Oh my goodness!!!!! I can't tell ya'll how great it is to hear from you. It feels like I have been gone for so much longer, but it's great here.....so great! Someone said that the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. I've never heard anything more accurate haha. My first day was so stinking overwhelming, and the second day. I thought I would fall asleep standing up, but there is such an amazing energy here. Oh, I have so much to say, but my fingers can't move fast enough, so please excuse any typos I have. Before coming here, I was so worried that I wouldn't fit the sister missionary profile because I thought they had to be somber and serious all the time (which we all know is not a strength of mine). That's not the case at all though. Everyone here is so happy all the time and it's genuine joy. It's not an act guys, I promise. There is something about being a missionary that helps allows the simplicity of the gospel to truly settle in your heart and mind. Of course, we are ALL missionaries, right? Because being a missionary is not about having a name tag. It's about sharing the love of Jesus Christ with every person we encounter. We so often wait for ways to share "the gospel", but we don't have to talk about the Book of Mormon to be a missionary (not that I'm discouraging that. more power to you). Here at the MTC, we are training our hearts and our minds to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the gospel of love and charity, so all you have to do is genuinely try to love all those who you interact with.
Anyway, I'm sure you're dying to here about life at the MTC so far. Well, it's.....a lot of stuff. I've never studied so much in my life. I know that for a fact. The first day we got here, we were thrown into a world of Portuguese, and one day later, we had to teach a lesson to an investigator(volunteer) in Portuguese! No English. We study, then have class, then eat, then study, then study, oh and study some more, then teach an investigator again some days. that probably sounds like spiritual boot camp, but I promise it's not. Yes, sometimes my brain literally feels like total mush, but every day is filled with smiles and laughs and learning. I'm learning so fast, and I know it's only because the Spirit is helping me. I can already pray completely in Portuguese and bear my testimony, and Sister Kunkel and I speak in Portuguese throughout the day almost as much as English. I swear, it's a miracle and a blessing. I absolutely love the Portuguese language. Sometimes I get frustrated that I can't just completely switch over and express myself in this beautiful language. It's so great, and I meet people who have to learn Japanese or Icelandic and then feel sooooo lucky that all I have to learn is Portuguese. Did you know that Japanese constructs it's sentences backwards!? Ah, that sounds so hard. Guess how I know that. I found Julia my roommate here, who is going to Japan. I have seen so many people I know here, which has been so nice. It feels like a home away from home. Even more, I feel so comfortable because of my AMAZING companion. she is honestly the greatest. I know Heavenly Father paired me up with her as a tender mercy. I couldn't ask for a better companion, and she is in my mission!! How convenient. we might even be companions again one day. Sister Kunkel and I have a blast all day, but we also push each other to learn the language. She took 6 years of Spanish, so she is better than me at Portuguese, but she encourages me and is so humble about it. Sometimes we might be a little too goofy, but I promise we stay in line ;)
what else? Well I dont know if you guys watched that missionary broadcast this past Sunday, but I was there with all of the prophets in the room. It was like a mini general conference, except all about missionary work....so better haha. They made some very interesting announcement. We are going to be integrating email and facebook and texting into our missionary work worldwide, so we will see how that works. We also got to meet our new mission president and his wife. He barely speaks English, so that was interesting, but he seems like a very competent person. He isn't actually from Ribeirao Preto, so he couldn't tell us much about the place, but he said it is quite wealthy. \
There are a lot of rules here, but it is more self-enforced. You know I'm not always keen on rules I don't understand, but here there is a spirit of trust and I can feel that being honest and true will edify me. Well, I need to run, time is so short. but here is my address. Please give it to anyone and everyone and tell people about dear Elder because its so convenient! It's really pretty depressing watching everyone in your district get mail and packages when you know you won't get anything haha. I know you love me though!! Write lots, it's such a lift, even if it's only a little line of encouragement. You are all the best. I can truly feel your prayers in my heart and you are all in my prayers. This gospel is simple. Remember that. People need to feel loved and God wants us to share it. Please do, because it can't be done without everyone's effort.
Sister Tess Elise Huntington
JUL30 BRA-RIB
2009 N 900 E Unit 171
Provo UT 84602
JUL30 BRA-RIB
2009 N 900 E Unit 171
Provo UT 84602
Love,
sister Huntington (my name tag is so cool....and it's fastened with a magnet. pretty sweet)
