Week 2

HELLO FAMILY!

This weekend was seriously so legit! I loved it all! I feel like the MTC is a spiritual Hogwarts haha like I'm so honored to be here.  First off, we got to meet our future mission presidents!! THEY ARE AWESOME!!!! I love them. They are so nice, funny, and happy but yet so powerful, strict, and such good leaders! I think it will be the perfect combination!!  We were all so pumped to meet them!! THE DEVOTIONALS HERE ARE SOOO GOOD. Like every missionary says that, but now I can testify. Mom, we did get to do laundry today so everything’s clean and ready to go!! OKAY OKAY....THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME GAIN LIKE 100 pounds here at the MTC! hahaha the packages you all sent me were soooo amazing that I like went to bed stuffed every night! Thank you so much to everyone who sent one! I really love the lotions mom! Erik, funny story, the Elders in my District LOVE my pen. hahaha they play with the spring all the time. The things that entertain missionaries I swear....haha. AUNT RHONDA! thank you for the cookies!!!!! SO GOOD. I sent you a letter....you should get it soon! So many thank you’s but special shout out to the packards, danny and carlee, KARINA, and the rest of the holmoe clan for all the love out here with the packages! So on Thursday we had in-field training at the chapel across from the stadium. LONGEST DAY OF MY LIFE...but it got me excited to get out to the field, which by the way IS ONLY A FEW HOURS A WAY!! (considering we have to wake up 2 AM) Only bummer is the flu is traveling around the MTC like wildfire!!! IT’S SCARY considering a girl in my ROOM got it!!!! Please pray that I don't get it.....By the way...mom, did you get my postmart letter?? I also sent a package home today! and maybe someone will send another tomorrow if they have time with like my towel! but if not, no big deal! I’m not sure when I will call....could be anywhere from like 5:45-7ish or maybe even in the afternoon when I get to Atlanta! IT WAS SOOOOOOO GREAT to see you mom and dad last night!! I loved waving!!! and accidently bumping into you...there was just too much to say that I was speechless! (: But it felt good to be so close and what an awesome broadcast! Those videos were so amazing. I just got chills in every song and I loved knowing that my parents were in the same room! That was such a cool experience to be a part of; seeing 11 apostles during the MTC!! So random, shocking news.....The guy from Maid in Manhattan is the same guy as Voldemort in Harry Potter......When the sisters told me that I couldn't stop laughing for like an hour haha. We have the best chats at night! We also like to change the lyrics of Beyoncé songs to sister missionary appropriate and then jam to them haha. These girls are seriously my sisters! <3 saying bye to them will be SO HARD but at least we get the plane!! Im soooo anxious to see my first area and companion.  I’m praying I have a good one. The girl who waved to you is like my BFF here! She is a mix of kait, ka and serina so it’s perfect! Also, sister bennion was the tall one! love her too and can’t wait to be friends at BYU when we both get back!! Cool STORY...I was having a hard day with my comp but I asked one of the elders to give me a blessing and seriously it made SUCH A DIFFERENCE!!! I have been able to work better with her and just love her and I'm grateful for the priesthood in my life and that awesome experience I was able to have. Testimony builder for sure.  