Caden's first letter from Brazil

Ok, so I have a ton to say and not much time to say it all! but, the first meal I ate was at the Brum´s home and it was delicous! It was Brazilian Pizza and it's seriously the best thing on Earth but I wasn´t to hungry from flying. I was the last to arrive because I was the only elder to come from the states. There are about 15 new elders and 3 new sisters. Other things on food. We eat rice and beans for every meal and usually have some type of pudding or mousse for dessert. Then it´s either beef or chicken something, a long with noodles a lot of the time. The food here is so good! We have a whole schedule so we get fed everyday at lunchtime with one of the members and I normally eat so much that I´m sick because they have so much food. Another thing, our breakfast is always pretty much milk and cookies (they call them crackers here, but they are just oreo cookies, and I love it!) I go running every morning just so you know.... Also, there are two old ladies in the ward who always give us food for dinner because they worry about us, one day they gave us a loaf of homemade bread, another they gave us salgados??? which is just dough stuffed with chicken or beef and fried, so good! and today another lady made us a cake out of some kind of root to eat. I haven´t just eaten anything crazy, just different fruits, oh and one day we had pancakes, but they were wrapped around ground beef, they don´t have maple here. Food is amazing here. Not sure of any unusual customs here yet, it´s way different here, just life in general, but the people are so good. About the city, Araçatuba, every city that the missionaries serve in here is big, we don´t really have cars to travel around, everywhere we go is by bus, which are actually really nice! I live in a small house that we share with another companionship, and it´s dirty, we don´t have any hot water and I sleep without a blanket with a fan on, but it´s really pretty nice! I´ve been in some homes of people that are just so so simple, but they are an extremely happy people. Ok, when I arrived I could understand nothing!!! they speak so fast and it was very hard the first few days. plus I had like no sleep! Monday night I was flying and didn´t sleep, arrived Tuesday, slept that night at the mission home in Ribeirão Preto, Wednesday checked in at the police station, and left that night at 10:30 for my area that was a 6 hour drive away. Anyway, it´s been difficult, but I´m starting to understand more everyday, especially when I work at it. My companion is from Amazonia and is really smart! He actually knows quite a bit of english and is able to help me so much, I am really lucky to have him, he´s a great missionary and teacher. I have two spiritual experiences I want to share. I hope I have time! 1. on friday night me and my companion were contacting and having no luck, so we decided to pray to find someone, and so I said the prayer and we just thought and waited, until finally I said lets go talk to these three people on the side of the street. Anyway, we talked to them and the man said some loud words and waved his hands around, I didn't understand him but when we left my comp said that missionaries had been there before, and had met his daughter who was there alone. She was deaf and so he said that they laughed at her or made fun of her or something and didn´t want to talk with the missionaries. so we left and walked around the corner, thinking about what we should do. after a while my comp said you know what to do. but I wasn´t sure, because I felt like we should go back to that house. Well after debating over it inside myself for a while I finally decided to go back. I wanted to bear testimony to him. So I went back and his wife said I thought I just told you to leave, and I said I wanted to share my testimony. And the man was really quiet, and the whole time he was quiet. So I bore testimony of Christ, that he lives, that God loves each of us, and that I know it to be true. and then we left. that was it, and i don´t know why we had to go back, but we did, and that´s what I shared. But, the spirit was so strong! Both of us felt it, and I know that family did also, so maybe another missionary will find him and then he will listen now? We get turned away a lot here. The other experience. I gave my first priesthood blessing!! We were with the new ward mission leader and he asked me to give him a blessing because his back and neck were hurting. It was so amazing!!! I did it in english for sake of actually saying the right thing, but he told me he felt the spirit, that it went through him like it was heat traveling through his body. I also blessed him to fulfill his calling. What a sacred experience, one that I am so grateful he allowed me to do. I know that by faith, many things can come to pass. Oh, I also spoke in church this sunday! that was scary but I spoke about faith, and asked the members to help in the missionary work, introduced myself, and bore my testimony. The members here have so much faith, and it´s amazing to see. They are such wonderful people, and I already have developed a love for them, This is the place where I need to be, and I´m excited to serve and have the opportunity to bear testimony to these people. Love all of you at home, and am grateful for the prayers. It´s a new place, and I won´t lie it´s difficult, but it´s so amazing. On the streets, me and my comp go around singing hymns in english and in portuguese, and I´m reminded then, that I am about the work of salvation, and that this gospel is so beautiful, and can bring people true happiness and joy, for eternity. Elder Wyatt P.S. yes, it's hot and humid! But everyone is great here, lots of inactives and we spend a lot of time visiting them. oh, by the way, thing I need if I can get you to send me a package some time! Maple, reeses, jerky, money, and pictures of me and family and stuff to show my companions. also if possible a children's song book in english. and if you would, email me for next p day a recipe for pancakes and how to make syrup for when you are able to send maple. not in a big hurry, but if you get a chance, also I would love handwritten letters every now and then. I don´t have my address with me, I´ll send it next monday if you can´t find it somewhere. Love you all!

