Week 1--Already can't think of a creative title, Yikes!

Testing, testing, 1 2 3....Is this thing on??  Okay that was a really lame joke, sorry.

Hello friends / family / people who felt obligated to sign up for my weekly letters!! I am alive and well and have just survived my first week in the Missionary Training Center. It has easily been the longest, most busy and exhausting week of my life. However, it has also been BY FAR the happiest I have been in such a long time, possibly my entire life. I know that sounds dramatic, but it's true. Since being here, I have become so much more confident in myself and have such an overwhelming feeling that this is where I am meant to be. Although I haven't been here for very long, the things I have learned, the people I have met, and the feelings I have felt are things I will hold in my heart forever. This place is truly unlike any other....it's honestly kind of difficult to explain but I will attempt to.

Basically the MTC is our own little bubble away from the outside world where our days consist of learning, studying, classes, teaching, and floral dresses. Seriously....there is an overwhelming amount of floral dresses. And I am probably the biggest culprit. But most importantly, the spirit here is SO strong. I have never been anywhere where it is so constant and almost tangible. Walking around and seeing all these 18 - 25 year olds wearing the same name tags as me and who have the same purpose as me is incredible. I can't even begin to describe what an amazing feeling it is to be a part of something like that. 

 



Sister H and I at the temple


ANYWAYS, let's get down to the nitty gritty details. My companion, AKA the person who is by my side 24/7, is named Sister H. She is from the Vancouver, Washington / Portland, Oregon area. When she first told me that's where she was from I asked if she had ever watched Portlandia and she didn't seem very amused.....in case you were wondering. But she is incredible and we seriously have way too much fun together. She is sassy, confident, honest, and thoughtful. She wears a different Disney pin every day, has Andes mints (ya know, like the kind you have you at Olive Garden) in bulk and carries them with her everywhere, she puts her sweats back on the second she gets home from class, and she absolutely loves musicals. A few of my favorite Sister Hunter quotes include: "I sent Zac Efron hate mail when he dyed his hair black", and "I would sooner go inactive in the church than go running outside". She's a hoot. Sorry that was a really weird word to use but it feels right.

 

 

 

The Jersey girls ;) Me, Sister B, Sister H, Sister W, Sister H, Sister S

My District. There are 6 Sisters and 10 Elders. All of the Sisters are going to New Jersey too, and we are all leaving on the same day!! It has been so much fun being able to get close to them and hopefully we will still see each other often once we get out into the mission field. One of my favorite things that we do are our movie nights....actually we watch The Restoration video, but it's pretty much the same thing. At least, it's better than nothing. The Elders in my district are all either going to Washington DC North, or Atlanta, Georgia. They're all 18 and straight out of high school. As you might imagine, they are typical teenage boys and during lunch they do dumb stuff like try to smash open apples with their foreheads, and say movie quotes back and forth and tell stories and jokes and attempt to rap. Even thought it is all super yikes, I absolutely love hanging around them. I think they mostly just remind me a lot of my bothers, and I miss them a lot. But the funny thing is, although they're dumb teenage boys, the second we get into class they are totally different people. They are insightful and thoughtful and the comments that they share are seriously incredible. I think it is so cool to be able to see both sides of them. But we hang out with our districts a LOT, and eat all of our meals together and do our own study sessions as a group. I love all those guys so much, and I really hope we all stay in contact once we get home from our missions. Plus, Elder J promised to take us all kayaking where he works, so we're all holding him to that.
 

 

The District! Pretty terrible quality so sorry about that, but we'll get a better picture soon

 

Here are a few (nonspiritual) things I have learned while being in the MTC:

Apparently I look like I could be named either Rachel or Emily. At least that's what most people guessed so far.

Not even missionaries are immune to the hilarity that is "Yocum"

I say "dude" and "guys" a LOT. In the MTC they ask us to refer to each other as "Elder" and "Sister" and it has been my biggest struggle remembering that.

Because I am calling people "Sister" all day, I constantly have the Cheetah Girls stuck in my head.....you know the one I'm talking about

Four square is awesome, and I'm surprisingly good at it

I am also surprisingly good at freestyle rapping, but that is a little yikes for me to confess

Cocoa puffs with chocolate milk is delicious and has literally changed my life

Anyways, I am seriously loving my time here. I will admit that I was a little nervous at first, but since I have been here I have not regretted it for one second. I love this church so much. I love this opportunity that I have to bring others unto Christ and to share the happiness that I have with others, and help them feel it too. I know that this is where I am meant to be. This work is hard, but I love it so much. I'm sure that once I leave the MTC and actually go to New Jersey it will be different, but I look forward to all the challenges that are sure to come. As my dear friend Elder W once told me, "there is so much fun in store for you. Also terrifying trials and crippling self doubt."  I am ready to experience all of those feelings, and more.




Me, faithfully and intently studying my scriptures, as I always do, while Sister B goofs off, as she always does. (this is sarcasm, in case you wouldn't tell.)



I love you all, thanks for your thoughts and prayers. I promise you that I can feel them.

All my love,
Sister Yocum

P.S. If you feel so inclined, send me a letter! I'll put my address below but ya know, only if you want to, just like if you have some free time and have nothing else to do, or maybe if you want to practice your penmanship or just bought a bunch of new pens or something or even if you love typing you can just email me that way it saves paper and postage but like I mean it's totally not a big deal, I'm fine either way, whatever your preference follow your heart I'm not even that invested in it I'm fine either way ha ha ha ha (also this is mostly a joke but hey I won't complain if you do sent me something)

Sister Olivia Yocum
SEP18  NJ-MOR
2005 N 900 E Unit  96
Provo UT 84602