Katelyn's Letter...First Week In MTC January 31, 2014

Dear family,                               

Life at the MTC is completely crazy! We are up at 6:30 and off to breakfast by 7:10. Then it's study time and teaching an investigator until lunch. After lunch is class until dinner (including teaching our teacher who plays the roll of an investigator). After dinner it's yet another class until we get to go back to residence at 9:30 and we have to be completely ready and in bed by 10:30. Oh and depending on the day we also get an hour of gym time right before or right after lunch. I like the days we have it before better, especially because you are not as tired for class. Even though one of our investigators we know is our teacher and the other we are unsure if she is actually a member playing the non-member she was before she converted or if she is actually a non-member we approach both teaching experiences as if they were hearing the lessons for the very first time. Even though it is not the realest of teaching experiences there is still a lot learned and the spirit is still there helping you teach them exactly what they need to hear! It really is an amazing experience. Last night was my favorite spiritual teaching moment of my MTC experience. Sister Schow (my companion) and I were working with one of our teachers brother call to understand how to help investigators read and understand the book of mormon and receive inspiration through it. The way it worked out as we practiced how we would do it with me playing the missionary and her playing the investigator was so powerful! I never realized how impact and inspirational reading the BoM could really be!.

I promise to send pictures next week when I am in Kansas, the MTC computers wont let us see our memory cards so I can't send you any pictures today.

Our Sister Training leader assigned in our district performs the roll of district leader in our district because we are all girls and so none of us can be a district leader because it is a priesthood position. She goes and gets the mail at dinner and gives it to us after we are back in our room after 9:30. sometimes it is hard to be patient and wait for the mail but it is the best way to do it. There is a large mail drop box by the bookstore where we drop mail off. Thank you all for the letters you have sent me they have really brightened my days and helped me feel your love and support as I have been getting used to not having you around me all the time. I know it kind of makes some of my district members jealous because I usually get 2 or more letters in a day. I love it though and since homesickness was my biggest struggle in the first few days your letters were the answer I needed to my prayers to help me get into the work and not miss you near as much! So please don't stop sending letters my way because I cannot express how much they help me stay happy and focused on the joy this gospel brings which ultimately is the gift of being sealed together as a family and knowing that bond stays intact even beyond this life! I was never popular in school so being letter popular in the MTC makes up for it! I love having such an amazing large, supportive family!

Well this is all for the group letter, I love you all and can't wait to get to Kansas on tuesday even though it means we have to be at the travel office at 3:30am...

Lots of Love

Sister Blood! 

Ps. my district consists of... My comp Sister Schow, Sister Hannah (our sister training leader) & Sister Hafen, Sister Katich (who reminds me so much of Tess it is crazy!) & Sister Householder (who is an amazing convert who has a strong personality with a Texas Southern side just like Robbie, and I love her so much!) 

Flying to Kansas

Katie and Sister Schow, her MTC Companion