Rachel's 3rd Email

Hey fam,

There have been some IT mishaps with this email, so this one is gonna be a tad bit more concise due to time. Let's get to it: I need the addresses to the following people so I can mail them Thank You cards [Poulters, Hughes, Uncle Ron, Aunt Grace, Kim Whalen(FB stalk her please for the address), Yates, Coltons, Draneys, Roberts, Lakips, Lichliters, Boresows(FB stalk Lead cause she's living at home now), Stephen Feinberg, Surabhi]. 2nd item of business: can you please send me a check-book so I can budget my transactions? Yes, I got my driver's license thank you! And Berto, can you send me a flashdrive thingy so I can upload my pics onto it? Faja, could you hook me up with some ear plugs from work? Ma, you need to mail me my patriarchal blessing, I don't have access to a printer here. Cool beans.

So I got a letter from Batman Dark Knight. Dad, my elders literally squealed with joy when they read I got that and now want Batman trivia. If you have a spare moment in your day, I would appreciate you humbling them with your intense knowledge of Batman and/or other superheros and accompanying villians. I can officially say the love/hate relationship with the MTC has come to a close and love has won out once again. Funny story, remember how I said last email I didn't have a teacher? Well, the investigator (the guy interested in the church) we were teaching, Cesar, turned out to be Hermano Barnard, our teacher. On top of it, one of the guys I thought was a substitute was our actual teacher so now I feel bad for making him feel awkward, Hermano Wood is his name. Haha my compa Hna. McCullough is an artist lady and she drew a picture of Cesar(really Hno. Wood) on a dry erase board and we have it hanging above the chalkboard in our classroom, so when Hno. Barnard came in, he was creeped out and saw his mirror image, like a shrine. His picture is still there. But Holy Mackeral, what a difference in having a teacher! I have honestly learned so much in the past couple of days and I believe a major part is because we have teachers, who guide us as to what we need to do. Weird concept, I know.

So, we play these games during class sometimes. Okay, maybe they're not games, but maybe I make them into fun competitions. So we get into these friendly competitions and I dominate. Straight up. And it's funny because my entire district didn't realize who competitive I was and apparently they noticed that my nostrils flare when I get really competitive (my game face) and when I try to be serious but want to laugh at something. When you're with people 24/7, they notice curiosities like that.

Things I learned about myself this week. I am an impatient person. And I get frustrated easily which stems from me being impatient. I have never really considered this as a characteristic trait of myself before, but lo and behold I feel like that is the only thing I have been challenged with this week. I guess I'm a bit intense when it comes to obeying the laws here at the MTC. If we're supposed to be having Spanish language study for an hour I get frustrated when my district goofs off with the Advanced Class. I become impatient with my hermanas when they consistently need to use the restroom and make us 5 minutes late to class. Little things like that, but goodness maybe I need to chill out. Anyhoo, that's something I'm going to work on this week is how to be a patient person. I feel like that may be something good to learn.

Speaking of South Africa, I'm not going to say I'm totally cool with the fact you guys are ditching me to go to South Africa for the summer, but whateves, I've got hook ups here in the MTC. The first day during orientation this guy from South Africa sat behind me and I showed him my journal I got from there and he showed me this big bible holder from there and I said that's way cool and we talked about where he lived (all over, he was in the Cape, Joberg, Durban, etc.) and where we visited and he gave me his binder thing! Super cool! So Elder Howden and I became fast friends and we "hang out" whenever we run into each other. Anyways, his sweet grammy is going to send me Chikree and Rooibos tea! And Elder Howden gave me that Aero chocolate and Fruit Pastales. Oh, how I love South Africa. Oh, and he knows Brother Gorman! Small world.

My apostate act of the week: I sort of halfway hugged an elder? Elder Chang (one of my BYUSA presidents) saw me after devotional and was like "We need to get a picture together cause I go to China tomorrow!" So I jump into action, threw my arm around his shoulders, we took a sweet MySpace photo, and then afterwards we realized I was basically on his back and touching him inappropriately and he said "Don't worry, no one will ever know. I'll hide the evidence." My other apostate act: I have converted my district into some ghetto/black woman hood. I started talking hood a few weeks ago and it has caught like wildfire. The best is when Elder Lane (white boy to the max), does a perfect angry black woman. He has the crazy eyes and everything, it kills me. Haha, My comps and I had a breaking point the other day and I found myself on the stairs of a hallway laughing my fool head off. So, we keepin it fresh hurr in da MTC.

Awesome about Deanne, sorry to confuse you with all the, and I quote, "lovey dovey stuff". Sorry, I don't know what came over me. It must be the food, which gets grosser by the day. But it's okay. As for breaking me out, here are some plans I've concocted: golf cart, send extra badge to Cici and have her walk in and take my palce, run to my friend's house who lives by the temple on temple walks, make myself seriously ill and get transported to the ER. Haha JK! I love it remember?

Anyways, that's about all.

I like you,

Hna. Schwartz