MONTANA HERE I COME!!!

Let me first start off with I'm sorry that I send out my emails so late haha. I'm not used to writing these yet so it takes me a second to get them done! 

Tuesday January 30th: We started off the week by packing our bags! I got my flight information for Montana and I leave Friday February 1st! Tbh I'm actually really sad to be leaving the MTC. I have grown so close to my District and once we leave we are all being separated because we all have separate missions! So I'm trying to soak up all the time I have in the MTC

Wednesday January 31st: We had our last day of class as a whole district! Some people are leaving Thursday (tomorrow) and so this would be our last time together in class. We took lots of pics and signed each others journals! It lowkey felt like the last day of school and we were signing yearbooks haha 

Thursday February 1st: MY LAST DAY AT THE MTC... This day was bittersweet. Elder Morris and Elder Malley were the first to leave everyone. They left at 3:00 am this morning. We still had class for the people who were still at the MTC and it was so sad to see those desks empty. At 1:00 pm we lost Elder James, Elder Simpson, and Sister Gabbitas. We all said goodbye and now our class was even smaller. It ended up being 6/11 of us. The rest of us leave tomorrow. Lots of tears were shed but later that night we got play Ping Pong again and that brightened up the mood. I told you guys I would update you if I could beat Elder Bird... WELL GUESS WHAT!!! I DID! I beat him in 2 games so now we are tied 2-2! So when we get back from our missions we planned to break that tie! Hehe stay tuned. :) Then we ended the night singing some songs and I got a little video of it (See down below)

Friday February 2nd: TODAY WAS THE DAY! I woke up at 2:30 AM. We had to meet in the main office at 4:07 (I know such a weird time lol) When I got there I got to see some of my district for the last time and we all said our goodbyes. When we got to the airport I did end up finding Elder Ashby And Elder Esplin and we all got some breakfast together. It was our first REAL meal out of the MTC! Let me clarify... the food isn't bad at the MTC, it's just cafeteria style and after being there for 2 weeks. We all got super sick of it haha. So for our first meal we got, an Acai bowl from Jumba Jucie. It was delicious.

 I finally jumped on my flight to go to Montana! It was the fastest flight of my life so that was very nice. Once we landed it officially hit me. This was my home for the next 17 months. I didn't know how to feel. I was nervous, overwhelmed and very excited. Oh and tbh Montana is not what I thought it would look like. I thought it was going to have a lot of Mountains hahahahah. It does not have any mountains... at least in the Billings area! We saw our mission president right next to the baggage claim and our sweet Sister Training leaders who helped grabbed our bags. We grabbed some yummy sandwiches for lunch and guess what!!! My mission Presidents are literally the best people in the world!!! They knew how early we had to wake up and so they let us TAKE A NAP! WHAAAA! I think I may have the best mission presidents EVER! So for the rest of the day we rested a ton because tomorrow was a long day of training.

Saturday February 3rd: My first full day in Montana was actually not bad! I started to get super overwhelmed about being gone for 17 months but then our mission president, (President Wall) talked with us and how we can be the best missionaries and it made me feel so much better about my situation. I'm actually so excited to get out to my first area! I don't find out where I'm going or who my new companion is until Monday and IT'S KILLING ME! Our mission is 100% cars and so we learned a ton more about cars. I'm beginning to think I should have listened to my dad more when he talked to me about my car because it could have actually been handy right now haha! Sorry dad!!!

Sunday February 4th: They say Sunday is a rest day... WELL NOT FOR MISSIONARIES lol. My sister training leaders told us (me and 2 other sisters who came to Montana with me) that we are going to be separated and put into a companionship to see how it is to be a missionary for a day! I was put with Sister Wilkins and Sister Nelson. They were actually the sweetest girls and I had such a good time with them.

 We first started off with going to church at 9:00 am. Church here in Montana is so much different then Church in Utah. Tbh I never realized how much I was in a bubble lol. I got to introduce myself to everyone and got to hang out with the young woman! After that I found out that Sister Wilkins and Sister Nelson were getting a new companion in a couple of days! They were gonna become a trio. So they had to move some beds around for the new Sister! Me and then the 2 other sisters who came with me to Montana have a 33% chance of being this sister who is gonna stay in Billings! Do you think it's gonna be me??? I don't know!!! I guess you will have to wait until next p-day to find out hehe!

 After Elders helped set up this bed we went out and checked up on some people. We shared some scripture verses and I met some really sweet people. Then it was time for my first lesson! Technically not my first lesson but I was joining them in a lesson. We taught this girl and her kids the 10 commandments. I got to participate and show them some of the commandments and it was so cool. I did my first lesson with someone haha! Next we went over to a members house and had dinner with them! It was the yummiest dinner! We had some bread and pasta/ravioli! It made me really miss my moms yummy sourdough bread!  Fun Fact: The oldest daughter of this family went to Fiji with Brock and Boston! So I got to talk to her about that! And we sent a little pic to brock to show that we were hanging out haha! 

Later that night I got home and just realized how grateful I am for the family and the life I have. I have been blessed in so many ways. I love my parents and I'm so grateful for the way they raised me and I hope that I can share my love for Christ with other people here in Montana. Having Christ in my life has been the biggest blessing because anytime I need help or feel sadness I know I can rely on Christ and Prayer to get me through hard times. If you are having a hard time I invite you to try and Pray to our Heavenly father. He LOVES each and everyone of you and wants to hear from you.

Here is one of my favorite Scriptures that shows me how much God and Jesus Christ love all of us:

John 3: 16-17

" 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

Anyways sorry for this long email! Next week is the week I find out where I'm going for my first area and who my new companion is going to be! Can't wait to update you guys next week I love you all so much! 💗 

Pictures: 

- 2 pictures with my 2 teachers from the MTC

- .5 pic with my district and teacher 

- Last time getting Cactus Coolers with everyone :(

- Last MTC meal (yummy salad and my favorite dessert) 😳

- First real meal since being out of the MTC 

- Plane pic

- Montana up in the air 

- My mission presidents and people who arrived in Montana!! Meet the Walls!

- Elders moving the bed for us