1st email from the MTC!

Hello family!

I hope you get this email because I'm sure you weren't looking for it today. For further reference my pday is on Fridays so expect an email then. I'm going to apologize up front for any mispellings or the likes. We only have 30 minutes and the time ticks ominously in the upper right hand corner.

Important things first, write me! please. Just do dear elder. it's super easy, all you have to do is go to dearelder.com and choose the mtc and all that good stuff. It's amazing how much I do miss hearing from everyone, especially mother, when i don't have the opportunity to call or text!

Where do I begin?

Life has been crazy since I hung up the phone and got out of the car this wednesday. We haven't stopped since. We have been learning portuguese, SO much Portuguese, we only are ever spoken to in Portuguese while in class and that makes learning confusing and really beneficial. I can say (and pronounce, which to be honest is even more difficult for me) Oi, me nome e sister neptune e eu sou missionaria de igrejia de jesus cristo dos santos dos ultimimos dias. Hi, my name is makensie neptune andI am a missionary from the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. But I didn't just memorize it, I understand the parts of the sentence and what it all means! and d's in portuguese as in "dia" are pronounced like a "g" so it's more like gia. r's are pronounced like "h's" and nothing is pronounced like in spanish, forget about rolling r's and y sounding l's . The gift of tongues is real, because how else could I understand any of this. Ah, the beauty of being thrown to the wolves!!

I have 2 companheiros sister Roundy and Sister Schaeler. They are both nice. But we are different. It should be a growing experience. You know how I like to be the leader ;) but it's good. very good! When we are learning together and feeling the spirit everything is as it chould be. My district (my class) is great! Most every Elder is from Washington! Some of us have done our online apps and some of us haven't my companions haven't so every time they call a name over the intercom they hope it's them being called to the travel office. My one companion has had her visa done since october even and hasn't gotten anything back! (utah) but the prognosis for me is about a month and there are a lot of prayers here for visas. I know it will come.

BUT. I am SO happy to be here in Provo, this place is amazing. It's remarkable to look around and see 2,000 missionaries wherever you go. Everyone says hello in their various languages. We are all trying so desperatly to learn. There is no way I could learn this language if I wasn't called to by Heavenly Father (pai celestial!) Everyone is so helpful and friendly and we all have the same goals. It's so great.

I have been able to rub elbows with some dear friends: Elder Markham and Elder Baker and Elder Harmon from BYUI, it's so much fun! and they give me all the ins and outs.


I live in a dorm with 5 other girls. you do that math. The other girls in our room are hermanas.

What else? Nothing too exciting, just class every day and meetings and just intense life. That's the perfect word. Intense, but we laugh too. But there is so much to be done. For instance, we have to write a talk each week for sunday even though we probably won't be called on to give it. Ok that's fine and dandy but it has to be in portuguese. Which is awesome because I don't know portuguese.

I know I am missing a lot and I need to write more I can't think of anything else and I am running out of time. I know this gospel is true and I miss you guys SO much! Please let me know what is going on in life!!!

I love you,