1st MTC Letter: March 1, 2013

HI HI HI!!! I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO MUCH! First off, I only have 30 minutes to write and it's timed and it's like the worlds most stressful thing on these super old computers, but it's fine. All is well. I've made it ten days! And that's more than I'll ever have to go without a p-day again! Hallelujah.

The first few days were kinda suuuuper long, but it's getting SO much better! And so much faster! It's a miracle. Kinda like how my hair is just drying pretty much perfectly straight right out of the shower--mission blessings! (Good thing too, because we literally have 30 minutes to get ready every day. WHAT?) Okay, I'll give you a break down of what my life looks like. Wake up at 6:30. Be ready for the day by 7. Breakfast til 7:30. Then class/study til 11:30. Then lunch. Then gym and get ready and be back in class by like 1:30. Then class/language study til 4:30 then dinner. Then class/study/study/try not to fall asleep/study some more til 9:30. Then back to the room and one hour til we're in bed by 10:30. So...yeah. It's a dream.

I like to compare this place to the dorms. Except without the dance parties and the late night stair chats. But they've got the vendies and a swipey swipey and those nasty showers and 6 people to a room instead of 2! Oh the joys!

Portuguese is coming along reallyyy well. I seriously feel so, so blessed. It's A LOT like Spanish, so when I don't know the word in Portuguese, I just say it in Spanish and hope it's right and most of the time it is! Also, one of my companions took a couple semesters of it at BYU, so that's reallyyy helpful too. Speaking of, I AM SO BLESSED. I got the coolest companions. And I have two! I think God knew I couldn't handle being with just one girl by my side 24/7, so He's trying to ease me into it. One of my companions is Sister Jackson. She's a doll and hilarious. I swear we laugh all day long. She lived in Lanai with me, but she had a boyfriend, so....we didn't really know each other. But she's from Virginia, so we share East Coast pride. The other one, Sister Mullen, is from Canada. No, like she is literally from Canada--Calgary. Cray. She's a sweetheart and super into it, which helps me be better. Exact obedience over here! They're the best, and they're both 21 and I just love them so much.

Also, the little 18 year old boys, I die. So young. So foolish. So right out of their first semester of college. So in love with their girlfriends. Ah, age...it brings such wisdom. JOKES. I know nothing. But we're a diverse bunch. New Zealanders, a Mexican, some Utah folk. And I love them all so much. Except we keep getting lectured about keeping our distance and not flirting and blah blah blah. I know, I know, it's important. Pretty sure I broke some boy in our zone's heart when he found out I was 21. It's hard.

Gym time is the funniest, because I just ellipticize for 40 minutes and look out to 900E longingly. The first couple days, I was planning my jail break to Lanai, but now I just like the watch the folk dressed in normal clothes walk by and imagine what their day is like. No music. It's hard. Sometimes I count how many cars go by too. And then I start singing "watching the cars go byyyy."

I get to see Hil and Maddie and Court and Luc and Mere and Meliss and everyone all the time. I'm constantly keeping an eye out for teachers and random Provo folk that I know too. It's SO nice seeing familiar faces. There is really NO time to like stop and chat, but it's still just good to see them. I live for devotionals/choir on Sunday and Tuesday, because I get to sit next to Meliss and I feel like all is right in the world.

Don't worry mom. I'm surviving. No hummus, but the food could be worse. And my companions have already learned about the chocolate chip thing. I maybe get a chocolate chip cookie everyday, but the cookie is GROSS, so I just pick the chocolate chips out and eat those, because you can't mess up chocolate chips. (Actually, speaking of, would you send me some of the individual dove chocolate things? There's not enough decent chocolate/dessert in this place.)

On Wednesday, the embassador of Portugal came to visit our class! SO cool! He was super nice and his wife was way funny, and they just talked to us all about the culture and what not over there. Apparently it very rarely happens that they come, so we had to be looking our best. One of the Elders said we were "looking fresh to death," so I assume the ambassador approved too. And Elder Hinckley came too. So cool.

This place is the funniest. Just tons of 18-20something year olds running around speaking in a million different languages. 55 actually. It's ridic. Day one, I made fun of all of them. Now I'm that girl. Not mad. Anywho, time is running out. AHH

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE LOVE/LETTERS/PACKAGES!! The Elder in my district who is in charge of getting mail has starting referring to mail time as "going to pick up Sister Brooks' mail" time. NOT MAD. KEEP IT COMING. No but for reals, shout out to the Ludlows for the greatest cookie ever and to Caisa for saving my life with enough bread and DC to get me through the MTC (Jessica left me her leftovers before she left too--those angels, they really do walk the halls here.) Sorry I'm needy, but really, I live for you all's letters.

In other news: I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE A NEICE!! Shout out to kimye. I hope they name her after me.

Seriously though, I am so so happy here! It is so good! I'm reading the Book of Mormon in Portuguese and loving it! And we taught an investigator in Portuguese starting last Friday and everyday since then. It's hard, but it's so rewarding. And we've already had Sister Mary Cook and M. Russell Ballard come talk! What the coolest! They are such awesome examples, and the Spirit just fills up the room when they walk in. It's the coolest. I love it. In our devotional Sunday, Stephen B. Allen said the coolest thing, "Christ's sufferings were the worst of anyone on this earth. To be a part of his army, some of that suffering must be upon us." It really helps me remember why I'm really here, and it gives "taking upon His cross" a whole new meaning. But I'm stoked to be here and to be learning and growing like never before. YOU ARE ALL THE BEST I LOVE YOU SO MUCH GOD IS SO GOOD!!!

xoxox

Sister Brooks