(Editor's note: on Tuesday, August 20, I got a call from the mission office saying Elder Cetraro had been mugged and got his debit card taken and it needed to be cancelled. This is the experience he is speaking of in the beginning.)

Alrighty..

Hello Fam!

Yeesss, I am totally fine. I’m sorry if that first heads-up wasn’t detailed enough, I was standing there next to the secretary ready to fill you in if you freaked out. But it was chill. I guess I can tell you a bit more about it but I would like to forget about it a bit.

So like I told you in my last week’s email. I was in a different area with different missionaries who were all waiting to pick up their new companions. Like what I also said in the email we will probably go check out the ocean. Well it was the combination of these two that pretty much caused what happened. So Tuesday we were supposed to go to the office at 4 o´clock. After lunch me and another American got a glimpse of the ocean from afar and went all "goo-goo gah-gah... omg omg omg omg" If you can understand, I haven’t seen the ocean the whole time I have been here. Well what happened was the Elder whose area it was said, "Well you guys are in luck, because our next appointment is right by the beach." And then while we were going there he said "Oh! On the way there is a great view, it’s a bit dangerous though."

So yeah, we swung up by this hill that really did have a great view and I of course had my camera for that. But as we were leaving there appeared a bunch of kids. (like 12-16 years or so) and one of them had a broken beer bottle yelling at us to get down on our knees. I wanted to run, it would have been the best idea. But sadly though, the other two missionaries got down on their knees and if I would of booked it or fought back (I’m a black belt so I definitely already had an action kick-butt plan in my head) but if I would of done that, the situation would turned active and I would of put the other two Elders in danger. So they ended up taking my camera (I already hid the memory card in my back pocket) and my Missionary Manual, which had the (debit) card and money for a taxi. Funny thing is usually I don’t carry these things but due to the occasion I had them. I didn’t have a bag I just had these two things in my pocket so I couldn’t hide them. The other American Elder had his camera and wallet well hidden in his bag so he got away lucky.

But yeah, don’t worry, it wasn’t anything I couldn’t of handled, nothing crazy. I do kinda feel bad though because I was the oldest Elder there, so I should of been more responsible, but then again, I didn’t know the area at all to make those judgment calls. But yeah.

Anyways as for the rest of the week. So we stayed in Expedicionários and I am with Elder Monical. He is a tall kinda quiet guy and he kinda reminds me of Uncle Jared with how calm and athletic he is. Anyways, he basically forgot most of his Portuguese because he spent 3 months out of the MTC not using it. So it has been interesting. I will have to really focus to help him participate in the work and really grow in this transfer. I am able to do the work but I can’t do it all and neglect him the growing experience and practice that he needs, so hopefully this next week we will figure it out.

As for the work I felt like it was a little slow this week since I didn’t have the opportunity to do weekly planning or do weekly goals. It is amazing how slothful we become without these two things. I will want to do this weekly planning and goals after the mission for sure! But it was waaay cool though because I didn’t tell you about Tiara from last week.

So last Friday I got a phone call from the office that they had a great referral for me to baptize. So we swung by Saturday afternoon and she actually was just about leaving. But real briefly I asked her how does she already know about the Church. She shared with me how at the moment she is without religion because she has studied the Catholic church’s history as well as the Baptist church’s history and she didn’t like what she has seen. She said that she already has looked into and studied a bit about the Mormon Church and has a return missionary co-worker that took her to some church things and gave her a Book of Mormon. I know an elect when I see one so I just briefly bore my testimony of how God has answered her prayers and sent us and gave her the first 3 lessons to read. So she did, she went to church with us, she loved it.  We passed by her house last Sunday afternoon (while I was still with Elder Medrado) and we ended up teaching her the Restoration and about the Gospel of Christ and she accepted to be baptized. We then tried to pass by during the week to teach the commandments but basically with studying and work she has no time whatsoever. So we ended up just teaching her everything that afternoon. She already was living all the commandments. We really could of baptized her right then and there. Thing is though that night was transfers which means a night of packing bags and not baptisms.... so we put it off for this week. But yeah, she was the driest Mormon I have ever met and wow she is 19 years old and I think she has a desire to serve a mission. I am excited to see her blossom in the church.