ALSO, my branch president sent me an email saying how my email was one of the best emails he has ever read from a missionary in the MTC! It meant a lot to just know I'm on the right track progressing into the missionary I hope to become! Another cool experience was we have been talking a lot about the special gift of discernment that all missionaries hope to have. And in my Patriarchal blessing it talks about that, which was just awesome to know that Heavenly Father has already given me this gift and as long as I am obedient I will be able to use it each day in the mission! OH MOM! Sister Smith is doing a blog for our mission and it is....www.floridatallahasseemissionexperience.blogspot.com!  She should be putting up pictures from when we got too meet them! Notice the handwriting on the whiteboard is mine (: hehe! OH also the milk never made me sick like people warned so luckily I could have cereal every day! Why didn't Mick Hill come talk to me dad!?! I never saw him! Just so you guys get a feeling of the MTC...one morning we had cereal with only the cookies and cream creamery milk to pour in it.......Matt Taylor is probably jealous but it was straight up disgusting haha! For gym we have played volleyball, bball, soccer, running, and four square! It’s fun to just goof around with our district (elders included) Everyone just has fun! BUT CARLEE....seriously I need soccer lessons when I get home...STRAIGHT UP EMBARASSING!!!! All my soccer friends back at home would be so dissapointed haha! I hate soccer. The MTC is strange clearly! BUT I'VE LOVED IT! Wednesday was so fun because all the new missionaries came in and we just got to welcome new people and I saw more friends and it was just so fun cause the new people think you are just like a pro! ha! Also it was so fun to see Bro Tueller and talk to him! Watching him in the choir was hilarious. He is just the happiest guy!!! Once again, sorry about this random email haha! Last night we had a little testimony with our District because some left this morning and it was SO SAD but SO GOOD!!! These people are like my second family here. The temple this morning was amazing. In the celestial room I just had this strong strong feeling that my grandparents and other angels were in the room with me and it felt so comforting. I hope you all know that I love you all so much. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of you all. The mission is hard work and it’s only going to get 10 times harder but I am learning and growing each day and overall just love it.  This coming up week is kind of nerve racking but I know that everything will happen for a reason and I just have to put my trust in our Heavenly Father with where I serve and whom with! Kaitba if you are reading this, funny story, a girl in our EFY group is in my district! love her to death and she somewhat remembers us so that’s cool! Debbie Dyches is her name! I hope you all love the pictures I sent!! I have more but I was running out of time in the facilities so that’s all I could send but those are the good ones!!! I'll mail home CD's and stuff once I get to the field! WHICH IS TOMORROW!!!! YAYAYYY!! WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE!!!! I love you all! <3/ Sister LA GIRL, LIL GIRL, LO, HOLMOE! whichever you call me!!!

