Mail time! Last letter from Terra in the MTC

I just wanted you to see my cute outfit in this one mom. :] LOVE THE DRESS YOU GAVE ME

Dear Mom and everyone else who loves me enough to read my blog,

I'll be leaving in 13 hours for Ohio. Well, actually first Atlanta, Georgia, and then Ohio. (Tell the Winters family to meet me at the airport there!! Haha, just kidding. :] ) I'm so excited!!! And honestly, I'm not as nervous as I thought I would be. But maybe that's because I'm still here. Things may change once I get on the plane. In fact, they probably will. 

I have looked DAY AND NIGHT for John Winfield. Tell Jake that he is impossible to find. But I did run into Mark Standring!! (As the picture (below) proves). And I also got to see my dear "Tim Burton loving" friend Elder Ky Burton. I'm excited to leave the cafeteria. It's a lot like the cannon center. Every morning I get a plain bagel with plain cream cheese (I like things plain and simple) and a glass of chocolate milk and a glass of ice water. The chocolate milk is a new addition as of this week. I've been trying it out, but it's been giving me a stomach ache, so I think I'll quit that. Although, it's pointless now, I have no more breakfast meals here. HALLELUJAH!! I always end up putting too much cream cheese on my bagel and end up wiping off a ton on my plate. And then I play with it because it's squishy. And no one is there to tell me not to play with it, which is the best part of my day.

Look who I ran into!!   (Mark , a good friend from Crescent City -- he's going to Germany in 5 weeks)

Today I met an elder from Italy who is going on his mission to Madegascar. He was super friendly and talkative. When Sister McDougle and I told him that we are from California he flipped. He said he LOVES San Fransisco. When I told him I live about an hour away he threw back his head in disbelief. He described that the walls of his room at home in Italy are covered with pictures of San Fransisco and California. Isn't that kind of funny? All of us here dream of going to exotic places in Europe like Italy, and he dreams of coming to where we live. He's never been to California. Poor guy. I've never been to Italy. Poor me. I've also never been to Ohio. BUT I'M GOING TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!

I listened to a talk by Elder Bednar this Sunday. The talk was called "the Character of Christ." This talk, changed my life. It was the BEST and most WONDERFUL talk I have ever heard in my life. I took three and a half pages of notes. I wish I could describe all that he said, but the basis was that we naturally turn inward towards ourselves (the natural man) but Christ always turned outwards towards others. Even when it was expected or accepted or natural for someone to turn inwards, He would still turn outwards. Even when he was being crucified, He turned outwards. He never thought of Himself. It was such an amazing talk. Our first concern should ALWAYS be for the welfare of others. Always. When we get discouraged (especially missionaries) we should TURN OUT. Because it's not about ourselves!! It's not about what we want! Selfishness is not of Christ. It never was and it never will be. We should never use it as an excuse to hold us back. We should never tell ourselves that that is just the way we are. We should constantly be trying to change. Especially when we become aware that it is affecting others. Gosh I love it here.

Me and Sister Drake. She's in my district and my roomie. Her favorite color is also orange and she loves Halloween too. :] I love her.

Here's something cool. Today I wrote all 50 states in cursive. How is that cool you may ask? I wrote it with my right hand! AND I'M LEFT HANDED. And if I do say so myself, it all looked good. I am going to become ambidextrous. I'm going to work on it my whole mission. That way, if my left hand gets cut off or stops working someday, I can still draw and write with my right hand. 

Something uncool--I sleep on the bottom bunk. Well, that part is cool, but the uncool part is that when I woke up the other morning, I hit my face on the ladder and cut up my lip. It's not too bad. It was just fat for a day. I hope that is the extent of my injuries while I am on my mission.

I got an email from the Ohio Columbus Mission. Apparently, our P-Days there have been changed to Wednesday. So I won't be writing you on Monday. :/ Oh well. 

Also, I bought two phone cards. I can call home at the Salt Lake Airport (at like....6am..) and at the Atlanta Airport (sometime later in the day..) SO HAVE A PHONE WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES!!!! AT ALL TIMES!!!!!! The cards are confusing so...I hope it works. 

This work is amazing. My most favorite moments are when I get the feeling that I'm supposed to be here. Those are my favorite. Because at those moments I remember my purpose and am filled with love for all those people who I'm going to go find and teach. I want to tell everyone about the gospel. You should tell everyone about the gospel. I can't believe how much there was that I didn't know about it. And how much I did know about it. It's just all so amazing. 

I got to see Hiram one last time last night. That was special. I love Hiram. Truly, I think it was perfect for me to see Hiram, rather than anyone else. He was just the perfect person for me to see while I've been here. Cebre made the right choice. Well actually, I made the right choice since it was me praying for them to get married. I almost cried when I was talking to him last night, but I held it back. No more crying. I got a TON of letters yesterday. Almost too much, it sort of made me homesick. My favorite part is hearing updates on people. So keep doing that. Except, that is also the part that makes me homesick, haha. So...I have mixed feelings about that. :]

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!! :] I'm so excited to go to Ohio. It's just fun being a part of such a moving and inspired work. There are SO MANY missionaries here. SO many. It's very fun. I'm going to miss gym. I was actually getting semi-not-as-bad at volleyball. So, I hope that gets to continue. Something kind of awkward though, is someone asked me on a date...for when we get home from our missions. Super awkward....

I need to get off now. People want the computer. You're all fantastic. Thanks for your prayers. :]

AND JENNA!! THANKS FOR YOUR PACKAGES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D I love EVERYTHING!!!! Especially the skittles, haha. It reminded me of the valentines day you heart attacked the inside of my car and gave me a giant bag of skittles. I loved that. I love you.

Okay, I wish I could write more, but I can't!! Keep updating me about Bryce!!! I hope his tooth is okay!!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Love, Terra

Our district with one of our teachers