News from the MTC

Dear Familes,

I wanted to pass some pictures on to each of you of your son or daughter with their district at the Sao Paulo Temple. I am a counselor in their Branch Presidency and was able to attend the temple with them.
I am so impressed with each of them and the special district that they have. Each is working so hard and doing so well at learning the language and preparing to enter the field soon.
They are truly wonderful missionaries.
Thank you for all your years of hard work in loving and preparing them to be missionaries for our Lord and Savior. They all send their Love to each of you!

Best wishes,
Elder Wilson
Consultor Medico de Area Brasil

Week 3 in the MTC

Hey Mom,

My week went good. I just need to learn the language. I'm struggling with it pretty bad, so make sure you keep me in your prayers. I'm watching want I eat so i don't get big. Bradyn (cousin) sent me a letter. I email Todd (friend) every P-day. Myself and another Elder, Elder Rezende, who's from Mesa, AZ got some of our Brazilian elders to teach us cappuerra. Todd will be in for a surprise when I show him my skills. "I feel like a monkey in a pinata waiting for the kids to break me open and take all the candy (show Ivan this) in the MTC". I just want out and a new companion.
That candy and toy idea sounds like a good idea. My second P-day I saw some kids asking for money and I felt compelled to get them some treats. So, I got them some. One of the boys reminded me of Ivan so I thought I would do anything for him. Then I knew how to love everyone. Mom I love you, you will always know that.

Love, Elder Rodriguez

PS: I can't take pictures out of the MTC but this P-day I am going to take some anyways. I'll develop them at a photo shop around the corner. I have enough cards, ha ha they have a thing here for downloading, but I forgot my camera at the dorm. Ya, I would have to say that the cousins are my sisters. Awe the "poppy" (Rocco the dog) you gotta send a picture of him. The work thing is good, just that I don't sleep in anymore-just nap here and there. I wake at 6:00am and go to bed at 10:30pm. Love ya Mom

2nd Week in the MTC

Hey Mom,

Things are great. Just another P-day. So ya emailing that's cool, Ivan read my letter. Dad just needs to reply to me. Ya I miss Ivan a lot. He is like my best friend. Unfortunately I am turning into a church nerd. My companion is like a dark shadow over me. Follows me everywhere even to the bathroom. Sometimes I feel like giving him a fat lip. Then I ask myself if that's Christ like and I learned to love him. So you know we get along but he is not a person I would hang out with. The food is awesome. I'm getting fat so I'm gonna drink some local water and get a parasite to lose weight. Bishop was right about the awesome language. All the Brazilians think I am Brazilian but then I tell them I'm puerto rican. Whenever I think of Ivan and how much fun we had I start to cry a bit or tear up. Also when I think of you too. So ya, a bit home sick but I learned to emerge myself with the work. You'll be getting blessings real quick as long as I'm doing the work of the Lord. It's really hard sometimes but I'm all good. People look up to me. I've had several of my roommates tell me that they look up to me. It's weird. I guess that patriarchal blessings are from our Father in Heaven. Great Stuff. I'm gonna mail you a letter. You'll get it!! Love you Mom

Elder Rodriguez

First Email

Mom,

Guess who it is? Your favorite son. Ha Ha Elder Rodriguez. MTC is great...like a church boot camp or a prison. They have cameras everywhere and electrical fences and guards so ya a prison. But I think I could survive, as long as I don't drop the soap or get shanked I'll be fine. The airport took forever like a 7-hour lay over but I got here ok. Today we went to the Temple and it was great. I learned more about the gospel in these 5 days then 4 years in seminary. It's funny most of the Brazilians think I'm Brazilian so they talk to me all crazy like. Love you mom.

Elder Rodriguez

PS: Tell the poopy I miss him and give a hug and kiss, little hug big kiss, little kiss

(Poppy is Rocco the dog)

First Letter

Hey Mom,

How you doing? Well I'm just gonna start from the beginning. Ok so after I got off the airplane in Dallas I took the tram to get to my gate. Once I got there (after walking 2 miles) I did straight what you told me to do call you. Well, I got to the phone and tried calling. Well the stupid thing didn't work. After trying persistently to call I heard this lady yelling, so I turned around and looked and she kept yelling, so I looked to the left then to the right and realized that she was yelling at me. So I walked over and she was yelling Elder, ha ha. I guess I was not used to the word "Elder" yet. Just think for the next two years my name will be Elder, weird. So then I called you. After I called I saw all the Elders and one Sister eating at McDonald's (one of the Elders in my room, last name is McDonald) We all meet which was nice but then our flight was delayed from 7:30pm to 10:30pm and we were all there since 4:00pm. So we played games and got to know each other. Well we even rode the tram 2 times around the airport. After a while we finally got on the plane and flew over down to Sao Paulo. When we were driving you could see nothing but skyscrapers littering the land. I never seen that may ever in my life. When we first pulled up to the MTC it looked like a prison but once inside it was nice. We ate lunch and man they got some good food!! Then we had an orientation thing telling us want to do and want we were going to be doing. Some of the missionaries were teasing us and talking to us in Portuguese, even when we knew not a word. So during the orientation thing the old Elder guy doctor told us they had monkeys in the market and not to touch it. Who in there right mind is not gonna touch it. You know I might even buy it. Some of the missionaries say the first 3 days are hard but I think it's easy and fun. Love you peace.

Elder Rodriguez

Email from Sao Paulo, Brazil MTC

Today, we received a email from the Sao Paulo, Brazil MTC President.

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.

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, who are usually a senior missionary couple or mature Brazilian couple, 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.

We are also parents of children who have served as missionaries. And we have been missionaries who have left family. Please know that we are mindful of you and know of your love for your missionary.

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 so much interested in the success of an elder (sister) when he is preaching the gospel as the Lord that sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord's children".

Please accept our love,

President and Sister Woodward

PS: We Strongly Discourage Sending Packages to the Brazil MTC.

If you have already mailed a package to the Brazil MTC and it arrives after your missionary had 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 see MTC address to the right of this blog.

Sao Paulo, Brazil MTC

Elder Rodriguez entered the Sao Paulo, Brazil Missionary Training Center today.

Jordan will be at the MTC for 2 months, learning the language and the lessons.

Brazil Here I Come

Jordan left for Brazil from the Phoenix, Arizona Sky Harbor Airport. Jordan had a lay over in Dallas, Texas Airport and then off to Sao Paulo, Brazil Missionary Training Center for 2 months.

Elder Jordan M. Rodriguez

Getting ready to go through Security Checkpoint.

Jordan with Brother Ivan and mom, Shana

Elder Rodriguez, God be with you till we meet again.
Return with Honor

Setting Apart

President Reeder of the Desert Ridge Stake come over to the Rodriguez's house to set Jordan apart as a full time missionary for "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" for 2 years.

Elder Rodriguez with Pres. Reeder

Jordan with his mom, Shana
Grandparents, Grandma Bev & Grandpa Don

Uncle John & Aunt DeAnnUncle Darin

Cousin's, Ashlyn, Sophia, Abigail, Hunter and brother Ivan

Brother, Ivan

Aunt LaVonne was there also only she didn't get her picture taken.

President Reeder had everyone who was there to see Jordan get set apart give him some advice on being a great missionary. Some of the things that were said were, remember who you are, return with honor, have fun, get along with your companions, serve your companions and obey the mission rules.

Thank you family for all your words of advice.