TALK TO YOU TOMORROW IF I CAN!!!!!!! <3

Week 1

FAM BAM!!!!
HIIIIII!!!! I’M ALIVE (: The MTC is such a wild experience hahah! I go through like 1000 different emotions a day but overall it is great!! SO GUESS WHAT? We leave for the airport AT 3:30 AM NEXT WEEK!!!! 3:30....is that even real time?  haha and also we have to wake up at 5:30 here every day so technically once I get to the field it will be like sleeping in big time! I never thought I would say 6:30 was sleeping in ha! Bro Gustafson was in my temple session this morning! I love seeing people I know! It’s funny because everyone is like.....Sister Holmoe, you are ridiculous you know EVERYONE!!! It is so exciting...I could list like 100 people but I won't bore you!! Shout out to Sister Zoe Hart for bringing me a cake bite on my first night!! Hey mom, can you send more cheap earplugs? There is a really annoying noise and I just sleep perfect if I can block it out! haha!  The days here are sooooo busy like it’s unreal! Which is good because I don't have time to think about anything else except what I'm doing and learning!  I LOVVVVVE the teachers here. They are so rad and so spiritual and so nice. Dad, Hannah Robison on the BYU Volleyball team.....her older Bro is kind of one of my teachers....he is my favorite!  He is so good and talked to me one day and was like Sister Holmoe, I know you made the right decision coming here even though it’s hard leaving everything! I mean it was a longer convo but he is just great and it’s nice to have people like that here!  My District is hilarious. The elders.....oh boy Dad you were right......young rugrats is what they are! hahah but they also have a spiritual side so it is fun!! I'll feel like I've known the sisters in my district for my whole life. They are AWESOME! My companion is Sister Morgan! We are like complete opposites hahahah but I'm learning a lot.  S/O to DAD....HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!!!! Yesterday we watched this video of missionaries saying what they loved about their dad and everyone was like tearing up and I was just like.......I miss my dad :( YOU'RE GREAT!!! My favorite part so far of the MTC is when all the missionaries sing together especially like....Armies of Helaman! IT’S AMAZING! Next week look for me on TV at the World Wide Broadcast! I'll be there potentially singing in the choir.....not sure if there are any more seats left, probs not but still so cool we get to go!! All the general authorities are coming this week to the MTC so we are not allowed in our normal buildings, it’s all different!!  I LOVE teaching people....that’s also my fav part. Thank you for all the packages!!!!!!!!!!! THEY MAKE MY DAYYYY!!!!!!!! Mom, you are seriously the best mom. All the elders are like hey do you think your mom could send me a package! haha so funny. LOVE YOU!  Sorry this is such a random email and all over the place but we only have like 40 min so I am hustlinggggg.....My sister training leader is Sister Morrison! SHE IS MY BIG SISTER out here! I love that girl and can’t wait to watch her cheer for BYU when I get back!! We are buds! She is going to Seattle so I told her to look out for Elder JONBA FLAKE!  I'm the senior companion! Not that it’s a big responsibility in the MTC but thought I'd let you know ha! The spirit here is so real. Every hour there is something that is just awesome and it’s pretty sweet. We’re teaching two investigators right now....well they are fake....but its good practice and I love it haha. They seem so real sometimes I’m like are you sure............haha. My branch presidency is great! The counselors love dad!! One of them worked for BYU I think....or volunteered.....can't remember his name but they all live in AF and they say our mission president and wife are SO GREAT! I’m pumped to meet them!! I love this James E Faust quote, "The Lord can do remarkable miracles with a person of ordinary ability who is humble, faithful, and diligent in serving the Lord and who seeks to improve himself." So that’s what I'm doing! I seriously am learning soooo much and my patience is being tested SO MUCH haha. No longer can I be so independent and hard to teach......:/ The MTC is great when you have a positive attitude and not great when you don't.  In the devotional last night the man said....."Don't focus on who you aren't, focus on who you are." ADVICE FOR FUTURE MISSIONARIES: (aka karina, pete, whoever reads this) DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF to other missionaries..that is like the worst thing you can do. I loved in Erik’s letter he wrote to me when it said don't lose who you are because you were called to a specific place because of WHO YOU ARE! I keep that running through my head a lot.  All the speakers here are amazing.  The days here seem like FOREVER but when I think....its Monday...I'm like HOLY COW ITS MONDAY! I leave a week from TOMORROW! Which is great because I think that is the perfect amount of time to be at the MTC. Those poor Russian souls who are here for ages haha. I have met so many peeps at the cafeteria! An elder FROM Tallahassee who was the only member in his family baptized gave me all his family’s information and his email and told me to email him in every area I go hah! He was in the Tallahassee 2nd ward E! Also a girl from France always comes up and talks to me but she doesn't really know English yet so I'm just like hiiiiiiiii and give her a hug (: haha! I just love all the people here!  I could go on forever about everything that is happening but that would take toooooo long! haha! Just know that I am loving it, although it is VERY HARD and VERY TIRING the good moments outweigh the bad.  It gets me so excited for this to be real life in Florida and not fake people! My testimony has already grown and know I love you all!!!! In D&C section 100 verse one it says, "Your families are well; they are in mine hands...." Anyways it was revelation given to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon when they were away from their families for a few days.  I read it when I'm missing you all :( which I do! I love you all!!! Once again sorry this email is so sporadic and crazy and I probably forgot to say a bunch of stuff but know I am doing good!!!! Thank you to everyone who has sent me letters, packages, and love <3 I love you all!!! Preach My Gospel is my life saver, the BOM is starting to become my BFF and life’s good (: I hope you all have a great week!!!! I may send pics in another email if I can figure it out!!! love, Sister Holmoe!!!!

This whole emailing thing is making my day (: haha! I got on and had like 19 emails....I have such good support and it means so much!!! THANK YOU!! <3