February 20, 2017 letter - Amaralina

It was kinda crazy week. Tuesday when we got to Sao Paolo we had to find our luggage and our way out to find church representatives to get us to Salvador. Customs here are way more chill than in America everything was so easy haha. We had another two hour flight to Salvador and I have literally never been hotter in my life. I have not stopped sweating in a week. Not even in our cold shower because we don't have hot water!

We stayed the night at the mission home before we got assigned our companions and areas. My companion is Elder Cruz from Honduras and he doesn't speak English so its been an interesting week for me! I just kinda follow him around and try to bear my testimony hahaha. Our area is right next to the beach its called Amaralina if you want to look it up. We live in a house with two other elders from our district and my comp is zone leader as well. I love him so much. He is pretty soft spoken but super nice and patient with me. 

Wednesday was full of lessons and meeting members of our ward. The ward in Amaralina is super strong and the members love the missionaries. No one really speaks English but they understand that i have no clue what is going on hahaah. I am really starting to love it here. Its a little ghetto. I would compare it to James Bond [Casino Royale with Daniel Craig] when he is chasing the guy with the bomb thru the market before he shoots up the embassy. There are wild dogs and cats everywhere and tons of people have horses. There is a group of little monkeys that live in the big tree down the street from our house so that was super cool to see. Our apartment is the whiteone to the left in the picture with elder cruz on the hill. Salvador has more stairs and hills than I could ever imagine haha i get such a good burn going everyday. 

I am the first American in the ward in a couple years so everyone is pretty excited to talk to me lol.

We have been able to have a good amount of lessons everyday and meet with investigators and less actives a lot! This work is difficult but there is no feeling better than being able to teach people and see them feel the spirit testify of the truth of the gospel! I love being able to see people be comforted and uplifted by the spirit. 

Elder Cruz, Eduardo, and Elder Prince

We had a baptism this week!! This investigator was already with a date but I was able to help in a couple lessons and baptize him!! It was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. The spirit was so strong and Eduardo is gonna be a great member. He loves the gospel and is so excited to be more active. 

We have been working way hard! I get home and can't wait to go to sleep. I am still getting accustomed to everything here, the heat, the new culture, not seeing many white people besides the mission pres. and not being able to understand anything. Its really frustrating to not be able to help because I don't know what is happening. 

The food here is way good. The ward is so strong and nice they try to hang with us everyday and make us lunch. Lunch is huge and breakfast and dinner are just like snacks its kinda weird. I try to snack lots. I drink water everyone we go into a house. Its the first thing people ask is if we want water.

Also I don't have very much time to reply because I still have to write mission pres. please tell everyone sorry if I can't reply. I love you all so much and I pray for you everyday. Also mom if you are worried about my safety please don't. I have never felt safer in my life. The missionary badge really is like a giant force field. Its such an interesting feeling. This place is super ghetto though haha.

I love you mom. I hope you are having a good week and stay safe! 

love elder prince

3 nephi 27:20

Map of Amaralina, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil (February 16 - May 1, 2017)

Sam is in Brazil!

Sam flew to Brazil Monday morning (Feb 13). His flight went from Salt Lake City to Atlanta, Atlanta to Sao Paolo, and Sao Paolo to Salvador. We were able to talk to him while he waited for his flights. Sam sounds great and was excited and a little nervous to finally get to Brazil and his mission field.

In the Salt Lake Airport, Sam saw Barry Smith from our home ward, and ran into a few friends, Jake Dobecki, Brett Binford, and Kyle Van Noy!

Jake Dobecki and Sam in the airport

His flight to Sao Paolo landed Tuesday morning at 4am (our time).

We finally heard this morning (Thursday) that he had arrived in Salvador in one piece! Short and sweet, but all we needed to hear.

"Hello,

Elder Prince arrived safely and excited to be here in the Brazil Salvador South Mission. His companion is Elder Cruz and they are both very excited to be serving the Lord!

Thank you,

Obrigado,

Elder High

Secretário Assistente

Missão Brasil Salvador Sul"

Sam with President and Sister Bangerter

Elder Cruz and Elder Prince

February 5, 2017 letter -- Provo MTC

[Note from Karianne: Sam will fly to Brazil on Monday, Feb 13. He goes from Salt Lake City to Atlanta to Sao Paolo, and then onto Salvador.]

Hi mom!

I had chocolate ice cream last night and I just kinda imagined sitting at the counter at home. I'm glad you were able to make it through the whole superbowl. Did they have any good commercials? Tell robin hi! i meant to write her a thank you letter for the package she sent me but i have not gotten around to it yet lol. 

I love the plan of salvation. My testimony of our purpose has grown so much and its something that helps me get through everyday here. 

Tuesday night we had a nice devotional and the choir sung "where can I turn for peace" and I received another testament from the spirit that God knows and loves us all individually. I love this gospel and the chapter 31 of 3 Nephi where Jesus lets the people come and feel the nail marks one by one. 

Wednesday was a prettty good day but we were supposed to have a little teaching skype lesson with a member in Brazil but it did not work out. Technology problems man. I can feel the gift of tongues helping me every single day to learn all this Portuguese!! we also talked abut the importance of prayer and a quote from Jesus the Christ pg 238.

Thursday 3/4 members of our district recieved flight plans for Brazil!! The mission got a little more real and scary in that moment but I'm excited to be able to get out of the MTC and go serve people! Also to get out of the cold and snow in Provo hahaha. I have been reading lots in Alma about all the amazing missionaries and its so inspiring!

