Hellooooooo!!!!!!

Okay I only have a half hour so I have only sped read some of your letters and Im going to hurry and write my because i have so much to say. first. today was the best day ever! i woke up at 6 to help my district clean the classrooms before breakfast where i ate OATMEAL SQUARES and then at lunch I got a PACKAGE and a letter from renita and judy!!! thank you sosososososo much i cried a ton. Also, mom thanks for your cards they were a huge comfort. i wrote a long letter on the planes about that day so i wont get into that here and i should be able to mail it today, i can only write and send mail on thursdays too.


so far i really honestly love the mtc. the first day right after i emailed you i went and talked to the president in spanish and he put me in a latino district so everyone in my district and classes are from chile, argentina, uruguay, and one from nicaragua who is our d.l. and a really good one at that. so i will be leaving the mtc for the field in only two weeks! three total. sometimes it is hard because my classes are taught to natives, so the spanish is fast and i have a hard time following but sometimes i follow really well, i know that Heavenly Father is helping me so much with the language. when i get frustrated my two companions are so patient and helpful. their names are hermana campos and urdapilleta, even the latinos struggle with that name. i am called hermana casey or hermana case. i love it even more than yessica. the elders are also so nice when i am having a hard time they will try to talk to me in english or make me laugh or just give me encouraging smiles. in my setting a part i was told i would develop a love for the people early on. i didnt realized to would be so early. i truly love these brothers and sisters. i have approached this experience with the idea that if i cant always express myself with the language i can express myself through a positive attitude. i have tried to smile and be really a happy and laugh and try to talk to the others so that they will know what i am saying through my heart if not my words. i feel like this has helped me so much especially when i have used mexican words that are swear words here but they know i dont mean it because i say with a smile and in a nice way. renita you talked about how light and darkness cannot occupy the same place. i know that is true because as much as a miss you all and wish i could see you, i dont feel homesick. i dont know if that makes sense but when i should be sad or frustrated because i have to focus so hard to understand the language that i dont actually learn what is being said, i still feel so happy. i know that is because there is so much light here that it is nearly impossible to get depressed-not to say that there arent hard times, there definintely are.

my typical day is that i usually get up at 6:30 and get ready, go eat, go study on my own, then as comps, then we have district (class) then lunch at 12:15 then district then sports at 3:30-my favorite part, i play ultimate frisbee with the elders or sometimes i get my butt kicked in soccer. it is so fun. then we go to district again, dinner at 6 45 and district till nine. then we plan and practice discussions till 10 ish. bed at 10 30. my teachers are hermano seta and hermano catron, they are both so nice and i really love the lessons they teach.

i am kind of in a weird situation as far as companions go because hermana smith is my companion so i try to be with her sometimes because she is alone a lot since shes the only girl in her district but i also am in a threesome in my own district so it is hard to balance. i love hermana smith though. she is crazy like me and we have fun laughing and joking. her second day she was really struggling with the language-i am the only one who came here with any spanish background at all-so i stayed up later helping her and she is always telling me how much she loves me and appreciates me which really helps to boost my confidence. also with the whole trying to have a positive attitude thing, a lot of people tell me how they love that i always am so happy and they cant imagine me ever being sad, this also helps me because i can see that people are noticing and that it really makes a difference. also hermana crofts is from the st george, she and hermana smith knew eachother there, and she is so fun and loves to play sports and we get along so well.

there are four girls in my room. 2 latinas and me and smith, i am on the top bunk and i put our family pic on top of a high book shelf at the foot of my bed. i blow you a kiss every night! we can see the temple right out our window not 100 yards away, but it is pretty torn up right now with the remode. i have so much more to say but my time is about up. please forward this to everyone i dont want to take the time to add their info, also please send to holly roch and lanae you, hollycsorensen@gmail.com, lanunu11hotmail.com, and rochelleleigh@gmail.com, i can only email immediate family so girls, write me!

i love you all so much! i miss you but know that i am so happy and loving this work. Heavenly Father is blessing you so much and I know he is blessing you because I ask him to everyday. I have to go! bye!!