News 4

        Dear Family, 
        Today is my last day in Utah! Super weird. The first two weeks here seemed to last for an eternity but this last week has gone by so fast, it doesn't seem real. I'm still crazy nervous about flying, but my entire district is also going to Virginia, so we will all be flying together. 
        They do have a scale here for us to weigh our bags, and I'm really hoping everything fits and works with the weight limit because I have no idea of what to leave behind if it doesn't. Most of the candy that was sent to me has been eaten, so I wont have to worry about the weight from that... it's all on me now. :/ 
        The MTC really does make people fat. I don't even like wearing my button up shirts now because there is now a bit a stretch and strain look to them. I thought with all the running I have been doing that it would help keep off the weight, but I guess when you have donuts with breakfast, cookies for lunch, and cake with dinner served that way every day, it would be too much for the running to keep up with. But with today being my last day here I should be able to loose some weight... I hope.

        I'm so glad you finally got snow! We still have a ton of snow here. I love it so much, even though we aren't allowed to have snow ball fights. It's been in the low teens here, but we don't have to walk very far between buildings so it isn't too bad. 

        I'm glad you found a good home for my birds. I'm also glad I wasn't there to see them go. Even though they were annoying I think I would have had a hard time getting rid of them.

        I'm now taking a pill called Melatonin??? I think that's what it is. It is supposed to help me sleep but isn't like a hard core sleeping pill. I hope to get myself off that soon also, but right now I'm more concerned about getting the sleep I need, life here has been way to crazy to be missing ANY sleep. 

        Last Monday my district and I got to go clean the Provo temple! The sisters and I were in charge of cleaning the sealing rooms... I like it :). We were there for several hours though, so by the time we finished we were all VERY ready to go back home. And April, I know it's your favorite temple and I was looking at it and thinking about you and what you would think of it... I think you would absolutely love it. I think I will take you there in 18 months :). I also got to do endowments there today. We stayed in the Celestial room for a while so I was able to do a lot of thinking, that was pretty nice.

        I also saw Michelle this week! That was pretty cool. And she did get me the present that Todd and Rebecca sent, and I loved it. Thanks you two!!

        Almost everyone here at the MTC is sick. At every meeting and devotional, they stress to us the importance of washing our hands and constantly using hand sanitizer. But as you can, imagine that doesn't stop sickness from spreading like wild fire. One of the girls from my zone got so sick, she was throwing up almost constantly. Our elders had to give her a priesthood blessing and we had to move her into a different room that was closer to the health center so she could be monitored. But two days later she was fine.   

        Everyone else in my district has been sick, but with minor colds, so it hasn't been too bad. I think I may have caught something though, I have that awful achy feeling in my skin. So that sucks. I am maintaining a happy attitude though! 

        I never did find my jeans, so I'm thinking I left them at home. Sister Johnson was super thoughtful though and surprised me with a gift... she bought me a pair of MTC sweats! They're huge and super warm.. I like them :). She and I are bestest buds. We are always laughing and joking about stuff. As a matter of fact, all of us sisters in my district get along super great. We have not had a single argument with each other the entire time we have been here. I'm going to be super sad about leaving them tomorrow. 

        Even the Elders from our district are all friends with us too! We all sit together at meal times and we spend our P-days together, and the Elders always walk us back to our residence at the end of the day. The elders are super crazy though. They always have these really weird competitions like; they tie each other up with slinkies and the first to break free wins. Or how many pull ups and push ups can they do. The best one so far has been who can eat the most ice cream sandwiches. The two finalists ate 6 and decided the last one to throw up was the winner... neither of them threw up but they were both pretty sick for the rest of the evening :). 

   

        Tomorrow morning (1/6/2015) I have to report to the bus at 3:30 in the morning. My flight leaves at 7:10 and then we have a lay over at Atlanta Georgia at 12:51. We leave there at 1:50 and then we should arrive at Norfolk Virginia at 3:40 p.m. I will be allowed to call home either at the Salt Lake City airport early in the morning or to call at the Atlanta Georgia airport during our lay over. I don't know when exactly I'll be calling, so just be ready for me when ever I guess.

        Also my new mailing address is...

        Virginia Chesapeake Mission

        1115 Cherokee Rd.

        Portsmouth, VA 23701

        Well, I have survived the first three weeks of my mission. Now I only have to survive another 528 days. Approximately.   

        I love you all a bunch and have loved reading your letters and e-mails. I'm sorry if I didn't get around to answering some of the e-mails, but I will respond to each of the letters... that's how I use my "free time."

        Wish me luck!!!

        Your favorite daughter/missionary

         Sister (Amanda) MacKay