Email #1: She's Made it To England!

Sister Carter's 1st email!!!

Dear Fam, (and friends based on how mom feels like sharing this ;)

Thank you thank you thank you for all of your love and encouragement- also Elise, you're a genius to print emails out and read them, hopefully I have enough time to write all of my many MANY thoughts and fill yall in on what's been happening!

Okayyyyy.... so where to begin....?? So it was a very unique and wonderful experience to just be dropped off at the airport by just Mom. Calling you all and saying bye was one of the hardest things I've had to do, but what a special experience. Something I will never forget. I waved bye to Mom and went down the escalator just thinking.... What the.. Is this real life? Walking to my gate, I just had this empowering feeling. It's kinda hard to describe, but I know that the spirit was with me, helping me along my way. I wasn't very nervous, but I could feel strength along my way.

It was so exciting to be leaving the country, especially when I never have!! On the plane, all of the flight attendants had these sweet British accents, and I got SUPER excited. That's when it started to feel real. I say started, but lets be honest, it doesn't even feel real now in the MTC. Needless to say though, it was a long day of flights, and it felt so good to be on solid ground once we landed. Don't worry Dad, I made it through customs just fine and I got a stamp in my passport! YEAH!

England is beautiful!! It is still so crazy to me that I'm really here! I love it so much! The MTC itself is SO pretty! Look up pictures of it if you don't believe me! It is not a coincidence that I was sent to this MTC either. I wish that I could tell you all of the amazing tender mercies. There are about 19 elders and 5 sisters here TOTAL. TOTALLLL!!!!!! I know!!! We are all super close, especially us sisters! I am in the group of three, which is also perfect for me! Sister Cummins from California is so fun, and she reminds me a bit of Tori Clark haha! And Mom, you were so right, I have a Chinese companion!! Sister Du, and she is Huuuularious!!! We love her so much!! But yeah, I love having such a small group of missionaries, as you guys know, that's how I am. I kept thinking about how much more stressed I'd be if there were loads of missionaries all around me. Blessings. But yes, I love my companions and this MTC rocks! My district is SO fun!! We have an elder from Dubai who is so so funny! Another from Tahiti!! YEAH!! He is our district leader, and has taught me so much about asking inspired questions- he's great. Elder Lewis, the one who my passport got swapped with, is a sweetheart, and his companion, elder Twitchell is young and fun. I have been so blessed to have such great teachers here as well, my best, Brother Turner.. all I can really say is #goals. he is suuuuch a good teacher. you can just see and tell how much he cares. it will come. 

I have learned sooo so much since being here, it's insane! I guess I didn't really understand that there was so much that you need to know just as a foundation before you start teaching. I have gained so much appreciation for Preach my Gospel- Ethan, if you can, start reading it now! Actually, everyone should read it, but you know what I mean. We have been teaching investigators, learning all about the fundamentals of teaching, and feeling the spirit so strong. It's just hard to put words to all that has happened. But I am happy. I think that's the most important thing. I absolutely love it here! I have not felt too stressed, and I have seen God's hand in literally every moment since I got off the plane. I am so grateful for this past semester, living off campus, and meeting so many amazing returned missionaries who clued me in to how missions really are. My expectations coming here were way different. I actually have found my experience in the MTC to be WAY better than i'd expected! Prepare for the worst and hope for the best? something like that hahaha My MTC president, President Preston (haha Preston MTC, President Preston, get it? :) is amazing. He really loves us each, and you can really feel it. He and his wife are so sooo sweet. They actually were the mission presidents in the Manchester mission before the Ulrich's! They were so excited to find out that I am Daniel Durrant's friend that he'd told them to look out for! haha connections are the best, just sayin. 

One cool experience I had was when we first arrived, Pres Preston told everyone to prepare a talk on the Book of Mormon. Right when he said that, I knew that I'd be called on to speak, and told myself, Brynn, ya better prepare a talk! For the rest of the week I'd written down thoughts. Sunday comes around, and yep! he called my name! I thought I'd be way more nervous, but I was able to talk comfortably and speak from my heart even though I didn't have it all written down! The spirit has been with me so strong. I can really realllllly feel it, and I love it.

I hope you all know how much i really love you and appreciate you. I can't tell you how much your support means to me. It's the best feeling to know that I have a whole army of angels back at home praying for me and thinking about me. 

 It's so funny that you ask was it what i expected. Yes and no... I had expected it to be a lot colder. Michigan was colder honestly. But it is wet, and more beautiful (and confusing) than I'd expected. The roads, I'm like... What is going on here? But the people that I've gotten to meet so far have been so sweet. The MTC is WAY smaller than I'd expected, and I've had to learn way more than I thought I'd have to. I know nothing about teaching, but it's great! I actually get to go to Manchester tomorrow for part of our MTC experience, but I will leave the MTC for good next Wednesday! So short! Time has flown by! The Temple has been closed this whole time and will open the day before we leave the MTC, so I'll get to go once before the field. But it's in my mission, so I'll get to go more. It's right next to the MTC, like basically shares a parking lot, and it's beautiful!! I'll send pics! We got to jog by it during our exercise time once, and then we went as a district on Sunday to take pictures :) 

I'm so happy and grateful to be here. LONG EMAIL I KNOW!!! I'm sorry. I knew it would be long though. I'll try to cut it down.

I love you all so much!

Sister Carter ( they say our last name soooo cool here!! :)))