Week 1 - Provo MTC

Here's our first email from Alexis: 

Greetings-

I have like 24 more minutes so I will type real fast. 

So the schedule at the MTC is kind of crazy.  We are busy busy busy.  We get up at 6:30 and go to bed at 10:30.  We usually get back to our room at 9:30 and at 10:15 there is quiet time to read letters, write in journal, and pray.  We have gym everyday except pday and Sunday.  The time varies sometimes before breakfast, sometimes in the afternoon, and sometimes at night.  The rest of the time we study by ourselves or with our companion(1 hour each).  We have teachers some of the time and the rest is up to us.  We eat breakfast at 8:15, lunch at 1, and dinner at 6.  The food is real good.  Much better than the Club Dining facility at BYU-H.  There are lots of choices.  I walk about 1.5 miles around the indoor track (10 laps per mile) during gym.  Sometimes I take flashcards to study, or just take a break.

I only have one companion now.  Hma Nelson moved up to the intermediate level class and got a new companion and moved rooms.  There are 3 other girls in our room going to Arcadia CA spanish speaking.  I have the top bunk.  My companion Hma Sutherland is from Twin Falls, ID and is going to my mission. Hma Nelson is going to Honduras like 4 of the elders in my district. The other two elders are going to Chile.  The 3 sisters are going to Guatemala.  My companion is the oldest of 9 and her youngest brother is 5 months old.  We contacted in spanish yesterday and then taught lesson 1 in spanish.  I thought we did pretty well.  I have lots to learn but it is going well.  I really like having Brett Puterbaugh as one of my teachers since he knows more about me and being a twin. He was in our social dance class at BYU-H.  He remembered that I am the blue girl.  We had a sub for the end of last week because they had their baby a girl (Savea or Alia)  My other teacher is Hmo Roberts and he got back 9 months ago from Fresno, Ca spanish speaking obviously.  He is really great too.

We got lots of stuff and books and a filter waterbottle.  One of the teachers said that he put dr. pepper in it and it came out as water.  So that will be fantastic in Nicaragua. 

Like Chelsea said, time is very weird, here.  It seems like it has gone by fast to be already a week, but then some days seem long, and it seems like longer since I have seen you.  Even on Sunday, they keep us busy.  We study, watch the spoken word, have Relief Society, Sacrament Meeting, a fireside, and then watch church movies (Legacy this week).  It is still a break to not be studying all the time.  We had a great devotional last night.  President Costa from the Seventy spoke with his wife.  They are from Brazil and had great messages.  She was great and said things that she would say to us if she were our mother, so that was nice.  Today we studied and went to the temple.  We just got back.  Then, lunch and laundry and a prep time. We still have class after dinner.   

I am doing well here.  I miss you a lot but I know that this will be great.  I have like 4 minutes left before this closes.  I have a stronger testimony each day and my spanish is improving too.  The district is great! We get along well and I feel like the responsible mother of the group.  Thanks so much, you are all great examples to me.  Well I want to get this sent.  LOVE YOU TONS! 

Love,

Alexis (Hermana Cottam)