Sister Savannah Slater: And So It Begins...

Hello there, family and friends!

Well, I did it. I made it through my first week here at the good ol' Missionary Training Center. But let me tell you. I feel like I have honestly been here a month already. One of our teachers put it perfectly. From breakfast to lunch, it feels like one day. Lunch to dinner feels like another day, and then dinner to lights out makes another. Meaning that every day feels like three days in one. So it has definitely been an adjustment.

But this past week has actually been pretty great. (The food... not so much. But we will get to that later.) My companion is Sister Young. I love her so much! She is actually from Highland and went to Lone Peak. And... she also graduated in 2010, which means we are the same age. And we actually know a lot of the same people. So it's pretty much perfect! And I absolutely ADORE my district. Like, I'm pretty sure that if anybody says they have the best district, they are lying. Because District 43 will have my heart forever. We room with Sister Murphy and Sister Strong and we laugh ALL OF THE TIME. It's so great being with people who make me feel so comfortable. It has definitely helped make the transition easier. And we are all going to the same mission which makes it so fun. The Elders that we have in our District are Elder Bronson, Elder Genduso, Elder Larsen and Elder Kelly. They are all headed to Richmond, VA. My goodness. Each one of them are going to be the most incredible missionaries. I know that this may sound crazy, but I honestly don't believe that I've only known these people for a week. It feels like I've been friends with them for years. It's crazy!

Over the past week, we go to class for six hours a day (I thought I graduated...) but we get to be in there with Sister Evans and Sister Jones. And they are honestly two of the most incredible Sisters I have ever met. Sister Jones served in the Los Angeles Visitors Center and Sister Evans went to our same mission in Omaha and served in the Winter Quarters Trail Center! So that was pretty cool. But really though, what are the odds? But they really are incredible teachers and I have learned more from them then I have in my entire life. Like, I seriously feel like my brain is going to explode from all of the information I have shoved in there.

But in addition to classes, we have also had the opportunity to teach "Tim" (an investigator played by another MTC teacher, Brother Nielson) and Lisa (who is an actual investigator that we visit at the Training Resource Center). To be honest, teaching kind of terrifies me because I just want to make sure I say the right things. But I've been slowly learning with each lesson to just make sure I do my part and plan, and then let the Spirit the do the rest. It's been an incredible experience to learn how that feels and the effects that it can have on people.

Overall, I have never been more tired, more overwhelmed or have felt so low. But I have I also never felt so motivated, more love or more high on the Spirit than I ever have in my life. I honestly miss my family and friends more than I ever thought that I would. I'm actually getting teary eyed thinking about them. And I would be lying if I said that I didn't want some more sleep, want to listen to some music, or eat some Cafe Rio right at this moment (goodness, the food here is terrible). But I do know that I'm am where I am supposed to be and where the Lord needs me right now.

I love you all!

Love,

Sister Slater