Out of the MTC and into Beautiful DC

Yay for Mondays! I started emailing with Hannah around 10:30am. I can't imagine the patience it must have taken to be a mom of a missionary before email. I can chat back and forth with her (via email) and get instant answers to questions that I need/want to know right away. Waiting two weeks (one to send a letter and one to wait for a return) would be painful! I guess it's all what you get used to. Anyway, her email is long, which strangely she apologized for, and I'd love it if it were twice that long. Here it is (I have decided to leave all of her funny texting language in these letters because it's totally her, but hopefully the older crowd can follow along):

6/20/16

So much to say on this amazing day!  It feels like it's been forever since I've recapped my adventures. 

Let's start back at the MTC and chronologically work my way to where I am now - the beautiful Washington DC Visitors' Center.

This email will be kinda long so bear with me.

Last Friday, June 10 is where we lay our scene...

I woke up sick :(  Sore throat.  It certainly made my last few days at the MTC less than enjoyable.  On Saturday, however, I was feeling sick to the point that I was able to miss class in the morning #BlessingInDisguise ;)

But Saturday evening was super cool!  (Totally "forgot" to tell anyone last Friday).  We (as 40 VC sisters) went up to Temple Square to get some "in-field" experience with working in a VC.  We took a shuttle to the FrontRunner station and then FrontRunner to Trax.  We passed my house 2x that day :/  so that was kinda tough.  Good to know it's still there though ;)

Waiting for the train at Temple Square

Passing by home :(

My last day at the MTC was Monday.  On Mondays they get someone to cater for dinner so my last meal was Taco Bell and I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that.... :I    But I redeemed it by eating a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles for dessert :)

BEWARE THE FOOD AT THE MTC!  It's really really good.  Like so good that I gained 12 lbs there in 28 days................

You have been warned.

That night, after packing and needing to be at the Travel Office at 4:50 AM, I got about 3 hours of sleep :T

There were 15 of us in our travel group (14 going to DC, 1 just coming to the airport with us).  We flew on a non-stop Delta flight so it was nice to not have to worry about a lay-over.  However, I did have a scare when my carry-on got stopped for a few minutes at security :|

Apparently books that are packed tightly can set it off because they can't see clearly or something?  IDK, they opened it and did a sweep but they sent me on my way after that.

At the airport

I loved being able to call my family and Tanner from the airport.  Made my day and it'll give me a good boost for a long while :)

On the plane, I had an aisle seat and the two on my right were missionaries, but across the aisle, there was a group of 8th graders and a few chaperones from Nevada going to DC for an end-of-year trip (who does that?).  So I got to talk with one of the parents there for a while and she was super nice :)  I wasn't really sure how to go about talking about the gospel, but towards the end, I did read a scripture to her and gave her a pass-along card with the offer for a free Book of Mormon.  I guess it's good to get the bad one out of the way, right?

When we arrived in DC, we were met by my mission president and wife at the gate, as well as the assistants to the president (One of them is actually Gianna's cousin).  The President is so good :)  I'm really sad because they're actually ending their mission at the end of this month :(

But they're staying in the area--the ward I'm actually serving in--so I get to see them for a little while longer than anyone else ;)

It's a completely different world of driving out here.  Traffic combined with crazies = it took us over an hour to travel 12 miles....  Add in 3 hours of sleep, being mildly sick, and traveling all day and then staying up until 11:30, I wanted to die.  I don't think I've ever been that exhausted.

We stopped by the Temple and the VC and that temple is HUGE.  I kid you not, it looks large in pictures but it is absolutely gigantic.  You have to see it in person.

That night, we had dinner at the Mission Home and 4 of the sisters stayed down the street at the First Counselor to the President's house: the Lorenzanas. 

The next morning, we had breakfast at the Mission Home, and then headed to the Stake Center (right next to the VC and temple) where we were assigned our trainers :D

Initially I got paired with Sister McArthur, but because she's from Haiti, she can't drive and I do NOT feel comfortable driving in this crazy city just yet :|

So a few things had to be switched around and I got Sister Williams as my trainer instead :)

She's been out 16 months, and if all goes well, I'll be her last companion before she returns to Rexburg, Idaho.

The area we're in is called Kentlands and we're white washing (White Washing: Neither companion has been in the area and therefore we know nothing).  Because of this, we actually went tracting (knocking doors) on Friday and Saturday.  No miracles there, but we did talk to a few nice people for a minute or two.

Her apartment

 Friday night I saw fireflies for the first time :D  They're really cool.  #ItsTheLittleThings

Working in the VC has been fun :)  I've given 3 tours now to three completely different types of people.  It's so cool to see how the Spirit can work differently depending on the person.

Worst news, however, is that I won't get my ipad for about 5 weeks because it encourages the companionships to learn how to work together better.  -.-   So yay.

I have a lot of pictures to send so I'll do that quickly.

Have a great day!  I know this email was kinda beefy but a lot has happened and I'm so glad to be here in DC :)

Love you all lots and lots

~Sister Galli