Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Katie's Dec 11th letter

From: Kathryn Kane <kathryn.kane@myldsmail.net>
Date: Tue, Dec 11, 2012 at 8:39 AM
Subject: Hello hello!


Hello my sweet family!
How are you all doing?! I love this day. I love to get to read all of your emails and to hear how everyone is doing. You all sound so wonderful.
I have received so many letters this week and I am so grateful!! They finally started coming through from DearElder (glad to know that works) and also from Mission Ties which is so wonderful. So thank you for all of them! I love hearing from you.
Things here are going great! Has it really only been 2 weeks? Feels like much much much longer!
Real quick before I forget:
1. Mom I spoke to the lady who deals with mail about the way you sent the Christmas letters. Fedex apparently is very unrealiable here. I don't know exactly how you sent them, if they were in an envelope or a box or what? A larger flat envelope is probably okay, if it's a box of any sort I'm guessing it's a no-go. She said there's a chance it will get here, but she's not sure. They discourage any use of Fed ex all together.
2. Don't stress about getting those clothes down here. It's so hot all the time. If you want to that's fine, but don't stress.
3. I got a real actual letter from you, Mom! The sweet one you sent on the 2nd or something? Not sure when, but I counted an it got here in 10 days. So that's good news! And thank you so much! It was the greatest letter.
4. I leave here on January 29th. So plan accordingly for that as far as letters go. Probably the 2nd week in January, I would start sending any letters straight to my mission. Also a reminder to friends and others reading this that NO packages are allowed to be sent here to the MTC. All packages should be sent to the mission home. BUT, letters are welcomed with open arms so feel free ;)
Mom your studies sound wonderful! I love hearing about everything you are learning. You have always been a great student of the gospel and you find so much through the scriptures! I love it. Keep it up. Can't wait to hear more of your knowledge :) Dad, glad to hear work is going well and that the project has gone well! That's awesome. And I still love all your "unsolicated advice" and refer to it often :) Brother! How did your certification test go?? I'm sure you did great! Are you loving the new job? Glad to hear baby Bentley is doing well :) I am so excited to see pictures! Bec, Na, Grace and Ty, Mom has kept me updated on your school and it sounds like you are all doing great :) Bec, sorry you're got a nutty art teacher!
I wish I had more time to write to each of you individually! Once we get in the field we have an hour to email so I'll be able to write a little more. Also, FYI we will not be calling on Christmas day, but we do have an hour of email time that day. Hopefully we'll find out exactly when so that you guys can get on at the same time? I'll keep you posted.
So.. the MTC! I have so much I could tell you about it, but I'll try to just give the hi lights (or the low lights in some cases ;) ).
It's so so so HOT. I go to bed sweating, I wake up sweating, I get out of the shower sweating, I sit in class sweating, I eat sweating. It's so so hot. Sorry to be so gross :)

I believe you've asked about the food? Well lucky for you the lunch today was actually very good! So I can't complain about today's :) But... it's uh... well cafeteria food. Brazilian style. We'll leave it at that for now. We do have snack time every night though.. best part of the day.
The temple here is gorgeous. Such a lovely place to be. Dad, they do the session in English for us American missionaries. But last week I did my part in Portuguese at the end which was a very cool experience.
The Brazilians are the most wonderful people. We have the greatest roommates and have met some of the neatest people. Their testimonies, and experiences, and conversion stories are incredible. And they are SO FUNNY. We literally laugh to tears almost every night. And we get to bed too late because they're so fun to talk to... We're working on that :)
My district is absolutely wonderful. We call ourselves a little family. They are the greatest group of Elders, and my companion is great. We all get along so well. One of the elders, Elder Stringer, reminds me exactly of Braiden Rasmussen. It's the funniest thing. I'm in tears and falling off my chair at least once a day because of some comment he mutters from the corner. So funny. But there is a great strength that we have found with each other and we have honestly become like a family. It's intersesting how close you get to people when you are going through all the same experiences together. There are the greatest! We have excellent teachers as well. One in the afternoon, Irmao Costa, and one in the evening, Irma Kikuchi.
The Portuguese is coming along... I'm speaking more and more with Brazilians and am understanding more each day. It's HARD. But I love it.
Word to those preparing for missions right now: START NOW. Study and prepare as much as you can. If you already have a call, start studying the language. It will be hard, but do it. I promise it'll help. Also, before you come, make absolutely sure that you have asked Heavenly Father if you are supposed to be serving and if you are serving where you are supposed to. You need to absolutely KNOW that before you come. Receive a witness of it. Know for sure. Write it down, and bring it with you. You will need it. That's coming from my experience, and from the experiences of many other missionaries I have talked to . It's hard, the mission. It's very hard. So come with that and KNOW so that you don't have to waste any time wondering. But be SO EXCITED :) It's honestly the greatest thing and you will be SO SO HAPPY. Happier than you even can understand right now. COME! Don't be scared. Be prepared. And COME :)
Time is up. I love you all so so much. Thank you for all your support and prayers and love! I can feel it and I'm so grateful for it.
I'll talk to you next week :)

Love,
Sister Kane

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