Week 1

My, oh my, this week has been more whirlin' than a tornado in Kansas! I don't right know where to start. How 'bout at the very beginning? Alight then, Once Upon A Time...

Day one, the 18th

I had breakfast with Bubba and Gammies at IHOP, with Makena and Scarlett, then had lunch at Kneaders with Kena, Scarlett, Brookie, and Andrew. From there, Makena drove me to the MTC, where I was greeted by a host and her companion. They got me situated at my residence. I met my district (aka, homebase) and we all were led to orientation and met the MTC president and his wife. My companion is Sister Rodabough, from Eaglemountain, Utah. After dinner and unpacking, we went right to work. We taught investigators as a whole (about a hundred missionaries, it was more of a Q&A session). We has a lesson in Technology and safegaurds. We met the rest of our district (we're district A, we met B and C) and our zone leaders. If some of the terms are unfamiliar, I'm sure you'll find them on mormon.org. After our campus mini-tour, we sang "Sisters of Zion" and "Army of Helaman" outside, then retired to bed.

Day two, the 19th

It was snowing!! All of God's glitter! As a district (Sisters Rodabough and myself, Reay, Fuit, Chowen, Powers, and Hoffer, Elders Latimer, Reeder, Neves, and Weise) we completed some online courses in the computer lab and set up our iPads. I really like Sister Rodabough, she's theatrical and loves disney!! Our morning teacher, Brother Nielsen, role plays as our investigator during class, and we taught him about God's love for us and prayer. The food is good here, but don't drink the orange juice. I've been eating salads every meal, usually accompanied by soup and a big ol' glass of milk! It was still snowing, and my companion and I went to the MTC store to buy some supplies for class (thanks Bubba and Gammies for your gift cards!). Did you know, that even if we shift our focus just a few degrees, we will end up in a different location? Never lose sight of who you are and what you need to be doing! In the evening, we met our branch president and his counselors (rockin' awesome) and had interviews with them. I am an online tech coordinator for my district  Plus, I am the senior companion for a week and a half (we'll switch halfway through). By the way, I'll be in the MTC for two more weeks, for a total of three. I discovered that one of my weaknesses is using my time wisely. I read like a maniac and used to get so caught up with cinematography, that I'd waste my time. I can feel the pull to watch disney and star wars and whatnot, but this is good for me, going cold turkey. A ship in harbour is safe, but that's not what the ship is for. I felt stressed from all the new things, but I'm also very excited. Well, excited AND scared!

Day three, the 20th

Personal study, class with Brother Nielsen (he's so awesomesauce), little bit of snow (come on Utah, snow like you mean it!), new goal to be the epitome of dignity (chin up, princess, or the tiara tips). Learned how to device audit my companion, personal and companion study, made videos (as you can tell, I'm enjoying sending videos home), TRC (teaching resource center) orientation (we teach investigators here at the MTC). Worked out (felt so good! Since I can't dance here, I've got the wiggles big time!), then took a nice relaxing shower (thanks for the soap, Kena, smells really good). Sister Rodabough and I took laps around our residence and I asked her every question I could think of about herself (I can think of loads of questions!) and absolutely fell in love with her! Only downside is that she is pretty cynical about snow, but I'm okay with that now. In Sister Rigby's class (she's our evening teacher) we practiced inviting investigators to baptism. Even role playing with the other missionaries, the Spirit can be felt. By the way, if the Holy Ghost was a substance, I'd be addicted. #SpiritualHigh

Alright, y'all, I'll follow this email up with another one, but I can feel my mama gettin' antsie from a state away. *Blows kisses*

Captain's Log--Stardate: 1.26.2017, part two

Why hello again! Back so soon?

Day four, the 21st

My goal for the day was to practice meekness and mildness. As y'all may not know, I am ADHD un-medicated, so look out world! I can tell I've been annoying all my fellow missionaries and disrupting class (I have such a hard time remembering to actually raise my hand). I've been praying for God's strength to help me be a little less... Broadway (BIIIIG AND LOOOUUUD!). I read in Helaman 5:30 (it's a book in the Book of Mormon, look it up) and Galatians 5:22-23, and I knew Heavenly Father had just answered my prayers by helping me to understand that in order to be a more effective vessel of the Spirit of God, I'd need to pray every day for mildness. My personality is me, and I love being me. I don't really want to change, but for the next year and a half, I represent the Savior and His church. I will change for Him, because I love Him. With the Lord's help and through His Atonement, I can find it within myself to be what He wants me to be. He can help me change. Oh, wipe away your tears, I'm still me (believe you me, I am still very much the same) but this will help me to be calmer and more situatitionally appropriate. It won't be easy. I'm going to have to start fresh every single day, and it's going to test my patience with myself, but I know this is God's will for me. 

