Missão Brasil Cuiabá
Here are free resources about the Brazil Cuiaba Mission:
Aqui estão alguns recursos gratuitos sobre a Missão Brasil Cuiabá:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
*Other Mission Pages: Brazil LDS Missions.
Brazil Cuiaba Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Cuiaba Mission. We try our best to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the mission address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
Av. Hist. Rubens de Mendonca, 1731
Sala 10, Bairro: Consil
CEP: 78050-000 Cuiaba – MT
Brazil
Mission President: President Keith R. Reber
Brazil Cuiaba Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Brazil Cuiaba Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Cuiaba Mission, simply
Brazil Cuiaba Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Cuiaba Mission. This blog list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.
*Download free app for LDS missionaries learning Brazilian Portuguese
Brazil Cuiaba Mission Groups
Here are Cuiaba Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Cuiaba Mission.
- Missao Brasil Cuiaba Facebook Group (246 members)
- Missao Cuiaba – Pres. e Sister Reber Facebook Group (117 members)
- Missao Cuiaba Facebook Group (107 members)
- Missao Cuiaba Facebook Group (80 members)
- Brazil Cuiaba Mission Family & Friends Facebook Group (40 members)
- Missao Cuiaba – Somente Sisteres (2010-2013) Group (21 members)
- Missao Brasil Cuiaba Facebook Group (9 members)
- Brazil Cuiaba Mission Moms and Friends (LDS) Group (7 members)
Brazil Cuiaba Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the Brazil Cuiaba Mission!
Shirt designs include Brazil Cuiaba Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Brazil Cuiaba missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Cuiaba Mission gifts
*Click here to see our new shirt design for the Brazil Cuiaba Mission:
Brazil Cuiaba Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Cuiaba LDS Mission.
- 2013-2016, Keith Ray Reber
- 2006-2009, Cesar Augusto Seiguer Milder
Brazil LDS Statistics (2016)
- Church Membership: 1,326,738
- Missions: 34
- Temples: 6
- Congregations: 2,038
- Family History Centers: 341
Helpful Articles about Brazil
Brazil Cuiaba Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Brazil Cuiaba RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
When did you serve?
- 2013-2015 (Kyle)
- 2006-2008 (Jeremy)
What areas did you serve in?
- Cuiabá (Industriário, várzea grande). (Kyle)
What were some favorite foods?
- TERERÉ! (Herbal drink), Churrasco (brazilian bbq), Pão de queijo, fresh fruits/juices. (Kyle)
- Rice, beans, feijoada, fish, beef, chicken, local fruits. (Jeremy)
What was a funny experience?
- Too many to count. Every day was funny with my Brazilian/Hispanic/American companions. Always something different. (Kyle)
What was a crazy experience?
- Getting robbed at gun point once (he let us go though), also I got hit by a car one time, and my companion got hit by a car on Christmas night! (We learned not to walk on this particular road anymore) (Kyle)
- We were walking down a street which we never had been down before (and my companion who had been in the area for 3+ months had never been down the street) when my companion noticed some guys whispering to each other and talking about me. He told me not to look, but to keep walking to the end of the street and to keep calm. I knew something was up and was nervous, but didn’t ask until he mentioned we were in the clear. Another experience was when I was transferred to an area to train there. We went downtown to get a briefcase for my companion. As we rode the bus back to our area, the bus came to a stop. We weren’t far from home (a few blocks). The bus suddenly started moving again and we saw a man who had been shot in the chest on the sidewalk. (Jeremy)
What was a spiritual experience?
- When I had just gotten to Brazil, I was in an area that bordered Paraguay. Half of the city was in Brazil and the other half was in Paraguay, so there were many Paraguayos and Indians called Guarani there. I was asked by an investigator to give her a blessing, but she only spoke Spanish and didn’t understand Portuguese super well. I said I would do my best and told her she would be able to understand the blessing. I said a little prayer in my head before hand, and once I started giving the blessing I was speaking all Spanish rather than Portuguese. I don’t remember what I said and I couldn’t speak Spanish very well after that, but it was a powerful experience for me. (Kyle)
- Giving priesthood blessings was always a spiritual experience. In the end, the best experiences were when we had an open couple of hours and walked the area trying to follow the Spirit. (Jeremy)
What are some interesting facts about the Cuiaba Mission?
- Hot. Very hot. The mission area is huge. There are two states, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do sul. Both HOT. The two capital cities are Cuiabá and Campo Grande. An place close to Cuiabá in a nationa park area marks the geographical dead center of South America. Cuiabá is pretty chaotic and poorly developed, but it is a fun city. Just be careful! Down in the south of the mission the cities are more organized, thanks to more modern European influences. More of people are descendants of Germans/Italians/Spaniards the farther south you go. (Kyle)
- It has been reorganized and now excludes the areas I served in. Cuiaba, the mission seat is HOT! Southern Hemisphere summer temps often get to 120 degrees F in Cuiaba. There are rivers and jungle right in the cities where I served. (Jeremy)
What was the weather like?
