6th letter

So let me start at the beginning! A very good place to start! So Monday or well maybe Sunday night our last in the MTC! So a few days before I was feeling really nervouse and scared for this. But Sunday I just felt good todo bien! (that's what everyone says here, how are you? todo bien, all good) It was a good morning, we had Relief Society and Linda S Reeves from the general RS pres. spoke. It was good but she seemed kind of scatter brained..but it was good. Then we had our district meeting me and Hna Lundberg talked about the atonement. And after our zone sang Para siempre Dios este con vos. God be with you till we meet again. Then we did some last packing. And after dinner had a departing devotional, and I dont remember if I wrote about this but one day when Hna Lundberg had to make a phone call I was sitting there writing a list of things I was scared about :) and Sister Trost the 2nd councelors wife in the MTC presidency came up and started talking to me. She is the one who my first week spoke about overcoming fear. We talked more about that and related to eachother a lot. It was suuuper cool. Any way after the devotional she came up and we talked a little more! Then we had the normal Sunday night devotional and sang songs like always before. I miss all the singing we did in the MTC! And in the devotional it was by one of the district presidents and his wife, the Lindals but she spoke about fighting off the voice of the enemy, satan, and how he speaks to us through fear and other things... and the voice of the natural man and how we need to know how the adversay speaks to us so we can fight back and not let our faith be replaced by his fear. I liked that. Then instead of watching a movie Bro. Monson and his wife said they would come visit with our 2 districts. so we listened to him talk, He's super purete!  super cool. At one point he said who's scared and I shot my had up and in my head I said oh I'm so scared! But i didnt feel it. The nervous scared feelings were gone!! I was so happy! Y eso no mas. (that's it)

So then traveling was interesting. I don't like planes or suit cases or the skirt I wore for 2 days haha. It was fine. It was cool, we ran into members at every air port even Brazil, (but he was a returning missionary) We passed South Jordan on the front runner on the way to the air port, I said good bye again! Oh manI'm glad I saw the temples again and the mountins!! I got pictures. Anyway after a lot of traveling we finally got to Paraguay! It. Was. So . Hot. I could feel my hair growing bigger and bigger. (I have a picture of that too) And apparently it wasn't even that hot. But President Mcmullin and his wife picted us up they were waiting for us! We talked about south Jordan, that was nice :) then we drove to the temple and sat in the heat and talked about the foundation of the church in Paraguay. It's a pretty temple! Then we went to the mission office, they talked about a lot of things I dont remember I was so tired. Good thing they have us written info because I was faling asleep. ANd we met the latinos in our mission they are the ones who went to the Argentina MTC. all of us AMericans went to provo. They were saying they had a huge group or something so I guess we couldn't fit. And we were the first group in this mission to go to Provo. I'm so super glad though! I needed my time there to adjust and everyone and thing there was amazing! Oh and I talked with the president's daughter Erin, she's 17 and knows Ensley!! and some other people I know too. I love the family they are so nice! They we went to the Hna training leaders house and got to sleep. It was hard though because there were so many of us in there ! I was hot tired grumpy and just wanted to sleep. I looked back in my journal and I pretty much felt the same way as my first night in the MTC. This whole week has actually been the same. That means it can only get better!! :) 

