The looooonnng awaited FIRST letter!

Bahhhhh!!! Family I love you! I can't believe I am a missionary right this very second. Ok so this email thing, phew, it is exciting but a bit stressful because we only have a half hour and wooo I love this new life of mine.

So the run down:

Wednesday: very deer in the headlights-ish. Especially when I had to give the closing prayer in front of all the new missionaries. I was pretty nervous about that one but at least I had some cute earrings (thanks aunt chris). Oh mind you there were 500 new missionaries. I took a picture with me and my comp (THE Sister De Vicotria, more commonly known as Sister victoria secrets) and our dork dots on the first day so I will be sending that with other pics of the first few days. I met my district that Tuesday and we were all pretty awk. There are 8 of us and we are all going to the same mission which is not the norm and pretty awesome if you ask me.

Ok I am going to explain my district real quick. They/we have too much fun. Seriously it is sometimes a problem because learning chinese and laughing at everything doesn't really go hand in hand. One of the elders, elder ostvig was roommates with jeff bronson. courtney's older brother so that is about the only slightly "cool" connection I had with any of them. But seriously so fun. Constantly laughing. Sister VS and I are going to try our hardest to get things a little bit more under control but it is nice to feel like this can be fun, ya know. Because, whoa, that Chinese.... super depressing. rather it would be depressing if I didn't know that the Lord know I can handle the language or he knows that I will be really good at smiling at people as they speak Chinese to them and I don't understand a word. (but to be honest- I have already learned how to bear my testimony AND pray in chinese, it is mostly chinglish at this point but I know it will come in time and with some serious work on my part.)

Back to the sched: Wed was my first meal in the cafeteria and I think they made it the best meal so we didn't run in the other direction on the first day. Since then the food is pretty- cafeteria-ish. Not disgusting but very processed and deepfried and yikes. Taiwan will be a nice change- so I suppose the food is where I head down and power through. Although on Wed and Sun they serve ice cream and instead of having ice cream I get a banana and a bowl of the hot fudge sauce and do my own little fondue, if you will. Absolutely delish. Oh and the chocolate milk on tap, I'm not complaining. Wed night we had a live teaching sesh- which is basically where you are in a group of 30 or so missionaries and there is a actor in front who acts like an investigator and it is like a group teaching situation.

Thurs: still deer in the headlights, worse than wed but made it through the day because I saw a few key people that I LOVE. Thurs I ran into Courtney, Calvin, Taylor Price (you can tell the Price's I said hi from them) and a guy that I was friends with freshman year who is teaching and who saw Ashley often. I played 4-square during gym and dominated the king position for a bit. Two different classses each 3 hours long where we learn chinese and some spiritual goodness. That night we met our branch presidency who are so great. The branch president is the only one who speaks chinese. And our whole zone is chinese speaking so it makes for a amazing sunday, but I will get to that.

Fri: First shower in the MTC so I finally felt like I was living here for real. I am having a hard time with Chinese in general but and even harder time with the tones so Friday I spent a lot of time practicing tones with my comp (who had one semester of chinese at byu and she is SO patient with me). I swear tones would be easier if my dear mom would have given me singing lessons (joke joke, major joke). But really it is like you are singing what you say and the tones are hard to hit because they are high and low plus you are putting sounds together that are so unfamiliar. But I did get through the first paragraph of the intro to the BOM in pinyin (look it up, its romanized chinese characters). Oh! This is for all you p90X fans out there: one of the other sisters in my apt who is in my zone and going to Taipei knows the Ab Ripper X program so we are doing that during gym time. It's a problem because my abs are sore but I laugh all day so it hurts to laugh. Bu hao (not good). I ran into Ben Miles also. Oh and this was the first day of mail so thanks to my faithful mother for masteriing dear elder on behalf of all you who haven't yet. Here is where I am going to stress that if you write me you dear elder me. SEriously! I don't have enough time to email and read emails so dear elder me. This will change when I get to Taiwan and have more time to email. I got a secret letter delivery from Ash (she left it with someone who gaave it to me) which was SO great.

Sat: Finally felt almost 100% adjusted to this new life. Although I have to admit during the first few days I was giving myself more personal pep talks then I thought I would need. But that was ok because it just helped me remember and reaffirm to myself how awesome this work is and how I am here for a reason and there are people in Taiwan who only this girl, Bekah DeMordaunt or Sister DeMordaunt or Meng(fourth tone) Jeimei (mychinese name) can teach. Sat,. was weird because I could hear the BYU football game and thought of dad sitting so close. It was kind of awesome but kind of pep-talk-ish time. Oh we get to work out everyday and that really helps to break up the days. If I didn't mention that already. Also, it feels like we just eat,eat, and eat some more. It is weird.

Sunday was the best day ever (so far): It was my little birthday which made it awesome to begin with but then it waws fast sunday so it was just jam packed with the spirit. Mission conf (where all the elders and sisters are in one giant meeting) was cool. Basically all the members of the MTC presidency spoke. plus we are all singing and 2,700 missionaries in one room- well I felt like I should be paying big bucks to be there. It was the best. Then we had fast and testimony meeting as a zone (45 in my zone, all chinese speaking). And most testimonies were in chinese which was neat because you can really feel spirit of what they are saying without understanding them. Also I could understand more words than I would have expected. I ran into Kristin Shelley in the cafeteria (my dinner time is at 5:20 MELISSAAAA!!! and we went to the temple just a bit before then). That was so good to see her. Ah I got all teary eyed abd she got all teary eyed, loved it.

Ok real quick I need a few things: the body shop green vial, cotton balls, eye make up removes and an eye lash curler because someone (mom, mere or live) jacked it while we were all getting ready wed morning. I am sending a hand written letter today to the fam with pictures. I love my companion so much, did I mention that already? Mere write me about your calling lady! Ben - be good boy, tuffy. Sarah lacey gabrielson, job?? And if you want to send food we have all the candy and junk food available to us so homemade anothing would be delish. I love you all!!! I so love the MTC but it gets me almost too pumped to get into the mission field. Oh and most p-days I will be chiecking email after 1 pm because we go to the temple monday morning. I love you all one more time!!! I miss you though too, don't worry it isn't too fun that I am forgetting all the people I love. Ok 30 seconds- phew. love sister d!!