My First Preparation Day

Hello Mumsie and Daddy!

Everything's going great! I got the debit card after I sent you the letter asking you to activate it for me. I'm glad I went with the longhorn design, and you're right, we're 2 for 2 on pictures! I'll try to answer your questions as quickly as I can.

We didn't have a BBQ for Memorial Day, unfortunately. I kind of forget it was M Day until someone mentioned it. We got to watch Music and the Spoken Word on Sunday morning (reminded me of grandpa) and it was a tribute to all the soldiers. It was absolutely beautiful. They showed pictures of Washington D.C. and different memorials and played/sang songs like Hymn to the Fallen (which we played in high school orchestra), etc.

I'm so jealous they all got to go to the Mavs game! Can you keep me updated on the games? I'm glad I have my Mavs shirt to wear here. Just before I forget, I passed a sister today who was telling someone she's going to the Fort Worth mission. I think her name is Sister Heimuli? Anyway, she's from Salt Lake (looks Tongan or from New Zealand or something) and I told her to look for the Brinkerhoffs!

I'm glad I got to the MTC on Wednesday--that my flight wasn't canceled or delayed. I would have missed mucho if I hadn't come on time. The night we got here, we met with three "investigators" and tried to teach them about the gospel. Woo wee. This is tough stuff. I'm trying so hard to learn how to start a lesson with investigators. This is going to take a lot of practice and I have been humbled many times already. It truly is the Spirit that will lead you to tell someone what they need to hear--you do have to be prepared with something first. Does that make sense?

I'll write a note to Melissa for her birthday. If you can send the package so it gets there closer to her bday, that'd be wonderful. I'm going to send her a birthday card next Wednesday, the 8th, so hopefully she'll get the card with explanation before she gets a random package with no note. Gracias!

I'm still coming up with a scripture. Yikes!!! It's okay, I'll get one to you. I just need time to sit down and think. There's no time to think around here. :) Let me explain. Mom, you asked if I was bumped up to intermediate or advanced? No, but my district is a "pilot" class. They're trying out this new program where the teachers speak mostly in Spanish and we learned the missionary purpose in Spanish on the first day. We've learned how to contact someone all the way from hello, my name is, we're missionaries for..., testimony, can we come by your house, do you know anyone else? We can say all that in Spanish, bear our testimonies and pray in Spanish, and other things--can't think off the top of my head with this clock in the corner of the computer screen that's counting down my time! So anyway, pilot class, we have to contact 6 random people a day, introduce and explain the Book of Mormon to 3 people a day (English), ask 5 people to be baptized (English, soon in Spanish). So basically we're ahead of people who have been here 5 weeks--in some respects only, of course.

Mom, thank you so much for helping me shop and pack. I couldn't have done it so well without you. I am indebted to you, like always. I love you so much and am grateful that you support me serving a mission. I love it here, I really really do. It challenges me, but I know it's His will to challenge me because I need to learn so I can teach and invite.

What do I like about the MTC? I love my companion. I love how sincere she is and how we get along so well. We learn so much from each other. She is obedient and willing to change but also has an awesome personality. We just work well together and have talked several times about how Heavenly Father's hand was in the picture when putting us together. The other sisters get along well with each other, so we're glad they're together. :) Spanish class is great! The female teacher knows that some are more advanced than others but they don't want us to move into another district (class) because they say we can be challenged in whatever we're learning. It's true. I skip over a lot of things and read Preach my Gospel in Spanish or do this and that, practice my testimony and adding to it, etc.

Thank you for praying for me every day. I can't do this on my own. By the way, I think I told you this already. I had a really hard time sleeping the first night (went to bed after midnight and woke up before 6) and it got slightly better but still like 11:30 the next night. Now I'm sleeping like a baby, but it's easy for me to wake up at 5:55 (to beat everyone into the showers!). Also, I didn't have much of an appetite when I got here (pretty sure I lost weight), but now I'm hungry at mealtimes (delicious food--lots of options) and I'm still mindful of eating healthy! Hermana Worthen and I played sand volleyball with some elders yesterday. We're going to the temple at 3--it's 2:10 right now. It'll be our first time to go. Unfortunately the temple is closed for cleaning at the beginning of July--I can't catch a break with those temple cleanings.

I am very happy to be here. I love you all. I hope I answered all questions. I attended two meetings on Sunday for my calling as the coordinating sister of my district/zone--not sure, and I went to another meeting last night. I just look out for the sisters, make sure they're obedient and happy, residence halls issues, make sure they get along with the elders, yadda yadda.

Les amo, padres.

Love,

Hermana Brinkerhoff