Jordan's first email home!

Bonjour family!!! things are absolutely crazy on the other side. I pretty much have no idea what is going on, but the great thing about that is that I am learning a lot! So there is definitely never a dull moment. I gave mom a lot of details in a written letter since i spent all morning waiting in the health center (my poor companions aren't doing so well. I wanna say suck it up, but that might not be in keeping with the whole "love your neighbor" bit!)

I guess they have restructured the MTC stuff in the last while, and it is awesome. I am coming to better understand my purpose as a missionary and how I can better pick out the needs of the individual investigators that are waiting for us. it's some serious pressure knowing that you are a representative of the Lord and that you are called to be a steward of souls basically! We are learning that we don't teach lessons, we teach PEOPLE. and when i say we....i'm not sure who i am talking about, because i know that's the idea, but i'll be honest that i have no idea where to begin teaching a lesson!

My companions are great! And yes, I did just say companionS. the whole advanced language/international branch is arranged differently because there aren't very many of us. Sister Woyak is going to Paris too and is definitely helping me step up my French. Since we aren't learning French at all in our classes (i think i might try to sit in on some of the normal french classes during MDT "missionary directed time"), we are trying to quiz each other on "church vocab" as we walk places. I'll be honest though---it's mostly her teaching me!! Sister Wang is adorable. she is from Taiwan and learning English to serve in California Santa Rosa. We get along really well, which is good since you can pretty much never leave each other's side! When someone has to go to the bathroom, the rest of us wait outside and read from the handbook or practice vocab, because we really can't waste time! The food is good (except the pastrami sandwich--which i should have surmised from the name), and our beds are actually pretty comfy. I forgot to set my alarm last night, but the great thing about two companions, is that you have two more alarm clocks!

The spirit is incredible! I have a lot to learn, but I feel like the spirit is helping me learn "at an incredible rate." The spirit is a much better teacher than i could ever hope to be, so i'm just praying that i work hard enough to be worthy of its companionship. I'm beginning to realize that missionary work involves an earnestness that i have never imagined before. Sure, in nursing i could "kill people", but like i said before, these are souls we're dealing with! heavenly Father's children. who he loves and wants to bless just as much as he loves us. I still can't believe how lucky and blessed I am to have had a knowledge of the gospel my whole life. But really, it wasn't because i did anything great, but because i have a great family and especially great parents who taught me right. so thank you so so so much.

They don't really give us much time to be homesick. So i miss you, but I haven't cried over it yet, because 1. it probably hasn't really hit me yet and 2. i have many more things to be focused on. I am grateful to be here and am hangin' in the first week! I love you all dearly.
love, jordan
p.s. tell the congers and tara thank you for their letters. i'll try to write them back today, but just in case i can't until next week. oh and tell the conger girls i can't e-mail them personally
p.s.s. halle, joshy, johnny, matthew--love you guys and i'm waiting for those lousy letters you promised!!! hope st. george was great!