Ha, but thanks for the updates. My companion actually already told me about the temple video he was there last week..... Jealousy....... and I am excited to see it as well but I am sure that just being in the temple will be good enough for me.

Gotta go! Love you all, have a great week!

-Elder Zachary Cetraro

HEEEYY!! Tudo Bem?

YAAAAYY for Christmas! Ha, Christmas music is something we can listen to, so one of the best parts of Christmas is here. Ha, some snakes gave us a cute golden Christmas tree and another snake gave us a present so we are getting festive down here!

So I saw on the first day of December that I left in month 6 and now it is month twelve. Crazy huh!? I pulled out my journal and it was great to see where I was a year ago and 6 months ago. 6 months ago was when I first went through the Logan Temple on Grandpa’s birthday. My soul thirsts for the Temple and it is funny how eternal families and temple work are a soft spot for me now.

WOW... I think it is sooo cool all the adventures you guys write me about. I am pretty sure I hear more about you guys than you hear from me. I like that - I am not missing out on anything. Wow! I am so jealous that you went to the Christmas Devotional. I WENT WHEN I WAS LIKE 8.... no fair. Ha, but it is funny because I tell all the members that I am from Utah and the Prophet is like my neighbor. It is funny how Utah is like a wonderland here and everyone dreams of going there.

Anyways... I think it is funny you are asking about my investigators. Padme and Tierre and Rosa are long gone. Something that I have been learning here with Elder Hodson is that in being an effective missionary you need to learn how to "cut" people. It is kind of sad but it is true. We are looking for the elects who are prepared. Like Donizete, for example. Ha, the man that I baptized yesterday! He just showed up at church a couple weeks ago. He felt the spirit, knew the Church was true. And it was super smooth getting him to the font. He in fact (when I baptized him) dunked himself more than me dunking him. But yeah. It is cool though because it turns out that I gave him a Book of Mormon 3 months ago and he prepared himself. That is something that I am really learning is how God really prepares people in this work.

Some news from here is... I dunno. Just working! I’m sure you were checking the weather and it actually was a very cool week. Yes, it still had its hot times but pretty chill. Last P-day was really sweet. We had pizza and stuff with some members that turn out are from the Amazon. Once we got them started on the Amazon they started telling stories for the next 2 hours. But I LOVED it. OMG, me and Riley are going to come down here and do an Amazon tour. It is just so cool because I have always read and dreamed about it as a kid. And here I was hearing first hand stories. It was awesome, ha!

So for this week, my spiritual focus will be on going the extra mile. This is the healing power of Christ (Stand a Little Taller thought this week) I will try to do that in praying with love. For really I am responsible for the people here and I can receive revelation about teaching them. We need to pray for people but also pray how we can help them.

Also something totally cool is that an Argentinean was talking to us the other day. And I wasn’t paying attention because he was talking more to the other missionaries but I understood when I was listening. But then after they were done talking, the missionary said that he was speaking Spanish the whole time. So yeah... I UNDERSTAND SPANISH! Crazy huh? Ha, that was a cool experience.

Also once again, Karate. I was talking to one of the zone leaders and he said he did a lot of karate. It was funny cause I busted out Kan Ku Dai like it was nothing. It is so weird how I remember everything. We will have to do some karate when I get home. 

Sound good? Maybe I can finally whoop you, Dad!

Love ya all

-Elder Cetraro

September 17, 2012

…..That is cool about the Brigham City Temple. I will have to check it out when I return! I hope they have a Temple soon here in Fortaleza ;) It’s under construction. There also was about 1 million Catholics visiting my town this week so is was overflowing... kinda cool.

         Ha! My companion is trying to go on a diet right now. I told him he should just stop eating sweets. But when he went shopping the other day he bought about 4 rolls of cookies. He says cookies aren’t considered sweets here because everybody eats them. Hahaha, which is true, they have a whole aisle here dedicated to just rolls and bags of cookies.

         So about the work. I am doing really well. Everybody tells me I am going to be a great missionary and they can’t believe I have only been here for a month. The language is pretty good. Inside of lessons I can usually say and testify about anything. The Lord helps with that I´m sure. I am working and studying hard though. In the morning and nights I am constantly studying or writing or doing something.

