Wednesday, July 17, 2013

First day in the MTC!

Dear Mom and Dad,
Kioroa (Sp? Anyways means hello in Maori)
 
 Hey! I am here! And I sucessfully made it through customs and the plane landed safely in Auckland! After I left you guys, I made my way to the front of the security check point line. I found my gate and was suprised and happy to see there were three other sisters there! Sister Kennedy (From Brigham City), Sister Morris(From Utah) and Sister Milne(From Star Valleu Utah). Along with a lot of other Elders! There was a total of 19 of us who traveled fom LA to Auckland. The ELders are Hamiliton, Kelly (from Manchester UK), Norderland (sp?) (from Switerland), Magnum, Lovelace, Brown, Richardson, Adams, Child, Farnesworth, Smith, Paulson, Yates, and the other last names are escaping me right now... but I have them written in my journal. I really lucked out and was able to sleep most of the flight! So that was really nice. Elder Smith was my sitting partner along with ELder Yates and we had lots of good conversations. Elder Smith is definitely a spiritual power house. It's really neat. Our whole group has really just clicked. I feel we have all known each other way bag. When we arrived in Auckland 5:30 am, we were met by two brothers who took us to the MTC. I had to have one of my pairs of shoes sanitized as we went through customs, as it had dirt on it... haha that was semi embarrasing, as I was looting through my suitcase to first find the afore mentioned shoes, but all is well, and now I have a wonderful pair of sanitized shoes! :)
 President Tarawhiti (said Tarahfeetee) and his wife welcomed us here about 7 am. The building here is really small, but I love it. You can just feel the spirit here right off. And everyone is so nice here... I have been told everyone gains 20-60lbs here... throughout the mission, so it should  prove to be an adventure! The food here is really good, but defintiely not as many choices as provo. I am grateful for that, because it makes it easier to eat at least a little more healthfully. After breakfast, I was the first to go and visit with President Tarawhiti. I have been called as the Sister Coordinator with my companion Sister Kennedy! (So Excited we are companions!) SC is the equavalant as District Leader. I am still getting an idea of what we do, but Sister Kennedy has been taking it in a stride, and I am very geatful for her to be there as my companion. And I am so excited to learn the things she has to teach me. President Tarawhiti says that this MTC is the best MTC out there, which I totally agree just being here a couple of hours. I am in the Mormon group, (each of our groups are split in to different groups assigned to a room named after a BOM prophet) Tomorrow the real routine starts, and I am looking forward to it. We follow the exact schedule that all the other MTC's do around the world, so it will prove to be a vigirous day. I took the jet lag pills, so I hope they work! I am pretty tired today, but I think I can function for most of the day today.
  I have my name tag now, and I feel pretty official. I know this is what Heavenly Father wants me to be doing right now, and I am so happy that I am. I know great things are in store, and I have many lessons I need to learn and I cannot wait to be taught by members, my companions, and investigators.
   We get to go to the temple on Wednesday and I am really looking forward to it. We are about 1 1/2 hours from the temple, so on Wednesday we will get to drive and then go to a session and also visist the visitors center. I am really looking forward to that and I cannot wait.
   Part of the schedule includes preparing a 5 minute talk for Sundays, as anyone could be called up to speak. I am looking forward to it as it will help me focus more on a particular subject.
  It was super neat, on the flight on the way to LA, Elder Yates was the only one in our row who sat next to a nonmember. She and Elder Yates began talking a lot, and by the end of the plane ride he had placed a BOM.
  From the schedule, it looks like I will be emailing on Sundays in the afternoon here, so that means you will be getting my emails Saturday? I figured it out on the plane ride that Will is only four hours behind me! Wow! So close to my cousin! :) The plane we flew in was pretty fancy, the food was good too. We had broiled beef, tomatoe zuchinii, scalloped potatoes, a roll, a potatoe tomatoe salad(which didn't taste that great), and a really yummy parfait desert. For breakfast I had fruit, yogurt, and a muffin. Then the MTC fed us scrambled eggs, pork, toast, yogurt and fruit. I was glad
   So, I don't really know what else to write about, but everything is great! I will send pictures on Sunday, sorry I didn't think to bring my camera today. I love you all lots and lots and I hope you had fun at chuckie chesses after dropping me off!
I know this church is true and that the Our Heavenly Father, God, loves us all so very much.
Keep giving your best and God will provide!
Love,
Sister Sudweeks
 
P.S. Emma Baker! Send me Heather's email? I put it in wrong and so I need it again. Thanks! :)



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