Yeah Pics... Life at the MTC

Our District at the Temple reading.

Me reading scriptures

Kaden, my nephew, dropping me off at the MTC

My companion Sister Grover & I.

Me shushing the class!

Me and the Sisters pointing to our missions.

Sister Wheelwright & I

The Sisters of our zone... Sister Grover, Me, Sister Peck, Sister Sionkovit, Sister Lee, & Sister Wheelwright.

Reading at the Temple!

Sister Lee, Sister Wheelwright, Sister Grover, & me in class.

Our District at the Temple! Elder Tobin, Elder Duncan, Elder Hughes, Elder Winger, Sister Lee, Sister Wheelwright, me, & Sister Grover!

Letter 1

Week 1
This letter is for everyone to get the general idea of what is going on. My hand hurts so bad I might have to be like Mitch and just photo my journal & send it home! :)
Day 1- I as a little sad when we parted ways, cried a few tears, but very soon I was okay. ( I haven't been homesick yet) I had 2 companions at first. My companion Sister Grover and Sister Wheelwright, who is with us till her comp shows up Saturday. She is sick. Sis Wheelwright and I have a ton in common and get along so easily. I love Sis Grover she is great and I am happy to get to know her. We are so busy and the Spirit is so strong. I had 2 letters when I got here. Thanks Mom & Donna!
Day 2-
I am tired and I can't sleep very well and have to wake up so early! We watched this awesome movie following some missionaries in the field, like real world but Spiritual. I am the Coordinating Sister like the RS for our district. Class and learning is great. Today I learned I need to increase my faith so I expect miracles. I am working on being humble. Sis Grover is homesick but we are working well together and I feel our love for each other growing.
Day 3-
We fasted as a companionship today. We really felt the Spirit and have become so unified. I study hard all the time because there is so much to learn. Sis Grover was sick and some Elders in our district gave her a blessing. I am so amazed! Awesome guys in my district. I have the 1st lesson down now , which feels good but now I'm working on teaching with the Spirit. Not reciting! I love Sis Wheelwright. We laughed a lot today & did lunges all over the residence hall! Ouch that hurt!
Day 4-
This was my hardest day yet and I don't feel like I have the time to be a good coordinating Sis. I have been praying... they say the Lord qualifies who he calls. I don't know. Also we learn a lot and I don't feel I have enough personal study time. This is hard but I can do it!
Day 5-
Everything was great today. I have the most mail (Thanks again!). Today we had our first appointment. It went great! Also I found out Dad's work is being done!! I am so happy, I know this is what he wanted. As we learn our teachers challenge us to pray about the things we teach i.e. Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormon... This has been a great experience for me as I feel God's love for me as he testifies again of these things. This message of the restoration we share is so powerful!
Day 6-
Today went by so fast. We are learning so much and today we focused on the Spirit and using it to plan a lesson for specific people. Good stuff! Did service today which was nice and then choir which was amazing. Our director shared with us some insights about how we are literal offspring of our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. How they raised us which is how and why he knows us! The Spirit was so strong and man did I feel God's love for me!
Day 7-
Today is Pday and it flew by. I had no time to do anything. We went to the Temple, awesome! I learned like 5 new things. I love to be there and wish we went 2x's a week. Next times you might just get a few updates instead. The new missionaries came in today. It is weird to see them. It feels like we have been here forever and it has only been a week!
Love-
Sister Graf

Latest...

Here is the email I got from our favorite Sister Graf today... I think the major point of the message was TO WRITE HER! Then again I had to use the cliff notes to get that!

The MTC is soo awesome I love it here. There is so much to write and so little time. I will give you the quick run down. My teachers are great I have tons of oppurtunity to study and practice teaching whic is good I need it. I am so filled with the spirit we pray about 12 times a day. I am thru the first lesson and memorized my purpose and the first vision... pretty impresive. My companion is great we are working hard and I love her. Actually I really love all the girls in my district. I will share one quick spiritual experience as there is no time!! Last night I sung with the choir and it was awesome I can't tell you how strong the spirit was!! We sang the lillies of the field and the director taught us about how we are the literal offspring of our Heavenly Father and he knows us so well becuase he raised our Siprits of course I knew this but the spirit testified to me so trongly it was amazing. I know this church is true and I love this work. I am here because I love God and he loves his children and they need to know about the restoration. It is amazing!!

Love,
Sister Graf

MTC

We stopped at the Sister Missionary Mall on the way to the MTC to pick up the last few essentials for Linz and saw this cute little Sister Missionary Bear; I needed to get a pic of it it!

Bling-bling, it's official she has been tagged Sister Graf!

Lindsay with Mom... who was quite thrilled to have one of her three daughters follow in her footsteps and become a missionary. Hopefully The new Sister Graf doesn't have any harrowing brushes with 'almost' cases of Scirvy, (J/K)!

Future missionary Kaden with current missionary Lindsay

One big family... Marisa, Kaden, Mom (Donna) with Laila, Sister Graf, Mom (Mom), & Trent too!

Sister Graf with Stephenson's... Mom, Dad, & Trent

Practically Perfect in every way (accept cuteness!)

Here are the very plain but practical missionary shoes! Meant for comfort & durability, not style!