Baptism Jerseys

Elder Galvez and Elder Cetraro sporting their Baptism Jerseys

New Companion Elder Hodson (lower right) and Roommates

Overlooking Juazeiro do Norte

P-Day in front of statue of Padre Cicero

Zac with New Member - Brother Donizete

Talent show - Zac with Companion, Elder Hodson, playing Be Still My Soul and The Scientist

Zac and roommates celebrating 6 month mark - Zac is 6-months in and others are 6-months from going home

Zac with 6-month pizza (Sign says Elder Cetraro - 6-Months)

Zac with Jaguar Skin - Grrrrr!

Zac and Elder Hodson getting in the Christmas Spirit

Christmas Feast

Zac and roommates didn't get any of their presents. What they did get was from the Relief Society - Thank You Sisters!

Make shift Christmas Tree made from a water cooler

Zac participating with the members in a Just Dance Party! People just don't know how much of a fun partier Elder Cetraro is.

So I thought it was funny how in your email about Montana of course you had to mention about the food. I think you can look back in my journal too and about half the things I mention are the food. So here I sent a picture of the dinner we had New Years Eve. WOOOOWW comida linda! I don’t think I will ever eat something so pretty again. I really am not even jealous of the food you guys are eating up in Montana. Because just for y'all to understand... I eat like I am in Montana... everyday!! Lol, luckily usually it is only one meal but followed by many snacks from everyone. Also... last week was my 6 month mark, It just happened to land on the End of the World Eve as well!! hahahaha so it was a funny night, we ordered pizzas and kidded around. Got some pictures of that. It is funny though because everyone I am living with basically just has 6 months left! Hahahaha, so here I am saying to myself "ooh man.... 6 months.." and they are like "ooh man... 6 months!" to themselves as well.

Alrighty, I put a couple pictures of Christmas in here as well. Ha, Christmas morning we all slept together in our "ironing/workout" room. We made a little decoration thingy to be festive. Unfortunately nobody had any presents because of slackers in Fortaleza but the Relief Society gave us a huge bag of goodies that looked really good under our tree, ha. It was fun. A couple days after we had a "Just Dance" activity. And guess who was all over that. THIS GUY! Ha oh my gosh, I don’t think the Brazilians here ever have seen a party animal like me before. Ha it was good though because I got a lot of people to participate. So that was super fun. I love dancing. But yeeeaahh it has been a long week for me.... it was filled with fun! Everyday has been very eventful; I can almost say that my holidays competed with yours! Our mission made a goal to have 2060 baptisms this year and we hit it! (There were actually 2060 Sons of Helaman). And yeah, today we just played some basketball, watched Brave for the 3rd week in a row, had a BBQ with a member and we will spend the rest of New Year's Eve with the same members as Christmas eve tonight... ha they are the best! 

So yeeeah. It’s been great. I am super happy, talking to you guys was the cherry on the top of it all. I loved hearing your loving Mom voice, my #1 fan. =) I just know you guys love me so much, and it just makes me so thankful. =) I love you guys too and I am glad that life is just awesome for us. I have learned a lot on the mission that our time here really isn’t anything. Just a little part in the whole scheme of things, but even in my little time I have had here on earth, I just think it is the sweetest thing. "It's a wonderful life" right?

I will talk to you are next year!

…So we were supposed to have 2 baptisms this last Sunday but things fell through because the moms couldn’t make it! Ha, I guess that is a valid reason. One’s name is Jackson. I will be the one dunking him, and the other is Nathanial, who we have been working with since week 1. Jackson is 16 and is really eager to join the church. He has been getting along well with the youth and he wants to be a missionary! Nathanial is very timid but he knows the church is true. It has been great watching him grow the last few months. I will send you pictures next week!

So I had an interview with President and it was pretty good. It looks like I will be staying and my companion will be leaving. It isn’t for certain though. But I am asking you guys and the whole family to pray extra hard for me these next two weeks. Transfers end the 11th and until then I will be the Senior. Which I am suuuper excited for! I feel my trainer did everything, (more than train me) and had troubles inside lessons letting me do things. So it will be like going from doing nothing to everything so I need the Lord’s help for sure. Please do that for me.

WOW, the holidays are coming up! Ha, I have been thinking about Halloween. I want to do something but I don’t know what. I am thinking about wearing like white socks.... psssh lame! You guys should send me a pull-up bar. If you do, I promise I won’t return fat. I would love that more than anything right now.

