Long journey to Brazil!

Yesterday Elder Kennedy made the long journey down to Sao Paulo's MTC or "CTM" as they call it down there. This was his journey on Tuesday-Wednesday (Dec 4-5): 

This is the Provo MTC. Located right in the heart of Provo UT. It is the largest MTC in the world. He spent his first 3 weeks here learning Portugese while waiting for his Visa.

On Tuesday morning he was driven to the Salt Lake Airpot and commenced his long day of traveling by boarding a 3 hour flight at 11 a.m. MST with a layover in Atlanta Georgia's International Airpot.

During his layover we were all able to talk to him. He has grown so much! He mentioned he was sad to be leaving the friends he made at the Provo MTC, but he was very excited to be headed to Brazil! He was on a flight with two other missionaries. One was his companion and the other was a sister missionary.

We each had the opportunity to hear him recite from memory the Primeira Visão (first vision) in Portugese! It sounded so great! 
https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng

Then he boarded his 9 hour flight to Sao Paulo at 7:30 p.m. EST. 

After just over 9 hours in the air, he landed safely at 8 a.m. UTC-3 (which was 4 a.m. his time) on Wednesday Dec 5.

He will be meeting his district and settling in here for the next 6 weeks:

(Brazil's CTM is right in the heart of Sao Paulo and is the 2nd largest MTC in the world).

This is Eric's district. He is standing directly behind the MTC President.

Here is the email we were sent along with the picture:

Dear Parents,

We are happy to send the good news that your missionary has arrived safely at the Brazil MTC.  What a great joy and privilege it is to greet each missionary as they come through the front door of the MTC for the first time. We promise to take good care of your missionary.

They now have companions and are settled into their rooms.  They are assigned to a district with capable and caring instructors for language and lesson study.  The branch presidents and their wives, will soon give them a second greeting.  These couples are rewarded in their callings through the love they always develop as they embrace and watch over the missionaries.

The MTC has a full time live-in physician to care for their health needs.  He is assisted by his able wife. We are also happy to report that the Cafeteria food is abundant and very good.

Your missionary will be able to e-mail home on Preparation Day after a morning at the Temple.  This will be either Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on individual assignments.

Your very important young person is about to make an eternal difference in the lives of others.  We hope you will be encouraged and comforted by this quote by President Lorenzo Snow: “ There is no mortal man that is as interested in the success of an Elder when he is preaching the Gospel as is the Lord who sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord's children".

Please accept our love,

President Ralph Degn and Sister Mary Ann Degn

ADDITIONAL  INFORMATION . . .  DO NOT SEND PACKAGES to the Brazil Missionary Training Center. All packages must be sent directly to the mission where your missionary will be serving, not the MTC. If you have already mailed a package to the Brazil MTC and it arrives after your missionary has left for the field, please understand that the package cannot be forwarded to his or her mission and will be returned to you.

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE SENDING HAND WRITTEN LETTERS. Please write your missionary´s first and last name. Your missionary will provide you with his district and box number. Also, please DO NOT SEND ANYTHING BY FEDEX, DHL, UPS, or other private carriers.  The cost to get this type of correspondence is exorbitant.

 IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO REPLY TO THIS EMAIL.