So the next morning we went back to the office and talked about stress and some things and I was still tired and just didn't feel... right. I don't know how to explain it. I was tired and sad and scared and stressed and everything. So we got some study time after (they split us up in our 2 groups americans and latinos) and I just wanted to cry. I needed to cry and I knew it but I couldn't get it to come out! But talking with Hna Lunberg and Noorda I finally got it out! well most of it. Oh it felt so good! After I was happy and excited and ready to meet my trainor! And that's what we did. They put the trainers on one side of the room and us on the other and put up a picture of the trainor and then the missionary they had. I was the last hermana so I kind of know before they put the picutres up. My companion is Hermana Johnson. She's not a native (heavenly father knows me so well haha ) this is her last transfer of her mission so she's super-ieper purete! She's from Texas and her dad actually served her so she's met some of his converts! And she's super dedicated and obedient and hard working and so so nice! She's really good with helping me with my spanish and pushing me out of my comfort zone to talk to people! Its hard but I love it! how else would I get better! So yeah we said good bye and got a taxi to toke us to our house! My area is Molino in Luque. Small...poor-ish. Yeah. our house is actually not bad. If you keep it clean it looks nice. it's cool and as I meantioned we have a flushing toilet and a shower and running water and AC!! It's not quite a home but it works. It's safe. I actually feel really comfortable there, safe and fine. But we're always cautious! We actually live in our  zone leaders area but teach some people in their area. So we work with a few families in their area and walk to ours every other day. I have no idea how much but we walk so much! Remember how I like hiking? Yeah I hike everyday. And it's actually not bad, I kind of like it! I'm going to have some nice leg muscles when I get back! haha I sweat a lot, I'm always wet. So back to Wednesday, we put my stuff down studied and then went and taught a lesson! We taught Pedro, he's 12 and has a baptizmal date. He's super smart and does all we ask him and he has a testimony! it's cool! Then we ate dinner with a member she made fish. It was good I have no idea what kind but it was good and she had a nice house! No dirt floors yet! Thankfully! Then we just visited some members. She had me participating in the lesons already! she would look at me and it would be silent so I knew I had to say something I would have a moment of panic but then say something and it would be fine! I am understanding a lot actually and people say its not the same language they learned in the MTC. I dont't notice a difference except there are just people with no teeth here and everyone talks fast-ish and slurs. If I listen really hard I understand just fine. It's reponding I have a little trouble with but I know with practive I can be better. Oh and they usually throw in a misheemee (that is so not spelled right along with everything else, but that's a little bit in guarani) of guarani. Sometimes that's hard. But I know its guarani because they talk like their nose is plugged. Yeah but we are teaching every day and working with recent converts and members. There are actually a lot of Wards and stakes here not just branches. We are in a ward. Hna Johnson says its  one of the best wards she's been in so far and it's her last. A pretty good amount of members! And we teach a lot of people and we contact. That's hard for me but she makes me do it, so I'm improving! :) 

On saturday I took my first collectivo ride to Asuncion so Hna Johnson could go to the temple with her converts Carla and Emillio they are married with a little baby girl EMily. They did baptizems for their family. So while they did that I went with her other companions compainions. She was in a trio. Oh and the collectivo ride its a bus and it goes really fast and is an old clutch engine thing that is loud and bumpy. Dont try to eat on one! And it goes over the cobble stone streets  like a 4 wheeler. off roading almost! It was fun though I liked it. And it helps me get to know my area! It was cool to be at the tmeple again. We just contacted while we wated for them. 

Church sunday was good and we ate with memebers after. I had sopa Paraguay which how they made it was just bread with some things in it. It's hard though they eat lunch as their big meal and it is the middle of the day and these people feed us so much hot pasta and meat! and bread! ooo the bread though I like it they put fennel in it. holy cow its hard after lunch luckly we sit and talk for a while so we can digest. I eat a lot of pasta. and some form of meat. and potatoes. and they like cabbage salad. And that yucka root stuff I forget what it's called but it tastes like mushy nothing. For dinner yesterday we ate with a member family Lopez he made some really good chicken stuff with salsas and tortillas. oh that was good! and he speaks english haha that was nice. Then he and his wife who washes our clothes drove us home! That was amazing :) Oh and they drink so much jugo (i dont know how to spell it) juice! orange, banana, avacado! pomello, mango ( I mised mango season pucha! dang) they have a juice for everything! So yeah that's the food. 

Anyway I'm hot and sweaty but happy! I don't love it yet but I think I will .I'm sleeping well and my companion is great! And I understand and speak spanish! yay!! 

and I think that's all! I love you all so much and miss my bug free home, It feels like I dont know that this is not real or something. Some days I just have to think of being able to go home to make it through. but it's just my first week.  And yeah I love you! I can't wait to talk to you again! 

Love,
Hermana Sarah 

Collins!

