I'm Dreaming of West Virginia! (Week 2)

Hello!
I have so much to write and answer so hopefully I can get it all down in time! It's so weird to think that in just a few days I will be there in WV and teaching real people! Ahhh! No pressure or anything! And, I'm not really dreaming of WV because I sleep too hard because I'm so tired! I haven't remembered any of my dreams here. It's getting harder and harder to wake up because you're so exhausted and you just want to sleep. But we just have to roll out of bed and start going because eventually you won't realize how tired you are. I'm on the top bunk, so having to climb down the ladder and jump off it wakes me up too! I'm not excited to get up at 3 am though but oh well that's life. Why not add to the sleep deprivation! haha Dad, my flight numbers for united are 3450 and 6188 so you can track it! I figured you would! I know you want me to call as early as I can when I get to SLC, but I don't know if I can pull that off. They have recommended that we call you in Chicago since we have more time and aren't rushing to get to our flight/check in baggage. If I have time when we get to SLC I will definitely call, but it may not happen til later. Sorry daddy! We land in Chicago at like 10:45 and leave at like 1:15, so I will call in between then. Any preference of when I should call? 11:30, 12? I know it's an inconvenience for you guys if I call later. Also, mom could you send me a dear elder on monday with everyone's numbers? I may be able to call lindsey and kellie as well :) We'll see! Pretty much I have like an hour to pack on monday, so I will most likely pack some today.

Things have been awesome here as usual and I'm learning so much! Some of the time I don't even feel the Spirit because it's just constantly here! There have been some absolutely outstanding lessons and moments here that have such overpowered me with the Spirit and God's love, and have let me know that I am meant to be here! I love the devotionals and firesides! No apostles, but we've had two 70's (Golden and Kartoffel), and some guys who are like in charge of the missionary department or the mtc stuff. My hand hurts so much because I'm trying to write so many notes down! Thank goodness for paper! Things have been good here and I know the Lord is hearing my prayers. It has gotten a little easier with the comp because I am working so hard on having patience and love for her! There are still a lot of times that I just want to be like "really?"' But I've made it through alive and I can't believe it! I thought time would go so slow here with her, but it has flown by and I've learned a lot. Our lessons have been getting better slowly but surely and I'm getting more confident in what I think. I tell her things that I have problems with and that we need to work without being so scared like I used to be. I'm also more confident in what I'm learning and the knowledge I have, and I feel like I can guide the lesson and say what I need to in a better way! I still have a long way to go though!

It's scary to think that I'll be working with real people soon, but I'm so excited! We had in-field orientation yesterday and it was so good. It was all about what to expect, how to teach, knowing your investigators, etc. People said it was really cheesy and parts of it were, but honestly, I learned so much and it made me so excited to get out there. I loved learning all of that yesterday! And, I met 3 of the missionaries that have been in the district videos. My favorite sister was there and I talked to her and told her how much she helped me in my progress leading up to the MTC. She said I looked so happy/glowing and that I would be amazing! It made me feel good :P I love my teachers because they are absolutely amazing!! They love all of us, want to help us progress and succeed, and make it really hard for us so that we come up to the level that they know we can reach. They have helped me so much and I'm so glad that I have them. Also, my district is ze best!!!! haha I never realized that you could get so close and love 19 year old boys as much as I love them! They have their moments and so do we, but we have way too much fun together! We may or may not have gotten chastized by different people because we are having a good time together!! Oh, and they all love you mom!! They call you momma higgins and think you are pretty much the best! They all get so annoyed, but excited when I get so much mail (especially packages) cause they want to see what you've sent me! haha Everyone loved the Padro popcorn!! Thank you so much for sending that! That was a total surprise! I ate too much of it though! :) I've seen so many people here that I know, so I'm glad you're getting stalker updates for me! Just know that I'm doing well though and although I'm dead tired, I am absolutely loving it! It's hard work for sure, but I can already how I'm benefitting from it! Just in case you didn't know...the church is true!!! :) I love you all and miss you!!!!!

I went to the Brigham City Temple Dedication at 9 on Sunday and it was so cool to be in the MTC for a temple dedication with so many missionaries! The spirit was so strong there! I loved it, and thanks to Sister Coats I had a white hankie! They turned all the lights out though and that probably wasn't smart because so many people were falling asleep! I will admit there was a time when I almost lost it! I had the best head jerk ever!! Definitely the best one I've ever done! haha Good thing I was in the 2nd row so everyone could see!

Um, what else! I can't remember anything else right now! I'm trying to write things down to tell you, but I can't remember everything! Hopefully I've answered your questions for now! I don't know when my p-day will be next week or if I will have one because who knows what will happen when I get there. Just look for an email though sometime and know that I will be dying of humidity and tiredness!! Here's some pictures for you to look at and gaze at my beauty!! :P

                                     
                                           Me with my MTC companion - Sister VanOrman

                                     

Our district in the MTC

District leader - he's awesome!

 

Our first real investigators in trc (portraying less actives, we got them to go back to church! Best lesson we've done by far- the spirit was amazing!)

Our room door

The girls in our district

A message on the board from our teachers (and one back from us!)

