Hello, Family!!
Man it feels like I have been waiting forever to write that. :)
So, when I'm in the MTC, I'm only allowed to write you and Dad. And if you could just write your whole email at once, that would save me a ton of time...maybe you could just save it as a draft and then email it? Next week, I'll write you on Wednesday again, but I have no idea what my PDAy is in my mission.
Okay. So some awesome stories of the week. In Chicago, I ended up meeting with sixteen other missionaries!! It was awesome. All but on of us were going to he England MTC. The other one, Dad, was a Sister Clifford who is going to FINLAND!!! We totally hit it off. And she told me that they are DOUBLING the size of the Finnish mission by June because there have been more baptisms in the past year or so than there were in the previous decade!!! Dad, if you are not jumping for joy right now, I don't know what's happening.
Traveling, though, was a nightmare. I feel asleep on what was suposed to be our overnight flight to Manchester, but Sister Clifford woke me up and told me we were landing again. We flew from Chicago to about New York (City), and then they realized the brakes were leaking and they were worried they would be too cold to function to land. (But we couldn't land at NY because it was too icy. So of course it made PERFECT sense to go back to Chicago.)Probably NOT the best news to wake up to right as you are landing. haha. But t was okay!
Luckily, as we were panicking and the airline people were madly trying to rebook our flights, one of the flight attendants (who had been joking around with us) stepped forward and said "I am a Mormon Bishop. I know what the rules are for theses missionaries." So thank ou, family, for praying him to be on that flight! He got us rebooked to leave for London (instead of Manchester) in a few more hours. Goody. Like I hadn't already been in that airport all day. We landed in London and had a seven hour layover. The bishop, though, had gotten us tickets that gave us access to a "lounge" thing... he said our parents would never forgive him if he didn't get us a place for free food that was much safer than the rest of the airport. :)
And it was totaly inspired!! We met these Scottish soldiers, who were LOVING asking us questions....for probably four hours! Cool note: they said they have a huge respect for American soldiers because they go such long tours. Two of them were definitely in there for the free booze, but the others were so intent on asking us questions. It was getting crazy technical (some of the missionaries didn't know how to simplify answers). I could tell the one was really interested, but he was gettign very confused in the second coming, he said he just didn't think he'd really know what to do. I just felt really inspired to ask "Do you really think that if Christ appeared in all His majesty that you could deny that he was the Christ?" Immediately, I could feel the Spirit, and see the change in him. He paused and said: Well, I guess I'd fall at his feet and beg Him to save and love me and my family" Wow. I could feel the change in him, and we left them all with pass along cards. The entire experience was incredible, and I think that was the entire reason for our delay. :)
AHH! Half my time is gone. I swear it is this evil keyboard...it is ignoring half of the letters I have hit. Please spel check this before forwarding. haha.
The MTC is INCREDIBLE. And I already know and love everyone here. Being able to be in a setting where there are only 40 people makes it so easy to form bonds. We have people from the US, Canada, Hungary, Italy, France, Scotland, Spain, Samoa, Taiwan, Austrailia. EVERYWHERE"!!!! It rocks. Just two people I want to highlight. One is Elder Gomez Castillo. He's in my district. He's from Spain, and he speaks English so clearly. He does have to pause to process how to respond, but he speaks it so well. But guess WHAT he told me yesterday?!?! When he showed up at the MTC last Tuesday, he didn't know ANYTHING besides hi and my name is. Are you kidding me? Mission miracle...talk about the gift of tongues! He is so humble, and his testimony is so powerful.
Another is this senior missionary called Elder Dutton. He heard us teasing each other and saying "yo, yo, sisters!" And he thoguht it was American for hello. So, please picture this little old English man who fist pumps and yells it everytime he sees you. It totally makes my day.
My companion's name is Sister Cuf. She is INCREDIBL. I seriously think we could be companions for the next eightteen months and be happy, but she's going to the Scotland/Ireland misison. Our strengths really balance out, and we just learn from each other so well. I'll tell you more in a leeter home I'm writing you, but we've taught like eight lessons together to"investigators", and it has been so incredible. I was nervous, but the Sprit comes, and takes over, and my shortcomings don't even mater as I teach. I love i, and I can't wait to go back into the field.
Okay, time's almost up. But: I went to the temple this morning. Just so you know, I may move here and spend the rest of my life here jus tfor the Preston temple. Tonight, a 70 is coming to speak to us, and tomorrow we go street contacting in Manchester! So excited, but so little time! LLooookk uupp DDCC 112233::1177!!!! IItt hhaass iinnssppiirreedd mmee aallll wweekk!!
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