E-mail to family

I GOT TO GO OFF CAMPUS YESTERDAY FOR TWO WHOLE HOURS!!!! It was so exciting to see something other than the MTC, it did feel a little weird being in a vehicle for the first time in 6 weeks though!! Let me respond to your letters before I talk about my life. I am sending my black shoes home sometime soon, just sell them, and send me my black sketchers... that will be fine!! I got a one sentence e-mail from Lewis, but I can't respond. I'm excited about Leslie and Ashley, I already knew about Leslie before my mission though I just wasn't sure if it was public knowledge, but I guess it is now!! Ashley wrote me and I'm so excited for her... and mom I agree with you about Ben ;) I sent home a package of pics and a tape for you all to listen to, and a little surprise for mom :) oh and a letter for Ambrian! I find out next Friday when I get to leave this place... we like to call that Friday flight plan Friday!!! I can't wait!! But as far as I know it will prob be that Mon the 20th! But I have no idea!! Oh I just found out it takes 4 weeks to get letters to Argentina, so if you want you can start sending me letters there now!! I will send you an e-mail later with my address on it!! But still write me here at the MTC!! I loved almost talking to you too... I wouldn't have been able to talk to you even if I had wanted to break the rules because the people here don't let missionaries break rules!! OH MY GOSH THE NEWS ABOUT ADRIAN MADE ME SOOOOO HAPPY!! I seriously am so happy!! Please keep me updated on all the missionary work in the Ward, have the sisters had an baptisms lately? When I left they had a few lined up... I want to hear all about it, because I feel like I'm not doing anything here... all I do is sit around and think I'm learning Spanish until someone actually talks to me in Spanish!! I've been very busy here but it is good, being busy helps the time fly by faster... I can't wait because I only have 3 weeks left here!! I pray that the time will go by fast!! I'm not sure if I've talked much about my friend Hermana Strasser, if not you will get to know her real well on the tape I sent home. She was like my best friend here, in fact I know i would have hated the MTC without her here... well, she just left for the field yesterday, it was really hard to say goodbye to her!! But I will see her in 18 months, if not sooner (she is in Buenos Aires South)!! I really don't think I have much to say in this letter, sorry if this letter is lame, everything is good here, I love my new glasses they are so cute! I hope you enjoy my package of letters!! And please continue to keep me updated!! (I'm going to check my e-mail later today cause I think i will have time!!) Love ya lots!!

~Hermana Gosnell~

P.S. I know the church is true :)




Alright so I only have 4 min left to send off e-mails, and i totally forgot my address, so I will send it to you snail mail... sorry!! also I was hoping you could try your very very hardest to get the sisters' address, and also more importantly Adrian's address, I really want to write him and congratulate him on getting the priesthood... I'm so excited for him about that!! I'm just so happy today because of that news!! I'm sorry this weeks letter is so lame and devoid of spiritual experiences, maybe I will write a snail mail letter to go along with my address to make up for my lame-o letter this week!! I got a lot of fun letters from random people i didn't expect this week!! I got a letter from Ashley Day, Barb, and Becky I was so happy cause i was wanting to hear an update from Ashley and I got a letter from her that day, and then I wanted to hear from Barb so bad, and I got a letter from her that day... so I was really happy!! Please keep reminding people about dearelder.com and how much I love getting letters, and good news!! I absolutely love letter time!!! Thanks so much for everything you do, I love you and miss you, but don't worry I will get to talk to ya'll in 3 weeks... so be ready!!!

Love ya,

Hermana Gosnell

E-mail to Noelle

Hey Thanks so much for the letter, they mean so much to me!! Sounds like you had such a crazy week with living with mom and all! I can't believe Ray is starting to walk, I specifically remember telling her not to grow while I'm gone . . . I'm gonna have to have a talking to with her when I get home ;) I sent y'all a package for her birthday, I sent it last Sat so hopefully you will get it sometime soon!! I can't believe you have finished that children song book . . . I can't wait to see it!! You asked if I had the first vision memorized . . . please that is so like 4-5 weeks ago!! I have it down so good that I always do that part of the lesson . . . I love doing it, it is my favorite part!! I also just finished memorizing DyC 4 and I sorta have James 1:5 memorized, Moroni 10:4-5 is my goal for this week!! Spanish is still super hard, I have this recurring nightmare that I'm home from my mission and everyone is talking to me in Spanish and I can't understand what they are saying because I never learned the language... hopefully that doesn't happen!!
Well I don't have much else to say, except I love hearing updates about Rachel and life, so keep those coming . . . oh and feel free to send pics of her anytime :) I love showing off my babies!!

