Yes, I survived

  Hello Family!

  So I made it through my first week here at the MTC... and its been way better than i thought it would be. Honestly, i thought that I would be really homesick and missing life, but to be honest, and (no offense) im not
 really. We dont really have time to think about much.. like... no time AT ALL. When we arent eating... we are sitting in a classroom or teaching the first lesson or my mind is going off on russian words that may or may not be real words.... sometimes, i will be thinking of a word in russian, and i  will combine two words, or combine spanish words with russian words which seems weird right? Since i have never even taken a spanish class... haha. ya you never know what to expect here... but heres the jist of what has happened this past week THe first day i got here i met my companion,(who by the way I love, i couldnt get along better and i feel extremely blessed... and she didnt judge me for all the clothes i brought) her names sister trottier and shes from bountiful... i think she is the sister that jess actually told me about... anyway shes super cute and i love her. But we got to the mtc and had a couple meetings with the presidency and then got to unpack. THen the next couple of days were seriously... the LONGEST days of my life. Im not used to sitting for so many hours in a day and when we arent sitting in class.. we are sitting doing companion study or personal study. Sometimes i just have to walk around... that part is kind of bad but Ive really tried to not be so ADHD. Then sunday came and it being fast sunday, we had mission conference then church which was fast and testimony meeting and EVERYBODY bore their testimony in russian... i amlmost started crying. haha But it was one of the most spiritual meetings i have been in. But after sunday we have been on our regular schedule which has been really nice... we actually somewhat knows whats coming next and planning for our day helps a ton.
   Its funny though, i had only been here for 2 days, and on sat.. i saw the street for the first time since i had been here and i was like "what!! CARS!!!" haha its kinda crazy how easily you get sucked up into the MTC. But we got to actually leave campus on sunday for temple walks and then today on our P-days to go to the temple... So living... hmm i live with 5 other girls who are honestly amazing. i couldnt have asked for better roommates. we all get along really well and we are all going to russia so its really fun! Then my district, we have 4 elders and 4 sisters. Our district is pretty solid. Sometimes the Elders come into our study time in our classroom cause they dont know what to do so me and sister trottier have to kind of guide them. I just have to keep telling myself.. they are 19 year old boys. haha But They are all pretty strong and seeing as how we have only been here a week, we know our district really well...They have helped me strengthen my testimony in more ways than i would have thought.
so the food... hahahahaha thats all i can say... honestly, i havent really touched anything except soup and salad... every... single... day....  Its not that the food is bad, im just a little scared of it... its like HUGE
 meals every single meal... and remember, i promised myself my skirts had to fit me when i left here... haha. But its actually been really nice too cause we do have an hour of gym dedicated specifically to our zone.. but here in the MTC they also have Classes for JUST the sisters at 6 am... and they are like legit classes! we have had step, and kick boxing and power tone and something else i cant remember... but every morning at 6 am, monday through sat... we get a half and hour of what seems like actuall life... and classes where I feel like im actually getting a workout. Cause the gym here...theres like a carpeted track upstairs that you have to run around 10 times for it to be a mile... it struggles and i struggle doing that so the classes
 save my life. So lets talk about russian.... HARD.... is all i have to say... even though i can pray now and bear my testimony and meet someone in russian already... honestly its one of the hardest things ive had to do... But you can really see how much the lord has blessed me since ive been here. Whenever im stressed or feel like its literally impossible.. i just pray to have patience and strength and it somehow happens... one of my favorite
 scriptures right now its "Patience with suffering" its in alma somewhere and isnt it the truth... I am suffering but all you can do is patiently wait,and trust in the lord and i know, without a doubt, hes there...
On a more missionary note... honestly, this is better than i could have asked for. in the past week, i have found out more about myself, about my Savior,and about my Father in heaven then i have in 22 years. its not easy by any means, but wow, its already worth it. what i have and will learn here will continue with me forever and i feel extremely blessed to be able to have this experience... I love where i am right now and wouldnt ask for anythingelse.. I miss you guys of course but i know this is where im supposed to
 be...

 well... theres not much more to say... i love you guys so much and just a few side notes

  and seriously... real letters help a ton too!!! reading emails is too hard and takes too much time we can only do it on tuesdays so real letters and packages would be nice hahaha and i can only write real letters on p days too so those might not come very often but to those who right me... thank you! letters are fun to get...
 (haha i never thought i would be speaking like a true missionary but it
 sounds like i am..)

 well... again... i love you all and i will write next week!!! i will probably have more to write next week... (sorry for the errors.. i wrote this fast) oh!! and i will send pictures soooon!!! i have to print them off
 then you can see my district and companion and i will write some russian for you... love you