First Email from Rachel;

Holy cow! So much has happened since I last wrote you!

I've seen both Sister Kennedy and Sister Klundt a TON!! We're not in the same zones, but we do see each other in our residences!

During our gym time, we get to play volleyball with the elders and that's really the only sport we're allowed to play with them. Ha, they make a huge deal about us NOT TOUCHING! We are only allowed to handshake. So, when we run into elders its kind of funny cause we're like, "AHH, sorry Elder!" It's funny. (;

Our service day is set aside for Saturday mornings(: We helped clean out the senior headquarters after the leave for their missions. It's like working in a hotel. (: Sister Fisher And Sister Ware and Sister Lamoureux and I got the chance to bond a little bit more and that we good for us as a district.

My district is TOTALLY AWESOME. It's consisted of 6 elders and us 4 sisters. (: Elder Hunt and Elder Christensen are companions...Elder Strong and Elder McDonald are companions...Elder Jones and Elder Garner are companions. The other night Sister Fisher and I were struggling a little bit emotionally and so we were encouraged by our teachers to ask our elders for a blessing. It was the most powerful experience that I've ever had with a priesthood blessing! Elder Christensen gave me my blessing and it was his first time giving a blessing and it was literally so powerful. While he was blessing me I could see the man he was becoming and I could tell that his mission is going to turn him into one of the greatest men of all time. He is such a good man and missionary. He calmed me so much and I just know that the Elders are endowed with the authority of God.

Elder Christensen is literally the funniest kid. He says these one liners that make us all laugh so hard! It's so fun. (:

Sister Lamoureux and I were assigned to be STL's or Sister Training Leaders so we get to meet with the new missionaries coming into our zone next week! Lolly Bowler, my friend going to Idaho (snigger), is going to be in my ZONE!! Wahoo.

So, we aren't supposed to call each other 'guys.' It's supposed to be Elder and Sister, so every time we accidentally call a group of us 'guys' Sister Lamoureux and I find something hard to hit and say "dang it!" It's really funny. (:

I LOVE MY NAMETAG. ITS LITERALLY SO COOL TO HAVE THEM!!!!!!!

One of our investigators is Rafael Ortiz, he is portrayed by our teacher Brother Welch, but we are supposed to completely act as if he's a real investigator. It's really cool to be able to see him grow.

We have a new investigator that we'll be teaching tonight at the TRC building and we're pretty excited to teach her about the gospel.

I GOT MY FLIGHT ITINERARY. Monday, the 18th, Mom, I am going to call you. So, PLEASE BE PREPARED. Dad, I'm not sure if you want me to call you at work, but if you want me to I will.

The food here is pretty gross, but I'm trying not to complain about it anymore because Sister Lamoureux gets kind of sick of me complaining. We kind of had a heart to heart last night about why we weren't getting along and today is a lot better in that area. We are a lot more unified as a companionship and we are feeling the Spirit a little bit more. And we are really prepared to teach Melissa tonight. We are planning on teaching her about the Restoration! It's going to be awesome. (:

We study pretty much all day. And sometimes it is really hard to focus, but I am getting better and really delving into the scriptures and studying Preach My Gospel.

We got to go to the temple with morning and we did something short because we knew we wouldn't be able to stay awake for a session, then we came back to our residence and took a nap, which was super nice. We are just so exhausted here because they don't give us enough time to sleep and it's really hard to focus when we're so tired.

I was struggling a little bit with homesickness. And I was seriously considering coming home becuase I just didn't know if I could do it. But after the blessing I felt so much better and now, I'm still a little bit sad, but I am really focusing on turning my will to the Lord.

We had a temple walk yesterday and we just got to walk around the temple. It was really cool. (:

I miss you guys, but I'm getting better. I think once I get to New Zealand it'll get better. I don't really like to MTC. They expect a lot out of us and they are just working us down. It is literally the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. I can feel your prayers! I need them. Just know that I really do need them.

I love you so much. Please keep writing me. Please send me mail. I need the encouragement!

Sister Pearce.