Called to Serve: First Email :) (March 26)

Meine Familie!

So you know when I used to get home after a first day of school, and I just wanted to talk nonstop? Well that is how I feel I have so much to tell you! So the MTC is not what I expected, for many reasons but it is a great place! Meine Metterbitten, Schwester Peterson and I get along really well. I have so much love for her and we love to work hard! She's great. We have very similiar personalities and it works well. We love to get up early and go to the early exercise class and work hard all day while having an acceptable amount of fun :) It's a relief to have such a nice companion, I was really worried. Our roommates are a 3 sister companionship. They are going to Costa Rica and leave next week! I have an AWESOME district. When I first met them, we were lectured A LOT about making sure we're not fliriting so we awkwardly avoided each other the first couple days. Now, we love each other so much! We're like best friends. We try our hardest to keep our conversations stricktly on doctrine related things, but during meals, we sometimes talk about other stuff. That is really useless information... haha. Anyways, its really fun being with them all the time. We all help each other strengethen our testimonies and help each other with our struggles. One of the Elders might have to be going home to get surgery, and start the ENTIRE mission process over again. I really hope he doesn't need to. A sister in our branch went home yesterday becuase she was SO sick ( in and out of the hospital due to anxiety). My teachers are some of the best people I have ever met!! It's crazy! I love Bro. Woodruff and Mower so much! They both served in the Alpenlandische mission and they just teach so well, it's obvious the spirit is behind them in everything they do. I have SO MUCH respect for these teachers!

It's REALLY hard here. Harder than I thought. I was having a really hard time, I wished more than anything that I was sent state side. I could teach the lessons so much better and really get my point across. Teaching Stefan (our first investigator) is so hard and really discouraging! So anyways, I was having a hard time, and of course Saturday night, Rachel to the rescue. Heavenly Father blessed me to be able to be here in the same time as her! She straightened me out and I was feeling happy again that I was going to Germany. Then Sunday came. Oh wow. It was so toll! All the speakers were addressing EVERYTHING I was having a hard time with! In the morning we were told to prepare a talk on Faith in Christ ( we prepare a talk every Sunday and then during Sacrement two missionaries are called). & Oh yeah, it's in german.... So I was working on mine and I realized everyone always told me going into the MTC make sure you rely on the Lord and I knew it and beleived it. But I wasnt really showing faith because how I was letting myself feel. I know all foreign language missionaries have a hard time at first, I just feel it was hard because everyone knows German a little better than me. BUT it's great! I know I am supposed to go there. And as long as I study and pray my hardest, I'll be fine. Moral of the story, I now understand why every missionary says "if you make it to Sunday, you'll be fine" Sundays are the best!! Sunday was also quite a humbling experience, we had interviews asking us about our leadership experiences. During our zone meeting all the Elders being called to serve in a position were called forward. My mitterbieten and 2 other sisters were called forward. I know right before I left, I realized that "positions" no longer mattered to me. This proved me wrong. haha. I got all excited as the other sisters got called to a hymn calling and knew that left us up for Cordinating Sister.... haha. My Pride is rediculous. My meterbeiteren got the position, leaving me to feel ashamed that I was so excited to get it. Well now that I've said all these things, I hope you don't think I am not doing good. Cause I am. I am growing in understanding of my Saviors love for me. I couldn't even handle the MTC if he wasn't right behind me in everything I do. Things are looking up as I realize just how much I've learned in 6 days! My german is great!! ( I just can't compare ;) ) I am SO excited to go to the field! Fun fact. There are 3,000 people here at the MTC " Drei Tousand!" at the end of the summer, there will be 7,000!!! wow! These people in here are great! I am so blessed to be around all these people that are just as excited I am to change people lives. There testimonies are so so great! Wow, I can't believe how fast that time passed! I guess I am a slower typer that I thought. I'll try and send some pictures! Thanks for sending those goodies. My miterbieten and I love them. Especially the dried apples :)

I'm super busy here, but today ( my Pday) hasn't been too busy so I'll try to write a letter too :) also, fun saying Germans say "das is hammer" or "Sie ist hammer" Literally calling you a hammer is cool :)

LOVE YOU!

also, I wasnt able to look at my german spelling... so it's wrong.... they expect me to spell in german when I can't even spell in english... funny.