Clarissa Dalton--- clarissa.dalton@myldsmail.net Saturday, September 3, 2011

OH MY GOSH!!!! I finally have a "mini" preparation day to email!!!!!!!!! Kinda disappointed in the lack of emails/letters. How depressing...just kidding! I joke! Just using the guilt card while I can...it doesn't get any sympathy here.

Wow, ok so I haven't even been here for like 4 full days yet, but it feels like for...ev....er!!!!! No joke, but at the same time it is going by fast. I just can't get used to not having ANY time to breathe or think! Like seriously! No one explains anything to you unless you ask and then usually they explain it slowly like you are an idiot.ahaha OH, and we FINALLY got gym time yesterday-we played volleyball as a district. I have convinced them that today after dinner we are playing basketball-not an option.ahaha But it was a good release-especially to wear sports clothes and see the SKY!!!!!!! The weather has been beautiful. I've been "running" with my companion at 5:50am,but we only make it a lap or two before it's time to go get ready. That is the earliest we can wake up and I never have enough time to blow dry or straighten my hair-so I am embracing the wet, sprunch look a lot. The "coordinating sister"-female equivalent of a zone leader-is in my room, sleeps above me actually, and is all about doing everything by the book down to the second. Which is whatever, I can deal with it, but my companion was sick last night and we have an RN sister in our room, so we were trying to find out what was wrong and help her...until the coordinating sister stood by the light switch, glanced at her watch, announced that it was 10:30pm and turned the light off (which for her means absolute silence)...fortunately my secret power is night vision and we were able to get her some drugs so she could sleep...Oh, and the fact that the coordinating sister lied to me the first time I met her about where she was from and talked the entire day in a fake (bad) English accent until I called her out on it might have something to do with why I don't trust her.ahahahahahaha so funny (PS I hope you can tell that I'm upset about this. Honestly, I'm learning to take everything in stride and just roll with what gets tossed my way :-) and yes Mom, I am behaving myself and being polite.)

Our district is really close. Most of us get along probably too well, which for 19 year old guys means they get off topic sometimes, but it is so nice to be able to laugh and joke around. They are all here for the right reasons and are good examples and even better--they are all human and make lots of mistakes, which means we get to laugh more :-)

The 3+ hour blocks of classes kill my rear end! My companion probably hates that she has to accompany me to the bathroom like 20 times a day, but I need to move around and escaping to the bathroom has become a good outlet--although there are MANY places I would much rather have my fortress of solitude if I could so choose (Dianna, you will understand the bathroom reference. Thanks for the idea!) The language classes/situations alternate between extremely frustrating and mildly frustrating...just joking!haha It isn't coming easy, but I am learning more everyday-- so what more can I do or ask for, right? I think I am slowly learning to only set realistic goals/expectations for myself because le'mme tell you--if you don't in the MTC--you won't survive! <- This I am not joking about. I'm happy to report that despite my history of being very hard on myself and moody when things are not "perfect," I am happy everyday and smiling :-) A positive attitude is the key and if that's all I learn, then that is an amazing thing to be able to carry with me through life.

Obedience. Ya, nobody was kidding about that! The theme in our branch is "Obedience brings blessings, exact obedience brings miracles." I believe it! (Which is why I haven't Bruce Lee-ed coordinating sister yet...and have promised myself I won't...mostly because she is leaving for her mission on Monday! ; ahahahaha) There is no singing or music allowed in the residence halls--that one is killing me. But I haven't taken out my nano or speaker yet and I am still alive and happy, so life must exist outside of music, even for me. We sing hymns in spanish classes everyday, though, which helps...although, sadly, I have found out that I still can't sing any better no matter what language it is in!haha *sigh* That is the first thing on the list I am asking for at the resurrection-I want some pipes.

AHHHHH-- ONLY 3 MINUTES BEFORE THE COMPUTER KICKS ME OFF!!!!!!! Um, I am praying only in spanish and trying to only speak in spanish with my companion and district elders...it ain't pretty le'mme tell you!haha But slowly and surely we are all improving, We are already teaching discussions it spanish to an "investigator" -one of our teachesr we've never actually met in class. Le'mme say that again, we are trying to teach in spanish. haha Poor guy, I feel so bad he has to sit through it and act like he understands.

HEY!!!! EVERYBODY!!!!! DEARELDER.COM ME!!!!!!! I need letters and info and love!hahah please?

I love you all so much,

Hermana Dalton

Sister Clarissa Dalton

MTC Mailbox # 334

SPA-BAR 1102

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604-1793