Letter from his Mission President

Dear Wyatt Family, We are excited to have your son, Elder Wyatt in our mission. This will be a great opportunity for continued growth and development as he serves faithfully here in the mission field. He will meet, teach, convert and touch the lives of many people who are seeking to know, understand and live the truths of the restored gospel. Your son has already been assigned to his first area. He will be working in Boa Vista in the city of Araçatuba, and will be trained by Elder Barros. The area is very blessed, and your son’s trainer is a reliable and responsible missionary. Your son will certainly have much success and great spiritual experiences. Along with missionary service comes many new and interesting demands and challenges. Your son will continue to learn and adapt to new and interesting customs, cultures and foods, as well as a new language and schedule. Your continued love and encouragement will give him the support and help he needs. My wife and I are very grateful to have your son serving by our sides in this great missionary effort. The lives of many will be influenced and blessed because of your son’s great service and dedication. We will do our best to help your son succeed in his service to the Lord. Thank you for preparing a son that is willing and ready to be of service in this part of the Lord's vineyard. May the Lord bless you for your sacrifice and help in this important and eternal endeavor. Here is Caden with his Mission President and his wife:

His Visa came in and he's headed to Brazil!! (9-15-15)

MOM! I will be on later today, so I'll tell you all about my week, but if you can get a package sent out by today possibly tomorrow that would be great! I need 6 deodorants (word on the street is they don't have much down there) 2 hair gels and 2 things of peanut butter, a package of black nike socks, and maybe a small light if you get a chance. Anyway, sorry for this, but my travel plans are here, so I have my visa, I leave next monday from the MTC at 6 AM!!!! That's why it's imperative that that the package arrives this week, but if it can't make it in time, no worries, I'll be fine. Also, make sure I'm good on money on my card for travel and bagts, and also, make sure they know I'm going to brazil. (next email) So hey this week has been super amazing and extremely difficult. Things keep progressing in the companionship and I never know what to do, but oh well, awesome story actually from the temple today! In the celestial room I just opened it right up to DC 98, and the beginning is about how all of these trials we have in our life are for our own good. that was really comforting to me:) We actually had a major Companion inventory on Saturday and I was very blunt and told him how it was. Things have kinda been better honestly! So anyway, lots of troubles, but I've overcome a lot, and really grown a lot, and I really am grateful to the Lord for that. And I haven't had to do it alone, I've had teachers, leaders, and Elders all there supporting me. So, my birthday was last Thursday and it was amazing!!! I really really missed y'all at home, that part was certainly hard, but a lot of people went through effort to make it special. They sang happy birthday in Portuguese, which actually has 2 verses! the direct translation is actually really funny! There are so many cool translations just on a quick side note, blessed in Portuguese literally means well traveled. And the song Put your Shoulder to the Wheel is called Our Law is Work in Portuguese, excellent missionary song. Anyway, Birthday! Besides getting three packages that day and cards, and dear elders (Thank you all for that!) I walk into the room about 9:45 that night and there is like 20 people crammed into the residence room! There are streamers, and pictures, and they all start singing happy birthday. then we ate a fruit basket someones's mom sent them, and in grandma Wyatt's package there was Martinelli and we split that between a bunch of us! I have pictures and as long as the computers allow today I'll be sending them out mom! So neat to see so many friends I've made here. They all passed around this chalice thing made from a red solo cup and said something they liked about me, super sweet! Also got a tie and a tie clip, so stoked about that. Thank you to everyone for the well wishes and love. Brother Gerald Causse of the Presiding Bishopric came and spoke and he was great! In fact i told several teachers here that he came to speak and the joint consensus was that everyone wants him to become one of the next apostles. He is an excellent speaker, and shared some great experiences he shared with President Packer. He taught a lot about how the Lord speaks to us through the scriptures. Among so much else, he was an example to me, I so love the talks and devotionals given here, there is literally nothing like it anywhere. They are always very relevant to whatever it may be that i'm needing in my life. Our last Sunday Devotional was given by Brother Heaton, who works here at the MTC, about recognizing the Holy Ghost, also excellent. i'm glad I have taken really good notes, because I want to use their words and counsel to really try and take steps towards improving and deepening my conversion. Super great experience this week, and I first want to give some back story. last week i did an exercise that I honestly felt prompted to do. I was studying in PMG when I just noticed how so many of the things that were in there they called acts of Faith. So I actually decided to write down things I'm my life that i'm currently doing as an act of Faith. Acts of Faith really help us to show our love and trust in God. So I wrote down probably 15 things that I was doing, some were broad, like going on a mission,. or learning Portuguese. others were very specific, but I spent a good amount of time thinking about it. Next i wrote down specific blessings I had seen in my life as a result of those things and it was amazing to see! The blessings far outnumber the things I am doing, and they are amazing, so many things that I had never thought of came to my mind, it was truly another humbling experience. then I wrote down more things I could do to show my faith. So, 1. I invite you all to do that, because it's awesome. 2. One thing i wanted to do was try the Lord in his promise in that if we will diligently study, and not worry about what we should say before hand, then he would fill our mouths with what we should say. (DC 33;7-8 and among other places) but it's a promise of the Lord, that if we do our part, he'll provide the support. Well, I studied super hard Sunday, and I had 2 lessons yesterday on Monday, and they were my absolute favorite and best ones yet! The 1st one i had so much vocabulary i had studied the night before, and in the second lesson, we had an unexpected problem arise, and I knew exactly what to say, what questions to ask, and what scriptures to read, and the Portuguese to speak. It was beautiful. I promise you, that the Lord, if you put your trust in him, fully doing your part, he will guide and bless you. I'm going to start a journal and find promises that the Lord makes, if we do this, then we will have this happen and study each promise really in depth and try and implement it into my life and look for His hand in my life, I'm seriously really excited. so if anyone comes across a good promise, please go ahead and send it on down! Such a wonderful week, and I'm ready to be gone, but I will so miss the MTC, it's the best place on Earth.(almost) Anyway, i'll miss my friends and all from here, but I'm ready to go into the field and get started on the work. I want to help push the rock cut out of the mountain without hands. It's rolling forth to fill the whole earth, and after the things i've felt here, how could anyone not accept His Gospel. Now, i know there will be difficulty, but I just want to serve to the absolute best of my ability, I love you all and am so grateful for all you've done. Keep the faith.