5th letter

This week was really good. Our new district we got it pretty cool! They all study really hard and practice Spanish a lot! they'll be great! So this week was really good and I had some days that I struggled. One day my companion was struggling she just felt  like everyone was learning better than her and she was comparing the 18 year old boys to her self and got pretty down on herself.  I started to feel later that night just like I wanted to be able to teach better I'm not where I want to be but I want to be there now. But I prayed for help and our teacher noticed our faces I guess and talked to us and I felt better. I know I have high expectations for myself  but it will take time and hard work to get there. I know I can get there, and Christ will help me. My teacher reminded me of Christ's grace how he is the difference I shouldn't just rely on myself. I need to remember who else is my companion and let the spirit do the teaching and that will be enough. I am enough.And she showed me a scripture that I already really like D&C 78:17-18.

Friday we got our travel plans so that was pretty exciting! 

Saturday was Valentines day and me and Hna Lundberg made Valentines with scriptures about love on them and decorated our classrooms and gave our zone and teachers fun valentines. and her family sent a lot of treats so we gave those too! It was fun to see everyone so excited! OH and this day okay so mi companera wanted to do a Spanish temple session, they only do those on Saturdays at 8 am or 12. so we actually go special permission from the mtc pres. to go! We just couldn't tell any one! so I got to do a Spanish endowment session! It was pretty cool, I actually understood a lot! 

Sunday was so nice, I love them. We do a lot of singing and I love singing! We sing in sacrament, we sing a long to music and the spoken word (quietly but I still do ) and we sing in relief society and in our devotionals. So we have devotionals every Sunday and Tuesday and before they start we all sing the prelude music we do 3 or 4 songs and then an opening song! There is so much singing we sing before we start all of our classes too! I love it so much! In sacrament Pres. Goodman our branch president talked about how he had a son, who didn't like to swim he would not let go of the side of the pool. And he had a friend (pres G) who was an old Navy seal that said he could teach him how to swim, he was kind of worried but he let him. He took his on and went into the middle of the pool. and held him and said take a breathe and went under he came up screaming and sputtering but they did this over and over. until he got the idea. Well I related that to myself. I need to let go of the side of the pool, take a deep breathe and immerse  myself in the work.  

Yesterday it snowed a little like hail ish. I want to see snow again before I leave!!! but yes then we get to today and all is well! Just preparing to leave and all that fun stuff! And I don't think anything else really happened... so I guess I"ll talk to you Monday! and then I"ll be in South America!! woohoo...yeah.

4th letter!

I cannot believe I have 1 more full P-day in the MTC. I'm not sure I want to leave, I mean I just left! I don't want to leave again! But I am excited for the plain ride! Although I'm not sure I'm ready to be in a foreign country! But I guess I'll get over that pretty fast! :) We are getting a new district tomorrow and we get to be hosts too!! That means I get to help people out of the car and into the MTC and show them to their room and stuff! I'm so excited, because my host was so nice and sweet! I want to help someone like that! And I decided when I come back I want to work at the MTC, I think it would be so fun! I love my teachers! Sorry I think I say that every week probably but I really do, I actually just love teachers! So cool! 

So this week we said goodbye to a sister in our zone, Hermana Worth she was better at the language than they thought so she's in Argentina now. 

That same day Thursday we were doing a teaching activity and it was pretty frustrating and I got kind of upset with myself. But Hermana Lundberg and I talked to our teacher and I felt much better. For the rest of the day Hna Lundberg was acting really weird and she just kept saying she was tired and I just did not believe her at all. It was driving me nuts. Even one of our teachers noticed and at the end of the day he asked if he could talk to us/her. He thought he had done something to hurt her feelings she had this nasty stink eye. She just said she was tired. And I said again I did not believe her! But I just felt like I should leave it alone so I did, then the next morning She said, so you know last night, I wasn't tired! No Way!! haha I was right!! I felt bad she was just frustrated and let it bother her all day! But I was proud I noticed :) It was nice being able to talk about that. 

Not much happened this week. We are working really hard with these last weeks left. Saturday was so nice and warm! It was crazy! we studied outside for a while. 

I memorized the first vision in Spanish!! 

