We received this from Jake's Brazil Mission President:

Dear Elder/Sister,

It was with great joy that we are informed of your Missionary Calling to serve in the Brazil Santa Maria Mission, the best mission in the world, (For we have the best missionaries in the world and the best people in the world to teach!). We are anxious and excited for your arrival. We would like to express our love and disposition to help you to become an excellent Missionary, to partake of the joy that comes as you bless the lives of our Gaúcho Brethren, just as much as your present and future family, and to develop a profound and everlasting testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ.

You were called of God and set apart since before the foundation of the world to serve and rescue our Heavenly Father’s children in this specific time and place. The Lord’s elect await you, and it is your responsibility to dedicate your time, thoughts, and desires to diligently find and bring them to Christ. Remember that there will be “two years (or a year and a half) to work, and eternity to remember”.

We have the privilege to serve in a land of strong culture and traditions. The Gaúcho people are simple, warm, and hospitable, and you will quickly learn to love them. The beautiful plains and their memories will always remain written on your hearts, as they have been on ours. We would like to include as well in this first contact with you, instructions pertaining to your stay for these two years, (one year and a half), in the rural regions of the Rio Grande do Sul. We have included on the backside of this letter information that will be extremely useful to you. Study and follow them thoroughly.

We recommend that you study the Book of Mormon, especially Mosiah 27 and Alma 26, which teach of the powerful missions of Alma and the sons of Mosiah. Study the Missionary Manual as well, so that you may be familiar with the rules and norms that you promise to accept and keep during your Mission. Particularly, we invite you to read in the spirit of prayer Preach My Gospel entirely, as essential preparation for your Mission. Accept this as your first assignment of your Mission.

It will be a privilege to have you serving at our side, as well as the rest of the Noble Warriors of Christ who anxiously wait for you, in this sacred work. We are excited to meet you!

Sincerely,

Délgia and Adalton P. Parrela

BRAZIL, SANTA MARIA MISSION

THE BEST MISSION IN THE WORLD

THE BEST MISSIONARIES IN THE WORLD

“Act with INTEGRTIY

Serve with LOVE

Work for the TRUTH”

“There is safety in Obedience”

Please read carefully the instructions below and review them with your parents or those responsible for you:

·      Many people think that the cold climate is predominant in our State, and because of this, many new missionaries do not bring sufficient clothing for the heat. The truth, after all, is that in the area of our mission the winters are extremely cold, and the summers extremely hot. For this reason, we ask that the Elders bring as part of their clothing both long sleeved and short sleeved white shirts. Suits are required.

·      Include in your packing two sheets and a pillowcase. You are not permitted to sleep directly on your mattress. All of the Mission houses rented for the residency of the Missionaries have blankets – three per Missionary – and individual fans. They are, (and are to be maintained) clean and adequate for use. Damages caused to house equipment of the Mission will be paid by the Missionary.

·      Learn to wash and iron your clothes, and to clean the house and make your bed well.

·      We recommend that you start now to use your dress shoes that you will bring to the mission; this will contribute greatly in your adaptation. Remember Elder: You will always walk with them.

·      Please, (if applicable), remove orthodontic braces and provide sufficient prescription glasses for two years/one year and a half. In the case that you need odontologic or ocular treatment during your Mission, you or your family need to pay the expenses.

·      Missionaries are not authorized to use backpacks (please do not bring one) or trinkets. During proselyting, Missionaries should preferably carry scriptures in hand; however small hand bags are permitted (a scripture bag/case)

·      It is recommended that you bring a pen drive to save files, and to show church videos during lessons. Bring also personal memory cards in order to store pictures. You can bring with you the only approved musics in our Mission downloading them from the link http://1drv.ms/1dkswHz

·      Please, do not bring anything that distracts. This includes playing decks of cards, games of any kind, musical instruments (violins are acceptable if you already play with excellence – the mission is not a place to learn to play). Do not bring devices that play music, i.e. I-pod, nor headphones.

·      Starting now, start sleeping at 10:29 p.m. and waking up (and getting out of bed) BEFORE 6:29 in the morning. Change the habit of being on the Internet until late at night, and wasting time watching television or playing videogames.

·      To preach the Gospel with vigor we need to be healthy. Daniel 1 and D&C 89 teach that we need to nourish our bodies with wisdom. Soda, sweets, cookies, white bread, and instant noodles do not contain necessary nutrients and should never substitute fruit, salad, and vegetables while we prepare. It is recommended that you learn how to be able to prepare your breakfast utilizing the benefits of fruits, honey, and fiber such as oats. We should learn to prepare raw and colored salads, and good tasting vegetable soups to serve as dinner.

·      30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 times a week will help in your physical preparation, remembering that if you are overweight you could have problems with arteries, sleeping irregularities, and over sweating. The practice of non-aggressive sports will also help (do not play soccer, which also is not permitted on the Mission).

Our Beloved Mission is blessed with a Culture of Obedience and Missionaries of extraordinary faithfulness. One of our slogans is “There in Safety in Obedience”. As is stated in the Missionary Manual and your call letter, “it will be your duty to maintain the highest patterns of conduct and appearance, keeping the commandments, and obeying the rules of the mission and following the counsels of the Mission President.”