Out of Provo

I have made my first big step into the mission. I left Provo! It was a little scary to leave because I had always felt safe knowing that my roommates and friends were so close by. Now I will not be able to look at the mountains and think how close they are.

Yet everything is so exciting here. All of the elders are completely shell-shocked. You should have seen their faces the first time they heard the real version of Spanish. It sounded a little faster! Pretty much all of the elders got ripped off straight of the plane by some men who carted their luggage for them and charged them a ridiculous fee. Oh, I'm sure they make a lot of money each time the MTC sends Mormon missionaries.

Things are not quite so regulated here as they were in Provo. We are never quite sure who will be teaching us, if our schedule is right, etc. But, things usually work out. The power cuts out quite often, but we have a generator so things start back up within a few seconds usually. We are all used to it by now. But, I have decided that there are 2 things you can always count on in the DR. It is always beans and rice for lunch, and there will ALWAYS be bananas.

Sister Miller and I in front of the Dominican Republic Temple

Spanish is much more difficult here. We hardly get a break, which is good for me, but some elders are having a harder time. My favorite moment when Elder McClain Martel (Sound familiar, Trevor?) said a humble prayer in Spanish. It took him like 3 minutes to say.
"Gracias amor...Gracias paz...Gracias espiritu... mas espiritu...por favor."
Everybody sure is trying.

We had the opportunity to go the university here and practice contacting. I loved it. Hermana Miller and I were able to talk to a lot of people since we both have pretty good Spanish. (She took a few years in high school and that is quite a step up from a lot of the others) We talked with several people. Although I do not know if anything will come of it, I know that the message we brought them is true. I know that I am probably not the best teacher that the Lord could find, but it is very humbling to participate in his work. We talked to a sweet lady named Marta. We testified to her of God's love for her. I know that she felt the spirit and I hope she has the courage to find out more about the gospel. We also talked to another man for quite some time. He spoke so fast! Think I only understood 70% of the conversation, but it was enough. He really respected me for my Spanish, even though I do make a lot of mistakes.
Come to find out that even though there are only 2 sisters in the MTC, we still have Relief Society. It is rather pathetic and frankly I'd rather skip it. It is only the mission's president's wife, sister Miller, and I. I feel like we are basically just going through the motions to look good on paper. There is a lot of silence and it feels hollow. I don't feel too much love or concern from the mission president's wife. It's an awkward meeting.
But, I love it here. I am happy to be here and to learn in such an awesome environment. I am so grateful that I was blessed with another incredible companion. Hermana Miller is sincerely kind and sweet, and she does have a personality! We have a lot of fun together and we are learning to teach well together too!
I love you all and regret that I am so far out of reach! I miss you all!

The CCM District. Elder McBride, Walker, Anderson. Elder Gamboa, Rich, Cornwell, Hermana Parra, Me, Hermana Miller

Hermana Palmer

I absolutely adore my teacher, Hermana Parra. She is so incredible. She is packed with personality, which I am realizing that it is hard to find a strong willed woman in the mission field. She just tells everyone what to do and doesn't worry about it. She demands alot from us which is great. And yet, I have felt more love from her than any other adult woman since I left home. She is great.
Markie, funny story. There are some elders in my district who are trying to become better teachers, but they are afraid to speak Spanish to anyone. So sometimes they draw a picture of a man on the board, Juan and teach him. It is so hard not laugh as I watch them teach Juan. They are so sincere. They ask him questions and bear testimony frequently. They are adorable. But it is so hard not laugh as I watch them teach a white board!
PS. Can you send me stamps? Via pouch mail? That way I can write you all faster?

LOVE YOU SO MUCH

Left over Provo MTC pictures

Sister Erickson and I

Send this one to Trevor; He will enjoy it.  It is one of his friends. (Elder Martel and I)

The pictures with the elders at the temple are intentionally awkward. Everybody just thought it was so fun to take pictures with the sisters since we can't touch.
Elder Hall and Elder Cornwell

Here are some pictures. I will send more this afternoon.

