Tyler's Fourth Week

Well I'm already into my 5th week here at the MTC. I don't even know where the time went! These updates are going to be fairly repetitious while I’m still in the MTC because we do the exact same things every week. The language is still coming great. The food isn't as great. Things like that!

We have investigators that we teach in only Portuguese every day. The investigators are just our teachers pretending to be people that they met in Brazil. It's a really cool experience. It still blows my mind that we can teach an entire lesson in only Portuguese. On Thursday we get to Skype with people currently living in Brazil and get to know them, then teach a lesson. I'm incredibly nervous because it's a native Portuguese speaker and I've only been learning for 4 weeks now. But I think I know just enough for it to work out. I'm at the point where I can hold a conversation with someone in decent Portuguese, but my pronunciations and accent are pretty bad so I’m working hard on improving that. I can read the book of Mormon in Portuguese if I go slowly. I already read the book of Matthew in only Portuguese and it was incredibly helpful. The more I read the easier it gets.

We had more fantastic devotionals this week on Tuesday and Sunday. Still no general authority though. If there is one I think it will be tonight so I will let everyone know. Really though not much has happened that's different. Having the exact same schedule each week makes things kind similar. Next week is the last week that I stay here in the MTC. I get my re-assignment on either the 3rd or 4th of October I believe. If you have any specific questions feel free to write me. tyler.byron@myldsmail.net

Tyler and his district threw a Birthday party for Elder Murray.

Tyler's Desk

Food drawers

Brazil Flag with Tyler's Districts name tags

Elder Hamilton

Tyler's District taking pictures of the Brazil flag

The view from Tyler's room

Temple Grounds

Provo Temple

Classic map picture

Elder Hamilton, Tyler, Sister Sargent and Sister Kimbrell

Tyler's Weekly Update

     Hey everyone. Here's my update from weeks 2 and 3. A lot has happened here so far! I am significantly less fond of the food now than when i first got here, that's for sure. I've resorted to eating cereal for half of my meals! It also isn't very nice to the stomach. The orange juice here is fine, anything you have heard otherwise is a lie! It's the food that makes people sick, not the orange juice like everyone blames it on. Poor orange juices was falsely accused. :( I've gotten to the point in the Portuguese language where i'm accidentally throwing in Portuguese words when i'm speaking English, it's weird. The weirdest thing to think about so far is the fact that i just started my 4th week here yesterday, it feels like i have been here for 1 really long week, not 4 fast weeks. We have only had 1 person get their visa and go to the Brazil MTC in our own zone. He wrote a letter and said he hates it. The missionaries there keep to themselves and it feels like a juvenile detention center. The only positive thing he said was that the food tastes like it came directly from heaven. That makes me glad to be here in Provo. It looks like i probably won't get my visa before i get out of here so i will most likely be temporarily reassigned which i am crazy excited for. It's like being allowed to serve two missions. My reassignment will be to somewhere in the US so i'm excited to go anywhere the lord wants me to go(as long as it's not Seattle Washington mission, that's too close to home). Everyone always says that you will get sent to the one place where all the people are the exact opposite as your personality. I used to think that i didn't have an opposite until i got here, i realized my opposite is southern. I'm very different than people from the south! But that would be cool too i guess! My companions are so incredibly different from me it's amazing we can even stand each other let alone get along! One is from North Carolina (He's southern) and the other one is from Mcallen Texas(probably spelt wrong) which is pretty much Mexico. I'm learning a ton about the Gospel of Christ and about his restored church. It's crazy that i've been a member of the LDS church my whole life and I still learn something i never knew each day. I LOVE IT!!!! Well im running out of time but i covered pretty much everything i had to cover! I Will send another update next week(hopefully). Everyone write me! tyler.byron@myldsmail.net

All the missionaries walking around the temple on Sunday

Tyler's District

Brazil Flag

Provo Temple

Tyler's District

One of Tyler's companions

Provo Temple

Things I've sent Tyler

Tyler's First Letter

Hey everyone! I've officially been at the MTC (MIssionary Training Center) for 6 days now. Portugese is going fantastically. We have already learned over 30 verbs and 100 regular words which is insane when you think about. We spend an average of 8 hours a day studying the language 5 days a week, and 2 hours on the other 2 days of the week. It is crazy spiritual being here right now and i wouldn't trade it for a thing. The food is great and the dessert is even better. Unlimited BYU creamery ice cream twice a week, now that's heaven! Today is our Preparation day so it's the time of the week when we get to take care of washing clothes and taking care of emails and stuff like that. My companions who are with me pretty much 24/7 are both great people. One is a redhead from southern Texas who has a Mexican accent, it's awesome. The other one is from North Carolina and he is an interesting person to say the least. But I'm learning to love both of them. I won't be able to have any pictures put up until next week so you will have to wait until then.

 My whole District is full of awesome people and we get along incredibly well for being so different. My district has 8 Sister Missionaries(Girls) and 5 Male Missionaries(boys) which is highly unusual but is a good thing to see happening. you can really tell that the age change for male and female missionaries really made a big difference in a lot of peoples lives including my own. Being out here has only solidified my testimony in Christ and the truthfulness in the restored Gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints. I'm excited to spend the next 23ish months serving the lord wherever he wants me(hopefully i get my visa and go to Brazil but it's looking slim for the next 3 months or so). I love and miss everyone! Tschau!