News from JD

Hey mom, I just wanted to let you know that everything is going great and that I Love You! Brazil is Great! The CTM is so intesnse! I seriously am so busy, I am luck if I have time to go to the bathroom! I Miss everyone alot. The first couple of days were really rough. I was feeling really homesick, for the first time in my life. But two days ago my companion gave me a priesthood blessing and I am doing so much better. There is so much to tell you. First of all... I made it, so thats a good start! Haha So my companion is Elder Andraszczyk (Andra-zach). He is so awesome! He is from Laguna Niguel, California. We have so much in common, and we have such a good time together. We are able to work really well together. I have to help him relax alot tho! Haha He is kinda a perfectionist and is used to being the best at everything, so this whole learning a language and learning how to teach the gospel stresses him out big time. He ran track in high school and went to state every year, he is a 5 time gold medalist in the junior olympics... He is kinda fast!!! Brazil is so different. I cant ever understand anything anyone is saying to me! Haha I will pick up the language eventually tho. The climate reminds me alot of southern California, its hilly and has alot of the same plant life. Also, this city is enormous!!! The drivers are crazy, and its dirty! There are sooo many sky scrapers, it reminds me of New York. I have no idea how im going to be able to navigate my way around the city.Today is my first P day. We went to the São Paulo Temple. It was beautiful. I sucessfully rented clothes in potugues. Then when we got back we are aloud to walk around the city from noon untill 5. So we walked to the post office and mailed a letter, and went to a little café and ordered food. It was really hard and we didnt understand anything they were saying, and they didnt understand us, but they brought us food. So it all worked out.Im not sure what our new address is, so i sent a letter to the old house hopeing that it would get forwarded to the Cedar Hills House.So I am in great need of na electric razor because I dont have time to deal with shaving cream ordeal every morning. So i dont know if its possible to order one off of mission ties, or if you could buy one and ship it. That would be greatly greatly appreciated. I have heard that when mailing a package that if you put stickers of crosses and the virgin marry and Jesus that you have a better chance of the stuff in the package not getting stolen, because they think that its church stuff.I am going to try to get on the internet every wednesday at 1 pm São Paulo time. So, I think thats 10 am Utah time. So... if you are wanting to, I could possibly email back and forth, because I have 45 minutes of computer time.Well Im just about of of time for today. I tell the kids that I love them alot. I love you Mom and Dad.Love,Elder Schoen P.S. Tell Chad to write me ASAP

JD's email is jdschoen@myldsmail.net