Oct 25th First Official Letter!

The MTC gives us a schedule when we get here and though the first week was insane and there was so much to do with so little time, we didn't exercise. Our schedules look more steady now and we workout every morning. There's a huge gym (like school gym type) with four square, basketball, and volleyball, with a track and scattered machines upstairs and there's a weight room somewhere else but I haven't seen it yet. I'm excited for winter, so I'm glad you're getting ready! It has been awkward temperatures all week. Freezing in the morning but great in the afternoon and freezing again in the evenings. It isn't quite worth it yet to wear warmer layers. We sing Army of Helaman all the time, but when we sing it, we sing that we ARE called. It was a change, but it sounds beautiful when you have 1000+ willing singers singing the songs. (I told her I cried when I heard it in a primary program on Sunday)

We had a cool Sunday. It is way weird to go to church in the same building that you learn in, but it is slowly becoming more normal. I enjoy it. In our district we have The Scandinavians and most of Europe but not all. Mostly smaller countries. When they call you to give you a talk (the day of) you give it in your mission language. It is way cool. We have 13 languages in our branch. Sunday is pretty busy but fun. I like being busy but I miss having downtime. It's rush rush rush here even on Sundays. Sunday will be an adventure for sure, but the Spirit here is so strong especially on Sundays.

Our district is just the Finns and there's 12 of us. Vanhin Chugg is from Smithfield and his companion Vanhin Harlow is from Springville. Then there is Vanhin Ormsby from Australia and his companion Vanhin Hall from Harriman. It is so weird to see Vanhin Hall because he looks and acts so much like Patrick. I am getting better and not almost saying Patrick every time I see him but it is still weird. Then there is Vanhin Kimball from Mesa, AZ and his companion Vanhin Vawdrey from Draper. They have a solo companion too but he's going to Denmark. There is Vanhin Robbins is from Riverton, and his companion Vanhin LeBaron from California. Then there is my companion Sisar Godfrey and she is from Henderson, NV but she's lived in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. She's fun; she does look a lot the same as Lacey and it's a little surreal. She's super nice, but she is really quick to jump in and correct EVERYTHING I do that isn't exact. I am definitely not the best at Finnish and she studied a bit before so she keeps correcting me. I am sure she does it because I need to learn but my mind needs to struggle to remember. We get along really well though. Then there is Sisar Broderick from Baton Rouge and her companion Sisar Allen. (She's a twin and her twin is going on a mission too. They got here the same day and we're in the same Branch. Her twin is going to Denmark.) So in all there is 8 Vanhimmat and 4 Sisarette. It's a blast here. 

I think about the girls at the gym every time I workout. I think I am good on Stamps for now. They have a little mail office that we can use, so I think I can get some there. I would like more thank you notes for now though. I really want to write some to some of the people here like my branch president and his wife. I can only kind of write. The time here is so scheduled out that there is no free time do to anything else but study. I have been writing in my journal everyday though so that's something. 

The MTC is overall good. I am very grateful for it which begins my weekly story. 

Wednesday:

We get here and get all the stuff to my room and get to the class and I meet some of the people. That's when I sent you that first note. It would have been longer but I didn't know how long it could be. That was kind of just a getting used to the MTC day. It was a different schedule, but it was fun. We met our zone leaders and Sister Training Leaders (STL) but our STLs left on Monday so we have new ones now. We also had a practice teaching workshop with a bunch of new people, but the whole thing was staged. By the time we got back to our room I could just pass out.

Thursday: Our first real day was good. Everyone is so excited here and when you're new everyone wants to talk to you. I can't really remember what happened because all the days blur together. 

Friday: was kind of the same. Classes and eating and studying. It's all very much just blending into one big day with little 8 hour nap between. We played volleyball in the sand pits which was such a blast. No one knows what they're doing, but we are all just playing for fun.

Saturday: I am not sure exactly what we did on this day. Lots of classes and we played volleyball inside on Saturday. It was fun I'm sure though. Finnish is hard because right now they are having us memorize phrases and not words. Which is hard to remember random gibberish. I've got it down mostly now, but it's just really slow.

Sunday: We had church and a RS lesson on the Fall and Creation. WE also had a presentation about Matching His Message. I think I'm going to have to send a couple things home. I said my first public prayer there which was intimidating. It's all been a little intimidating tbh though.

