Week 1: SHE MADE IT!

K to be honest this email is going to be all sorts of all over the place because this week had waaaayyy too many things that happened for me to try and fit it all in 1 email so bear with me people...

First and foremost I would just like to start out by saying how much I love being a missionary. It truly is the most amazing thing in the world and Im so glad I get to be a part of this army

Okay so Tuesday morning I flew out of Utah at 8 am and took 3 flights to get to England on Wednesday at 8 am. haha! I flew for a total of 13 hours and I was awake for 48+ hours all together. No i didn't sleep on the plane... :(

So we got here and had a little intro to the MTC and i got my badge!!!!!!!!  It felt like i had super powers when I put it on!!   Best moment of my life so far!

Touchdown Atlanta!  Headed to London then onto Manchester and by buses to the Preston England MTC

SO thankful these darling Sisters were on her flight from SLC!  Sister Fairbanks and Sister McEwan

It was a LONNNNNNGGG Day!

1st Photo she sent from the MTC :)  "TAG"

She's been dreaming of this day for SO LONG!!!!!

We went to the room and got unpacked and then ate and went to a meeting where we got our companions and met our district. I am in a trio... The Lord is testing me right out of the gate lol. If putting me with 1 girl for 24 hours straight isn't bad enough now i have to do it with 2! haha  To be honest that has been the hardest thing about this week. I get along great with 1 sister and not so great with the other. Long story short, I am learning EXTREME patience and love for this girl. I pray every night to try and see her the way the Lord does because I cant go 5 more weeks and not get along with her. We are making it work!  We have what they call companionship inventories that help too. 

So anywayysss my district has 4 British elders and 5 american sisters. I love my district way too much we are a little family!

Thursday was a lot of learning.. We learned lots of German so it was good.  I really enjoy class! i love learning the language and its coming... just really slowly lol. My teachers are incredible they are Sister Schumann and Brother Hdlacky. Like Ladkey is how you pronounce it they are great :)

Class with her little Family

What the German??????????

Friday was an amazing day as well - we had a devotional on the gift of tongues and it was exactly what i needed! a total answer to my prayers. But as if that devotional wasn't good enough... BASKETBALL WITH THE ELDERS!!! :)  Finally!!!   I had been waiting for this forever hahaha and it was an absolute blast! Seriously, I look forward to playing basketball every single day because of how happy it makes me. I never realized how much exercising makes you happy until i have been stuck in a room for 13 hours every day... 

Some of her favorite Elders and Baller boys

Lettin loose! She says, "Don't ask" Typical Sam

Saturday was another great day! (there arent really "bad" days here...) K the food here is insane - i think i have gained like 20 lbs in 1 week. I'm super good friends with the head chef because his name is Brother Barnett hahaha! He is from Ireland :) So we had a conversation with the elders in our district about all the funny words they say and they explained to us that there are a lot of things that americans say that aren't really good to say in england... haha also the peace sign backward is like worse than flipping someone else off here... whoops... learned that one the hard way! they always make fun of americans but it actually is really funny and we kind of banter back and forth.

So Much  FOOD!

Sunday was AMAZING! Having sacrament meeting in the MTC is such an indescribable experience. The spirit was so strong that day... President Preston picks 6 random missionaries to speak so all the missionaries prepare talks not knowing if they are going to speak in the meeting (I hope that made sense) and the topic was on the atonement. It was the coolest thing ever. I have such an incredible amount of love and respect for the missionaries here. I love looking at everyone and thinking about how hard they worked to get here. Everyone is so great here were all like best friends. We walked to the temple grounds and HOLY COW the Preston temple is gorgeous!! We took lots of pics lol. After that we played a get to know you game kind of set up like speed dating... There are people from all over the world here - its insane!! There was these cute sisters from Fiji and China and Taiwan that all called me Rapunzel and commented on how pretty my eyes were hahaha they are so cute. 

Her dear friend Sister Richards from Whales

First of MANY Badge pictures!  Preston England Temple Week1

She Made it!  Preston MTC and Lovin it!

So yesterday was a hard day... I just wasn't in the best mood i guess. I was getting discouraged about the language and then being in a trio was hard yesterday and i just wanted to be alone.. I prayed for strength and to just be happy and The Lord answers prayers guys let me just tell you... I get such clear and perfect answers here haha! I changed my attitude around and i had a better night. 

Today we went to the temple and did a session and it was amazing. I really do love it here. My testimony has grown so much and it has only been a week. There is no where else I would rather be and I'm grateful for the opportunity i have to be a missionary. Thank you to everyone for their prayers and love towards me i really do feel them. I'm sorry this email was so scatterbrained I just cant fit everything i want and its frustrating!! also everything is kind of a "you had to be there moment."
Anyways I love you all and I hope you had a great week!!

Love Sister Barnett