Sunday, September 20, 2009

Letter #1 - September 19, 2009

Hola!

The MTC is awesome. Not just kind of cool, really exceptionally awesome. I'm a little tired, but I've loved every minute of my time here (except for the 50 minutes I spent running/walking around the MTC field on Thursday...).

My companion is Hermana Johnson from New Hampshire. She's going to the California San Diego mission, it's a visitor center/Mormon Battalion historical site mission. Cool, no? She reminds me a lot of Irma Ray and consequently I've been thinking a lot about Sarah. The first two and a half days we were here, we had a third companion named Hermana Dittmore from Salt Lake, but she got moved to an intermediate Spanish class and got new companions. We still see her around a lot. I followed Rachel Ilene's example and decided to purchase my companions journals to use as a companion yearbooks. Hermana Johnson and I are going to write in Hermana Dittmore's and put a picture of all of us in there and give it to her before she leaves.

Send beano.

Spanish is such a blast. I feel like I have a good handle on what we're learning (which probably means I need to stretch more) and it's so fun to do "contacts" and meet random Elders and Sisters around the MTC and bear testimony of the gospel in Spanish. My district is made up of Hermana Johnson and I plus 7 Elders. I think we are getting one more Elder today... One of the Elders looks EXACTLY like the kid from Rattatioulle (sp?). It is hilarious. His name is Elder Barker. I'll send a picture when I finally start taking some.

Ahh, time is so short. I've seen so many people I know here. It's a little weird but really nice to see familiar faces around. I got a package from Aunt Ruth yesterday and it was so awesome. I shared my cookies with the Elders. A HUGE thank you to Ruth and the Croslands. I am so grateful to have such an amazing supportive family. One of my roomates, Sister Agenor is the only member in her family. I admire her a lot. What a pioneer. Also, we have three more Hermanas in our zone and they help us out a lot. They are awesome, so funny, and I'm way glad they are here.

Um, I need a few things. 1) Rachel Ilene's address 2) A pair of jeans for P-day (I forgot that I get P-days in the MTC and that we actually can wear jeans here...) 3) The CD's in Brian of the talks Haley Huish gave me and the Joseph the Prophet lectures. There is a new rule in the MTC and we can't listen to music so I'll have to save all my music for Nicaragua. But I think there are 3 CDs plus the Joseph the Prophet lectures in Brian. Please send asap. :)

Also funny - I saw Kenneth Brewer yesterday. He's going to Russia. He called me Paige.

I hope Will is enjoying my phone. And I hope everyone is happy and healthy. How is Grandpa Ivan? I've been praying for you all in Spanish. It is amazing to be here and to really begin to get a sense for what I'll be doing for the next 18 months. There is no place I would rather be and my testimony is growing along with my teaching skills and my knowledge of Spanish. The MTC is great.

Let everyone know what my email address is. Anyone can email me, but have them send their snail mail addresses if they want any responses. Also, I believe Dearelder.com is free while I'm here in the MTC so use it a bunch. I'll try to write a few letters today to those whose addresses I already have.

I love you all so much and I do miss you, Ali especially (sorry everyone else... ) Haha. Ali, I think you would make an amazing sister missionary. Anyway, my time is about to expire so I better get this sent and on its way.

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Crosland

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