Hermana España : Week 1

Hola, familia! I don't know where to begin with everything that's happened this week.

I met my companions shortly after I got to the MTC- their names are Hermana Thompson and Hermana Schaumann, from Florida and Tennessee. I am so relieved that we not only get along- we're genuinely becoming friends. Both hermanas are going to Spain- Schaumann to Madrid, and Thompson to Malaga with me. They're so funny, kind, and strong in the gospel. We're in the intermediate class with our district, which is challenging, but perfect I think for our capabilities. We're all happy and excited to preach the gospel in Spain- there's a rumor that visas are going faster to Spain because a man who works on those was converted... sounds like a fishy rumor to me, but I'd love to believe it :) None of us have been very homesick- I only cried a little when mom left me at the MTC, and when I read the letter from Sonja and Addie (thanks, guys!).

The lessons are almost entirely in Spanish, and we try to speak it as much as we can. One out of five words that I say in "spanish" are just words with an "e" at the beginning or an "o" at the end, como Matt or Nacho Libre. My district is great- there's just my companionship and 5 elders. Elder Vogel is quiet and funny and going to Barcelona. Elder Turley is silly and lurpy and going to Malaga. The other elders are going to Mexico. Elder Brown is also really funny and easy going. Elder Alan is very solemn but nice. Elder Harris is also pretty quiet, but can be funny when he wants. We all get along really well, and we're able to learn well in class, have spiritual experiences, and have tons of fun when opportunity presents itself.

We're mostly practicing teaching an 'investigator' who's one of our teachers. It's amazing how we still receive spiritual impressions for mock lessons- I'll get a feeling that the lesson needs to take a certain turn, and I'll go there, and later I'll talk with my companions and find out that they thought the same thing.

The hardest habit to break is calling missionaries by 'sister' and 'elder' instead of "you guys". My companions and I have started make a "plbt" noise whenever we hear someone say it. It isn't helping us break the habit, but it does make us laugh. I'm surprised by how much I love the busyness of the MTC- I don't mind the work, even if it's hard to be cooped up in one room pretty much all day. I love the comraderie here too- not just with my companions or district- the entire population here is focused on one purpose, and you can feel it in the air. Not that we get to breathe fresh air that much. I forgot there was a sky until we went on our temple walk yesterday.

I'm assuming I'll be in Provo for the entire six weeks of the MTC, though I have heard some people have gone out sooner than that to Spain. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I'm amazed at how much I've grown spiritually already. I'm really learning to focus on Christ instead of my own needs. I feel the spirit incredibly strong every day of the week, my spanish is improving faster than I'd expect (especially in the lessons, when I'll often say words that I swear I never knew before), and even though I miss you all, I'm so happy to be here, and so excited to use all the knowledge I've acquired and am still acquiring to bring the truth to other people. I never realized how important Christ and the gospel and the atonement are to me, and I realize that if they mean so much to me, they will definitely change the lives of people who have more difficulties than I do.

I'm coming to understand the atonement, and the character of Christ, and want more than ever to be like Him.

They recommend that you guys use dearelder.com if you want to communicate with me instead of email so I can read it at my leisure.

I love you all so much and I'm praying for you all!