Dear Family,
Well...I'm still here! They say that if you can make it through your first week then you are good! I guess we will see! I still feel good so that goods!
Life at the MTC is so good. Hard and tiring but good. I really love it here, but I do miss everyone at home. It is hard because I want to write home everyday but we can only on wednesdays. So even though I'm not writing back, keep sending me letters! They make my day! Write me everyday. 10 times a day! haha...but seriously. i should be grateful though, I have gotten more mail then anyone else. my family and friends really do love me! -haha the shift button doesn't work on this computer...too many desperate missionaries writing home!- but keep the mail coming! i love hearing from y'all.
jacob- I'm so proud of your ACT score. I was crying when i read it, lame i know! You are so smart!! Everyone in my district knows about it because they wanted to know why I was crying. Witicha State in the final four!?!?! What seed were they? didn't i have Michigan in the final 4? how am I in the family rank???
Zach- the dear elder didn't like whatever you wrote to me in russian, it turned it into numbers! but yes, i can read and write russian now. Send me some in a letter and I will tell you what it means. also, I will send home your names today!
Tyson- I love you! Thanks for the mail!
Parker- the letter i got from you made me smile! You are so cute!
So...MTC life! My companion's name is Sister Sink, she is good. We teach really well together! Russian is coming along great, sometimes it gets discouraging but I just have to take a step back and look at it in the big picture, last week I didn't even know the alphabet and now I can read, write, bear my testimony, and pray all in Russian. This might crack you up, remember Mr. Anderton. His classes are most like what the classes at the MTC are like, minus the horse stories (that was for you, jacob!). They are intense, almost always in russian, but a lot of fun.
The first day is crazy! You are on such a tight schedule, you don't even have time to breathe! but it gets so much better! i didn't sleep hardly at all, but i have slept really well since. Except last night, one of the girls in my room was like, "How can you sleep with no bar keeping you from falling?" then i realized she was right, and I was a little worried about falling off the bed. But I haven't yet! i have been talking in my sleep like crazy though, it must be the stress!!!!
My district is awesome. We have 8 sisters and 3 elders. that has never happened before!! All the other russian districts can tell that we are new, simply because we are females! As you can see, they even converted some mens bathrooms to girl's bathrooms! We are taking over!! I know a lot of the sisters from facebook, and they are fantastic. I run with Sister clark (redhead) almost every day. We run for 20 minutes then we play 4 square. i am a 4 square champ!!! They have all these records missionaries can try and beat. The mile time for elders is a 4:44, maybe jacob can beat that when he gets in! Gym is so great though, super chill and relaxed. Then we have time to shower and get ready again, which i appreciate. I'm so glad I practiced getting ready in 30 minutes, it has made a world of difference!
We have already taught 3 lessons all in Russian. it is kinda tricky but amazing how the spirit can come, even if we can barely talk. The Lord is blessing me with the gift of tongues, i am positive of it! I can't wait to go to the temple today, since coming to the MTC I have been so much more in tune with the Spirit, I know that he guides me and prompts me! i just can't wait to get Ukraine and start teaching and loving his people. first I have to learn though!!
Easter was so great! Probably the best Easter ever. i missed you guys but it was totally focused on Christ. We had a huge missionary devotional on Easter morning and they served the sacrament. over 3000 missionaries partook, crazy right! When i worked here there were only 1500 missionaries. it doesn't seem that crowded, russians know how this place works and we avoid the crowds. but then Bishop causee spoke. he is the presiding bishop. it was so good. Then we had meetings with our branch. My district was on the way to district meeting when we were stopped by a huge group of people. It took me a minute to realize that is was bishop causse and his family and security. They asked where we were going and one of our sisters said, 'district meeting'. He looked so confused for a second, then he asked where we were serving. Kinda embarrassing but so funny. his daughter took seminary from our mission president though! Small world, right!
At our fast and testimony meeting that night, our branch president got up, talked a little bit, all in russian, then went to the piano. i had no idea what he was doing. Then he played a beautiful Easter medley. It made me think how I know christ died for the sins of all of us, but that he lives today. he lives, and he loves us! What a blessing that it!
That night we had another devotional and our speaker was Sister Sheri Dew! Oh my lanta!!! It was so great! I loved it so much! She spoke about asking God who we are and who we can become. so great! I loved it!
Wow! You've done a lot in a week. Keep up the good work.
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