 

Miss you all sooooo much, but I love you even more!!!!! Thanks for supporting me in this journey!!! It's so worth it and amazing!!! Love you!!!! Love, Sister Higgins

 

I'm an MTC Veteran! (Week 1)

Hello ya'll!!

The time limit at the top of the screen is really making me stressed! ha So, life here at the MTC is good, exhausting, awesome, and hard! It was such a struggle to get out of bed today! My tiredness is catching up to me, but it's amazing how tired you can be in the morning but throughout the day you don't realize that you're tired until you get back to the residence hall at 9:30! I love it here and am learning so much! My hand hurts from writing so much, but I feel like I have to write everything down because it's all so important and good! My teachers are amazing and really care about us! Their lessons are amazing! We have to teach them as investigators and those lessons stress me out so much because I feel like they make it so hard for us. The past few lessons have been better with my comp, but still not how I want them to be. I'm getting more bold and just saying what I want to say, so she won't just talk the entire time! It's really frustrating having her as my companion, but I can see things that I'm learning because she's my companion even though it's so hard. We lost her today at the temple when we were coming out because she just walked off. We couldn't find her for like 10 minutes and we were all stressing out because she just disappeared without saying anything to us. Things like that just make us all frustrated and annoyed. Oh well though! 

Mom, thank you so much for the package. When I got it everyone around me was like "are you kidding me! What?" Pretty much everyone loves me, and thinks I'm the best sister ever! They love the peaches and say if you want to send some every day then you can!! And they are excited for pears too! haha Thank you so much!! Also, thank you for the notecards! I love them! You can just send more if you want. I am getting mail like every day from different people. It makes me feel so loved! Keep it coming! :) I got a letter from the Coats today, and she sent some of those pictures that you sent as well. I hope all of you are doing well!

Oh, I got my travel info today even though we don't leave til the 2nd. And guess what... I get the privilege of having to be at the travel office at 3:00 in the morning!!! Yay me!! Ugh. We were annoyed at that. The part of our district that is going to TN is making fun of us cause they don't leave til 4 am. I forgot my paper in the room but my flight out of SLC is at like 6:35 and we get into Chicago O'hare at like 10:45ish. Then we leave there around 1:15ish and get into Charleston at like 4:30 or something like that. I can get a calling card at the bookstore so I can call you, but it will be an early morning for you guys though. Not sure when I can call, but I think when we get to SLC. I'll let you know next week.

Oh, P-day is on Saturday next week I think. The bookstore is actually really good. They have lots of school supplies, food, clothes, medicine, and just random stuff. The cafeteria is getting interesting with their food, so it's been a challenge but it's alright. They have a few exotic fruits a few times like grapes, strawberries, and kiwis. The kiwis tickle my tongue! :p They don't have a real salad bar and stuff. They just make salads for you. It's amazing what some of the elders can eat here! Yesterday, a scrawny kid had 6 glasses of milk, 9 hard boiled eggs, and 2 huge bowls of cereal!

I've seen so many people here that I know. It's a little bit like home! I saw Mrs. Crowther and lots of friends from BYU. Some people I didn't even know were serving until I saw them on Wed when they came in! Oh, I saw Natalie Van Horn today when I was working out this morning. She was cleaning the stairs with her comp. She seemed good and I wasn't sure if she recognized me at first, but then she remembered.

Sorry I'm all over the place but I'm just kind of typing as I think of things. Last sunday was amazing! Sherri Dew talked to us in relief society and another guy in charge of proselyting here gave the fireside and it seriously blew my mind. We had Pres. Kollick (spelling) on tuesday for devotional which was equally amazing! They really know how to bear powerful testimonies and teach you what you need to know! I think my teaching is getting better. It's hard teaching your teachers and investigators in the TRC (teaching center place.) I think I'm more nervous to teach my teachers because I know them and they know what I'm capable of. On monday, we taught a less active couple with their VT there and it was awesome. We came in not knowing anything about them but it turned out great. I was worried for it, but the spirit was really strong there. Things kept coming to my mind and I would just say it. I was explaining a story to them and the lady was just like you had to mention that and she started crying because it touched her so much! At the end before we could commit them to anything, the husband was like 'let's go back to church.' It was awesome! Small and simple things really do make the difference! You don't have to have mighty miracles come out of nowhere to believe that it's true because usually that doesn't happen. Really sincerely pray with real intent and you will receive an answer, I can promise you that! It may not be what you want or the timing you want, but He will answer you! He's listening to your prayers. Read the Book of Mormon, and learn to love everyone!

My district is freaking amazing! We still have those 19 year old immaturities, but it's amazing how these elders step up to what they are called to do. They are so funny and I love them so much! They pretty much all secretly love me I think! haha I'm thinking I've probably gone over a half an hour so I've got to go. I hope this letter finds you well and that you understand everything I wrote! Just know that I am doing great and learning/growing so much! It's hard but so worth it! I miss you and love you all so much!!!!!! Love you lots!!
                  
Love, Sister Higgins

The Beginning!

Jenna went into the Missionary Training Center (MTC) on Wednesday, September 12, 2012.