August 20, 2014

The good stuff: Don't drink the orange juice! Apparently it is designed to clean out the foreign elders systems. Awkward and hilarious. The red dork dot is also real. You have to wear it the first day and we have thoroughly enjoyed telling all the new missionaries "Welcome to the MTC" and seeing their frantic deer eyes. The first few days are awesome but the worst because you are so overwhelmed and you don't know where anything is and everyone just keeps yelling welcome. It's like spiritual hazing that makes you feel happy and confused all at the same time. We live in dorm rooms and all of my sisters are so hilarious and awesome and real. Sister Slade is my companion and she is from Surprise Arizona. We love our district! I am the only one not going to Oregon on my mission and the only Wisconsin sister here but I guess there are 6 elders in a different branch that I will fly with on Tuesday.... at 2:30 am. I'm being spiritually fed but I can still be bitter. Heh heh jk. It's hard to be bitter when you are hit 24/7 with the gospel. I have learned so much and I don't think I'll ever be able to write it but I'm keeping a good journal for that stuff. My letters will mostly be like this, but I'll try to write down my favorite experiences It has hit me so hard that the Book of Mormon is the key. I don't like reading scriptures but it instantly invited the Holy Ghost and I crave that companionship as I try to teach and that's what the answer is. I know this mission can't be about me. I'm not serving the Lord, I am serving with the Lord. It's humbling. I am lucky to have friends and family that love me and support me because I would be one lost soul. The book store is magical. They give us all everything at cost. I bought sweats that feel like heaven but maybe it's just getting to wear pants that feels so nice. The best is our Elders like snacks. We steal twinkies from Elder Bearss and Elder Earl always brings laffy taffy. Our disctrict is mostly high school graduates but Elder Earl is the one who had long hair and just became active again. He's 25 and we call him Grandpa lovingly. I've been missing my brother so much, it's nice to have these Elders fill the void. Our teachers are amazing! We have Brother Call and Sister Holt and Brother Nelson. I am older than all of them. Ha that's always funny but they know so much and I am thankful they are there to guide us little gospel greenies and we try to learn to teach through the Holy Ghost. For a lot of us this is the first time we've really really studied the gospel much less for 7 hours a day. I stick out like a soar thumb at 24. Seriously, everyone is so young but I met a 23 year old sister from New Zealand and we insta bonded. It doesn't bother me but I thought there would be more of us. There's also a lot of sisters but not as many as you think. It still feels about 1 for every 10. But again it's not bad, just not what I expected. I get in so much trouble for dancing. I always am wiggling and they all have to say stop Sister Cook. I tell them I'm just so happy the the gospel dances out. The food tastes fine but sits horribly. We pray a lot....especially over the food. Like a lot. A lot a lot. Send snacks anytime. They love that I say washroom. I packed less clothes than I thought but I fit right in. Minus my grey dress that I went to go get altered. They offer a service for sisters to fix items of clothing. She was from England and very unimpressed with my unfinished hemline. Those silly English. Other than that I fit in fine. Some companions wear matching skirts and outfits as a joke that we all bought the same down east skirt. I enjoy their playful irony. I have a huge testimony of family. Seriously I love you all so much and I can't adequately express it. As I teach families are forever, I am so glad you are mine. We got to go to the Provo temple today and that was so cool. It's white and gorgeous and I'm sorry I ever called it a fancy bunt cake. I saw Dawson! He looks good but I think he misses Derek. I also think I scared the tar out of him and it took him a while to recognize me. We have the coolest "investiagtors" Don and Chae. We think about them constantly and it reminds me how the Lord must feel about us. Anxious for ourselves to return home. Questions: Do you know that I miss you? I don't think I've said that enough. Hi everyone I miss you! How is everybody doing? How is Turk? Jenna still jumping on the tramp? How is work? The farm? School? Everything? Know that I am being taken care of here. Prayer really helps, especially over the food. I'm going to keep trying to send pictures but my time is slowly dwindling. Dance while you can because when they limit it all you want to do is the macarane because it goes with every hymn. Oh and I am excited to go to Wisconsin but I feel like it will be dating a quarter back. Good looking but sweaty. Humidity I fear you... Okay I love you and I need to go switch laundry but I love you! Oh Mom will you save these e-mails for me? I'm curious to see how they change as I change. I hope to make you proud and I miss you all! Kaytie