MTC Day 9

Mom! Family! Friends! Thank you SO MUCH for all of your emails, letters, thoughts, and prayers. It is so good to know what is going on and how everyone is. Our communication time is so limited, though!! Now I understand a little bit more why some missionaries write such short letters. I've kept a bullet point list throughout the week of things I need to tell you, so hopefully I remember everything important!!

Guess who spoke at Sunday Devotional? President Daines!

Day 9 here in the MTC, and only three left! I am so extremely happy that I don't even know what to say! This week has been crazy busy but I love it here. I'm learning so much! (Sorry if this seems repetitive from last week, but all of the above statements are still true!) My Spanish is improving, and I feel much better about my speaking skills. I'm definitely not perfect, but I know that Chile will be the best thing to help me progress from here. Last Sunday was wonderful, one of the best days here. It was fast Sunday, and we had a really great bilingual testimony meeting with our branch. Who wants to guess what language I bore my testimony in? Oh yes, my friends. First public testimony in Spanish! I was very nervous, but I suppose it came out alright.

As for my companions, they have both been kinda stressed with the MTC schedule and some other situations that would take too long to explain. We've been working through things and
I am becoming a better person because of them. Turns out some of the advice I received before coming on a mission about finding a balance between working hard and still taking time to breathe was fairly valid. I try to slow down enough for my companions to have time to breathe, so it is a work in progress. Who knew I'd ever be such a big advocate for studying?

One interesting detail of the week: the Travel Office almost forgot to book us a flight to Chile! All of my zone was put in the wrong category somehow, so they had to change us around and rush to get us a flight. The good news is that it all turned out, and we're leaving on Monday! We report to the Travel Office at 10:00, (which is a dreamy hour here at the MTC- many have to leave at 3 or 4 in the morning), and then we fly to Atlanta at 1. About a four hour layover there, then we fly to Santiago, another layover, then a flight to Concepcion. Needless to say, we will have lots of time to chat with people on the plane and in the airports. Excited for that! And a bit nervous... I'll keep praying that my Spanish-speaking-speed will somehow accelerate in the next couple days.

I just want to wrap up by expressing how loved, happy, blessed, and looked after I feel. Don't tell any of the other missionaries, but I am not joking when I tell you that I picked up FIVE packages on Thursday. Five. I am overwhelmed by all the support I feel from you wonderful friends and family. Thank you so much for your letters, thoughts, and prayers. The Spirit here is so strong, and I hope you won't think me sacrilegious or hyperbolic when I say that God is with us here in the MTC. I can testify of that in the most personal way possible. He loves us, looks after us, and makes sure we never feel alone. He uses wonderful friends and family like you, but even more, He sends His spirit here to teach and guide. I pray for each of you with all my heart, and I know He hears those prayers, even in my simple Spanish. I pray that you each feel the immense blessing that this gospel is- for it is everything. The knowledge of our Savior is a treasure, one only limited by our desire to access it. Please know, all my dear friends, that He loves and knows you. I love you also!

Yours,

Hermana Oldroyd