I've been here at the MTC for 2 weeks today! This week has certainly moved a lot faster than our first week here. I am getting into the routine of being a missionary, at least at the MTC...but basically it's get up super early, study, eat, study some more, eat again, study and maybe teach someone then eat again, then study some more...then you drag yourself to bed and before you know the alarm clock is going off again. I bet that sounds about right to everyone who has served. It is certainly not as painful as I thought it was going to be, but I have never worked for 16 hours straight like this in my entire life so it is quite the adjustment. Go go go all the time. That sure makes the time fly by though. I met with the Branch President the other night, he asked if there was anything he could help me with. I told him yes, I can't keep my eyelids open. He chuckled and actually taught me some good tips on sneakily moving muscles to keep the blood flowing, but so that no one thought I was a crazy person, ninja style.
They make us eat so much food here. It is so brutal. Ha, no I joke. I am finally starting to learn what is safe to eat and what will have you suffering the rest of the day. For example, the ice cream is really tempting and it's is really good, but if you eat that at lunch then 3 hours later it is going to be very hard to sit comfortably. I learned this the other day when the ice cream I shoved down my mouth at lunch was putting on a quite the musical performance in my stomach a few hours later. One of the Elders in my district noticed and later during class when he starting making bird noises (Elders, I tell you) I asked if there was a bird in the room and he said yes and there was a bear too. I laughed so hard I cried for a good solid 5 minutes, bright red and all. The rest of the district had no idea what was going on, but man we needed that good laugh. It would probably be funnier if you were there. Trust me. I believe that Heavenly Father also really heard my fears of gaining weight here and he so kindly put us on the top floor of our residence and classroom. We have to go up and down 5 stories to our classroom at least 4 times a day so my quads are like massive bricks right now. It reminds me of walking up to campus at BYU every day. Stairs are brutal, but I asked for it. Darn. Once we get home at night, we have only 30 min to get into bed before lights out, but we are such a popular room (it's true, I swear) that it is basically impossible to get all you want done. Then it becomes a race for my roommates to see if they can fall asleep before I do otherwise they will never make it to sleep with my sweet night time snoring performances. I win every time. I only feel a little bad.
I have run into several missionaries I know here, that has been fun. I see Sister Garcia, she's so adorable, just as adorable as she was when I taught her in primary. I see Sister Aly Cook all the time, she is so gosh darn pretty, but she has to go to Romania haha. I also see Sister Julianne Bishop, not as often but sometimes in the cafeteria. I know everyone, I'm so popular. haha. Oh man, life as a missionary can be like high school too. Speaking of high school, since everyone here basically just graduated from it. The poor Elders keep getting their foot stuck in their mouth about age comments. They recently found out that my companion is 23 and they just can't believe it. That seems so old to them, which of course make me chuckle - silently. Then they make more intelligent comments like how did you graduate BYU without getting married (to her) and you better get married before you are 25. And the best one yet, if you don't get married by the time you are 30 you probably won't ever get married. I've just play along, acting like my 23 yr old companion is super old and I can't imagine being that old. It's great. If only they had any idea...it might actually shock them so much they may pass out.
We have been playing a lot of volleyball recently. I like to play outside in the sand, which always reminds me of you, Gavin, and I keep a watch out for any missionary that is trying to sneak off to the 'bathroom'. Our Elders have been super fun to play the game with and it turns out I'm not so bad and they beg for me to be on their team. Man, I could have gone to the Olympics as a volleyball pro - I missed my calling!
My feet are basically disfigured. It's impossible to wear 'dress' shoes for 16 hours and not suffer some kind of disfiguration, I'm convinced. I figure though that if I disfigure my feet for the work of the Lord one day I will be healed and I can walk around telling everyone about the miracle that is the foot refigurement. I really miss real socks. I also miss English. My Spanish is still really really terrible, however, last week we met with an investigator and some how (I know how - I'll tell you) with my terrible Spanish we were able to commit her to baptism. I could not belive it. I also can not tell you how bad my Spanish is, it is SO bad, I can tell you that my investigator laughed for a good minute and half after something I completely butchered until I begged my companions "ayudame!" BUT, it did not matter. They keep telling us this, that when you have the spirit of the Lord, there are no barriers to teaching His word. I testify that is 100% true. I am a living, breathing testament of that and I will keep on doing it. Hopefully, one day the language will actually come out of my mouth and make sense. It will.
We were assigned last week for service to clean toilets, as I was bent over looking that bowl squarely in the face, all I could think about was the Turkish Toilets. Man, toilets are going to haunt me all the days of my life. If you havne't heard that story...it's a gem, ask me and I will tell you some time.
I am truly amazed at the spiritual progress I have experienced over the past two weeks. I came here with a strong foundation, but the Lord has taken that and tripled it and there is still so much more to go! What a wonderful blessing this has been for me and I am only on week 2. I can not explain how the change has taken place, but I feel it. The Lord has taken what I brought, and with my obedience and faith he does His work. I have nothing else here, but my faith in the spirit and let me tell you that really does a body good!
Please keep writing me, I had no idea how much it would help. I love you all so so much! Thank you for your support.
Love,
Hermana Hall
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