Dear Elder

As aforementioned my their good friend Elder Stevens, letters to missionaries are like gold. There has been a special request made by Elder Matthew for handwritten letters. The main reason being they can look at those letters anytime they want as opposed to emails which they can only check for a small amount of time. So here are the addresses of both elders.

Elder Matthew Ryan Doggett 
Box #27 District #14-C Brazil MTC
Sao Paulo South Mission
Rua Padre Antonio D'Angelo, 121
Casa Verde, Sao Paulo, SP
Brazil 02516-040


Elder Benjamin Brian Doggett 
Box #27 District #14-C Brazil MTC
Brasil Campinas Mission
Rua Padre Antonio D'Angelo, 121
Casa Verde, Sao Paulo, SP


                                                           We got some letters today!

Brazil 02516-040

Elder Matthew Doggett's letter number 2

Ok first off dad dont take those clothes to the d.i. those have memories because of the pipe feild!! Thats right they've been in the back of our car for several years. Those clothes have memories growing all over them hahah dont take them just throw them in bens closet or something haha. I love you guys so much and I miss you all so much. Luckily I will be sending pictures this week so I hope you all get them soon. Also I have only cried once this week which is a recored for me! haha the language is tough but im learning it fast. The mission is the most incredible thing I have ever done in my life. Its also the hardest thing haha but the lord never said it would be easy... for if thats the case we would never grow and learn and become men! I also need to tell you all that our teachers saw a picture of ben and I on facebook and he showed the whole class the piture where all the girls are fake kissing ben outside our house on our farewell day and they now call us players haha its hilarious. I miss everyone so much back home! Dad thank you for the picture about the jedi's when me and ben were little. All the elders got a kick out of the picture. One other thing I need to mention is the weather is crazy here but the Brazilian drivers are even crazier! If you thought 1J drivers were scary come to brazilan and they would be the greatest drivers in the world haha Im scarred everytime we drive to the temple! but everythings going good for me down here I just have to say its crazy how fast the lord shapes a missionaries heart to teach and preach the way he needs us to, to be effective. I feel the sprit 24 hours a day and its incredible but physically draining. Im out so fast every night haha. Now its time to get down to the nitty gritty and be serious... this week I had the chance to meet and talk with Elder Queltin L Cook of the quorom of the twelve apostals and can I just tell you that when you meet and apostal of the lord and talk with him face to face its insane!!!! We all got to meet him because theres only 200 missionaries here and he talked to us and gave us blessings. Heres what he blessed us with. "We are all forgiven of our sins because of our service for the lord" when he said that I literal felt a change in the room and it got brighter! He then said "I also bless your family your mother and any close friends you had back home that they will be blessed and protected by the lord" Do you know what that means? Everyone who is reading this letter right now will be blessed and protect by our savior... also you will receive DOUBLE blessings because theres two of us who recived this blessing haha isnt that sweet! It was an incredible week full of incredible expereinces I'll write as soon as possible but my time is sooo short. also I do love letters and pictures they mean the world to me and I have to tell you that ben and I have to beat all the elders away with our scriptures because they fight over all the pictures of the girls back home haha its hilarious! I want everyone who is reading this letter to know how blessed we all really are in this life. The lord has given us so many gifts in our lifes and its up to us to apply them in everything we do. I love you all so much... words cannot describe how much I miss you all and I cant wait for the day we all meet again. I should tell you really quick that I can now grow a full beard (not that I have) which means Im finally a MAN! sorry mom and dad but Im no longer your little boy haha I love you all so much and thank you all for being the greatest examples in my life. The lord loves us all very much!     also please forward this to everyone I love! thanks

Elder Ben Doggett's letter number 2

Another week gone it is crazy how fast the time flys by when you are in the service of your beloved Heavenly Father. I hope all is well back home for you family and friends. This week so much as happened I dont know where to begin. There was a devotional it seemed like everynight which was an amazing treat we even had the chance to hear from an apostle of the lord. Quetin L. Cook, I had the oppurtunity to shake hands with him and he thanked me for my service. I felt the spirit of God burn inside me. It was so powerful to hear those words. I know this is where i am suppose to be. He also gave us some wonderful advice as missionaries and what we need to srtive for. He also gave us some amazing blessings. To many to write down in one email and time doesnt permit but in some of my letters i sent home I explained some more in details cause they were truely amazing

