MTC week ONE!

Oh my goodness, where to begin!!?? I can't believe it's only been one week, it already feels like I've been here for an eternity!! I apologize if this get's confusing and incomprehensible, my mind is just such a flurry of EVERYTHING right now!

The MTC is really sooooo amazing!! There really is no way to explain the feeling you have here! It's true that all we do is Study, Eat, Work out, Study, Eat, Study, Eat, Study, Study, and even more Studying!! And once you're done studying, you look down at your schedule and realize that you have to do even more studying. My. Good. Gosh. It's crazy, but we're all on such a spiritual high right now! My head CONSTANTLY aches with so much new information (Danish is probably the craziest language ever. Seriously. So many rules and exceptions, and I thought English was ridiculous!)

I guess I could just start out with the day before reporting, right?? 

After boarding the plane to come to Salt Lake, I started having THE WORST HEADACHE in the world!! My head ached, and my heart was a little heavy knowing that I just said goodbye to my dear family for the next 18 months! I feel like so much is going to happen, and I'm a little anxious about that! But I just kept telling myself that this is what I need to do. I received that unshakeable confirmation, and I know that I cannot deny it. The Lord will be there with me, and like Isaiah said, He will be right next to me, holding me by the right hand as I go to the front lines of this Spiritual battle in the world.

So I land in SLC, and finally make it to the baggage claim, where I see my beautifully darling cousins, Stephanie and Landon! It was sooo amazing to spend the day walking around Temple Square with them! There were tons of people asking if I was a new missionary, because let's be honest, how many women do you see walking around Temple Square on a Tuesday dressed in missionary attire who aren't greenies?? yeah, you got it, none. We're all so obvious to spot, as one older gentleman told me!! hahaha, but that's alright with me :)

I think saying goodbye to all my cousins was the hardest part on  Tuesday, after saying goodbye to my family already back in Maryland. I felt like such a cry baby, I was seriously on the verge of tears all night long! I'm so grateful that they all put in the time to come and see me one last time before I headed off! All of their advice and stories were so uplifting, and I love them all to bunches <3

Day one in the MTC was so hectic! I arrive at the MTC, and the Elder escort was actually someone I recognized! Elder Needham from Logan High, headed to the Czech Republic!! I've also seen some more Logan high missionaries while here, like Sister Lefler and Sister Goring, and it's so cool!!

Getting my nametag was so surreal! I can't believe I actually have it now! I love having Christ's name above my heart wherever I am!!

We go right to class on day one, and boy, was that an experience!! I walk into the Danish Classroom, and that very second, Bror (Brother) Williamson just starts going all out in Danish! Wowee, my head was spinning!! You can only learn so much from personal studies of a language, and hearing  it so fluently was incredible! But at that moment, I was totally shocked and confused and worried that I wouldn't be able to master any language that beautiful!

Day two came, and day three, and day four. Hahaha, it's all pretty much the same. We study all the time, and when we don't study, we eat. And when we don't eat or study, we sleep. Night's go by so fast here! You're so exhausted that you knock out the second your head hits the pillow, and seriously, 5 minutes later, it's already 6:15 and we're out of bed! I'm exhausted ALL THE TIME, even though we get 8 hours every night!! But even though we're so tired, we're constantly busy, so we don't have any time to think about being tired!! Golly, it's such a strange thing.

Sunday was so incredible. We actually had FREE TIME, in which, my companion, Sister Mann, and I didn't know what to do with ourselves. We were so exhausted though, that we actually laid down for 15 minutes while the rest of the zone went on the Temple Walk. But don't worry, we won't do that EVERY Sunday, we're definitely doing the temple walk this coming Sunday. 

The Branches have been moving around a bit here on the MTC campus, and we just gained a new counselor in our branch presidency, and he served in Denmark! So he bore his testimony in Danish, and Sister Mann and I were so excited that we were actually able to understand what he was saying! For the most part, anyway!

Monday was a typical monday, but better only because we are at the MTC! Hahaha, if that makes any sense. It was just more studying. But then Tuesday came along! Tuesdays are great for one very beautiful reason: DEVOTIONAL! It reminded me of Rexburg, which was great :) We heard from one of the members of the Seventy, Larry Lawrence, and it was a beautiful talk! I also sang in the choir, which was an amazing opportunity! I'm planning on doing it the whole 6 weeks I'm here!

And here we are, on PDay!! I have it on Wednesdays, for those who kept asking in emails. But obviously, you just got one, so.....yes, Wednesday is the magical Day. 

Want to know some Danish words?? Of course you do, sillies!! hahaha

My favorite is Kærlighed, a beautiful word that means "Love." ahaha, I don't know why, but it's just my favorite :)

Jeg ved at Gud elsker os, og at gennem forsoningen, vi kan vende tilbage til Gud og Jesus Kristus. J

Jeg elsker jer!

Kærlighed,

Søster Soelberg

Ps: It's so weird hearing "Soelberg" with a Danish accent ALL THE TIME!! And when it's not in Danish, the Swedes, Nords, and Dutchies pronounce it pretty much the same way, with very little differences!!! hahaha

Oh yes, a quick cool tidbit for cousin Rebecca if she reads this any time soon : my Zone leader is a Dutchie, Elder Benjamin Hunter!! He said he knew her from "Savior of the World." :) Isn't that cool?? And I've met a sister here from Eagle ID also, and she said she absolutely LOVES the Soelberg crew up there :)

Anyway, I'm trying to fit everything in!! If you want to know anything, just feel free to shoot me a letter!! Letters are great here!! They're so exciting :)

I love you all!! have a great week!!!

Vi Ses!! <3