Fun Times in the MTC

Hey everybody, today marks week five that I have been here. 5 down and when to go! Oh, and tomorrow half of my district is getting reassigned because of visa problems. It's pretty funny because the first question that you ask people in the MTC is "Where are you going?" No joke, it comes before, "What's your name?" Which isn't really a problem because you can always just look at their nametag. Anyway, as I was saying... It's funny when people ask where we are going because we just look at them and say, "I don't know, but we're either leaving Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday." They give us really funny looks because they really don't know what we are doing here without mission calls. But who else gets to serve in two different missions? Be jealous.

Alright.. So does someone want to tell me when Easter and General Conference are this year? Seriously, I thought it was still February so knowing any kind of specific date is really difficult. Either way, you all need to watch conference when it does happen because it's going to be so great! 

 Also, the special feature in between sessions will be about the MTC. And guess who was in the choir when they were filming? My companion and I. So, watch for me singing and then you won't miss me so much. Because let's be honest, you all miss me to the point that it's almost unbearable. So if you miss me that much.. you should write me. Except I am leaving and I don't know where I am going yet... So I guess it makes it kind of difficult.

 Other than that, everything here is going excellent! I am going to miss my district like crazy when we leave! Five of us are going to Argentina, two to Chile, one to Peru, and two to California so we are going to spread out quite a bit. I am jealous of others here because their entire districts are going to the same mission! Either way, it will be cool after the mission to hear about everyone's adventures.

We have a lot of fun here, though. Although I am not sure if things are actually funny or if our sense of humor has changed because we are laughing all of the time. It's great here! We even got to celebrate St. Patrick's day. The MTC is great, and I don't care what anybody says about it.

 

Church wise.... This church is true. I thought that before I came here that I would be taught how to manipulate people into becoming members, but it's the total opposite. Everyday we are taught how essential the spirit is because it's the only way that people will know the truth for themselves! That's all!

Love you all,

Hermana Vawdrey

HOLA!

Today means that we have been here 4 weeks now. It's weird to think that we're the ones that are counting down the days before we leave. It feels really weird when we are giving advice to the incoming missionaries because we haven't really been here all that long, but it's kind of fun for people to think we are knowledgeable.

The MTC is such an unusual place because you will be so happy, then you'll be crying because your sad, and then you'll be crying because you're happy, and then you'll be laughing because you're crying, and then you'll be crying because you feel like it, and then you'll be tired (you're always tired.) because of everything. Seriously, it's one big emotional roller coaster here, and it's really funny because the boys in the district never understand why we're crying or laughing. Poor innocent boys, but they're great. They really are!

So Daylight Savings was awful. I didn't think that I would have a problem being tired because I haven't really struggled to much in the past, but Sunday was so long. We went to choir practice because we thought that it might be a good idea to stay awake. NOPE. We said the opening prayer so I bowed my head, and I don't remember anything about the prayer. After a little bit, I hear, "Did she ever get back up after the prayer?" Apparently I fell asleep pretty instantaneously. Just so you know, I was not the only one. One of the girls in my district was singing the song in her sleep, and it was really funny.

Also, when I get back.. I hope that you are all ready to play some four square because I don't want to brag or anything, but I have really improved my skills.. or maybe the people who were good just left? Either way, I hope you guys are up for a challenge.

Things here are great! I love my companion, and all of the people in my district! If you were wonder if this church was true, well it is! It's so great! It's great being a missionary!

-Hermana Jamie Vawdrey

Thanks for the Letters!

Thank you everyone for the DearElders and actually Letters! Seriously, it's fantastic. Also, I still want to know who wrote from "Tu Amor." Fess up; I am curious. 

 

 Onto other news, the MTC is still great. People may try and tell you that the MTC is not the best thing ever, but it really is. Well, besides the actually field (I am guessing). The next few weeks will be very interesting because the MTC continues to fill up with more and more Sisters! We have finally brought color to this place! I feel both sad and jealous of the Elders. They don't really get to switch up their outfits too much; but at the same time, they never have to worry about what to wear.

Well, you guys should just ask me questions because I feel like I have so much to write.. and then I come into the computer lab, and BAM.. I have nothing to write.

Tuesdays are really great though because we get to do TRC which is when people volunteer, and we get to practice teaching them. It's really nice to teach those who speak spanish because it gives us really good practice. The language really hasn't seemed to be too much of a problem yet (Thanks to Srta Taylor), but it's a lot of fun to be able to have actually conversations with people who speak really well. Anyway, we were teaching an older lady who was a little hard of hearing, and we started telling us about how music is the fastest way to invite the spirit into a lesson. My companion then asks "What's your favorite hymn?" ..... she gave us both a blank stare nodded her head and responded "yes". So we don't know how much she really understood of what we were saying, but it was cool to hear about her. It was probably funnier when it happened, but thought I would share. 

 

- Hermana Vawdrey

 

 

 

The MTC is Great!

 So... The MTC is great. My concept of time has been severely messed up because the minutes seem like hours, and the hours seem like minutes. If you have been on a mission, then you probably know what I am talking about. We wake up (early), Go study, eat breakfast, study, study, study, lunch, study, study, study, dinner, study, study, bed. Yet, we are able to have so much fun!

The mission really is a unique time in our lives that we don't have to worry about jobs, school, or elementary school problems like four square. WAIT. Scratch that, Four square is a huge deal here. In fact, I got kicked out the game for all of gym time the other day. But as I was saying, you don't worry about the same problems. Don't get me wrong, you have many other stresses to deal with (language, lack of time, early mornings). All in all though, it is absolutely amazing to be here, and I will be sad when I have to leave. IF I leave. Getting visas for Argentina is nearly impossible, so it is very probable that I will be reassigned before being able to go. It's pretty crazy, but hopefully I get there someday. Don't cry for me, Argentina.

So I got to see Ashley (cough cough... I mean, Sister Mecham) quite a few times, and that was just great! It finally hit us that we probably wouldn't see each other for a long time so we actually had to say goodbye. We kept postponing it, but eventually she flew to the Philippines and now she is there! It really is so crazy how many people that I see here that I know. I don't know where they keep coming from, they're popping out of the snow like daisies!
Really, this is the only place in the world where you will ever be surrounded by thousands of other missionaries, and it is awesome! Last night, M. Russell Ballard came to speak.. and that was pretty cool.

The Spanish is coming along alright. It's really sad to remember how much I have forgotten since High School. At the same time, however, it's really cool to see how fast it comes back. The other day we were talking to a lady who volunteered in Spanish.  Hermana Vincent and I had an actual conversation with her. I really wasn't thinking too much about it either, which was absolutely awesome. We really are blessed to be able to speak and understand faster, but you also have to work very hard to be able to qualify for the blessings.

So my district is absolutely wonderful! There are four elders and six hermanas: Elder Cazier, Elder Nelson, Elder Richardson, Elder Lee, Hermana Hardy, Hermana Kalama, Hermana Cleveland, Hermana Miner, and my companion Hermana Vincent. We have so much fun together, but we are also able to focus and study a lot! I could not have been blessed with a better district! Oh, and Hermana Kalama is from Hawaii.. and she worked at the Polynesian Cultural Center so she taught me how to dance, and she's going to set me up when I get back!

I love you all, but my time is running out.

- Hermana Vawdrey