WEEK 1

My cute family!

I LOVE YOU!

I can't believe I've been here for a week! Part of me feels like I just got here but then it also feels like I've been here forever. Its crazyand so busy but AMAZING. I have learned SO MUCH. I love it here and am so grateful and honored to be a missionary.

The flight here was crazy. Having the flight get delayed and being stuck in New Jersey for a whole day was definitely an adventure. Our delayed flight got to Jersey around 8 so the airport booked us a hotel but seperated our group. I traveled with 5 sisters and 2 Elders - THEY WERE SUCH A BLESSING! I would have been a mess if they weren't with me! THey were all great. But me and two other sisters got a room. Around 11 at night we all seperated and took a bus from the airport, got all the way to the hotel, to realize it was the wrong hotel, so we had to go back to the airport and take another bus to the real hotel that was about 40 minutes away. They didn't give us back our luggage so we didn't have any makeup on anything to really shower with. We got back to the airport the next day around 1 and then our fllight didn't leave until that night until 7. Nothing like spending a the whole day at the airport. The flight went well. I kinda slept... haha tried to sleep as much as possible at least. We arrived in England around 7 a.m. and then took us strait to the MTC, got a little orientation, send you an e-mail, and then they put us right into classes. Longest day of my life. It was craziness! I hadn't really slept for 2 days or had a shower or anything good like that so I was a little bit of a mess the first day! BUT Slept soo well that night! DAD - i haven't even opened any meds! Are you so proud?? I thought you would be!:) Falling asleep is NOT hard at all! I'm so tired by the end of the day. But I;ve had sleep and life is SO GOOD! The MTC is amazing. I truly love is so much!

My companions name is Sister England and she's from England! How fun is that? She is the sweetest, funniest, greatest Sister and I love her! We work really well together and have so much fun! Its so fun she's from England as well, she's teaching me all their ways! :) She really is HILARIOUS too! She claims that the English people in general are all just really sacrastic but Its just the best! Its nice to have some humor to keep us sane throughout the day! I love my district as well! We have 5 Elders and 4 Sisters. I know i keep saying it... but I honestly LOVE them! I know my heavenly father loves me because he blessed with with such great people around me. We all just work really well together! We are able to stay on task and have incredible experiences BUT they all are so funny! Two of the elders are from germany and their accents are excellent, then two are from England so theyre hilarious. It really is just the best!

Oo and I am rooming with two other sisters, Sister Swann from australia and Sister McFarland from Utah! I LOVE THEM! Haha I know, I just love everybody. But Sister Swann is so so funny and sweet and Sister McFarland is probably the kindess, funniest, and most genuine person. We go running and work out durring excercise too! I even jumped rope! Proud? :)

The MTC here is so tiny! We have around 42 missionaries here. Around 13 of them are language missioaries going to germany or greece so theyve been here for 3 weeks now but the rest of us will just be here for 2 weeks! Let brendan know that he will love it. Its crazy small but that just makes all of us so close! It so fun. President Preston is incredible as well! He is so kind and loving and So happy! He just walks up and down the halls smiling. Its fun that it is smaller as well becuase I feel like I actually know him. He and his sweet wife check up on us all the time! I can tell that they really care about us and it is such a blessing to have them!

Mom, worst story! On Sunday we are able to go walk around the temple at night so we all took lots of pictures! Which I took, but then I plugged it in after to charge it and now it wont turn on. I'm afriad I ruined it! I don't know if the converted didn't work and it fried it?? I don't know. BUT problem is I don't have a camera that works now! Tender Mercy that I took the pictures on Sunday night! So I still have those but I don't have anything now! I'll try and send some that i took but... What should I do? Should i buy one here or could you send me a new one? I definitely would love to be able to take pictures so let me know what you think I should do! :) AND with that I'm super scared to charge my Fitbit. I haven't had to yet so I've just been avoiding it so hopefully its okay! Praying it works!

Another crazy thing is that tomorrow WE ARE GOING CONTACTING! AHHHH!!! In the MTC we've been teaching a lot of "investigators." I think S England and I have taught 5 or 6 lessons and role played a million times. Which is so helpful! But tomorrow we are talking to people - REAL PEOPLE. They take all of us newbies and drop us off in some park in manchester and we are supposed to talk to people! I'm super excited and definitely very nervous! BUT good learning experience either way! :)

Oo mom! We went to the post office today too so I'll put the thank you letters in the mail! Thanks for doing that!

And Dad! I got your sweet letter! It was the GREATEST SUPRISE!! One of the elders who had been here for a while was all suprised saying how he had been here for 3 weeks and I was getting one after not being here for a week. I just told him it was becuase I HAVE THE BEST DAD IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. Becuase I really do. I love you so much dad! Thank you for the sweet letter as well as the suprise in my suitcase. I'm just so grateful for you. THANK YOU!

I hope you know how much I love you all!!! I love being here! Its so hard being away from all of you but I know I'm in the right place and really am so happy! The spirit is so strong here and it is so fun to be here and become best friends with kids who are all working towards being the best missionaries they can be!

Getting my badge was probably the highligh to of the week! I am so humbled everymorning to put my Saviors name over my heart! I know he lives. I know he loves us and I LOVE HIM!

Talk to you all SO SOON!!

Love you!

Sister Gwilliam

Next wednesday we're traveling to our missions - WHAT!?? So crazy. So hopefully I'll be able to send an e-mail before!