Monday: It was a normal day of classes when halfway through we found out that we were going to Cali on Tuesday, so we were all buzzing with excitement at being able to go. We had classes that night, but I was so unprepared and ended up crying in the bathroom halfway through. It ended up being okay and I apologized to the teacher yesterday, but I felt so bad for running out on him. He was cool with it though and really nice about it and offered to help me learn in a different way too so it's going good. We have 3 teachers and kind of 4 but the fourth doesn't teach a lot because she works in other departments too. There's Veli (brother) Edwards and Veli Allen and Sisar Clarke. They're all so nice and I love them all. I'm getting waaayyyyy better and I know much more than I thought I would be at 8?  days. WE learn so much and we're studying almost constantly.

Tuesday: !!! We had to get up at 3:00 AM for our flight to LA. It was so hard and we were all so tired but we were all so excited to be there. We had left the MTC!!! So we're in the SLC  airport just hanging out and eating and I saw pay phones! I don't know if every airport does but SLC does! So we got on our plane, and flew to LAX. We were all a little confused because every single one of us thought San Fran but whatever. We get there and go to the building we were supposed to be in and we find out the consulate has moved. (WE had 2 cell phones for this) so we call a LYFT and then the travel office and she says "We'll call you back in 5 minutes." We're literally just standing on a street outside and waiting when she calls back saying she booked us flights to SF like we were supposed to be in the first place. So we go back to the airport (after cancelling and reordering a new LYFT). We get to our flight with time to spare, so I buy something little to eat and snack on so I won;t be starving. I'm sitting pretty far away from my Sisarette but the guy sitting next to me recognizes me as a missionary and we talked about the church for a while. He isn't a member and isn't interested in joining but he enjoyed talking to me about what I'm doing and why. His name was Stephen Powers and he lives in Topanga CA so get him some missionaries!!! ;) WE finally got to SF and the right building when we find out that we need to do everything online. The church though gave us all the paperwork and is insisting that we do it all on paper. SO we fill it all out just in case while the 3rd party place we have to go through, Lisa, and the Finnish COnsulate are having a three way stubborn conversation about what to do. They ended up just deciding to send us home (since the office closed at 4) and we just left. On the plane ride home, I sat next to Vanhin Vawdrey on the flight and he was asleep most of the time but here's where it gets interesting. One of our Sisters and Elders were having a deep doctrine conversation across an aisle and this guy two rows in front of them has to go stand in the back. I thought he was sick so I was glad he moved. But about 20 minutes till the end of the flight he comes back to his front seat and is recording us. I was really uncomfortable and I thought maybe he would stop but he didn't. I called the flight attendant though and she came and talked to him and made him stop recording and basically nicely told him to quit. He was visibly upset though. We asked why and apparently this guy is super Anti and was PISSED that we were talking about the church on the plane. WE finally landed and we let him get off first and we waited to let him get ahead of us. I noticed that he was talking to a lady from the flight just outside the doors but I ignored it. We were all walking away when one of the Elders noticed he was following us. He called us off to the side to let him pass by, but that's what he wanted. He made us shut up and basically told us how we ruined his flight. He kept getting increasingly angry and he kept telling us to shut up every time we tried to talk. Then this rando lady comes up and says "I'm with him! We're all annoyed with you... yadda yadda" She just added to his steam. One of elders finally walked up to him, held up his right hand, and said "We don't have to listen to you." After that I didn't hear a word he said. Then this angelic Asian guy comes up and stands between us and says just go. Some of our Vanhimmat tried to stay behind and say something but I pulled them away but their suit sleeves. We made it away just fine after that and got on our bus and came back. being in the MTC has never been so nice. It really shows though that the Lord keeps his servants safe. We were never really in danger but it was freaky. It is just very nice to be home.

Wednesday: We thought we might have to go back to California again but they still haven't figured anything out so we're still waiting for Visa stuff. It will all work out though. We also "taught an interested person" even though it was just our teacher. It was his way our gauging how far our Suomi is getting. And compared to a week ago, we're basically fluent!! People say that the MTC hard but they never tell you how hard. It's very. I know. And here I actually am. They're having us memorizing phrases without telling us what they mean. Like Mita kuuluu is how are you but I have to go by myself and translate each word. That one isn't bad, but Me olemme Myohempien AIkojen Pyhien Jeesuksen Kristuksen Kirkon Lahetyssarnajia is a little different. That is just We are missionaries for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. Thank you mom. I am catching up. I'm about where everyone else is so it's okay.

Anyways that was our week. It was really really fun! I miss you so much though! 

LOVE YOU!!! Sisar McCammon

She wants me to add quotes of the week..."Yeah, I got hops.." and "Oh my! ha ha ha?" (but said in a pretentious British accent)

(I'm sure they make sense to her! I don't have to understand, I just have to do I guess! LOL)

Abbie's MTC Group that is going to Finland

Abbie and Her Companion in SF trying to find the consulate to get Visa's