February 4th

Hey Family and Friends!!!!!

Thank you alll soooooo much for your letters and emails!!!! I LOVE getting mail!!!! sorry I don't have time to email all of you back but I love you!!!!!

The MTC is awesome!!!! it's like a Spiritual explosion everyday!!! I love it!!! I have an awesome district, we are always laughing. I'm pretty sure our teachers think we're nuts but really by the time 7 PM rolls around we are all sooo exhausted that we just get a little crazy. The food is awful, I don't care that I can have cereal everyday, ew. It's really sad when I can choose from like 5 or 6 different meals and I choose salad everytime. One of my companions, Sister Davis told me a horror story of a friend that gained 40 pounds in the MTC!!! 40 POUNDS!!!!! no way!!! everytime we wake up early to go to early morning optional gym I think to myself, well i say it out loud too, "40 pounds, oh no, 40 pounds" so don't worry I'm not gonna gain a bunch of weight until I get to Brasil ;)

Beside disgusting food, we get to take what I like to call ice-showers. If any of you have ever lived with me you know that I LOVE my long hot showers!!!! And now, that is all over. Not only am I limited for time but as soon as I step in I want to get out because the water is FREEZING!!! you think I'm exagerating but no, this water is like ice cold. not even room temperature or luke warm. It's arctic. Today we went to the temple, it was amazing!!! i LOVE the temple!!! We were sitting there and my other companion, sister Turner's stomach was growling the whole time (seriously the food is nasty, we don't eat....ever) and so all 3 of us were trying SOOOO hard to feel the spirit and be reverent but it wasn't happening. Espescially when we had to rent clothes and they were all sorts of different from the ones at home ha ha ha ha ha ha oh well I want everyone to make an effort to make it to the temple in the next couple weeks!!! NO JOKE!!! You NEED to be there!!!! it's soooo amazing!!!

Anyways On wednesday I got a HUGE slice of humble pie. I didn't order it, i mean really, I wanted cake. ha ha but my class went to the TEC slash TRC or whatever it's called (we can't ever remember) but anyways we got to contact and teach some pretend investigators. It was soooo fun we did a really good job.......and then.....it happened. Our teacher started what is called a "progressive investigator" where he acts like someone else and we get to teach him all the lessons. Ours was scheduled for right after the TEC, we went in really confident and ready to teach him, so we thought. Sister Turner and I froze. Everything I ever knew about the church flew away...it just dissapeared. It was awful Sister Davis talked like the whole time. And when I FINALLY decided to stop being a big tard and open my mouth I reverted to primary sayings, "keep the comandments: blah blah blah. It was terrible. LEARNING EXPERINCE!!!!! ha ha so we have our next lesson scheduled andplanned out and i WILL redeem myslef. don't you worry.

Tuesday was my first MTC devotional!!! it. was. amazing!!! Elder Duncan spoke (don't ask me who he is because it's burried in my notes and I don't have time to find it) ha ha anyways, it was this amazing talk about God knows each and everyone of us. I felt sooo uplifted it was awesome!!! I can't wait til next week. ummm but at the same time it was horrible!!!! ha ha ha ha ha I was singing in the choir and as The song began the camera zoomed RIGHT UP ON MY FACE!!!! and if you've been to the MTC you know that the screens are HUGE!!! No one's face should EVER be that big, NO ONE!!!!! it was awful I'm STILL running into people who are like OH i recognise you from the choir!!! great...... ha ha anyways.....

I love you all and just a quick spiritual message because I only have a few minutes left: There are no coincidences only small miracles and messages from God. Please talk to that person you see in the line at the bank or grocery store. Give that nice little old lady a hand, you NEVER know when a simple smile can change someones life.

P.S. I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE pictures from everyone!!!!! I can't figure out how to upload pictures on this computer but as soon as I do I'll send some out!!!!

LOVE,

SISTER OTTLEY!!!! (yea it's still weird to say that, Meredith rolls off the tongue much smoother...Mur-edith)

LOVE YA!!!

Mom: I love you! I miss you, sorry I left my coat out :) I just didn't want you to forget me. Tell Brandon he will have to fix my sub if he buys the focus :) Hope your life gets less hectic good luck on the play!!! I have not met that elder you talked about and I have no clue who sister norris is.....sorry

Matt: happy Birthday I LOVE YOU!!!!

Dad: Sorry your cow died......I love ya!!!!! Write me soon!!! you don't HAVE to email me on thursday nights you can send one whenever you want :)