- HOT HOT HOT. And rainy in the summer months. (Kyle)
- Hot during Northern Hemisphere summer months, cool during the winter, random MONSOONS in the fall and spring. Being wet is normal, whether it’s from sweat or rain or general humidity, just get used to it. Drink water by the gallon. (Jeremy)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- Brazilians are very very loving, and feed you well. They love when you ask for seconds of their cooking 🙂 They’re very friendly and easy to love. I loved drinking tereré every single day with members, investigators, and total strangers. (Kyle)
- Those who accepted the Gospel stuck with it. They wanted it. They loved it and were willing to sacrifice to live it. (Jeremy)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- Invest in some really really good shoes. Don’t skimp on shoes. You will walk more than you ever have in your life, so take care of your feet and they’ll take care of you! Pack lighter than you think, as traveling is much harder and tiring there than it is here. It’s difficult to travel with and worry about 3 suitcases, believe me! If you can, fit everything in 2 suitcases. You can buy almost everything in Brazil at fair prices (except peanut butter) so don’t worry about trying to bring all of the United States with you! Bring what you think you need, but if you ever need extras you can buy clothing in Brazil to get you by until someone can send you more. Many times I had wished I didn’t bring so much stuff. Save room in our suitcases too, as you will acquire more things throughout your mission. (Kyle)
- Take one long-sleeved shirt, just one. No sweaters. Buy an umbrella when you get there. Your mission president will inform you better soon after you receive your call. Take ONE checked bag and ONE carry-on. Transfers are sometimes done by plane and you may have to pay for extra baggage weight. Light-weight, but opaque clothing is recommended. Any heavy fabrics might actually encourage a really nasty heat rash. (Jeremy)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- Too many to count. It was the best experience of my life. (Kyle)
- I learned a second language, which gave me an unexpected job for a while. I came to recognize the Spirit even better. I came to trust the Lord more fully. I learned to respect an individual’s agency. (Jeremy)
What are some skills you gained?
- Became very fluent in Portuguese and semi-fluent in Spanish. (Be sure to study the language tirelessly and ask questions. People are very willing to help you when they can see you are trying to speak their language, so don’t be shy.) I got better at teaching, public speaking, working with others and relating to them, being more patient and going with the flow. (Kyle)
- Washing dishes, cleaning clothes by hand, proficiency in Portuguese. (Jeremy)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- I wish I talked to more people. It’s hard- sometimes very hard- to talk to people, but you’ve gotta talk to them so they can know what you do. (Jeremy)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Cuiaba?
- Don’t worry about knowing everything. A simple and sincere testimony is more powerful than you know. Just love the Lord, the people, and your companion, and everything will work out. Most of all, have fun and find ways to be happy, even if that means taking a break every once in a while and going to get a Coca Cola! People love happy missionaries and you will be much more effective that way 🙂 (Kyle)
- Love the people. Let go of any judgments you might carry from a knee-jerk reaction to their lives. Their situations are different from what you may be used to. Many are poor, but they’ll give you a glass of water and offer to get you out of the rain (or blazing heat), out of kindness. Love them. (Jeremy)
What was a funny language mistake?
- At the beginning, I always confused gravata (tie) and gravida (pregnant)… So be careful lol. Also one time I was trying to tell a guy he would feel warmth in his chest (peito), but instead I used the word (peido) which means fart. So I accidentally told a guy that after he prays he will fill warmer in his fart! He and my companion had a good laugh until my companion later told me what I said. (Kyle)
- My trainer told me that the word for toothpick was “sobremesa” which actually means “dessert”. The family feeding us that day was moving out of the state soon and it turned into a stoke among us for the meal. (Jeremy)
LDS Church & Missionary Work
Alex (Brazil Cuiaba Mission)
–Paraphrased from Alex’s mission interview–
Brazil Cuiba Mission Geography
The Cuiba mission was created 3 or 4 years before I got there. Before that, it was made up of parts of other missions. Before my mission president came over, my mission included a place called Acre where missionaries had to fly to get to. It was legendary place where missionaries would baptize dozens on a weekly basis. However, when I arrived, however, my mission included parts of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Rondonia. These states bordered Paraguay and Bolivia as well.
Culture and Environment in Rondonia, Mato Grosso, and Mato Grosso do Sul
Our area was mainly farming area and then part of the Amazon rainforest in Rondonia. Cuiaba, which was the city in the middle of our mission was one of the hottest areas, while further south in Mato Grosso do Sul it was colder with more cattle farms. Because we served close to Bolivia and Paraguay, we were able to cross into those countries on the border towns. We were able to talk to them in Portuguese and they were able to talk to us in Spanish, and we could understand each other. I had to travel from the top of the mission to the bottom once on a 36 hour bus ride. Cuiaba is the very center of the landmass of South America.
