Subject: Stayin' alive...

Hi people!

THANK YOU so much for your love, letters, prayers and support these past 14 days. I have needed it and definitely have appreciated it. 

The last time we talked was last Tuesday morning, well Tuesday nights are MTC devotional nights. Last week the devotional was broadcast-ed to all the MTCs around the world because Elder Neil Anderson came to speak to us! It was so fun to hear an apostle speak to all the training missionaries in the world... And we got to see it live! He brought such an amazing spirit with him, as I am sure you could imagine. He spoke on forgetting the word "I" and replacing it with Jesus Christ, companion, investigator or members. It was amazing and it really put perspective on the way I should be thinking while serving my mission. 

So remember how I hated having my dork dot on the Wednesday I arrived? I took EVERY opportunity I could to welcome new missionaries to the MTC last Wednesday and it was a great feeling. I am movin on up to the pro leagues quicker than I expected... I gotta make sure the rookies understand their place. Haha!

Let me just tell ya that fast Sunday's here in the MTC are one of the most trying experiences of my life. If you are receiving this email you probably know me well enough that I am always looking forward to the next meal. Like, always. Having said that, you can also start to conclude that fast Sundays are the hardest days of the month for me. I will admit that fasting one meal that day was always passed off as acceptable in my book. Well, let me just tell you that is IMPOSSIBLE to pull off here... Except if you are diabetic (believe me I thought about lying). I fasted for 24 hours people! Be proud of me. I had a migraine and was in one heck of a mood but I pulled through! Dinner that night was one of the most rewarding meals of my life. Laugh all you want, but that's the cold hard truth. 

I will let you all in on a little secret right now. The MTC resident halls' bathrooms are the most entertaining places in the whole world. Without getting to inappropriate I will just say that I have never laughed harder in my life at other Sisters. One of my favorite activities is to brush my teeth at night and listen to "the shower singers". Girls some how think that when they are in a large, tiled shower room with the curtain pulled shut that they magically turn into Beyonce or something. Its like a full blown concert in the bathrooms at night and I just love it. 99.5% of the time the sisters are off key and vibrato at times that they shouldn't, but every once in a while you get a fairly good singer that was probably star of her concert choir class. I've never heard so many hymns sung in the shower at one time. It is quite exquisite. 

On Monday nights, our zone has gym time at 8pm. Luckily we can go outside and exercise the way that we want. I went running with the other solo sister that I went with last week. (Her name is sister Angerhofer. She is stuck here waiting for her visa). We had done about one lap around the MTC and it just started POURING and thundering AND lightning. Naturally, most all of the other missionaries ran for the doors to keep themselves dry, but not us! We ran 3 miles in the pouring rain watching and listening to the thunder and lightning. It was my form of heaven. I was freezing and soaking wet but was honestly the HAPPIEST I have been since arriving here. 

This language is CRAZY! Sometimes when I sit in class I just think to myself, what is going on right now? I have fallen in love with everything Norwegian. Our teachers reward us with a story from their mission or a cultural insight, if we behave during their lesson. I cannot wait to get there and enjoy the beauty, people and the culture! I feel really good about my progress in the language so far. It boosts my confidence when I explain to one of the other missionaries how to say certain things in Norsk. I have taught 6 different lessons all in Norsk to two different fake investigators already. I cannot wait to be super fluent and not have to even think in English. <Jeg elsker evangelium og mine ledsagare!>

I have yet to get sick of the people I am around, maybe that means that they are sick of me? All 12 elders going to Norge are hilarious and definitely make this experience better. I also love that I get to have Emi in my residence dorm at night. We just laugh and laugh about things that happen in the day. 

I have NOTHING to complain about. I am so happy to be here and love getting up and working hard everyday. Thank you again for all that each one of you does for me! I couldn't be here without the help of people around me. Remember to look outside of yourself and forget the word "I" this week. I pray for all of you and truly hope the best in your lives. 

With all my love,

Sister Frampton

*Pics on the way

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.