Letter from Kenzie (2/14/13)

FYI from Sue:  

When Kenzie refers to 'Sisters' she is talking about other female missionaries -- they are all called "Sister So&So" (or, Hermana So&So, if we are speaking spanish, which I don't!), and the male missionaries are referred to as "Elders."   

Also, Kenzie will spend the next 6 weeks at the Mission Training Center in the capital city of Santo Domingo, learning to speak Spanish and studying scripture & gospel doctrines.  She will then be assigned an area to begin serving/teaching with her companion.  

We were so excited to hear from her this morning & so happy to know she is doing well!

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So, I have a timer in the upper right hand corner of my screen counting down from 30 minutes so I apologize if this seems rushed! Thirty minutes is not nearly enough time to express everything I'm feeling and want to tell you right now! I also realized that I should have uploaded my pictures to the computer before logging on, so expect pictures next week! (I only have like two so that's probably better anyways)

 

So traveling here was crazy! I don't know if dad told you but we saw a bag labeled MTC(missionary training center) when we were checking my baggage, so I was pretty comforted that another missionary would be on my flight. However I got there and after staring everyone down I couldn't find another hermana or elder! I fell asleep the second I got on the plane(I'm talking like before we even took off) and when I woke up I happened to look across the aisle and the girl sitting there was reading a copy of 'Preach My Gospel'!  There were 4 other missionaries on the flight with me who were coming from Utah. Their flight had been delayed so they had snuck on at the last second. They are all way awesome, we met up with a few other girls in the Miami airport and all nine of us flew on to the DR. I was so blessed to feel comfortable the rest of my flights, and besides the homesickness I felt after saying goodbye to you guys at the airport, it's been great ever since (well it's been 24 hours so I don't know how much that's really saying).

We arrived at the airport and President and Hermana Freestone (the MTC Mission Pres & his wife) were both there waiting for us with huge smiles.

But here's the craziest part, I walked outside and all I could think was how it smelled just like India. Call me crazy but I got this goofy smile on my face and all I could keep thinking was that I was ''home''. The Lord sent me home, I'm so grateful for the things that have prepared me for this moment and India was a huge one of them. I love the people already - they are so outgoing and loving (at least the ones I've met, still the first day...).

Last night I was assigned my first companion, Hermana Christensen. She's from Utah, she's way cool and I can't wait to get to know her better. We are roommates with two Haitian sisters who don't speak very much English but they are so mild mannered and kind. I really wish that I could learn more about them and their backgrounds.

So here are some fun facts, My MTC currently has 30 of us here. The group of sister's is the largest that has come at one time and our district does not have one elder in it. How crazy is that? (5 of us are going east, 4 west). There is another group of missionaries here from north america, they are all heading to Puerto Rico and have four elders. Other than that we have a large group of Haitian elders that will be going back to serve in Haiti and that's pretty much it.

The temple is beautiful, looking out the window from the hallway we can see the temple, palm trees, and the ocean. I can't wait until we get to explore a little.

Elder Rasband spoke to us today, it was great, more on that later!

Adios, love and miss you all

Hermana Coe