Letter we received in the mail from Caden dated 9-6-15

Dear Family, I just wanted to take the time this Sunday to write you a letter and thank all of you so much for literally everything! I also want to say this has been a not so great week! Ha ha, probably not exactly what you want to hear from your son but man, its been hard. But, I should also say just so you know, it has also been one of the best, most spiritual weeks Ive ever had. I promise you I have never made so much growth in the gospel, in life, and in becoming more like unto my savior. I have felt his love in my life, and seen more fully through his eyes how he views others. I think I have lived my life for a very long time thinking that my way is most correct. Also, if I didn't like someone, I could just avoid them, and I'm sad, because I never worked to change those feelings. Here at the MTC, if you dont like your companion, well, your commanded to love him or you will not be able to teach with power and authority. In this letter I want to talk about some blessings and some struggles. I also hope to express how much I love you all, and how much the lessons y'all, Mom and Dad, have helped me here at the MTC. It has been excellent Missionary preparation. So, to start, I want to go back to last Monday. Me and my old companion Elder Sant taught our last lesson together and it was amazing! We taught our teacher, Sister Irma Sandholtz, who was playing the role of an old Investigator she had named Manuela, So she didnt really know how to pray, so we spent an extra lesson teaching her about prayer, why we pray, why its important, things related to that. The Spirit told us what to say, how to say it, and everything helped me just to really feel great, especially since I was kind of down with my companion leaving the next morning. But we taught so well together. We also really got along, he was from TX, I was from TX, we both had a strong desire to work, and honestly, our attributes really complemented each other well. So, anyway, sad to see him go, but he is serving in Ribeirao Preto, so I will see him soon and hopefully I'll get to serve with him. {Caden goes on to talk about his next companion and how it has been difficult but what he has learned} Now, I want to share with you how much I've grown and learned. The Lord truly is the teacher and has his hand in all our lives. This past week, I have prayed night and day for love and charity. I have received it mom and dad. I testify to you, that when we sincerely seek after something, and pray about it, the Lord will answer you. For one, I have never felt his love for me so constantly in my life, Plus, comparatively from how I felt about my companion to yesterday would astound you! What used to bother me no longer does. I have also prayed hard for my thoughts and while I'm not perfect, how have things changed immensely. It's amazing what the Lord has done with me. I've never loved the scriptures more, my family more, or so fully appreciated all you've done to shape me. Like I said in my last email, thank you Dad for being such a huge example to me. I just want you to know I love you all so much and am so grateful. Another blessing has been how strongly I have felt the spirit recently! Actually wait, tell Aunt Marcy what she sent me was truly inspired and helped me out with my attitude and outlook a lot. But anyway, I was with another elder and we were practicing explaining the Book of Mormon, and I was playing the role of the Investigator. So the situation was supposed to be that Elder Flake invited me to be baptized and I said no. Then when he asked why, I was supposed to say because I didn't believe the Book of Mormon was true. He asked if I had prayed about it and I said yes, but that I didn't receive an answer. So, he reads Moroni 10:4 to me, bears testimony of the power of the Book, and then he asked me to pray, right then and there. He later told me that he felt prompted to do that. I started praying then, simply, like an investigator would and really tried to ask with conviction, in my limited portuguese, if it was true. As soon as I started talking, we both felt the spirit so strongly. Elder Flake said stronger that any other time here at the MTC. It was so great to see through the eyes of an investigator, that you can pray and ask, and the spirit would testify of the Book of Mormon, and how amazing that was. I want to bear testimony, that I've always known the Book of Mormon is true, never doubted it, and the spirit has testified to me many times of principles I've read in there, so I absolutely know it to be true. But it was awesome to have that testimony to be true, and to know that the spirit will testify to my investigators. Such a huge blessing here at the MTC is to be able to feel the spirit so strongly. Among so many things, I just have to say, I'm truly blessed to be here. And Mom and Dad, Ive been helped so much by y'all. Why I was so blessed to have y'all as my parents, I don't know. But, I could not have asked for better. I love you all so very much and will continue to remember so much from my childhood the lessons I learned will carry with me always, and I will continue to keep my faith growing. I want to ask you all to look for how everyone in the family has been blessed by me serving a mission? I'm super grateful for all the support back home. I can feel the prayers, and all the concern. I ask that you all please continue to pray for me to have charity. I'm looking forward to my Birthday this week and cant wait to honestly get out of the MTC!! I love it here and all, but I want to get out in the field! Thankfully the Lord is helping me with my patience and I know 2 weeks will go by quickly. It's already gone so fast! I love you all! Love, Caden Wyatt

My Faith has never been Stronger (9-8-15)

