uhmmm TODAY! aka 4.16.09

To My People-

I love you A lot. Also- I feel really weird having so much contact with you in the past few days. Prep day was just on Friday. I got to speak on the phone with you yesterday. Here I sit writing you again :) I actually hope that you could get this BEFORE being in Provo- but alas. How did things go at the MTC? I'm sure that everyone just loved being there again:) Gus is going to be an AWESOME missionary!!!!! YAY I'M SO EXCITED!!!!! Missions are so where it's at these days. Oh wow. I just don't even know where to start with my life- because I know you're just dying to hear right? Right. Ok- so since my last letter I have done a lot of stuff- cool stuff. First of all! I went to Temple Square on Saturday with the rest of the Visitor's Center Sisters. IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!K maybe that was enough exclamation points- just maybe. Ok- so! We arrived at Temple Square and were paired up with S. who were serving there. My S. was from South Africa and I LOVED her. Oh wow- she was the most gorgeous S. ever and she was SUCH an amazing missionary and I know that Heavenly Father put us together for that day. I was able to learn so much from her. It made me so excited to serve in a VC- even if it would have been Temple Square. We were able to give tours and talk to people and oh man- it was just the best. It was raining all day but I was just happy there were still people to talk to! People who got to listen to me - ahahahhahahahaha. But seriously- it's never me- it's always the Spirit. By myself I would just sound like a know it all who was lecturing to anyone who came within the sound of my voice- hahahaha. OK so I did just love everything about Temple Square and it got me SO excited to serve here. So then Tuesday was the big day I left for Nauvoo! And I was able to talk to you- which made my life :) Except I only missed Daniel- well I still love him. And I really liked in Hann's letter how it talked about him doing his "flow" dance at the gym. It sounded like it was pretty legit. In fact, perhaps even too legit. I don't even know if he reads these letters- so to condense just tell him that he is my favorite littlest brother. And I hope he is still keepin it classy- everyday. And that I love that little Prince Ponichello (yeah I pulled that one out of memory lane- I don't think you pull things from there- but I can't really think of a better way to describe that.) Ok- I'm getting off topic. However- I do get longer for e-mails. Which reminds me! It would now be okay if you want to let peopl e-mail me at this address. Just know that I can't e-mail back. I can only e-mail immediate family- and I will stick to that rule. But still send me letters please! They're more fun because I can read them over and over and over and they make my day happier :) And then I get to write SUPA SWEET letters back. That's right. Ok. So! We flew into St. Louis (I just said looey) Ok but first! Ok so all missionaries just are all about sitting by non-members on the flight and baptizing them by the end of it but me- yes I love to preach the gospel but also! if any of you have ever traveled with me before you would know that what do I do anytime I'm in any kind of moving vehicle? Oh yeah- I pass out in like 0.2 seconds and am asleep the whole time. That way I don't get sick. And it makes the time go by faster. And whenever I flew out to Aubs there was a lady that just sat there and talked at me for like 2098402398423 hours and I was so sick I thought that if I even opened my mouth I would spew all over her (good word huh? :) ) Regardless! Anyways! Whatever. Ok- so! Everyone is sitting by another S. except for me. I sit by this guy- who looks as though he is our age. And then it only helps that this lady (who is a member) who is sitting behind us on the flight leans over the seat (slightly awkwardly actually now that I'm thinking about it- what am I talking about it was hecka awkward) and says "so you gonna convert him before the flights over?!?!?!?!?" and I was like- thanks you old crazy person- that was a really great segway into what? I don't know what. What should I say now? Thank you. ughh crazy person. So I was like "ho ho ho- you are a crazy" and then tried to be normal to the guy sitting next to me. So I did start talking to him and tried to be as normal as my missionaryhood allows me too. Inevitably we were talking about the gospel even before the plane had left the ground. His daddy is a pastor- so he was very familiar with his religion- which was good because it made for good conversation. He had a lot of questions- and I HOPE that I answered them sufficiently. He did tell me that if nothing else- at least he doesn't think Mormons are weird anymore:) and that he liked how similar our religions are- and that if the missionaries came by (he is in the ROTC at his school and I guess they're always knockin at the dorms or whatevs) that he would probably be more apt to let them in! So! No baptism (sorry old crazy lady) but! I felt like I was able to bring someone closer to Christ. Which is my purpose. And he gave me a piece of gum (which I don't think technically I'm supposed to chew) but! it helped me to not get motion sick. So I didn't spew on him :) So! That was fun! Oh yeah! And it was fun talking about the Air Force and planes and stuff like that. It was insane to me how similar the military and the Church are. So hopefully one day he'll just make that easy jump from military life to church life :) But it was just good- good experience. And then! The whole mission presidency came to pick us up! Oh goodness- they are just all so nice. Wow- that sounded cheesy- but it's true. I especially love the Williams, they drove us back to Nauvoo. CUTEST couple. And President and Sister Ludwig seem awesome. I actually have my first interview with President in just a minute- but I may be able to come back and finish up e-mailing. Oh yeah- so they picked us up and then took us out to a buffet. Bless their hearts- but I'm SO not about buffet eating- particularly after being in the MTC for a month. So I had some salad I guess and cracker packets. Ok that made me sound like a brat- I'm not. I just couldn't eat anything. Maybe I just should have left that part out of the story. Dang it. Oh well. OK- so then! We FINALLY got into Nauvoo and then we got our assignments. I am one of 6 sisters serving in Carthage actually. The other 12 are in Nauvoo. I feel good about it though- I'm just not with any of my sisters (the four of us that have spent 24/7 together for the past month :) ) but! It's good for me. I went running this morning and it felt SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good to actually run outside. Except when I ran past this meat place or something with a bunch of cows. That smelled like death. But oh man! Ok our house?!??! It's SAWEEEEET! The senior sisters said we'll never have anything close to it on our outbound mission. The house in Carthage is a mansion that was donated to the  Church (mansion old time speak- like the McConnell Mansion in the 'scow- so a nice sized house) And there are 2 apts for the sister missionaries and we also have a senior couple living with us. The house is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUDE!!!!!!! It reminds me of my house in Provo. Oh cude. And the senior couples- oh man. I love them already. Except there is one couple that went to Utah and as soon as they found out I went to BYU they went on and on about how Utah is better. Whatever. I love the crazy old people. And I didn't even argue. Thank you to certain people that we all know of (hann you kno what I'm sayin right now- you know) I am pretty prepared to try and love people who hate on me about my educational choices :) And I just got back from my President's interview- it was AWESOME! I just keep knowing more and more that this is the place I'm supposed to be. We got to go on a wagon ride this morning around Nauvoo- it was so good. Everything about here just makes me happy. Seeing the horses made me happy. I love them. I don't even know why. I just loved the horses. And! Then today we went to the grocery store and got food and supplies and I was the only one who came in under the amount of money we had on our card. A significant amount under actually. Take that- BAM!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to mama for always bein so cheap :) Well- we have a dinner tonight with the Presidency which I'm excited about. I'm just happy. It was so so so so soooo good to see the temple. We get to go on Thursday and that is what I am looking forward to more than anything! Well I should probably go- but I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited for Gus to be able to be on a mish too- it's awesome :) Can you get me his address? I'll just write it to the MTC right now. I love you all a whole lot!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for being my family :) Tell Baby that I tell EVERYONE on my mission how smart she is. She is the smartest.
Love- Sister Picard