Missionary Training Center (MTC)

This post isn't quite about Brazil nor Fortaleza but I thought I would give you some background to my experiences on the mission. As members of the church, when the young men reach 19 years of age we can submit an application to serve a mission. When that is complete, after a few weeks, we get our "call" to where we will serve. They send a nice large packet full of info in the mail, the cover letter describing where we are sent. It's the more exciting, anxiety rich time of it all. I was called to Fortaleza. My family all made bets on where I was going to go. My brother hit the nail on the head, placing his bet on Brazil. Within a few months I was to buy all my suplies and report at the Missionary Training Center, or MTC, in Provo, Utah. Many missionaries are from out of state and fly there, but since I lived south of Provo 10 miles, it was hardly leaving home for me. In fact, my mom worked right across the street at the BYU Health Center. My time there was excellent, they fed us plenty. I was in the program that was testing out the new MTC in Sao Paulo, Brazil. We spent one month in Provo and one month in Sao Paulo for training before I went to Fortaleza. I was so nervous to go to Sao Paulo because I hardly learned the Portuguese language. It was also my first time on a plan. That was awesome. We said our goodbye's at the airport to our family and headed off. It was the last time I would see them for two years. The last time I would speak to them for months. On my way to become a stranger in a strange land.