Hey!!

I have made it to Spokane, Washington :) The first day was crazy. We had to get up at 2:30 in the morning so we could make it on a bus that drove us to the Front runner and then up to the airport. There was 28 missionaries total flying to Spokane. It was so fun to be walking around the airport with my badge and watch all the people giving me funny looks. You just smile and say hi haha it was great. I sat by an Elder that I didn't know, he stayed at the West Campus (Raintree Apartments). His name was Elder Sainsbury and he reminded me a ton of my friend Mckay Madsen.. he was making me laugh so hard. We were both really excited to get to Spokane and see what it was like, we had heard so many great things about it. When we got to the airport we met our mission president and his wife and then they took us "fear busting" where we talked to people on the streets and invited them to be baptized! I was freaking out at first but it was actually a huge ice breaker and made me excited for what's ahead. During fear busting we knocked on a door and this little man from Vietnam answered and talked to us forever in very very broken English and he smelled like rotten fish. We had no idea what he was saying and he had no idea what we were saying but we said a prayer towards the end and the Spirit was so incredibly strong! After fear busting we had thee longest day I have ever had in my life. It was full of meetings and training and I wanted to cry because I was so tired and feeling super weird and out of my element and just kept thinking how badly I wanted to go to Park City with all of you guys for some reason hahah but that night I felt tons better when my companion Sister Johnson and I slept at a members house. They were so funny and cool and the beds were SUPER COMFY. After sleeping at the MTC, it felt like heaven. The next day I met my trainer, Sister Paige Tisdale, from Colorado. I am loving her already she is really cute and we have quite a few things in common. Our area is Sandpoint, Idaho. Oh my gosh.. one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It is just bursting with millions of pine trees and it has the biggest beautiful lake. The town is cute and little. We went around visiting people for a few hours and from what I can tell, there are a bunch of hippies living here. I can't wait to get out and start teaching lessons. I met one of our investigators last night, his name is John. He is an older man who doesn't have any family. He talked a lot about how his relationship with his dad was pretty bad and he kept saying how he has no one in his life and just wants to create meaningful relationships. My heart was breaking for him.. I was already feeling that sincere love and desire for his well being. He really wants to be baptized. His testimony is very strong and he seems to understand everything but he just is having a really difficult time quitting smoking. Sister Tisdale said she has tried everything to help so I think her and I just need to keep meeting with him and pray really really hard and fast. Today the Elders in our district and Sister Tisdale and I went to a mexican restaurant and it was so yummy ha it made me feel a little normal for a bit too because this huge change and just the fact that I am actually out serving a mission makes it all feel very surreal and strange. I thinking about you guys way way more here than I was during my time at the MTC. I just can't wait to feel more established and familiar with the area. I know it is where I am supposed to be and I know that the Lord is strengthening me and my family, as preparing those that I am going to teach in the future. I love you guys soooo much! I didn't get a chance today to read your emails that you have sent since last Pday but my P day is this upcoming Monday so I will get a chance then to read and respond. THANK YOU so so much family for the sweet little notes you sent me in that little package. I loved it they made me teary eyed ha it was great to hear from all of you. Thank you Dad for the bracelet :) I was so proud of it and showed it to all the sisters and told them my dad has a cool hobby working with leather. They thought it was super cute. I miss you and love you. I know I am going to love it more and more each day I am out here and I know that my love for this gospel is going to grow more and more which is crazy cause I love it so much already. I know its true and I know Heavenly Father loves us so very much. I will write you on Monday!

Love, Adrienne