MTC Pics

Ups and Downs...

Hola Everyone!!

I have sooo much to say and so little time! Week 2 here at the MTC was full of ups and downs but mostly ups and awesomeness :) First off, no we do not have our VISAS. All of us four Hermanas got a notice saying we are not leaving any time soon. Spain is going through a lot of goverment issues and financial issues and they are reassigning all of the Spain missionaries until they get it figured out. The Church even has to send over some people to Spain to get our VISAS going. Two Elders that have been here 10 weeks are leaving tomorrow for Provo and Salt Lake missions...rough. Please pray for me!!! haha I really need to get out of the U.S. ASAP. We are all pretty sad about that over here. Other than that, the MTC has just been incredible. We have two official teachers, Hermano Doxey and Anderson. LOVE THEM BOTH! Our entire zone and even other zones in our buildings keep saying that we have the best teachers ever and that they are super jealous. Some other teachers come and teach and they are not nearly as cool as ours :) I am SO blessed!

On the down side...our favorite district ever left this last Monday. We miss them so much. It's been way different without them because they are so hilarious. I sent a picture of us 4 Hermanas and that district that just left for Mexico. On the up side...we got to see the Temple dedication of the Brigham City Temple!! It was so cool!! Elder Packer is so adorable. I loved it. Then Hermana Stark and I gave a Sunday School lesson on repentance to our district and it went incredibly well. It's in English, of course haha. The Spirit was way strong in the room and the 1st counselor in the Branch Presidency was there and he is super harsh and is always correcting us but he said that we did a perfect job and he was very impressed with how we taught!!!! YAY! So I'm not a bad teacher after all haha. Teaching in Spanish is a completely different story.

We have two investigators now which are both our teachers as Elmer and Pedro. We teach them seprately of course and they are pretty difficult to teach. Pedro whispers and mumbles in Spanish and is like SUPER depressed all the time. We have a really hard time trying to figure out what he needs and what we could teach him to make him happy. And we never want to ask him questions because he just mumbles and we sit there asking him to repeat 8 million times haha. It gets really frustrating for me sometimes because I feel like I should at least always understand what they are saying even I can't speak well. That was the only down part of the week was having a few rough lessons. BUT GUESS WHAT!! We did the TRC for the first time yesterday (thursday) and we taught two volunteers who just play as themselves as members. So it's like we are just having a home teaching type of lesson with an LDS member. Hna Stark and I were FREAKING out we were incredibly nervous to talk in Spanish with someone from the outside world haha. We ended up teaching an MTC teacher because there wasn't enough volunteers and it went super well. He was way nice and afterwards he said that we had awesome Spanish :) SCORE! The next person we taught was the greatest thing ever. It just happened to be KATIE WHITE from my ward this last spring summer in the Enclave!!!! I immediately like broke down in tears of joy haha I was so happy to see a familiar face. Both of us were like, "NO WAY!!!!" It was funny because I lost all of my memory of Spanish because I was just way too happy. So our lesson started out a little choppy because I forgot all of my Spanish and I'm usually talking more than my companion haha. I kinda take the leads in the lessons. Anyways, moving on...so we just read a scripture in Alma 33:11 and I asked how she felt about that scripture and she was super happy. She said she had never really read that scripture before and she totally loved it. It's a scripture about how no matter what afflictions you are facing, turn to the Lord and he will help you. Then I suddenly felt prompted to share my testimony about the Book of Mormon and how much is has blessed my life especially these last two weeks in the MTC. I got super emotional about it. It was an amazing experience to feel so much love for Katie and wanting her to know how much I loved this book and how it has blessed me. And it was all in Spanish! Never did I think I would already get emotional while speaking in Spanish. It was such a cool experience. LOVE the TRC :)

I have been learning so much here. It is just incredible. Our teacher showed us part of a video of Elder Holland's talk to the MTC missionaries a long time ago for a devotional and it was the greatest thing I have ever seen. Elder Holland is so passionate about his mission and the entire time during his talk he kept pounding his fist on the pulpit saying, "Do not go home ever. You have no idea what a great opportunity this is and you will never have it again. Don't you dare go home. You do not want to live with the regret of what could have been." It was so powerful. I have so much love for my mission and I haven't even really done anything yet!! Another cool experience...there is a Sister teacher here who is from Barcelona and served in Malaga! She wanted to speak privately to us four Hermanas so we had the chance to chat with for a little bit about Spain. She is so awesome! Her Spirit is so strong and so happy and I can't wait to meet more people like her. Fun facts that she said about Malaga: They barely used the lispy accent BUT they have the strangest accent ever. She spoke a little bit of the Malaga accent and it seriously sounded like German...NOT kidding! She said a simple sentence and I had no idea what the freak she said hahaha. yayyyyyy that is gonna be so fun! But, at the same time it sounded so freaking cool. She just kept telling us this, "you have the best mission ever. You have no idea what is ahead of you. My people are out there waiting for you and needing you right now. Please, work as hard as you can and don't waste time. They need you Hermanas more than anything." She also kept saying how happy she was that we were going to help her people. It was so cool. Love her. We also met a guy teacher from Malaga and he is so sweet!! MAN! They have the coolest spirits ever. I love them already haha. Ah! I gotta get going. I love all of you and thank you SO much for all of your wonderful letters :) My district is a little jealous that I get the most letters every day haha so thank you! It's like Christmas every day. It definitely makes a difference in my day when I get a letter. I love you and miss you all very much!!!!