Some thoughts I wanted to share with you the last couple of weeks. One, I think someone is praying that I am well fed... because I am weeelll fed. The lunches are so good here and I am only hungry when I choose to be ;) Also in the house I always have food. Sometimes the others run out but I never do! I blame it on my thriftiness that I got from you! This is something my comp admires of me... he also thinks I am a bit crazy! He was spoiled before the mish and he always talks about it. So yeah. I got to go, Love ya, Mom

-Elder Cetraro

Photos from the Sao Paulo MTC

Sao Paulo Skyline

Streets of Sao Paulo

America Day (July 4th) at the Sao Paulo MTC

American MTC Friends

July 29, 2012

MAMA MIAA!!! =D =D me a lova you muito muito!! aaha... Today is a good day! I'm still a little giddy because today for lunch we had noodles of every kind and all sorts of sauces. I put on extra olive oil for Gpa Mike ;). AND we had a delicious dessert. Never is there a good desert AND a good meal. So yeah, awesomeness going on down here =)
[Editor's Note- Zac answers the question "Are you glad you left on your mission 6 weeks early?" in the paragraph below.]
And yeesss! Me and Elder Boehme who came early with me can't stop thinking about it. I can't wait to see the batch of kids who come in tomorrow. I wonder which one would of been my companion??! I'm happy I came down here though. Honestly there is nothing more fulfilling than preparing to serve the Lord. And I kind of love to study!! Just the little nerd I am. Everyone is starting to get sick of studying but I'm diligently still going on. Today I think I am going to finish my 1,200 word dictionary of verbs I've compiled. After all the long processes and editing I've been doing I think a lil’ portion of them have stuck. I am excited for the field of course! The Africans said they flew in through Fortaleza and it was sooo beautiful, and I ran into a person at the temple today who said the Mission President and Wife are the best! Good to know I'll have good mission parents =)
Speaking of the Africans.... they are gone =\ They seriously were amazing kids. Soooo fun. Soooo spiritual. We basically became brothers, and now they are gone! ='( Me and Elder Fernandes were especially close. He was always talking heart to heart with me and last night we all sang some of our favorite hymns together. I will miss them but I definitely think we gave them the blessings they deserved. I think if I could give to anybody, it'd be these boys who are definitely going to be giving their all for the work the next two years.
Olympics eh? That's pretty cool! My teacher fills us in on a lot of news. But yeah, keep me updated on anything cool on my Countries, ha. Oh and you asked about the sister. She transferred a week ahead, about the second week we were here so she could have a companion. She was very emotional about not having one, and you know when the woman is not happy, nobody is. So yeah they bumped her up. Now our district is just a bunch of stinky smelly boys ha.
So stories for this week. Had an eventful weekend. My companion rolled his ankle baaaad. He is on crutches and it looks like he has elephantitis it was so swollen. But we don't think it is broken, so hopefully it heals before he leaves. I gave him a priesthood blessing, which was very cool. We watched a Mormon Message about priesthood blessings afterwards, which brought tears to my eyes, then I read Taylor's letter which brought more, and later on we listened to an amazing conversion story which brought even more. It is a joyous life when you have tears of joy three times a day. =) Have a wonderful week and love ya muito!
-Elder Cetraro!

Pictures!

First day here in Sao Paulo airport.  (I feel ever grosser than I look!)

Me and meu otimo professor! Irmao Israel (last name is Martinez I think?)

The awesome view from my bedroom on the 7th floor (the side with less city buildings.)

My district gettin' some drinks.  Our favorite thing to do on P-Day :)

July 24, 2012

.....Being DL has been good. One of the first goals I set was an English fast that we just finished today. We started yesterday after lunch and didn't speak English until lunch today, which we had at a Rodizio! OOOMMMGG DELLLIICCCIOUSSNNESSS =) =) Had probably half a cow, even the heart! Which was the best =) (the chicken hearts sucked) But yeah anyways, the fast was good. Me and my companion did a real fast as well and I think it really helped my district. It was hard writing David & Laura's letter this morning because I was thinking in Portugese... here comes the Portugese dreams, right?

