My First Email

Hola mi familia!!!
So i only have 28 minutes left to write you guys and there is an annoying red number count down on the corner so i'm gonna try to write everything since I have no more time to write a letter today. So this experience has definitely been a roller coaster ride of emotions. I cried on Saturday and at least of a couple of times asked why am i here...but everyone said to wait till Sunday and it gets better and they were right! My first day and a half here we had already learned to bear a simple testimony and prayer in spanish. They really push us here and it is hard but great!! I have two companions... Hermana Crandell who is going to the New York, New York south spanish speaking mission and Hermana Christsensen is going to Texas with me. Hermana Crandell is a sweet heart that is always working and constantly pushes me to be better. Hermana Christensen makes our companionship more of a competition and loves talking about herself... i definitely think this is the quietest I have ever been.. but i am striving to get along with them and love this opportunity. We have fun and laugh together most the time though! I have two teachers that go to BYU named hermano cave and hermana evans and they are great and really fun teachers. My district is actually great and there are four elders all going to New York, New York spanish and they are so funny and spiritual giants... love them! To answer some questions mom asked me.... the food here is alright i mainly eat the salads or the wraps from the bar... we can make our own!! I eat the ice cream from the BYU creamery on Wednesday and Sunday though!! YUMMY!!! Yes i am so happy i brought my seseme street blanket and my max a million teddy bear... they have helped the homesickness... I'm not gonna lie i miss my family and my freedom! I miss being ALONE and not having a companion stuck to your hip but i also know that i was suppose to come on this mission... I was suppose to come spanish speaking it has truly humbled me...made me see my weaknesses and realize i need to relie on God more!! It is amazing the spirit here at the MTC... i think i have prayed more in the last week than i have in my entire life, but during personal and companionship study i almost feel like Heavenly Father is sitting right next to me explaining the scriptures and doctrine to me himself!! My understanding of the scriptures and applying them to myself have been drastically changed and I feel the strength of this
knowledge already. About the gym time we get to go five times a week and there are basketball courts, track, volleyball courts.. i usually go run or bike for twenty minutes, do Charlene's ab routine, then shoot the basketball around.. my first gym was on Saturday and I know it saved me.. i was getting so restless in this place. We also get to go to a place called the RC where we get to make outbound calls to real people to ask them if they have recieved the videos or books they have requested. I talked to a handicap guy on the phone for ten minutes while he just kept telling me he doesn't want anything but the word of God and that our religion was just man made!! All i could do was bear sweet testimony but he wouldn't listen to me or let me
go!! I guess I just got a taste of Texas...but i felt so bad for him.. i wish he would soften his heart and just listen! On Sunday's and on Tuesday nights we have devotionals and on Sunday it was just a guy from the Presidency at the MTC...but they don't tell us who is going to be speaking on Tuesday night devotional.. but guess who it was? ELDER L.TOM PERRY!!! I got to hear from an apostle of the Lord.. i was singing in the choir so I had good seats. It is amazing the feeling of the spirit so strong when they walk into the room... our branch president related it later to how investigators or non members will feel when we as missionaries walk into their house..we must alway stay worthy of that spirit. I definitely got a rebuke though when Elder Perry started talking about the importance of loving and unifying your companionship...since then our companionship has had a complete change of heart and are having a blast and working hard together. My district had a meeting right after the devotional and all our Elder's bore their testimonies and were crying.. they are spiritual giants... They don't even annoy me at all!!ha ha... Brad so i found the perfect girl for you.. her name is Hermana Porter.. 23 and going to Argentina... so i show her a picture of you and Benj from my Homecoming... what a small world she went out with Benj right before she went on her mission!! ask Benj about a Lauren Porter.. she is my coordinating sister here in my zone and she has been my lifesaver and tender mercies. she is just like me and we laugh together and vent to each other... so nice!! oh and by the way anyone can e-mail me i just can only e-mail you guys back!! well i have to run! love you guys so much and i miss you more than you will ever know!! PLEASE WRITE!! Love you!
Hermana Barber