Love ya,
Hermana Gosnell

snail mail letter dated Sept. 16th

I'm going to start off this letter with a quote that I really like by President Hinckley "Many young women are serving missions. Many are preparing to serve. Not because they aren't married or have nothing to do, but because they have a desire to serve and are therefore called to the work. The reason so many are going is because in the next generation Heavenly Father will be sending his priesthood army to earth and wants to send them to mothers who have been properly trained and taught in the gospel. What better training can a young woman have than a mission."

Well I'm guessing you've recieved my letter about Pres. Uchtdorf! Isn't that just amazing! I can't believe I got to sing for a member of the first presidency!

So last Wednesday as I was standing in line I started talking to a couple of new sisters. They asked where I was from and when I said Kentucky, they were like What? You're from there? That's where we are going!! They are going Spanish speaking even! I got so excited, I gave them hugs! I had so much fun talking to them and telling them how it is going to be for them! I told them to say Hi to you all for me. Then I found out we got a new district in our zone that is an advanced district and one of the sisters is going to Ky as well! She is a cute little mexican sister. Her name is Hermana Cruz. She will be there in 2 weeks! I'm so excited for her. I told her she would love it!!

So I had an interview with one of my teachers and he started off the interview by saying, I've been getting really good feedback from my practice teaching! He said all my reviews are fantastic! I was really excited about that! Except that I have only taught in English so far, and I won't be teaching in English in the field! The last time I taught, we taught the same teacher just 2 days apart, the same lesson, and at the end of the second time she said even thought it had only been a couple of days since she'd seen us teach, we had greatly improved our teaching! That was so good to hear! Now it is so weird because when I teach in "real" settings, I do great, but whenever I try to teach my peers or in "fake" sttings I can't seem to do it very well. I get tongue tied! I guess its good to know I am good in pressure situations!

I have this new teacher, Hno. De Leon, I mentioned him before, it is hard for me to describe how I feel about him... He stresses me out to no end and pushes me to my breaking point nearly every day and calls me out and pushes me harder than anyone else in the class! It is so frustrating, I don't hate him, but I get so stressed whenever he teaches! I even sometimes enjoy his classes, up until he pushes me over the edge! The other day he walks in and says ok you all are going to go teach the advance district the Word of Wisdon in Spanish in 2 minutes! WHAT!!! I don't know enough Spanish to do that! My comp did most of the talking and then when I did they asked me questions which of course I couldn't answer. It made me frustrarted and I feel like I will never get this language down.

Okay, and one last sad story. I had the worst Sunday morning ever! So every week we are given a topic and we are supposed to write a 5 min. talk in Spanish and then after Sacrament meeting, they announce 2 people that are going to give their talk, now usually the people who speak are the ones leaving that week or the next...well can you see where I'm going with this? Yes, they decided to switch it up this week and call on me, the one person in the whole branch who can't speak Spanish! and I hadn't put too much effort into my talk. becuase I didn't expect to speak for another couple of weeks!! I was so mad! I think my Branch President could tell because he didn't come talk to me at all that whole day. He usually says hi!!

So that is my bad experiences here for the past week, but it is amazing because this place is an emotional roller coaster ride! Because all in one day you can feel every emotion! So that same day we had our district meeting and we did this really cool activity where everyone took turns sitting in a chair in the middle, then everyone in the district went around and said something they liked about us! Well everyone said they liked that I spoke my mind and was honest! I'm not sure if that is good or not!!! Anyway, after that we went around saying how we each felt about Joseph Smith and President Monson & Jesus Christ! It was so awesome the spirit was so strong.