Hey mom, yes, they don't do mail on labor day, so I should get it today hopefully! The language has been coming along really well lately! I'm able to get my point across better, and I'm formulating my sentences faster and speak more rapidly! I've been really blessed because I've been diligent. But seriously, there are 2 weeks left now and i can't even believe it. I'm so very excited to be leaving soon! Said goodbye to some good friends from the zone this morning actually and it got me really pumped to be leaving so soon, and time passes by so quickly here, I'll be out in the field in no time, because boy am I ready. I am so happy though with how the language is progressing, it's very frustrating at times, and I know very very little still, but I'm super happy with my progress. Sometimes I'll be honest, it gets so hard I just want to cry, but it's at those times when you get down on your knees that I feel the savior most. Sorry about pictures this week, I didn't take any because I forgot to put my memory card back in the camera when we when to take pictures at the temple on Sunday. But please keep sharing my letters with people, thank you for that! And yes, i'm so glad I studied preach my gospel before my mission, and it has helped enough that I wish I had prepared even more! Keep me informed about everyone's going ons and I love hearing about the games! Keep me posted on Childress. Will Foster actually emailed me today! Told me a little about Texas Tech. About Dear Elder, loved the chips and queso, not a huge fan of the shortbread cookies, but the brownies were tasty, and I would LOVE Krispy Kreme. Keep praying for me definitely because I need lot's of help... I sent you a letter in the mail today actually with more details, so just let me know when you get it. So this week was pretty general. Except I almost forgot actually! Remember how I told you that last week I thought someone important was coming that night? Well we had Elder Oaks! He was super great and I loved having him there! He spoke about teaching by the spirit and also gave us 3 tips to help improve our teaching. Probably one of the best parts of the MTC, is they have devotionals every Tuesday and Sunday, so they always line up some really great speakers. I have learned a lot, things that i want to implement and things that I want change. This is also the only place to watch any devotional that happens here, so you really try and watch as many of the talks as you can while you're here! 2 Elder Holland talks and 1 Elder Bednar are the only talks that I've been able to watch while I've been here, but they were the best! Such an amazing opportunity. So hey, really not much to say honestly this week, but I wrote a pretty long letter describing the events around the past week, so if you can wait, then I can tell you more about it fully in the letter. But if you would like, you can share if you don't mind typing it up on the computer, the experience I shared about the BofM with Elder Flake! I love all of you so much and just wanted to say that! Tell each one of the kids hi and that they are amazing! They have always been such great kids, and just remind them for me that I know that. "Eu sei que" means I know that in portuguese. Please keep supporting me, and keep me in your prayers, because I love the support, but just know that my faith has never been stronger! The MTC is a special place, where if you are obedient, and study hard, true conversion is brought about. Oh actually, one thing happened Sunday that I wanted to mention! I actually taught priesthood and district meeting so that was like 2 and a half hours straight of teaching! kinda wore me out...but they went well!:) Anyway, love you all so much. Keep the letters coming, and I'll email you next week!

Inviting Others to Come unto Christ (9-1-15)

