December 9, 2013

Dec 9, 2013

1st Week in New Zealand

WOW! My first few days here I was really on an MTC missionary high, with adrenaline high and no jet lag, i was on a complete cloud nine. now that, that has worn off I am really starting to feel tired and see how hard things can be.

 

My companion, Sister Ryan, is from Australia. She is so great. this cute little red-head with a voice that sounds like its always gone. (I would include pictures but we can't use our cameras until Thursday and then we can only use it to take pictures outside of the temple.) the first day she got here she threw up a bunch! we had to take her to the doctor's the next day and i got to experience my first "adventure" driving through New Zealand. We are kept in the MTC all day so we never get to see anything, so i can't tell you how beautiful it is because i can't see anything! lol i'm not sure what it is about the people here but they are all so nice. in the waiting room, at the doctors office everyone was talking to each other and sharing their food- it felt like everyone was like family is some ways. I'm sure my perspective is limited but i'm really hoping that everyone is this nice all the time!

 

there is no time in the day! we have been asked to obey with EXACT obedience in everything we do. We have a new motto, that the MTC president has us follow, in which he will say: When it is time to eat, we: and we respond with: EAT. When it is time to study, we: STUDY, when it is time to sleep, we: SLEEP. i can't tell you how wonderful it was to finally do laundry today. and even then it was only because we left breakfast early and used our breaks to run back to our rooms and finish it. We are told that this is the Lord's mission and our time is his time and we best not waste his time. If we are lucky we have a few minutes to write in our journals but i haven't even began to record everything i am experiencing.

 

we had a devotional on Sunday where a group of people came and sang to us. They started singing Christmas songs and passing around presents. To be honest I didn't miss home in the slightest until they came. Everyone got a little sentimental, thinking about home and lazy, cozy Christmases. The trick is- don't think about home, because really, we don't have any time to think about ourselves. it's lesson after lesson after lesson. then meal after meal, then devotional...and repeat. there is no extra time for the sisters to get ready, ever. you want more than 5 min to shower? wake up earlier sister. want more time to change after p.e. (which by the way is in the middle of the day) move faster sisters. My room of girls is so great. we have woken up at 5:30 most days and 6:00 all others. needless to say, i'm tiered. i'm really, really tired d. in some ways this tiredness has made me numb to all embarrassment and fear. i'm too tired to care what people think of me when i mess up or don't look great.

 

so ya, i'm the minority here, which is so cool. there are so many Samoan(sp) and Tongan(sp) sisters here. they're so funny and the best to play basketball with. we get really fired-up when we play basketball.

 

anyways i guess i have to go. they were late opening the computer room for us and now we have to go start class.

 

anyone have any tips for staying awake? (we walk to the flagpoles every change we get, and i impress people with my cloggin' skills..... apparently that's what i look like when i'm dancing, trying to keep warm- PS ITS SO COLD HERE! they love having the a-con on all the time! BRRRRR.) k i'm getting in trouble g2g.

 

LOVE YOU All! thanks for the letters

 

-Sister Moore