Matt: June 18, 2010

Week 1000:

Dear Family,

I had this plan where I would sneakily write out a triple length e mail and then copy and paste it here to save valuable email time, but it didn't work so here goes.

First off let me say HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANDACE!!!!! I sent you a letter did you get it? President Aidoukitis (my mission/branch pres.) saw me writing it one night and chastized me for writing letters on a day other than P day. So yeah feel special.

For the rest of you that means that NO I can't write letters all the time, it also means that the letter flow on your end is going to slow down considerably. But I have good news, it doesn't have to on my end! And the weekly email will still come, and sooner or later I'll figure out the whole copy paste thing and tell Aidoukitis to suck it.

Thank you Natalie Nate and Alison for your packages and notes in them. I can now wear a different gym outfit for a month and a half (that's one week in the mtc). Also thank you to Rhett and Jordan and maybe someone else that I can't think of for your letters this week! I read them and they are awesome. Getting letters is even better than getting candy, but if you want to send me candy please do. Just know that I just barely finished Natalie's candy salad this morning and I have enough candy left in my drawer to put Abby and Ellie in a sugar coma so...yeah.

Ok so here's a list of my weekly demands: The big brasil flag that was on my bed for like a month. My maroon scriptures. A scripture case (I don't care what kind, so don't go out and buy a 30 dollar one from the mtc store, just if you know of an extra one please send it to me)

Aight so here's what happened in the mtc this week. This guy in my zone named elder Burton from Pleasant Grove I guess knows the entire Ruf family and has at one time played with Duke. So that's cool. He's really good at b ball, and I guess his mom works with Erika's sister Steph. Another Elder in my zone from Ogden is/was dating Michael's old lover Talia Greer. Also kind of cool.

Ok and then Elder Davis & Pearson were trying to teach me and Marxy the 2nd lesson (plan of salvation). After explaining about spirit prison/paradise and drawing up the full seminary map Elder Marx (the investigator) said, "So where's hell?" and then Elder Davis explained, "It's right here in spiritual prison. The people in spir pris will be taught the gospel so they can have a chance to accept it for themselves." and I didn't say this outloud (cuz we were already being tough, and their lesson wasn't going so well) but I thought, "So hell is being taught by missionaries. hmmm sounds about right" ha ha ha I wrote that in my journal. It was great.

So that's that. Elder Marx and I are getting along swimmingly now. I think I've pinpointed where our differences come in though. He said he doesn't watch "liberal media" at all. So I said, "so you don't watch any tv then do you?" and he said "only the history channel, the military channel, and fox news"...woof. AND he said he "hates" the movie Grease!!!! So yeah. He's great though and we've been working really well together lately.

I'll try to write as many of you back as I can in paper form (Al you have 1 en route) but I only have so much time in the week so I'll cover the big stuff here:

Rhett congrats on the promotion! That is way cool, pretty soon you will own all the troubled teen centers in Utah county. Moving will be sweet. Jordan have you had your baby already? Oh wait, it only FEELS like I've been here for a year and a half.

Al those gummy army men are awesome, but not as awesome as the nuts.

Is Nick still alive? If he is have him write me a dearelder. It's SUPER SUPER EASY and I want to hear from him. Ask him if he knows any seniors that are coming to the mtc in the next month, so I can crop dust them when they get here.

Oh k so Do yallsies know Tanner Bindrup? Well apparently he had been here for 15 WEEKS (omg kill myself) waiting for his visa to Mexico and he finally had enough and went home and said "Call me when I get my visa and I'll come back out" . That's what Derek Logan told me anyway, but isn't that CRAZY!!??!? If I don't get my visa in 10 weeks you guys might be seeing me too. ha ha woof! OH this guy Elder Richins from Oregon in my district got his visa yesterday, so he's going to go see Michael!!! Michael if you see him he is the coolest. You should be best friends, cuz he and I are best friends (we're not best friends K we're just really good friends ha ha ha)

Ok time to go. I love all of you. Write me some letters cuz they are the best
chow chow

Love, Elder Matthew Wright Gegs Gagon I

PS happy birthday to Craig... Love you cousin!

Matt: June 11, 2010

Dear Family, ok this computer is on drugs! it's wicky slow so hopefully this makes it to you.... first off THANK YOU to everyone except Nick and Rhettika for all of your letters.. Jor, your rendition of a candy salad was muito bem except I thought for sure those were chewy runts, not hard runts so I got to go to the MTC dentist.. Ha ha jk..

