May 29: One Year Older And Wiser, Too!

Hopefully.

I was set apart May 28 and entered the MTC May 29. Instead of being all sad and mope-y, I decided to celebrate this day! It's more than worth celebrating.

May 28, 2013- 

My brother Peter stayed over. He helped me pack (Yes, I packed the morning of. In my defense, I had everything set out for like a week). It still hasn't sunk in. 

I met my siblings and sibling-in-laws for lunch. An would you know it! I got some food on my shirt! Not just any food. It was oil. On my brand new yellow shirt! No time to change.
My brothers gave me their last words of advice, proclamations of love and pride, and we said our good-byes. The last brother (besides the one that was going with me to the drop-off) was Joel. I got a picture with him and his small family. He told me about his first day. 

Back then, the families and missionaries would sit in one big room, watch a video, then say good-bye. After saying good-bye, on elder was having a particularly difficult time. So being the friendly teddy bear he actually is, he started talking to him.
"Are you okay?"
"*sniffles* Yeah."
"Missin' your family already?"
"Yeah. *sniff sniff*"
"Where are you from?"
"[Some place, probably Utah]"
"Oh that's cool. Where are you going?"
"Hawaii."
"SHUT UP! You're going to Hawaii!" 

That was his final advice to me. It makes me laugh to this day.  

Peter was in the car with my parents and I. "Have any questions?" Uhhhhh... I didn't know what to ask. I didn't know what I needed advice for or what I didn't know. "I understand." Uhhhh... It still hasn't sunk in. As I'm about to exit he blurts out "Oh by the way, you're teaching won't speak English for like the first 3 days. So don't feel bad about not understanding anything." This helped a TON! I wish everyone knew this before going to the MTC.  

I'm not even out before some sister has her arms around me. "I don't know you but I love you already." I'm going to love this place. I can't wait! I give my whole family a quick hug. Peter is the last (and then the first) boy I hug. Laterz! 

I follow the directions given to me. While getting my tag (YAY!) I run into a friend from junior high. No way! More and more friends start showing up.  

I'm the first to my room. My host sister advices me which bed to take. Whatever you say!

The Roommates: (L to R) Sestra Marks, Sestra Hendricks, Sestra Orgill, Sestra Farnsworth, Sestra Sturtevant

 

I'm taken to my classroom. Some guy with glasses takes me to a computer lab. The orientation video takes F O R E V E R! It buffers every 2 seconds for 3 minutes. Not even kidding. 

(L to R) Sestra Farnsworth, Sestra Jolley(Kristina), Sestra Hendricks

Sister Hendricks is sitting next to me. I think we're companions. "Oh! Cool to meet you!"
Sister Frampton walks in. I know her! Does she remember me? "Hey, homegirl. Homegirl? Is there something wrong with this video or is everyone having problems." She calls everyone homegirl. (A habit that she fully dropped 2 days later.) Nope. She doesn't remember me yet. I still don't know who I will know and who I won't. Is everyone here going to my mission? Are we all going to be in the same class?

I walk into the classroom after I finish my orientation. The guy with glasses starts talking to me. I think he's a teacher. "Bok!" Zdravo. "Kako si?" Dobro sam. "Koliko imate godina?" I don't know. He smiles and lets me sit down. I choose the seat next to Sestra Hendricks. We get along famously! We keep joking by saying how much "this is not going to work out" and how much we "hate" each other.  There's some funny people in my class. The first kid next to the door is Elder Tristan Wright. I know him! Well, I know of him. I was told he would be coming. Our parents work at the same institution.

We go to activities such as watching missionaries teach, us (as in 50 orange dot/brand new missionaries) trying to teach actors, fireside with the Nallys, orientation on missionary life (how to sit, how to stand, rules, etc.) from the zone leaders, sister trainer leaders, and branch presidency. The presidency wants to meet with everyone. One of them was my elementary school principal. We have our first companionship inventory. Our conversation turns to how I'm somehow going to blow up our entire mission. At least Bosnia. I simply wanted to know what happens if you through a ball into a mine field and whether or not one mine will set off the rest. 

The zone leaders lead us on a tour. Somehow we make it to our beds.
I feel right where I am suppose to be. I'm so excited! It still hasn't sunk in. This. Is. My. Mission.

May 29, 2014 

Holy cow it's hot.  

I dreamed about May 29th. Facebook status and everything. I woke up thinking it was the 30th. Nope! Lucky me! I can still celebrate it. 

I start off having breakfast with eggs and kefir. This took longer than I expected and breakfast became lunch. It was worth the wait. I highly recommend it. If you want it to cook faster, use a regular pan and not a cast iron pan. 

I pay tribute to my MTC roommates by playing the songs and genres we sang and talked about. Sestra Marks and I were the only two country lovers. Sestra Marks, I dedicated my listening time of Eric Church to you! Pitch Perfect and Jason Mraz were other favorites.  

I celebrate by making a delicious shake. Rolled oats, honey, ice, frozen fruit. coconut milk, kefir, and chia seeds. I eat it as I enjoy the sun. True to fashion and as if in tribute to one year ago, I GET IT ON MY SHIRT! The exact same yellow blouse! I will wear it with pride!

I study my scriptures. Alma 33 is wonderful! I might write a blog post about it. More music as I water plants in shorts. A year ago, that would definitely not work out. To finish off enjoying the afternoon by finishing Prince Caspian. Lovely read. My MTC buds would enjoy it. 

In tribute to my mission, I make palačinke. Well, I try to anyways. I had to substitute and wing a lot of the recipe. Here goes nothing! My parents are out of town and so is Peter. I guess I'll just have to eat this whole pan myself. 9 Serbian pancakes. I can do it! Or at least I can try.

But I can't forget what today is really about. It isn't just another reason to have fun and goof around. It's a celebration. I want to celebrate those who I met. To celebrate the lessons I learned. To celebrate the time I had. The friendships I made. To celebrate the person I became.

I wouldn't trade it for the world. I would do it all over again. And again and again and again. Sickness and all. It was all worth it.

Today marks the beginning of my best adventure to date. There were no romances. No dragons. No elaborate tricks. It was a bunch of kids living the minimum and gaining the maximum.

That is why I want to celebrate today.