MTC!!!!! I'm Actually Here!

Hello All!

So getting the e-mail to work for me was a bit tricky but I finally got it! Yippee Hoorah! This first week was a real doosie! Man alive it was just crazy busy and full of ups and downs. Some ups? Well I have been assigned to the greatest compaion in all the land! Her name is Hermana Morgan Borlow and she's from Sandy Ut. She's a real sweetheart. Some times when she say really Utah-like things she remindes me of Amber Burnham...Hunt. Anyway, she is magnificent and I love her. Spanish is going very very well. On one of the first days, Hermana Barlow and I were having language practice. Two of the elders from our district wandered over and started practicing with us. One of these elders, Elder Price from Pocatello, said, "Hermana, I know why you're here. You're here to help me." I laughed about that for a while. I have two teachers here at the MTC. One is brother Chandler (who served in the same mission as Kyle Cluff, he told me when he heard "Eagar, Az") and the other is Hermano Jimenez. He's from Mexico. He is super great! Anyway, as I was tlaking with President Dickerson on Sunday, he told me, "After talking with your teachers they told me if you were here for more than just the three weeks they would have moved you up to an intermediate class. Heck, maybe you'll get to Peru and they'll just send you right out!" That terrified me! My Spanish is barely kind of alright, not ready to be sent right out! Oh, also, President Dickerson is quite possibly one of the most amazing individuals I have ever come to know. So, interesting story...maybe not actually a story, but kind of. The saying around here is, "if you make it through Sunday night, you'll make it the 2 years (or 18 months)." Well, I have discovered that is true. Origionally in our district there were 4 sisters. Hermana Barlow, Hermana Schnebly (nobody seems to be able to say her name right), Hermana Andrews and myself. The Hermanas Schnebly and Andrews were companions. Hermana Andrews, unfortunately, left us at 9 o'clock Sunday night. Geez, that makes it sound like she died. She didn't die, she went home. It was a pretty big blow to our little district. Even only having been together 4 days at that point, we had gone through what seemed like an aweful lot together. It was really sad and kind of scary to see her leave. It made me feel really afraid that the same thing might happen to me or my companion. However, we are both just holding strong and loving it all! Now Hermana Schnebly (who is from Mesa, Az by the way!) are a three some. The MTC continues to be a source of wonderment to me. The elders in our district are all great fellows. Sometimes they might forget that the are representatives of the Lord and act like, well, 19 year old boys. However, for the most part they are very wonderful, obedient elders and I am greatful for the comedic relief that they bring into my life. I never go through a class or a meal without laughing a whole lot. Oh yeah, mom, a few things, thank you SO so so much for the Dearelders! I love getting anything in the mail! Also, the elders are having a competition in which they get points for various forms of mail. I think it's 2 points for an actual letter not from family, one point if it's from family or if it's a dear elder not from family and a half point if it's a dearelder from family. I thank you for boosting my score! PS, packages are worth a whole lot! (hint hint) Speaking of, could you please send me pictures!!!!!! I would absolutely love that! Also, mom if you could get into my gmail with the information I sent home with dad and foreward Tanner and Bryan's e-mails on to me that would be super! So Bryan was the first one to write me a letter and he was the only person on my People I'm Super Happy with list. But now the list is a little longer. Well, the time is a tickin down so I must be off! This thing actually kicks you off! Anyway, I need to go do laundry. Oh yeah, I saw all of the Round Valley people here as well as an EFY boy and Robin!

I sure love you all lots!

Hermana Elmer