Week 2

Dear Family,

Thanks for all the emails and letters! I was super surprised and impressed my district leader when I got 4 letters at once-one from each of my sisters and then from Mom. I really appreciate hearing what is going on outside of the MTC.

We get to email for half an hour on p-day. This might be a little shorter because I had to read all the emails.

We got our flight plans. We fly out on Tuesday the 2nd at 6:30 AM and go to Atlanta and then on to Tallahassee. We get to meet at the travel office at 3:00 that morning, so I'm sure everyone will be super cheerful. There will be 16 missionaries going to Tallahassee, so hopefully we will have the whole plane converted by the time we land. I received a postcard from some sisters in Mobile saying they were excited for me to come. I also received a letter from the Murrays and the newsletter from Sister Noble. Thanks to everyone for the letters. It is nice to feel loved by so many people.

Last Tuesday Elder Ballard spoke at the devotional. It was really good. He spoke about how we need to connect with the people we teach so that they can truly understand the message that we are sharing with them. It had a lot of great things that have helped me to teach better and relate more with those we teach.

We have gone to the TRC twice and taught the first lesson twice. Both times were incredible, and Sister Carpenter and I have really felt the spirit guide us in teaching the people there. We actually committed two to be baptized, but unfortunately it was just make believe. It was a really amazing experience to follow the Spirit to ask her to be baptized, though.

I have been working hard to be humble. I have seen how pride can really get in the way of the work, not just between the teacher and student, but also between teacher and teacher. I hope that I can really be humble so that I can have the Spirit tell me what to do.

My district is now the oldest district in our zone. That is what happens when your entire zone is English speaking. The new sisters are great! Three are from Utah and one is from Nebraska. They are going to Canada Toronto East and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. They have been really easy to work with.

I'm happy things with the baby are going well. I guess having a big head will be alright. Hopefully, by the time I get home it will have grown into it's head :)

I have seen several friends from BYU here. One of the new elders was in my ward last summer a year ago. he is the one that kicked my foot when we were playing soccer. Remember that? I have also seen Elder Brereton (is that how you spell his name, Ben?), a Sister Putnam, who knows Ben and Shannon and the other BYU-I cousins, and Sarah's friend Brother Menasco watched me teach the other day. I hope he had good things to say about it.

I had a little bit of a cold, and two of the Elders have been sick-one has bronchitis and the other has pink-eye. I am trying to stay away from all real sickness as much as I can. This place in kind of like a big germ pool because you are stuck in classrooms with people all day. After next week I can at least get out more and enjoy the fresh air.

I'v heard about the BYU game. YEAH! I was way fully invested on Saturday wearing the DSORB and white dress.

The work keeps on going even if it is just converting ourselves and Sisters and Elders right now. Being in the MTC has been great. Hopefully next week I'll be able to email again. I am going to try to send pictures sometime as well. I love you all!

Joanna