Hey everyone, This week has been really sad honestly. So last week four elders in our district received their visa's and left only this morning at 8:30. Elder Cooke and Elder Picardo (they were companions) and then Elder Butterfield (who was Elder Buckners companion) and Elder Sant, my companion. So I now realize already how hard it is to leave your companion, he was super awesome, and we got along so well! I'll still be seeing him in the mission though, and not making any decisions already, but if I do decide to end up going to BYU we might room together! So inbetween all the changes, Elder Flake and Elder Crabtree are staying and they were already companions and me and Elder Buckner are now companions. Oh, and btw, I'm also just going to stay as District Leader. Normally, in the MTC they only have you serve for 3 week, but this last sunday I didn't get released so I'm staying for the full 6 weeks, and our district absorbed another district, so I am taking in 2 more elders, and actually I'll be over 2 sisters now, so that will be different. It's really not like I do much though anyway, sometimes I think my only job is to get the mail...Haha, but I also do give teaching assignments and meet in Branch council and stuff. I am loving serving in this way, and I'm actually kind of excited I'm not getting released! Someone told me that you receive a lot of help from the Lord as district leader, and after they were released they said everything was so much harder, so yay for blessings.

I have certainly been blessed here at the MTC, no where else is the spirit of the Lord so present, and can you receive so much help in learning the language and growing your testimony. I love everything I've learned since I've been here, and I like that just every now and then our teachers take a break from speaking Portuguese and will share with us a story from their missions or the scriptures! Brother Belchior did this awesome demonstration on the importance of reading the scriptures. He had us all take some time to write or family a letter, then when we were done he ripped them up...Needless to say, I was genuinely not happy. But I got over it after we all talked about how we felt and then explained that shows how the prophets feel when we take for granted the scriptures and don't read them like we should. Anyway, just thought it was excellent, and I plan on using that some day in a lesson. You're also welcome to use that anyone... Oh, and we got another new afternoon teacher to replace Brother Alves, his name is Brother Clements, and he is super awesome! Love him, and with only 4 of us left, I think that we will be able to really focus for the next 3 weeks and study extra hard and learn so much. We might even start an english fast in the next few days or so. Thank you all for the continued support and the Dear Elders! I love the packages and the food and all I can say is keep them coming. I am also happy to report that I have not gained any weight while here at that MTC, I am still a solid 190 currently, and they finally opened the gym back up so basketball has been on the agenda every other day, then inbetween me and Elder Sant would go lift. Not sure what me and Elder Buckner will do but we will see. Congrats to dad, I totally called the Bishopric! I know that he will do an amazing job, he has always been an excellent example to everyone around him. I have learned more and more each day actually how much he has taught me. I am so grateful to you dad for instilling me with a desire to be better, in all aspects of life, even when maybe I didn't quite want to listen. I have tried to follow his example and have found ways to use the lessons he taught me everyday at the MTC here. The final thing I want to close with is to share our purpose here at the MTC, which is, to Invite others to come unto Christ. So we actually teach members on Friday nights, and even though we aren't teaching them the same lessons as investigators, we always are told to do the same thing, and that is to invite them to come to Christ. Invitations are the most important part of our job as missionaries, because no matter how much we teach, investigators will only be converted through their own personal connection with the Lord. So, this week, I just want to invite everyone to look for opportunities to make their prayers more of a conversation with the lord. “The trouble with most of our prayers is that we give them as if we were picking up the telephone and ordering groceries—we place our order and hang up. We need to meditate, contemplate, think of what we are praying about and for and then speak to the Lord as one man speaketh to another” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 469). I have never prayed like I do here, and part of that is because i try and take the time to listen, more than just talk and go to bed, I would just invite everyone to meditate more and give the spirit time to tell you that he is there. Thanks love you all! Elder Wyatt

