2 week update!

Random thoughts from Katie in Texas:

The ocean isn't that amazing, haha. tiny tiny waves, and the sunset is usually covered by clouds, so we just see this purple pink cloud mixture. sometimes the sun is bright orangey-pink, but it's tiny. the sun is bigger in idaho, haha. or the west, haha. we just run along the seawall everymorning. it's so stinky here, haha.

we are riding bikes because it's the only area in this mission that requires bikes and cars, to save miles, because our area used to be two areas (eng and spanish) that's why i'm not learning much spanish. so it's a lot to cover with bikes. but i like it as long as i know where i'm going!

Yes, Texas is hot. The trees are weird, and the air is smelly and thick, haha. I def miss the clear mountain air at home. But you know, my skin isn't dry so there. haha. I have to say this does not look like texas, it looks like an island. which it is. run down and old from the hurricane! The thunderstorms here are cool. we see them from afar off and don't get much rain whihc is good, becasue i don't have a jacket or coat or anything! just a paraagua. (umbrella). I ate chicarrron (tell dad and scott that) and menudo.

these people (many of them) just live in tiny run down houses. one bedroom, sometimes no couches, paint peeled off the wood...many are humble. the rest are catholic. hehe. the baptists are more willing to open up. the methodists and lutherans are firm in their faith. but we work with all.
where i'm at in texas, people call us darlin' and say y'all but i haven't seen a single cowboy.

Cristian is SO cute! 7 years old, and just so kin to everyone. we found out he brought pocicles to his nieghbors cuz he saw little kids there. but i think he was too shy to give them to them, so he left them on the porch, and the bugs got into them.

tell everyone i love them !

Texas

Katie arrived in Texas on the 11th! She is loving it so far. She is in Galveston. It is an island off Texas. (google it!) She is loving it!! She and her companion are the only sisters that get to ride bikes and she loves to ride bikes.

They have been fed by the members twice now and Katie has loved everything she has had. Quote, "It was soooooooooooooooooo goooooooooood. I thought it was Delicious!"

Story: One of my favorite people is Alejandro. His son is 5-ish and Alejandro plays the guitar, and Christian sings with him, and it's cool. When we go over to teach, they play and sing for us. and, Alejandro is just ready to hear the truth.

Quotes: They gave us this mango popcicle thing cuz it was hot outside, and it was good, too. haha. we talk to EVERYBODY. and I love that.

3 hours to TEXAS!!

Katie left the MTC early this morning and arrived at the SLC airport. She got to call home and actually ran into an old friend, Brady, who let her use his phone to call us! Thanks Brady.

Katie said she is ready to be out of the MTC. She is ready to be out teaching and out of Utah. She is nervous for Texas but also anxious. She had a rough week because two girls in her district had mishaps (one stepped on a piece of glass, and I dont remember what the other had) So Katie and her companion had to help those two girls out.

Her bags weighed 27 lbs and 47lbs! She was under the limit but her companion was not so she had to help her a little bit :)

She said she will miss the mountains.

quote: "i cant tell you how excited i am to teach"

and

"the girls in my room have stinky feet" this one mad us laugh so hard!! We feel so bad for her!

more to come with her next letter!

One Day Left!!

Katie leaves the MTC on Tuesday. She will get to call and we are excited!! Wish her luck and I will post her arrival later this week! Make sure you write to the Houston address now!

3 weeks left!!

Katie says: "I like the MTC. Cant wait for Texas. Lost 7.5 pounds, but Dan says i'll gain 35 in Texas." (I dunno who dan is) Sapnish is going smoothly, and i'm loving it.

One of the sisters says I grunt when we play volleyball. She says its cute but I think its weird."

One month update!

Katie has been very busy! She now has a companion named Sister Davis. Sister Davis entered the MTC a few days ago and took the advancement Spanish test and got put with Katie.

Katie has been to the temple on her p-days and loves it. "It's so beautiful"

Quote from Katie: " i am now in the laundry room, it's hot in here. We call it the inferno."

Story from Katie: (word-for-word)

" tell people i dominate w/ serving in volleyball (i'm serious. i served like 15 in a row.) but i got a hugw bruise from it. seriously. the bruise was from the bottom of my base knuckle on my thum clear down to my wrist. it swelled up and i had to put ice on it, and could only write with my left hand for a few days. (apparently i was serving wrong, and so they finally showed me the right way. but i was successful my way! but i'll never do that again, becasue my thumb was incapacitated!) well. i prayed for it to heal fast, and i didnt think it would hel that fast, but the bruise is almost gone!"

(her shift button doesnt work so she isnt able to capitalize any letters. She has so many emails to get out that she has to type very fast. This was copied and pasted so the errors are hers but lets cut her a break right???)

Katie has 5 siblings and parents to write to so her letters are often short and just general info. She is ready to be in Texas. Less than a month away!!! She loves the food in the MTC (still). She has seen some friends from home and that is fun for her.

Write her tons of letters. She told us once she was getting the most mail in her district! Let's keep it up!!!!

More to COME!!!!

Katie's first letter!!

Katie has been way busy and hasnt had much time to write. Her first companion was only for a day. Katie was able to take an advancement test for SPANISH and got to skip a class. Her district, companion(she is now in a three-some) and schedule changed!! She is missing her companion but likes where she is at. She wants to be put to work, not sitting in class. She is already thinking of things she forgot or needs.

We still dont know when her p-day is. She promised another letter to us then, she will also set up an email address to email.

She wore her tag and crossed the street somewhere and people saw her and she said she felt like a real missionary. She said all she felt like, "all we do is eat and meet". HA HA!!! Also, "PS. It is so amazing awesome sweet sauce to see so many missionaries in one place, or at one time. (im talking about the cafeteria.)"

One of her teachers is named Hermana Pace and she served with Scott, (Madison's husband) in Chile. She has met other people from Chile, or served there as well.

She has a whole hour of free time now, and is warming up to her new district. She loves all the fruit and choices of food. She said she would be able to teach the first lesson in spanish by tomorrow. YEA!!!

Thats all for now, write her lots! She is doing well. I'll keep you updated.