Week Two: Cabin Fever, Faith, and Healing

 

The following e-mail was received today:

    Hey everyone! So this week has just flown by! We are extremely busy everyday, so the days pass by real quick. I only have a week and a half left here in the CTM....thank goodness. It´s really great here, but it is kind of confining at times; we are just stuck in the same building every day. 

    Anyway, parts of this week were really good and then not so much. Sometimes I get discouraged, and I wonder what I´m doing here, but then I turn my eyes to the Lord and to the work we are doing and my spirit is lifted back up. My companion is really great! His name is Elder Lopes. He is from Sao Paulo. 

    So this week I had two big spiritual experiences. I´ll share one with you. The last few days I´ve been pretty sick, and I´d be in and out of the doctor's office multiple times. At the end of one of my classes, I asked my teacher, Irmao Pimentel, to give me a blessing along with my companion. My teacher is a very spiritual guy, and he is very in tune with the Spirit. He gave me a blessing, and at the end of it he said, "Arise and you will be healed." The second I stood up, all my pain was gone. Not a muscle ached, and I had energy. This has increased my faith in Christ so much. I know for a fact, through personal experience, that He lives and that He blesses those who have faith. I´m glad that I am here and hope to hear from you soon.                                                                                                                    

 

With love, 

Elder Castagno

Week One Update

                                           Sao Paulo Training Center

The following e-mail was received today: 

Hey everyone! So I have very limited time, so I´ll write you guys quickly. Things are going great here in Sao Paulo. I am at the CTM learning a lot about how to teach and about the gospel. The week has really flown by. My Portuguese is getting better I think (haha.) So they put me into a Brazilian district the second day, so I only speak Portuguese. Every day is SUPER busy. It definitely takes some getting used to, and it´s not easy. Anyways I´m in an awesome group! They all have a great testimony, and I learn a lot from them. The food here is really good; I get to drink Guarana every day!! I´m making a bunch of friends here, and I love it! Being a missionary is difficult, but it pays off, and there is always a good spirit here. I love all of you guys, and I´ll talk to you soon. 

P.S. I can´t email everyone, so I´m sorry! 

--Elder Castagno

Saying goodbye in Dallas

                            A goodbye smooch from Aunt Martha and Uncle Pat. 
                                                  (Nice glasses, by the way, Alex!)

                                  Prying himself loose from the (friendly) Mormon mob.

It's so fun that Elder Castagno had the rare opportunity of a (partial) family escort to his mission. Ahhh...the benefits of family in the airline business.

Flashback Two Months: The Mission Call

In front of the M.T.C.

 

Looking sharp!

He's in Sao Paulo

Elder Castagno arrived safely in Sao Paulo! Photos from the journey will follow. For now, here's a photo of departure day. What does this expression say--calm confidence?

--Blog Chief

He's airborne, folks

Elder Castagno flew out of the Salt Lake City airport today around noon. He's connecting through Dallas, Texas (he's there at this very moment, actually) and should arrive at the Missionary Training Center in Sao Paulo, Brazil by Wednesday. Updates and photos will be posted when we hear from the strapping lad. 

As this blog will serve as a digital scrapbook for him, please post your words of love and support (embarrassing stories are welcome as well.)


--The Blog Chief