Oh, my goodness, what a week.  At the beginning, I was going to write and tell you all about the end of my time at the MTC. But then I came here, and I was going to write about the first few days of the field. And now so much as happened I just don't know what to say.  Well, I will start at the beginning, I guess.

Fast Sunday at the MTC was great. We had a lot of bearing of testimonies, and we really all grew closer as a district.  Have I mentioned I love my MTC district? I love my MTC district. They are awesome. The last day of the MTC was really awesome and spiritual and fun. The next morning we took a bus to Pocatello and met President and Sister Brinkerhoff at their home, where we had a yummy lunch, had some orientation, relaxed a bit, and then found out where we are serving and who our trainer is! (Blackfoot area with trainer Sister Worrall.) 

We stayed the night with different members, then parted for our different areas the next morning. It was sad parting from our district and from Sister Brimley, but we saw each other in the field later so it was all good. 

So. Blackfoot, Idaho.  Honestly, if I didn't know I was in Idaho I wouldn't think I was in Idaho.  (Except for the fact there are potatoes everywhere.) It looks more like Kansas or some rural parts of Texas even.  The hills and small mountains are so far in the distance, you hardly notice them.  Our area is a lot of farmland.  Like all. Farmland. Potato farmland.  All of it. So we have a lot of driving.  Sometimes there are just cows chilling in the middle of the road.  That part kind of reminds me of Ireland.  

So Blackfoot is the Potato capital of the world.  I thought the whole "potato" thing was an exaggeration, kind of like it's an exaggeration to say that everyone in Texas wears a cowboy hat.  Let me tell you something. The potatoes are not exaggerated.  I've had potatoes for every meal so far.  In Shelley, Idaho, they have a day this week called "Spud Day".  There are trucks everywhere just full of potatoes.  It's harvest season, so all the fields we live around are being harvested here.  It's kind of weird how stuff revolves around harvest here.  Like people aren't at home because of "harvest" and  school is out because of harvest.  It's really foreign.  Example of the kind of place I live in: the other day, I saw a fence around a field that was made out of cars.  A wall of cars, each one turned on its side with the driver-side door face up.  Weird. 

  

Also, my trainer and new companion, Sister Worrall, is AWESOME. She likes Harry Potter and Stick It, so basically we are best friends.  We've got a good balance of goofy friend-ship-ness and good teaching companionship, so it works out really well. I will send some pictures later.  

Yesterday was the longest Sunday of my life.  You don't know what a long Sunday is until you've been to 8 hours of church. 8 HOURS. Do not complain about how long church is until you've been to 8 HOURS OF IT.  It's because we cover 5 wards here.  Also, I gave a talk.  Sis Worrall didn't tell me I was supposed to give it until Saturday night.  So basically I wrote my talk Sunday morning during a meeting.  

I've met a lot of investigators and less actives here, each one very different. Already loving it here and loving the people.  Some are just so ready for the gospel, all they need is a gentle nudge from the spirit to get  going.  I'm getting the hang of talking to people and inviting them to be baptized. (we do that a lot the very first time we meet people, which was so scary at first!)  Sis Worrall is helping a ton with getting familiar with mission life and teaching.  The spirit is the essential tool in this work.  It edifies both missionary and investigator.  I love you all so much.  Please share this great gospel you have with others in whatever way you can.  It will bless their lives and yours.

Much love,

Sister Moreland