August 21 letter from Sami

I had given Sami the names of a sister missionary leaving for the Concepcion mission on Aug 24 (Hermana Amanda Leggett) and several elders (twins & one of a set of triplets) who will be leaving for Chile the same day as her - Elder Tyson Welling, Santiago East, Elder Aaron Mayberry - Santiago East and Elder Ryan Mayberry - Concepcion). I 'met' their moms on the Missionary Mom email group LDSmmChileSo.

Dear Family,

DearElder would be best for everything in the MTC but it's okay if you send me email. I probably won't read it very well though. No tiempo. I'm really excited to get a package! I think it will be really exciting and delicious. I have already met the sister who is going to Concepcion on Monday and we talked. I think she is the same sister because neither of us knew of any other sisters going to Concepcion who were at the MTC. By the way, Amber said whoever was updated my facebook was doing a really great job. Cool, but weird. A little creepy sometimes when I think about it. But I dig it. Sometimes I just want to take a nap. Not right now. But maybe. Anyway. It feels like there is never enough time on P-Day. I need time!!!! I think I bore my testimony to one of the elders or an elder who knew one of the elders who are going to Chile because I remember someone talking about twins who were going to different missions in Chile. Spooky. I know. I'm glad that you give me facts about Chile. I am not prepared! Oh well. It will be fine. I think I'll be okay without bringing a winter coat because I will have so long to find one. If I was getting there right before winter started it would be different. I think I need much warmer clothes if it is really as cold as you make it seem. More wool. Or maybe even some wool period. I can't think of any good questions for the sister in Constitucion but I'm sure you can and you will tell me if you do. :) Okay, to answer some of your questions: Not everyone in my zone is going to Chile but everyone is going Spanish-speaking. Only people in my district are leaving on the same date from my zone but there might be people from other zones who are leaving on the same date. In fact I think there are because I think I met two elders who are going to Concepcion who got here the same day I did so we should leave the same day.

We have Sacrament meeting (en espanol) with our zone and Relief Society with all of the sisters here at the MTC. Sunday is nice because you have a lot of MDT (Missionary Directed Time) which means you get to chose what you work on. But you still have to agree with your companions. On Sunday there is choir practice for the Tuesday devotional and Music and the Spoken Word which is really cool to watch. They also have a Fireside and they play church movies after that. We plan every night at 9 for the next day. I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of things like Personal Study and using my time effectively. The longer I am here the more I realize how precious time is and how I shouldn't waste any of it.

Oh! I saw a black widow during my personal study! It was near me in the grass and then I saw it walk across the road so I started to crawl after it to see if it really was one. Hermana McDaniels picked it up with a stick. Then she put it down when she saw what it was. It. Was. Awesome. I've also been to the RC (Referal Center? Maybe? I'm not sure) a couple of times. It's a little nerve wracking sometimes but it is pretty cool. You call to make sure people go the free things they ordered from the church like the Bible of The Lamb of God DVD or the Book of Mormon. I mostly get answering machines because the time I have to call is weird. We are also a chatting district so we get to chat with people online if they go to mormon.org and have questions they want us to answer. They actually have missionaries that serve in the RC as their entire missions. They teach the discussions and everything through the computer. Technology is so cool. My time is running out. I couldn't remember my password for about 5 minutes but the computer already started counting down my time. I love you all!!! Have fun studying the scriptures and the gospel. 2 Nephi is great. Start using Preach My Gospel as a tool in your grospel studies. It is amazing!!!

Love,
Hermana Smith

Como se dice awesome?
Wow. Don't knock my spelling. I can only speak.