June 24, 2009

Hola! Como estan?

Today is Wednesday, my first p-day as a MISSIONARY! I only have 30 minutes to write so I am going to try to make this fast and efficient. And I am going to have to apologize ahead of time for any errors I make in spelling or grammar, I am not going to take the time to go back through and edit like I usually do. Also, my thoughts are going to be pretty scattered as I am going to include things as they come to my head.

First of all, Happy Father's Day, Daddy and Grandpas! Dad, I hope that your hike is going well. Mom told me that Kent's dad left after just 2 days, I hope that you are faring better :).

Mom, when you send this out can you make sure to include my address in it, so that I can start to get letters! Also, DearElder.com is wonderful, my box number is 209 and my mission is the Arizona Mesa Mission, in case y'all forgot.

Sister Brynn Elaine Ladd
MTC Mailbox#209-0817
Arizona Mesa Mission
Provo Missionary Training Center
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

(mom's note: DearElder.com is fabulous and delivers same day FREE to the MTC)

My email address is now brynn.e.ladd.AMM@myldsmail.net, but I can only get emails on Wednesdays, and I can get letters all week (except Sundays of course).


Okay, here goes:
My companion: My companion is Hermana Cochran. She is from American Fork, and is also going to be serving in Mesa Arizona with me at the visitor's center. She is really fun and I think that we are going to get along great. She isn't one of those crazy, bitter, better than thou sister missionaries; she really wants to be here. For the first few days out here, we would study outside in the sun. We found a bench that was half in sun and half in shade, since she loves the sun and I'm afraid of sunburn.

The MTC is a blast. It is like one big, spiritual party all the time! I love love love our district, the elders are absolutely hilarious. We have great dynamics and all get along super well. It is really apparent how young they are though. I feel like I'm locked in a room with 7 Jacobs! But it is a lot of fun and they keep the energy high. Our teachers are Hermanos Allen and Sanders. H. Sanders has only been home from his mission for 3 months! For once in my life I feel a little old. But he is a great teacher. There are 3 other sisters in our zone, and we are supposed to get 3 more today, but I haven't met them yet.

Anyways, if I haven't enough mentioned how much I love being on a mission, I LOVE IT! I feel like I'm rambling but I am really trying to rush and get to everything. Some of you were asking what to write to missionaries, well I'll give you some ideas:
• What are some good ways to study things? Languages, scriptures... especially for those of you who have served missions, what are some ways you found helpful? possible discussion topic
• (especially for Deborah): How do you make lesson plans? It is super frustrating, I feel like I'm improving, and yet there is still so much to improve in! But at the same time it isn't as overwhelming as I felt it was when I was in mission prep class.

The Lord really is here to help you in His work. My teacher was saying that everything here is the Lord's work, even how fast you learn the language. Speaking of language, there was a sister going to Romania from Kharkov Ukraine, do you remember sister Vasilyeva, Cam? She said she remembered you, and her brother was Pres. Kostik? Kosik? I can't really remember. But I got to speak Russian with her, and realized my Russian wasn't leaving as fast as I thought it was. She said I sounded like an RM from Russia! One day I'll sound like an RM from Mexico, lol. Speaking of Spanish, I am currently in the Beginning Spanish district, but my teachers have suggested I move up to the intermediate Spanish district. The problem with that is that I would get a new district, new teachers, and a new companion. I love my district so much, that it is a really hard decision. The intermediate program is also 9 weeks long, so I would still be here as long... I haven't decided yet...

Ahh, I only have like 10 min left, the time goes by so fast, I have much more time to write letters... We taught our first lesson in the TRC yesterday, it went pretty well, but it could have gone better, I quoted a completely wrong scripture and said it was James 1:5, and then had to correct myself, but hopefully I can get all those embarrassing moments over with surrounded by members!

To end, here is my testimony in Spanish (yes we already learned it)
(Without written accents, no time)
Yo se que Jesucristo es mi Redentor. Dios restauro su evangelio a traves del profeta Jose Smith. Thomas S. Monson es el profeta hoy en dia y el dice la palabra de Dios. El Libro de Mormon contiene la verdad y la plenitud del evangelio.

Times almost up now! Sorry if this seems incomplete, 30 minutes goes by so fast!