FIRST LETTER HOME---and worth the wait!!

October 26th

Holler! This is a trip haha. It didn't hit me that I was actually doing this until about six p.m. I kinda freaked out, but then I was ok after talking to myself. I have already seen 5 people I know today--4 sisters and 1 elder. It was such a blessing to see my girlfriends!

Ok, let me tell you about my companion Haha! I'm laughing just thinking about her. I LOVE her so much already. She is 5'11 with red, long, curly, frizzy hair. She makes me laugh so much--but she doesn't mean to. Like we were in a huge room with probably 50 other missionaries and there was a "pretend investigator" and he was picking people at random to answer his questions, he stopped right in front of us and I was prepared to answer, but he was starring at Sister Feller. I looked at her to see if she was going to answer and she just starred at the ground avoiding ANY eye contact with him. Hahaha! I was dying. I really like her.

We room with two other sisters: Sister Huppe (like "puppy" with an H) and another one, but I can't remember her name...maybe ANDERSON?? The one who's name I don't know went to BYU-I as well and we get along real well. Sister Huppe is VERY shy, but I like her.

So around 3 o'clock they gathered all the new missionaries into a big hall and it was kind of an introduction. They said, "all the sisters stand up".."Now only the sisters with boyfriends keep standing" OH MAN! I kept standing with like only 4 other girls and he said, "Well...that takes courage".

Then he started naming states and having people stand up. He (MTC Pres.) named all the eastern states and never said Missouri-- so then before he moved onto the western states, he said, "Have I missed anyone east of the Mississippi?" So I stood up. GUYS>>>Missouri is WEST of the Mississippi. I was the only one to stand and he kept making jokes about it the rest of the meeting! How embarrassing!

I don't want to sound like a missionary...but I am one! While we were teaching the investigator, the spirit was so strong. I had SO many impressions and answers that I wouldn't normally have. I thought of quotes and scriptures and opened right to scriptures that I had thought of! It was incredible. Seriously. It's like I'm given access to 20% more of my brain!

The food is DECENT.

There are many Polynesians and I LOVE them all.

Asians are all funny.

I'm not really sure what else to write about, it's only been 1/2 a day.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! This is so comical to me. I'M GOING TO GIVE IT 100%.

Oh, we don't get snack time...I think some snacks would be nice.

LOVE YOU!! I will write again on Tuesday! OH...We get temple walks on Sunday and I get to go to one session at the temple each week. Cool huh.

K BYE! xoxoxoxo , ME

Sister Mahaffey, I guess haha

(I have been telling people my name is Mara all day on accident)