First Snail Mail letter...a doozie!

That first email alluded to a letter coming in the mail...How long can it take to get from Provo to Sandy?  Answer...another 4 days.  On Saturday we got an 8 page letter!  Magnifico!  Here are some excerpts...

Her FIRST night they actually taught some investigators!  (We discovered later that they are people who role play - but Haley writes as if they are real - so it really confused us at first).  She was a little discouraged but prayed "really hard for courage, strength, and help in remembering my purpose for being here..." 

A week later she writes about her district..."We're comprised of our tripanionship and 5 eldders.  Both my companions are going to the Cleveland/Kirtland visitor center so we'll be together on this journey from start to finish!  We're really hoping that we'll get to be companions again sometime later.  Then there's Elder Eyonon and Elder Daniels, our favorites!  Elder Eynon is just the sweetest thing ever and makes me laugh so much with all his wierd, out of nowhere comments! I love him!  Jenna & Sophie, he totally reminds me of and actually really looks like the tall skinny guy in Sydney White that ends up a millionaire at the end.  Elder Daniels is so fantastic!  He is so pumped up about the work, always positive, outgoing, and we can totally tell he was a lady's man!We called him out on it but he won't admit it, he just get's all bashful when we say anything.  Elder Free is our district leader and is perfect for the job.  he is quite knowledgable in the gospel, responsible, has a great spirit, and you can just tell he's been preparing a long time for this.  Elder Pearce is half-Jamican.  H'es very polite, always sitting up straight...He's awesome.  Last , but not least, Elder Adamson.  He's 23 so I really have respect for him and he's mature...he's also good at thinking about thinks on a deeper level which always helps us all out.  They're all just normal, though, and outgoing so it makes it so easy for all of us to get along and bond.  We also love that ALL the elders here are such gentlemen towards all the sisters.  They have respect for us and it's such a great thing to see.  Everyone says your district becomes your family becuase you spend so much time together and we all go through the same hard challenges so we're the support system for each other.  I can already see it happening with us and I love it.  We also love our zone leaders and coordinating sister.  They are so cool, chill, and funny.  Pretty much  I love anyone that makes me laugh though, and I laugh at a lot of things so I guess I love people here really easily.  
     One funny experience I have to tell you about that happened today... I took my skirts to the alterations ladies and when I was trying on all my skirts for her she was giving me these looks and saying things like "oh, all your skirts are just too tight." "I think you need to add a few inches around those hips" and then the one word "oh"  (hahaha) completely implying that she thinks I'm a slut hahaha that would happen to me! My comps just started luaghting so hard when we left the room cuz we were all thinking the same thing! It was really a funny moment!"
     A couple of days later we got another 4 pages of her journal in the mail...I'll keep posting until I am caught up to the present!

Haley's First P-day letter!

It was a long week without hearing from her.  Then 7 days later we got this email...

February 7

Just letting you know I get my first p day today so I can finally write you! Thank you so much for the letters and sending my package, they MADE my day! Even though I didn't get to pick it up until yesterday haha... but seriously getting a package is like getting a big, needed hug through the mail and I love it (elbow nudge... if ya know what I mean):) ...

     I loooove my district and both my companions so you don't have to worry about that for me yet! And yes, I said companionS. I'm in a tricompanionship with Sister Larsen and Sister Smith. I just love the tri and it really is perfect for me cuz I'm not just with the one person all the time and we think it makes us feel like we're just with friends all the time rather than with a companion. We also have 3 heads to use and put together in our lessons so more knowledge! I can't remember if I talked about them in my letter so I'll just tell a little bit. We are the perfect companions for each other! We're all really similar but still add our own individuality to the companionship. I add the outgoing, loud, positive (and style of course) attributes; Sister Larsen adds maturity, humor, and brings my loudness and outgoingness (I know it's not a word but go with it) to an appropriate level (and she's always late like me so I don't feel so bad about it all the time haha), and Sister Smith adds timeliness, hard work, softness, and I can't think of the word but almost like an English like personality. All of us together though are NORMAL, and easy going not emotional and i'm out of time!

Dropping Haley off at the MTC

February 1, 2012
     The Big Day finally arrived!  A GIANT "thank you" to Haley's  wonderful friends who stayed late to help her pack!  She would never have made it otherwise.  They even weighed her luggage to make sure she wasn't over the limit! 
     As we drove down to Provo, we talked about our favorite memories of Haley...Sophie talked about food fights, Dad talked about the stories he told when Haley and Allysa were little and the wrestling games they played, Daniel talked about the many movies they went to see together, Jenna talked about shopping, bribery and the hike the two of them took in Park City, Allysa  and I

     When we got to Provo, we stopped at California Pizza Kitchen for Haley's "Last Supper".  We laughed, we ate, we shared our food...and come to think of it - we took a family picture.  Where on earth did it go?
     Anyway, we got to the Missionary Training Center, parked up by the Provo Temple and said our goodbyes.  Lots of hugs, lots of tears, lots of joy, then we drove in to the MTC.  She got out of the car.  Two elders were there to carry her luggage and off she went with a big, beautiful smile on her face and talking to the elders as if they were already friends.
     I learned something about Haley that day.  She has every bit as much sunshine in her as does Allysa.  She reached out to people and does her best to brighten their day.  I am so proud of her.

Karissa, Marie, Haley,  & Stacie at her setting apart.  Kenzie and Carly came over a little later

"Sisters, sisters. There were never such devoted sisters..."

Group Hug

Mom is so proud of Haley.

So is Dad

"What the heck am I supposed to do about these girls?"

"Oh, all right.  Another group hug..."