MTC - Week 1

Excerpts from first day in the MTC letter

17 January 2013

Hola familia!

Como esta?  ...yeah, that's about all the Spanish I know. : /

It's okay tough!  I'm not down about it.  I definitely don't LOVE the MTC, but I definitely don't HATE it.  I do love my companion.  Heavenly Father really blessed me on that one.  She is amazing!  Her name is Hermana Smith.  She's from Highland, Utah.  I feel like her big sister.  I call her Hermana Niño Chica. - Sister baby girl. : )  This is like high school for her.  She's 19, so everyone's her age here in the MTC.  She is always happy, smiling and she's a total babe!  I love her.

I can't imagine being in the MTC with a terrible companion.  It's sometimes weird always having to be with someone - but it's not too bad.  We have lots and lots and lots and lots of study/classroom time.  Not that strange considering that we came here to learn the gospel and Spanish; but it was a lot more than I was expecting.

Photo explanation:

Elder Bloxum got his middle finger cut off in high school.You know how we always play dinosaurs with our hands? 

Yeah, I always make him play it with me because it's soooo funny with his little stub. 

I always shake his half finger instead of his hand :)  He loves me.

Don't worry, he doesn't feel bad that he doesn't have a finger.

With Elder Sheffield (on right), a friend of Hermana Smith's from Highland, UT

...Everyone in my district is serving in Chile Santiago except Hermana Smith and I.  There are eight boys and four girls.  We get along great!  They taught everything in Spanish from the second I walked in.  I could understand most of it, but could never have responded or answered questions. : /  eh.

With Steven McGrath from Kaysville, UT

With Elder Christensen from Kaysville, UT

...I'm doing really well.  The busier I am, the less I think about home, friends, family and diet coke (I miss diet coke.) This morning Hermana Smith and I went to power yoga at 6am.  Oh boy - MTC power yoga - not a pretty sight of sisters, so I kind of did my own thing.  I'll get to start running tomorrow.  I can't wait to get a good run in!

...Okay, I need to go back to class. I love you all!  Miss you lots - but, yeah, don't worry, I'm happy
and groovy. : )

Con amor,
Hermana Pendleton