The mission is going great. Launguage still stinkin tough but after taking it one week at a time and seeing how I have progressed from just week to week I can definatly see a difference. I can read it and understand it for the most part if they speak slow, but once you get on the streets that doesnt happen. Just the other day I was wondering about the city with my companion looking for a paper store so I could get some supplies. I soon found it and got the necessary items to purchase. When I went up to the counter the nice lady rang me and up. I handed her the money and she looked at the money and then back to me and started to say some things in porteguese... I sat there with a blank look on my face, just imagine Kirby Heyborne from the best two years and yeah, thats exactly what I looked like. I was so embarassed, but hey you never learn if you dont make mistakes!

Im learning so much about myself and the Gospel. I love it with every fiber in my being. It is the true church without a doubt. Dad I have to say thank you for the letter. It meant so much and you words of advice. Keep the letters coming they are truely like glod out here as Jordan said! To answer some questions my companion and I are doing much better this week. We just put our trust in the lord and worked things out through the spirit. Its amazing how the lord can work miracles in the most simplest of things. Im glad to also hear you all are doing great back home. I cant believe how hot it is in Rexburg. Its just about as hot as it is here right now (ITs going into Brazils winter to things are cooling down at least thats what they say I havent seen a difference haha) In our residence we have alot of Elders staying in our room so it can get a little stuffy in the room so we decided to open up our window but that didnt help either since the Brazilians love to light off fireworks in the middle of the night. Its so funny. All us Elders got a huge laugh out of that. Also just the other night we showed all the Elders how to make ninja masks out of the shirts... bad Idea cause now our district is know for the NINJAS!!!! haha the Brazilians love it! 

Im enjoying this mission so much. At times I miss you all so much but I know that this is where I need to be. In just the month I have been out I feel so close to my savior and feel like a totally new person alredy( oh, and yes I have lost some weight I  will have to send pictures and I think I might have even got in taller hah) but really I am learning so much and become so close to my savior. I pray so much nowadays and ever single time I do I feel the saviors love wrap around me, its amazing to have to spirit with you 24 7. I love it! I love you all so much and wish I could tell you all more and share the amazing stories and experiences here in Brazil but dont worry all in due time you will hear it all. Again I love you all so much and cant wait to hear from you all soon. It means so much to hear from you all... This church is true and god does live. I know it to be true with everything inside of me. God be with you all till we meet again

 

sincerly ELDER BENJAMIN B. DOGGETT   

Pictures!

Letter From Matt

hello everyone I hope everythings going great for you back home. A lot has happened this past week so im going to write fast. This week has been way crazy but fun. we are finally in Brazil and it is hot... and when I say hot I mean HOT haha Ive never experienced heat like this and this is supposed to be the cooler months... haha but I love it here. The first few weeks were hard but things are going great except the language is very tough and frustrating but I know the lord will take care off me! I have several roomates and two of them are brazilian and they are way nice. One of them even knows elder hastings and he says he speaks like a brazilian so that gives me some hope with the language haha. Ive also had the chance to teach a family in sao paulo but I didnt understand a word they said to me so I just smiled and laughed the whole time and they said afterwards that they really liked my smile and up beat attitude haha. Also the girls in the family said I was cute but dont worry my heart is locked for the girls back home!!! haha The one thing I miss so much besides you all back home is rexburg water... the water here actually tastes like fresh dirt and it was hard to get used to but its not that bad anymore oh and I also eate some chikcen heart today and it was actually pretty good. We had our first sunday meeting here too and it made me a little homesick because we had a musical number and we sang oh sisters in zion)army of heleman and it made me think of everyone back home and then this kid played the piano by ear just like mom but it was a great meeting and I loved it! Also I should tell you all that Ive had a dream every night Ive been here and in my dreams I always getting a hug from my family and friends... I believe this dream I have everynight is a blessing to me because I wake up each morning ready to take on the next day and try my best. I miss you all so so so much you have no idea. Jordan was right letters and pictures are like gold here! and even though I try to write as many letters home as possible it is really hard to find time to write them but I will try my best. Please Please Please write letters I miss you all so much and words cant describe how much I love you all. I know I need to be here right now. I wrote a saying in preach my gospel that says I know I will learn this language with the lords help because There is one person in Brasil who needs me to bring them unto christ. I know this church is true and I love you all so much take care! Oh also Ive lost 7 pounds already and I already have a tan haha its awesome! love you guys. Oh and one more thing please forward all my letters to everyone its really hard for me to send it to everyone because of the time I have to write. Thanks. Oh and one more thing haha one of my brazilian roomates cant speak english so we taught him how to say I am beautiful in english and he says it all the time haha its hilarious because when he says it he has no expression haha I love the elders in the CTM. I love you all so much take care and please write me!

