Hi family :)

First day we just roll up and boom I get my missionary name-tag. I love being a missionary. Seriously. It has been so great. Like I said before they just throw you right in to Spanish lessons, which hallelujah for taking Spanish in High school, because If I couldn't understand what my teachers were saying I probably would have had an emotional breakdown haha. Also speaking of emotional breakdowns, thanks so much to Abby Clark for giving me the advice of "just making it to Sunday". Yes, everyone and their companion here did say that to me, but I would never have believed that things would get so much better after my first Sunday here. So thank you. The first couple of days are rough. It's weird though, because I don't feel homesick, I just feel overwhelmed. Not with anything in particular, just the whole experience is a lot different. I wish I could describe it. But I think it is safe to say that I have felt every possible emotion there is to feel each day I have been here. But I've already been out for a week! Go me!

The first couple of days you are kept over the top busy doing orientation stuff, but by the third day you are teaching an investigator... in SPANISH. Like what? Our first investigators name was Carlos, and on our fourth lesson yesterday we committed him to baptism. After a pretty rough lesson on the plan of salvatoin, he said that if he was ready in 2 weeks he would be baptized! My companion and i have a lot to learn about teaching haha. 

My companion is named Hermana Ortega from Twin Falls Idaho. She's pretty funny and she's got a really loud crazy personality, I really like her. And we totally get along and agree on a bunch of stuff. I haven't ever felt awkward around her even once. There is soooo much I have already learned from her. We live with 2 other girls in the apartment Hermana Facer and Hermana Hobbs. I LOVE THEM TOO. They are all 5' 4" or shorter. So I look super awesome in pictures. Speaking of which, I tried to get my camera to load up on the computer but it wasn't working. I'll try to get them printed off and send them in a letter to you mama. Ok so back to my roommates. I'm pretty sure me and Hermana Hobbs are kindred spirits. Probably about the same person.

The second night we were here we met the branch presidency. They had us go around and had the whole zone introduce themselves. So many people have hard lives, and have pulled out of crazy stuff. It was humbling. I came away feeling like a pretty boring person and like I didn't have a lot to offer to be quite honest. God knows me though, because a couple of days after the meeting, the branch president interviewed me and told me that when I was introducing myself earlier he wrote in his notes that I was "Rock Solid". Then he went on to tell me how he felt like I would be a great blessing to the people I would work with in the MTC. Oh my I needed to hear that. People here are amazing and I am so impressed with them, but it is nice to think that I could maybe help other people through my testimony of the savior and the gospel too. After all, that is exactly what I came here to do!

Classes have been pretty good. It can be frustrating to try to get everyone to focus during our own study time. There were definitely some wasted hours at the beginning, but we are getting much better. We have gym time everyday and we either go play volleyball or kickball or just run or use the gym machines or whatever. It's way fun to do that kind of stuff with people. The food is pretty decent.

Okay I am sure I am missing a ton of stuff I want to say, but time is beyond limited on these computers! Um I don't want to be a preachy missionary to my family, but if you feel like you want to please look up "the character of Christ" by Bednar. It changed my life. I'm serious. Christ always turned out, he never focused on himself. I love my savior and I am happy to be here where I can prepare a little to eventually help others to feel of his love and use the atonement too. 

Love you!

Hermana McNaught