         One thing that is super hilarious is that everyone wants all my stuff. You did a good job soupin’ me up with good stuff. My comp wants my shorts and Camelback, and the other wants my ties and watch, and the other wants my iPod. His name is Elder Santos da Silva, he is like my best friend here. I don´t really need an iPod here and they don’t have them in Brazil so yeah.

Anyways...   I’ve got to go but I love ya!

Pictures!

The two funniest kids in the MTC, my companion, Elder Anderson; and Elder Martinez, the Argentinean who learned good English from playing Pokemon

Elder Fernandes is the one on the left. He was the very heartfelt one that always bore his testimony. Elder Friere is the one on the right. He was so funny and ate like no other.

The shopping spree funded by Zac’s debit card for Elder Fernandes and Elder Friere 

MTC Roomies

Sao PauloTemple in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Sao Paulo Temple with companion Elder Anderson 

The Brazilians Zac lives with. Elder Galves (his companion), Elder Santos da Silva and Elder, Queiroz (two zone leaders) and Elder Cetraro

Campinas Temple Visit

Dear Family,
We are pleased to be able to send you a picture of your missionary´s recent visit to the Campinas temple.  The morning they enter as a group is a very sacred experience for them, and it is an experience that is always anticipated with much excitement. We know they will treasure this remembrance. It is a great honor to serve with each of these fine young people and to watch their growth as they learn more about their sacred calling of a missionary.  We have a great love and respect for each one of them.
Thank you for your support for them.  They love to receive emails and letters from you, and feel of your love.  We know that your family will feel the blessings of their service.
 Sincerely,
 President and Sister Degn

August 28, 2012

…Campinas (temple) was AWESOME. I loved it there. I might also appear on a cover of a magazine here in Brazil? Proselyting in Sao Paulo was awesome. Downtown was nuts. Really cool, but I only had 30 minutes. Handed out 5 Book of Mormons, it was crazy. The Lord definitely helped because half the people came to me and all were very super nice. A couple things, so my whole flight here and the district I am in now are aaaaallll Brazilians. So I guess the Mission President feels confident in me, which is good. But I’ll have to describe stuff another time, because I am experiencing like 50 technical difficulties and it is hard to trouble shoot on the computer in a different language and I still need to contact the Mission President, but things are good! Tudo bem!

August 14, 2012

"Hey everyone... the day has come, they are releasing me out to the real world!! The MTC has been a great experience for me meeting all the great young adults of the Church and it is going to be hard to say goodbye. But the mission is going to be full of them, ya just gotta make the experiences good! My Portuguese is really good, but I am ready for the transfer of the big dawgs of the MTC to the fresh greenies of the mission field. Just like middle-school to high-school aaall over again. We went proselyting for the first time yesterday and are going again in the center of Sao Paulo next Monday. I loved learning and working and being able to be the DL of my district, a lil’ shout out to them - Elder Anderson, Boehme, Yost, Gee, "Hyphen", Sister Gee and Young.

So we kinda got jipped for our last P-day. We had to go to the Campinas temple today. (Which OMG I loved it! Suuuch a gorgeous temple.) So we returned about two hours later than we usually do, and now we are going to listen to a Seventy who chopped off another hour and a half off our P-day.... oh well!! So yeah, last week here. Kinda crazy, kinda sad. Really excited though. I loved my experience here and I KNOW I worked hard. The calling really works. As soon as I got here I found diligence and focus I didn't know I had. So yeah, I can leave here being as prepared as I could.

Tudo Bem!

Alright... there goes my time... I love you and talk to ya while I am in the field! =D

a letter from the mtc president

TEMPLE VISIT - BRAZIL MTC

Elder Cetraro and new missionaries at the Brazil, Sao Paulo LDS Temple

June 28, 2012
Dear Family,
We are pleased to be able to send you a picture of your missionary´s recent visit to the temple.  The morning they enter as a group is a very sacred experience for them, and it is an experience that is always anticipated with much excitement. We know they will treasure this remembrance. It is a great honor to serve with each of these fine young people and to watch their growth as they learn more about their sacred calling of a missionary.  We have a great love and respect for each one of them.Thank you for your support for them.  They love to receive emails and letters from you, and feel of your love.  We know that your family will feel the blessings of their service.
Sincerely, President and Sister Degn