Her First Email!!!

(Madison is the third from the left in the front row)

Hey family!

I only have 10 minutes today so this has to be super quick. After I finished calling you guys I went back to my gate and there were SO many sisters there. There were 17 girls and they are all really awesome but no elders. But we did see some elders in the airport serving in the Jamaica mission and they knew Michael! (Her cousin serving in Jamaica)  Anyway, we got to the MTC safe and sound. By the time we settled in it was around 1 am so I have been falling asleep all day. My mission president and his wife are so sweet. There is a district of Haitians here as well and we have been with them all day. They seem really cool except they don't speak English. All of our lessons have to be translated either into creole, french or English depending on who is talking. My room mates who are also my companions (there are three of us together) and we all get along really well. Today has mostly been a lot of orientation and tours and stuff but still good. Our president told us we have to prepare a 5 minute talk in Spanish for Sunday which might be hard because none of us actually know Spanish.. yikes!  There are also a lot of missionaries here who are going to Puerto Rico so there are about 50 missionaries here total and 25 more coming next week. We had beans and rice for lunch but no tamarindo juice thank goodness. 

It's a really good thing I brought some sweaters and the blue blanket because the MTC is freezing cold. We also didn't have any pillows or a shower curtain. I am SO excited to finally be here and I miss you guys like crazy! Everyone here is just so eager to learn and teach the gospel and it makes the spirit so sweet. Even though I have not even been here one whole day, I can already feel myself coming closer to Christ! By the way, Sister Larson is in my mission and she is 22... so you were right Dad. Also my mission president's name is Phil, so he is the one the Brimhalls know. Thanks for the treats, mom! It was such a great surprise. No wonder my bags were heavier.... I didn't actually open them because I thought I would wait until Easter but I did read the note and I loved it. LOVE YOU! Love and miss you guys like crazy! 1 day down and a lot to go but it will be great, I just know it.

Love,

Hermana Rush