Kristen's FIRST LETTER!

Hola everyone!!

I have so much to say and not too long to say it so I better get started!! And just a major disclaimer....I forgot my notebook with everthing I was going to write about.... So if I forget things I am SO sorry, and if I don't answer questions, I'll just have to write you back individually.... Sorry!! I won't forget it next week. :) The MTC is absolutely fantastic!! It has been such a whirlwind of things going on in the past week. It's been by FAR the busiest week of my life. Busy, but great. :) I've been learning so much every day. I can give a choppy prayer and bear my testimony in Spanish already, and Hermana Heslop and I taught our first investigator on Friday, and committed him to baptism yesterday!! (He's not a real investigator....but it's good practice.... :)) So yesterday was a very happy day. On Monday I had a little moment.... One of the elders from our district went home like 5 minutes before we were going to teach Matías, so that distracted me during the lesson and I just started crying after because I thought, "How in the world am I supposed to teach people in a different language about the gospel of Jesus Christ?" But then Hermana Heslop helped me to refocus and I'm doing great. :) I talked to Hermana Quezada later that night, and she said the sooner you have that realization the better because I have learned to rely more on the Lord and His timing. He knows what I am capable of better than I do. :) One of our teachers (we have like 5 or 6 right now because we only have 2 districts, but we're getting another one today) told us that we aren't here to learn how to speak Spanish, but we're here to learn how to teach the Gospel and Docterine of Christ in Spanish. And also to learn how to rely on the Holy Chost for guidance and inspiration.

Last night was also great!! We had our Tuesday night devotional and Elder Nelson and his wife came! The one thing that was really emphasized was family history and how important it is to this work. We have angels round about us, and those angels are our ancestors, and the ancestors of the people we will teach. And something I never realized before was that we can ask for their help! We can ask for specific people to be with us, or people with specific attributes that we need at that time. He said it a lot better....sorry. :) Sunday, we had the opportunity to hear Sister Janice Kapp Perry speak to us in Relief Society. She is an amazing person. We were all crying the whole time almost.... She is writing a new album for sister missionaries and she had us sing a brand new song; it's never been sung!! It goes to the tune of As Sisters in Zion (which she also wrote) and it's called As Sisters of Zion. It talks about how we will go forth with the armies of Helaman and we're stronger than ever before. It's a great song, keep your eyes peeled. :)

Hermana Heslop and I were made Sister Training Leaders in our zone on Sunday. We just help and serve the other sisters in our zone, and report back to President Traer Caywood of any problems or progress, etc. Kinda just like a zone leader for sisters in a way... And we get 5 new hermanas tonight so we're really excited! We have two districts of all elders (but one left yesterday) and 5 elders and 4 sisters in our district. So we're excited to have 9 sisters! :) A member of the MTC presidency told us this week that we're aproaching 48% sisters at the MTC! Crazy!! And by the end of May they'll open up the new campus over at Raintree and Wyview. I have a lot of other stats to give to you all....but they're in my notebook at my apartment.... :) It's an exciting time to be here!

Last week was overwhelming at times, but we had lots of help. One of these forms of help was Hermana Lybbert. She is a sister in our district that was left behind because her whole district got reassigned, except for her. She was supposed to go to Argentina last week, but she didn't get her visa. So she stayed behind and was a "solo sister" until Wednesday when we got here. She helped us so much!! She left on Tuesday morning at 3:30 am to Santa Rosa, CA until her visa comes, but honestly without all of her help and encouragement it would have been a scary few days.... She's amazing. :)

Hermana Heslop!! She's absolutely great. :) She's very helpful and keeps me going and we work so well together! She's from Draper and is the oldest of 3 kids. She loves to run and exercise, which is great because it's whipping me into shape, but I feel bad for her because she has to go slower with me... :) And she has long legs so it's probably extra slow... :P But she never complains or gets upset so for that I'm very grateful!

Congrats on your call Brookie!! I'm so excite for you!! :D We'll be South American buddies together!! :) And Happy Birthday to Ashley, Summer, and Britney!! Aaand happy 6 months to little Audrey and Megan & Tom's anniversary. :) Aaand Happy Mother's Day to all of the amazing mom's in my life, especially my Mom. LOVE YOU!! :D

I saw Hermana Quezada right after I got my nametags!! She wasn't supposed to go out to the curb because her district wasn't hosting, so she followed the rules and stayed inside.... But then Hermana Barnes walked up two seconds later and we all got a picture together so that was fun!! I've seen so many friends here, it's so great. Hermana Quezada flew out yesterday so she's in Cali now!

That's all I can remember to write right now, if I'm forgetting anything I'll just include it in the next letter! We get to go to the temple this afternoon and then welcome the new district later tonight! It's very exciting. :)

The pictures are of our zone, and thank you so much Mom for sending the bread and jam!! That brightened everyone's day and tasted so good to have something homemade instead of out of the cafeteria.... Not like it's bad food, it's just like eating Legacy House food for every meal which is no bueno.... :)

Lots and lots of love,

Hermana Tuft