Mormon Hogwartz

Hello my loveliest Family!

I finally get some time to email everyone. It's six am on my first p-day (Thursday's) and Sister Nelson and I got up early to do laundry. Turns out everyone and their dirty G's get up early to do laundry....dumb Mormons. :) So this is seriously Mormon Hogwarts. A few comparisons. Instead of little wizards everywhere practicing their spells, there are little missionaries practicing the invitation to be baptized in their language (Which lets be honest, most of the time sounds like a spell coming from us newbs). Instead of dementors (creepy ghosts that still souls at hogwarts), I reside among glorificators--always happy, free-compliment-giving, zealous missionaries. It is a grand ol' time.

Anyways....here are the details. After saying goodbye some elder passing in the hall said, "Sister, you'll live dry your tears." Um hello, I just said goodbye to my family jerk! Mostly though the tears were dried and into the work I went. I was ushered through a bunch of rooms where they draw your blood, label you with a tatoo number...jk....it just felt like that. I got my tag, rooming assignment and books (17 lbs worth!!!). I dropped my stuff off at the room and was ushered to the classroom.

My teacher's name is Fratello Garvin (brother garvin) and he is pretty good. He only talks in Italian because it is Speak Your Language here at the MTC but sometimes I literally despise it!!! It's rough trying to learn another language when you have no idea what is being said and they refuse to explain in English. I am starting to get the hang of it and catch phrases here and there. Progress day by day!! We learned to pray Wednesday evening and I pride aloud for the first time that night in Italian. I thought mom would have loved to hear that! We began to bare our testimonies the next day and I can compose a wicked testimony in Italian. Holla at your girl.

We began to teach our investigator Valentina (she's really an itailian teacher who doesn't have students this transfer) last Friday. We had this awesome lesson prepared and we were stoked to give it to her. Then we got into the room, Valentina started rattling off in Italian and all sense of control went out the door. We could not remember how to invite her to pray with us so we just skipped the prayer. Horrible idea. The Spirit peaced out, our lesson spiraled downward and we murdered any sense of testimony she might have had. one point for the advesary. SIdenote: now that I am trying to think and speak Italian 110% of the time, I cannot spell in English to save my life. Get used to the mistakes, you are all going to get 18 months of it....The next day we taught our next lesson and things went much better. We prayed, and even taught Valentina to pray.

We teach her almost everyday and most of the time I have no idea what is going on but I do my best to
understand her and respond how the Spirit wants me to. Yesterday, I spent hours memorizing the invitation to baptism and asked her. She said no. Fail. I left super disappointed and mad. I must remember to work on the Lord's time table and not my own.

 My companion is Sorella Nelson. She is sweet and we get along really well. I am learning patients by always having someone at my side :) I am very lucky to have her at my side though and it is a relief to have her as mi collega (my comp). We have 2 other sister companionships in our room/district. SIster Condie&Sister Hallum, Sister Roth & Sister Ball. We all get along fantastically and have already laughed ourselves silly!

On Thursday night we met our branch presidency and introduced ourselves and bore a short testimony. I shared a scripture from DC 33-10 (i think). Though we all feel inadequate and stupid, the Lord uses the meek to trash the world. Yahoo!!! The President Miller has given me the assignment of coordinating sister.
 This is essentially the Zone Leader for all the sisters in the zone, totallying about 32 girls (12 more than the boys!!!!) Sister power I tell you! He said the presidency felt very strongly that the Lord wants me to serve in this capacity. I am a little overwhelmed with it because it is a loss in most of my personal time throughout the day but I am looking forward to serving all the sisters as the Lord wants me to. Becca, I share a quote from the little booklet you sent me each night while visiting with each girl and everyone is loving it! A gift for Scott my eye!!! It is truly so special to me and I love it. Thank you little nib.

So far, homesickness has not really hit me because you literally don't have time to think about anything except the work. I am grateful because many of the other girls are really struggling. It hits me at random times but I am happy. I literally live for mail though. WE get mail at 2 and 6 so dear elder me whenever. If it is just a joke, a silly moment, or to tell me to pay attention!! I love it! best part of the day. I lied, gym is the best part of the day!!

Things I miss:

1) my pillows. I get one here and it is flat. what am i supposed to do with my arms?!!!

2) silence in the bathroom- can't a girl relieve herself alone?!

Things I like about the MTC:

1) the constant companionship of the Spirit

2) Mail

3) constantly wanting to dive deeper into the scriptures!

I love you all!!! I'll write individual letters on paper because I only have 30 minutes each pday to email. write me on dear elder or paper and I'll respond on here!! I LOVE MIA FAMIGLIA!!!

-Sister Alley