Oh My Lantah (first letter from the MTC)

Oh hello parents (and friends),

Thanks for the email(s) Thanks for the Dear Elders, they're great, but please keep them coming. Seriously. Like really, please.

 I don't even know where to start. It's crazy being here. The first day was crazy just because we were all being led by the hand and sort of in "nod your head and smile and act like you understand" mode. Thursday was a little harder because we had the first full day and we were all so tired. Our days are so busy. The schedule is slightly different every day but basically we have six hours of class and a lot of personal study time and no free time at all. So, by the end of the day, I don't feel like I've accomplished half of the things I should have. I've only been able to write really small journal entries because lights out is at 10:30 and it sneaks up on you so fast.

Learning Portuguese is going okay. The language is already overwhelming and hard. Knowing Spanish has helped me a lot with understanding but, it's actually kind of hurting me with my speaking. I automatically start speaking a Portuguese-Spanish hybrid just out of habit. It's kind of making me crazy. Our teacher is really impressed with how well we're doing though, so at least there's that. Oh, and get this, we already have our first mock-investigator. Our first lesson was on Friday. IN PORTUGUESE. Like, he doesn't speak English so we did the entire thing in Portuguese and I was so nervous and I panicked. I seriously thought I was gonna poop a brick right before we went in. But, I was praying so hard that the spirit would be in the lesson and that the Lord would bring to my remembrance everything we had learned and it totally worked! I was saying things I didn't even know I had learned in Portuguese, it was great. At one point, I accidentally said the Spanish word for "after" which sounds really similar to Portuguese and the investigator kind of giggled and asked if i speak Spanish so I told him I took like six years and now when we can't figure out how to say something I try explaining it in Spanish before English.

 OK, let me tell you a little about the people. My companion is Mary Barlow! How funny is that? We had a big meeting the first night of all the new missionaries and obviously we were sitting together because we're supposed to sit with our companion all the time. The MTC president was asking people to stand up if they were from so and so. We both stood up when he asked Maryland and everyone like knows us now kind of because we're the companionship that's "the girls who are both from Maryland and ended up being companions". She's really great. She's super funny and all her insights are wonderful. I will say though, that I am not used to being this attached to someone. We can only be alone in the bathroom. I might go crazy.

Our district has six sisters and two elders. The branch president said that's the most sisters they've ever had in a district. They're all so great and I'll write in more detail about them in a letter because time is running out, but we really get along and our zone has been so wonderful with helping us all get adjusted. Turns out that I will be here for nine weeks after all instead of six like they told me originally! Let me tell you, I am so relieved. I would not have been able to handle the six week program. There's another transfer that's doing the pilot program, they've been here a week longer than us and they say it's really hard.

So far it's been fun but just completely overwhelming and so much to take in and not a lot of sleep. I've been struggling a little bit with just getting adjusted and trying to learn all the Portuguese but I keep forgetting that this is only our first week and I shouldn't be beating myself up yet. I'm so glad to be here and its turning out to be exactly what everyone said. I love it just as much as i hate it. Which is a lot for both.

Okay, well, I love you all and please keep writing! All forms are appreciated because it helps make the day better.

 I know I'm doing the right thing being here and I love the spirit here, it's wonderful. I love all of you guys and I'm praying for you and I miss you something terrible.

Love, Irma (Sister) Dean