This week was mostly a good week.. I only cried once.. (for some reason this comp puts 2 periods when I press it once, and the enter button doesn't work) the devotional on Sunday was about music and they had 3 hymn composers come and talk to us.. One of them composed press forward saints.. Another one did Our Savior's love, and I can't remember what the 3rd person did.. Anywho Dad you would've loved it.. I thought it was just ok, but my comp Elder Sasquatch (that really is his district nickname) loved it, and he is reconsidering his major now.. But Tuesday night's devotional was MADNESS! There was a rumor that it was going to be somebody big! It started off with M.. Russell Ballard, and then escalated quickly into people such as Jeffrey R.. Holland, President Monson, Gordon B.. Hinckley, Oprah, Barack Obama, and The Pope.... I told somebody Darth Vader was coming and they just gave me the stink eye.. Turns out it was Robert D.. Hales.. Still an apostle, still super awesome..It was cool cuz if you think about it he has the exact same authority and is in the same relationship to Christ as Peter, Simon, and Judas (well, maybe not Judas) had 2,000 years ago.. It was super..

So Dad you went to the Rockport Cabin? That is sweet.. I don't really remember that place except playing Robin Hood there and getting chased by cows with Rhett.. How is Rhett? Did he die? Is Dukie still around? It's weird but I miss that dog, especially at night for some reason.. My companion and I are actually getting along a lot better now.. so that's always a plus.. I just keep thinking of Jordan's rude trainer, Alison's overall tough mission, raindrops on roses and then I don't feel so bad.. So that is good that you are all getting ready for the AZ wright family reunion! I want to be there so bad.. I miss my wright cousins.. Not Steven though.. I see him enough not to miss him. I also saw Riley Turner the other day which was great! I love running into people I know..

OOOOHHH K I DESPERATELY need you to send me my MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) record asap.. I know I got it cuz I couldn't have gone to public school in America without it.. The lady said it should be at one of the schools (either elementary or high school) that I attended so please get that here asap.. Also if you want to send me 2 more gym outfits that would be great.. I keep having to re-wear grody sweaty shirts and it is nao muito bem.. Portuguese is coming along.. I still have an infinite amount of work left to do.... Is it ok if I just answer everybody's letters they send me through email? Or would you like paper letters more? I don't have tons of time to write paper letters, and it does take me a while to do.. But if you would prefer paper mail back then send stamps ;) Umm if you guys want to use DearElder..com it seems to work pretty well.. Nick please tell me you have Barker for Drivers Ed? That would rock........ I can't think of much more to say other than I love you all.. time's running out so I'll see ya in a while.. OH and don't forget to send me Jason and Gavin's letters they send me..
Matt

Michael: June 10th, 2010

Hey! All is good here. I need rhett/erikas email and Nicks!! SOrry I didnt email yesterday, the computer wouldnt work for me but Im using a computer in the office today, He said I had ten minutes, and it took me about that long to read your guys email.s So its kind of awkward, I have basically no time and Im just going to keep typing until he kicks me off cause Im on his work computer. P day was the best yesterday we found a guy that has a coconut juice stand, I didnt get any buy I know where to get it. I tried an avocado shake. Very goood. O and we also discovered a street market kinda thing in the far corner of our boundaries. Its just a bunch of tables with frruits and veggies on them and they also sell pasteis. Maybe my favorite thing so far. We celebrated Elder Jolsteads birthday by going to a Rodizio shuhaskaria with our teachers. Its awesome they are like our best friends. They have hung out with us our last 2 p days. Irma Veronica and Irmao Luiz. Irmao Luiz is going to BYU in two years so hopefully you'll meet him. I think some other of my friends want to too. It was goood. They kept the meat coming hot, unlike tucanos where you have to wave them down... We has soo much meat. However the salad bar didnt have anything good except rice beans and french fries and rolls. WHen people say they have beans and rice everyday, A- its true, but B- they're not side by side or alone, It's rice with beans on top, sometimes meat mixed in, and then they pile hot sauce, and crazy veggies and mix it all up. Matt would like. I like. ummm but besides things pertaining to P day.

