First Week in the MTC

Hello my wonderful family!!
I barely know where to begin my feelings have been such a roller coaster since I arrived in the MTC about a week ago. First off I feel like I have been greatly blessed/tried if that is possible this week. One of the greatest blessings to me right now is my companion Sister Rodriguez. She's so wonderful! I'm sure that the Lord knew that I needed her as a companion right now it has truly been divine intervention that we have been put together. She grew up in Germany but was born a United States citizen. Her father is Columbian and mother from Oregon. (You would think by the name she would look Hispanic but she is actually bright blond curly hair and blue eyes). I'll try to send a picture through the mail when I can. We have so much in common it is insane. She is also a journalism major at the U, loves to travel, dad is a convert to the church. Our personalities mesh so well. As one of our teachers said he said it has been a long time since he has seen two sisters connect in teaching lessons as we already have it is like we are already so in tune to each others needs. I love her so much! My district is wonderful! There are 4 sisters my companion and I and sister Uibel and Jarman and then 6 elders. The elders are all surprisingly mature for 19 year olds (except for elder Mahoney who is 21). They area al bit crazy sometimes but they keep the class fun and make the most hilarious comments. I really have been blessed to be with such a great group. Its kind of weird to me I have to describe them to you because I feel like I have already known them forever and that you should know them too.
I have been super overwhelmed trying to teach Russian this week as well as the strict crazy busy schedule. But the Lord is blessing me with the spirit so it has been alright. I didn't know before coming on a mission how powerful the mantle of being set apart as a missionary would be but it is amazing. Never in my life have I felt so loved by the Lord or had answers come so quickly to my mind. The scriptures are amazing reading them as a missionary; I am finding so much strength and knowledge in them.
I don't think I have ever been as anxious to do something as I was Wednesday before entering the MTC to just get through these doors and start my mission (dad can attest to that lol). Wednesday was overwhelming and long but we had some great meetings meeting our teacher brothers Anderson, McCrery and Rutter. They are amazing teachers and I am learning so much from them.
Thursday we started to learn the alphabet in Russian. Wow was I overwhelmed we have 3 missionaries in my district who are already almost fluent in Russian and I feel so inadequate next to them but they area all very humble and trying their best not to make the rest of us feel bad. I think learning Russian is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. That night we met with President Harrison (our branch pres and his counselors and wife’s) we were all kind of scared to meet him cuz the older district kept telling us how strict and scary he was. But he didn't scare me when I met him (he's a lawyer, and served as a mission president in Russia just got back about a year ago) he is for sure super intense but you can tell he loves every single one of us missionaries and is proud of our successes. His branch rule and theme is obeyed with exactness. We are one of the strictest branches in the whole mtc I found out. He gave us a lesson in district meeting on Sunday about obedience and man was it intense.
Friday we started to really dive into Russian, we learned how to pray and testify in Russian. I almost started to cry that night over how inadequate I was feeling, I don't know how I am ever going to learn this language but I have faith that the lord wouldn’t have called me here if he didn't know I could do it. Sis Rodriguez turned to me in class this week and said how are you feeling? at first I said fine but then to be honest I said actually no I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed. She laughed and said oh good met too! (Although I fell like everyone is catching on faster then me even sis Rodriguez, she already knows German English, Italian and French...).
Saturday morning we started the day off with gym time (I love gym time at the mtc!) it is a nice break from the rest of the schedule. sis rod and I made a deal to get eat healthy every day in the mtc cafeteria except Fridays so we don't overeat and get sick and to go to the early morning gym classes 3 times a week before starting our days. We had a workshop on Saturday afternoon and our teacher didn't show up, so sis rod and I had to go find our regular teacher and tell him. The elders had started to act kind of rowdy and throw stuff at each other so we decided it was time to take action.
Sunday was a wonderful day sister Elaine Dalton of the general young women’s pres came and talked to us in relief society and she started speaking on how this week had been a series of ups and downs, huge spiritual highs and hard overwhelming lows. That was exactly how I had been feeling. as we stood up to recite the young women theme I was so overwhelmed with feeling of love from my heavenly father I started to cry. I knew without a doubt in that moment that the reason I was here right now is because through living righteously growing up and keeping those standards the lord had prepared me for this moment in time to do this work. And to "stand as a witness in all things and all time s in all places" on our wall in our building it says the phrases "show the lord you are willing to struggle and strife and learn this language so that he can bless you with the gift of tongues. I know I am going to have to work harder then ever before but it is worth it and he will bless me. Monday as we were sitting outside studying some Spanish sisters that can barley speak English came up to me and started to bare their testimony for that brief moment in time I got a glimpse e of the simple testimony I would be able to bare in Russian to those people and things to come and I was so grateful for the knowledge that I can do this I just been to be patient.

This morning we went to them temple and it was glorious! sis rod has been super sick this week and so we had to go to the health center, please keep her in your prayers it was sweet as the elders gave her their first ever blessings this morning what a special experience!
Family: Please send me letters! My companion gets like 4 a day from her family and I would really like to hear from you! I love and miss you all! I only get 30 min of the computer and so I can't read your emails really and respond so go to dearelder.com and send me e-mails through that.
Mom I need you too send me another towel Love you all! Please write me so I know how you are doing!