Oh but I do have a funny story. So yesterday Hna Lundberg was talking to someone at dinner and I sat across from her. She had some pineapple left that she hadn't eaten. So I was bord and sprinkled salt on it. Then another sister in our zone said Hna Lundberg eat this its good, refering to the pineapple. So she did! It was so funny :) She spit it out and it was just funny! 

That's pretty much it... We are just studying really hard and practicing teaching all the time and speaking spanish! It's great! OH I cashed the check today! And we went to the eye doctor because Hna Lundbergs contact prescription expired...so we just stopped by the bank... It was great! Escape from the MTC part 2! Oh and tonight for the devotional me and Hna Lundberg are singing in the Choir and we are singing Nearer my God to thee. With the other half of the MTC that does choir :) Its pretty cool! Well we have to go practice now and I dont really have much more to say! I love you and miss you! 

Talk to you next week!!

Love Sarah!

Sarah's Third Letter

 My third week was good!! It has gone by so fast yet so slow at the same time it's weird! My district didn't change but my zone did. So there was District 8C in zone 8 they were here when we all got here. My district is 8A and another 8B we all got here on the same day. 8C all left this morning and yesterday for Costa Rica and Panama! We woke up at 4:15 this morning to say goodbye (apparently it's tradition or something) but dont worry I went back to bed :) Then we went to the Temple at 7:15 ish and just did initiatory's which was really cool! And of course we had to have breakfast! I was talking with a sister who was ringing up our food who spoke spanish and in spanish she said it was the celestial language haha. So yeah Spanish is coming along great! I'm starting to be able to express my emotions and thoughts in spanish. That was the hardest thing, when we were giving a lesson to an investigator and I couldn't say how I felt, and that made me feel like I was going to EXPLODE!!! it was so frustrating!! But I'm getting better at that!! I'm not worried about the language at all, I practice hard and I know the Lord will bless me. The first week we learned to pray and bear simple testimonies, and I learn more everyday! It's so fun I love it!

My companion is pretty good! I'll explain that in a minute though. 

Okay so now my stories :) 

 So first I feel perfectly normal now! Which is so great that was probably the shortest cold thingy I've ever had... Last Wednesday in gym we did lunges for a 1/10 of a mile and my legs and butt hurt so much from that! I need to get into shape! We woke up early and went to a yoga class at 6, that was interesting... 

