Its PDAYYY! Thank for all the letters everyone. It seriously made me cry with joy. I miss you all so much, but I love hearing about what you guys are up to. The first couple of days were pretty hard - the days seemed to last FOREVER. We basically have the same schedule every day. 630 get up, 7 breakfast, 730 personal study, 830 companion study 930- 1230 language class, 1230-130 lunch 130-330 language class, 330-430 gym 5-6 dinner 6-9 language class 9-930 planning, 930 zone prayer 1030 bed. By 1030 we are definitely ready for bed. Although its a long day we get SO much done. I think that’s why the days seem so long. But they are getting so much better and we are having a lot of fun.
I actually have 2 companions because there are an odd number of girls. They are both really great. Sister Jorgenson is so, so sweet and loving and probably the most Christ-like person I know. She really has no flaws but sometimes my free time turns into companion study or listen to her sing time. But she is really good at Spanish so its okay. Sister Smith is also very sweet and great. We are about at the same Spanish level and she makes me laugh so hard all day. We get along so well and I love her. The three of us are really great together. Because we are a trio, it is only us three in a room which is fun because we have extra space. There are actually so many sisters in the ccm (Spanish name for MTC) right now that the elders and sisters had to switch sides because there is more room on the elders side. So our room kind of smells funny all the time.
So every week each person has to prepare a talk on a certain topic and then random people get called up to speak. Luckily I didnt get called up. I did have to help give a lesson in our district meeting, though. But it was in English so it was okay. I feel like my Spanish is progressing. I can understand a lot more than I could a week ago and a lot of what I already learned is coming back to me. Classes are great! We don’t usually have a gospel class, it's just mixed into our language study. Our morning teacher, Hermana Matos is so great. She is so cute and nice and fun and we all love her so much. Our evening teacher, Hermano Nunuz is the funniest person I have ever met. We all just have the greatest time (while learning a lot). It makes the times pass so fast which is good because by the time 9 pm rolls around my brain is fried. I am so grateful to have such great teachers. It's also great that they are natives because the Spanish here is kind of weird.
There are 9 girls in my district and no elders which has its pros and cons. Since there are no elders we have a "coordinating sister" instead. Hermana Jorgenson is our coordinating sister. She is so great and always has the best things to say. The downside is she has more responsibilities which means we have to go with her. Bye, bye to my free time. Although all the girls in my district are great, I would say I was VERY blessed with my companions. Like I said in my last letter there are about 25 Haitians here right now. They are so great. All of our combined meetings have to be translated but it just makes it so much more special. They leave next week and I am going to be so sad because we have become really great friends. Although I cant understand them most of the time they always smile and wave and I can feel their great testimonies. Also, some kind of speak English so they have been teaching me a little bit of French. Who knew I would be learning two languages at the mtc!
Gym is a really great part of the day. We usually run around the temple for a bit, then jump rope and play volleyball. Just being outside makes my day so much better. Although I do love my classes, it’s just hard to sit in a class for 16 hours straight. Sundays are probably one of my favorites of the week. We have 2 district meetings, a doctrine class by el presidente, Sacrament and we watch a devotional. This week I learned that in the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had flesh and bone but no blood. Okay weird? I had never heard that one before. In the garden they were ammortal and in heaven we are immortal... still trying to figure that one out. The devotional we watched was AMAZING. You should all watch it. It was an mtc devotional by Elder Bednar in 2009. I had been praying how to better recognize the promptings of the spirit and it was an answer to my prayers. As long as we honor our covenants and keep the commandments all our good thoughts will be of the spirit and we will be blessed to be in the right place at the right time.
On Monday we had service and my district got to go to the university and pick up trash. Never have I been so happy to pick up trash in my whole life. It was so great! We actually got to walk outside the gates and around the city. Lots of people talked to us too and I was able to understand a lot more than I thought I would. We talked to a man who had been baptized 15 years ago and is now inactive. We got his address and the elders in his area are going to contact him. I don’t know if he actually wants to go back to church or if he wanted to talk but it was fun anyway. Experiences like this help me keep a good attitude. When the days get long or the Spanish gets hard it helps to remember that there are real people out there that we will be teaching. That’s what I am really excited for.
I already learned how to pray in Spanish and we taught 5 lessons. They are still really hard to plan out in Spanish but each lesson gets easier! Our investigator is just our teacher. On Tuesday we watched president Uckdorfs 2009 mtc devotional. It’s great, Watch that one too. He said 1- pride is the opposite of humility. Pride is to put greater trust in yourself than God. Humility is a sign of spiritual strength. 2- We need to only compare ourselves to ourselves. As long as we are making progress, that is good. 3- Time flies but you are the pilot. I love that! I know that this time is a once in a life time experience so I am trying to make the most of it. We went to the temple today. Although I always love the temple, it was especially great today. I really love the peace I feel in the temple. Our session was in Creole which was interesting.
We get to go to the store on Tuesday which is great because I really need dr. pepper, which is allowed. Sometimes I have the hardest time staying awake. Thanks for the gifts and note mom. You are the best! Something is wrong with my vaccinations and I need you to send me the dates for mumps/measeles and hep b. also the Dr. here is really good friends with Dr. Greene. Thanks again for all the letters! You guys can write me every day if you want. It’s hard to be away from you and I miss you a ton! I got the dear elder today by the way. Davis Chicago
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