love,

Hermana Daly

Sundays are the best day ever!!!

Hey everyone!!

I am so sorry! I am running short on time so I haven't read everyone's emails yet...I will make this short and then try to get back to everyone else! Everything has been so great but so hard at the same time haha. Sunday definitely was the best day ever. The relief society got taught by THE SHERI DEW!! What now!! So awesome! She is the coolest lady ever. She just talked about the women's role in the Church and it was so powerful and freakin awesome. Love her. Then we had such an awesome fireside taught by the Director of Proselyting and he was AMAZING!!!! He talked about the Book of Mormon and how powerful it is. I can't even tell you how awesome it was. He definitely changed my entire perspective on my life and what I am doing here. Also, we watched Elder Bednar's Christmas talk that he gave to the MTC a couple years ago. WOWWWW!! I think that was my favorite talk in the world. First of all, he made a hilarious Cookie Monster impersonating hahaha so great. His message was about the characteristics of Christ. He said that we shouldn't be like the Cookie Monster who says, "I need cookie NOW!" He talks about how we need to not fall into the Natural Man and be selfless like God. Man, I wish I could tell you everything about it. He had so many awesome stories. I absolutely loved it. So Sundays are definitely THE best day ever :)

Well, Hermana Stark and I are pretty much the coolest hermanas ever ;) We have way too much fun together. We have taught a total of five lessons...in Spanish...to our investigator and some have been super rough and others we totally rocked. I LOVE OUR TEACHER!! Hermano Doxey is probably the best teacher I have ever had in any type of religion class. Better than BYU's proffesor Bott. Seriously. He is so inspiring and every time we have class, it's like the most spiritual experience ever. I am so grateful for him. It is so tough trying to speak this language that shouldn't even be that hard because it's pretty much the same as English haha but it really gets to me when I can't say the words that I want to in my lessons. Hno. Doxey has really helped us all through our frustration. He is the bomb diggity.

Hermana Stark and I have to teach a 45 minute lesson on repentance on Sunday during our District Meeting...yayyyy haha as if we have time to even prepare lol, jk we'll be fine :) I love love love everyone here. Our zone and district are so freaking hilarious and they always have me laughing constantly. Love them. I honestly thought the Elders would be super annoying and immature but ours are WAY smart and mature and super super nice. And of course, the funniest Elders you've ever met.

Anyways, here are some pictures! Enjoy them! The group one is of our District and the hugging one is me and my companion of course :) yes, we love each other...a lot. Have a great week everyone!!

Love, Hermana Daly :

First MTC Letter from Hermana Daly!!!

HOLA FAMILIA!!!

I am super super super happy to finally get on a computer! haha I am doing great here in the MTC! The first day was way fun and not stressful at all. My companion is HERMANA STARK!! haha so cool! I knew I was going to have someone that I heard about before going into the MTC. She is way awesome. Love her! We room with two other hermanas, Hermana Haglund and Shaffer. I love them both! We all have a blast with each other. I feel like we are in a group of four instead of just our companions. We do everything together. I am so grateful that I have such awesome roommates and companion :) Our teacher is Hermano Doxey. LOVE HIM! He is hilarious and of course hasn't said a word in english since we got here but I pretty much understand everything he says. He is really good at speaking slowly and repeating everything he says at least three times haha I LOVE MY DISTRICT! At first the Elders were a little shy and quiet and I could tell they were super overwhelmed but they are now way hilarious and social. We have six Elders in our District. A total of 10 of us. It's pretty small but I love all of them. We are a dang good looking district!! ;) Our Branch Presidency are the nicest people on the planet and their wives all gave us hugs and made me teary eyed because they are like our "moms." It was great to have a hug from them. Miss you mom!! :)