Okay sorry now I'll explain the subject. So! It all started on Saturday. Normal day things were good. After dinner around 7:00 in class with Hermano Thompson an Elder in my district Elder Shamata did not feel well, he and his companion left and he threw up in the bathroom so they went back to their room. Then about a half an hour later Hna Lundberg didn't look to good when we came out of the bathroom but she said she was fine. Then about 20 min later she said she needed to leave so as soon as we got in the hall way she broke down in tears and was in a lot of pain in her stomach. But not her stomach it was like right below her belly button and she said it felt like someone was stabbing her. She mentioned a blessing earlier, so I didn't know what to do so I went into the other districts room and got the zone leaders and they gave her a blessing. She was able to stop crying, and in the blessing it was interesting, they blessed her that she would be healed by or with light and that all the darkness and evil in her would leave. (18 year old boys!!) I thought that was cool. Anyway we come out and Hermano Thompson is out there and he sees her and asks what's going on. She said she was fine...yeah as her face twisted in pain and she started crying again a little. He didn't buy it so he called the front desk and told them we were coming down there. (Because it was Saturday night the clinic was closed so they had to call a doctor) She did not want to, she just wanted to go lay down and put heat and lavender oil on it or something but we couldn't just not go. So they called a doctor and she talked to him and he wanted her to get it checked out. So it's like 8:30 ish now and we get to go to the ER!! woohoo..it was the only thing open saturday night :( So on a 12 passenger bus we go and drive down the street, passing every one coming out of the BYU basketball game. And to the IMC or IHC whatever it is ER. I've never been in an emergency room before so this was quite the experience. ( I actually really loved it though, I'll explain why) So they drop us off and we go in. She sits down and then stands up, and starts talking to people! I kind of freaked out in my mind, what are you doing you don't talk to people like that!! Then I though oh she'll make a good missionary haha. But later I found out 1. she's just like that and 2 it kept her mind off the pain. So then we got her checked in and sat down to wait. And she talked to more people. While we were waiting a couple comes in the girl is not walking well and leaning on the boy. They sat down and she got a wheel chair. and more of their family came in. They were all around her when they started to freak out! She passed out and I guess was pregnant too, so they tried to get a nurse and wake her up, it was kind of scary. But everyone in the ER I found is so calm, I could not work there. Anyway Jade asked me to pray with her for this girl so we were praying silently for her and I could hear them saying " Wake up sweetie, squeeze my hand". Well Jade gets up and goes over and asks for her name! Later I found out she really didn't hear them but I was again like, what are you doing?! But I found out it was a good thing she did. Because then they noticed we were praying and knew it was for her. When she finally got to go back her future mother in law and grandma( we found that out later) came and thanked and hugged us, they were crying so we were tearing up a bit. But that moment right there that experience I felt like a missionary. I felt like a representative of Jesus Christ. I felt like we were in the "real world" and for that time in the hospital I felt the reality and weight and joy of my calling. I felt the love of the Savior for these people. And yes it was already an emotional situation but I felt like those people saw and felt Christ through me. I can't explain it but I felt like a missionary and it was so cool! I was actually really happy and joking around the rest of our time here. I knew Jade was fine (sorry Hna Lundberg is too much to type) she knew she was fine, she just hurt. So I felt bad but it was so cool. Anyway we went back she got blood tests and did a urine test and got an ultrasound that was interesting. (I documented the whole thing, we have lots of pictures (: ) Then we were hanging out in our room I was pretty bored, sometime we would read a few scriptures because I had mine, or blow up latex gloves or I just wondered around her room. She made friends with all the nurses and doctors. Jade became best friends with everyone. Then the future mother in law of the girl  found us, and talked to us, her son is her fiance. It was interesting she told us all about them and that was doing fine and they were LDS I guess her son and the girl are working on coming back... Then after she left we were just sitting waiting for results, when 2 elders walked by our door it was Elder Shamata the one who threw up and his comp. Poor guy he did not feel well, they think it may have been really bad food poisoning with something else.   I guess it was bad enough they have him morophene how ever you spell it. Jade would not take it. So yeah we were just down the hall from each other! They were there till about 1:30 while we left around 11:45. so I guess with Jade they were looking for appendicitis or ovarian cysts. But they found nothing so they let us leave. She still hurt though not as bad. We got back around 12 and went to bed. so yeah! That was an adventure! She did see a doctor here though who explained the results more form all the tests she had.  Not much else happened...except our zone decreasing by 8 which was sad but it's what happens. Yeah I think that's pretty much it! I love you all and hope you have a good week!! 

Love 

Hermana Sarah :) 

Please hold for pictures.

Second Email!

cannot believe it has been 2 weeks! Well 13 days to be exact but still... It feels like just last week that I was sitting here typing again on a really hard keyboard! These things are ancient or something, or a ton of missionaries wore them out. Either way it's really hard.

I'm really liking it here, I love all my teachers and I love practicing teaching! It's pretty difficult sometimes especially since Hermana Lundburg and I have very different teaching styles. But we communicate well, or she does, she  makes me talk about my feelings :) (I'm learning) I really like my zone too and my district, the zone leaders and sister training leaders work hard to keep us all together, like we all eat together even on P-days and sometimes we study together and have mini devotionals. Its fun they are some cool people. The majority of the district that was here when my district and another got here are leaving next week for Panama and Costa Rica! 

This week was pretty good, last Tuesday in the evening for our Devotional M. Russel Ballard was here and spoke to us!!! It was sooo cool!! And apparently Elder Nelson was here the week  before which is unusual to have 2 apostles in a row! But Elder Ballard talked about reformers in the Dark ages like Martin Luther and some others and how people responded to them and people who brought about the Bible. He said " Be positive, go forward, Be courageous, be exceedingly glad in the work you are called to do You do not have time to be depressed or home sick get that over with in the MTC. If you feel it was harder than you thought or have negative thoughts take your mind to Liberty jail and think of the Prophet Joseph." He said to write a letter to Joseph Smith and cheer him up and you wont feel bad any more. Oh and he said " Be very careful in planning. Set goals dont just be obedient, set goals and call down the power of heaven to help you and that is when you see miracles." It was cool . 

