First Email! MTC Week 1 September 23, 2014

Hello there!

I think you will have probably just gotten the letter that I sent you on Friday. It was just a little note that our branch president had us write in order to let you know that we got here okay. My address is on that, and I gave it to Pat yesterday to send get to you, so you should have it either way. 

I just love it here! I have two amazing companions, and awesome district, and a great zone too. I don't remember if I said anything about them, so I'll tell you now too. My companions are Sister Bunch and Sister Post. They are just wonderful! We are all so different, yet just the same and we get along really well. In our district, it is us and five elders. They are: Elder Carpenter (district leader) and his companion Elder Shakespear, and Elder Weeks (who was actually in the english class my first semester that I loved) and his companions Elder Camp and Elder Wally. We are all super good friends--like a family really. I talked about our zone being amazing too. You will never guess who is in it. You have to tell the Nickerls. Their friend Teagan (from Carlsbad--Caleb's brother) is in my zone! I haven't figured out how to upload pictures to the computers here yet, but once I do, I will send pictures. I might even figure it out before I'm done writing this letter. Who knows. 

I have also run into: Mitchell M, Elyse K, Leah J, and Kyle A.

Our teacher is wonderful! I didn't realize until I got here that everything is full immersion in the language. That threw me off the first day, but after that it wasn't bad. I understand everything he says, but I don't know how to respond to everything, but it's getting better. Our teacher's name is Irmao Gray (with the tilda over the a in irmao). Portuguese is easy, yet hard. So many of the words are the same, but I don't know all of them yet, so I can't just tell them apart from the spanish words. It's hard if I know what I want to say and how to say it in spanish, but I'm never sure if it's the same in portuguese or totally different. I will learn though.

On Friday (two days into our stay), we had to teach our first investigator in portuguese. That was one of the scariest things I have ever done. We have taught her twice since then, and it has gotten so much better each time. It's not hard for me to understand her, but as a companionship, we have to try and all understand and then know how to respond. The first time, we really weren't prepared for any extra questions, so that was super hard. The more we learn the language and the better we prepare, the better the lessons get.

Tonight at 7 there is a devotional. They are broadcasting this one, so I think you could find it and watch. My companions and I as well as a few elders in our district and zone are singing in it. You could look for us! 

Love you all!

Sister Jensen

PS We got to go to the Ogden temple rededication. It was so amazing. We all went where we have our devotionals and it was so cool to see 2500 missionaries do the Hosanna Shout and then sing The Spirit of God. I know Aunt Anna was there for that. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced!

Victoria's MTC zone.  This picture was emailed by Aunt Angela who gets Elder Willes' emails.  She's the one that Victoria talks about in her email.