First Week!

Hey ya'll!

I barely have ANY time on the computers here on pday.... ahhhh!!! I will be sending a longer letter today, but I will fit in as much as I can. 

This week was awesome!!!! I seriously feel like I have been here for a month AT LEAST.  So here is a little summary of my week.  On Wednesday I waved to my parents at RDU till I was past security, and I have to admit that I DIDNT CRY A SINGLE TIME ON WEDNESDAY!!! Is this really Becca Younce!?   I actually have only cried from feeling the spirit so far, and I have really had an answer to prayer with the strength that I have received the past 7 days.  On my flight from Georgia to Salt Lake, I sat beside a woman from Georgia on her way to Utah.  Although I had gotten less than an hour of sleep the night before, and less than 3 the night before that, I stayed awake the whole time and was able to talk to her about the church our stance on families and our values the entire 4 hours.  She gave me a hug at the end of the flight and she gladly accepted an Ensign from me with my testimony on the back and some contact information.  Even if nothing really comes from it, it was a really good way to start out my mission!  Jacobs sister and brother-in-law Jordyn and AJ picked me up from the airport which was awesome!  I figured I would be bawling like crazy by then, but it turns out I was just over the moon with excitement!  We ran some errands, I met a few people, then they treated me out to olive garden before entering the MTC.  Right away once I got to the MTC, I felt the spirit, the love, and the excitement! I was just so tingly and jumping with happiness the first few hours while there.  My companion's name is sister Finau and she is Tongan, though she grew up in a crazy sounding place in California! When I first saw my companion, we just ran to each other, kind of like Brooklyn does when she is really excited and she looks like a Flinstone.  We just hugged and were bubbling with excitement.  We talked for hours and really hit it off.  However, since my last name is..... LAST I had no time to unpack till right before bed.  The last half of the day ended up being pretty darn stressful, but I think the MTC achieved their goal and didn't allow for ANY time for people to think about family and to get sad!  The MTC schedule is so jam packed!!!

I only have about 5-10 more minutes on email, so I will just tell you a little about the days here.  I wake up at either 5:30 or 6 (depending on if I took a shower the night before or not).  There are 6 sisters in my room and everyone insists on using their own alarm clock. This results in annoying beeping for an straight hour basically each morning.  The only time we really spend in our tiny dorms are sleep times, when we need to change or get ready, and night time before bed.  My companion and I have 4 roommates who have all been here for about 5 weeks.  They are all speaking spanish and are going to various places in the US.  One of them is from Moorsville NC!!!! and another is from Long Island NY.  So two east coasters!  It is SO RARE!! We then go to have personal time at 7 in our classrooms, which basically is our home while at the MTC.  Our district is all there and we get some studying and planning in before we go to breakfast around 7:45.  The food here is pretty great and I wouldn't be surprised if I have gained 5 pounds already!  There are HEAVY meals for each meal, but somehow I end up eating more than any other person in my district by far.  Its pretty funny!!  We actually went to the provo temple at 6 this morning and we had breakfast in the basement which was AWESOME! But I ended up eating like a triple breakfast.  Everyone is so impressed!!! Haha.  After breakfast and in between meals we have classtime with teachers that are amazing.  Everything is pretty much done with our zone which consists of 10 of us.  6 Elders and 4 sisters.  Everyone but me is from the West Coast!!! All the elders are from small Utah or Idaho towns.  Funny enough, "you guys" is not allowed, but they haven't banned "ya'll" yet, so instead of the alternatives, much of the district has taken on my southern "ya'll".  I'm a proud southerner!!!!  We have taught 2 different investigators a few times this week already.  I have learned SO MUCH already!  Basically the challenge is not to teach the material, but to bring each investigator closer to Christ and to build their relationship with their heavenly father and NOT to teach them a sunday school lesson.  It is SO tough to get a good balance but I have hope for the future!  I feel the spirit so strong every single day, and I feel like I have learned more than I could ever learn in a whole year, in just a week.

I have to go now, I must be exactly obedient!!! No one enforces things, but what is amazing about the MTC is that EVERYone follows the rules still and everyone is striving to be like Christ.  I really do feel like I have a great purpose here, and I KNOW that I am doing the right thing with the next 18 months.  I love this gospel and the blessings of having the truth so much that I cannot be selfish with this! I HAVE TO SHARE THIS AND I CAN'T WAIT!! This really is an amazing place.  I miss my family so much already, but the Lord has given me strength and overall I am SO happy!  I do get homesick a little, but the letters help SO much! Please keep sending them!!! I actually have the record in my district for the most letters. :)

I will send you a handwritten letter later today.  I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! thank you for your support!!!!!!! I miss you!!!

Sister Younce

ps.  I have been going to sleep at 10:30 say what?!!!

pps.  please please give b and lily a hug and kiss for me and have them watch a video of us!!! I miss them!