Hermana Watson's First Letter!!

Mom, dad, and everybody,

My first day here was crazy.  I think I spent most of it in a dream-like haze, thinking "Wow, I'm actually here"!  It just didn't even seem real.

I'm all settled into my room now with three other sisters.  My companion, Hermana Overy, is wonderful.  We're very similar (especially concerning shots and how we cry when we get emotional) and are getting along well.  She's such a compassionate person and very sweet.  She's from Wyoming and is the youngest of 6 girls.

We haven't really gotten into the language yet, but our teachers are only speaking to us in Spanish.  I'm remembering a lot more than I thought I did.  It's fun to walk around and hear everyone greet you in their mission language.  I've even gotten brave and tried to use the little I know every chance I get.

I miss you all but I don't feel homesick yet - like I thought I would.  I'm being kept too busy for that.  In fact, I'm writing this in the ten minutes I have free before lunch starts.

It's really beautiful here.  I'm lucky I'm here in Spring so I can enjoy the nice weather and all of the flowers growing around here.

I get little moments now and then of "Am I really doing this?", but they don't last long.  I really am glad that I did this.  I feel such peace here and about what I am doing.

I'll be here a total of nine weeks.  Doesn't seem that long on this side of it, but I'm sure by week three I'll be ready to get to work. :)

How is everything going at home?  How's Bear been doing? How is everyone?  Are you getting excited to graduate Connor?  Has Larissa had all of you move yet? Ha ha!

We had an amazing experience last night to talk to some investigators.  It was a whole group of us and 1 of them.  A senior missionary companionship spoke first then it was open for us to talk to them or ask questions.    The first man was very passionate and asked a lot of 'Why is there suffering if God loves us' questions.  The other man was older but very sweet.  His wife had just died and he missed her a lot.  The girl we talked to was amazing.  By the end of our talk she was crying and so were we.  She has cancer and seemed like an optimistic person. But suddenly she just broke down and told us "I walk around and smile, but I'm not happy".  She also expressed a desire to have a relationship with our Father.  We spoke to her about the power of prayer and at the end she cried and told us, "I just want you to know that ya'all are helping me so much tonight."  This was an amazing experience.

Well, that's most everything I have to say right now.  I love you all so much.

Hermana Watson

And She's Off!

There were a lot of tears and hugs - but we know she will be an amazing missionary. We love and miss you already, Elora.