1st Email and MTC Pics.

The day after we dropped her off the boys began playing in a soccer tournament in Layton.  I was sitting by a mom who had just sent her daughter off to Alaska to serve about a month prior.  She said to me, "Has she sent you her first email yet?"  I was puzzled because I thought they could only email on P-Day...but she said they allow them to email the first night they're in the MTC.  I said that we hadn't and that maybe her district didn't do that or something.  But I felt a little gyped!  But sure enough the next day, we got that email!  She had sent it late the night before.  And then on Saturday we got a little longer one since it's her p-day.  Here are some excerpts and pics:  Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa who bought her a nice camera with wifi so she can quickly send them to an email and they come directly to us!  
 "Well....... I'M ALIVE!!! :) I am just concluding my first full day at the MTC and whew! am I tired! Today was so incredibly long, but so incredibly rewarding. I feel like a have a to do list as long as the one I had when I was getting ready! and that's pretty long..... ;) but all of it is a part of strengthening my testimony and becoming the teacher that God needs me to be. I cannot wait to go to Tennessee, but I am loving my experience here."

"Honestly, the MTC is great! Leaving all of you was hard, but I was put to work and didn't have any time to think about that! Seeing a missionary friend (a sister from my BYU ward) as we drove in and then having her be my host was a tender mercy. I was so excited to see her and then it made me so excited for the whole experience. As we walked through the MTC, I saw several people that I knew from my past ward at BYU and even a few friends from high school."

"Yesterday was the best! The spirit was so strong the whole day and I felt like I learned a lot! after I learned, I just wanted to go back and have a do-over of our lesson! I learned so many things that we could improve on! But I guess that's kinda the point - I mean, it is the missionary TRAINING center after all :) 

We were finally able to exercise!!! All of us sisters were sooo excited to have gym time. The first two days we didn't have any kind of physical activity! and after sitting in a desk for several hours a day, you just want to get out and move! I think it was really a game changer. I had a lot more energy throughout the day because of it.  I have loved how much we are in the scriptures and preach my gospel is truly amazing! The spirit is really testifying of truth here all the time!

They had them teaching a mock investigator the 2nd day they were there!  Thank heavens she was diligent about studying Preach my Gospel before leaving.  I don't remember doing anything like that until I was there at least a month!  How things have changed...and how strong our children are!

Her companion is from Idaho!