Feliz Navidad!!!!!

Hola mi Familia!!! It is finally P-day!! OH MY GOODNESS THE MTC IS AWESOME. The best way to describe it would be this. Picture me, standing holding a bucket and the MTC sprays me with a giant firehose. I basically just get knocked over by all the water. But seriously it is crazy over here. Also we have been looking forward to this day for A WHOLE WEEK. So me and my roommates call it Christmas!! I'm not really sure how to structure this email because I literally have so much to say!! So here we go! Also I'm sorry if it is really long The first day was crazy. I had my first mini miracle! I was on the plane to Utah ( kinda bored, with not much to do) so I pulled out my mission packet. I opened it to a random page and I read something about shoes ( I cannot remember what it was!) and then I started thinking about my shoes and that is when I realized that I forgot to pack my tennis shoes!! Luckily Nana and the fam took my shopping to buy some new ones (that is what me and mom decided).

Met up with The Spilkers in front of the shoe store

But I'm so grateful Heavenly Father prompted me to look at the packet on the plane! It would've been much harder to get me shoes after I went into the MTC! Also on the plane I had my first service opp as a missionary. The lady next to me split her coffee everywhere and I went to the back to get paper towels for her and helped her clean it up! It was funny that is was coffee On the plane I remember sitting and thinking about the mission and I remember thinking in my head "I'm all yours Heavenly Father"

So they drop me off and an escort takes me to a building to get a bunch of stuff, including my badge!!!!!!! There was a lady who put it on me! I totally started tearing up when she put it on me. It was so surreal!! I'M A REAL MISSIONARY NOW AHHHHHHHH.

Me and my escort.

My tag!

Before when ever I saw missionaries I would always say "aww look its the missionaries they are so cute!!" AND NOW THAT IS ME. Anyway so we drop my stuff off and I went straight to class! My companion is Hermana Jennings!! I love her so much, she's the best!

Hermana Jennings and Me!

My district consists of 6 Hermanas and 4 Elders. Hermana Williams, Hermana Yardley, Hermana Wilson, Hermana Hunt, Elder Dempsey, Elder Price, Elder Turnbow, and Elder Olson! They are the best!! we have all gotten pretty close!

My district.

I saw Hermana Hawkes (Sarah from BYU) a lot which is so fun!! She is the cutest. Also Sister Connell (Allie from BYU) is here! and 2 other girls from stover 3100!! It is so much fun seeing familiar faces. Also I see Elder Ward (Tyler) ALL THE TIME haha I seriously see him almost everyday- don't worry we only handshake and say hi hahaha.

Experiences: Day 3 (friday) was the hardest day by far. We already started teaching an investigator! Her name is Crisia! She is super sweet and doesn't speak english. That lesson was really hard and not very good (as you can imagine 2 inexperienced girls trying to teach someone in spanish haha) That night we got feedback about how we did and I'm really hard on myself so I didn't take it so well. On top of that It's been hard transitioning to a new way of life and being away from family and just everything- I was crying in the shower haha and then when I went back to my room another Hermana was crying as well. One of our Hermana zone leaders came in and was comforting us. She told us that being at the MTC is like being a muscle. When you exercise muscles they break down and tear apart ( that is what was happening to us) but then after a little bit they begin to grow back even stronger than before. And then she shared a scripture with us D&C 50:40-46 which basically says "Behold ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now, ye must grow in grace and in knowledge of the truth. Fear not, little children, for you are mine and i have overcome the world..." It is an amazing scripture and I encourage you to go read the rest!! Heavenly Father will carry you. It reminds me of the story of the man and how he was walking next to christ and he could see 2 sets of footprints in the sand. But during his trials and challenges he could only see 1 set of footprints and he said "Christ why did you leave me during my hardest times?" and Christ said "Brother, I was carrying you". SO POWERFUL. But yes this is exactly what I needed to hear! It gave me so much strength and motivation!

From there on the days got SO much better Sunday was AWESOME Dad you are right, sundays are the best at the MTC! It is a nice break from studying spanish ALL Day. We had District meeting (sunday school) then Relief society with more sisters in our zone (which was an AWESOME lesson btw- about spiritual revelation) and then sacrament meeting. For sacrament meeting random people get called on to give a talk in spanish!! so we have to prepare one every week!! Its crazy! Then we had a fireside about modesty and flirting hahaha and then choir practice!! 75% of the missionaries here at the MTC were there!!!! Crazy!! Our choir teacher is soooooo funny! Its so powerful to hear all of us sing! We sang "Nearer my God to thee" at the Tuesday devotional! Also!! The Elder that said the closing prayer is going to Portland OR on his mission!! So at dinner I saw him and told him about you guys! I told him if he ever sees you to say hi! except I found out he is speaking spanish.. oh well The sunday night devotional WAS AWESOME. Also we watch "Character of Christ" Elder Bednar's devotional to the missionaries. IT WAS SO GOOD.

Okay 2 more things Yesterday was amazing. We had another lesson with Crisia and it was the best yet. We barely used our notes and just spoke! THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS SO REAL GUYS. We felt the spirit SO strong!! We were talking about sin and we kept telling her God loves her and SHE TOTALLY CRIED. The spirit was so strong it was incredible. It got me sooooo excited for the feild! It also reminded me of why I am here! To share the love and happiness the gospel can bring with others!!

Also tender mercy: On Tuesday: At 11:30 the Hermana zone leaders came in with their tiny phone hahah and said I had a call. The travel office called me down ( they said they wanted me down here at 11 but couldn't get a hold of me) So me and Hermana Jennings went down and when we got there we saw Hermana Hawkes leaving to get on the bus to go to the airport to go to California!!! So I got to see her one last time before she left!! If I had been called down any earlier or later I would have missed her!! The Lord is deffinitly in the details of our lives!!

Hermana Hawkes and I saying goodbye.

Anyways So sorry for the LONG email but there is so much to tell you guys! I love you all so much. The MTC is SO HARD but lots of fun! I'm loving it and each day comes with new surprises! Don't forget how much Heavenly Father loves you, because he loves you ALOT. If you ever need to feel that love, just kneel and pray! A big theme here is "Forget yourself and Get to work"!! I love that because our focus is on the Lord! Con mucho mucho amor Hermana Daley

Pictures of my room: