Olá amigos!

It's been a busy week! I've been in zoom classes for most of each day, which are giving me major Covid flashbacks, but it's a bit better when you're all as motivated as we are to learn. I've felt the Spirit many times from our discussions this week, which is something I didn't expect from laggy zoom meetings. My district is a great group. And, some of them are honestly leaving me in the dust with Portuguese, I gotta catch up if I don't wanna sound like an amerrican all two years.

It's honestly amazing how much stuff you expect to need for two years in another country. We loaded my two massive checked bags full of shampoo, body wash, detergent, and a ton else--only to find it well over the 50lb limit each. The biggest casualty of the trimming down of my suitcases?

My Dominion set :(

I had packed my base-game of Dominion into a neat box complete with dividers for each card and I was very excited. I removed it not only because of the two pounds, but because technically, I'm not supposed to bring card games anyway. I hope that my obedience and not having it as a distraction will actually allow me to focus better and get more good work done!

For my hymn this week, I greatly enjoyed hearing Sweet Is the Peace the Gospel Brings, specifically the arrangement performed by BYU Choirs at the April 2025 General Conference, at the beginning of one of my zoom meetings. I loved loved loved learning that one as part of BYU Men's Chorus and hearing it performed in person. I had it stuck in my head the rest of the week. I especially enjoy the repeated line "Redemption draweth near" in the final verse. Chills!

That's it for this week. I fly out to Utah for the in-person MTC tomorrow, so wish me luck! Tchau!

Images

My wonderfully organized Dominion set that will be remaining on my bookshelf.

Week 1: Leaving So Soon