So here are some fun little tidbits about the fun times of my life here at the MTC:

First something I've been meaning to write about since my first day. I'm not the most directionally challenged person ever! HaHa, my comp is so much worse! I know my way around after like being here for one hour! She still gets lost. Well she starts to go the wrong way and I'm like, um where are you going? HaHa Silly Canadians! Then me and the one person who keeps me sane here at the MTC(Hma Strasser) and I have started jump roping outside. It is so much fun and we have a goal to make it around the track by the time she leaves (in 2 weeks) Then after gym we have shower races. we don't have much time to get ready so we try to race. HaHa we usually tie, having my head towel has really helped! There was this girl in the bathroom this morning who looked over at me while I was brushing my teeth (I had seriously just rolled out of bed) and said to me Wow you have beautiful eyes! I would kill for your features! She must not have had her glasses on yet, but still a nice thing to hear.... so early in the morning!

One last fun story is, we keep our window open because we have 6 girls in a room that is as big as my room back home and one has incredibly stinky feet, like you wouldn't believe. I have used a whole bottle of febreeze in 1 week. Today I'm buying foot powder for everyone to use & hopefully that will take care of it! Anyway, so our window is open and my comp went to open the blinds and goes "Oh my gosh, look at the huge bug!" There was a huge leaf bug in our room! I told her to shew it outside, well she tried but I guess our little frind thought she wanted to play because it landed on her! She started screaming. I started laughing and finally the bug flew to the floor. So, she runs to the door and I just bent down, picked up the bug and threw it outside! Yes, I was that brave!! HaHa, oh good times!

I haven't gotten the pictures printed yet, but I'm hoping soon! So don't you worry!! So you mentioned something about 3 new babies? I can only think of Bethany and Amber, is someone else haveing a baby? And what is this about Robert thinking about an open adoption? That is so crazy! I pray so hard for everything to work out, as I know it will, but I can't wait for it to be over!! I can't believe that I missed the great wind storm of "08, that is so crazy, Keep me updated on that! And I will definitly be looking out for Elder Hatton, It's cool, I will have a cousin here!!

So we watched a talk Elder Holland gave at the MTC a while ago, called Miracle of a mission. I encourage everyone to go watch it, not read it, but watch it!! It is truly amazing & has inspired me to be the best I can be! Also I'm thinking about doing a special musical number for one of the meetings, b/c apparently they tape it and send it home to the family! So who knows, maybe I will, maybe I won't!! Well I'm going to end this incredibly long letter now, but I'd like to end it wiht my testimony of Jesus Christ!

I am so grateful for how much Christ loves me! But at this time in my life, what I'm so grateful for is that he never gave up on me! As everyone knows I'm a very stubborn person! Well for the past few years I've had little thoughts pop into my head about serving a mission, I always pushed them away b/c I thought it was something I didn't want to do! I'm so glad the Lord didn't give up on me, but he kept putting those little thought in my head until that one day when He put that BIG thought in my head, you know the one that helped me decide to come. I'm so grateful for that, but even more than that, I'm grateful thatHe loves me so much that He didn't just leave me alone after I finall y gave in! Because making the decision wasn't the hard part, as everyone knows, it was actually getting to my mission that was the hard part! I know I couldn't have done it without Him carrying me through! Another way that He has blessed me more that I deserve, is the wonderful family He has given me! I couldn't have made it to this point in my life wihtout anyone of you! And I hope you all know how much I truly love and cherish each and everyone of you! I know this church is true, I know there is no where else better I could be right now! Thank you so much for all of your love and support! And keep the letters coming! I can't even describe the joy they bring me!!

I love you all!!! Love Hma Gosnell

Sept 23, 2008

Ok Paul And Andrea get the best news of the week award, I'm still bouncing around telling everyone I see about Jonas, I just can't even believe it, I'm so happy!! Cool news about Rupp getting his work done, I'm pretty excited about that!! yay for lights finally being back on, that whole storm thing is freaking crazy!! (Ps sorry for this letter being crazy, I'm just writing responses to letters) I love that mom told Paul I would move in with him and go to Utah state, what baffles me though is he was ok with it according to mom... awesome I could probably get instate tuition!! I'm pretty excitedabout that!!

