P-day #1

MTC is awesome!!   October 25, 2017

I have learned so much portuguese!! Spanish really helps, but it's also a bit confusing. REALLY wish I had a spanish-portuguese dictionary too!

Everyone is super friendly and super helpful. I've made soooo many friends! I'm really happy and enjoying myself, but stretching myself too. It's amazing and beautiful and I honestly love it so much.

They keep us insanely busy here, so I'm sorry to say this, but I don't even have time to miss you all (haha). Even at night, we spend the whole time talking to our Brasilian roommates. They're amazing resources for learning the language! And great friends too :) It always amazes me how close we are, despite the language barrier.

The food is really good. They always have beans and rice and rolls and usually watermelon, and every morning they have amazing hot chocolate. And on top of that, they have a huge mix of american and brasilian meals that they rotate through. I try something different everday, as long as it's not spicy or fish. I know I'll get to those eventually though.  :)

The only people here that are going to my mission are a senior couple. It's kinda weird, but the couple is super nice, and I can even almost understand them. They've been telling me all about my mission.

I LOVE my district! And my companion, too. My companion is Sister Bourdeau. She tells people she's from Georgia, where she lives, but she grew up in Haiti, which is awesome. She went to the Air Force Academy before her mission, and she's always pushing us to do all sorts of crazy things during our excercise time. I've been sore all week!
My district consists of my comp and I, and 4 elders. Elder Farrow, Elder Reichmann, Elder Cowley, and Elder Conklin.  (half of the people we arrived with are in another district)  We're super duper close, and can't wait to get back together after we all come home. We laugh like crazy, but we also work hard, which is all I could every want from a district. And a huge testimony that mission organization really is inspired!

We move nonstop from lesson to activity to study time to district meeting to devotional and back again. We've already taught 4 lessons to various fake investigators, and we can (almost) teach, pray, bear testimony, get to know people, and share scriptures (some of which we have memorized) in Portuguese! I know I won't be anywhere near fluent at the end of 6 weeks, but I'm sure gonna get as close as I can!

I don't have time to tell you half of what I've learned spiritually, but I will say that the gift of tongues is REAL, and that faithful, sincere prayers, when aligned with the will of the Lord, are ALWAYS answered! I think I knew that before I came, but nothing like the way I know it now.

I wrote all the little kids letters, including a birthday letter for C, and I'm gonna mail it today, but it won't get there for 3 more weeks. Tell C I'm sorry :(
Can't wait to see the Halloween costumes!
Love you all! Tell everyone that asks that I'm having a blast and learning tons :)
-Sister Kirkham

Bom Dia!!

October 17, 2017

I have officially arrived! I'm here at the São Paulo CTM, and I have a companion (sister Bordeaux) and a nametag. I'm hungry and tired, but happy. The Atlanta airport was super fun. There were 18 of us who travelled together, so we spent several hours talking and laughing.

I promise to take pictures, but we can't send them from the MTC, so you'll have to wait a couple weeks (like 6) to get them. Oh, and my p-day is Wednesday, but not tomorrow, since we just got here, so we're doing our p-day stuff today instead.

I slept most of the drive here (can you blame me?) but I can tell you that it's very green here. Like disneyland-jungle-exhibit green, with grey skies (not for long since the fog is starting to burn off), and mismatched buildings. All in all, it kind of reminds me of a beach town (the real kind, not the touristy kind) except with no ocean.

I really might fall asleep on this keyboard if I don't get food soon, and who knows what kinds of characters might show up if I did that.. (I'm typing on a Portuguese keyboard, which is super fun, although it will get more fun when I have portuguese words to type) and not half as complicated as Elder Clawson makes it sound.

A few random facts: The MTC is in a super large high rise building (they put the elders all the way up to the 6th floor hahhah but the sisters get the 2nd and 3rd) with a cafeteria and lots of stairs. It looks a lot like a dorm building, honestly. It has airplane signs directing you where to go and everything!
There are 3 languages being taught here, and 80 newbies come in and about the same amount leave every week, so there's a constant transition.

Love you all! Talk to you next week :)
-Sister Kirkham

All About Me

Hi! I'm Sister Mariah Kirkham, and I have been called to serve in the Brazil Vitória Mission. My mission is located just north of Rio de Janeiro, on the southeast coast, and covers the entire Brazilian state of Espírito Santo.

I've been waiting to serve a mission my whole life, and I cannot believe it's almost here! I can't fit any of you in my suitcase, but I'm hoping to be able to take all of you with me through my new blog.

Much love!

-Sister Kirkham

Please send me letters...

Sister Mariah Kirkham
Missao Brasil Vitoria
Avenida Joao Batista Parra, 633 Sala 1501
Praia do Sua
Vitoria - E.S.   CEP 29052-123
Brazil