Day five, the 22nd

Sacrament meeting, dress and grooming class for the sisters (oh so very helpful) and I took some photos of artwork that I can have as my background on my tablet while here at the MTC. Our entire district went to walk around the temple. I took y'all on the walk with me, so enjoy the video. Yup, that snow all happened over night!!!!!! I'm sorry, Lizzy, that I took the snow with me to Utah. I tried to send it back, but I'm selfish. That, and I guess it's too expensive to mail snow first class. Sorry We sang hymns in the snow around the temple, and said our goodbyes to the missionaries who left this week.  I joined the MTC choir (see video, that's just us messing around before choir actually started) and I'm so glad I did! The choir master, his voice is almost identical to Sylvester Stalone's, even though the intonation and meter is not, and so I was thinking Rocky the whole time we rehearsed 'Joseph Smith's First Prayer' (new favorite), and then the choir master starts quoting Rocky 2!! My universe imploded!!! He executed the most perfect Rocky imitation EVER! We had a Sabbath devotional and then watched The Character of Christ, but David A Bednar as our evening film. By the way, favorite new quote-- Why wish upon a star when you can pray to the One who mad it?

Day six, the 23rd

We learned about stress management, and then got a blizzard of snow!! During breakfast, Sister Rodabough and I bumped into the MTC president and his wife, and guess who has Peacock ancestry? THE MTC PRESIDENT! Sister Rodabough didn't know it was the MTC president and his wife until we parted and I freaked out. She got way nervous and felt like she met a celebrity! Snowed all day long, booyah! We met with our assigned investigators, Linda Fairbanks and Patty Bergin. We got to know them the first lesson, and answered the questions they had. Patty is an athiest, and her son just passed away, so she's looking for some comfort about life after death. We taught her the plan of salvation, and we really felt the Spirit with her. #PrayAllDay She was bewildered about our conception of life before and after out time here on Earth, and that we all chose to follow Heavenly Father's plan for us. I'm sorry to say I monopolized the conversation, but you know me--I'm a talker (cough cough understatement), so Sister Rodabough and I are working on taking turns. Well, mostly just me. Linda is attending BYU, and just moved here from Arizona. I told her that I love the architechture of the Mesa Arizona Temple, and guess what? She actually used to go to the mesa temple ground to think and feel peace, and she loved seeing brides take pictures there. We then (taking turns in conversation) proceeded to discuss that happens in temples and covered eternal families. She love the idea of being sealed and wants to be married there when she meets  Mr. Right. Ten points to Griffyndor!! It snowed hard into the night *squeals with joy* My companion and I spent our exercise hour at the BYU health center because Sister Rodabough felt she had shin splints. Turns out, she pulled a muscle in her left leg. Guess who rode the elivator for the past few days? 

I'll write more in a third email, so stay tuned!

Fwd: Captain's Log--Stardate: 1.26.2017 part three

*In Count Olaf's voice* Hello, hello, hello!

Day seven, the 24th

SERVICE! The sisters in our district cleaned the building where we have class instruction (boys, your bathrooms are gross. Fix that.) I'm not sure what the elders did for their service. Oh, I guess they cleaned bathrooms too, in another building. Haha, karma. Brother Nielsen taught us how to teach the plan of salvation in the sky rook (top floor, a room with blue sky and clouds over the flouresents. Personally, I prefer the smudged grayness of a cloudy day, but I guess not everyone appreciates drama). My companion and I studied for a few hours, and I got your letter Makena! Totally made my day! There's a site called DearElder, and you can write letters to missionaries and headquarters will print it off the same day you send it, and give it to the missionaries during lunch. No pressure *please please please I want mail!* As a district we all went to choir practice and then sang 'Joseph Smith's First Prayer' for the Tuesday Night Devotional. All of the missionaries, much sing, very Spirit. I read the book of Esther when I got bored. Man, Mordeci is a boss!

Day eight, the 25th

WOKE UP TO THE WHOLE WORLD IN WHITE! I swear, I'm not praying for snow, but someone is. As missionaries, we're not really supposed to play in the snowbut I found a way... muahahahahahahahaha! We had a world wide missionary broadcast. Guess who gets more sleep?! It's only about an hour more, but prayers answered! We bore our testimonies as a district after the broadcast and before lunch (mmh, all of the soup and salads). I bore my testimony of eternal families and how the gospel keeps us strong, even when the Adversary throws darts at us.  I'd like to tell y'all some things. I know it can be mystifying about why I'd give up 18 months of my life to the Lord, and go to the boonies to eat squirrel and get lost in the middle of nowhere. I'm giving up books, movies, and music. I'm postponing my education and dance (dancing on the way to mealtimes does not count) and I'm also giving up my family (David, I love you and miss you) and all my friends back at home (Matt, you better be at the airport when I come home), but I'll let you in on a little secret... This is Heavenly Father's design for me. I've finally aligned my will with His. I'm so greatly blessed. I have a loving (albeit cra-zay) family. I want other's to be together with their families forever, too. I'm blessed with the gospel and understanding of God's plan for us. I want other's to see Him as I do. I receive answers to my prayers and have personal revelation. I want other's to know God is there for them, and they're not alone and walking blindly. The priesthood has graced my very existance, and I want everyone to have God's divine power in their life. I'm not afraid of death, because I know life extends beyond this realm. I want others to know that death is not our final destination. I have the textbook of life, the Book of Mormon, and there are prophets, seers, and revealators who guide our church this day, and I want for others to know of the things I do. I'm not doing this for me. I'm doing it got the Lord, and for God's children here upon the earth. Because I love them, yet I've met them not. These will be the hardest months of my life. It may not me the best two years of my life, but they'll be the best two years for my life.

Today is preparation day, and so I'll email y'all next week. My love to everyone,