So i have some horrible news... the MTC choir is singing at General Conference, now you might be thinking silly Michelle why is that horrible news, oh yeah that's right because my name plate says hermana and not elder, I don't get to go!! So all the men in my family during conference look closely you will get to see 2 of the elders in my district who went to choir ONCE and get to go to conference... and think of me!!

Last week Elder Hinckley came and spoke at our devotional and it was amazing, he is just like his dad, I loved it!!

Ok so we taught in Spanish for the first time this last week, it was terrifying, and the first time we practiced it I was sharing a scripture in Alma 7:11-12 about how the Lord can help us through all things because he has felt all things, and the teacher stopped me and was like Hermana do you really believe in this scripture, I was like um yeah (thinking in my head duh of course that is why I used it) and he said then why don't you use it in your life, and stop worrying about your Spanish. He was like just speak it and stop worrying about it... wow that really made me think. But it is one thing to think hey I'm just going to let go of all my control and hand it over the Lord, it is really hard for me and I'm learning how little by little, but I still have a long way to go!! I
can't wait for the day when I can just hand my whole life over to him, I really wish I could let go now, but it is way hard!!

I wish I could have seen Rachel's b-day, and heard elder bednar talk... that would have been amazing!! I wish I had all these wonderful experiences to tell you about, this week has been kind of a chill week, its been good and bad and everything in between (you know just a typical week at the MTC). Next week is going to be a little bit sad, my best friend here at the MTC is leaving for the field on Monday morning, she is going to Buenos Aires South, I will miss her a lot, but don't worry we have big plans for after the mission!! Oh I went to the temple this morning, it was fantastic, and we ate breakfast there which may very well have been the best meal I have had in over a month!! I'm going to try to eat at the temple every p-day!! HAHA I can't wait to leave the MTC and their nasty food:) Don't worry, I do love my mission, and I love my experiences here... but I'm ready for bigger and better things :)

I love you all, and hey I have like 7 min left, with nothing to say, so if you write me in the next couple of hours I will get it cause I will check my e-mail again in the laundry room!!

Oh ps tell Lewis I can't write him, but that I am trying my hardest to eat healthy in this nasty food place ;)

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

~Hermana Gosnell

More from Sept. 9th

This is from a hand written letter from Michelle that was snail mailed to us:

Ok, Well today is P-day and I've already sent you 3 emails! I had an insight the other day about all the trials I went through to get here on my mission! It's written in my journal, so I will write it in here later!
So fast Sunday was crazy, I waited in line to get into the cafeteria for 30 minutes to get dinner, once in there I waited for another 15-20 min. to get food! I was so hungry!
I came up with a new marking system for my scriptures which makes me so happy. It takes a long time though, but I can't wait to finish it because it will be amazing!
I want you to know I love it here. I have some hard days, but just because I'm a missionary doesn't mean I'm not going to have the devil trying to tear me down! So I just try to ignore those hard days!
I mentioned in my letter that I've lost weight, it is weird because I feel like I'm gaining weight. I feel like I look it too, but 3 of my favorite skirts are way too big now! I don't know how they stay up. I'll be honest, I don't eat according to my diet, but apparently it's working if I've lost at least 10 lbs!!
Oh yeah! something fun I've forgotten to say is remember how I have like the worst sense of direction ever, well apparently not! My companion still, after 3 weeks, goes the wrong way & I'm like where are you going? I know my way around after about an hour here. It is a very small campus! I feel like I haven 't really talked much about my friends here, just that they are amazing! Well I get along with just about everyone . There are just a few people I'm not too crazy about! But I get along with them. I'm just really glad they aren't my companions!
My companion is a lot of fun! We get along really well as friends, but there is just something about the way we work together. It is really hard because she has to do it her way. Like whenever I would suggest something she would say no before she even had another idea! It's hard because I think she sees me as a stupid American, because I'm bad at Spanish & I'm not nearly as smart as her (she nearly got into med school) but after I mentioned it to her that we never used my ideas it has gotten better!
OH MY GOSH!!!!
I'm finishing this letter in the few moments before the devotional and guess who just walked into the room....
PRESIDENT UCHTDORF!!!
I'm singing tonight for a member of the first presidency! It doesn't get much better than this!!! I love the MTC. There is no better place! Yes it is hard sometimes & somedays I get discouraged because I can't speak Spanish, but I get to be spiritually fed by these wonderful people weekly!! Well the devotional just started, so I will finish this later!

