I love you lots and lots and lots. I think about you every day.
I'm loving life here in the mtc.
I've had a really great week but I'm kinda homesick today because we have had a lot of down time, so I have more time to think about home! BUT usually I am so darn busy, there's no time to think about anything besides the gospel... and spanish... and eating... and sleeping... OH MY GOSH! Sleep. The nights are so short here. I go to bed at 10:30 ish... fall asleep for 10 minutes and then I swear, it's 6:30 again!!! It's not hard to get up-- so you can't blame my horrible sleeping habits at home. I just am always exhausted! Body, mind, spirit. Missionary work is exhausting!! All we do is STUDY, STUDY, STUDY, eat, study, walk around for a minute, study, study, clean something for service, sleep, eat, repeat. It's insane.
The spanish is hard but it's coming. My companion is wonderful and I have made so many great friends!!
It's crazy how young everyone is here! CRAZY!!
I feel like an old grandma.. Speaking of Grandma, tell her I love her.
Also, I am learning so much. About me and about the gospel and about the mission.
Like I have always said, this mission is definitely not about me. It's about the Lord and His people in Argentina!! I'm just a tool in His hands to bring the beautiful gospel to those who need it. And I am so excited!!
The food here is weird. There is so much food. It's crazy.
I love my teacher. Except she's getting moved which I hate. It makes me so sad.
So, the first day. You dropped me off and I thought I was going to die. BUT I didn't cry because, the Bingham's were right. You just go go go go go go go go. There is no time to be sad. I didn't even cry myself to sleep because I was so darn exhausted.
OH YES!! I wrote down what I remembered from my setting apart blessing, but I was wondering if you would all send me what you remember.. and mom will you send me those lists of things that holly gave you? and tell her I love her,
After dinner on the first day, we met our zone leaders. One of them reminds me so much of Jordan Jex. It's kinda creepy. Also we met our sister training leader. Her name is Sister Jarman. She left this morning and I miss her so much! She was only 19 but I swear she seemed so much older than me. She was so great! She gave us so much advice and she just loved us to pieces. I seriously needed her.
Also, my teacher is incredible!! She is the sweetest thing. Her name is hermana Link and I love her so so so so much. She is also exactly what I needed to keep me in that classroom. Had it been anyone else there, I would have turned around and ran home. I was so blessed to meet the most amazing people my first day here. I honestly don't think that I would have been okay without them. The sisters in my district are AMAZING!! My companion is so darn cute. I love her so much. Her name is Hermana Crump. And I went to school with her in Logan. I met her once before!! It was crazy.. and so comforting. Hermana Rust is the cutest thing EVER!! She's from vernal. and she is so sweet. AND HERMANA BARRETT!! I'm obsessed with her. She's me, but in short cute form. :) She is exactly like me. We eat the same things,,, have the same taste in clothes... laugh at the same jokes... and we curl our hair the same way!! JUST ASK WENDY, THAT'S A HUGE DEAL!!
Saturday was pretty great. We taught our SECOND discussion with Rafael. and Hermana Crump and I did so great! We even taught Him to pray. It was wonderful. We felt so good about it and Spanish is actually kinda coming... VERY slowly but it's coming!
Yesterday was super awesome. I was kinda sad because Sundays are my favorite days with my family but it was still good. I don't think that I have ever felt the spirit so strongly, ever as I did yesterday!
We started the day with a 3-hour study session. Then we had mission conference. I am DYING to see Michael Walker and Cameron Anderson. BUT I think that they are on the West Campus cause I haven't seen them ANYWHERE!! Will you find out where they are?
Mission conference was great. Every time I feel like I can't do it even for just a second, someone says something to change my mind. I CAN DO THIS!! And I am going to be so wonderful!! :)
After the mission conference, we had a district meeting. Since we are new, brother and sister Price gave a lesson. They talked a little bit about obedience and how it brings blessings. It was great. I wish I had time to explain more!
After district meeting, we sung with district C. God Be With You Til We Meet Again.. EN ESPANOL!! Para siempre Dios este con vos. It's so great, I was trying to think of what it's called in spanish this morning and I found out that I have it memorized and I have been singing in spanish all day long.
It was really sad to say goodbye to District C. I hated it. But I have some fun pictures with them from the temple yesterday.
Oh-- Hermana Barrett is going to Buenos Aires. I'm sad. All the rest of us in my District are going to Posadas.
I was hoping that I would run into the Elders that I know at the temple... However, I think the Lord knows that I will want to hug them so he's purposefully keeping me from seeing them.
After we sang, we went to sacrament meeting. It's kinda fun that almost everything is in spanish.. and none of us know spanish!! :)
After that, we had some study time the dinner then the sunday night devotional which was SUPER great!! I loved it. At the end, we sung the battle hymn of the republic and I looked around at all of the missionaries around me and I seriously can not believe that I am apart of this huge army of missionaries. Our MTC president called us the Army of President Monson-- like the army of Helaman?! :)
THEN we have movie night!
Really, they just play a movie of an apostle speaking. BUT it was so great. We watched Elder Bednar. He came to the MTC on Christmas one year and gave the most amazing talk about forgetting about yourself. Obviously, I'm thinking a lot about myself. and I shouldn't be. It was really beautiful though and I am going to do my best to be more Christ- like and to turn outward toward others and serve them.
Anyway, that's been my week at el CCM. (The MTC) And I really am having a great time! I am learning so much and I have grown so much. I miss you all every day! But I know that I am where I need to be. I'm doing what I need to be doing. And I am so excited to see what more I can learn and how I can be of service to the Lord and His children in Argentina.
Don't forget about me.
Send me letters.. and emails and DEARELDERS!!! Por Favor. EVERY DAY!!
I love you
xoxox
Hermana Rupe
Picture: My best friend Hermana Barrett with the bun and my cute favorite companion Hermana Crump!! :)
