Hey fam bam!!!!!
Man oh man do I miss you guys, like literally so much. Even the small dumb things I miss, it's amazing how we take for granted the little things in life. So enjoy each other why y'all can:) I also love and appreciate you all. I wouldn't be able to do this without the support and love back home. So thank you. Oh and a huge THANK YOU to those who have been sending me Dear Elders, my whole day lights up when I get to read them:) I love knowing about how everyone is doing and I can really feel the love from y'all. So please keep the love coming:) also I got a letter from Jill Byrne and it was amazing, she is such an inspiration to me and I hope that I can be half as good a missionary as she was.
So holy heck I'm a missionary!!!!! I can't believe it. How did this happen? Lol so first day after a super hard goodbye my host missionary-she just takes me to get my tag, information papers, and
helps me drop my bags off- takes me to my classroom and I meet my teachers. They are both so awesome, Brother Van Bloem and Brother Pemberton. They really radiate the spirt and I am learning so much from them. Then I met my companion Sister Christina Turner. She is from a small town in California, can't remember the name, it's an hour from San Diego though. She spent a year at school going to Byu here in Provo. She is the youngest of 6 and I believe she also has 2 sisters and 3 brothers. Pretty similar to me lol, although she is definitely a talker where I barely say two words haha. But really she doesn't know when to stop talking!!! And she flirts all day with the elders, I'm
serious, if she sees an elder she has to go talk to him, i feel like I'm being tested with patience... Lol
In my district, who I spend most the day with because we are literally in class ALL DAY lol, we have 3 sets of elders and then me and my companion and another set of sisters. Us sisters stick together because the elders are pretty rowdy and I have to admit, a little immature haha. But we have a good group of missionaries! My companion and I got called as STL which are sister training leaders. Honestly it's nothing big, just to help welcome the new missionaries who will come Wednesday and I guess check in with our other sisters to make sure things are going smooth. Hmm I feel like I haven't really said anything exciting and I'm sorry, I seriously have said so many prayers like literally no joke 87 a day and I also study ALLLLLLL day. Haha which is super crazy that I am able to stay awake when I could barely stand to go to 3 hours of church on Sunday! The spirit can seriously do some amazing things. #thechurchistrue ;)
We have some investigators that we teach which at first was scary but we are learning how to teach them which is why we are here lol. Although we have this one lady that made my companion cry.... Oh what an experience lol, don't worry though I stayed strong, no tears from this girl! Haha
We got iPads!!!!!!:) which is so awesome! Makes our pool of resources so much bigger! Plus I get to see my emails all week:) I just have to wait to reply:( #lame
Oh man so I bet you are wondering what I have been eating, well I actually have had no issues with food:) there are usually a few different options for us to pick what we want to eat so all good thus
far, we had chick Devine the first night though, I ate it but didn't like it lol I actually feel like I'm gaining weight because all we do is eat then sit in class for HOURS!!!!
Another thing to comment on, showering here blowsssss! I hate sharing showers with so many girls, they are so filthy and disgusting it makes me sick, hair clogs the drains, hair on the walls, weird girls singing while we shower, it's just awful lol. Definitely thankful I brought my shower sandals. Oh and also soooooo thankful that I brought slippers, literally wear them allllllll the time #slippersarelife<3
Oh and so we have gym time everyday, and if you know me you know I hateeee gym. I have been running which is the easiest I guess, I also did some sit ups and now I am super duper sore!!!!!! Haha it's pretty pathetic but that's true life, #gymsucks And mom I still have my cough which is soooo annoying, it won't go away, maybe I'm dying? Food for thought....
Oh and here's something, Sister Batey lovesssss Sundays haha, it was honestly super nice because it was a lot less stressful because we went to church and didn't have to worry so much about class, just a
lot more peaceful you could say. Also we got to walk to the temple which was #bomb because we actually got to leave our jail sell of a classroom;) no but it was nice to just be able to take a break and go look at the beautiful world around us specifically the temple.
So I guess I'll share with y'all something I learned, which is going to be hard because we learn so much but here it goes. One of the first things I have written down in my journal is a scripture found in Alma 26:12. The part that really touched me was where it said, "I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things..." I really liked this because it's so true, without Heavenly Father we could literally do nothing. My time here at the MTC has been hard, it's a roller coaster of emotions but I have learned that when I turn to Him in prayer he will help me and I will be able to do anything, in this case missionary work.
I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to be here and learn of this gospel. Everyone should have the chance to just come to the MTC so that they can learn and grow closer to the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It's amazing what can happen when you devote so much time to the Savior and the gospel. Another thing we talked about recently was going to church and the sacrament. So listen up this can apply to everyone! We were discussing why it's important to go to church and what it comes down to is taking the sacrament. We take the sacrament to remember the covenants we made at baptism and by doing so we are remembering Jesus Christ and the atonement. Oh the atonement, what a beautiful thing. By remembering Him we are able to have the spirit with us always which helps us come unto Christ(our purpose in life) and by taking the sacrament we are showing our willingness to keep the commandments and we shall be blessed because of it. I was studying in 3 Nephi 18 while making these connections, also the rock it's talking about is the foundation of our testimonies which can always be thought of as the atonement. I really loved this because it's so important. The atonement is so important. I know that when we obey and follow Christ we can be blessed and we can have so much happiness:) I can't believe how much I've come to know just in this short week. I know that it's through Jesus Christ that I can do all things. He is my savior and redeemer. I love him so much and am so thankful for the atonement. I am not a perfect missionary , I have so much more to learn, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve a mission and take His name upon me.
I love each one of y'all so very much. Mom and dad you guys are the best, thanks for raising me the way y'all did, it has made me appreciate y'all so much. Y'all are awesome. This is the hardest thing I've ever done but also the most uplifting.
Love love love y'all
Sorry this letter is so all over the place,
Xoxo