Sister Uchtdorf is so cute, she has such a cute accent! She has the most fun sense of humor! She said we have a great first presideny, especially the second counselor, it was really funny. We all laughed! time flies, but I'm the pilot!
WOW! That was one of the GREATEST talks I've ever heard! I got to wave goodbye to him & his wife, it was amazing! I love this place! He said the 1st presidency prays for us and our families every day! Read D&C 128:22-23. Here are some good points from other talks:
-We'll build the church one child of God at a time
-All he needs is my best
Wow, I really don't know what to say. The spirit was so strong and especially here in the after devotional discuusion in my district. I'm not sure if I've ever felt the spirit stronger! I have an amazing district. Here are some more amazing points from the talk:
-Dont' ever underestimate my efforts to get here!
-give everything I have temporally & spiritually, Don't Hold Back!
-Humility is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of spiritual strength
-I don't have to love the rules, I just have to like them & follow them!
-for the next 18 months I'm the extended arm of the 12 apostles in declaring this Gospel to the world - Never under estimate my potential!
-D&C 90:11 - I'm fulfilling this prophecy!
-Smile & say Yes I can do this!
And that is just a few points!
Here is my thought on my trials:
The Lord invested so much energy in me trying to soften my heart to get me on a mission and then helping me through everything! But not only has the Lord helped me, but Satan has been working really hard on me too! Which I thought was normal, but most people I talk to haven't faced nearly as many challenges! So apparently I have great potential to be a great missionary, but its not going to come easily! So I need to work my hardest to show Heavenly Father that I'm worth all that effort!
I hope that makes sense & I hope I'm not writing too much! I'm going to make a tape, I'm not sure when I'll send it home though, so just be waiting for it!!
I Love You So Much!
Hermana Gosnell

September 9, 2008

Hey everyone, I'm so excited it is Tuesday because i love writing home, even though it is very stressful to get it down in the time limit!! But this week I kept a list of what I wanted to write home about so hopefully I won't forget anything!!

Well last Tuesday the devotional wasn't Elder Bednar, but just as good we had Elder Cook come speak, he was fantastic. I got to sing in the choir for him, and afterward I was walking in on the sidewalk where he was driving by so I waved at him and he rolled down his window and said that we all look great! Isn't that so awesome, an apostle of the Lord said I looked great!
Well i got a new teacher this week, he is really good, he actually served his mission with Cory Geottche. His name is Brother De Leon he is from Guatemala and doesn't let any of us speak English in his class... needless to say I stay really quiet during his classes!! He is great though and i think my Spanish will really improve with him as my teacher!
My companion and I are really starting to work in unity, it is great. We both plan very differently because I like to just go by the spirit and she likes to have an outline memorized with what to say. We are finally starting to get a compromise going!! My least favorite part of the week is on Thursday's, we go to the RC which is where we are telemarketers for the church. I really don't like it, and it may be the death of me... but hopefully I will get over it!!
I'm really excited because my companion and I read the book of Mormon in Spanish everyday and I'm starting to understand most of what we are reading (it helps that I know first Nephi really well!!!)

So just a cool little quote I heard and would like to share with everyone is this: People don't understand God because they refuse to think like him" I really liked that!

Ok so some really really good news, remember how I thought I was gaining weight, well apparently that is all in my head... because I have lost at least 10lbs so far, and my skirts are starting to not really fit... I'm afraid I might need to get some more!! Gym time is my favorite time of the day, I played volleyball last week and it was so fun, except classic me I got slammed in the face by the ball... it was really funny though!!

So the other day the advanced district that came in with us left, but before they did some of their elders wanted to practice teaching, so my compainion and i let them teach us, it was all in Spanish and they taught to our needs as sisters (so we didn't pretend to be investigators) it was awesome they taught us all about how we were chosen to serve in our missions and the Lord knows us and will qualify us. It was exactly what I needed to hear, those elders will be fantastic missionaries!!

