First P-Day @ the MTC

August 31, 2010
First P-day

Familia!

So the very first day I walked into this place and saw all of the elders and sisters and just greatness & glow of the MTC –I just knew I was in love with it. I had the biggest smile on my face as I got all of my things and was put in my room and I was honestly embarrassed for myself of how excited I was after I got my name tag and my little mission picture. I went to my room where it was just a big building of dorms & there were 3 bunk beds in my room. (College, EFY, & Girls Camp situation = my dream). I then got taken to my class and met my companion, Hermana Johnson. Right when I walked in she said, “Hola Hermana, Como Estas? In the most chipper & happy voice ever – right then I knew this girl was as stoked & ready for her mish as I was & I just fell in love! She is always humming & singing & whenever I would ask her what she wanted to do she would say, “Whatever your heart desires.” Love it. She is very into the church & is what Camille would call “mormony.” I loved it though – she was smart and good at Espanol & nice, so I was pumped and knew she would teach me a lot.
Well I soon found out that sometimes the Lord has other plans for us. Remember Nick like right before you took me to the MTC we talked about solo sisters and how I dreaded being one? Well one day we are all happily sitting in class & someone comes in and literally takes my comp away from me. I was about to cry. All of a sudden, I felt sick & upset & wondered if I could do this on my own. So far this girl had already taught me so much & I felt I needed that, but sometimes we need to just trust in the Lord & know he will help us.
So I was put with the elders in my district just for the day until they figured out what to do with me! I love all of the elders in my district so I was stoked. It was nice to take a break from the girls for a bit. The district Leader Elder Lebertson is 19, from Sandy, Utah, tan, blue eyes, blond hair, cutie, Zach Miller meets Max Pond personality. His is so great we bond. Elder Gates his comp is 20, from Palos Verdes, CA (of course Rex Pond was his institute teacher -nice!) He is sooo sharp and knows so much doctrine, so it was good to study & work with them. We learned how to pray & bear testimony en Espanol, so that was good. Later a guy told me that they might have to move me into a new district & I was about to die! I knew I had to be with this district & the teachers & I put my foot down. I asked if they could put me with 2 girls in my class & we could be a trio. It finally got worked out! So my roommates are Hermana Keller, Ward, Lund, and Gibson. Sister Johnson was here but she had to move out. Ward and Lund are going to Dominican Republic, and Gibson & Keller are going to Kentucky (Spanish). Lund is really quiet and humble and a little Mormon girl and Ward is a big happy nice girl from a small farm town in Arizona. My comps are way loud and fun & funny, so it is meant to be that we’re together and I know we’ll bond so much! We are so comfortable with each other.
So something cool that happened the first day was once all the new missionaries were in one room together (several hundred) and one by one they named off different countries and states and one by one people stood up & it was so neat to see just how many people came so far from all over the world to be here. In that gathering they said that other than your own home, & the temple, the MTC is the most spiritual place on earth….and I have found that to be true. Here I am constantly happy and ready to work. Here I have no fear and always rely only on faith. Here I enjoy every single person I meet. Here I am constantly feeling the spirit & determined to be a better person. I just wish I could live here – it’s the best.
So pretty much every day is the same, personal study, lots of class, language, study, meals, companion study, devotionals, temple, gym, and such. I love class and I am always talking and making comments. We watch these videos called 6 million others, where they interview people all over the world and ask them their beliefs in God. It is so interesting to view all of the different people of different countries to see their beauty and know that God loves them. (D & C 10:18). It really gets you pumped to find those people out there who are seeking the truth.
I LOVE my teacher, Sister Lakip. I want to be exactly like her! She is so fierce and just knows so much and pushes us to work way hard so we can be better missionaries. She served in New York Spanish speaking. She shared the coolest experience with us. One night, when she had been rejected by people over and over, she was tired, cold, and over it. She kept feeling like she should try one last door. At the end of the building, right when she knocked, a girl answered and said, “It is you! Finally you – I have been waiting.” They went into her apartment and talked with her. She told them that she was a single mom and had been praying so hard to God to get help & receive answers & the missionaries just told her, “That’s why we are here, and we knew we were led to you for a reason.” They taught her everything and she was later baptized.
I am so excited for these experiences in Argentina, because I know that God prepares the hearts at his children to receive the truth & then He puts us in their paths to give them that gift & that is why I am here. I am on God’s side, and I believe in His plan & my purpose in it. I want to do whatever I can to contribute to building up the kingdom of God. It is the least I can do for him after what he has done for me. He has given me such a beautiful and happy life that has been filled with amazing people and life changing experiences. I am not here for myself, but I am here for him.
Our zone leaders are so goofy…like I am so obsessed. One guy literally is the sloth from Ice Age and his companion is Mclovin from Superbad. Such a spicy combo- I love them! There es mucho guapo elders here so I am in heaven – ha ha – I have like 3 MTC crushes. I really enjoyed the temple today, especially just being in the Celestial Room and feeling the presence of Christ and Angels around me. Our district goal is to pray from now on in Spanish, so I haven’t cheated yet. It was so peaceful to be in the Celestial Room and communicating with God in a new language, but still feeling his same closeness and presence in my life.
I honestly feel like I don’t even know which day is which, and all that has happened. It all seems like a blur or a dream….a good dream though! Just know family that I love you and I feel your prayers & they are the strength that I feel while I am here to keep me going. I love you with all of my heart and know that I am safe, healthy, happy, and having the time of my life! Keep all of the letters and dearelders (& packages ☺) coming!
I miss you! I hope all is well! Adios!

Jami