Keep the Commandments of God, and He will Prosper You (8-25-15)

So hey everybody! So many amazing things have happened this week, and yet to be honest it has been very hard. To start off, mom I forgot to tell you some of the people I've met here that I know! I met Jordan Hacke(??) I can't remember how to spell her name, but she was here for about a week before she left for Costa Rica. Also, to Aunt Marcy, Holly Castleton is here to and I recognized her from when I was with Trevon. I also met a few snowflake people, and some different kids from Texas but know one that I knew. And thank you so much to Mom and Aunt Marcy for the packages!!! Much appreciated by me, and also my roommates. All I can say is to keep them coming!;) Thanks to everyone for the Dear Elders also, they just put a bright spot at the end of the day. To Camdon- my basic day at the MTC...wake up, study, eat, study and teach, eat, study and teach, eat, study and teach, then go to sleep. That is all that we do here. Me and my companion love to go outside any chance we get. You are inside this one classroom all the time, so whenever it's study time, we book it outside to sit on the grass. I have found out that companion study ends up being some of my favorite. It's neat to hear things from his perspective, and to ponder on those things that Elder Sant brings up. Also, here at the MTC they say that the days are long, and the weeks are short. SO TRUE! I can't believe I've already been here this long. So we finished teaching our investigator Thiago, who's real name Brother Nore. Those lessons went great! All kinds of spiritual experiences and opportunities to teach by the spirit. We now have two brand new teachers Sister Sandholtz and Brother Alves. Sister Sandholtz is awesome, she speaks slowly and she's really easy to understand. She lives right by the temple here in Provo. Brother Alves is a different story...He is from Brazil and speaks very quickly, and is very hard to understand. But, the blessing of having him as a teacher is that he really focuses on the pronunciation of our words, and learning to speak the words more clearly and quickly. I love both of them and they are now our new investigators also. We teach them every other day and they trade off, so we now have to prepare a lesson and translate it everyday. It's really helping to improve my language abilities. They have also helped all of us in the district set language study plans, which help make my study so much more effective. So, hard things this week, I will just briefly explain because some of it I'd just rather not dwell on. First off, the MTC is an incubator for sickness, and I have not felt to great the past few days, so anyway, it kind of makes it hard to focus in class sometimes, but I am absolutely doing my best. Everyone in our zone is sick, so anyway, figured it was my turn anyway! The other thing is, as district leader I get to deal with any problems that the district may have. I've been holding little district study meetings every now and then at nights and we're studying christlike attributes. We also had a "District Inventory Meeting" and talked over our problems. I really do love my district, they are all outstanding missionaries, and men in general, and they help me everyday to learn and to grow. My companion is probably the best out of all of them and helps to keep me focused and on a rigorous schedule of spiritual in take. Things improve everyday in my life, and I hope that I can always report to you mom and dad that everyday I felt like I got a little better, and deepened my conversion just a little bit more. For news on speakers, we had the Missionary department head guy speak, Stephen something, I feel bad for not remembering his last name, but he was amazing! He always speaks on repentance and comes like once a month apparently...his job is to make sure everyone that is here is here for the right reasons. He apparently spoke the Sunday before we all arrived. And last Tuesday Elder Echo Hawk of the seventy spoke and he spoke on the importance of the work that we are doing, he had an amazing story, and he's a Pawnee Indian btw. And I'm not sure of this is true, but word on the street is that an Apostle will be here tonight, and I really hope so, but I guess we'll see. There's almost always rumors that an apostle is coming anyway! To end on a more spiritual note, going to the temple every Tuesday is such a huge blessing! I went in there today with a very specific question and I was able to have it answered. Also, I wanted to share a quick scripture I found, and it's only just and excerpt, haha, and honestly i found so much this week, but this I feel like pertains to us all, and not just missionaries. It's in Alma 41:7 and the part I like it "thus they stand of fall" It then goes on to talk about we are our own judges, Every decision, and every shortcoming or highest achievement is on our own shoulders. But how wonderfully is it that we do get to choose? We are the deciders and all of Amla 41 is about how our choices in this life will determine who we will be in the next. Will we be restored to righteousness, or wickedness? It must be one or the other. Will we stand on the wall like Samuel the Lamanite did, or just to fall short of our divine potentials. I leave you with this quote, "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God." (Mosiah 2:41) Keep the commandments of God, and he will prosper you, as it says over and over in the Book of Mormon. Elder Caden Wyatt P.S. Love you, and thank you so much for the package. tell the kids I love them, and that I loved the pictures and letters from all of them. I also want to ask you to print out all of my emails and mail them to grandma beeman please. I couldn't find where my cameras was today so I'll find it and send you extra pictures next week.