Things are so busy here, but I should have time to write again today.

.

Pouch Mail:Dominican Republic MTCP.O.

Box 30150Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150

Pretty much, however, dearelder.com is the best bet.

I will write again.

Sister Keller, Sister Erickson, Me, and Sister Jones

Estoy aqui!

Sister Miller and Me

Sorry I couldn't call yesterday. We had a delay and construction in Miami. Hpefully I will be able to call when I fly to PR in a few weeks. But I arrived safely. The MTC definietly has more personality here. We already had a brief power outage. I think I am going to love it here. Sister Miller and I are the only sisters here. There are about 40 elders (3 natives I think)I love you all. I am safe and will email agian on Thursday.
hermana Palmer

Last Week at the MTC

This is my district, it is impossible to get all of these boys focused on the same task at the same time. Sorry you can't see all of them.

This is my companion Hermana Erickson; she is from Boise Idaho (not the farming side she is quick to point out). She curled my hair for Gen. Conf. it was fun!

Well, I would say I am now officially used to the MTC and all of its strange ways just in time for me to fly out on Thursday morning (3AM)!

The MTC has become exponentially more fun since Brother and Sister Tollman arrived. I love looking for them and even just seeing them for brief moments. It is nice to feel loved by someone.

One of the all time highlights I think I will remember of the MTC is the most intense travel meeting and modesty talk of my life! I have never been blasted like that before. The travel talk was excessively basic and rather long. That's all we'll say about that one. And the modesty talk was anything but basic. We delved into the nitty-gritty details of whether it is acceptable to leave shirts untucked, laugh loudly and unprofessionally, or wear flowers in our hair. ( I am dead serious.) Sometimes I think we get too caught up in the details of life. I think the most important thing for any of us to focus on now, is inviting others to come unto Christ. If we strive to do that, all other things will fall in line. However, this week I also listened to a great talk by Stephen B Allen. I believe he works for the church in the missionary coordinating office. He helped write and edit PMG. I loved his talk, because it was unlike everything we have heard. Rather than try to pump us up with adrenaline and excitement he focused on the idea that it is ok if we are struggling. It is normal for us to have a hard time. That concept had never been address before. We talked about Alma 26:27-28 when Ammon and Aaron talk about "how hard their mission was". That was so comforting to realize that even those wonderful missionaries also felt overwhelmed and inadequate at times. I really appreciated that we finally acknowledged the fact that life happens and its not easy. I really felt inspired and more motivated and focused as a result of reading that scripture. Because that is what life is really about--not the trivial details, but overcoming the hard things that just happen.I have really been learning and growing so much here.

I can see my study habits improving so much and gradually I am learning how to really interpret and learn from the scriptures. Previously I always had the attitude that the scriptures where "just for the those smart, intellectual people who are just gifted with book learning". But I am beginning to see that they can be accessible to anyone. We don't have to just rely on life experiences to teach us.

Speaking of new experiences... I played volleyball on Saturday. I know it is absolutely inconceivable. it was sunny and nice outside and the elders have been begging me for weeks. Anyone who really knows me and my history of sports will understand that I really love those elders! I have 15 younger brothers and they are so much fun! However, lets not get too carried away. I am still eager to hop back on my elliptical tomorrow!

Sister Erickson and I had a great experience teaching in the RC. that is the place where you can make outbound calls to see if customers have received their orders of Book of Mormons or DVDs. Sister Erickson started talking to a lady named Stephanie and we got to call her back yesterday. It was amazing to me how much she didn't know. We are so blessed. We challenged her to read and pray last night, so we will call back tomorrow to see if she did and what she learned. We are so blessed to have so much knowledge.Well, I am so grateful that I have been allowed this opportunity to serve and so grateful for the things I have learned!

I love you all.

