ELDER CAMERON DAVID PETTEY IS SERVING IN THE BRASIL SAO PAULO EAST MISSION, OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS FROM FEBRUARY 2008 TO FEBRUARY 2010
I am Cameron's dad, Dave, and I will attempt to organize and maintain this blog. (Cam will not be reading nor writing directly on this site.) The primary purpose of this blog is to keep friends and family informed of Elder Pettey's mission experience as told to us. However, I know that others will land at this site in their search for info regarding mission experiences and conditions in the Brazil Sao Paulo East Mission. As parents, Mary and I were curious to see pictures, and read the experiences of other missionaries in Brazil. I hope that I can put a few things together that will be of interest and enjoyment, as you learn more by reading of Cameron's personal experiences. Hopefully, there will be times when you have a special feeling from some of the more poignant experiences that Cameron will share.
Cameron was born and raised in the Rocklin area. Rocklin is a suburb of Sacramento, California. He attended elementary school and junior high in Rocklin, and graduated from Rocklin High School in 2007. Cam has several close friends and was a successful student. He was active in student government, and is an outstanding soccer player. Cam has always been very athletic. While growing up he was an outstanding baseball, basketball, and soccer player. As he grew older his focus and energy turned to soccer as a year round activity. His unique skill of performing a flip throw-in (front handspring and release of the ball at a rate of speed and great distance) was instrumental in his school and club teams scoring several goals. Cam is also an avid snow boarder in the winter, and loves to wake board in the summer. He is a certified scuba diver and had the great opportunity of diving in Belize with his cousin Bryant for his high school graduation trip. He also got to visit Guatemala on that trip, and experienced an earthquake first hand, without incident.
In the fall of 2007 Cameron attended Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. He was on the Men's Soccer Team off-season roster, and enjoyed his experience immensely. He plans to make the regular season roster in 2010 after returning from his mission. During his one and only semester at BYU, Cameron discovered several new friends, particularly a group of about 8-10 guys and girls. Together, they shared some great fun. At this point in time, most of the guys in the group are either planning to serve, or are serving missions for the church. After attending the "not to be called farewell" last address from each of the Elders (former college waterballoon tossing crazys), the girls are left behind to continue school, and write supportive letters and emails. And who knows where those girls will be in two years; they will probably be swept up by the returning "Elders" this next school year and may never be seen again! Interesting how the mission cycle works. Cameron really loves his friends at BYU, and with their help and influence did well to prepare for his mission. In his final address at church prior to departing, Cameron made mention of dedicating his mission experience to the memory of one particular roommate who has passed on. Cameron has fulfilled that promise to this point.
Cameron received his call to serve in the Brasil Sao Paulo East Mission in December 2007, and was to report for his mission on February 6, 2008. Cameron, Mary, and I spent an intense 6 weeks getting ready for his mission, and had the completed visa paperwork in the Church Travel Office by Jan. 2nd. We had a fun night of family and friends to say goodbye on Saturday, and Cam gave his final address on Sunday, Jan.20th. He was set apart the following Sunday, and flew to Salt Lake City with mom Mary and sister McCall the next day, Feb. 4th. Because of the short time frame to obtain a Brasil visa, he was sent to the Provo MTC to learn Portuguese with the primarily Portugal-bound missonaries. On the 8th day of being at the Provo MTC, he was told that his visa had been received, and that he would be leaving for the Brasil MTC the following Tuesday, the 19th. So, we received a short phone call from Cameron on Feb. 14th telling us the plan of leaving for the Sao Paulo Brasil CTM. It was great to hear his voice and talk to him for a very short time. Exciting! He was very excited to go to Brasil, but expressed how much he enjoyed and would miss his Provo MTC companion, Elder Koskie, and their roommates, Elders Smith and Dester. They had a lot of fun together, and became good friends.
I will close for today, and pick up things later.
I am Cameron's dad, Dave, and I will attempt to organize and maintain this blog. (Cam will not be reading nor writing directly on this site.) The primary purpose of this blog is to keep friends and family informed of Elder Pettey's mission experience as told to us. However, I know that others will land at this site in their search for info regarding mission experiences and conditions in the Brazil Sao Paulo East Mission. As parents, Mary and I were curious to see pictures, and read the experiences of other missionaries in Brazil. I hope that I can put a few things together that will be of interest and enjoyment, as you learn more by reading of Cameron's personal experiences. Hopefully, there will be times when you have a special feeling from some of the more poignant experiences that Cameron will share.
Cameron was born and raised in the Rocklin area. Rocklin is a suburb of Sacramento, California. He attended elementary school and junior high in Rocklin, and graduated from Rocklin High School in 2007. Cam has several close friends and was a successful student. He was active in student government, and is an outstanding soccer player. Cam has always been very athletic. While growing up he was an outstanding baseball, basketball, and soccer player. As he grew older his focus and energy turned to soccer as a year round activity. His unique skill of performing a flip throw-in (front handspring and release of the ball at a rate of speed and great distance) was instrumental in his school and club teams scoring several goals. Cam is also an avid snow boarder in the winter, and loves to wake board in the summer. He is a certified scuba diver and had the great opportunity of diving in Belize with his cousin Bryant for his high school graduation trip. He also got to visit Guatemala on that trip, and experienced an earthquake first hand, without incident.
In the fall of 2007 Cameron attended Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. He was on the Men's Soccer Team off-season roster, and enjoyed his experience immensely. He plans to make the regular season roster in 2010 after returning from his mission. During his one and only semester at BYU, Cameron discovered several new friends, particularly a group of about 8-10 guys and girls. Together, they shared some great fun. At this point in time, most of the guys in the group are either planning to serve, or are serving missions for the church. After attending the "not to be called farewell" last address from each of the Elders (former college waterballoon tossing crazys), the girls are left behind to continue school, and write supportive letters and emails. And who knows where those girls will be in two years; they will probably be swept up by the returning "Elders" this next school year and may never be seen again! Interesting how the mission cycle works. Cameron really loves his friends at BYU, and with their help and influence did well to prepare for his mission. In his final address at church prior to departing, Cameron made mention of dedicating his mission experience to the memory of one particular roommate who has passed on. Cameron has fulfilled that promise to this point.
Cameron received his call to serve in the Brasil Sao Paulo East Mission in December 2007, and was to report for his mission on February 6, 2008. Cameron, Mary, and I spent an intense 6 weeks getting ready for his mission, and had the completed visa paperwork in the Church Travel Office by Jan. 2nd. We had a fun night of family and friends to say goodbye on Saturday, and Cam gave his final address on Sunday, Jan.20th. He was set apart the following Sunday, and flew to Salt Lake City with mom Mary and sister McCall the next day, Feb. 4th. Because of the short time frame to obtain a Brasil visa, he was sent to the Provo MTC to learn Portuguese with the primarily Portugal-bound missonaries. On the 8th day of being at the Provo MTC, he was told that his visa had been received, and that he would be leaving for the Brasil MTC the following Tuesday, the 19th. So, we received a short phone call from Cameron on Feb. 14th telling us the plan of leaving for the Sao Paulo Brasil CTM. It was great to hear his voice and talk to him for a very short time. Exciting! He was very excited to go to Brasil, but expressed how much he enjoyed and would miss his Provo MTC companion, Elder Koskie, and their roommates, Elders Smith and Dester. They had a lot of fun together, and became good friends.
I will close for today, and pick up things later.
