Letter From Heather...

Written today...here is Heather's MTC email address:

heather.cooper@myldsmail.net

If you would like her MTC mailing address we can get it for you. I just don't have it right now.

Hola!

Sister Valle (Vah-yay) is going to the same mission as me, so, yes, she'll probably teach some Native Americans on her mission.

Friday is my P-day.

We've been kept so busy!  I've been loving it, though.  I came in expecting it to be long, boring, and hard, but it isn't.  Well, some of the meetings start to seem long by the end, but mostly it's been flying by.  I'm learning so much--I can't keep up with it all!

My companion and I are getting up at 6 every morning, which seems to be working well for both of us.  There are only 12 people in our branch, and 2 districts.  My district has 5 of us--my companion and I, along with a trio of elders going to Ranchocookamonga, California (I'm not sure if I spelled that right, but I kid you not--that's the name of their mission).  Their names are Elder Aso, who's a big, good-natured Polynesian; Elder Lawrence, who's kind of odd, and who gets left by his companions all the time (which is only partially sad, and partially hilarious); and Elder March, who I have nothing interesting to say about.  They have a little bit more trouble getting out of bed than we do, but they beat us to breakfast today (mostly because Sister Valle promised them treats if they did). They're fun.

Yesterday we had gym time.  The Elders shot hoops, Sister Valle played four-square, and volleyball, and I went and ran on the track.  Or at least I did until my knee started hurting, so then I just used the ellipticals, and other equipment.  It was so much fun, and it felt so good!

Last night our branch presidency and their wives came to talk to us.  President Stice looks, acts, and sounds like he ought to be a drill sargeant, but he's nice.  He talked to us a lot about being exceptional, not just average, missionaries.

I got called as an online trainer, and music coordinator in my branch.  Sister Valle is...something else.  I think she's going to talk to the new missionaries that come in next week.

We teach our first investigator today (who's actually our teacher).  I'm not sure how it's going to go.  We were role-playing yesterday, and I was stumbling around all over my words.  I'm just not good at talking to people.  Now that we actually have time to prepare, though, I think that it'll go better.

The Spirit here is amazing!  I love being a part of this.  I can't believe I'm finally here!  I can barely keep up with all the things that I need to do--we all have to write 3-minute talks, and memorize several things by Sunday, plus personal study, plus companion study, plus class, plus planning, plus eating, and everything else we have to do.  We don't have time!

We went to the temple this morning.

There are only the two of us in our room, which is really nice--lots of closet, and floor space.

The food is good.  We get lots of choices.

Is this letter long enough?  I really don't know what else to tell you....

How have all of you been in the less-than-48-hours since I've been gone?  Have you died yet?  Is Daniel's head okay?  Did he have to get stitches?  Is Ryan's head okay?  Does he need a brain transplant?

I just looked over at my companion and saw her writing a play-by-play of her entire MTC experience.  Sorry.  :)

Anyway, I love you all so much, and I miss you a lot!

Love,

Heather