I'm in one of the most sacred places on Earth (8-18-15)

Well, I'm just going to try and write a pretty general letter and send it to everyone so that I get it all covered in my email, but oh goodness, where to begin!? To start I flew on the airplane with 3 other missionaries and one sister who are going all over the world. It was neat to get to share with the elderly gentleman next to me on the plane ride about a mission and why I am choosing to serve two years. The plane ride seemed pretty short honestly and we even arrived early so I caught the 10:30 shuttle over to the MTC. You could definitely feel the spirit as you entered the mtc. Oh, and also, I ended up talking to our cab driver who was from peru the entire ride over and actually got a lot insight into the area and culture of the area I'll be serving. After arriving and dropping my bags off at my room (there was a japanese flag hanging on the wall btw) we headed off to my classroom! I was the first one to arrive there in my district and I met Brother Balchior, our teacher. He is from mozambique?? some place in Africa and he's this little short, really dark african man, 24, and he speaks portuguese and Bantu, served in California spanish speaking, and also speaks English, such awesome guy! He's a great teacher and if you work hard, he'll teach you well. he also has the best stories in the MTC (all the other portuguese speakers here envy us because he's our teacher) and I have felt the spirit so many times in his class as he's taught gospel truth. I love learning the language, and it's been really hard ya... To be honest y'all, I might be the worst speaker in the class, or close to it. It's been very, very humbling. but! I have found that it's unimportant, Brother Balchior has said several times that the best missionaries he has come through his class speak terrible portuguese, but they have the spirit, and that's the best way to teach. That being said, I study hard everyday, and I'm not used to be at the lower end of the class, but I know its in the Lords hands. I love that! The spirit at the MTC is amazing, I'm in one of the most sacred places on Earth (these buildings are blessed just like chapels) and you can tell. We are all temple recommend holders here, and the spirit abides with you everywhere you go. Someone just says one simple gospel truth, and the spirit will testify to me, or when we sing a song whether as a district or a combined 2500 missionary strong choir it's just a spiritual outpouring, and that's a testimony to me, of the wonderful teachers, and missionaries that are here at the MTC. So, something cool, shoutout to Aunt Marcy here, I'm rooming with a bunch of Japanese missionaries, and basically our whole wing are missionaries that are learning japanese, so I thought that was pretty cool! i'm in 13m room 221, not sure where Jaron was, but you'll have to let me know.\ So, there have been so many great experiences, but, in the essence of time (we only have an hour) I will keep it to two. first just the awesome one! We had the Nashville Tribute band here on Sunday for a devotional, and they were amazing! I haven't ever been to a concert before, though I'm not sure if this even counts... It was amazing to hear their voices in person, and plus, I was on the 5th row, so I was so close to them! We weren't allowed to clap for them, but I wanted to so bad! They sang songs from all of their albums including Joseph Smith, the Missionary one, and their new album Redeemer (Look it up, it's like southern gospel songs and they are amazing) That was cool to have as my first devotional on Sunday. Btw, Sundays are the best here because of church and meetings and everything. We sing, everyone has to prepare talks and someone is randomly selected, and do the sacrament prayers in Portuguese. So I really like Sundays. Now, my best experience at the MTC so far was me and my companions second lesson with out Investigator named Thiago (like Chi-augo). Our first lesson was only after 2 days of instruction and it was kind of rough, but me and my companion just kept it brief, and taught about the book of mormon, kept it simple, and it really wasn't bad.. But our second lesson was amazing! We taught like the 3rd lesson the gospel of Jesus Christ, except we had no preparation! We got back from dinner and the time was 6:28 and on the board reads lesson with Thiago at 6:30!!! Oh my, we were so scared, me and my companion ran up the stairs and kneeled at the door of the room, said a quick prayer and went in. Me and Elder Sant opted to teach first everytime. But we