Wednesday was my week mark! woo! We got to "welcome" new people to the MTC. Really we just said welcome to the MTC because I guess that's what everyone did if you have that dot on (Which I kept on the WHOLE day!) Nothing really interesting happened besides that...

Thursday we had a really good morning! We had our first class at 8:15am and went early because last week we had been late for Hermano Thompson's class. (Hna Lundburg struggled with getting ready on time) and it was just nice to be early! or on time even! Then after lunch I was really tired, and we had our personal study block, where we do personal, companion, and then language study for an hour each. Well during personal study I decided to rest my head on my desk on my scriptures, aaaand I sort of fell asleep for a bit! but the funny thing was I had my scarf over my face but somehow I still managed to drool a little in Alma!! Oh it was sad! But funny! Oh! then that night we were teaching our investigator Nelson and we knew he was a teacher at the MTC but he was just an investigator to us. Anyway we taught him and then went back to class, then in walks Nelson to our class! and he kind of evaluated us and our teaching (still as Nelson he never broke character) that was interesting. But helpful, even though he just spoke spanish... Well then...

Friday morning, we walked into our class and we had a new teacher! (we have 3 now) Nelson! Or Hermono Voss! It was so weird but he is such a good teacher! So that was the exciting part of Friday. And Friday was when I started to feel sick :( my throat felt scratchy. Well the next day I didn't feel so hot my throat was sore ish and yeah.

So then Saturday happened not much I just felt suuuuper tired and took a nap...which helped me feel a bit better

I love Sundays!! I love watching music and the spoken word. and Relief society and its just great!! And we go on our temple walk every sunday at 3 ish with a ton of other missionaries, and that's fun to get out! Some elders in my district when they leave the building or go out the gate turn to a teacher or someone and pretend they have hand cuffs on and ask for someone to take them off. :) This sunday before our temple walk while the Elders where in priesthood meeting Bro and Sis monson came in and we got to talk to them for a while. Dad he's only 2 years younger than you! ( he looks a lot older) he's pres monson's nephew remember? ... yeah he talked about recognizing the spirit...which was cool since this was a surprise visit! then we had the Sunday night devotional. and Stephen B Allen spoke, he is head of the mission department or something but he was sooo funny!! he asked for people to stand up if they had gotten dear johned or dear janed haha and he said if you shouldn't be here (like if you're not worthy) go home! he was pretty bold like that through out the whole talk but it was really good. He said to not let Satan push your buttons. Then we watched the "Characteristics of Christ" it was a talk given by Elder Bednar in the MTC on Christmas a few years ago. which was cool, he talked about how the Savior turned out and how the natural man turns in. 

Then Monday yesterday! Yesterday was so funny!! there were several times where Jade and I laughed sooo hard it was great!!! The first time was when we went in our class before lunch and our teacher was in there preparing for the lesson. So we have these  desks that are a chair that folds at the seat and a desk that you kind of fold up and down, well I put my knee on the chair to grab something and I got stuck in it folding in half!! A few times I went back and forth kind of rocking. I can't explain it very well, I'm glad my teacher was just looking at her computer haha but Jade and I laughed soo hard it was pretty funny! And then the other thing, after dinner we have this zone devotional I mentioned, where someone gives a spiritual thought. Well this one was on companion unity. So the elders teaching had a trio of elders in my district come up and two of them linked their arms to make a square, one of the elders is a bit bigger, and the other elder was supposed to sit on their arms and they would lift him up. Well the one elder said don't pass gas ya know, and then as soon as they stand up a bit more you hear this loud RIIIIIPPPPTTTFFFFF. at first we thought it was gas. No. then the bigger elder was holding his arm so we thought he broke it. No. his pants ripped right down the seam!!! He was soo good about it though, We all busted out laughing and he laughed with us! OH it was THE  funniest thing ever!!! That never happens!! Only on TV or something. But man that was so funny!! 

