May 25, 2011

Mom! Dad! How art thou? So, well, I have only 30 minutes to write this. First thing first: do you want to look in my blue bin thingy on the bunk bed, looking for a small brown-orangish notebook that has my mission prep notes in it and send it to me? I would appreciate that greatly, hopefully I explained that well enough. So life is going well here. First full day here at breakfast, I was just eating, enjoying my food, and guess who came up to me? Elder Brent Borgerson! He's such a nice, friendly guy... Elder I mean. :) Then later during the day I heard my named called out "Sister Walston"! It was Dan Stephenson. He told me about Chris's call. Zimbabwea! Crazy!!! That is so awesome!!! And I do know that I spelt it wrong. Bad speller of Africa names... yep. So what exactly is fifth disease? I got your letter Mom and 2 from Trevor. Eric and Angela sent me a package of cookies :D my first full day here... well I don't think I got it until Friday. but my roommates and I enjoyed them. So my companion is from Wyoming. Her name is Sister Fairbourn. She's nice. I feel though I get along better though with another roommate. Well, I feel more myself and very comfortable with her: Sister Dodge. She's nice. Talkative. Friendly. Random. she's from Washington. The other Sister is Sister Hansen. She's from Arizona. All 3 of them are going to San Bernardino. Or however you spell it. I'm the only sister going to Roseville,that I know of. all the Elder's in my district are also going to Roseville and there are more of them here as well. So one of the Elder's I briefly knew from BYU. He was in the play Persuasion that Shannon and I saw this last semester. Right after I saw it I talked to him at the Testing Center. He said he remembers me... but yeah. I thought that was really cool. He's actually 21 as well. The rest of the elder's all just turned 19 this month of May. Actually one of them was 18 when he entered. A day and a half later he turned 19. Crazy. They are all so young. I've also seen and talked to Elder Justin Wade. He definitely seems to be enjoying the food here. Ha, yep. Classes are going well. I really like my teachers. They really try to help us with anything we need or are struggling with learning. We do a lot of eating and studying, and more eating and studying, and then more eating and studying. Ha. Yep. The first few days were long. Brent actually warned me of that. He said after Sunday, everything was a lot better. He was right. The days don't seem so long anymore. So Dad, you would be proud. Monday I ran close to 2 miles! Yep. I decided to try running with Sister Dodge, she's a runner. She kept going, so I kept going with her. It was good to have someone push me, but not really push me. She didn't tell me to run with her, I decided it myself. The other days of gym we've played 4-square. And boy, I forgot how fun it can be. The Elder's are competitive, but that's boys for you. But they still make it fun. I had a few pretty good hits, getting the Elder's out. One elder next time had it out for me. I think I showed him up again. I don't think he liked being shown up by a sister. But some of the other elder's congratulated me and cheered me on. IT was fun. Yep. So, I feel like I have learned lots. The first few days I felt really confident in my knowledge. But yesterday we experienced the Training Resource Center for the first time and it was flustering. They asked questions I didn't know the answers too. That's why I want my mission prep notes. I think that they will help a bit. Yep. So because of that, yesterday was kind of a down day, but my teacher read us a scripture in Alma 32:41-43 which tells us all we have to do is have faith, diligence, and patience. I know I can do this if I exercise my faith, diligence, and patience. I know I can do it. The Lord is there to help me. I know this is the right place for me to be right now. It feels right. I know it is right. There's no other place I would rather be. And I'm excited to get to understand the gospel better like this. It really is a teaching experience to me. I really hope that I will be able to touch the lives of others. it is so important. I want to help other's come unto Christ. That is the whole purpose of missionary work. To come unto Christ. I was really surprised at how well I am able to do. There are the moments it is hard to know what to say to an investigator, but I have been able to have an easier time of memorizing things. I finally have been able to memorize the first vision. And it only took me about a day. Wonderful!!! I was way thrilled. Life is good here. I hope you are all doing wonderful. I love you all so much. And don't worry about me. I am strong. Most all of the sisters and elders have experience way more ups and downs than I have had. Yesterday was really my only down day. Except for nights when I felt as though I didn't connect with any of my roommates. But that has changed. Sister Dodge is great. The reason I got to know her better is because Sister Hansen has been sick and has had tooth problems. Sister Fairbourn is the coordinating sister and has been taking care of her. so we've been going on "splits." But yep. And just like President Bowan said in the blessing he gave me. No homesickness. I love you all. But I know you're out there and love me and I'll see you again. And its way better this way. I think that's why so many of my fellow missionaries are struggling. But yep. All is going well here in the MTC. Oh, and I got to go to the temple today. And walk and observe the temple on Sunday. It was raining the first few days I got here, but the sun is shining now. :D Oh! And I've seen Leah Clayton! Waved and said hi. And yesterday we actually talked for a few minutes. It's been great seeing people I know. Well, my time is about up.
Love you bunches and bunches and bunches!!!! Keep the letters coming!!! I love receiving them from my District Leader (who is the youngin' who just turned 19 here in the MTC.)
Love always,
You dear sister (daughter) missionary,
Kristi
*I miss my name. I feel very deprived of it. Love you!!! And I really don't want to stop writing, but I must in order to send it! Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!