Week # 3 She's doing great!

Zdravo Druzina!

Thank you for all of your letters and e-mails! I have been bombarded (in a good way) with letters and it is so fun for me to get them all! We get them every evening and then I have the whole evening to read them. It is so much fun to hear about what you are all doing! Thank you Aaron for your little note it was unexpected but very welcome!
OK so I didn't have time to review all of your questions before I started writing so I'm just going to have to stick with whatever pops into my head:) Mom I did get your e-mail and the code is right. My estimated leave date is February 28th not March 1. I'm leaving with most of the rest of my district so I won't have to travel alone! yay!

There were so many good things that happened this week! last Tuesday for our Tuesday devotional Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came and spoke. I was singing in the choir which was also a neat experience. Elder Holland has always been one of my very favorite speakers. He points out a problem, gets to the root of it and very bluntly states how it should be fixed and he always adds a very powerful testimony throughout. He kind of ripped missionaries apart telling us what we weren't very good at and how to fix it, but the thing is I didn't leave the meeting feeling chastised, I left the meeting with a great desire to be better and to set push myself even harder. After the devotional we have a district review and I could tell that it affected the elders in the same way. They shared some impressions that they had received during the talk and I was floored at some of the things that they shared and it made me realize just how important it is to teach with the spirit. Elder Holland teaches with the spirit and his words pierce your soul! Ok that might sounda little extreme but it is true! That will definitely be a highlight of my entire MTC experience!

This past week we got a new MTC Presidency. Our President's name is Pres. Brown and he seems like a really neat person. My roommates are leaving this week! I wish I knew how to upload pictures... I think I need a cord that is at home to do it on these computers...I'll see what I can do:) We are getting 4 new girls this week in our room! I'm really excited to meet them and I'll be sure to tell you more when I know more:) It's kind of weird because they will leave the MTC before I do! I saw Elder Gooch yesterday at the temple and he left today! I'm going to be here for a long time but I'm learning a lot. I can't remember who I've told you I've seen so I'll list it off again. I saw Elder Johnson and Elder Janson (Ethan) at gym and I've seen basically my whole mission prep class! I've seen a lot of other people from SUU Sister Rosander (Karissa) and Sister Glen (Laney).

The language is coming....very slowly... but I am making improvement... at least that's what I have to tell myself to keep from getting too discouraged. It has been a very humbling experience and I know that the Lord wanted me to learn a language for a reason. I never realized how much of a visual learner I am until now!! I have the hardest time remembering words especially since there are so few that have any connection to English... or Latin based languages that I have studied. I understand the grammer concepts pretty well though so I'm sure it will come with time!

I apologize for my spelling mistakes mom and hope that this e-mail makes some sense! I love you all!
Love,
Sestra Powell!