went in there and taught with such power and authority! The spirit was so strong, I hardly remember what we said, but it wasn't us, it was the spirit, and both of us were literally holding back tears, and we even had the investigator shed a tear, who isn't a real investigator, he's a teacher here at the MTC. Our third lesson also went really well, except we forgot to say an opening prayer, but both me and my companion are always surprised by how much we are able to say, and that is a testament to me. I also was called as my district leader here at the mtc and while I don't feel like I am the best for the jopb, I work hard to be an example for my district members and try and fulfill all that I am supposed to by supporting them, they also really support me and are super helpful. Only on companionship doesnt get a long well and the rest are great, so it makes my job easy. There are 8 elders in my district including us,and 6 are actually headed to Ribierao Preto, so that's pretty cool. We never know when we might lose one though, as any day one of us might get a visa and head down to the MTC there. Well, to describe my companion, he's about 6 feet and ripped. We both love to work and get along really well! he's amazing with the language and helps me a lot. We also go down to the fitness center everyday and work out and I'm getting back in shape for Brazil. I'm pretty excited for that! We do really well! I also love our roommates who have been here 4 weeks already and will be here with us to the end. They extend a lot of helpful advice. Thank you to mom, dad and aunt marcy for the dear elders. We can't open mail till 9:30 at night, so please keep sending! It's nice to have mail to look forward to and I'm not distracted at all! We have way to much to do to be thinking about home or friends, and i thought I would miss it more, but I'm loving it here! It's seriously the best place. So please, keep sending letters,there are a huge support and make me so happy, not sad!:) I love getting something everyday even though I can't respond. Also my district and roommates thank you for the brownies! And Grandma Whipple, did you hear music and the spoken word? they sang the sound of music thought you'd like that. It was funny because we all cheered and were very excited for it and thought it was funny what we get excited for these days. And mom, I need you to send a few things, I need another large pair of shorts and another shirt, maybe a ASU or UofA big shirt, I need some more work out clothes, and maybe a couple pairs of nike socks. For anyone else, I would honestly love handwritten letters and packages (with food because the cafeteria is terrible, but the temple cafeteria is great! I went to the temple today and loved it!) just candy, cookies, jerky, anything to munch on would be great, and everyone in my room would love it, we share all of our packages. my address here is- Elder Caden Paul Wyatt Sep22 BRA-RIB 2011 N 900 E Unit 308 Provo UT 84602\ - Anyone I love you all a ton and everything is great here! p.s. if you ever send a packages just send like 5$ in ones for the vending machine, thanks!

I'm Excited To Serve (8-13-15)

Hey, so we're allowed to write y'all tonight just to let you know all we're safe and sound. i hope all is well at home! Everything is great here, and there's about 2200 missionaries here at the MTC right now. I love having so many worthy elders and sisters everywhere, and it brings such a great spirit. You can sing a song, in either language, or someone just says one simple gospel truth and you feel the strength in their words. Everything is wonderful here and I love it....I think i might change as time goes on, but you push hard and study hard, and I'll accomplish what i came here to do. I have a great companion, who's from Sulpher springs, Texas, and we both have a great desire to learn the language and work hard. It makes things way easier when we have the same goals! my instructor is the best in the whole place, everyone is jealous of us. His name is brother Belchior, and he's from Africa. Have a great district and we met with our branch president and his counselors today, I actually got assigned as the district leader for our district, pretty exciting, I'm excited to serve. my P-day will be on Tuesday, and we only get an hour to email, so my emails while in the mtc may be brief, i apologize, but I'll do my best. the food is not all that great honestly, but life goes on. I also heard that this sunday the nashville tribute band will be here to play for all of us.So, love you guys and hope all is well!