Hola familia,

Soo....noone emailed me today.....cool.  It's okay though because I just came from the temple so I feel happy!  This week has flown by...it's weird to think I'm leaving here in 3.5 weeks.  I sometimes forget that I'm not going to be in the MTC forever.  On Tuesday, while Hermana Varley and I were eating lunch, we heard our names being called on the intercom.  We totally thought we forgot our scriptures somewhere because usually they call you up if you get your visas or you forgot something.  We both don't need visas so we just assumed we forgot something.  We went and got a notice that we'll be getting a new companion.  Yup 5 1/2 weeks in the MTC, and BAM we're a trio.  I really think Heavenly Father seriously gets a kick out of doing things like this to me.  Our new companion is Hermana Garcia and she is from Farmington, Utah and she'll be serving in the Arizona Phoenix Mission.  Yup she's Mexican and is also learning the language....just like me.  Except she looks more Mexican than me (who doesn't?).  We're still adjusting to being a trio because me and Hermana Varley get along so well.  We came to the conclusion that Heavenly Father thought we needed more stretching to do in the MTC so he gave us this opportunity.  It's funny because every Sunday and Tuesday night devotional, they always talk about companionships and how we should love them and their differences.  To be honest, I didn't pay too much attention to it just because I didn't have ANY problems with my companion.  Seriously, our companionship inventories aren't very long because we don't have problems with eachother.  I really think me and Hma. Varley were BFF in the pre mortal existance or something.  It's just been different having a third companion to worry about it, but she has lots of great qualities and I know Heavenly Father put us together.  Companionships are greatly inspired....you can see it all over the MTC...I love it. 

         We commited our second investigator to baptism! Woo!  His father passed away when he was 9 so we really stressed on Eternal Families and the Plan of Salvation.  When we extended the invitation to be baptized, he quickly said "si claro que si!!"  I got so excited...I know it's not real and it's kind of a nerdy of me, but can you imagine how it's going to be out in the field?!  Our other investigator said she might get baptized....she just wants to know for sure if our message is true.  It is...duh! Just kidding...but seriously, I do want to say that sometimes :)  The devotionals this week were amazing! On Sunday Brother Stephen Allen (whos a director @ the MTC or somethin like that) and he spoke about hymns.  I LOVE hymns.  I'm pretty sure I feel the spirit the most when I'm listening to hymns.  We would sing different hymns that can help us become better missionaries/ better disciples of Christ.  So we sang: Be thou humble, Choose the right, I am a Child of God etc.  After we sang each hymn, he would explain how we could apply it in our lives.  Hymns are like scriptures.  Pay attention to the lyrics you are singing, especially the ones about the Savior.  The Spirit always touches my heart and I reflect on the Atonement and what it means in my life.  Hymns are definitely my favorite and I encourage all of your to memorize your favorite hymn and to hum or sing it whenever you are facing temptation or an evil thought is clouding your mind.  As a missionary, all the songs in my head are hymns and it helps me SO much because it always invites the Spirit.

    On Tuesday we had Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the 70 come.  He was great!  He talked about the legacy we are establishing right now for our children and future generations.  He said "When I see you all...I don't see just missionaries...I see your children".  He also said that who he is, how he thinks and the desires of his heart are shaped because of his mission.  My mission really will shape not only my life but for eternity.  It really made me reflect what kind of missionary I want to be.  I've already made that decision a long time ago but saying it is alot easier than doing it :)  I want to be a great missionary because I love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and I want to serve them to repay just a lil of all the blessings they've given me.  i'm also doing this for my future children....they deserve it because I KNOW they are God's elect.  Serving a mission is the best thing I can be doing right because it's not only beneficial for the church but for myself as well.  I hope you are well! I love you all so much and pray for you. 

Love,