Yeah I would love for you to start a blog. But you are a much better writer than me mom :) 

Tons of people have been getting there Visas here but it seems to all be happening in the middle of their 4th week here so good thing we got that FBI clearance in :) Just have everybody cross there fingers and pray to get my visa. 

I haven't got any letters from any of you guys. Maybe the mail has just been slow. I sent Riley a letter... did he get it? I Love you so much. 

This last week has been almost the same as the last. Last weeks schedule and the next couple of weeks are all the same so they are all starting to feel the same. Except the language. Last night a  couple members came in from Brazil and we had to talk with them like when the missionaries come over to a families house. It was so amazing.  He didn't know any language and had kinda an accent so we were having a harder time understanding him but the spirit was so strong that i was saying things that i didn't even know. He started to ball and bare his testimony to us and i teared up. The gospel is so true. its crazy to feel it in another language than English but I feel its much stronger. Just get ready for me to only speak Portuguese when I get home.

So how is school going for everyone? I don't know whats going on. Haven't heard from you guys about whats just going on around the crazy town of Platte city. I miss all of you so much, especially Carly. I miss just having her cuddle up beside me. So grandma sent me a box of cookies but I forgot to write down her home address before I destroyed the box. What is it? and what's her email address so I can email her. And idk if you have heard of dear elders but it is a program that the church set up so you basically type a letter online and they print it out here at the MTC so you don't have to pay for stamps and I get it that day and can read it that day. Please tell all the grandparents about that if you could. and if you could give me Bishop Klomp's email and Bishop Gillespie's email.

I really miss talking to everyone. Ok I have to go. I already spent an hour on the computer.

Amo Vovê

Elder Tomlinson

Tchau

Oh here is a picture of  a bunch of elders in my zone. Elder Apo (like my best friend here at the MTC) gave us a lava lava to wear when we sleep and on p days. He is from American Samoa. 

Hey mom :)

i got the box! thank you so much :) and i got a letter from Eli Emms!!!!!! By the way please send  me letters. I only get to read my emails on saturday (p-day) but i can read and send letters any day of the week. Letters are such a pick me up. :) AND GUESS WHAT????? i beat the record for the mile run. I was 5:12 and i ran a 4:57. My name is on the wall now. Its a big deal :) Its getting harder and harder here. I feel more stressed out. Dont worry, its just me getting ocd about the language and cleaning everything and making everything perfect. They are having us do full teaching investigators and door approaches in full portuguese its crazy. I am kinda forgetting how to say my prayers in english because i have said them a hundred times in Portuguese. Our last investigator we invited to baptism and she accepted. i know it wasnt real but we put so much effort into our lessons that i just wanted to go crazy when she said yes. The spirit is so strong when we are teaching. More than half the time when we have the spirit you can understand every word that they are saying and then you have the gift of tongues and then you leave and you have no idea what just happened. Its so incredible.

 so about the pictures.....

The first one is of me and my companion playing a nerf war. we dont goof off like that all the time only on pday. im serious when i say we have no time to rest. they have the whole day booked everyday. the second picture is me eating a cricket that a elder in my district's girlfriend sent him from her mission in japan. so we all ate crickets. the third picture is of my companion (elder Beardall) and the two roommates (Elder Apo) (the one next to me) and (Elder Shupe) (the far one). We are all in front of the temple :) we go every pday and its so amazing :)

First Letter from MTC

Hey Mom, 

The first week here has been challenging. From day one the teachers have been speaking only Portuguese and yesterday we had to teach the first discussion to an investigator in Portuguese. Its kinda like school but I have learned way more in the past 2 days then i did in the past two years of Spanish. I was going to type in some Portuguese but the computer I'm on the keyboard is only in English. My companion's name is Elder Beardall. He is kinda messy but he is a good guy. He is alot like Riley only he was home schooled. My other two roommates are Elder Shupe and Elder Apo. They are awesome guys too. we have been working hard together in almost everything we do. Everything is going really good though. I got assigned to be District Leader which makes me in charge of all the missionaries in my district. Plus im doing pretty well with the language. Dont get me wrong, its the hardest thing i have ever done but i can carry on a full conversation now and it has only been three days!!!! But every thing has been going well. I moved in great with no problems at all. My P-days are Saturday so i will only have an hour to write every Saturday while im here at the mtc. but you can always send me letters  or packages to me at:

Elder Devon Austin Tomlinson

MAR17 BRA-RIO

2007 N 900 Unit 46

Provo UT 84602

Thats my address while im here. if you could i forgot a couple things.... my retainer, my Brazil jersey, and could you send my running shoes. They have a indoor track for when we go to gym time and there are record on the fastest mile and its only 5:27. I know i can beat it, i just need some lighter shoes.

I love you all and Miss you so much. Hows everything going? Anything new?

Tchau,

Devon Tomlinson