First week in the MTC

July 23, 2013

Hi  Family!!!

I am so excited to finally write to you guys!! I 've been dying all week to talk to you guys and tell you all about the MTC!!  Well, the MTC has been been an incredible experience!  I have learned so much about myself and about missionary work.  I have seen so many tender mercies these past 6 days in the MTC.  This has been the most longest week of my life! The days seem to never end and by the time I am in my room writing in my journal I can never finish because there is just so much that happens each day.

1. I have seen so many friends here!! I see Hermana Silvana Pinzon 5-6 times everyday at Meal time and walking around.  Its kinda weird because I was used to sitting with her at the Cannon center at BYU and now I see her at every meal but I have to sit with my companion.  I am glad that I get to see her all the time and talk with her.

I see all my Jerusalem friends all the time and have taken tons of pictures with them (I've seen: Sister Butler, Sister Wagner, Sister Staples, Sister Guynn, Sister Kelly, and Sister Larson).  It truly has been a miracle for me to see so many people that I know so that I don't get so homesick.

Sarah, I have seen both Womack twins, and elder Day everyday!!  They all say hi and every time I see them they think I am you walking around.  On Saturday I was walking down the hallway between classes and one of the Womack twins called me Sarah but then realized that it was just me. :)  I took tons of pictures for you and will send them to you as soon as I can.

Oh, and this morning guess who I ran into????? I saw Alfredo from the Azuqueca ward in Spain! He didn't remember me but he remembered Sarah and Pablo.  He is going to France on his mission.  I never thought that I was going to run into people here because there are so many missionaries here.  It truly has been a tender mercy for me.

2.  The people in my district (district 12...like in Hunger games) are incredible people.  I am the only person in my branch (which has 3 districts) who can play the piano! I am grateful Mami that you had me learn to play the piano.  I know, I know..you told me that I would say that, but it is true.  It was great to play the piano for everyone.  In my district there are 14 of us, 6 sisters and 8 elders.  We apparently are a big class for the MTC, but since we are in the Advanced Spanish class and are only here for two weeks they just put us all together.  They have also been a blessing to me. The elders and sisters in my district are so knowledgeable about the gospel and about the scriptures.  Yesterday, we all taught an investigator together and one of the boys was just bringing out tons of scriptures from the Bible to help the investigator understand that "by their fruits ye shall know them" and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.

I love the sisters in my district.  They are also my roommates and so we definitely have a great time together.  We have all become really great friends and spend the 30-45 minutes before bed just talking and laughing and eating the candy that our families sent to us.  Sarah, thank you for the Banana bread.  It was really good and it was like having a piece of home with me.

My companion's name is Hermana Sorensen.  She is from St. George but she lived in Chile for three years in high school and she is really funny.  She definitely makes me laugh and puts a smile on my face every day.

The other sisters in my room are: Hermana Judd from Washington (going to  Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina; Hermana Muñoz from Canada (also going to Comodoro Rivadavia), Hermana Rubio from California (going to Peru Lima) and Hermana Lopez from California (going to Ecuador).  All of us are going to South American but only one of us have gotten our visas. :(

Talking about visas.  Papi, the travel office here at the MTC told me to turn in my passport.  I went in and asked them if I have gotten my visa yet.  They called the lady in Salt lake and she said that no I hadn't gotten my visa yet and that she needed my passport.  Thet took my passport and sent it to Salt Lake.  They told me that out of all the people going to Argentina only 2 of us in the whole MTC have gotten our visas for next week.  So, I am getting reassigned!  I am actually excited because it is like getting another mission call all over again.  We should find out this Friday where we are going and on Tuesday next week we should be going to new areas.   But we aren't sure yet, so I still might be going straight down to Argentina next week. I'll let you guys know as soon as possible what happens.  I know that what ever happens is supposed to happen and that where ever I go I can still be a great missionary. 

3. The third tender mercy has been the wonderful spirit that I have felt.  On Sunday we went to a devotional they played for us that Elder Bednar gave four years ago at the MTC.  He said, "Be a good boy, be a good girl. Remember the covenants you have made in the temple, keep the commandments.  he will guide your steps and as i press forward put inspired words in my mouth and I cannot go amiss."  It was what I needed to hear.  he talked that we may worry that the impressions we receive are from the spirit our from our own thoughts, but that we need to Quit worrying about it and get to work.  I really needed to be reminded that as I press forward, I will be guided and the spirit will be able to work through me.

Well, I want to tell you that the MTC has been hard.  We have 17 hour days and by the end of the day I am so exhausted. I am kept so busy that I hardly have time to even be homesick. I am learning so much and have had many tender mercies in my life by just being here.  I have felt the spirit help me as I learn and teach our pretend and fake investigators.  There is stills so much for me to learn and so much that I still need to study, but I know that I need to be patient with myself.

I think of you guys each day.  Thank you guys so much for the pillow case and for all the messages you guys wrote on it.  I read it every night and just love sleeping on my pillow with your messages supporting me :)  I also sleep with the picture album I made of you guys under my pillow that I can look at your pictures when ever I want to.   I love you guys so much and I can't wait to talk to you guys again!! 

Sarah, I am so glad that you had a great time on your date with Logan! I am so happy that he called you and that you guys had fun together.  Keep me updated on what happens!!!! :)  haha, just don't get so carried away okay, I know you are  a mature bibbity bobbity 18 year old :)

Levi, I hope you have a great time at scout camp! Be safe and know that I love you so much!

Daniel! Good job on your indexing! I hope you win and brisket, but if you don't, just know you are helping tons of people get closer to getting the gospel in their lives!!

Carlos, be a good boy and keep smiling! I hope you are a great help to Mami!

Sofia, I love you! please send me a picture when you finish painting your castle

Soraya! I love you! I'd love to get a picture from you in a letter! Keep smiling!

I love you guys so much and I hope that you guys continue having a great time this week without me.  well, not so good, since I'm not there, but I know you guys can  make the most of it!! Have fun at the parade and say hi to everyone for me!

Hermana Susana Zubeldia

Here is my address at the MTC:

Sister Susana Isabel Zubeldia Barlow

JUL30 ARG-BABL

2007 N 900 E Unit 50

Provo, UT 84602

P.S.  If you want to send me letters I would love it!! And if you want to send me the rain jacket I will try to fit it into my luggage.  If not, I will leave it here with some other stuff I can't bring for you guys to pick up.  Could you also send my hard drive that Papi gave me for Jerusalem? First download the pictures somewhere and then send it to me empty. I would love that!! I have tried to figure out how to send you guys pictures, but I haven't been successful yet.  I'll continue trying and asking around.

p.p.s Silvana would also love a letter. Her address is in one of the texts she sent me.