Week 1

Dear wonderful family,
The MTC is great. It is really super busy, and I have so much to learn, and what seems like no time to learn it. It is difficult having a companion all of the time, because I can't just get up and go to the bathroom that is just down the hall in the middle of class if I need to or not. It is kind of ridiculous, but they have these rules for a reason, so I'll try my best to obey. I just sometimes like to run up stairs, or down stairs, and they don't realize I'm gone until they can't see me anymore. By that point I realize that I have run off and so I have to turn around and go get them.

The first day I came I had a companion named Hermana Gomez. She is in advanced, so really she was a solo sister and then I was a trio with Hermana Springer and hermana Brown in the intermediate class. But then Hermanan Brown was really good at spanish and so she tested out of that class into the intermediate class on either Thursday or Friday, I don't remember. Anyway, so now my permanent companion is hermana springer. she is from arizona and is going to paraguay. she is a nice girl, but very different from most the people i've known in my life, so it is fun to get to know a new personality. She has a very strong testimony though, and it is awesome.

Um, my days mostly consists of studying, studying, and studying. I live in 4 different buildings, specifically 4 different rooms in those buildings. When I leave my residence hall at 6:55 I don't come back until 9:30 pm. It is hard for me to not be able to go running. Especially because it is winter, we dont' get to go outside for anything really. Besides walking between buildings of course. I ran 4 miles on the indoor track that takes 10 laps per mile. That means I did 40 laps!! yuck. haha and it was super hot. but it felt so nice. I've also been practicing my basketball/ volleyball skills so i'm not so bad at all of those. the sisters also are lucky, because if we want, and 6am there are yoga, pilates, kick boxing, step aerobics, and stretching classes. depending on the day determines what it is. i've been going to those with my companion. she isn't in very good shape, so i hope these help her. and for me, anything to get moving. when we take breaks from class i run up the stairs, and skip down the halls (when appropriate of course) to stay sane. I'm excited to be in the field and be sick of moving all day. haha that will be a good feeling.

the food, not so good. sometimes it is, but needless to say, i'm not getting fat. out of shape. for sure. i want to break the wall sit (10 min.)and mile run (5:49..or something) records for the sisters that they have. that'll be fun for sure....to have a goal like that anyway.

um, there are only 4 missionaries in my district. me, hermana springer, elder croft, and elder andreasen. Elder andreasen is going to washington DC...haha I laughed.

well, fast sunday was awesome! sundays and p-days are great days!!! they allow you to have a little bit of a less structured schedule, which is so nice to take a break from. my spanish has improved, and i can almost understand literally everything when my teacher talks. yesterday my companion and i made a goal to only speak spanish when possible. we actually did pretty good. i was surprised and how much i could speak because i'm not really confident in my spanish. please pray that i can stay focused and learn spanish more quickly. i really need the help!!

today we went to the temple. i did initiatories, and it was awesome. sunday's we get to walk up to the temple as well. it is funny how that is such a pleasure. before i probably never would have thought it was, but it totally is. so nice to just get out of those 4 buildings. i'm sure i'll get used to it eventually.

i see hillary olsen, melissa siepel, and megan mcadams really regularly. like every day. we have the same p-day (maybe not megan), so it is fun to see them. also, today i saw andrea merrell (ran w/ her in high school) because she works in the mail room. that was fun.

oh, erik, one of the sisters that rooms next to mine her name is hermana young (first name bonnie). she said that she knows you and she knows justin barney as well. i thought that was funny, and she told me to tell you hi. she has blonde hair and is one of the nicest girls i have ever met. it is cool to see her everyday.

and dad, on fast sunday, i didn't sit in my regular place because it was super busy at dinner time, and during dinner i noticed this boy starring at my strangely. I felt very uncomfortable, but then he tried to get my attention. so then i looked at him and he said, "did your dad serve in france?" i said, "yes..." he said, "I served with him" I said, no you didn't and he said, "i mean, my dad served with him" elder bodheine would be his name...does that ring a bell. his dad's first name is steve. apparently he has heard many stories about how awesome Elder Yingling was and says it is one of the only companionships his dad ever talks about. That was a really neat experience and thought I'd share it with you.

i'm running out of time, but wanted to say that i love you all. dad, happy birthday on the 6th! that's in 2 days. hope it is a good one!!

abby, don't worry about the letters, they are coming, but the first week is a little crazy here at the CCM, (that's in spanish)

Anyway, until next week!

I expect a lot of letters back!! :)

peace!
sarah