MTC Rocks!

Hi family! (and friends :)

I got your letters yesterday and it totally made my day!
Thanks for writing me.  Also, a shout out to Kim and Lynda
who are the best and made sure I got a letter pretty much
right when I entered.

I mailed a letter to you last week, so hopefully it gets
to you soon.  My teacher, Irmao Okazaki tried emailing
you my email address, but apparently it didn't work.

So, you get to hear from me by surprise...surprise!

The MTC totally rocks.  I love every bit of it.  Today is
the first time where we have had free time here and it
feels really weird...

I am already learning so much Portuguese and have two
really great teachers.  My district is really great--there
are 5 sisters and 6 elders.  We pretty much doubled the
Relief Society in the ward.

My companions are really great.  One is Irma Morrison who
played volleyball for SVU and is from Oregon so we have a
fun time playing volleyball in gym time.  My other
companion is Irma Hart, who is going to Brazil, who is
an only child and coincidentally the only member in her
family.  She has a strong testimony and a very fun
personality. The other two sisters in our district are
named Irma Graf and Irma Spiegle.  They are both
elementary education majors and Irma Spiegle was a
teacher of 5th grade before the mission.  They are both
really awesome and way fun--we all share a room so it
is like college all over again...except for the whole
staying up late part.

It is really cold right now in Provo.  We went to the
temple today and almost froze to death.  It was really
fun being in the temple again, although I think people
treat me differently because of my nametag.  All of the
temple workers smile and wave to me like I'm someone
special and pretty much just stare at me because I am
a missionary.  But, it is fun--I should get used to
it because I am sure that I will attract such attention
wherever I go.

So, you asked about Sunday services.  You mentioned
how in some wards they call on elders and sisters from
the pulpit to give talks in the language.  Yeah,
pretty much that happens every week.  Gratefully last
week was Fast Sunday, so we had no danger of being
called on, but this week we had to prepare a talk in
Portuguese about diligence.  I just finished mine today.
It sounds like a Primary talk, but is a talk nonetheless.
I don't think I would be that nervous to give it,
though because I can read Portuguese pretty well. But,
I am pretty impressed with how fast I am picking up
Portuguese, however.  I seriously go to sleep every
night thinking of phrases in Portuguese.  I am always
excited to learn more Portuguese and I think I bug
my teachers into teaching me things like possessives
and subjunctive.

But, the funny thing is that when we study in the hall,
a lot of Spanish-speaking elders come up and try to
practice contacting us and I pretty much correct their
Spanish.  And the funnier thing is that last week
these Portuguese-speaking elders came and tried to
contact us who had been here for six weeks and I
corrected their grammar as well.  (I know, I am kind
of a perfectionist!) I have made friends with a lot
of Spanish-speaking sisters who always try to come up
to me and have me correct their Spanish.  The weird
thing about being around so many languages is that
all of the Spanish is coming back. But, Spanish totally
gives me a false sense of security when it comes to
learning Portuguese.  There are many things that are
the same, but just enough is different to keep me on
my toes...  I love the Portugal Portuguese accent.
It sounds very beautiful. So I heard through a rumor
(a.k.a poppy's letter) that you were planning on
sending me a package.  Well, here are some pointers
if you are planning on sending me one: Please do NOT
send me food or nylons (I have AMPLE of both!) Some
things you could send me are: pens, pencils, post-its,
stationary, stamps, ribbons for my hair (big thick ones),
stick deodarant, and little flashcards.  But, if not,
then that is fine.  I can live without it.
Anyway, I love you all and am so grateful for your
support and prayers.  I am having the time of my life.
Good luck in everything, and until next week,

I love you to the moon and back,

Irma Perez

p.s.--Mom, could you post this on my blog?  Oh, and
any of you can email me back! That would be exciting!

p.p.s.--I totally thought I would not be one of
those sister missionaries who would write a novel
every week, but I guess I am.  Sorry!