Hermana Morgan Palmer

PS. Thank you for the Projest Runway pics!!! So awesome!

PSS I am flying on October 15 and will have chance to call between 9:35-11:30 in Dallas or 5;00-7:20 Miami. Let me know if those work (keep in mind time changes.)

PSS I will send my call!

Another week, another lifetime

October 6, 2009

Dear Fam,

Well, I am officially surviving week 2 at the MTC. I feel like I can't even remember what life was like before the MTC, what was I like before I came here? What did I like to do? Sometimes it is hard to remember. Ha. But I am finally adjusting. I am sleeping much better which has made a tremendous difference. Somethings I forgot to mention. Our district is just composed of various Spanish speaking missions. About half of us (6 elders plus myself) will be leaving in a week to the DR MTC. All of those elders are serving in the Dominican Republic. I haven't met anyone going to PR. My companion will be serving in New Jersey Spanish speaking. She gets to go to Ellis Island every week to help with family history. How awesome is that. I never thought Genealogy could be so glamorous. Others of our elders are serving in Paraguay, Argentina, Florida, etc, so we are a bit scattered. These Elders are so amazing. We had a testimony meeting last week where four of these boys shared that their moms were each diagnosed with cancer shortly after they put in their papers. I am so amazed at the faith and conviction of each one of them. It is hard for me to look at the them as I can feel the Savior's love for each of them and understand how the Lord can expect so much from them. They all have the opportunity to become great men and leaders. I marvel at the power of the priesthood.(That is not to say, however, that they are all currently angels. They still reek of 19 year old boy humor! But it is amazing, that I, who am so intolerant, still love them SO much.)I love my little routine within the already INTENSE MTC schedule. Every day I love to run for exactly 30 minutes on the same elliptical 9despite the elders desperate pleas that I should play volleyball with them. I remain firm in my determination not to be a victim of gym time) . Everyday I have my pleasant bowl of cracked wheat, and everyday I strive to find the healthiest meal in the cafeteria. I have eaten so much salad I think I will soon turn into a rabbit. It is awful. the food is so heavy, but I really cannot eat any more lettuce, so I am beginning to rely more and more on the simple PB sandwiches. Dad would be so proud. One thing I miss desperately is color. The elders wear plain black and white every day and the sisters are garbed in morose plaids and neutrals. My own wardrobe is comparatively bright, but my eyes are deprived of pretty things. I just want to see flowers, pleats, ruffles, pastels, ribbons, anything. Hopefully things will be more colorful in the DR.Watching conference at the MTC was incredibly different. It was much easier for me to see what the Lord would have me listen to and work on. I, like Tanya, saw a great theme of love. I know that this is what the Lord wants me to learn right now. How to genuinely care about people quicker and more deeply. Sometimes I can feel surges of the Savior's love for other people, but I want to understand that more fully. We have been making several phone calls in the Referral Center and we just check to call and see if customers have received their orders of the Book of Mormon of Lamb of God DVD's, etc. We are encouraged to share our testimonies over the phone. Talk about being way out of my comfort zone. I don't even like talking on the phone, much less "prying into" stranger's lives. But I see the example of one of my teachers and I can see that he sincerely loves the people he is talking to. That is such a spiritual gift. That teacher really inspires me. I know that the Lord has humbled me very much. I always thought that I would be good at these things, but everyday I am affronted by my weaknesses. The story that Granny sent me has been very inspiring. From it I learned that the Lord will grant me the gifts that I need--when I need it. It is hard to trust in His timing and also my abilities. But I also know that through Him I can do His great work. It is such an opportunity to see the the Lord's hand in my life and the life of these elders so directly. It is a unique experience. I am so grateful for my testimony which truly is my pillar of strength. I know that the book of Mormon is true, that this gospel is the restored fullness of the truth and the Joseph Smith, although just a humble boy was indeed a prophet of God.

I love all of you so much!

Hermana Palmer