Day 2 and 3 were SOOOO stressful, not gonna lie haha Our entire district had to teach our first investigator on Day 2...in Spanish...shoot me in the face...but it went ok haha. Hermana Stark and I were stressing out a little bit and didn't know how we were going to teach a ten minute lesson when we had zero spanish taught to us. Luckily, both of us have had some high school spanish background so we whipped out some previous knowledge to help us. I never thought high school spanish would be useful...so listen up in Spanish class, Camo!! You never know when you have to use it in the mission ;) So our first lesson went pretty bad haha Any spanish I knew just went straight out the window and Her. Stark and I were just totally frozen after the investigator, Isabel, talked to us. (He is a guy by the way haha) He talked SO FAST!! I bet that was even slow for him too! Man, I have so much to learn. We got by ok in the lesson trying to teach him about faith. We have to teach him again today (day 4) and this time it has to be a 15 minute lesson. We are going to talk to him about prayer and how to pray. I really hope we do better this time. It seems like the rest of our district felt the same way about their first lesson. Especially the Elders, hahaha. They were HILARIOUS after they got done with theirs. Elder Hall said he had no idea if they even taught him anything. My favorite line from him, "I wish I would've at least accidently called him Satan because at least I would've said SOMETHING!!" haha, love that kid. We have a blast together.

Other than sucking at Spanish and having no idea what anyone is saying to us, the MTC is pretty fun. The sleeping schedule doesn't bother me at all. I get tired every now and then but we have no time to even think about being tired. Everything is so fast paced...even singing hyms is like a race. We have to sing as fast as we can!! It's freakin crazy haha but I'm loving it. I really really hope I pick up Spanish soon. I can tell I am going to have a hard time with it. I have no idea how Sean even learned Polish! I always think about that. How on earth do missionaries speak those crazy languages! Same with Jake and Japense! INSANE!!! I figure if you guys and thousands of other of missionaries are able to learn those psychotic languages, then I can learn this simple little language that is pretty much just like English. Our Zone Leaders...also freaking hilarious and adorable...they told us that we shouldn't complain about learning Spanish. We should be grateful that we don't have to speak a crazy Asian or weird made up language that I've never heard of. So I am VERY GRATEFUL for that haha. I cannot WAIT for the gift if tongues to kick in. But I'm guessing that won't happen till like month 12 of my mission...if that.

I miss you family!!! AND friends!! I haven't had a chance to write anyone back yet so be patient :) I'll get letters sent out by Monday hopefully. I love you all and I think about you like every ten minutes of the day. I am doing super well though. Oh but the MTC food...gross. I barely eat anything. So don't worry about me gaining weight. No chance in heck that that is happening haha I LOOOVE my work out time that we get every day. Her. Haglund and I work out together because we like doing the same stuff. Her. Stark hates working out hahahaha but she is freaking the skinniest person alive!! I swear she never eats anything, I'm working on her ;) We get along so great. She's 23 and from Ogden. The other hermanas (shaffer and Haglund) are both BYU graduates and are 22/23 ish. So I am the youngest!! I always am haha I'm also the senior companion in our companionship but that basically means nothing haha. I kinda felt like I already took charge of our companionship because she kinda waits for me to tell her what to do. I'm not used to being the leader but it's good practice for me. Anyways, I have like five minutes left. My Pdays are FRIDAY by the way. Today is our half Pday...more like 2 hour Pday, but that's ok. Hermana Stark and I have so much to do to practice our Spanish and teach this impossible lesson tonight. Kill me haha I am so bad at Spanish!!

Thank you everyone for your prayers and letters and love!!! You are all so awesome :) Alysia...I forgot your email so I will have to hand write you on monday and then email you next Friday :)

Mom- good luck starting piano!! Don't worry about me too much ;) I am doing so great!

Sean- no bebes...not yet ;) good luck with all of your interviews!!!!! I bet you are looking super studly in your new suit

Camo- Have fun at homecoming!!! miss you bro

John- I wish you were here to help me with spanish haha

Laura- good luck with school!!!

Dad- Thank you again for that awesome father's blessing :) I can see the blessings from it already. LOVE YOU!!!!

Blake & Derrick- freaking love you guys. Your letters made me cry...good job haha

LOVE YOU ALLLL!!!!!!

Love, Hermana Daly!

Leaving on a Mission!

Hey everyone!!

After the longest time of waiting, the day has FINALLY come! I am so excited to get to the MTC and get my trash kicked ;) I absolutely love learning Spanish and I definitely cannot wait to get back into the social scene...but this time it will be a different kind of social scene, but still awesome! This mission call has been a huge blessing for me and the greatest of blessings haven't even come yet. I can't wait to see what's store for me in the future. Please keep in touch and write me!! I am already afraid of what will happen when I have to turn off my phone and say goodbye to facebook. I don't know if I can survive haha, so WRITE ME :) I will see you all in just a short 18 months! That's not too long ;) I love you all!