Arriving at the CTM in Sao Paulo, 3 February 2016

Oi!! I made it to Sao Paulo safely and was able to get a little sleep on the plane. I also sat next to the nicest people for both flights and gave out a pass-along card! Brazil is SO cool! but not temperature wise... it is actually really hot. I passed by a Fogo de Chao driving from the airport to the CTM. But there are palm trees and cool plants everywhere and I feel like I am at a tropical section of a rainforest or a zoo, but I am actually here! There are like 5 other sisters out of the 13 that are called to Santa Maria too. And my companion is Sister Gonzales, I think she is from Utah, and she is really cool! Thanks for the quote, pass this along to the rest of the family if you want. 

Tchau

Sister Romney

Dear Parents,

Sister Swensen and I are very happy to let you know that your missionary has arrived safely at the Brazil Missionary Training Center.  What a great joy and privilege it is to greet each missionary as they begin their missionary experiences with us. We will surely take good care of your missionary.                                                                                                     

The missionaries now have companions and are settled into their rooms.  They are assigned to a district with capable and caring instructors for language and lesson study.  Their branch presidents and wives, will meet them this Sunday.  These wonderful couples are richly blessed as they work with, motivate, and interview the missionaries assigned to their branch.

The MTC has a full-time live-in physician to care for their health needs.  He is assisted by his able wife who is a nurse. We are also happy to report that the cafeteria food is plentiful, healthy and very good.

Your missionary will be able to e-mail home on Preparation Day after a morning at the Temple.  This will be either Wednesday or Friday, depending on individual assignments.

Your missionary is about to make an eternal difference in the lives of many others. President Lorenzo Snow said: “There is no mortal man that is as interested in the success of an elder when he is preaching the Gospel as is the Lord who sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord's children".  We love these missionaries as if they were our own.  We will watch over them carefully to ensure they are ready for a wonderful missionary experience after the rewarding time they will have in the MTC.

We thank you for preparing such a wonderful representative of the Lord.

President Robert Swensen and Sister Julie Swensen