Email from 11/6/12

I miss giving you your morning call!! Yes i have had a few ruff times already. I have just wanted to run to a phone to call home or to a computer to see if I have had emails. I wanted to be able to talk to my mom who was one of the few people that could help me figure things out and calm down. But I couldn't so I did the one thing that I haven't really done in a long time. Before I went to bed on Friday night I knelt down to pray and to talk to my Heavenly Father. I told him about my anxiety and about missing my family and friends, and that I didn't know what to do about it. I asked him if he could help me to feel better and I told him that I would ask for a Presthood blessing if that is what I needed. So I went to bed that night planning on asking for a blessing and in the morning my nervous feelings were gone and I wasn't as anxious to get to a computer or phone. I have really learned to rely on the lord here and I am so greatful for that experience.

The weather feels like Utah here I am loving every bit of it;) We went to the market today and a gentlemen at one of the stores was talking about how the people in Britain hate the rain. I told him that I love the rain and he told me that I should go to the hospital and get a shot so that I would become British!!! Ya, we have exersice every day so I get to go running with my companions!! I love our relief society room it is so cute, but right before that picture was taken we had all been crying. Because they asked us why we were on a mission what had brought us to this point in our lives. We have our own Sunday services in the MTC. Yes I have shown them a little bit of my crazy bubbly side but mainly only to the sisters.

I have 3 companions now and it is a blast they are all amazing and I love them so much. Sister Francis is from Vermont. She pretty much just go the rain part of storm Sandy. She will be going to the Scottland Ireland mission. Then there is Sister Nkosi and she is from South Africa. She will be going to my Mission. And then there is Sister Lohmann, and she will be going to the Alpine mission in Switserland Austria. And then there are 2 other sisters one is Sister Voth she is Cambodia and Finland. She will be going to the Finland Helsinky Mission. And there is Sister Albalnese, and she is from Cicely Italy. She is also going to the Scottland Ireland. And apparently we have one more sister coming and she is Sister Kinikini. She is coming from the Provo MTC.

I have had my first 2 investigators already and i have another one tonight. They are complete opposites so far and it is a great experience to teach each and every one of them. They are just teachers in the MTC. They are playing investigators that they taught while on there missions.  I am learning so many new things and I am loving it. I miss you guys so much.

I love you tons

Sincerly

Sister Ballantyne