First Letter From the MTC

June 12, 2013

Dear Mom and family and friends,

I love you all so much. Today has been AMAZING! This is so cool.  I have not cried at all.  I am not sad! Just happy happy. I love it here!  The food is great. Oh before I forget, Mom, can you buy me some capris sweats a.s.a.p., and send me, my purse and my candy?  I don't want to spend any money here, ha-ha. I am in the MTC!  It's like main campus just normal.  I love it. 

Today was crazy but let me say I have never felt the spirit so much in one day.  I got my name tag!

Oh and my p-day is Thursday-this Thursday, only next so I only get one p-day at the MTC, so please have everyone write me!  I can't check emails until then.
 

My companion is Sister Hoag.  It's pronounced Hoyg.  She is great. I love her. She is from St. George.  She is 20.  There are four other sisters in the district.  Sister Dans, from Texas, super bubbly and cute she will go to St. George on her mission.  Sister Potter from Florida will also be serving in the St. George mission.  Sister McCain from Texas, going to Montana, she is very sweet.  Sister Taylor - 25 years old from Springville and going to Montana!  She is so fun and nice.  There are six Elders. Two of them are going to Montana and the other four are going to St. George.  One of them is from Utah and is going to St. George.
  

We sat in a huge group while "missionaries" taught an "investigator".  It was really neat.  We did it three times.  On the last time before we started, these Elders sat next to us.

The one next to me was Elder Buchanan. Guess what?  He heard I was going to Montana and he said his sister served there. Then I realized his sister is the girl whose blog I read. Mom!  How cool is that? When I was struggling with my call, I read her blog and then everything felt better. Remember, we were both in tears?  I totally met her brother!  He was way nice.

After the investigator started talking, he was saying how he was having a hard time forgiving himself for things.  So all his questions before I knew kind of how to answer them, but his question was, "I know Heavenly Father forgives me but I can't forgive myself.  It is hard. I don't know how."  He looked me square in the eye and I had to answer, in front of 100 missionaries.  I really tried to, but honestly I didn't know what to say.  I said something about prayer.  It was a good experience for me, hard, but good.  And everyone was feeling for me because they all had no idea what to say either. 

Today has been good.  Please send Mail!!!!  From everyone!!! I love

all of you and tell everyone I love them and honestly love this! It is amazing!
  

Love, Sister Andrea Draudt

Sorry this is short, but I will write more soon.
                

June 13, 2013 
  

I decided to write a little more this morning, its 6:15 and we have a couple of minutes before everyone is up.  I woke up like at least ten times, I just can't sleep here.  Hopefully it will get better.  Can you send me Alexa's address and my puppy dog sweater? 
 

Remember on Monday when I was with some friends, we were talking about how at the MTC soon there would be a like big huge announcement made?  I thought it would be about China and they thought maybe old missionaries could go out again. But when I said China, they thought that too.  Well I will be here when that announcement is made. It happens on June 23^rd.  I leave June 25^th.  How cool that I get to be here for this huge announcement with the
prophet and everything?! I get to be here when history is made!  I am ecstatic!  

I'm going to run.  I love you and please send letters. You don't have to send my purse, I will manage, I hope.  It's just that they don't allow bags and backpacks anywhere...lame.  It is freezing here though - could you send a small blanket?

Love,  

Sister Draudt