MTC = AWESOME....Cause Mer is there!

Hey world!

Here is her first email! Read and write her!

I arrived at the MTC safely on Wednesday at noon-ish. They showed me around and took me to my room to drop my stuff off.....awesome I had ZERO idea how to get back to my room after they took me to my classroom. ha ha my companions and I have fun being lost around the MTC. Anyways I LOVE my companions, Sister Davis and Sister Turner. We've had an amazing half a week. Class has been SUPER awesome!!!!! Portuguese is pretty hard but I'm working as hard as I can. Yesterday my teacher Sister Dickson was trying to explain something to us and all I could hear from her was the Spanish word for fish (pesca) and so I just started firing off ideas like in catch phrase.....Fishing!!! Fishers of men!!!! ha ha etc etc and so she drew a picture of a fisher man catching a fish....she drew a box around the fish and continued to say the word and point at it.....TRAPPED FISH!!!! ha ha ha ha ha oh golly, no...the word "pesquisador' means investigator. Get it? oh it was hilarious!!!! I love it!!! Anyways I am really disapointed in all of you, of ALL people the ONLY person who emailed me their address was RHOAN!!! oh my GOODNESS!!!!! I NEED ADDRESSES!!!! my email is: meredith.ottley@myldsmail.net you can also use dearelder.com my box # is 255 and my departure date is 03-29.

anyways I LOVE you all!!!

Sister Ottley

MY ADDRESS!!!!!

If you feel the need (and you do feel the need) to write me, I go into the Provo MTC on Wednesday January 26th. My address will be:

Sister Meredith Rae Ottley
MTC Mailbox # 255
BRA-SAL 0329
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Please email me your addresses; email and physical so I can put you on my lists.

I am not sure how long I will be in Provo but I'll do my best to keep you all updated!

meredith.ottley@myldsmail.net

Tee-Shirts, Flats, Linen skirts and Snow.....Great.

The entire wait from between receiving my call and going to The Sau Paulo MTC I've been worried about my VISA coming. It's been a big struggle getting VISAs into Brazil for a LONG LONG time. But there's not much I can do about it so I sit, and I wait. I'm visiting my sister Meghan in Michigan. She has two boys: Tyler (7) and Bret (3) and just gave birth on the 11th to Audrey. Right as I got Audrey to sleep I got a call from my dad who had just talked to the Missionary Travel Office.......

Awesome news!!! My VISA to Brazil has not been processed; therefore I'm going to Provo. As of right now I won't be permanently reassigned.....this is only a temporary fix until my VISA goes through. However, there are only 9 weeks of training soooo IF Brazil continues to be awful then they will send me to ANOTHER temporary location. I'm really really hoping that I don't end up going somewhere else but HEY "I'll go where you want me to go dear lord."

There IS however one issue with this......It has been consistently 75 to 85 degrees in my mission the last few weeks. And in Provo, it's been more like 20 so my wardrobe is not quite appropriate. My mom is taking me to the mall here in Michigan so I can hopefully get some boots and maybe like a wool skirt.

Anyways, if any of you lovely people have any connection with the Brazilian consulate, I'd LOVE some help getting into the country!!! But since I highly doubt that any of you Do know anyone with any pull maybe say a prayer that they will be more willing to let the work continue in the country.

I love you all!!!! Have a good day!!!

To say goodbye, You first have to say Hello

So, I have officially started my goodbyes. I really didn't realize how hard it was going to be. I have some seriously awesome friends. And you can say "it's not goodbye, it's see ya later" all you want it won't stop me from crying. This is goodbye in my book.


It's not a bad thing, just a scary thing. Nothing and no one is going to be the same when I get home. I am SOOO ready to be a missionary and to get out of here. I CANNOT wait to teach and preach and work as missionaries do.....but part of me doesn't want this phase of my life to end.


I'm not saying goodbye to my friends, but I am saying goodbye to this phase of my life. Change is a normal process of life. And as the tears fell from my face and soaked my best friends' t-shirts when I embraced them for what feels like the last time, I realized that each of them was in my life for a reason. I am a better person for knowing each and every one of them.


We all have more memories than I can remember ;) we have inside jokes, we have songs. But most of all we have each other. In the next 18 months we will all be completely different people and there is no denying the fact that some of the friendships will fade. However, I know that I love them all and I know that there is no changing that, ever.



I know that when I get back all of my friends will be in completely different places in their lives. There is nothing I can do about that fact. Going on a mission is quite possibly the most dramatic change and biggest thing I have ever done slash ever will do with my life. It is the best decision I've ever made, right next to the friendships I've developed with the awesome people in my life.


The truth of the matter is: if it weren't for the amazing people in my life influencing me for good, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I have more heroes and role models than I know what to do with. Not one person on this planet is more grateful for their friends than THIS girl :) I'm more blessed than I deserve.


I want all of my wonderful friends to know that I love them. I will never forget you. If you don't write me while I'm gone I WILL stab you when I return. Even if your beautiful face isn't pictured on this post you KNOW who you are and you KNOW how much you mean to me!!!


I'm not one to hide how I feel or tip-toe around anyone's feelings...sooooo... I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! I appreciate your love, your support, your jokes, your smiles, your tears, your laughs. I'd say "don't ever change" but I want you to! I want you all to grow, learn and progress! Don't ever stay the same and let the world change and pass by you!


Alright I just wanted you all to know that I love you and will miss you more than peanut butter and hot showers. So there. You better not forget me!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!