Ciao!
Oh my goodness, I can't believe I'm already writing you again! This week has just flown by. It's been such a great week. Still not easy, but I already see myself stretching and growing. I really have no choice... Haha. Where to start? Well we got to go to the Provo Temple this morning to clean! The temple's been closed for the past couple of weeks (it opens again on Monday), so we've been kind of sad that we wouldn't be able to go for a while but then our district got chosen to clean this morning! I was SO excited! I've always wanted to clean the temple, but never have before. It's like Heavenly Father knows me or something... ;) There were only two districts there cleaning and guess what the sisters got to do? Clean the crystal chandeliers in the sealing rooms. It was so cool. We had to take each and every small part out and clean it with vinegar and wear white gloves and everything. It was awesome. And then they gave us a tour and everything. So now I just know all of the inner workings of the temple. BEST MORNING.
We did TRC for the first time on Monday. Oh man, it was crazy. So basically, you just go in and meet some random person and just teach them whatever you/they want to hear for twenty minutes. We were so nervous. The first girl we taught was from Italy and spoke SO FAST. She would go on talking and talking and then she would stop and just look at us and Sorella Carter and I would just look at each other with wide eyes. And then we'd just find a scripture and start talking about it... Haha. It was interesting. And then our second person was this older lady from Colorado (not sure why she's fluent in Italian) and she was my favorite person all day. She was so sweet and talked at a relatively normal speed and the Spirit was so strong even though we were speaking Tarzan Speak and we asked her to give the closing prayer and she got all choked up, so we got all choked up and it was just incredible. I was so glad we had her second because she made us feel like we might actually be able to do this. ;) We've started teaching our teachers as if they're investigators also, which is so intimidating! But they're awesome, so it's okay.
I've taken a liking to yoga. So that's exciting. I might, like, actually get into it when I get home. We get up early on Thursdays and Saturdays (Didja hear that, Mom? I voluntarily get up early on Saturdays!) to go to these yoga classes they offer. It's basically my new favorite thing here.
Guys. My district is the best district in the history of districts. I seriously love everyone so much. Sometimes we all love each other a little TOO much. Like, sometimes we can't sing songs or say prayers reverently because we're laughing so hard at something someone did or said right before or during said song or prayer. Ugh I'm so weird. Laughter is pretty much the only way to get through this and stay sane, though. Everyone is just so funny.
I was so overwhelmed with treats this week, everyone! Thank you SO much! They make my day every time. And if I get fat here, it's not going to be because of the MTC cafeteria food, it's gonna be because of all the yummy cupcakes and cookies y'all send! They're the best.
Time is really weird here. Every day feels so incredibly long. On Monday, I literally thought that something that had happened that morning had happened the day before. It's so weird. But then to think that our last P-Day was a week ago seems crazy! That was just yesterday! That saying "A day feels like a week, but a week feels like a day" is SO true. I didn't get it at first, but I do now.
Some funny things that happened this week that may or may not be funny in the real world (I really can't tell anymore):
We've named the area where you drop off your tray in the cafeteria the fire swamp, because it's really nasty and muggy. Many "Princess Bride" jokes have ensued because of it.
One day we were all sitting around talking about what we like and don't like about English and Italian. Anziano Hansen said genuinely, "The thing I like about English...is that I speak it." Truer words have never been spoken.
Sorella Spencer is constantly wandering off and everyone's always asking Sorella Marquis where she is. Sorella Marquis always jokes about getting a leash for her and her new response to that question is going to be, "She got out."
The Anziani kept using the word "fuoco" to help us focus in class when we'd go off on random tangents. They thought it meant focus, but it really means fire. So they've basically just been yelling "Fire!" in our building all the time.
One day, Sorella Carter and I were heading to the bathroom but Sorella Marquis thought we were going to go teach the investigator, so she said "Buona fortuna!" So now whenever anyone goes to the bathroom, we're sure to wish them luck in there!
Anziano Petersen was teaching one of the investigators on Monday at TRC. The lady was telling them that her grandmother is in the hospital and not doing so well. Anziano Petersen thought she said her grandma was dead, so in response to "My grandma's in the hospital," Anziano Petersen said, "Oh, I'm so sorry. My grandma's dead, too." We all had a good laugh about it after. I'm literally laughing about that one as I type this.
We were learning about times and dates in class yesterday and so our teacher asked us what time we go to sleep. Anziano Barrow, without skipping a beat: "In two years."
I seriously love it here, guys. It's weird. And class is hard. And if I didn't have the district I have, I might go crazy. But it's awesome. Oh, one night there was this massive insect flying around our room. We named it Moby Dick and then I killed it. Just call me Ishmael.
Thank you all so much for the love and support! It really means so much and makes this whole experience that much better and more surmountable. I love this gospel with all my heart and I'm so excited to dedicate the next year and a half of my life to it. LOVE!
Sorella Gunnerson
Our room on our first night here at the MTC! Left to right: Sora Smith (Romania), Sorella Spencer, ME!, Sorella Marquis, Sora Newell (Romania), and Sorella Carter.
Our district in our class! Don't ask what the creepy flags to the left of the Italian flag are - we have no idea.
Sorella Carter is crazy about Dr. Pepper so we have a whole stash in our room from random packages she receives. She likes to share with me. She's the best!
This last Sunday at the temple. (Did you notice our Italian flag? Yeah, we're cool like that.)
This picture was taken about an hour ago as we were trying to go through our mail before getting back on the computers and writing peeps back. Crazy! You guys are the best!
Sorella Carter and me on our first Sunday at the MTC.
My district on our first Sunday. L to R, Back row: Anziano Graham, Anziano Petersen, Anziano Barrow, Anziano Pinnock, Anziano Hansen. L to R, Front row: Sorella Spencer, Sorella Marquis, ME!, Sorella Carter
Classic map picture. Minus the anziani. Whoops. We'll take an official district one soon.
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