week one.

Week 1 – November 24, 2010

ok I only have 20 minutes to write because it took me so long and my p-day is almost over. But the internet has been down all day so i have not that much time to write. I did send a short letter saying some stuff about my companion so i will leave out those details. I DID get Nana's package, thank you SO! much. I have the most wonderful family ever. I am glad you all made it back from Hawaii barf free. That is always a good feeling right? And tell everyone that I LOVE dear elder. I get it everyday and it is such a good feeling to come home and then read that people miss me and love and support me.

Anyways, i LOVE it here. THis place has such a wonderful spirit here. I feel it constantly, no matter what I am doing. I already talked a lot about my comp in the letter, so just add that to the email i guess when it comes. My hall has sisters who are going to Temple square and also russia (i have HUGE respect for them, its cold their and they are speaking russian). but the temple square sisters are HILARIOUS! We have a bunch here who are polonesian and they are the funniest sisters i have ever met. One sister comes in our room every night to tell us stories, and one story that i will share with you was after a devotional she was with her district and they had a testimony meeting, and she had to get up so she got up and said "I must say, I really hate the MTC. BUt, i love the food. Amen." I was laughing so hard haha. She also goes around on wednesdays and takes peoples stickers off their nametags (if it is your first week you get a sticker) and she pretends she is new. Its hilarious. And our room is fun too. I love my comps. I love all the sisters here. I really am serving at such a wonderful time.

I made a friend at gym time! so there is a 200 meter track here i can run on (its painfully short) but this sister, hermana ewig, is going to Chile and she has run 7 marathons! Unfortunately she is leaving on monday, but it was still fun to get to know her.

I am in the same zone as Hermana Perez!!! She is so cool. Tell the Perezs that.

Ashley will love this story. One night my comp heard me sleep talk. She said that I kinda said (very strenly) "teachers should be nice when we are learning spanish!" hahah yep im still a chatter box at night.

So Yesterday was my first tuesday night devotional. I sang in the choir (even though I'm horrible) but it got me great seats for it. It was Elder Malm from the seventy, who is from Sweden. He confirmed to me more that people from Sweden are some of the funniest people I know (another example, Kristine Olson). But he made me laugh so hard. I think that I have laughed harder here than I can last remember. He gave so many wonderful messages too. I love being a missionary. My teachers are incredible too. They teach so well and help us learn so much everyday. I have learned how to pray in spanish, tesitfy, and bear my testimony. I'm still quite horrible, but I am learning. I will hopefully send you my whole testimony in spanish next week, how cool would that be!!! I will get better. I am so happy that I got to email you today, I was afraid I was not going to be able to! You will get a letter from me anyways. I love love it here.

I would say the only hard thing have been the rules. I have a particulary strict branch president who makes a lot of rules, but one day when I was thinking about how negative I was being, I thought about how I was being Lamen and Lemule. They just bickered and bickered about everything. But Nephi listened to the Lord, and look at how both ended up. I made a promise with myself that no matter how silly, how weird, how ridiculous, I would follow EVERY rule. Because the spirit here helps you when you try to be obedient, so if I want to help convert the people in Argentina I need the spirit. Therefore, I care enough about them to keep silly rules.

I love you all so much! I hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving and I am sorry this is cut so short and I promise more is coming in the mail. LAST THING. I feel so bad asking for more because it was so nice of Nana to mail that stuff, but i really need gym socks and more sports bras. Im begining to smell offensive, because we can work out twice a day, and I just smell awful. And my feel are all bloody and blistered because I have been running without socks on for the past week. If you could just send those two things (maybe like 3-4 more bras) that would be wonderful.

Le Amo!!!

Hermana Collins

PS my mailbox number is 294, and I LOVE DEAR ELDER!!! PS shout out to those who used that on the first day, Abby, Maddie, Karleigh, Candice, and Ashley. GRACIAS!!!