First week in Provo!

Hello everyone!!

Welp I've been at the Provo MTC for a week now and it is crazyyyy! Things have simultaneously gotten so much better and so much harder lol. 

I absolutely love my district and my companion is basically the greatest! It's kinda weird to think that I only met these people a week ago and yet I already feel so close to all of them. We have plenty of inside jokes and have had some pretty deep conversations too! Sister Herring is pretty much my favorite person at this point which is good since we have to be together literally 24/7 😂 We're the same person and it's so nice to be able to look at her and know that we're thinking the same exact thing! We also have way too much fun together and are quite giggling in class, oops! She is also so talented!! One of my highlights everyday is listening to her play the piano. It's so peaceful to just sit with my eyes closed and listen to her hymn arrangements, especially after a long class or day. She's also a total stud when it comes to German even though she'll deny it. 

We've been learning so much German and let me tell you German headaches are no joke 😂 Majority of our classes are taught in German with some translation if people are really confused. And by people I mainly mean me cause I feel like I never understand what's going on. Sister Herring and Sister Dibb (one of my teachers) tell me that I know more than I think I do which might be true but it definitely doesn't feel like it! My main problem at the moment is just not having the vocabulary down. I've understood the sentence structure and verb conjugations when it comes to translating sentences but I just don't know what word to use! I think that will just come with time but it's still a little rough. One thing that I've been able to do well so far is memorizing points from Preach My Gospel, which is the missionary book with all the lessons we have to teach, so it's nice to at least have some basic doctrine down. 

I'm doing my laundry right now, have a tutoring session with Sister Dibb later, and am going to the temple with the sisters in my district this afternoon. We also get double gym time on play so maybe I'll play some extra basketball too!

Last night was a devotional with Elder Bednar and it was so good!! Sister Herring and I sang in the choir which was pretty magical, even the practices! We sang an arrangement of I Know that My Redeemer Lives and it was so cool to be able to sing alongside like 700 other missionaries who share that testimony with me. One thing Elder Bednar shared was Moses 6:31-34. This scripture feels super fitting to my current situation. I definitely feel what Enoch was feeling especially since I don't have German words to use! My favorite line is when the Lord says "Walk with me." He's not just sending me off to do this on my own, but will be with me every step of the way. 

Tschüss!
Sister Downing 

Arrived safely!

Sister McIntyre and her snow angel

HANNAH!! Running into her so soon after arriving was definitely a tender mercy of the Lord!

Walking to class

Sister Herring is a mood

I've heard this a million times already so now you get to hear it too - Lock your hearts missionaries!!

Temple!!

"Screaming, crying, throwing up" in case you wanted to know

President Porter playing with his army guys

View from our class building

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