Dearest Family,
Well, I've been here a week! Almost. By the time you read this I will have. Thanks so much mom, Jill, and Mike for your letters. They were very comforting. I just bawled the first night, but those helped. One of the sisters in my district, Sister Bell, is going into graphic design. I showed her sis and mike's letters and she thought they were so cool. To clarify, sis did neat calligraphy, and Mike used their heat press to put a neat design on the envelope. And thank you Libby for putting Petalbottom the gnome in my bag and giving me a picture of you and Pete and the small ones.
My District here is so awesome! There are 12 of us, including four sisters. It was awkward at first talking to the Elders in class, but now we're all thick as thieves! The other day we played baseball during gym, and it was a gas. None of the sisters were good whatsoever, and two of the elders had never played, so there was a lot of bumbling. I pulled a George Michael and ducked every time I was pitched.
Sunday was particularly rough. I was so frustrated with how negative my companion was being, and everyone has to prepare a talk for Sunday and you don't know if you're speaking until they tell you during the meeting. My talk was only half finished, so I was very stressed, though first weekers don't usually speak. We got into sacrament and girls have to sit in the front row, so we sat there with the Branch Presidency's wives. I started bawling, right there on the front row. The Branch President's wife told my companion to comfort me. This made me cry more since I wanted a companion who would comfort me without being told to, because she cares about me. The President announced the speakers. "I've jumped around between speakers, but I've finally settled on these two: Sister Healy and so & so." I was now crying buckets. Through the prayer and the song (we'd already taken the sacrament). Then I got up there, apologized for my blubbering, and started reading my half talk. At one point I couldn't see the page through my tears, so I made it up. It was sort of depressing., because I said how I hadn't felt the Spirit once since I'd arrived and I wasn't cut out for this. Then I ended it. After the meeting, each of the Presidency and their wives gave me comforting words and told me I did great. The MTC President was presiding and he took me aside and told me that 2/3 of the missionaries here feel the exact same way. The day ended on a good note.
The shower situation here is ridiculous. They clearly weren't thinking of sisters when they made the time--to walk from the gym to your dorm, stand in line for the shower, take a shower in a suspicious and all wet stall, change, get ready, and scoot to class--only thirty minutes. Thank goodness I have short hair.
Lessons are really rough. Our teacher pretends to be an investigator, and doesn't break character the whole time. My companion takes over the lesson, so I rarely get to say anything. If I do, she glares at me, then afterwards says my comment wasn't very relevant. I tried talking to her about her disgruntled tones today in companionship inventory (where you talk to your comp. about their strengths and weaknesses) and she didn't know what I was talking about. I guess I'll just hope for a nicer companion once I get to "The City!" I have been praying to understand her better and really love her, but it's still tough. Pray for me, will you? I do have a blast with the rest of the District though. They're a boisterous bunch, but i love 'em.
We went to the Temple today, and it was very peaceful. And it looks a lot like the Ogden Temple did, so that was a comfort.
I love you and I miss you! Please send pictures and notes!
Love you!
Sister Healy
8-2-11 Later
Family Dearest,
It's been a few hours since I wrote you last, but something really neat happened. For Tuesday Devotional, Gerald N. Lund (from the Seventy and author of the Work and the Glory) spoke to us about faith. Toward the end he told a story about an appointment that fell through for two missionaries. Their Mission President told them earlier to speak immediately to the first person you see when appointments fall through. Suddenly a man (huge, beefy, and covered in tattoos) came down the hall. He said, "Are you the guys I'm supposed to talk to? I just woke up and something told me there were two guys down the hall with something really important to say."
I got the most immense chill all over and then an immense warmth filled my chest. And I got so excited to teach the people of New Jersey. I want them to feel what I'm feeling right now. I've been praying so much for this feeling and it finally came. Sister Davey (my companion) said afterward, "The Spirit was almost tangible in there." Then we went with our District for a District Devotional. Brother Carter from the Branch Presidency told us to share our thoughts. We have a very boisterous District, but it was so peaceful in there. So many elders and one sister said they felt inadequate before and didn't have the faith to be able to do this. But we all have a feeling of peace now that though this will be difficult, the Lord will fill in where we fail to. I'm so grateful for my District, they're my second family; and for this confirmation of why I'm here.
I love you Darlings,
Sister Miss
