Sarah's Mission Blog: First P-day letter! Count the Little Victories

Hola familia!

Thank you so much for the letters! They seriously make me feel so much better about myself while I read them! And a huge shout out to Emily and mom for writing me almost every day and also eric and kenzie for multiple letters and A PACKAGE! I feel so loved :) I have survived a whole week in the MTC!! It feels like I have been in this place forever! Life back home feels like a dream and it also feels like I will never leave this place! Pero, I am enjoying myself! I have 6 girls in my district and we have gotten so close it's nuts! We laugh so much together and we help each other through the rough days. We get told all the time to not laugh so loud in the cafeteria but sometimes we can't help it!

I almost killed off my first companion this week which was exciting but they called in the big guns and the district president convinced her to stay. She doesn't really talk to me at all so I had no idea that she was having such a rough time! But I have tried to serve her in ever way that I can and be patient with her and learn to love her! I think I'm doing pretty good!

The first day of the MTC was SO frustrating because the teachers talk only in Spanish and I had no idea what I was doing and I wasn't connecting with my companion but I was so glad that I was with my district because they made me laugh when I wanted to scream! I met some sisters in the airport in phoenix and they gave me such hope that I would have a companion that I connected to well with but it was almost the opposite! I do love my companion though! She is hard working and she tries really hard. She has a rough time with the Spanish! But she is improving! Our moto is to count the little victories!

We taught our first lesson on the 3rd day of the MTC which was so frustrating because I had so many things I wanted to say but I had no idea how to say them in Spanish! And also , I couldn't understand a lot of what our investagador said. Pero, fue bien! Hermana Madsen is super shy and is not confident in spanish so I taught pretty much the whole lesson which is good because I get a lot of practice but I had no help from her so I just wung it y el don de lenguas. The gift of tongues (I'm translating cause grandma can't speak spanish) is so incredible! In every lesson I have at least a couple questions that Daniela asks that I haven't prepared for and I ACTUALLY CAN ANSWER them! I love the gift of tongues, I would be a mess without it!

So we taught Daniela Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday. We were supposed to have a lesson on Tuesday also but Hermana Madsen wanted to call her parents so we had to cancel on Daniela. I just wanted to make Hermana Madsen happy so I pretty much did anything that she needed the first couple days.

Hermana Madsen had a meeting with the district president yesterday and so we had to make the long trek to the Main campus but we got to eat lunch there and now I know why everyone gets fat in the MTC!! The main campus cafeteria is HUGE and there is so much food... I'm so glad that we are on the West campus! The west campus is for all the Spanish speakers so I'm surrounded by Spanish all day which I am grateful for! The west campus cafeteria is like 4X smaller than the Main campus and the food portions are smaller. Mom, I promise I eat every meal! Don't worry about me until I get to the mission field! :)

Every day is the same. We eat breakfast then we have class, then we eat lunch and go to gym, then we have class, then we eat dinner, and we have class then we go to bed. Which is another reason that people get fat in the MTC! We literally eat then sit for 4 hours every day. Thank goodness for gym time! We are in a classroom for 12 hours a day and then eating pretty much the rest of the time! I will not get fat though. You can quote me on that!

I'm so proud of you all for doing the triathlon! Now you're ready for one like I did! Yes? Chiste! (joke)

On Sunday we got to listen to President Uchtdorf talk to us for our devotional!! It was sooooo good! You guys should all be insanely jealous! Also, he came to the west campus and came to the cafeteria to meet all the Spanish speakers and I got to shake his hand!! It was so soft. Sunday was the most tiring day because it was the most spiritual and having the spirit with you always is SO tiring! How would've thought! But I'm so glad that I was here for Easter, it was so special.

On Tuesday we got to hear Elder Oaks talk to us for our devotional and that was so good also pero I didn't get to shake his hand.

But I'm so glad that I'm here and I know it is where Heavenly father wants me to be and He knows me so well! There are certain things that have happened that I think, "Oh Heavenly Father knows exactly what I need." I can feel my testimony growing every day and I have such a love for my Savior and this gospel.

I love you guys so much and thanks for the support and love and LETTERS!! Send me a lot of letters!

Love,

Hermana Huff

PS: The reason I know Heavenly Father knows me so well is that my teacher Hermano Woodbury is so cute! I actually like going to class and learning because I know he will be there :P ( Don't tell dad!) I love you mom and you too dad!