Friday and Saturday were both just kinda blurs. Nothing super exciting went on but they were both good days.

Yesterday we had mission conference and Fast Sunday. The focus of the day were Christ's teachings to the apostle Peter. It was incredible to see the change in Peter and Christ's amazing teachings and patience with him. Also faith like peter's is incredible. 

One thing that helped me was a quote from a devotional at the Institute from Jeffrey R. Holland that Holly shared with me. 

"It is not coincidental that the word used for Christ's experience in Gethsemane is that He is in 'agony'. If we say we are disciples of Christ... we will occasionally be in agony. And I bless you that when those moments come, contemporary issues, historical complexities, personal problems at home, challenges in a mission or marriage, wherever it is I pray and ask and bless you to the end that you will be strong."

God is there to help us. Take advantage of that. If Christ wanted us to suffer for our sins He would not have suffered and sacrificed himself. 

love you guys so much,

Elder Prince

January 30, 2017 letter - Provo MTC

I don't really have much for the weekly update, nothing huge happened this week. Yes I did get the drivers license I thought I had told you oops. Did you get the pictures on the google drive? It was only two this week. I am totally fine on treats, we have so much candy, I just need those sneaker balls [shoe deodorizers]. The [visa] application not found just means that it has left the system and been sent to the church or the mtc we think.  But I will not be leaving until the end of my six weeks on feb 13th! Your letters always help! 

I'm glad you got to drive grandma around! I do have the address book yes and I will make sure to write her a letter. The ice castles sound so fun! Did you get jared to go do anything? I'm glad you were able to get them all out of the house to go do something fun! And dinner with all the aunts sounds like a good time but I might have chosen rogue one heheheh. I'm just out here doing my best to laugh and have a positive attitude. The structure and schedule can sometimes make you feel like a robot and it can be hard to be yourself! That's something I struggle with big time. Also you know I'm a touchy person so its difficult to not touch people all the time hahahaha. 

I am doing a lot better and I love hearing from you guys. It makes my days ten times better and I love hearing all the news from the week. You might want to help jared with his emails though I think he says the same thing evertime hahaaha. It makes me so excited that you guys have been doing family home evening. its a good way to bond and teach gospel principles. I know I am in the right place and doing the right thing even though its hard!

There were some changes to missionary stuff (not that I would know how it affects missionary work but everyone was freaking out). We go home at 9 now instead of 930 and daily planning is done in the morning instead of at night and depending where you are in the world you get to go to bed/wake up later or earlier or have to go home earlier! Missionaries in Africa have to be home at like 6 now i think and instead of 9 key indicators there are only 4 now! A lot less numbers to keep track of I guess. Nothing super exciting happened this week except a whole lot of scripture reading and feeling the spirit!

I love you all and miss you tons! I hope you are doing well mom. I miss having you around to do stuff for me and just hang out. I hope you and dad are doing well and that the whole fam is getting along. I think you and dad should try to get to the temple or something like that soon!!

love you

sam

January 22, 2017 letter - Provo MTC

Hi guys!

Everything is going pretty well here at the mtc nothing really special! The only real news I have is that one of my comps got his visa and is headed to the MTC in Sao Paulo so now I'm just in a normal companionship! It should be interesting but I'm excited for it!

Its been snowing lots down here which is fine because we are inside all day long. I don't have much exciting news here! We had a nice devotional from Pres. Ulysses Soares on Sunday (Pres of 70) and from Stephen B. Allen last night. I love devotionals and hearing from our leaders!! Everyone keep praying and reading your scriptures! It will help

Whenever the going gets tough, go and read D&C 121:7 and remember that God gives us our trials to help us grow! You will never grow in your comfort zone! Have a good week everyone!

love elder prince

Many thanks to the random lady at the Provo Temple this morning who took a picture of Sam and his companion and sent it to me. I'm most impressed that Sam remembered my phone number!

January 16, 2017 letter - Provo MTC

Hi mom! I'm sorry to hear that your computer is not working again feel free to use mine! Yes thank you so much for the package I loved it. We check our mailbox 4 or 5 times a day just praying for letters because they are so nice to get! I'm so happy to hear the kids are doing so well and the team is still winning! Make sure jared doesn't play too much! any big video game news? Seeing the movie sounds like a great time! Thats so weird that the circle is having so many [water] problems I'm sorry to hear that! That lasagna sounds better than ever compared to what I have been eating! but I get as much chocolate milk as I want which is so nice! 

We had some good devotionals from Elder Anderson! He spoke about sharing the gospel with teens and people in their twenties as well as the importance of sharing your testimony of christ when you have nothing else to say! I enjoy doing the choir as well because the spirit is so strong during music! 

Half of our branch is leaving for Brazil or Portugal or Africa because their 6 weeks are up! But apparently we are getting a huge influx this week as well! My companions are from Highland and Saratoga Springs and they're very nice! I've been blessed that they are so chill and not too.. interesting hahah. They are going to Sao Paulo North and Florianopolis. 3 of us in one room because we are a trio! We have heard nothing about our visas yet but who knows! Two of the brand new kids already have them so thats a bummer but oh well we are in Provo for a reason! I have not met a single person who is going to Salvador or who knows someone going to Salvador or even a teacher who went or knows someone! but I will survive!

It's been a good week. I'm getting a lot more used to it and appreciating the grind and how much better it is making me. I'm coming to appreciate how lucky I am to live in an active family and have such wonderful support around me as well as being blessed to serve a mission. It might not be the most fun thing ever but I know it will be the best two years to help me as a person and help my fellow man!

love Elder Prince