Fun times at the MTC

Mom notes: Alyssa got to call from the MTC for Christmas Eve. Mostly when she called we were trying to figure out Adam's google hangouts video chat.  We had originally scheduled their calls to overlap just a little bit so they could each have some of their own time but, it didn't work out that way because Adam ended up calling early.  So, poor Alyssa didn't get to talk much...really not at all...mostly it was listening to Adam and trying to let each other hear each other through the speaker phone. I'm anxiously awaiting Alyssa's next pday on the 29th so she can tell the rest. But, here is her letter from the 22nd and some pictures too.  She had a lot of change last week.

Hoooooo boy I have a lot to write this week and not enough time or space.

First, my new colleague, Soeur Todd, is a runner so I've got a new goal to be able to run a mile within six weeks. Yay. I can currently run 0.1 of a mile so... we'll get there. But I can do 35 sit ups in a row... and can plank longer than any of my residence room so ha. 

In totally unrelated news, everything is sore.

Class is taught almost totally in French so that's good, and the teacher said I'm advanced and he's having me run the lessons with the other missionaries and work on the basics with the sisters. 

I don't know why google wants to capitalize everything. Aaaaand... more letters please? I love the letters. 

Belgium invited me to the medical clinic so they could steal my blood. Still waiting on news about that. That was the morning I found out about the surprise district and schedule change. its been a great few days!

Official news on my neck is the muscle in the right side is seized and it pulled my shoulder, whiplash, its still sore, they had me get an x ray and all that jazz. Good news is they're not sending me home, less fun is that I had to not take my shoulder bag anywhere and had to take a muscle relaxer. I only took it for a week though because I'd wake up at 4:30 every morning when I had it. But my right hand isn't shaking all the time anymore, so ill take it!

I've given up on correcting google when it insists on a word or grammar, sorry.

We've been doing #lighttheworld and it's been AWESOME!

Items I'm most grateful for: tablet scriptures, colored pencils, micron pens,  that rolling sheet for my bed since fitted sheets are the worst, letters from people, the origami paper from Becky that I've been using for light the world, this shoulder bag, Lara bars and protein bars, packing cubes, hangers I brought, Goop, dresses with pockets, good shoes, and insoles. The pockets have saved me with no shoulder bag.

We've had two investigators, but I can't see them anymore with the transfers, except when the one works in the cafeteria at a lunch. They were awesome and had killer questions. One got thrown off by God having a body... derailed our lesson except that the sunbeams had already asked about that so we got it back on track, thank you David.

I'm really tired and can't think of what I was going to send besides this. The food is so bad here so I've mostly just been having salad since there's nothing else safe lately and it's so gross I can't eat much... really glad I have the bars. Usually one meal a day there's some sort of plain protein, but not always. Even the chicken was bright red with a rub in the diet room the other day, or it's canned. I miss hermana Chacon my diet room buddy. And peanut butter. None of that here. I'm praying the Lord will bless my efforts to eat healthy.., trying to see it as diet motivation. Hard to overeat when you're gagging. Even the cottage cheese at breakfast tasted weird today. Apples are awesome. Fresh pineapple at lunch is usually good, stay away from the melon. I grossed out an elder by putting cholula on the pineapple, but then it started a trend, so hey.

New district presidents wife is a sports psychologist. She taught us deep breathing last night, and had us read the "love they neighbor as thyself" scripture because it tells us to love ourselves too. "Love thyself so you can love others." 

Sisters Chacon and Maieve still hug me every time they see me, and the elders are great examples of christlike love without crossing lines. Our new sisters got here Wednesday and one forgot her coat and only had a t-shirt so I made her wear mine since I was only leaving a building one more time that night, but as soon as the elders saw j wasn't wearing a coat one of them had sister Chacon make me wear his for the walk. 

The new district is awesome. Suddenly I, am the oldest by two years and on the shorter side. I'm "maman poulet " now... Yay? You say "elder where is your coat??" Too loudly one time... But it's good. Making sure nobody drinks orange juice.

Will you say thank you on the blog to people sending me letters? The letters and Dear Elder mail are awesome. It makes up for the slips of paper telling me about schedule changes and blood draws and stuff. 

WELL, speaking of, my name is on the TV again so I need to go, but wish me luck. Pray it's good news about the visa?

I love you all!

NEW ADDRESS and ch ch changes

"I'll break this down more on friday, but Hermana Chacón is a dream companion, I adore my district, I finally got the schedule down and my room/desk unpacked perfectly. Our first investigator was amazing and we had a meeting set up____

So, naturally, they finally worked out my schedule.

I switch from the ADL branch, district 2, tomorrow,  to the French learning district that is all sisters and getting here tomorrow. I'll be with my new group and new companion, Sister Todd from North Carolina, tomorrow afternoon for five weeks, then switching again to visitors center training before going back to the main group for our flight. 

I'll be switching from floor 1 to floor 4, moving all my stuff tonight to the new room.

They forgot to tell me any of this until today, so as far as I'd been told I was going to be in my district for four more weeks, nobody knew I was switching. I'll find out that was a blessing eventually... I'm going to miss this group a lot. 

So this email is officially to tell you the new address. 

Old box number was 27, new box is 117. MTC Departure date 1/30/18

Please send Dear Elder letters! 

