Week 2

Hola mi familia!!

This week flew by! I can't believe I have already been here for 2 weeks! I am loving the MTC. It is one of the hardest things I've experienced but also one of the best. I've experienced some of the lowest of lows and highest of highs. It's an emotional roller coaster here. But overall I LOVE it and I'm so grateful my companion is SOO awesome!

I am loving the pictures of China. Looks like Mom and Dad and having a lot of fun! Say Hi to the Latimer's and Terry's for me.

Did you get the pictures I sent this morning? I'm trying to remember which pictures I sent in the first email. From what I remember there is a picture of me in front of my room the first night, my name tag, my companion and I at the temple, my district at the temple, Elder Blauer and I by the temple, and the 5 hermana's in the district with Elder Mortensen being weird in the background. Hope this helps make sense of the pictures.  

Thanks so much for sending me the packages Raye Ann and Dad. I loved that I got 42 bags of popcorn and that I had to sign for the package of popcorn. I decided to spread the wealth and gave some to the Elders in my district. Funny thing about the calendar you sent me.... it's for 2013 hahaha. So if you have a chance a 2012 calendar would be nice :) Also don't go out of your way to get me a BYU football shirt. It's not really necessary but if you guys come down to a game and get one then just get me one too.

Also, remember how I had the hardest time finding a watch that I liked that wasn't too expensive... well it broke this week. One of the screws fell out so it's not really fixable. If you could find me a watch that would be great. No rush just sometime in the next few weeks.

So Saturday night I went to get my new pack of pills out of my suitcase and realized it was empty. I was shocked and a little confused as to what to do. On Sunday I talked to my Branch President's wife because she is a nurse. I was hoping maybe I could send a short email but I was pleasantly surprised when she said they would get me permission to call home. Sadly I knew mom and dad were out of town but i was excited at the possibility to talk to family. I was sad Raye Ann didn't answer since it was right after church and the President left a voicemail instead of me. Thanks Raye Ann for getting my prescription filled and sent to me!

So Elder Blauer is Clyde's grandson. His father is Robert, but he goes by Bob. He has an uncle named Tony. So does that mean that dad and his dad our cousins and we are 2nd cousins?

Last week was pretty rough. Our schedule has been a mess because we didn't have two teachers so we never knew if we had a teacher, who our teacher would be, where class would be, if we had an investigator, what time he would show up or even we would even have time to teach him. It was so stressful and I was not a fan. Finally they hired a new teacher for us. His name is Hermano Ferguson and he started on Monday. He is an awesome teacher and have really learned a lot from him already. I am so grateful to have another teacher and to finally have a set schedule. This week has been so much nicer.

So on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday we have class twice. and on Tuesday, and Thursday we have it once. So we have class for 6 hours and each teacher teaches for 3 hours. For one hour of each class we have "progressing investigator" where our teacher acts like an investigator from their mission. Hermana Cutler is Lesbia. And Hermano Ferguson is Diego who is atheist. It was been a very educational week teaching them and I've felt like I've learned a lot. They will change who the investigator is several times while I'm here so that we have a chance to teach several types of investigators. Does that make sense?

I've been watching conference talks in Spanish. It has been really cool and has helped a bunch with my comprehension skills. It's cool to hear it in Spanish and I can follow alone and read it in Spanish as well. It has been a huge help in learning Spanish. My Spanish is coming along but I'm no where near fluent hahah!

Each day we have one hour of personal study time and I've decided that I want to reread the Book of Mormon from cover to cover before I leave the MTC. I have been loving. There are so many things I've learned that I never realized before. Yesterday I read in The Book of Enos. He was such an awesome guy. Even though it's so short there are some amazing verses! I love how selfless he was!

During my first week we had an investigator named Mateo and he said something that was stuck with me the past weeks. He said "It's okay, God knows English and Spanish." I just loved that. Some of the things we've learned is how to pray and bear our testimonies in Spanish but they are very basic things that I probably would have said when I was like 10. I've been saying all my prayers in Spanish but it's more like Spanglish! haha.

Our Zone leader's district left this Tuesday. Most of them went to Tempe, Arizona. Two of the Hermana's were in that District which means that we are down to 3 Hermana's in our zone. It's my companion, H. Andrews, H. Keanini and I. H. Keanini moved into the room this week. So now it's the three of us in the room. She's is great! She is a solo sister so she has to go everywhere with us since you can't be alone unless she is in class with her District Elders. She is the one from Hawaii that is going to the Morgan's mission, NY NY North. We got a new district yesterday. I haven't met them yet but I've heard there are 11 new elders.

My whole district has been horrible sick this week so that hasn't been too fun. I'm the only one who hasn't gotten sick and I hope it stays that way. I've been making sure to take my vitamins, and drink lots of water and I got these Vitamin C drops from the bookstore.

On Sunday nights we usually have a speaker but this Sunday we got to watch President Monson's 85th birthday celebration. I absolutely loved it. Here at the MTC we aren't allowed to listen to music so it was awesome to be able to hear music and some of it wasn't even hymns. They had some Broadway singers perform. My favorite parts was when they sang "All I Ask Of You" from Phantom of the Opera and "Bring Him Home" from Les Mis. They singers were phenomenal!

I have been seeing Amanda Nordhagen a lot. It's so fun to run into people from the ward and from school. I ran into Michael West at lunch today and he leaves on Monday. My freshman roommate Brittany I've seen a bunch of times but she leaves for France on Monday.

J
enn-My whole district loved the story you wrote about the drunk driver. It was hilarious. I love all the letters you've sent me! Thanks! I keep hearing how big Doger is getting so you should send me a picture. And of your prego self!

Joe and Jill- Thanks for sending me the robe. I haven't received it yet but I bet I will today. I loved the letters from the boys. I was cracking up when I read them. They were so cute. Thanks for all the letters as well. And yes I've received the DearElders you have sent me. I'm so happy to hear that Kylie got into a Preschool. That will be so fun for her and nice for Jill. Tell the kids I say hello.

Jamie- Thanks for the pictures from the kids. They are hanging up in my room. It makes me smile every time I see them.

Any questions for me? Anything you want me to add into my letters?

I love and miss you all!!

-Love,

Hermana Blauer