The language is coming along, So is the gospel, I feel like there is so much to learn about both so Im kinda over whelmed if I think about it, so I dont think about it. The Lord is helping me get along with my district, not that I didnt, but hes helping me not to get sick of them (or my 3 companions as I like to say) Cause my companion and the other Elder in the companionships were bff, so they always are together so its a 4some we got going... I feel like Ive explained this before. And i probably make it sound worse than it is. They are great guys, probably more normal than Matts companion I hear. I miss my Brazilian friends and roommates that came and left and left us with 6 more weeks to go here. Now only 5. Ive been out a month!! almost 4% complete with my mission. Its going fast ha. seriously though. I saw an Elder I knew from Alta that has 5 months left in his mission at the Policia Federal renewing visas and what not, Dayne Shaw, he was a swimmer and the school mascot! ha he's a good guy. Its crazy to imagine I will a) speak that good of portuguese some day and b) speak that bad of english some day. Some of the sisters thought I was too mature to be 19, that was cool. (Not the sister in my district obviously). hmmm what else, not much is new, we learn and eat and learn and eat.. Next week I believe Elder Anderson is coming!!! Whats new at home? Whats going on in the USA? How is Nena? Well Im going to wrap this up but I love you guys!!!! and Miss you! Cant wait to see you in 23 months. PS If you want some bright colored BEAUTIFUL ties I can get them for cheap and have them to you in 2 years ha... This lady has a tie stand across the CTM and I want all of them.

Matt: June 4th, 2010

Hey fam so I'm in week 2 of provo mtc. Portuguese is coming along pretty alright. I'm a lot better than the elders from Beaver and Idaho, b/c of spanish, but everybody else here is at about the same level as me. I don't work as hard on it as I should though cuz I feel like I already get it from taking spanish. I have trouble sleeping at nights. I go to bed pretty tired, but just toss and turn for about an hour. Then I'll wake up in the middle of the night because the blankets they give us are more ridiculous than the Portuguese language and I have to re-fall asleep...Woof! So I think Candace, Devin, and Jordan/Nate win a prize cuz they are the only people that have written me. But Natalie and Nate are winner winner chicken dinner because they sent me a candy salad! Muito bem! Portuguese really isn't that bad. My district is super awesome! There are 12 of us. There were 14 but a companionship went home early, which kinda united the rest of us in a strange way, so all is good. I told Natalie this, but there are like 30 of us here waiting for visas to Brazil. A lot of them turned in their applications long before Michael did. So it has nothing to do with how mine was a week late, it's just luck of the draw.

Al/Adam: There is a one Elder Johnson here from Buffalo that stopped me cuz he recognized me from the one week we went to church out there. He asked if Michael was here. I'm pretty sure he's in the same district as that one blonde Sorella that I am destined to marry.

Jor: your words of strength "If Jordan can do this, I can do this!" ring loud and clear in my head, and give me the strength to put up with the grind.

Can: That baby sneezing on the guy was SO funny!
Dev: 22 ice cream sandwiches seems like a lot.

Nat/Nate: I sent you a letter.

The rest of you get NOTHING! For you have written me not.
But I will say that last time I checked I had gained a pound a day. I guess I'm taking after Devin as a missionary ha ha. So if my math serves me right, by the time I get into the field I'll be 278 lbs..woof! OOOOHH guess who I saw today?!?! Steven Steven bo beven banana fanna fo feven me my mo meven. STEVEN!!!! ha ha it was great! We hugged, which is a welcome change. My companion El hijo de Sasquatch, isn't very touchy feely and is by no means a hugger. So human contact is nice.... I had all these things planned out that I wanted to say the last couple nights as I lay awake in bed. All I can remember though is the things I miss like:

skiing (the temple video just made me want to go back country skiing on a pair of volkl Chopsticks SSOOOOO BAD)
Listening to music (there's no music allowed at the MTC but I've gotten the song After Today from the Goofy Movie stuck in my district's heads)
sleeping
playing sudoku
chasing Duke in the backyard with the broom
eating brownies and talking like hill billys
mario kart
and just being able to do what I want/ taking it easy

But as many teachers here have stated over and over, I'm on the Lord's time now. It's time to spread the gospel. Play time was the past 20 years, and will come again in 2. So yeah...I can't help but think of 30 rock quotes all the time though. And what makes it worse is my comp hates Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin because they are "bleeding heart liberals" This guy is really something. I can't help but think that he is the version of my life if I had kept on reading encyclopedias instead of watching funny liberal tv shows.

love you all, Elder Matt Gagon
ps. write me some letters:)

Matt: May 29, 2010

Dear Family,

I've been here for 3 1/2 days, but it feels like 4 weeks and 6 days. The first haf dat felt like a week, the second full day felt like 12 days, the third day felt like 9 days, and today felt like a week; I have it all written down somewhere. ha ha I wish I could watch that movie.