Any way that was my week, we went to the temple again early this morning so we could get other things done and it was nice. I'm feeling much better today too, I just have a stuffy/runny nose.  I miss you guys! It's still weird to think I'm a missionary!! But I'm here so hopefully it sinks in soon! :) 

 On Sunday in Relief Society one of the speakers said this: " Character: to keep the commitment once the emotion of the moment is gone. Will you stay when the staying is hard? " I thought that was really good! After the excitement and the emotional stuff will you stick to the commitment? I know this will be hard, and is kind of already but I'm learning so much Spanish and teaching and gospel! I know the Lord will help me and I know I can do it!! yeah. :)

Love you !!! 

Love Sarah

Sarah's First Email!!!

 Thank you for the emails!! I'm so glad you sent them! And the letters I got 2! I will write back to them. So I ran into Thomas young on wednesday at dinner, he told me that his first P-day he had no emails so he sent one to his mom saying thanks for the email he didnt get... it was funny but good to see a familiar face! I've seen a lot of familiar faces, well not a lot but some. Like Jade! She's my companion, I guess you figured from the picture that lady sent you. That day she had to get a lot of shots (yellow fever, typhoid, tetnes, and flu she got pretty sick, but i'm good) But after her shots this lady volunteering knew her family and asked if she could send a picture to our families. I'm glad she did because now you know when my P-day is! its good. 

So let me tell you about my week. I have been here 7 days if you count Wednesday but it feels like months!!! Its good but it drags!! So Wednesday #1, Leaving was hard but Lola was right ( I think she said this) they keep you so busy you don't have time to think or react, which was.....nice. And remember that really sweet nice sister who helped me when I first got there, (her name's sister Pierson) she really helped, she was so excited and positive and hugging me it was so nice! It made me feel better. So she took me and I went in and got my badge and other stuff, schedule... I felt bad all these nice volunteers were so smiley and saying "welcome sister" I tried to smile but It just didn't come out right, hopefully I didnt scare them. :) Anyway then she took me to my room, and we put my bags in there, I was the first one (out of 5 sisters) so I got to pick my bed! then she took me to my class where I met one of my 2 teachers, Hermana Larson, she is suuuuper awesome, so nice and a really good teacher, I haven't heard her speak any English at all yet! Which really helps. Then I waited for the rest of my district to come and that's when I found out me and Jade were companions. And Elder Llewelyn who was in the YSA stake and went to Bingham is in my district too. Which is cool, but I never knew him..I think Karris did. The rest of the day was kind of a blur. 

Day 2, Was really busy, we had lessons in class and we met our Branch presidency, and their wives, they are really nice  the Branch president looks like Pres. Hinckley. And pres. Monson's nephew is in it too! he acts like him and looks like him a little.I learned a lot of Spanish.And this day I felt pretty good, emotionally. And so this is just the second day (never mind that was the 3rd day not the 2nd)  we had been here but they had us teaching investigators in SPANISH!!! It was kind of scary but it went okay. He is really a teacher, but for us he is Nelson from Honduras and doesn't talk much but he does everything we ask... Good practice. And we got to have gym time today which was really nice! Its funny there is me and Jade in our room and then a trio (they are in advanced spanish class) and one of them Hermana Noorda she looks a lot like Maggie :) 

Day 3 this was when we taught for the first time.not the 2nd day sorry and we had a lot of class and studing and we did a lot with our zone which is really awesome!! I love it. There was just one district before and then now they have 2 more so three districts in this zone. the Older missionaries are going to Panama mostley and the rest of us are either going to my mission, Argentina or a few other random places. But they are so nice and we all get along great, we all eat lunch together and breakfast and dinner. Sometimes we study together because our classes are all right next to each other. This day we met our other teacher hermano Thompson he's pretty cool he used a little more english but he still teaches well. I really like the teachers you can tell that they really care and want to help us learn the language. So far it has been a lot of Language study and meetings with the teachers so the know how we best learn and get to know us a little more. We are still adjusting to the schedule and everything really. Its funny now I say "we" for everything because I never leave my companion, its not me now it is we. 