$400?!?!?!?!?! Ooooh my gosh, I started lol-ing when I read that? Is my car really that pathetic. I love my JUB jub... poor thing.... take Riley for a spin in that thing, so what if he crashes it! Ha, so sad. BTW driving down here is crazzzzy! And yeeeah, I did hear about the Dark Knight killer thing... reached all the way down to Brazil. My district has been teasing the crap out of me about the Dark Knight, sacrificing not seeing it and leaving early! I can't wait to see it! But don't tell me ANYTHING!
Yeeeup, hump day! Flew by quick, eh? Also has seemed like I've been a missionary forever too though.
Well, I love you muito and I'll talk to y'all next week!

July 10, 2012

Pizza Party at the MTC!

Elder Anderson & Elder Cetraro

July 10, 2010

Hey y'all! Tudo bom? tudo bem! Hope y'all's summer is going as well as when I left. My... winter? (it is like May weather) down here. The Sao Paulo MTC has been pretty "Legal" as they would say down here. (I guess Legal is cool in Brazil ;) Sao Paulo is a pretty city, and it's sweet because on P-days they let us out and let us wander the streets. It is a whole different world down here. The language is coming along really well and I've made a lot of good buds, especially with the Brazilians. Last night I had to say goodbye to my two cute lil Brazilian roommates =(. I have already been dubbed two nicknames. All the Americans call me C-tro and the Brazilians call me Moroni. lol Well I'm loving all the great things I'm learning and I'm excited to get out to the field! write me for more! ;)
America day was AWESOME!! We sang lots of American songs. And we got everyone to get up and sing the national anthem during lunch although I don't think we were suppose to.. (I think we started a new tradition though because they had the Argentinan's sing their anthem yesterday at lunch for their Independence day) and for lunch we had somewhat of an American meal.. hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, and ICE CREAM! =) That night was the South American cup, Brazil's Corinthinans versus Boca from Argentina? Someone projected the game on a building and so we watched the game and oh my gosh we got our fourth of July fireworks.... ALL NIGHT!! Good stuff. 
Alrighty, well all is good down here I'll have to tell you about my 2nd TRC lesson all in Portuguese. It went AMAZING =) we really do get divine help. 
C’ya and love ya!

July 3, 2012

Heyy Heyyy!! It's been another long and starting to get repetitive week. But it's all good! muito bom! Things are good! I just finished writing back 3 of my missionary friends and you guys. This week has been interesting! We got a new companion. Elder Andres-Miller? We call him Elder hyphen. Yeeea, so now I'm finally in a couple. Fun stuff! The language is coming along good, I have been told by many teachers, Brazilians and other Elders that I am doing really good for being such a noobie! Ha, oh my gosh! I want to figure out a way that maybe you can watch my first TRC. It is where they videotape us giving lessons all in PORTUGUESE!! It was so funny because the investigators were members so they were helping us the whole time. Ha, and out of me and my companion, I did ALL the talking. Very slowly though.

The Brazilians are super fun. We have kind of made a little clique of Elders that all are on our floor and every night they come over to our bedroom and we talk and talk and talk. They are fun, and it's awesome how much fun we can have even though we can barely speak each other's language. Ha, at the same time too, it is a little annoying because we go to bed later than we are suppose to and I try to write letters and work out but they keep pulling me away. Speaking of working out... I have gained weight! Ha about 5-10 pounds I think... but it will definitely just be a phase here at the MTC I promise! We just get fed so much it is kind of annoying. Lunch is like at noon and its big and tasty and then we have dinner again at 4:30, and I'm not even hungry but I pig out once again! It's interesting food, gotta love it =)

I am definitely going to miss my 2 Brazilian roommates. They are leaving next week. They have told me I am their favorite American ;) one speaks (Elder Carlos Tomas I think... he is from Ceara, my area!) alright English and he loves dumb blonde jokes and the other one I just found out is from the Amazon, and he had to canoe to the airport to get here!

Anyways.... That's good to hear from you guys. Poor Keegan in her cast, oh well. Wow, and Camp Cetraro is this week! I was thinking about that! You can tell the Cetraros that I am really enjoying everyone calling me by “Cetraro”. It’s definitely sinking in now. It is weird to think that everyone I meet will know me by that name, it's awesome! Representing it down here in Brazil! Ha, it is funny though, the Americans can't say it down here, but most of the Brazilians say it with ease. I was dubbed elder C-tro last night by one of the Americans! Ha!

Well let me know how everything goes, I am psyched for "America Day" this Wednesday. I hear they try to feed us American food and a HUGE game is going on down the street. Brazil vs. Argentina that night so we will definitely get our fireworks! So yeah!

Gotta go get my Brazilian Cetraro jersey, so peace! Love y'all!