She's Leaving On a Jet Plane...

FYI - Rachel will leave the MTC early on Monday, March 24th. So, Saturday will be the last day she can receive mail. And she has mentioned that the mailroom closes early on Saturdays... so to be safe... try to get your last letter to her on Friday. Thanks!!

New Haircut

Here are pictures of Rachel's new haircut. I think it's pretty cute! Notice the pictures of family on the wall behind her. I sure do love that girl!!!

The Provo Temple

Here are some pictures of Rachel and some other missionaries at the Provo Temple. The MTC (where she is now) is very close to the temple and once a week she and the other missionaries get to walk over there and attend the temple. Rachel really enjoys going each week!

The German Language

Here's a remark from Rachel's e-mail today:

thanks for everything that you sent me! thanks for my watch :) and the tape!!! oh my gosh mom and dad your part in the beginning when you're 'speaking' german almost kills me its SOOO funny!!! sister stewart and i die of laughter every time!! I LOVE IT so anytime you feel like speaking german PLEASE do it on a tape so i can hear it!!!!

I'm not sure how I feel about this... I took a year of German in Junior High... I think I know a little bit about what I'm doing... but apparently not!! Apparently my german is comical! I guess it's just good that we give her a good laugh every now and then. :)

She goes on to say:

speaking of german - its coming along really well! we're teaching the 2nd lesson for the LAST TIME next tuesday!!! can you believe it! we get our flight plans either today (although not likely) or tomorrow!!!! i can't believe how the time has flown by!!

anyway back to german, last night sister stewart and i were teaching sister balmer in the TEC and when we were finished she said that our german was so good and she was really impressed with us. she said that we had like an intellient conversation when we had taught her and she could understand us. now, i know that my german really isnt that good. i dont have the grammar down at all and i pronouce the words wrong i'm sure and i know i probably dont conjugate the verbs correctly. but she can understand me!! how cool is that! i think that that's really whats most important, that they can understand me and feel the spirit. everything else will come with time. but its a lot of fun i just open my mouth and try to speak and somehow it comes out in understandable sentences. Hahaha

This is good - apparently she has more talent with the german language than her parents do!

Ich Liebe Sie!

Thursday is now my favorite day of the week! I love getting an e-mail from Rachel. Here's the latest:

Time is seriously FLYING by! i think we get our flight plans like next week...AH! hahaha but i think i'll be ready. german is coming along - i'm able to speak it most of the day. on sunday and monday sister stewart and i spoke only german (although by the end of monday i was done and speaking in english haha) we're done teaching lesson 1 in german and now we're moving onto lesson 2 which we're teaching on tuesday in german. crazy huh!

oh my gosh!! so you will not believe who spoke to us at the devotional on tuesday night.....ELDER HOLLAND!!!!! he's my favorite apostle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i was SO excited. he gave the most amazing talk. i love how bold and blunt he is, its wonderful. i'm making a copy of my notes that i'll send to you today. he's so funny too..at one point he was talking about how our younger siblings think of us as superheros with capes. dressed in missionary clothes but with capes... and he put his arms out like he was flying... and stood there pretending to fly for seriously a minute and then said: "Oh, I see evil - I will go down!" and then pretended to fly down. it was the funniest thing i've ever seen!! hahaha hes awesome

my knee was feeling really sore the other day - but i got some ice from the trainers and it hasnt hurt me since! its amazing! yesterday i played volleyball and sprinted around the track and my knee didnt hurt once! that hasnt happened in a long time, usually when i run it hurts but not this time. i enjoyed it :D

i'm praying for everyone every night... my prayers are so long - but they arent in spanish anymore... and theres hardly any english :D its wonderful

ICH LIEBE SIE! (I love you all!)
i've got lots of time today to send letters so be looking in your mailboxes!!!
thanks for your prayers - the church is true!!!

Rachel and Her Elders

This is a picture of Rachel, Sister Stewart and the Elders that they learn with every day. She has mentioned how much she loves them and how she's going to miss them when they leave for Germany because some are going to the Berlin mission. Rachel and Sister Stewart are the only girls in their district. Rachel seems to like it ok. Since she is the only girl in our family she's used to being around "guys". Plus, she mentioned that they get a lot of attention.

Rachel and Her MTC Companion

Rachel finally sent us some photos of life at the MTC. These pictures are from her companion's camera. She'll send me her photo card before she leaves for Germany and we'll get more pictures then.

This is Rachel with her companion, Sister Stewart who is from Orem, Utah. She said on a tape once that they share the same birthday, however Sister Stewart is taller... but it's all good because Rachel was born first - so they're even. Funny!