So I've been thinking about Jonas a lot!! (don't worry I love all my nieces and nephews the same) But Jonas has really been on my mind, I've had a lot of really good confirmations of what we are doing is right, and it will all work out for the best. I can't adequately describe to you what I feel, just know that I do know it is good! And I can't wait to see him again when I get home!
Sunday night we watched the Joseph Smith movie and it was fantastic, really I love being a missionary sitting in a room full of other missionaries watching a movie about Joseph Smith!! This church is so true, and I can't believe I ever doubted wanting to serve a mission! I strongly encourage all who are thinking about it to do it! There is nothing greater!!

Ok so that is basically it, I up this is a good letter! I love you all, and have enjoyed getting letters from all of you! I even got a letter from Grandma! There are birthday cards in the mail, so don't worry I didn't forget anyone! Please keep up the letters, they really do brighten my day!!

Love ,

Hermana Gosnell

Most stressful time of the week!

Hola mis amores!!

Well as the subject states, I think e-mail is the most stressful time of the week! I have so much I want to say, but only 30 min to say it all!!! So I might actually send a snail mail letter just incase I forget stuff!! Also mom I wrote the sister missionaries a letter, that I'm sending to the house, if you could just give it to them on sunday that would be great, also if you could get their address, and adrian's address that would be great!! Also anyone else that would like me to write them, I need your addresses (the best way to get it to me is to write me a letter!!)

Letters have been good this week, Brian has earned the award for best letter I've ever recieved... it seriously made me cry when I read it! He was def inspired to write me the things he did! Everyone I recieve a letter from will get one back from me, but it will take a little longer since this will prob be the only e-mail I will send out! Trish I also enjoyed your letter, and I hope you have gotten your birthday card I sent you!!

Sounds like a lot of exciting things have been happening, crestwood got another stoplight, and LaGrange finally became a ward!! Also I hear Ben Phenix became the new YSA rep, along with Elaine French... I'm so excited she is the new rep because I think she is the best person for that job! Her and Ben work well together as well!! Also I heard a rumor from Bro neal that ashley and ben are looking at wedding dates!! Crazy! I love getting e-mails from everyone, I got one from my friend pablo, and wish I could e-mail him back... but I"m only allowed to e-mail family!

Lets see, I don't know if I've ever mentioned but the MTC is HARD!! This past week has been especially hard, I swear I knew spanish before I entered the MTC but now I feel like I know nothing! One of the speakers last week said there are 4 stages in life: Honeymoon, hostile, grin and bear it, and successful readjustment phase! Well last week I was def in the Hostile phase, but don't worry I"m pretty sure I"m in the grin and bear it phase! Its just that spanish is so hard for me to learn right now!! Especially because my comp pretty much knows it (in my opinion she should be in advanced) She already knows french and english so spanish is coming so easily for her!! I feel like i hold her back all the time! Some of you may roll your eyes at this, but I really feel like I should have done more before I left to prepare for a mission... I feel like I just wasted a lot of time!!

We had a lesson the other day in class about the story in Judges 7:2-8 I don't have time to recant it, but basically he had to widdle his army down to 300, and we talked about how we need to strive to be one of the 300 instead of the one the missionaries just watching the miracles happening to others, and I decided that I need to work harder and be better, because I want to be one of the 300 performing miracles!! Also a scripture that they keep throwing out there is D&C 11:21 it is amazing, and I'm trying so hard to follow it!! So the rumour going around the MTC is the devotional tonight is going to be Elder Bednar, I really hope it is!! Everyone is worried about getting seats, but I don't have to worry because yes I joined choir, so I have a gaurenteed seat!! So if the MTC choir sings at conferance look for me (but i have no idea if we are)

Wow I feel like i have so much more I need and want to say, but my mind always just draws a blank at e-mail time! mom i have sent you a letter that should get there soon with a list of things I need sent to me... oh and by the way it is freaking cold here!! I sorta wish I had packed just a couple of my long sleeved shirts... maybe you could send a couple of those too!! I don't know if Brandi has sent my stuff, I told her to send it right away, I also don't know how to get a hold of her... so I will try to look for her at breakfast tomorrow to talk to her (she works in the cafeteria at the MTC) which speaking of the food here... let me just say it is terrible!! HAHA, sorry to all of those who enjoyed the food, but I haven't liked very much of what I've eaten!! I usually get a wrap for lunch and dinner and just eat fruit for breakfast... it gets boring, when you think about how I will be eating that everyday for the next 8 weeks!!