Letter from Ben

Wow family and friends guess what i am in Brazil I cant believe it! To start off I will answer a few questions and let you all know that yes, yes it is hot! When I got off the plane it hit me like a punch to the face! It cuaght me so off guard haha, let me also tell you that America is so different from here... but Im loving every moment of it. Though half the time I have no idea whats going on cause they speak so fast! So I just smile and nod my head. I actually have a funny story with my about that. I have some Brazilian roommates who dont know any english so our only way of communication is through is through Porteguese. The other night i woke up at about 1 30 in the morning and had to use the restroom (by the way bathrooms are crazy different then in America just throwing that in there haha) but as I got up to go I was tryin to be as quiet as I possible could and when I opened up the door the brazilian roommate sat up and started yelling things, in porteguese, it freaked me out so bad cause his eyes had this glazed look over hem so I started to shout bathroom in porteguse, BANIHRO, BANIHRO!!!! It was so freaky but in the morning we all got a good laugh out of it. Apparently he sleep walks so he didnt remember a thing haha! good times good times... More on a spiritual note, Im learning a ton about the gospel, I recently studied the Joseph Smith story in detail. I cant tell you how much my testimony grew from that. It was such a strength and blessing to me to fully begin to understand our prophet Joseph Smith. The spirit hit me just about as hard as the humititiy here haha... im kidding that was a terrible comparison! but really it was awesome. Also with my companion we had a little run in but from help from our savior and lord we were able to work things out and come together as companions. We still have a lot to work on but its coming! We hav two different personalities, but the lord knows best and is making me a better servant and conduit for the spirit in these experiences i am having. Im loving it for all it is. Out here in the mission I feel like Im on earth but at the same time Im not, like im caught somewhere in between heaven and earth... im think I am literally walking on cloud 9. I love being a missionarie and having the spirit constantly wraping its arms round me. Mom and Dad thank you for all you taught me. Im like a stripling warrior fighting for gods army and I have my mother to thank for the things you taught. Bring on the war, Im ready to fight! I love you all and for your support. Oh and mom not to freak you out but here in Brazil there are no traffic rules and anything goes, I went to the temple today and on the way there it was crazy!!!! Almost like an intense roller coaster ride, all us Elders loved it! haha it was so fun. The temple was also amazing and I loved it... Well Im almost out of time and I hope I answerd all the questions ummm real quick I think I have Kristins address wrong so Kristin if you could send it to me that would be awesome also I need Alyssas email and things that would be awesome! Im loving it here and cant wait to hear from you. Im sending some letters off today so hopefully they will get home soon... Also I have to say, Olivia I found a giant picture of this Kola Bear and it was a way funny picture I will take a picture of it next time in the city cause I know you will appreciate it since you do have a love for them haha. Also thank you for all the letters mom, sisters, and the girls. It meant a whole lot to me and matt. Whenever is gets tough I look at those and the load seems lifted. So Obrigado! (thank you) I love you all so much and know my testimony of my savior and love for him... well I off to the city. Love you all again and look forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Sincerly Elder Benjamin B. Doggett

The Arrival

They arrived in Brazil today.

Phone call from Matt

Matt was able to call mom today. He is flying out to Brazil on Tuesday. He only sees Ben from a distance which is a bit hard since they're rarely apart. He does know Ben got his visa finally. Hopefully Ben will be flying out on Tuesday as well.
I know short, but that's all the update we have for now.
-eL

Farewell to the Family

We miss them already!