Mission Preparation for a Foreign Mission
Learn Preach my Gospel before you leave for your mission. In the MTC, you won’t have much time to learn the precepts there because you’ll be so focused on the language. One of the most frustrating things for me was not being able to speak to people or understand them in the beginning. If you know Preach My Gospel before you go, you will be more prepared to focus on the language and then on the people.
Culture, Language, and Travel
Alex (Brazil Cuiaba Mission)
–Paraphrased from Alex’s mission interview–
Brazilian Food
Fruit and fruit juices were some of my favorite, including açai which is better in Brazil because it’s straight from the tree. They like to make milkshakes or to blend it with ice and sprinkle it with granola and honey. Another one of my favorite fruits was cupuaçu. It only grew in or near the Amazon and was very sweet.
Brazilians also like to eat aalgados, which are small fried pastries filled with meats and cheeses that were kind of like hot pockets. For one version they would use mandioca or plantain flour to make a tear drop shaped “salgado” called a coxinha, and then they’d stuff it with meat. It was common to use plantains to cook in a pressure pot with meat, or even by themselves. Sometimes they would mix the plantain flour with spices and banana to make “farofa” to put on top of rice and beans.
Other fruits include açerola, which is a small berry that grows year round as long as you water the tree. It was delicious, and it contained even more vitamin C than an orange. There was also a kind of blueberry which would grow on trees, but it would grow on the trunk as opposed to the branches. One final favorite treat of mine was Paçoca, which was like a small brownie that had only sugar and peanut butter.
The Amazon Rainforest
I went hiking sometimes in the rainforest with the members a few time. Machetes were necessary to cut through the grass and the undergrowth. We saw quite a few monkeys, and even a few monkey traps which would cut down. The forest was so packed that you could hardly see in front of yourself. The weather is hot year round, but it is dry in the summer and wet in the winter. Other animals we saw included parrots, eagles, and mccaws. We saw crocodiles as well, and sometimes we would go fishing and caught piranhas.
Most locals lived in concrete and brick houses near the forest. Deeper in the forest there were wooden homes, which were very rare for Brazil. These kinds of homes were built like shacks and were considered poorer. There are also native Brazilians or “Indians” that still live in the rainforest. They were really humble people, and most of them kept to their ancient traditions but welcomed outsiders. We were even allowed to teach people in some native communities.
Rain and Floods in the Amazon
It rains all the time the Brazil. Sometimes there will be flash floods in the streets because of how fast the downpour is, even though it rains for just an hour or two. In other occasions it will rain for days without stopping. Because the rain has nowhere to go, it will accumulate
Travel Tips
Public Transportation in Brazil relies mostly on bus and taxi. On the bus they really pack you in, so you have to really start working your way out of the bus way before you got off. In smaller cities we walked a lot more often and people relied on their bikes.
In Brazil there’s social classes. We saw one family who had a bike with 5 people on it. Most poor people don’t have any transportation at all or at most a bike. Middle class families generally had a motorcycle. If you were really well off, you would own a car.
In some areas you have to be careful, especially after dark. We would try to avoid certain areas or side streets at night, but during my whole mission I never encountered problems, only heard stories. As long as we abided by the 9 pm mission curfew, we avoided all problems. Most crime happens at night. Overall, Brazilians are very friendly people and even strangers will go up and talk to you.
Regional Stereotypes in Brazil
Northerners and northeasterner, or “Nordestinos” in Brazil are typically considered to be lazy. Southerners or “Gauchos” consider themselves to be the most educated, and they speak the most proper Portuguese. Easterners from Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are the most cultured, or at least they like to party.
In southern Brazil they drink “Cha Matte” or “Chimarrao,” which is a type of tea. A cup is filled with an herb, you add hot water to it, and then you drink it from a straw. In Northern Brazil, they drink a similar drink called “Tereré.” The main difference is that they use ice cold water or fruit juice.
Another factor that identifies a person is their favorite football (soccer team). There’s a nickname for fans of every team, and those same fans follow their team with almost religious devotion.
Health
A common disease in Brazil in Dengue fever. I knew one missionary who got it and lost a lot of weight and fluids. I only got sick two or three times and at least one of those times was because I drank tap water. Tap water in Brazil is unsafe, and you have to get 20 gallon jugs or filters in order to drink there.
Tribal Brazilians vs. City Brazilians
In Brazilian cities it’s first world -they have all the same technology that the U.S. has, and they strive to be like the U.S. in their businesses. Many of them strive to learn English. It gets a lot poorer as you go farther and farther away from the city. Even in the poor areas still have a TV, a car with a sound system, and a cell phone. They just had smaller homes and lower quality of life. The Native Brazilians live the farthest out, and they’re self suficient in producing clothes and food.
For the Native Brazilians we had to talk first with the village elders to get permission to enter and to teach. Most of the older generation don’t speak portuguese, but the children and young adults would translate for us. It was interesting to learn about their religious beliefs. Most of them didn’t believe in God, but in a Great Spirit or in many gods. The experience of teaching people with little or no Christian background or knowledge was very unique.