Oh yeah my Bishop isn't the one helping out Paul and Andrea, he has never done any adoption work! But he is amazing, and so is our whole bishopric!!

My district is still amazing, I may send pics home soon! We got a new sister, so now there are 4 elders and 4 sisters, and so I'm no longer in a threesome, and the new sister is interesting... lets just say the Lord def don't put us as companions for a reason! She has cried herself to sleep everynight, because she doesn't feel included which is really sad and we do everything we can to make her feel included, but whenever we are all together she begs her comp to leave because she doesn't want to be around us!! The worst part though is we have quiet time at 10:15 and then lights out at 10:30 and we are supposed to be in the room from 10:15 on, well after prayer she always gets up to leave and then keeps coming in and out all night and she sleeps right above me so I can't fall asleep until she is in bed, so I haven't been getting much sleep (I think that contributed to the hostile phase last week) The bishopric found out and have talked to her about it, and it has gotten a bit better... but not much, the coordinating sister is one of our roommates and she will have to lay down the law soon if it doesn't stop though, she is hoping she won't have to thought because she is really sweet and hates having to tell people off!!

Well i have 5 min left, what else to tell you about? I'm afraid this letter may sound negative... I hope it doesn't, I'm actually having a great time... my comp and I read out loud from el Libro de mormon, and we take it verse by verse and she helps me figure out what I'm reading... and yesterday I read a few verses and was able to translate them into english without help... it was amazing! So perhaps I am learning, slowy but surely! Also I did a door aproach in spanish the other day with one of our teachers, and apparerntly I spoke a lot, but I don't remember it at all!! Hermana Johnson was like what are you talking about you can't speak spanish, but I seriously don't remember saying anything!! Weird huh?? Well I have to go because the e-mail thing is blinking at me!!!

But please please keep writting me letters, I can only check e-mail once a week but i can get letters everyday!!! I love you all and miss you all so much!! Also could someone send me pics of the fam? i don't have any to show off and my district wants to see you all!! But send acutally pics because I can't look at them on the comp! Oh and my elders don't think I'm from the south, but don't worry I set them straight immediatly!!

Ok love you and hope to hear from you all soon!!

Hermana Gosnell

P.S. it is weird to hear my first name already... crazy huh???

Letter to me from Michelle.

There is nothing that personal in here, so I thought I would share this letter that I received today from Michelle.

Dear Noelle,

Well things are good here! I am very intimidated by my Spanish class. I'm definitely the worst one it it, but hey, at least when I speak in Spanish it is in Castillano! I'm getting my companion to do it as well (She is going to Salta Argentina). One of my teachers is from Chile and yesterday he imitated the accents of where we all are going. It was fun, except when he did Buenos Aires it was way fast! Then he did a general Argentine accent and it sounded like you when you speak! Also the other day in a large group meeting a girl from Argentina gave the closing prayer and I didn't understand anything except "amen"! The two elders in my district that are going to Argentina and I were like, "oh gosh, what are we getting ourselves into?"

Well I'm going to e-mail home later today, but I thought I'd send you a letter since I've gotten a couple from you! Everyone in my district is jealous of me because I've gotten letters everyday except Saturday and Sunday! But they've either been from you are Katie! But I love it! Keep sending me letters! Also how did you know so soon what my mailbox # and departure date was?

Anyway, life is good! And hope you are doing great!

Love,
Hermana Gosnell

P.S. I need a really cute pic of Rachel!

So this should make you happy, I'm in the choir here! I did it so I could get a guaranteed spot in the General Authority Devotionals.

P.S. Tengo ánimo!