Homeward Bound is playing on the speakers in this study room and that's just mean. :P "

Sister Alyssa Grace Amott

JAN30 FRA-PAR

2005 N 900 E Unit 117

Provo UT 84602

First P-Day! Haricót beans are still green beans

Provo MTC, P-Day is Friday which means I only had to wait two days for my first letter!  Woohoo!  Apparently the menu listed haricot beans...Here is what Soeur Amott thinks about that...

"Haricót beans are still green beans. A fancy French name does not change that I can mash them with a fork. I'm not a huge fan of the veggies or food here, it's all just kind of beige and tasteless if it's not sugary. "Fresh fruit and veggies" means sliced cucumber and maybe tomato for sandwiches, canned pears and peaches, and maybe pineapple, which is nice.

My companion is Hermana Chacon. She is from El Salvador and going to NYC North, Sister Guzman is from Barcelona Spain going to Phoenix, and Sister Maiava is from Samoa going to California. 

I'm currently in the Advanced Language district, with four total sisters including myself, and eight elders, most of whom are French speaking in some way even if they're Swiss, Mexican, and Austrian. I'm the only native English speaker in the group. This gets us some fun conversations sometimes, especially in our dorm. 

"Sister, how is the *chhk chhk* thing called?" 

"....?"

"She means the things for your hands?"

".....?"

*charades from everyone*

"...Nail clippers"

"Naaaaail clippers!!!"

They're not teaching me any French for at least three weeks so I've got an hour of my own study every day and I'm asking the Elders who speak French to only speak with me in French when possible.

Also, nobody knows what I'm doing after this because everyone in my group leaves the first week of January and I leave Jan 29th. Like... nobody. I'll find somebody who knows eventually.

(mom note, pretty sure that's when she joins with the others who are going to France and have been in the beginning language program so she'll meet up with them in their second half of language) 

I'm finding tons of people I met at Travel Outfitters!!! It's AMAZING! They're all doing great and having fun. 

I don't know what else to email besides Church is true, I'm sleeping fine, and I'm awful at emails and being emotional in groups. Spock goes on a mission. That's why I'm going to France, though, and the Lord knows I've got emotions in my heart even if my face isn't connected.

I love you all, send letters!!! 

See you SOON!

Soeur Amott"

Alyssa's English Bible and her first French Bible

Day 1 gift from home-Christmas Orange, orange oil, and Christmas Orange story

Day 2 gift from home, Nativity ornament

Day 3 gift from home, Messiah ornament

Current address:

Sister Alyssa Grace Amott

JAN30 FRA-PAR

2005 N 900 E Unit 27

Provo UT 84602

alyssa.amott@myldsmail.net  (doesn't get much time to read email and can't respond personally)

http://www.dearelder.com/ (free to type in your letter and they will send a paper letter the next day while in the MTC, please don't send sweets) type in your return name and address, then underneath choose Sister, type Alyssa Amott

unit # 27, Mission code FRA-PAR, estimated MTC departure date JAN30

home ward: #6289

Rear ended last night but all is well, Alyssa is safe at the MTC

Well, what an adventure we had. Last night, Alyssa was rear ended, totaling the Subaru who hit her and doing some pretty good damage to her car on the front and back end. She thankfully left space between her and the car in front of her so she just bumped that one when the Subaru pushed her car forward. She had priesthood blessings and the blessing to set her apart as a missionary and she can sure use any more good thoughts or prayers that come her way.  Hopefully she can take a couple of years off of driving and recover emotionally from accident trauma.
Anyway, after a bit of a sleepless night from the accident stress, we got off to a good start this morning and headed to the Provo MTC where we made good use of our extra four minutes to run by the temple and take a picture...I couldn't find the French flag that I bought ANYWHERE...and then the actual dropoff was a lovely 1 minute hug, quick cell phone picture from the sweet host missionary who helped her with her bag, and she was off.

We all held the tears until the doors were shut. I don't worry much about Alyssa because she has had so much experience with living on her own and traveling everywhere. And, I know she will write and share her stories so I'll feel connected. I know how much she wants to serve the Lord and believes it is the right thing to do, to share the gospel and the love of Christ. But you know what?  That just doesn't make the drop off day any easier. It is a hard thing to give your child to the Lord for 18 months.  Let the countdown begin, and may angels protect and surround her.

                                         

Ways to support Souer Amott:

Current address:

Sister Alyssa Grace Amott

JAN30 FRA-PAR

2005 N 900 E Unit 27

Provo UT 84602

alyssa.amott@myldsmail.net  (doesn't get much time to read email and can't respond personally)

http://www.dearelder.com/ (free to type in your letter and they will send a paper letter the next day while in the MTC, please don't send sweets) type in your return name and address, then underneath choose Sister, type Alyssa Amott

unit # 27, Mission code FRA-PAR, estimated MTC departure date JAN30

home ward: #6289

Mission Farewell, MTC date, and MTC address

We have received Alyssa's MTC address!  So, from December 13 through the end of January, she will receive mail and packages to this address.

Sister Alyssa Grace Amott

JAN30 FRA-PAR

2005 N 900 E Unit 27

Provo UT 84602

You can also write via http://www.dearelder.com/ if you select Provo MTC-FREE.  You type the letter online and they will print it off and send a real letter to the MTC for free. YAY!  Real letters are great since email is limited to an hour total once a week. Please don't send any sugary care packages. There is so much there already. 

I have my little missionaries on a shelf ready and am emotionally preparing to again to let a child go serve the Lord. Please bear with me and have patience. Just 553 days and they will both be home again.