Heading to Arizona!

 

Hey guys!

I have a ton to type and only twenty minutes, so here goes!  
 
I have had a superb week here at the MTC.  That being said, I am ready to head out for Arizona tomorrow morning!

The highlight of my week was teaching our first investigator, Jane Doe.  At the MTC we teach individuals and we are never sure if they're actors or real people who aren't members of the church.  Most of the actors are recent converts to the church and the stories they share are their own.  Jane is in the 12 step program, believes in energy healing, and is a way left wing liberal, but she is seriously amazing.  I love her so much and am sad to leave Provo and her behind.  Sister Whitten and I learned so much teaching her.  Basically we learned that you create lesson plans and then you don't use them because the Spirit directs you in other ways.  But it has been so powerful teaching a lesson that isn't my own, but exactly what Jane needs.  I pray every day that I never forget how to teach by the Spirit because it is so much better than teaching the lesson we've planned.

I also started using my class breaks to parkcore in the lounge of our building.  Basically I just look like a fool and run around jumping off of chairs, walls, drinking fountains, steps, end tables, and chair rails.  But the funny thing is now my entire district does it during free time and on our way to dinner, the gym, etc.  Also it's hilarious because we all are awful at it.  And we're in skirts.  Imagine me just running around kicking off of drinking fountains and yelling PARKCORE.  I can understand why a member of my branch presidency shook my hand the other day and just said, "Sister Poppe, you're just a gem."  Because I am crazy.  

Speaking of being crazy.  Bryce would be proud of me because I have started doing my vampire hiss at people.  I officially know these people well enough that I am freaking weird around them.  My friends Sisters Adams, Clift, and Whitten and I are starting a missionary band called Pug in a Basket.  I don't have the best track record with starting bands and actually having them go anywhere; there's a first time for everything.  Along the lines of bands, I have instituted Disney shower time sing a longs.  I lead all others in the showers in princess songs as we bathe.  It is often a high point in my evening as I imagine birds are washing my hair while I serenade the entire first floor with my lady friends.  

Something else important.  It's called 4 square.  We decided that we are starting an olympic team because we are good.  I kid you not.  I am actually pretty decent at this sport.  And I'm the most enthusiastic.  I was actually kind of embarrassed because a boy from my ward last semester works at the MTC gym and I am so crazy about 4 square.  Our American Olympic team is comprised of myself, Sister Clift, Sister Adams, Elder Pitts (he just left for Australia today actually), Elder Sweeten, and one random elder who isn't in our zone whose name is Elder Jolley, but I just call him Elder 4 square because for the longest time I couldn't remember his name.  I've included a few 4 square pics.  

One is a team picture of my district (not the olympic team) and the other is me doing the winning shot that kicked Elder Sweeten from the king spot and put me in it.

The other high point of my week was when I had an interview with my branch president yesterday.  He told us it was his goal to make each of us cry and he did just that.  I'm not sure how he did it but after 15 minutes of talking to him about how I decided to serve a mission and other things I was sobbing.  I hated it, but also kind of loved it.  He has far more faith in me than I have in myself and is just the kindest man.  He is one of the only people I've ever met, who isn't family or a good friend, who I actually believed loved me when he told me that he did.

We had this in-field orientation on Friday that was 8 hours long and awful.  I'm running out of time otherwise I would elaborate.

My companion is exactly like Bob.  I told her about him and she agreed to marry him if he is single when we get back.  They are so much alike.  I love it.  

Read Alma 19:6 when you have some time!  It's really great!

I've included some pictures of the girls in my district and the guys in my zone.  The smaller group pic is all of us going to Mesa (sister and elders except Elder Pitts is in all of them even though he isn't going)

 

and the larger ones have the boys that left last week.  

Some pictures are also from the day I was dropped off at the MTC and one is the one mom took of me in the Minneapolis airport.  

Enjoy!

I love you all and miss you all and can't wait to tell you more about my time out in the field.  

Pray that I make it safely to Mesa and that I will not be very awkward.

PS:  Sisters Adams, Clift and I also spend an hour or so every night in the "love nest".  Basically we push two couches completely together to make an enclosed space where we sit and de-stress and talk about things.  Everyone who walks by is super jealous of our creativeness.