MTC Week One

Hi Fambly! I sure love you!! thanks for the update on the family. I'm so sorry to hear about Ryan and his strep throat... poor buddy. But at least he doesn't have to travel to and from work because of the storms (there's a sister in my room who was supposed to leave for Honduras, flying through Atlanta on Sunday but her flight has been canceled twice now and they're thinking she won't be able to go until Thursday evening. Hopefully the storm will have subsided by then.

How long is Dad in Italy?(Dad went to Monza on business) And where in Italy is he? I met a Sister Willey on my floor who is the sister of Hannah Smith's roommates and is going to Hannah's mission, so I got to gush about her for a little bit. Ironically, there was another sister in the bathroom stall behind us who said "Wait, Hannah Smith?? She used to live in Austin? I KNOW HER!! She's so wonderful!" I can't remember her name right now, but she's either going to Hungary or Brazil. The majority of the sisters in our residence hall are either Spanish-speaking or Portuguese-speaking, but there is the odd Hungarian-speaker or some such thing. Pretty cool.
Also, I saw Elder Palmer.(Elder Palmer is our daughter-in-law Chelsea's brother, heading to Mexico any time now...) He's actually a Zone leader and in my classroom building. He seems to be doing well despite his fall and chipped teeth, which I heard about second hand.

So I don't remember what I wrote in that first email, but I'm in a trio with Hermana Font from Nebraska, a really sweet, kind girl who is one of 3 gringas in our district (the rest are either part or entirely Hispanic)...so we take some pride in being in the nearly-native class. She really wants to make a difference in people's lives and works so hard to know how to be a better teacher. my other companion is Hermana Mitchell, also a really amazing person and has fantastic insights into gospel subjects and how to teach them. She looks a lot like how I would imagine cousin Mariah to look when she grows up .(..oh P.S: Congrats to cousin Asia on your baptism!! I'm so proud of you!!) Anyway, my companions are both very hard workers and extremely organized and punctual, all of which are qualities of which I am in dire need.

I've found that it's been difficult for me to keep my brain on and going ALL of the time, but that really is what is needed if I'm to gain what I need from classes. It's been a great blessing to really try to do my best. Heavenly Father's been helping me stay focused! I'll sometimes get frustrated with the language, but I'm getting better and FINALLY learning subjunctive. it seems like all we use is subjunctive. bleh. It's good for me though. The elders in our district are so so much fun and just such great young men. They're fantastic and will be great teachers and missionaries. On our first night here, we had a mock investigator session where 40ish brand new missionaries got to teach an "investigator" and it was interesting to watch the difference between the Elders' and the Sisters' approach. The Elders have an amazing sense of duty and a desire to accomplish their goal of bringing someone into the church, but it seemed the sisters were more driven by that desire to really help someone and share something that has made a difference in their lives. It felt like the sisters were better able to balance asking, listening, teaching, and bearing testimony (sharing experiences) and those are attributes that our teachers have been helping us to develop in our classes and through using the missionary teaching manual, "Preach My Gospel". We'll watch clips from a couple of websites (usually either 1 in 8 million or 6 billion others) where people from all over the world get to share a bit of their lives and their beliefs, thoughts, priorities, etc. It's a really cool thing so I think you should check it out. So we'll usually watch one of those and then analyze who we think that person is, their attributes and strengths, their fears and hopes, etc and then discuss what principle of the gospel would really help them in their lives and really appeal to them. It's an awesome thing to do and so so helpful. My companions and I have been conducting pretend lessons/ discussions and it has helped immensely. Our teachers keep stressing the importance of really personalizing the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ for the individual and developing a love for that person. It has helped me so much in knowing how to teach and what to teach, and I know it has helped everyone else in our district. It's been good to reflect on our conversations, Mom, about the gift of discernment and how the truth will pierce to the heart of the individual if the message is accompanied by the Spirit. I'm really happy to be here. It's been difficult at times, but I have some great support and I feel your prayers buoying me up. So thank you!! I love you so so so much.
Also, I leave January 26th
Also, please send my tennis shoes
Also, give everyone hugs and kisses.
Also, I know my Savior lives and loves me. I am so grateful for Him.