First and foremost, THANK YOU SO MUCH for the letters through dear elder and for the cute package you sent me!! I love it all sooooo much! You really don't quite understand until you are actually a missionary away from home and everything you have known, just how much you love and appreciate emails and letters! They are seriously the best! I get to read letters and dear elders every night at 9:30 so it helps keep me positive and happy and ready to take on the next day! I only get to read emails on Saturdays (which is my P-Day by the way)! You guys are the best!
So let me tell you a little about my first couple of days here at the MTC! The first day was definitely a blur! It was hard to say goodbye to all ya'll, but it was very helpful that you literally just keep going and going . I mean like you never stop!! I got all my information for the first day and then I got my name tag! What an incredible experience that was to have one of the sweet sisters put that on me and become a full-time missionary and a representative of this church!! It was a very powerful moment. I cried. SURPRISE... hahaha Then we took our luggage straight to our residency (or where we sleep) and from then on we have been going to classes and meetings and doing stuff non stop! I am so thankful for that though! It has helped to keep my mind focus on the reason I am out here and my purpose as a missionary! I am glad to hear that you have been doing okay Mom!! haha I have been a little worried about you!! (; I really like my companions! I am in a tri companionship!!! They are such cute girls and so sweet! Sister Giles is from the Cache Valley area and Sister Porter is from Antimony! So we are all from Utah!!!! I am the Sister Missionary Trainer for my district! So that is very exciting and also extremely nerve racking! haha I hope that I do well as I serve the Sisters in my district! I really like my district there our 5 Sisters and we are all going to New Jersey! Then there are 4 Elders and they are going to Ohio! Our branch is awesome as well!! The other district in our Branch is only here for two weeks and we are here for about 3 weeks which is odd for english speaking missionaries, but I think it is good so I can learn a little more before I head out to the mission field! Two of the sisters from the other district went to BYU-Idaho so we have been able to connect on that and we keep telling all the Sisters and Elders to go there after everyone is off of their missions!! haha It is only like the fourth day here in the MTC, but I feel like so much as happened... It is so crazy!! Time really does just fly by! I am doing really well on not getting too homesick! The first night was definitely hard! I think it is because you finally have time to think about something other than being a missionary. I also had a hard time sleeping that first night even though I took some medicine... But the other nights have been pretty good!! I have given some of the sisters some ibuprofen pm to help them sleep as well because they have been having a hard time sleeping as well! I am struggling with waking up at 6:00 or 6:30 each morning... haha Who would have thought??! Hopefully as time goes on it will get better!
Just some miracles I wanted to share with you this week are first that there is a microwave right by our room!!!! I was so nervous about that because... well... we all know I need to sleep with my rice heating pack! I was so beyond grateful for that! Second, when we got here the first day we had a little orientation with all the new missionaries and the MTC president. We got to Sing the Song "Armies of Heleman" (Or whatever that song is) and the spirit was soooo incredibly strong with hundreds of missionaries singing! It was so powerful! I had to stop singing for a little so I could pull myself together! And lastly is that every night I hug all of the Sisters in my District for 20 seconds! hahahaha I know that they really love it! But seriously after I hugged them last night one of the Sisters turned to me and said "Sister Woodland. Thank you so much. I really needed that. It is like a 'mom' hug." See so people DO appreciate my hugs and me being touchy! hahaha I am thankful that they are liking them because I love hugs! They help make me feel more at home and better too!!
I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!!! Like everyone told me this has definitely been hard for me. I have had moments where I have had to get on my knees and pray to my Father in Heaven to help me through different moments. I have never felt His love for me stronger than I do here in the MTC. I am grateful that He is helping me through this as well because I know without His help I couldn't do this! I love you guys sooooooo much!!! I love hearing from you so keep it up!! I am glad that things are going well for everyone! Thanks for keeping me updated on your lives! Keep me posted on everything you do. Also, Mom would you send me some socks and the rest of my under shirts.... I forgot them... Also thanks for all of the little notes you put throughout my stuff!! They are the best ever!!! You are the best! I am grateful we get to be with each other for all eternity!! I will also be writing a letter today! I have more time for that!! I LOVE YOU GUYS! I hope meg gets home safely! I will say a prayer for her!
Love, Sister Woodland
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