Hey my dearest family!!
I can't believe that I've been here at the MTC for 9 days! I still don't feel like a missionary, but one of my teachers said that he didn't feel like a missionary until he was out in the field, so it may take time! Guess what! All of my district got our flight plans last night! I can't believe that we got them so soon, but we are all very excited!! Life here at the MTC is great, but I've definately had my ups and downs!! Saturday night and sunday were really hard days for me, and I was wondering what in the world I was doing here... and why I thought that I could be a missionary. That night we had an MTC fireside where the managing director of the Missionary Department spoke... it was AMAZING to say the least!! He had everyone who had even thought about going home stand up, and pretty much the entire MTC stood up, including my lovely companion Sister Aylett. He talked a lot about how it's normal for us to have a transition period and to be discouraged and depressed... but it's kind of hard to stay that way long here at the MTC. The spirit is so strong and lifts you up... it's great! It's really amazing how strong the spirit is here, and that means that you can really tell a HUGE difference when you have contention in your companionships. Last week we taught a lesson to a teacher and after the first try, he said "go and read this list about how to bring the spirit and try again". 15 minutes later we tried again, and he stopped us and said "I really couldn't tell a difference, could you?" We had a great companionship inventory that night... and the next time we had to teach a lesson, it went SO well!! Our "investigator" said that he felt the spirit or "that feeling" within the first 5 minutes. I'm learning how absolutely essential it is to have the spirit... you can't do much as a missionary without it. i really LOVE being a missionary. I've been thinking a lot about WHY I am serving a mission... it's been good to think that, becuase just like Bishop Wilson said... if I'm not sure of my purpose and the reason I'm here, then I'll be more likely to want to come home. BUT, there is no going home for me, I'm here to stay, because I KNOW that this is what I'm supposed to be doing right now. Well, I sort of forgot my list of things to email you, but I'll try my best to remember. (whew, and I have never typed this fast before, so forgive any mistakes!!)
To answer your questions:
I love my companions!! Sister Aylett is so funny and upbeat and she keeps us moving! One day we were practicing testifying to people, and had just gotten done with about 6 people. We were on our way to dinner, and she yelled at some elders, and asked if I could share my testimony with them! It was great practice, but I really never know what to expect from her... but we get along SO well, almost too well, and I really love her. She printed out a picture of us 3 that I'm sending home in a letter to follow this... Sister Gneighting (nighting) is a very quiet person, but she adds a lot to our companionship.
Our district is fantastic and I really love each missionary!! one of them, Elder Bush has decided that he LOVES nothing better than to tease me. Yesterday we were cleaning our classroom, and he was asking me to just leave him alone, and to stop being so perfect. He's been trying to get me mad, because I said that yesterday I got mad at Sister Aylett, and was grateful to her for forgiving me (in our why i love my companion moment), and no one could believe that i got mad (I know family... you're rolling your eyes!!) Today Sister Aylett told me to give him a melted candy bar, and tell him thanks for being so nice (in a sarcastic way), after we were trying to run away from him and get to the lunchline, and he was running after me yelling "Sister Smith, do you THINK THAT YOU CAN BUY my love and frienship??!?!" It was really funny... a couple of minutes later he came up and was sort of apolgizing, and was totally looking like he was crying.. then he said "Oh, I wish i could cry on demand!!" It was really funny!! I really love it here and wish I could stay longer than 3 weeks... but I'm starting to think that I'm ready to go out and teach REAL people, and help them feel the power of this amazing church that we belong to.
Since I had so many food questions... the food here is GREAT!! Sometimes I get a little sick of it, but most of the time it's really good. Today for lunch i had a delicious taco salad... but it's nothing like home cooking. I've been so hungry for sweets that I've been eating a lot (shame on me :(... and I've been trying to stop that (i can hear you mom... up my calcium... and speaking of suppliments... I NEVER have time to take them, but I'm doing GREAT!! I've always heard that the spirit is a great healer, and I'm thinking that is the case!! I really don't need anything right now in the way of pills and stuff... I'm doing good. I had a chance to doctor up Sister Aylett this morning, and she is doing great!!! She was coming down with a cold, and I fixed her all up.
Oh, before i forget... there are two things that I would be so grateful if you could do for me. actually three... PLEASE WRITE MORE LETTERS!!!! I know you're proabably super busy, but I'd really love to hear how all of you are doing!! Thank you so much for the letters that you all send to me, i TOTALLY love letters!! Oh, and the other two things are this... mom, could you please send me a copy of "come thou fount" from the old hymn book ASAP? Our district sings all the time, and ELder Jennings wanted to sing it the other day, so I said that I would get it. The other thing, it that I REALLY need a watch!! If you could just go to walmart and get me a cheap (metal with holes type kind, I hope you know what I mean!) watch, I would be so grateful! I really haven't been that good at keeping track of myself, I'm always asking my companions what time it is... Thanks in advance for that!!!
I'm really sorry to hear about the animals, and I felt horrible for a long time, because it just made me sick for all of you. But after a lot of thinking, i really feel that it is PERFECT!! It was so great that we had the chance to have goats and to strenghten our arms before we got abby! I'm still sad about the 4 chickens, but we said that we wanted to cut back!! I'm praying for you... and thank you so much for everyone's prayers in my behalf!!! I love you all and hope that you are feeling Heavenly Father's love for you everyday!!! I think of you as often as time permits, and I love you all!!!
Thanks so much for everytthing!!! i lvoe you all!!!
SISTER Alex Smith!!! :)
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