Week 8 in the MTC

Here is Sister Jacklin's email from her 8th week in the MTC:

Hey family!!!

We have travel plans!!!!! We got them this morning and everyone has been freaking out all day!!  We fly out Monday July 29th and leave the mtc at 2:30 in the morning.  We will be flying to San Francisco then straight on to Seoul. And I have already gotten some of the elders to agree to take some of my stuff in their suitcases, haha!! I am such a girl! We are all so excited, it felt like this day would never come.  I am so excited to get out of the classroom and be out and busy everyday.  I am starting to get really nervous though because I feel so unprepared with the language.  I thought I was doing great but then last night we practiced street contacting in Korean, and I pretty much felt like I knew nothing.  I am trying to keep a positive attitude and realize I will learn so much faster in the field as I work.  And with just a week left I am going to be studying every chance I get.  Vocab cards pretty much go everywhere with us!!\

A few funny stories this week.  We were praying one evening at the end of class and Elder Lomiga was trying to pray for our teachers but he kept saying our teacher's investigator names.  Needless to say the laughing is contagious and every person in that classroom was busting up and we barely made it through the prayer.  We have had lots of moments like this lately.  I think it is time we all get out of the classroom because we just laugh at the littlest things.  Also, the other day after gym we were having a picnic in some of the other sister's room and our roommates left and locked the door.  Well, our keys were locked in the room so sister wadsworth threw on her sister's clothes, and I had flip flops, basketball shorts, and my nice shirts on.  We had to go to our classroom to get Sister Wadsworth's key and I felt like such a misfit with my crazy outfit.  It was definitely a comical moment!!  I love the sister's in our zone and we have all gotten really close it will be sad to all go to different missions.  We spend a lot of time with the other Sister Wadsworth and her companion Sister Johnson.  They are so great.  Me and Sister Johnson get along really well, cause we both talk ALOT and are crazy nineteen year olds.  Sometimes I think I drive my district and companions crazy.  But someone has to provide the entertainment, right?!!  I was able to see the Nielsen's on wednesday when they dropped Jarrett off. I was on the curb keeping an eye out for them.  It was so fun to say a quick hi, and hopefully I can host Jenn next week.  I have yet to see Jarrett again, but I usually always see the Japanese missionaries on sundays.

I wish I had lots of exciting things to tell, but here in the mtc it is the same schedule everyday.  We study hard and try and learn as much of the language as possible.  I don't necesarrily know any casual talking in Korean, but I can definitely bare you my testimony, haha!!  It is amazing how quickly we learn all these different languages and it is definitely a testament that this is the Lord's work.  It has sunk in that in one week I will be teaching real investigators.  It is such a mix of emotions, I am so excited and terrified all at once.  I know the next year will have so extreme highs and lows and I am just excited for the adventures.

Lastly, I thought I would leave you all with one of the thoughts that has me a bit nervous to join this unique Korean culture.  They eat live octopus and if you do not chew it fast enough it can suck to the side of your mouth or worse your throat, and suffocate you!!  Some of the korean teachers said we have to try it and it is not scary!!  But I am not convinced!!  I am going to stick to gummy octopus, haha!!

I am attaching a picture of me and my friend Zane at the temple this week (he is headed to argentina) and a picture of me and my companions with Sister Kim.  She is the Korean sister that stayed an extra week with us.  She was such a blessing to us.  She taught us so much and would come to our lessons and be a member.  She became our translator, haha!! We already miss her!!

I love and miss you all so much!!  But I know the next 16 months will fly by!!

Love,

Sister Jacklin