Week Two--Saturday, June 25, 2016

Hello!

I've decided that this is the only place on Earth that people willingly give up their freedom to then be told what to do for 18 months (or two years) straight. But. I like it here! I am getting more used to things. The language is coming, slowly but surely. A fantastic thing about Croatian: THERE IS ONLY ONE PAST TENSE. I love it so much. It makes it so much easier! None of this trying to figure out what kind of past tense to use. They are all the same! 

More good news: I have not cried yet! I feel like I cry all the time but I haven't yet while I've been here! I am so proud of myself. I was very close the first few days and I even warned my companion (who is so very fantastic) that I would likely cry soon because that's just what happens. But I am happy to report that I haven't cried and I don't think I will! Well, not about things like, "I want to go home." 

Fun facts that I have learned while being at the MTC: (1) alligators hibernate and aren't aggressive, (2) montenegro means black mountains (monte - mount or something, negro - black) in Italian, and the Croatians invented the tie. 

When I was studying this week, I found it interesting that we have two choices: follow Satan or Christ. When we choose Christ, we choose choice; when we choose Satan we choose to have no choice. Either way you choose. Agency is always involved. 

Things are going well! I love my companion so much. We stay up way too late and chat. For example, last night we were up until like midnight. We are working on being "strictly obedient." Obviously things could be going better. 

I think my favorite part about the MTC is going to the temple as a zone. They are so fun. My district is fantastic, too. They are so funny. Our zone consists of Bulgarians, Poles, Slovenes, and Croats. (We are identified by the language we are learning.) Our district is just the four of us Croats. 

My companion (moja suradnica) and I think we are hilarious. The elders in our zone always complain about how little mail they get and how much we get. So today, we picked up our packages and the snacks that we didn't want (S. Yergensen's family sent her this peanut butter popcorn stuff. We tried it and it wasn't gross but it wasn't super tasty. They sent even more of it this week. She gets A TON of mail. I get mail, too, though so I'm not complaining (: But if you send me more mail, I also wouldn't complain.) we are packaging up and sending to the Elders in our district. We also wrote little notes. We are so funny. And we just get along so well. I love it. 

OH! I met this elder from Haiti the other day!! He has been here for 4 weeks. He is learning English! I was talking to him a tiny bit in French but my mind has tried to push out French for the past little while and focus only on Croatian so then I just couldn't speak any language to him. But he's fantastic. He's going to New Jersey. He also speaks Creole I think. 

First day

In class with the entire district

Packages for the Elders in their district

Little back-and-forth email conversation:

Okay we are on here for a minute longer. 

I think we get home January 2nd, 2018.

Love you.

"I even warned my companion (who is so very fantastic) that I would likely cry soon." This reminds me of the Princess Bride and the Dread Pirate Roberts: "Good nights, Westley. I will likely kill you tomorrow." (Okay, can't remember how to spell Westley! It looks wrong!)

Haha!! That's awesome! Oh, I love that movie!

I tell my companion all these random stories and I sing all these random songs because that's just what I am used to. I didn't realize how often I did either of those things until I got here. 

Nice! I'm so proud! :)

(We shouldn't be emailing right now. We are 15 minutes over our hour. Again, we are working on being strictly obedient but it's quite hard.) 

Good luck with the strictly obedient goal! I'll try to support you in it as well, even though it's hard for me to give up email time with you! :)