Hello:),

So the MTC is amazing. I really don't remember what life was like before I got here... like at all, even though it's only been three days. 

My companion's name is Sister Moeller. She is from Calgary, Alberta and is awesome. She and I get along very well, which I am super happy about. There are two other girls in our district, Sister Griffen from New Zealand and Sister Weiler from Salt Lake City. We have a lot of fun together.

On the first night, Sister Griffen woke up at 3 a.m. and threw up, so that was really... interesting. Shout out to Madison Harman for never waking me up by throwing up in the middle of the night. Sister Griffen had been on a 20 hour flight and had only slept about 3 hours the night before, plus the nasty MTC food. The only thing that is saving Sister Moeller and I is the wrap bar at lunch.

Sister Moeller is a German citizen. Her dad is full German and she went to German school in Canada for about ten years, so she is really helping me learn the German. I have actually learned a lot in three days. I memorized Moses 1:39, probably about 100 words, maybe 10 phrases, and the alphabet and most of the numbers.

On the first day, I walked into the classroom and our teacher, Sister Ahlm, just spoke German. She only speaks english when she is defining a word, which is rare. Usually we as a district have to define it by trial and error. For the first two days, I felt really helpless. I knew I could do it because thousands, perhaps millions, have done it before me, but I really couldn't figure out how. 

We still haven't been given a formal lesson on German, but we did already teach our first lesson to a german "investigator". I had memorized a ton of phrases like "wie Gehts" und "Wir sind missionarinen fur der Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der letzeten Tage", but I forgot all of them when i walked in. The teaching went okay, I just think we need to prepare better formatted lessons, which is hard when you don't know the language or any grammar, and so you're just throwing words together hoping they make sense. 

It's insane how many times I have prayed, and most of the prayers are in German now, which is cool. I think we prayed 20 times yesterday for the Spirit so we could have the Gift of Tongues and say what our investigator needed to hear about the Gospel.

Also, side note, I broke the handicap bathroom door in our hall. Like it just fell off. I have a picture, so I'll send it when I figure out how to.

Our zone is all German, Berlin or Frankfurt people and the Armenians. It seems like it's going to be a really fun group. 

I prepared a talk in German already as well.

Also, they found out that I'm one of four people in the zone who knows how to lead music, so I'll be doing that as well.

I haven't had anytime to be homesick or to even think about anything other than the mission, which is good. I thought about the sacrifices I was making for ten-seconds yesterday and almost had a panic attack, but then I remembered why I'm doing this. I know that God strengthens those who sacrifice their lives for him. I know that he is already helping me and my district so much. Sister Moeller says that we are picking up German at an exponential rate, faster than anyone she has ever been in class with has, so that gives me great hope. Plus, half of the german language sounds super similar to english, just spelled funny.

On the first night, we did this activity with all of the new missionaries where we taught 3 "investigators" as a large group. I didn't know they were actors at the time, but nevertheless, the spirit that I felt while we taught people simple truths about the gospel like the Atonement and forgiveness of our sins, eternal families, etc., was undeniable. I'm really, really, really excited to get out of the MTC and go to Germany to help and love those who need it.

I know that I am called of God to do this work, and that's what is going to get me through the next 18 months.

I'm having tons of fun and working and studying from 6:30 am until 10:30 at night, so that's insane. Somehow I wake up every morning though.

I love you all!

Sister Johnson