Hola Madre!!!
I'm so glad that you got the picture. When we found Hermana Marquez's friend in the hallway and she said she could send it to you too, I was so happy! I wanted you to know that I was doing well :) I actually have two companions now though because one of our Hnas. got transferred to the intermediate class. (She was from Tahiti!!) Hna. Marquez is from Minnesota. She is almost 21. She is also going to Tempe! So that is really cool. She is the oldest of 5. She left a sort of boyfriend behind haha they were dating, but she is not sure what it will lead to. Hna. Weloth is from Ogden. She is almost 22 so that makes me the baby of the trio but they both say I seem older so we get along well. She did not leave a boyfriend behind. I love that you are going to make a mission binder. That makes me happy and makes me feel loved :) Don't worry, I know that you love me!!! I will try and send letters that are longer than his but you will have to let me know if they are on the same level as Becca's!
To say I'm staying busy is definitely an understatement. Sometimes it is a pain to have such an exact schedule, but there is no way we could do all that we do without it! I do love it here though! I really, really love it actually. Everyday brings new things that I learn and grow so much from. 3 of my pens have already died because I have been writing so much! My district is great. We are the only Hnas and then there are three Elder companionships. They are our family here at the MTC and they are so great to be around.
They wasted no time and we went straight to class last Wednesday and started speaking Spanish and learning things. We have had so many orientations and instruction times in the last week for me to be able to count. I'm hoping since we've been here a week now that we won't have any more of those! We are in our classroom ALL the time! We have 2 3-hour blocks of class time and lots of study time in between that where we stay in the classroom.
Spanish is hard! I remember things from High School, but not enough! We teach a lesson in Spanish to our investigator everyday and yesterday they made us go in without our notes. We had to completely rely on the Spirit. It went well! We didn't teach what we had planned, but she told us that it was our best lesson yet!
I am learning so much! I have had to work so much harder to really trust and rely on the Lord, but the Spirit is so strong here. Janice Kapp Perry was our Speaker in Relief Society and she changed the words to As Sisters in Zion to be The Sisters of Zion about missionary work and it was so great. I started crying while I was singing it and could barely finish! Then last night at devotional, Russell M. Nelson spoke to us! I feel so blessed to be able to hear messages from such Spiritually strong people.
I have so much more to say, but not enough time! If you could write me through Dear Elder than that would be great! That way I get it the day that you send it and do not have to read and write back all in the same time.
I love you so much!!!
Con amor,
Hermana Baria