Bonjour famille!
I am just kidding about the Giants game, but I did go to San Francisco on Tuesday. No lies! I guess in order to get your French visa you have to make an appearance at the French Consulate in San Francisco to get fingerprinted, yadda yadda yadda. So they flew me and 7 other elders from my zone out on Tuesday. I was put in charge as the Travel Leader because I'm a girl, I'm three years older than those children, and I'm obviously much more responsible. Seriously though haha. So we got bussed to the airport at 5:30 in the morning with some other missionaries that were leaving for their missions. Where ever we were in the airport, people would ask us if we were leaving or coming home, so we had to explain the whole situation. But our plane got delayed about 40 minutes, so that was kind of dumb. Some of the elders called home because we were allowed too.... I hope you are not mad that I didn't. I hadn't psyched myself up for that, and I think I would it would have been too hard to say goodbye. I'm sorry! But when we got to San Francisco, we had a personal driver, Edgar, pick us up and take us to the French Consulate. We were there for literally no more than 30 minutes. We had a couple of hours after that so we had Edgar drive us to Pier 39 where we got some pizza at a place called Luigi's and then walked around, talked to a few people, and gave out a few passalong cards. OH on the plane ride, I sat next to a man who works at Weber State but isn't a member, and he was asking about missionaries and stuff, so I talked to him for awhile and gave him a card about families because he was talking about his family some. It was scary but also exciting! I almost chickened out but I'm glad I didn't. On the way back to Salt Lake City, our plane was delayed TWO HOURS! I had to sit in the airport with 7 silly little elders for two extra hours. But I saw some of my accounting professors who were heading back to Salt Lake as well. It was a crazy trip but it was so interesting to actually be in the real world as a missionary. It made me really excited to go to Switzerland!
So Sunday was amazing. It was definitely my favorite day at the MTC so far. It was fast Sunday, of course... can I just say that the Spirit is so strong at the MTC? We had a testimony meeting (in French...hmm) in Sacrament meeting, a two-hour Mission Conference, and a fireside in the evening. Those are awesome. My favorite is in firesides etc. when we all sing hymns together because MUSIC IS AMAZING! Since we don't get to listen to any music in the MTC otherwise, I get so excited about when we get to sing hymns. After the fireside, they play movies like the Testaments, etc. So S. Vasileva and I went to one called The District, which follows a few missionaries in their mission. During the movie, when it was quite quiet, someone passed gas and everyone started laughing (poor kid). BUT the funny part is that I had to teach Soeur Vasileva the word for that in English... baha we were laughing for most of the rest of the movie.
Oh also, Soeur Kenny came on Monday night. She is from Liverpool (AWESOME) and I love her. We are all still getting to know each other and trying to figure out how to learn how to teach together, but for the most part I love my companions.
Tough story of the week: We had our first TRC experience on Wednesday, which is where volunteer "investigators" come in and we get to practice teaching. We had to do some contacting in French at first, which was way hard but kind of fun. I surprised myself with how well I could communicate with them. I'm sure I butchered the beautiful language, but I kind of understood them and could respond. After that, we had to teach the first lesson (The Restoration) in English. It was so so hard. I didn't feel like I was very effective because I felt like we were just trying to get through the whole lesson rather than actually make sure they were feeling the Spirit and having their needs met. I'm hoping that it will get better with practice, because it was actually kind of discouraging. It's a lot harder than I thought it would be. I just have to remember that God called me to do this, and who He calls He qualifies. I know I can do this, it's just really hard.
On a more positive note, I LOVE my district and my zone. A lot of the elders are hilarious, though immature. Those kids keep me young haha. For example, a few of the elders in my class sing Disney songs (A Whole New World, for example) all the time. Funny. Also, it's fun being one of 7 sisters in a HUGE zone of elders because we are treated well. They open doors for us, say bonjour whenever they see us on campus, stand up for us when we sit down in the cafeteria, and take our trays for us. Such gentlemen. Their testimonies are amazing, also. I want to be best friends with all of them forever. I'm serious about that haha.
We get to go to the temple today and I am so excited! It's been 10 days since I went last... that is the longest break I've had all summer! It will be sad not going with you, and I will miss my temple dress, but it is going to be so refreshing to go.
Congratulations on the Stake 5k! That's awesome that everyone did so well! Mom did you not run it? And are you ready for the Fling tomorrow? I hope it goes so smoothly! Like butter! Also, thank you so so so much for all the letters and packages! It's so exciting to come back from dinner or whatever to see letters on my desk or a package slip. Thank you so much for the angel food cake! I seriously ate it as soon as I opened it up. I also put the jacket on in the middle of class because it was cute. To everyone who is reading this who has not written me a letter: WRITE ME A LETTER! I will love you forever and I promise I will respond.
We can't attach anything to our emails, including pictures, so I am going to print some off and send them to you. The old picture machine in the bookstore takes like 4 days to print the pictures though, so look for them next week. I don't have any pictures with Sister Kenny yet, but you can see Sister Vasileva. And feel free to send me pictures! It would be great to have more to look at.
One of my teachers, Frere Kelley, is awesome (both of them are actually). But he showed us all of his planners from his mission, and he put random pictures/postcards/whatever on the covers to make them more personal. So if you want to send me anything to put on my planners, I would love it. Ok I've only got 30 seconds left so I must end this. I love you all so much and am so grateful for your prayers! Until next week!
Love,
Allie
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