Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Letter 1 - First from the MTC - October 29, 2013

MY FAMILY!!!!!!
So this is way crazy that I am right here right now. And can I just say that I am the happiest person alive? Ya. I can say it. So I will....
I AM THE HAPPIEST PERSON ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Because of errands and temple problems and such I do not have much time to write to you so please forgive me for my bad punctuation you will be seeing in this letter. I will try to get in as much as I can.
First off, I have the greatest companion alive. Her name is Sister Sperry from Virginia Beach. She is marvelous. She speaks from her heart always, and her heart exudes goodness and charity. She loves and cares for everyone. She is charitable, confident, and so strong. We started off with quite different teaching techniques but we have really been learning how to work together this past week. I love her. Today at the temple she accidentally dropped her scarf down the clothing shoot and could not stop laughing about it. haha that explains her :) We are such good friends. She and I are the sister training leaders for our zone and we are working really hard to reach out to the other sisters in our zone. They have been needing a lot of help from homesickness to sickness to lack of confidence. We are definitely being blessed with opportunities to magnify our callings and I am grateful for it.
I HAVE THE GREATEST DISTRICT AND THE GREATEST TEACHERS IN THE WORLD!!!!!!! To paint a picture, the elders in my district are convinced that our teacher Brother Sebesta is really John the Revelator in disguise (he isn't haha) but that shows how wonderful our teachers are. They truly care and they always help. I will miss them so much.
I am learning the gift of patience and the fact that I AM NOT PERFECT!! It was definitely hard for me the first few days because I was trying so hard to say everything right and always say the perfect thing with no mistakes..... that isn't how it works - not now at least - and I have learned, since, that I am still learning. I will always be learning. There is no mediocrity, I promise you that; I am working my hardest and doing my best. But I am loving when I make mistakes now because it shows me how much I need to rely on my Savior and how much more I have to learn and gain a testimony of. What a wonderful journey and adventure to take!!!! So much better than science or math.......
So there is a new program at the MTC now. People, nonmembers, inactives, and such with gold nametags walk around the campus and provide missionaries with the opportunity to practice street contacting... ON OUR FIRST FULL DAY Sister Sperry and I were walking to personal study. On our way there we saw a girl sitting on a bench with a gold nametag. Haha we looked at each other, and of course with no words or anything we both walked over there and started talking. BEST CHOICE EVER!!!!! This girl's name is Olivia. Olivia has a crazy past with an athiest family background that she didn't want to be a part of. So she decided to go to BYU and is investigating the church, looking for evidence of God in her life. The Spirit was so strong. We spoke by the heart, and she asked to see us again. So today during personal study we met with her again and went over the whole Plan of Salvation and the fact that that THERE IS A LIFE AFTER THIS ONE. She cried a lot throughout. It was such a wonderful experience. I am sure I learned more from her about faith than she did from us about anything. This gospel is so wonderful.
Quick things:
-I am on main campus
-Mommy I need that detergent soap stuff for hand-washing if possible and something else that I can't remember haha oh well :)
-We are leaving the MTC at 3:30 in the morning on Monday and our flight is sometime around 7 I'm pretty sure. I don't have the paper with me but be prepared with your phones at the side of your bed earlier in the morning just in case please!!!
-This gospel is true
-Having a companion is a piece of cake. Feels natural. I have Heather Bodine as my mom and we did everything together..... I am used to having a companion haha so thanks mommy :)
-MY CLOTHES STILL FIT!!! I am actually eating really healthy right now. We'll see how long that lasts
-The language I am learning is SO HARDDD
-I KNEW BISHOP CLEMENT WAS GOING TO BE BISHOP!!!! That's so awesome. He'll do great
-Timpanogos won! Of course. A member of my branch presidency is actually Rachelle Warner's grandpa and he kept me informed thankfully haha he loves me ;)
-I love this gospel.
-I'm a missionary :)
Also, I love my district leader and my district. My district leader, Elder Johanson (talk to Kaitlyn Lindsey about him mommy :)) is miraculous. He lives and learns and loves as a true representative of Christ. He is magnifying his calling as a leader more than anyone I have ever seen. He will work miracles in Toronto. I am so glad he is coming to Toronto and not Sacramento!!! My companion and two other Elders in our district are going to Sacramento :( So our family will be split up. Heavenly Father needs our force divided to the whole world ;) hehe
No more time I am sorry but I want you to know that I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!!!!! If I haven't already mentioned that..... It is true. It was so BEAUTIFULLY created. God is our Heavenly Father and He loves us eternally and perfectly. Christ atoned for our sins. He lives. We are BLESSED to be here as people in the world, learning a gratitude for happiness and becoming better people than we ever could have imagined. WE CAN BECOME LIKE OUR HEAVENLY FATHER!!!! God blesses us with families. I love my family. I am so grateful for the spirit and the role that it plays and is playing in my life right now. I know that I am not the one teaching. I just get to open my mouth, breathe out air, and the spirit makes it sound the way it needs to :) Haha many experiences like that already in the past week where I feel that I was not the one talking. I love my life right now. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE MY LIFE RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!! I hope you can tell that I am happy. This gospel is true. Daddy congratulations on the baptism :) I am SOOOOO happy for Madison!!! Keep me posted on things. This is such a fun experience that I love getting to share with you all.
Till next time! Keep your standards! Smile!!
Love, 
Sister Bodine
And... THANK YOU FOR THE PACKAGES!!! My mommy loves me!!!!
Oh, and... I'm not homesick. I'll never be homesick. I'm too happy to be homesick. Thank goodness :) Thanks for the support!!! I love my family!!!!

Monday, October 28, 2013

Kristen entered the MTC on Wednesday October 23, 2013

It was a great day for the Bodines.  As we got out of the car at the MTC, she was greeted by a friendly Sister Missionary with whom she walked off arm-in-arm never looking back.  She is going to do great.