So yeah I don't get a lot of time to type, so yeah... I have a theory that the tallest person in a aroom/tall people in general have a need to feel in charge. this is not a slam to tall people, I just think it is a theory that one day through science experiments will become a law. For example many of the founding fathers felt like George Washington should be the president because he was the tallest. Also you can often hear Candace refer to Devin as "such a boss". Also my companion is 6'3". He's a cool guy from Arizona. I am the senior companion, but because of Gegs' theory/law of tall people, he is constantly "suggesting" what to do, and how to do it. Whatever.

So the food here is pretty alright. it's not great like everyone says, but I think everyone loves it because meal time is the only time we can have fun. And since eating is the thing to do around here, everybody always has GAS! SO-O BAD! Even the sisters have gas. In a related story not one bathroom here smells good. The rest of the time is just hard work/crying time. I will not lie, I cried pretty much the whole 2nd day. it sucked. If someone told me the MTC would be this hard I woulda said, "forget it!" but dad's counsel of at least stay through Sunday, combined with stories of Brasil, and watching Elders West and Spackman from my district go home today is motivating enough to stay. Plus I'm getting a lot better at retard Spanish (portuguese), and I like church stuff, so it's really not so bad... The stories of Brasil sound like that is where I should've been living my whole life. If they had real skiing mountains there I think I might just move there permanently from the sounds of it.

I know I'm supposed to "lock my heart" or whatever, but there are lots of really attractive sisters here! There's this one Sorella going to Rome who looks like this girl I lifeguarded with, and who I am all about. She stood behind me when I first got here, and we went through the rat maze getting all our stuff. She is just one of the many attractive girls here though. It's such a bonus too knowing that they are here, which means A: they are mormon, and have their priorities in the right place and B: they are my age ;). Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of ugos here too. Like woof woofity mcwoofen!

So yeah I have 4 minutes left, and I just want to finish by saying I love and miss you all. The MTC is rough, but I'm doing my best.... I am constantly tired and gassy.
WOOF!

I love you all,

Elder Matthew Wright Gegs Gagon I

Michael: May 26th, 2010

Everything sounds good back home. It~s probably warmer here than there. So matt is going to P town, dang. I hope he doesn~t stay there long. Maybe it~s nice. I think knowing a little bit of spanish has helped me a lot. some words are really close the same. A lot of words are almost exactly like english too. soo many. The language isnt bad, but I havent tried to teach anyone yet so I just dont worry about it.DAD I got an idea for you. Cause you are way good at making puzzels, my companion has a wood puzzel thing that has the plan of salvation on it. You could check them out and make better ones, or other types of puzzels for educational purposes? Sound good? Well I need to go, Thanks for the email. Love you all and miss you.
Michael

Michael: May 19th, 2010 First P-Day

Dear Mom and Dad/family,
First and foremost, I only have a half hour from the time I click the mouse on Email, to write you guys. And these brasileiro keyboards are slightly different I keep hitting the wrong punctuation.So Matt didnt come today?? I havent seen him, I looked into orientation and saw all the new elders, (only 3 this week) and he wasnt there sooo. Bummer.K there is NO YOGURT here. I think There use to be, I heard from a teacher, but they took it away I guess. And I´m Kinda disappointed. I have yet to taste really anything outside the MTC. What is going on with you guys?? I dont know much to say because I wrote most everything in a letter. OK so here are just some random things that Jordan could probably tell you, except there is NO YOGURCH. The TP isn~t on a roll, it comes like napkins, about tissue sized, its actually kinda perfect and nice quality. Showers are hot no problem there, its not cold at all. I wore my sweater one day but usually just a short sleeve is comfortable. And almost every window in this place is open all day long. cause there are so many bodies I guess and its perf outside. It doesnt seem too humid I don~t notice it. Dallas was worse. My district is 4 elders and 1 sister. All us elders room together with two other brazilians that got here the day after us. Elder assis and elder manheri. he~s japanese and from curitiba. OK I gotta go, sorry so short. I love you guys and miss you! Elder Michael Gagon