First Letter!

This came to our parents house today, and I'm going to type it how she wrote it. I will add some notes in italics to explain some things for people who aren't family, etc. :)


1 December 2011
Um dear family,

I write from the MTC laying on my stomach on my bunkbed while my sweet companion Sister Petersen writes her letter to our B.P. (branch president) which we must do every week. Sister Walker and Sister Torgerson are quietly writing or reading in here as well.  We all came to the MTC at the same time. Sister Petersen is also going to Alaska with me.  I have been made Senior Comp by our B.P.

It already feels like forever and it's only the end of the 2nd day. I saw Hermana Hansen (our second cousin Amy Hansen who happens to be at the MTC also right now -Anne) in the cafeteria today (which is a huge place, maybe the size of 3 cultural halls, full of tables & diff. stations of food) and I gave her a big hug. We have a district (not Amy, she's in a diff. district) w/ 6 other elders who all seemed like dumbbells 'til they bore their testimonies and they have amazing spirits and will be rockstars on their mission.

I haven't felt homesick at all. It was awfully hard leaving Mom & Dad at the airport but since I've been here I've been fine. The other girls all come from Utah & couldn't imagine what it would be like to fly here & not say goodbye to family members. I said good-bye to Andrea and she is great. (Andrea picked up Melissa from the airport in Salt Lake and drove her down to the MTC in Provo. Thanks, Andrea! -Anne)

Apparently I am missing shots, I needed more recent ones of some of them, they said the TDAP is not on here either but I coulda sworn I got it but maybe not. Anyway to get these shots - I think I'm missing 3 - one was like $50, the other $60, the other $30, and maybe I did, so I'm writing home, please call Dr. Parise down at Crown Valley next to Rite Aid and ask for the dates of the shots she gave me (I have a record of the flu & meningacoco or whatever it's called). (Pretty sure she means meningitis. Lol. -Anne) Enclosed I have a pink slip they gave me.

We were put into rooms w/investigators & we don't know if they're pretending or not and, in a group of about 40 BRAND new missionaries, were supposed to teach & I think we all kinda fell flat on our faces & barely listened to the Spirit and felt like lecturing the guy & some elders are so cute just trying to bear their testimony but not listening to what the guy just said & we all must try & we all must learn! They stress figuring out what investigators need. My teachers & zone leaders are cool. I can't believe how awesome missionary effort is. Love you lots. Thank for everything.

-Sister Ashbrook