pics 11/18/12

New Pics!! 11/9/12

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

MTC the first day!!

Second Letter Home! 11/1/2012

There were 5 all together but 2 of them went to argentina so there were only 3 on the plane to England!! One is from Utah and the other is from Rexburg Idaho. They are really nice and helped me alot. We all were out of our element.

 

Some are from Germany, Finland, England, Africa, and USA.

 

The Sister from the East Coast will be here monday. I saw a little bit but not that much.

 

I just got my district in the MTC i will be in the Hinckley Zone and the Nephi District. I also just got my first companion while in the MTC her name is Sister Lohman. She is from Germany she just said it is good to have a compaion from the USA so that she can work on her English;) It is pretty good right now. She is really nice. I kinda felt bad because the first time i met her she came into our room and i was asleep. I kinda woke up and she introduced herself to me and i said hi and fell back asleep so i had to apologize later.

 

Hope everything is going good:) Love you lots!!!!

First Letter Home!! 11/1/2012

Yes i made it safely!!!!!

I am supposed to let you know that Preparation Days are on Tuesdays so you will be able to hear from me then!!!

It is so beautiful hear!!!! A lot of it reminds me of the Logan area because of all of the trees:) The plane ride was alright it was really uncomfortable. There were 5 of us me being the only girl when we left salt lake. When we got to atlanta 2 missionarys flew to argentina and the 2 other elders and i came to england. It was funny while we were waiting for our flight to atlanta the elders were talking and the one you asked to help me kept looking for me cause he didn't know that i was sitting right behind them the whole time! He told one of the other Elders that he was looking for me because i asked him to help. The other elder asked him if i was cute and if he wanted to set me up with someone! I couldn't stop laughing;) I am the only girl right now sp o got to choose what bed i wanted. President williams picked us up at the airport he is really nice. He said that we were the fastest group out of the airport in a long time. I was in the isle seat the whole time so i couldn't really see out the window what i could see were clouds. All the missionarys were seperated on the flights so we all sat but different people. I was worried at first and a little scared but then i just thought of it as a giant flying bus and i was just fine. The MTC is so amazing and beautiful i will send pictures when i can and the temple is just as amazing if not better!!!! Everything is so beautiful. I love the look of the old houses. I feel so at home here the people are so nice and it reminds me of home. We haven' t had any lessons yet they are waiting for the rest of the group to get here and they should be her sometime to night all except 2 sisters. We should have 27 missionarys all together when the sisters get here. One sister didn't get her visa in time so she is in the Provo MTC. And the other is on the East Coast so she cant really leave right now. I miss Everyone so much!!!!!!! Ya we got to the connecting flight just fine. That airport is huge!!!!! we had to ride a tram to get to the other gate!!! Every one was really nice!!!

I love you guys so much and look forward to hearing from you !!!

Todays the Day!

 She has officially left and is half way there!! It was so hard this morning to let her go. She was so nervous but we could tell she was ready and excited!

 Saying good bye <3