Day 4, This day was okay... we did service at 7:30 which was nice actually because we didn't have to get dressed really! Usually we get up between 6-6:30 to shower or get ready or whatever to be to class by 7 for additional study and then breakfast at 7:45 (I'm so glad i brought snacks mom! they help so much!!) But we just cleaned our residence building with other sisters for 45 min. then we had to teach our investigador Nelson, but this one we were not prepared very well, which is still not bad but it wasn't as fun. We could have taught better. ... then we had more classes and got ready for Sunday! 

Day 5 Sunday! Sunday was soooooo nice! We didn't have to worry about classes or investigadores (en espanol) or anything really we just got to go to church! Ant 8:15 in the morning! Who has sacrament meeting that early! But in sacrament meeting it is just our zone which is our branch. And because I can play the piano (no I didnt have to play for the meeting but) I played for a musical number, some hermanas wanted to sing so I played Be Still My Soul, and I did pretty good for not really playing that song much. But after that, guess what!!! we (just the sisters, all the sisters in the MTC) got to watch Music and the Spoken Word!!! I was so happy!! and it was all Spirituals and stuff, yeah it made me happy :D Then we had relief society right after. And because we JUST got a brand new MTC presidency on Friday their wives spoke, and they are the relief society presidency. It was cool first Sister Burgess spoke her husband is the new president and then sister somebody I dont remember but then Sister Trost spoke her husband is the 2nd councelor. I really liked her, she talked about how she was really nervous for her new calling and kind of afraid but she talked about how to not be afraid and how she was going to take steps of faith and over come her fear. Oh and in sacrament meeting this guy I don't remember who he was but his name was Brother Lindahl he served in Paraguay and in Argentina as a mission president, but he said that when they( he and his wife) went to Argentina she threw up 18 times and he was pretty scared too, but he said that when he stepped off the plain it didn't matter if he got shot or something he had done what the Lord asked him  to do. And that's kind of what I'm doing, I just did what the Lord asked me to do and nothing else really matters, well it does but ya know. it was good. Then after all that we had a temple walk, every sunday with our zone we go walk around the Provo temple, but really we all just take pictures :) Hopefully I can upload mine. It was funny on the way back we were walking and I heard someone running, and then they hugged me from behind and it scared me!! but it was sister Pierson, the girl who helped me on wednesday! She is so nice! she remembered me. Then we had an mtc devotional with the new mtc presidency and then we watched meet the mormons, it was nice. 

Then yesterday we had more class and more teaching people and language studying and did some zone stuff. Its funny 2 elders in my zone are from washington only one from tri cities knows where Ephrata is, I thought that was cool.

And today, P-day! We woke up at 4:55 to go to the 6:00 session at the temple with our zone. It was really nice they helped me with everything and we were pretty much the only ones there. Then we had Breakfast at the temple it was SO good! I had a waffle with strawberries and whipped cream oh it was good!! and only $2.50 :) yum! then we printed off emails so we knew what to say so not to take up more time, then we did laundry which actually wasnt that bad, I did pretty good! nothing is a different color!! Yes!! and we've just been relaxing and personal studying and now I'm writing. so sorry that was really long but I just wanted you to know everything!! I am having a good time, I think the 'homesickness is not really there any more, well I can think of you guys with out feeling really sad now!!

Oh I forgot , so yes I did see the girl I met in the temple! And so I saw this girl here from the YSA ward and from elementary school she was friends with Cambrey Bean, her name is Taylor Harmon, and I had no idea she was going on a mission! so I didnt really know it was her but she has red hair and is going to New Hampshire but she's not from Mesa, well another girl who was sitting by her at lunch had red hair so i asked and she is the girl who Lola told us about!! she loves Lola and Olivia and she emailed her mom and told her! I thought that was cool.

Well that is all I have time for, I love you guys and miss you but this is good! I know it :) I'll get better and condensing things later! 

Love you!

Love Hermana Sarah

PS I couldn't get the pictures to upload i'll try again but i just wanted to send this so ... I'll try pictures later.

Here I go!

This is how I feel about now...

Look at the world so close
And I'm halfway to it
Look at it all so big
Do I even dare?
Look at me, there at last
I just have to do it
Should I?
No
Here I go