Letter #2 November 6, 2010

November 6, 2010
Hola mi familia!! Como esta? Oh my word! This has been such a ridiculously insane packed 3 days. It has felt like forever since I said goodbye to you. It's probably a good thing though, because in the MTC they don't really give you time to miss your family and friends. I feel like I've done a pretty good job separating the MTC from BYU, but sometimes there are things that cause me to remember just how close I am to the things and people I love. I've heard the bells from BYU multiple times, as well as seeing the SWKT and bell tower lit up at night. As we were outside today, we heard the cheer from the football game. It made me miss it, but once Hermana Demke and I went to lunch, I was able to focus again. Cheer loud for me!! :) I also ran into Thomas Ferrin the other day. That was fun. He didn't know that I was serving a mission. He was visiting his wife Laura who works in the MTC mail room.

Being a sister on a mission is somewhat special, I think. My teachers, Hermana Black & Hermana Wood have asked us on multiple different occasions why we are serving missions. It's a little easier for the elders to answer, I think, because it is a commandment. Each of the hermanas in my district though have different reasons for being out here. In my district there are 6 elders and 6 hermanas. It's a pretty fun group. Sometimes, the elders are way more immature than the sisters though, and it shows that they are only 19. For example, today in class, we had just finished going over how to ask questions in Spanish. My teacher asked if anyone had any questions. One of the elders rose his hand and asked "is it morally okay to knock people out? Like drug them up, but not do anything?" It was out of the blue. We had to just laugh and kind of roll our eyes. It's been good though.

Mi espanol is coming along. I feel kind of overwhelmed. Everyone else in my district has taken some spanish, whether it was in high school or college. I'm pretty much going off of what Trent taught me (which actually has been a big help). I can bear a simple testimonio en espanol, as well as pray. I had a funny experience though on thursday. Our teacher had given us an assignment to bear our testimonies in spanish to 3 other people who were not in our district by the time the day was done. Hermana Demke and I went out to bear our testimonies, and we found another spanish speaking elder that had been there longer than we had. As I was bearing my testimony, I was trying to say "I know that Jesus Christ is my brother," and I said. "Yo se que Jesucristo es mi hombre." For those of you reading this who don't speak spanish or who don't want to use google translate, I basically just told this elder "I know that Jesus Christ is my man." Needless to say, I got a funny look from the elder as he explained what I had just said.

It's kind of funny, because I've spent a lot of time reading other missionary emails, but now that I'm on the other end, I'm not entirely sure what to write. My companion, Hermana Demke is taking good care of me. She is helping feel good about my Spanish, and the fact that I have only been really learning Spanish for 3 days. I know that the Lord is helping me. I know that if I were just out in the normal world trying to learn Spanish that I would be no where near knowing what it is I know now. I am coming to love the Spanish language. It really is so beautiful and fun to speak. I cannot wait to come back from Peru and be able to speak fluently.

It's been a little bit of an adjustment getting used to the schedule. Hermana Demke and I are the only ones in our room (the other hermanas in our district are in the room next door). We set our alarm to go off at 6:00, instead of 6:30. We're supposed to be in our class be 7:00, and if we wake up at 6:30, it just doesn't get us enough time to get ready.

Thank for the package and the letters. I was so happy to see the pecan tarts. I love those little things! The necklaces are beautiful. As far as sending pictures go, I'm not sure if you can attach them or not. I would just print them out and send them to be safe. Oh-for the next 2 weeks, P-Day will be on Friday. And then the week after that I go to Peru, and I'm not sure when my P-Day will be then. I'll try to get some pictures sent. Right now, the picture machine is backed up by a week and a half or so, and I can't email pictures here in the MTC. I think I'm just going to email you for now, Mom, unless I hear that I can email more than just one person. There is so much I want to tell you all, but the little red letter are counting down so annoyingly.

I know that the Church is true though. There is no way that this many young men and women would come and gather together and do this type of hard work if it wasn't true. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I love Him dearly. Thank you for your prayers. I need them. Know that I am praying for you, and that I am being taken care of.

I love you all so so so much!
Hermana Williams