My Heart is in Texas: Week 1 down!!!

Sister Loo is still figuring out this whole MTC writing with the limited time she is allotted on her preparation days (she only gets an hour of computer time); so for now she wanted us to share some excerpts from her letter.

Oi! Tudo Bem! Bom Dia!

Wow! What a week. I don't even know where to start. I may not cover everything that I can remember but I do have a week and half worth of stuff that I need to share with you! :) I can't believe all that time has already passed by. There's a saying here at the MTC that is the weeks feel like days and the days feel like weeks. I have come to know that that is sooooo true!

The first three days here were the longest days of my life. They were horrible but I tried to persevere through them because I know that this is what I am supposed to do and I want to be here. But they were so long because it was constant non-stop studying and orientation. Just a lot of information that was being shoved our way.

But the first day was long because I had barely a chance to breathe. It was go go go all the way up to bedtime at 10:30. And of course I couldn't go to bed right away because my brain was thinking about all the things that had happened and of course missing you all already. I found myself finally getting back to sleep but waking up at 5:00 in the morning completely awake. It's slowly getting better and better though.

On our second day here at the MTC we learned how to bear our testimonies and pray in Portuguese. Then the next day we were expected to teach an "investigator". We soon found out that it was a teacher but we were to approach it as if we didn't know that he was already a member. It was so nerve racking. On my third day here me and my companion were expected to share a message and communicate to a fluent Portuguese speaker??? Ahh I was so nervous. But we smiled and tried to figure out what they were saying. There was a lot of sign language going on the entire lesson. We taught him 5 times, trying to get better and better at our Portuguese and figure out what he needed and listen to the spirit so we understand what to teach him. It is truly amazing the spirit in the room when we bear our testimonies in Portuguese. If we can't leave anything or say anything besides our testimony it works! The spirit is so strong and so hopefully they can feel that as well. No wonder they teach us that on the second day.

My Spanish has been helping slightly but it's also confusing me a bit because the Portuguese words and verbs are so similar but so different at the same time. Yesterday we did a mock street investigator and I ended up saying iglesia instead of igreja. He picked that up and was quick to correct me. :)

Thank you all for all your scriptures, quotes, and advice. I love it! It's funny because it completely relates to the things that I am learning in the week. And so I just add it to my memories.

One of the best experiences this week was getting to watch a rebroadcast of Elder Bednar's Character's of Christ. He gave it at a devotional at the MTC on Christmas. It is awesome! It gave me so much motivation and inspiration for my mission. If you can find it I highly recommend watching the broadcast, but if you can just read that would be good as well. But seriously everyone should take his advice to heart. It has helped me so much already.

Everyone is so nice here. We have been challenged to share our testimony to at least 5 people a day and everyone is so willing to listen and smile and help us out. It is so cool to see where everyone is going and hear missionaries try to practice and speak their language.

Obedience has been the key subject of this week and I definitely understand why now. I didn't think there would be a lot of grey area here but there is. There is a lot of time that there is no one supervising us so we need to be obedient and driven ourselves to get the studying and work done that we need to. I see a lot of Elders and Sisters not using their time to their advantage and disobeying rules like writing home during the week and not being timely to the activity of the day. And I can see the result of that disobedience. They are more homesick and don't get full advantage of the learning that they can do here. Sister Hansen and I have made it a goal to be early to classes and set the example hopefully so the Elders and Sisters in our district can be more on time.

My companion is Sister Hansen and she is awesome. Companionships are truly inspired and I am so lucky to have her. We work well together and she is so chill. We find that we have a lot in common and she has such a strong testimony of the gospel. She has already taught me so much and motivates me to have faith in this work and that my Heavenly Father is helping me if I but just ask him and have faith that he will help. I'm so lucky to have an older companion as I have already noticed a difference in age and maturity of other sisters.

Sister Hansen is so awesome! I think I already said that... But what's funny is that the first time I met her she told me that she loved to work out. Of course she would be my companion!!! There are options for Sisters to work out in the morning with Pilates, Kickboxing, Step, Yoga, and Cardio classes so we go and work out in the morning at 6! It helps us wake up our bodies and I feel like I am more focused throughout the day. We then work out again later in the day. I don't think I've ever worked out so much! But I actually like it because it is a break and I get to relax and think because we can't listen to music. Uncle Mike would be proud. I'm working out 2 times in a day! Crazy!!!! Sister Hansen pushes me and it's good because all this cafeteria food will probably make me gain weight. :(

Speaking of food. The food here is horrible. I find myself eating a ton of salads, wraps, and fruit. It is BYU services so me and Tupu are sharing the same fabulous cafeteria dining. I feel sorry for you Toops. I'm so glad it's only for six weeks.

Thank you to everyone who has sent DearElder letters. I was so happy that you were able to find out about that because it is so cool to get them the day that you write them. Then I am able to hear about the things going on in the week. I must say it made me a bit homesick but then I was off to the next thing and didn't have time to think about it. That's a really good thing. No wonder they only allow you to write on P-day because if you are obedient and focused on the work you get lost in it. It makes it easier to focus on the things that you should be. So happy for all the support from everyone. I can definitely feel the love. It is what keeps me going when I really just want to take a nap halfway through the day.

I received both the package from Uncle Mark and the package from you. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!! It's funny because not only the day after I sent the first letter I found everything I needed in the give away boxes. Coincidence right? haha. But thank you for sending it still. I will be very prepared for Brazil. Uncle Mark's package was of course a lot more little surprises then just the ziplock bags and soap. I got cotton balls, cereal, fruit snacks, chapstick, bandaids, and a whole bunch of other stuff. It was hilarious and the best. So thoughtful of him.

Ahh running out of time. Miss you all. Till next week!!!!

Love,

Sister Loo

Oh and I am surprisingly not grumpy or impatient when I'm tired. I think my Heavenly Father is helping me out on that one. It's a good thing. Patience- wow you would be surprised how much I have been patient. I think it is because I pray everyday to have patience and be obedient...