P-Day!

Hola mi familia!!

 

I made it to the first Sunday and my first p-day!!!! The MTC is pretty awesome...at first I felt very overwhelmed with how much study we had to do, and now I feel like study time is so limited, it's hard to make the best of it, but I definitely try! I can't believe I have been in the MTC for a whole week..it's crazy...I already feel like this has been my life for the longest time, it's hard to think back to life before this.

 

Let's see so far today we went to the Temple this morning, which was so great/beautiful and we got to eat what they call "celestial food" after the session aka: not MTC food. The MTC food isn't that bad I guess....we get BYU ice cream on Wed and Sundays...and yes, Katelyn, I had Graham Canyon yesterday ..I felt right at home. Umm after the temple and breakfast we came back for personal study then we went back to our dorms and worked out, showered and than had lunch and here I am...yes I am giving you all a play by play.

 

We got a new district in our zone yesterday. It's kinda weird to reminisce about your first few days in the MTC, they really do go by SO fast. There is an Hermana from Mark and Kathy's ward in the new district. I don't remember her name but she is from West Bountiful,and going to Florida I believe. Elder Evans of the Seventy spoke in the devotional Tuesday and he talked about how we as missionaries need to grow up especially with this new six week program.With the new district in our zone I have realized how fast we really need to be examples in exact obedience and just doing what we are supposed to be doing with a smile on our faces. PS I missed Elder Holland's talk the Tuesday before I arrived..but I hear he comes a lot so maybe he will come in the weeks we are here.

 

Let's see Mom, Yes I am so grateful for the few Spanish classes i took in college, they help me with the grammar and help me remember verbs I learned in the past. Learning to just rely on the Lord and open your mouth is really hard..sometimes I think about English speaking missions and how much easier they would be...but all missions are hard, and I know with faith and diligence I can do this. Mi compenera Hermana Stott is truly amazing and such a good example in living the gospel and just studying with diligence and speaking the language...she didn't know much before she got out here but she is learning so much so fast! She is great, we both love to work out and she is very healthy in eating, with is a huge example to me....I should probably be more like her instead of eating the fries and ice cream...yea I may or may not gain weight here..haha I sure hope not. We try to run at least 1 1/2 miles a day..well when we have gym time. Me and my roommates have been waking up to go to the 6 am classes they provide for the sisters...it's a really great way for all of us to wake up and feel good about ourselves throughout the day.  oh mi compenera is the Coordinating sister and I am senior companion.

 

My district is amazing 6 Elders and 6 Hermanas...all of us going to Chile except one Hermana which helps us with our unity..it's so great. The Elders are real grown up for being 18/19. So the whole making it till Sunday part is SO true, Sunday was great...we got to listen to music and the spoken word, which was really fun since it was Martin Luther King Jr day on Monday  Relief Society was with the General Primary Pres and we sang songs..singing is really so powerful, I love it.

 

I hope Marley is okay and that she has been able to be given a bath...I have been talking with Hermana Stott and it's really great to not have to worry about anything except learning the gospel, Spanish  and teaching....so don't worry I don't think of Marley or things back home all that much. The blog sounds amazing Mom...my compenera gave me some ear plugs, I feel bad because my alarm clock is really loud and hard to set since sometimes we wake up earlier than 6:30..so maybe if you could send me a digital one that would be awesome! But yea I am grateful I am a heavy sleeper because the walls are paper thin...the showers flood SO bad..it's like being in Hawaii all over again, but this time we can't escape it by showering at the beach...so let's hope I don't get athletes foot.

 

Oh and yes we have met a view other sisters going to Vina so that's fun! Umm I am trying to think if there is anything else to say..it's hard because days and weeks just blend together. We are in our own little world here, weekdays and weekends hardly exist  Oh so guess who my first package was from?? Yep, Collin's mom..so family you should probably all feel bad about that one :)..haha j/k. But it was super nice of her to send me a package, it was a "Greenie" packages so a bunch of "green" things to help me adjust in the MTC, like mints and candy and what not...getting letters and packages is so fun. You really don't know what letters mean to you til you are missionary..so brothers for not writing you as much. Good thing I have little nieces who want to write me right?!

 

Our investigator is Rocio and we have been doing fairly well in teaching her. Me and Hermana Stott are just getting down the hang of preparing lessons and working together...we got some really good advice yesterday  so hopefully we can teach her today about the importance of the restored gospel. It's been hard for her to understand the importance of personal prayer..so hopefully we can present that to her today with Joseph Smith's story and him praying to Heavenly Father and receiving an answer.

 

Oh one thing i love about being in the MTC is learning more about what a missionary really is. I love how what a missionary is is described in the purpose..it's to bring others to Christ..it's that simple! I can't wait to get out in Chile and hopefully be able to express my feelings in Spanish to the people of Chile. Me and my companera were talking about the Lord's hand in our lives the other day, and one thing we realized is that he has helped us memorize scriptures and such in English a lot faster than normal so that we are able to memorize and understand what they are saying in Spanish  At first I was looking at how is He helping me with pronouncing/knowing Spanish and what not..but the Lord really does work miracles and he knows what we need more than ourselves.

 

I hope everyone is doing well!! I love receiving the news from missionaries who are on Spanish speaking missionaries..it brings me joy! I got a little jealous when I read you guys went to Cheesecake Factory...ah miss that place. Mom, where did you guys go shopping...you should check out the new outlets sometime...my companion lives right by them and says they are amazing!

 

Okay well I could keep writing FOREVER...but I guess I better go..hopefully I can send you pictures when I do my laundry later today. Just know I am doing great and trying to work on my diligence with learning the language and teaching the gospel. I appreciate everyone's support back home, I truly have the best family and friends in the WHOLE world!!! And a mission is not what anyone expects..I can't wait to see my adventures in a new country. love you all!

 

con amor

 

Hermana Anderson

 

Mom thanks so much for the quote from Ezra Taft Benson and the idea from the MTC teacher...it's so true the days just go by so fast here..you really do sleep so good at night because you are so exhausted.