I am a real Tennesseean!

March 31, 2008

Dear family and friends--
So I really am a missionary--crazy! And I really am in the south, that's been a very unique experience. I don't know where to start...
So we arrived here monday afternoon about, and we got all our luggage, EXCEPT our carry-ons, which were supposed to have the things that we REALLY needed that night, in case our luggage got lost. Ironic, I know. What happened we that they had us put our carry-ons outside the plane, as we boarded, with the strollers, etc., and then those things never got loaded onto the plane. They flew our stuff out that evening and delivered them that night after we were all in bed, so it worked out, it was just ironic.
That night we stayed at the mission home with Pres. and Sis. Lords and their 12-yr-old daughter. The new missionaries that I traveled here with included 6 elders and I was the only sister. So I got to sleep upstairs in this nice big bed with a bathroom to myself, while all the elders slept in the basement (they had good beds too, apparently). They were all really nice and respectful to me on the journey here, it was great. But because I didn't have a companion, I always had to stay with some elders, but it was actually a lot of fun! They were all fun guys, I mean Elders.. (in the MTC we were taught not to call the elders guys, but elders).
The next morning we were up and then ate at about 7, and then headed to the church for orientation. Then it was transfer meeting where all the rest of the zone came (tons of missionaries in not a very big RS room) and we announced our assigned trainers by reading their name aloud to everyone, afterwhich the trainer would jump up and hug/pummle the new missionary with "love." My trainer/companion is Sis. Arnell. She is from Idaho Falls, and also sort of claims Deleware. We are alike in a lot of ways, and different in a lot of ways too, but things are going well between us. She's a great missionary. She has a great testimony and great enthusiasm for sharing the gospel, with no fear. I am trying to be more like her in that way.
We cover the Carnton area here in Franklin, Tennessee, which is just one ward (that we cover), so that's nice. Plenty of work to do though. There are lots of less actives we are slowly trying to visit and befriend, and get the spirit back into their lives. Tracting is cool, it can be really funny, to me at least. Most people are uninterested in learning more about the church because everyone and their dog already "has a church." Little do they know they've been fooled with the wrong one... My favorite line from people when they realize that we are trying to share our church with them is "Oh, I'm baptist" and they say it like it is the only true way to go, like we're supposed to respond with something like, "Oohh, then nevermind, you're saved, we'll just move on to your neighbor in the next town who might not be." It makes me laugh. And then when we say, well do you know anyone who might me interested in learning more about our church or hearing our message, a lot of times they will point to each house around them and say, "Well, they go to church, they go to church, they've got a church...I don't." I just find it all funny. If you've got a church, you're set for life here. They been saved!
So the first 3 days here were rough, not gonna lie. But since last thursday it's gotten so much better, and I really am liking it here. It's beautiful for one, everyone is really so friendly for the most part (even when they are not interested), and I love the accent of the south. Hopefully I pick it up eventually... But pretty much everyone believes in Jesus Christ and will readily talk about Him with you, so that's nice. Welcome to the south! :)
Which reminds me, thanks Camille for your warm welcome to the south in your cute letter. I loved it! I can't believe how much Christian is growing and learning! And bytheway, I did talk to my mission pres. about you guys being here in nashville, and he says it's really not allowed, for us to be visited by family on purpose, basically. Mom told me about you guys coming up here when I talked to her on the phone at the airport. But I hope you like nashville!
Oh! Speaking of which--you won't believe this, all my hopes and dreams of meeting stars are starting to seem possible! So there's a member in our ward that used to really be into music, she's not famous I don't think, but she has a few CDs I know, but we were at her house the other night and she was telling me about where a bunch of the stars live after I told her I loved country music and was so excited to be here. And she was like well who do you like? And naturally I first said Carrie Underwood, and she said that she lives in an area down the street from the church we go to(which is next door to the temple, that's awesome)!!! Can you believe it?!?!? I almost died when I heard that. The bummer is that she's not in our area. But I may end up in her area someday...Oh man, I would die if I met her. But not before bearing my testimony of course!!
Our ward is really great. Yesterday was my first day in church and everyone was very welcoming and made me feel right at home. It was great. We get fed by members almost every night for dinner, which is really nice! For lunch we just go home and eat (and even can take a nap..heaven!)
Oh, Steve and Rosanna, we ate at a member family's home last night, and the guy was in the marines and was in CA for a while, and I thought I'd just throw out Mike's name, and out of the multiple thousand marines, this guy knew him! Small world. His last name is Hart (he has red hair), we can't remember his first name. But yeah, he knew him. I wasn't even going to tell Bro. Hart Mike's name after he told me how many marines there are, but then I thought I'd just throw it out there, and lo and behold, he knows him. I thought it was funny.
A few things:
Dad, I don't think i wrote down that quote you wanted when you guys were at the MTC with me. I didn't find anything like that. Do you remember me writing it down? Or were you just hoping?
Tina!! Hey, how are you?! How is nursing school? Are you crazy busy? Hey, do you think you could get Anna's email address and real address for me and email them to me? I would love that! I need to write her...Thank you! I hope you are doing well! Oh, and tell me about that boy...
Hil--could you email me Brynn's email and address? That would be great as well. How are you doing? How is school and your roommates? Do you know where you are going to live next year? What are you doing this summer?
Aim--How are YOU? How are things (you know)? Let me know!! I miss you!
Brittani--hey hey! How are you? I hope you are great--can you get me Jared's email, or just forward these to him? And tell him that I did in fact break his record of eating 54 bananas in the MTC--I successfully consumed 55 bananas in 2 1/2 weeks, including eating 5 a day on the last 2 days I was there.:D Jared, thanks for your most recent love letter! I practically blushed. But guess what?! You CAN keep emailing me!!! (Now I expect them to continue...;) I hope your back is ok, how is it? Are you still healing?
Well, I just want you all to know that I love the gospel. I learn something new about it every day, it's amazing. Things keep clicking and making more sense. How could it not be true? Missionary work is hard, and a lot different than I ever expected. But to be teaching a complete stranger about it and see them understand why we need a prophet or to hear them believe in Joseph Smith and believe what we are saying, and most of all, even for me to just feel the spirit stronger than I ever have in my whole life, when I testify of something I know to be true, makes it all worth it. Heavenly Father really is so close to us and wants us to talk to Him. He loves us so much and Christ does too. That's why He performed the Atonement, and why He restored the gospel back to the earth. I'm so grateful for a living Prophet of God on the earth today, and to have 12 apostles, just like Christ did when He was here. The Church is true!
I Love and miss you all (really),
Love, Sister Gurr (the members here say, "it's really Gurr, like a bear?" "Yeah, really":) )
PS--i now have an hour to email (just fyi), yay!
PPS--Feel free to email me at this address, when I said don't reply last time cuz i was leaving the MTC, for some reason i thought we got new email accounts out in the field. We don't, it's this same one. So write away! :) But our p-day is monday, so that's when I will check it from now on. I still like real mail too though...actually i love it. :)
PPPS-Cheryl! I hope you had an awesome birthday on Saturday!!! I was thinking of you (along with every other day:) ). Oh, and from that card I sent you, just know that I'm okay. :) Love you!!
Tisay--I love you! I hope you are sill loving Romania! I miss you!