. Pretty much, Ive just been studying language and scriptures, and eating delicious food!! like, it is freaking fantastic!!! The food here is HEAVENLY!!!! I'm speaking more Portuguese and stuff, which is pretty awesome. Also, our physical activity is pretty much just volleyball! Which was pretty sweet, that's all they really have here, so everyone plays it! and its just a blast. but the Brazilians here are so awesome!! They are so friendly, and love to be there. Some of them have the coolest conversion stories, which is pretty sweet!!! Some have only been members for a year, and haven't even gone through the temple!! Coolest people ever.

Remember always who you are and who you stand for. When you start having thoughts like: it's my choice, it only effects me...then you're wrong. That thought does not originate from you, it comes from the adversary. Absolutely not!! Every choice you make ripples around you and effects all those closest to you. Never does a choice you make only effect you.

Love,

Elder Shurts

Dear Mom

CTM is Great!!! it's been the same pretty much this past week. Study, Language study, trying to speak Portuguese all the time, and ending up speaking English, Scripture study, lessons in Portuguese, and stuff. Its crazy!! busy busy busy, not having a lot of sleep and somehow having plenty of energy to get through the day. It's like the lord is giving me energy to get through the day with concentration and stuff! And our Trio is pretty cool! He knows a lot more than I do, which has been a huge help, his Portuguese is better, and he has a lot of scriptures memorized and stuff. Our teacher Irmao Santos is Awesome. Our district is pretty cool here, I still really miss my district in Provo, but this one's really good!! This is my daily report to you

And to answer your questions:

•  I cant send photos :(,
• I leave the CTM on the 24th, I'm pretty excited!!
• The native missionaries here are so awesome!! I met so many cool people. Some of the native elders have only been members for a year!!! But they have such strong faith!! 
• Yes, sometimes I get discouraged, but I tend to pick myself back up pretty easily.

Love you mom

Elder Shurts